I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 260

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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 260 Special Side Story

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Eventually, Wilhelmina and Helene also left the dream.

Titania stopped Wilhelmina, who wanted to thank her for letting her hear her former student’s voice, and banished them to reality without even exchanging farewells.

Since the curse had disappeared, there was no reason for her to interfere in their daily lives.

Helene seemed to have something she wanted to tell the Emperor, but Titania didn’t listen.

In fact, Titania’s anger toward the Emperor had currently become blurred.

‘Is it thanks to Wilhelmina, or have my emotions simply been diluted over the long passage of time?’

She looked down at the Emperor lying before her. The Emperor that Helene had hunted… no, brought back, was unconscious in a pathetic state that made his past nickname as the continent’s strongest swordsman seem meaningless.

Even in a world without death, to defeat this Emperor in swordsmanship through dozens of duels. She realized anew just how remarkable Helene’s genius was.

‘In the past, I would have used my divine power to punish this man. But now… I don’t feel anything.’

That didn’t mean she had come to like the Emperor. If anything, she thought it would be beneficial for the human world to annihilate his soul right now so he couldn’t even reincarnate.

Yet her hand wouldn’t move, because she had grown tired of even investing such emotions in him.

Helene had told her to use him to vent her anger, but she simply couldn’t bring herself to do it.

As she was pondering what to do about this.

“Hello.”

“…?”

A boy’s head suddenly popped up from the ground.

The boy rose above the ground without moving, as if he had used some kind of magic.

He was a boy with striking platinum hair like Helene and Mikhail’s, and large eyes.

“Child, who are you?”

“Nice to meet you, Lady Titania. My name is Zeonil.”

The boy, Zeonil, clearly stated his name despite his appearance and bowed politely.

“Zeonil, then you’re Mikhail’s… How did you come here?”

“The Fairy King sent me. He told me to meet Lady Titania.”

“Oberon?”

This child didn’t seem qualified to undergo trials like Mikhail. Besides, hadn’t the curse already disappeared?

As she wondered why he had sent this child, Titania saw Zeonil’s magic power.

‘This is fairy magic… I see, so this child is Oberon’s successor.’

Only then did Titania realize Zeonil’s true identity.

‘He didn’t want to come himself, so he sent his successor instead.’

Even though their past agreement not to interfere in each other’s affairs would have lost its effect, Oberon never broke his promises.

Moreover, the eyes of other fairies would be a problem too. Titania was called a traitor among the long-lived fairies.

Even so, to send a successor who was no different from a newborn to this dangerous space was truly something Oberon would do.

“What did Oberon tell you to do when you met me?”

“He told me to ask about this man’s punishment.”

Zeonil said, pointing at the Emperor.

“If Lady Titania wishes to punish this man, he said to put him in the ‘cauldron’ to suffer eternally…”

Here, the cauldron referred to a makeshift hell created by fairies. In human fairy tales, it was known to be used by the witch Baba Yaga.

It hadn’t been used for hundreds of years, but Oberon seemed to have prepared the cauldron for the Emperor.

Titania chuckled at his clumsy consideration and asked again.

“If you don’t wish to punish him?”

“He says he’ll completely erase his memory and send him back up.”

‘So he means to return him to the cycle of souls.’

Titania answered without even thinking.

“Tell him to send him back up. I no longer wish to waste any attention on this man.”

“Yes, I’ll tell him that.”

At that moment, a large hole suddenly appeared in the floor where the Emperor lay. The hole instantly swallowed the Emperor whole.

‘He was eavesdropping from somewhere.’

Unlike Titania, who watched this scene indifferently, Zeonil seemed a bit frightened.

“But successor child.”

“Ah, yes!”

“Do your mother and grandmother know that you came here?”

“They… probably don’t know. Actually, they don’t even know I talk with the Fairy King.”

‘If she knew, that Wilhelmina wouldn’t have stayed quiet.’

Wilhelmina was someone who knew well of Oberon’s danger. She would have firmly warned Zeonil not to meet with Oberon.

But looking at Zeonil’s face when speaking of Oberon, he seemed quite fond of him.

‘I can’t interfere with someone else’s successor. He seems to have sufficient qualifications too.’

Titania leaned back against her throne and closed her eyes. Now that the Emperor had left, she could finally rest.

“If your business is finished, you may return.”

Now it was time for her to fall into eternal sleep as well.

Then Zeonil asked in a hesitant voice.

“Lady Titania, may I ask just one thing before I go?”

“What is it?”

“By any chance… is it true that if you become a fairy, you become immortal?”

It was an interesting question. If it had been an elderly human, she would have thought it was asked out of interest in immortality, but what she saw in Zeonil’s eyes was fear.

“Are you afraid of living forever?”

“I’m not sure. But surviving alone even after all my family dies… I think I’d hate that.”

It was a concern that anyone from a long-lived race would have. Human life is short. The memories they create become holes, remaining forever as empty spaces in the heart.

Titania opened her eyes again and looked at Zeonil.

“…This conversation needs to be had a bit more seriously.”

It might be difficult for Zeonil, who hadn’t even properly started his life yet, but if he had already set foot in the fairy realm, it was a truth he needed to know.

Before her extinction, she decided to leave wisdom for this innocent child.

“Listen well. Time, you see…”

Come to think of it, she couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d conversed with an innocent child.

The memory of when she first came to love humans suddenly came to mind.

‘The children of the lake also had gentle eyes like Zeonil.’

Titania smiled faintly and began educating Zeonil about the mindset of fairies.

* * *

While Helene and Wilhelmina were awakening from their sleep, Mikhail, who had first escaped from the boundary between life and death, came to his senses upon hearing someone’s voice.

“Hello, dear. Before you leave, shall we have a conversation?”

“…?”

Opening his eyes at the unfamiliar voice, Mikhail realized he was standing in an alien space.

A space where a pure white path stretched endlessly ahead, his body seemed to have been moving forward, just about to take another step.

The voice had come from the opposite direction of where he was trying to go.

He tried to turn around, but the unknown voice hastily spoke.

“No. Don’t turn around. If you look back here, it’ll be troublesome, so keep looking ahead.”

“Who are you?”

At Mikhail’s question, the person standing behind him let out a bitter laugh.

“I suppose you can’t recognize me by voice alone?”

It was a tone filled with elegance and composure. Mikhail had no memory of anyone with such a voice and manner of speaking.

“I apologize for not remembering. If you could tell me your name now, even if it’s rude to ask…”

“My name is Mederia. Do you know it?”

“Mederia, you mean…”

Since it wasn’t a common name, it came to him immediately. Mikhail spoke in a surprised voice.

“Could it be, Mother?”

“You recognized me right away.”

It was Mederia Layton, the Late Duke Nikolai’s first wife and Mikhail’s birth mother.

To the bewildered Mikhail, Mederia spoke with laughter in her voice.

“I had little resentment toward the Layton Family, so I couldn’t respond to the fairy’s request. So I pleaded with him to at least let me meet you at the entrance to the living world. Fortunately, he granted it.”

The fairy must be referring to Oberon.

Despite committing the detestable act called a trial, he was a fellow with consideration in strange ways.

“Did you come all this way just to meet me?”

“Yes. Unfortunately, I have no other business. I simply wanted to see with my own eyes how much the child I bore has grown.”

Mederia had passed away not long after giving birth to Mikhail.

So she couldn’t even have a proper conversation with Mikhail. That’s why this opportunity was extremely precious. Mederia patted Mikhail’s back and said.

“You’ve grown up well.”

“…Mother.”

“My goodness, this feels strange. You look similar in age to me, yet you’re calling me Mother.”

Then Mikhail also burst into laughter.

“Actually, there’s someone who’s younger than me but is accustomed to being called Mother.”

“Ah, I heard about that. The fifth wife, was it? When she comes over to this side someday, I’d definitely like to meet her.”

“She’s a charming person. You’ll be able to have enjoyable conversations.”

Perhaps because they were mother and son, even their laughter sounded similar.

After that, the two had brief conversations about the Layton Family’s situation and Mederia’s paternal family home. Mederia seemed delighted, continuously enjoying the conversation.

“Ah, the sun is about to rise over there. It’s almost time to wake up.”

“I see.”

“Just keep going straight this way. This is where we part.”

To Mederia who was pushing his back, Mikhail asked in a hesitant voice.

“Since it’s a dream, I could stay a little longer…”

“You’re still young, so you shouldn’t find it enjoyable to stay here.”

Pat pat, she tapped Mikhail’s shoulder.

“Before you go back… yes, let me give you one more piece of advice.”

With her smile gone, she continued in a serious voice.

“Since you’ve returned to being human, the Layton Family’s blessing will be lifted now. You know that the Western Territory’s prosperity has been abnormal all this time, right?”

“…Vaguely.”

The Western Region was originally barren Winter Land. The reason that land could enjoy abundance every harvest season was thanks to the Fairy Power possessed by the Duke of each generation.

Because fairies subtly enhanced the Power of Nature.

But now that the Divine Power has disappeared along with the curse, the promised prosperity will also vanish.

It means truly becoming ordinary humans, an ordinary Territory.

“Are you prepared to live as an ordinary human?”

“…Yes.”

Mikhail nodded his head.

It was what he had always wanted.

He spoke while recalling what Wilhelmina had said.

‘Don’t become like Father, Mikhail. You, who grits your teeth and endures pain, are more admirable than Nikolai who lived long.’

“I will become a better Family Head than Father. The scary Mother waiting over there guaranteed it, so I must follow through.”

Mederia smiled with satisfaction.

“Good, then I won’t worry.”

Click clack, the sound of her moving away could be heard.

“Farewell, Mikhail. My Son.”

“Goodbye, Mother. Someday again… in the distant future, let’s meet again.”

Mikhail also moved forward.

Far away, at the End of the Path, the morning sun was rising.

His first morning as an ordinary human, with no more curse or Fairy Strength, was waiting for him.

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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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