I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 252

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I’m a Mother-in-Law, But I Don’t Want Family Conflicts Episode 252 Special Side Story

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As the Layton Family boasted a long history, the innocent souls who had died because of them were also countless.

Mikhail calmly watched their sorrowful cries.

“Your Excellency, I only followed your orders. But why on earth…”

A Young Knight who grabbed Mikhail’s shoulder and wept endlessly.

“Honey, you’re there, aren’t you? What happened to our, our daughter? Please, you can kill me if you want, but please spare our daughter.”

A Pitiful Wife who had gone blind.

“Die, just die! I was wrong to trust you, someone like you isn’t even Family!”

A Younger Sister trembling with betrayal.

All Mikhail could do for them was bow his head and apologize.

“I’m sorry.”

They all showed different reactions. While some continued to cry out in anguish, others were filled with rage and grabbed weapons, or slapped him hard across the face before glaring at him for hours.

‘I must endure this. This is our original sin.’

Mikhail repeatedly offered sincere apologies to them.

He never ignored their anger, resentment, and sorrow.

He too knew that his status was special. Born into the Empire’s greatest Noble Houses, he had lived enjoying many privileges. That’s why he didn’t turn away from the fact that his good fortune came from sacrifice, or from innocent Victims.

“Go to Hell, you damn bastard.”

“I hope never to meet you in the next life.”

Fortunately, once they had vented all their anger, they would disappear as if achieving enlightenment. That sight somewhat eased Mikhail’s guilt.

Even when he collapsed to the Floor covered in blood, watching souls transform into pure white light and disappear brought comfort to his heart.

Of course, all of this might be a play prepared by Oberon. They might not even be souls at all, but Traps designed to torment Mikhail.

Even so, Mikhail apologized sincerely.

Oberon seemed slightly disgusted by his attitude.

“Impressive. You have good patience and character. Wilhelmina has gained great fortune.”

Knowing it was sarcasm, Mikhail didn’t bother to respond.

Seeing him silently continue his apologies, Oberon continued with a bored expression.

“Don’t exhaust yourself from the start. You’ll need to endure for a long time ahead. Time flows differently in This World.”

“…Time flows differently?”

“Ah, you didn’t know? Since this is the Dream World, the rules are different from Reality. Your one night is roughly…”

Oberon paused to choose his words.

“About five days in This World. That much time must pass before the sun rises and you can wake up. So you can’t get tired from now on.”

Cracks appeared in Mikhail’s expression as he had been enduring steadfastly.

No matter how great the pain, one can endure it if they think there’s an end. But the time in the Dream World seemed intent on testing his patience to its limits.

“You understand well.”

Oberon said with laughter in his voice.

“That’s why it’s a trial. Surely you didn’t think you could break the Curse by suffering for just a day or two?”

“You… are reading my thoughts.”

“Of course, I’m the King of dreams. There’s nothing in this world I don’t know.”

Oberon annoyingly buzzed around in front of Mikhail’s eyes.

‘So then, I have to have this nightmare every night for five whole days?’

Cold sweat dripped down Mikhail’s forehead.

Running away until the trial ended was impossible. Humans weren’t creatures that could avoid sleep.

The moment he accepted the trial, his nights were destined to become hell.

“Now then, let’s begin the next apology. Who knows? If you get absorbed in it, time might pass quickly.”

…The single night’s dream given to Mikhail was far too long.

* * *

In fact, Wilhelmina was the first to notice something was wrong.

A month after Mikhail’s nightmares had continued, Wilhelmina came to visit and asked him.

“Mikhail, has something been happening lately?”

“…Something happening?”

Wearing his usual smiling mask, Mikhail tilted his head as he looked at Wilhelmina.

Wilhelmina crossed her arms and spoke as if she didn’t know what to say.

“Something bad happening, or a fight with your wife…”

“It’s the same as usual. Oh, did I look tired perhaps?”

Mikhail jokingly said it was probably because recent banquets and events had been tiring.

There was no change in his bedtime or wake-up time. His complexion should be normal too. Mikhail was confident his lies wouldn’t be discovered.

Sure enough, Wilhelmina nodded casually.

“Hmm, I guess it was my imagination. You seemed to space out sometimes.”

“That’s…”

Mikhail chose his words for a moment.

His intuition told him that denying even this might arouse suspicion.

“It’s because I haven’t been able to meet with Helene lately. Since Helene is busy too, I’m lonely.”

Wilhelmina stared intently at him as he smiled broadly.

But since there was no justification to press further, she took a step back.

“Well, if you say so. I don’t really have any other guesses…”

Wilhelmina, who had bid farewell telling him to take good care of himself, asked one last question before leaving the room.

“Come to think of it, haven’t you met with anyone?”

“Anyone?”

“Someone who says they’ll break your curse or something.”

“I wouldn’t know. Did you call for a mage?”

“…No, I just thought the promised time was approaching. If anything happens, tell me anytime.”

With those words, Wilhelmina left.

Mikhail let out a bitter smile at her sharp intuition.

‘It doesn’t seem like I gave any particular clues, yet she casually asks about things I want to hide.’

As always, half-hearted boasting or excuses were useless in front of Wilhelmina.

If it had been Helene, he would have subtly created distance, drawing a line that it was a private matter. The couple tended not to invade each other’s personal territory unless absolutely necessary.

But Wilhelmina was different.

‘If she gets even the slightest justification, she’ll come charging in like a bamboo-splitting force.’

Armed with the logic of ‘I’m his mother, so it’s fine,’ she would relentlessly pressure Mikhail.

Since he had to face the trials alone anyway, he needed to be careful going forward.

The fortunate thing was that during the trials, the progression of the curse completely stopped. The nightmares were terrible, but the days when the sun was up were comfortable thanks to the curse disappearing.

‘If I could stop time, daytime would be good.’

Such a futile wish was only momentary.

After night fell, he was trapped in nightmares again.

Oberon, who had been waiting in the form of a black dust mass as always, greeted him.

“Welcome! Shall we start right away?”

“You don’t even want to have a conversation anymore.”

“Has it been five months since I’ve been with you? There’s nothing left to say now. Honestly, I’m sick of it.”

Mikhail shrugged his shoulders and then moved toward the shadow figure.

He likewise felt no good emotions toward Oberon.

“Ah, Father. Why did you kill me? Just as you said, I devoted everything you needed…”

“I’m sorry.”

“Son, you are a demon’s child. I shouldn’t have given birth to a monster like you.”

…The trial of apology continued endlessly.

He repeated apologies to dozens, hundreds of people, and couldn’t even count how many he had passed.

When more than half a year had passed in reality and even Helene was beginning to grow suspicious… Mikhail encountered an unexpected figure.

“Ah, are you the new Family Head?”

“You are…”

Though it was a pale and aged face, he could immediately tell who it was.

He was the Fifth Duke, Mikhail’s distant ancestor. He had seen him in the portraits that recorded the appearances of the Family Heads.

“The curse still continues. I’m sorry, I should have taken my own life with my own hands to stop the curse…”

He looked so weak that it was hard to believe he was once a duke who controlled the Western Region. Bent back, drooping head, skin full of wrinkles… Mikhail somehow thought of his father.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

At his continued apologies, Mikhail reflexively opened his mouth.

“It’s alri-”

At that moment, Oberon appeared and blocked Mikhail’s view.

“That won’t do. I told you to only apologize, didn’t I?”

“What?”

“Accepting the soul’s apology is something ‘other than apologizing.’ So it’s forbidden.”

Oberon clicked his tongue as if asking whether he still didn’t understand.

“You mustn’t forgive them. You must just quietly apologize.”

“But then these souls can’t find peace.”

“Huh? Find peace? …Aha, so that’s what you were thinking!”

Oberon laughed gleefully.

“You thought they found peace because they were satisfied? No, they just went back because they got to say everything they had hidden in their hearts! Some of them might have felt more at ease… but at least, it wasn’t thanks to your apology.”

“Then, all the apologies I’ve made so far…”

“It was a meaningless act. Do you understand that now?”

In other words, Mikhail’s apologies had saved no one.

It was merely a trial to show him the bare face of sin, nothing more than that.

Watching Mikhail’s face turn pale, Oberon continued speaking.

“Still, there aren’t many people left to apologize to now. Let’s try a bit harder. Show me more of your meaningless acts.”

Oberon pushed Mikhail’s back. As if responding to this, the duke before them knelt down to Mikhail.

“I’m sorry, please accept my apology… Rather, kill me. Yes, kill me.”

And with sunken eyes, he took out a small dagger from his chest. Forcing it into Mikhail’s hand, he said this:

“Please, if you’re going to forgive me, kill me…”

Free me from this guilt.

Even though it was in a dream, a headache arose. Mikhail squeezed his eyes shut.

From being in the position of hearing anger and hatred, it had now changed to a trial of ignoring ancestors who wished for salvation.

“Ah, I can’t forget my wife’s eyes. What on earth did I do… Kill me. Please, please!”

It was terrible.

Oberon who wished for his suffering too.

The selfish ancestor who tried to escape from original sin, be forgiven by others through death, and comfort himself too.

Everything was terrible like a nightmare.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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