I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 87

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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 87

 

Like a thug, or giving off a ‘sleazy’ feeling.

 

Both were vague expressions, but there was no other way to describe it.

 

Such things exist.

 

A sensation where someone appears flawless on the outside, yet your mind rings alarm bells warning you not to get close.

 

Even knowing I shouldn’t judge people by impressions alone, I couldn’t ignore this intuition.

 

‘This is the sleaziness I feel from guys with relationship problems.’

 

His rudeness also played a part.

 

From the moment we met, his eyes scanning my face and body made it clear he was evaluating me.

 

Since becoming Grand Duchess, this was the first time I’d encountered such blatant nonverbal rudeness.

 

His subsequent words were equally appalling.

 

“I heard my wife has been in your debt. She’s quite the quiet type, so she must have been difficult, right? Oh my, even now while I stepped away briefly, I told her to rest somewhere, and she’s in a place like this…”

 

While one could show modesty about family, Edwin was excessive.

 

As far as I knew, he was a son-in-law who married into the Count Tilim Family.

 

Yet his attitude toward Chloe was as if…

 

‘He’s treating her like property.’

 

An arrogant thug of a son-in-law.

 

Perhaps Chloe’s situation was more serious than I thought.

 

‘Strange. The Count Tilim Family had an excellent reputation.’

 

Whether it was directed at Chloe or Edwin, I didn’t know, but recently the Count Tilim Family’s reputation had been soaring due to repeated business successes.

 

So much so that even I, who had no interest in social circles, had heard about it.

 

The head of such a count family was this vulgar character?

 

High society wasn’t the type to improve evaluations just because someone made a lot of money.

 

Even Baroness Metokan, who was called a magnate, faced gossip in this world.

 

Though I found it hard to believe, I couldn’t dismiss it entirely.

 

I offered him a faint smile and returned his greeting.

 

“…Nice to meet you, Count. I’m Wilhelmina Layton.”

 

He smiled and accepted my greeting.

 

To observe what kind of person he was, I subtly stepped in front of Chloe and was about to start a conversation when.

 

“Honey, are you finished with your business?”

 

Chloe stood beside Edwin.

 

Her previously flustered face had vanished completely, replaced by the stoic Chloe I knew from the reading club.

 

When I looked at her, startled by the sudden change, Chloe spoke with a face as if she had made some resolution.

 

“I apologize, Grand Duchess. There are people we arranged to meet beforehand, so I think we need to excuse ourselves.”

 

“Now wait, I’m not finished yet…”

 

“Honey, isn’t Count Kaden waiting for you?”

 

“Ah, that’s right.”

 

Whether the appointment was real or not, Edwin, who had been about to frown, hurriedly glanced toward the opposite side of the banquet hall.

 

“Well then, Grand Duchess, I’ll see you next time. Then I’ll bring you something that the Grand Duchess would like…”

 

He glanced at my clothes, then continued with a smile.

 

“I’ll bring you suitable clothes as a gift.”

 

“…I see.”

 

‘He’s mocking me, saying my clothes don’t suit me, isn’t he?’

 

The expression was so obvious that there was no room for different interpretation.

 

Just as I was considering whether I should give him a proper scolding, I saw Chloe’s face as she clumsily linked arms with Edwin.

 

She moved her lips briefly.

 

‘I’m sorry.’

 

And she slowly pulled Edwin’s arm, moving away from me.

 

Seeing that she didn’t even look back, I could feel her heart asking me not to interfere anymore.

 

After Edwin and Chloe moved away, Anna asked with a worried voice.

 

“…Will it be alright?”

 

“I wonder.”

 

It couldn’t be alright, but with her backing down like that, there was nothing I could do for her.

 

Because all the surrounding attention was focused on me.

 

It was a gaze mixed with half expectation and half worry, wondering if the Grand Duchess who had just appeared in High Society might cause some trouble.

 

I had no intention of meeting their expectations.

 

I glanced at the piece of cake that Chloe had left behind, with only the strawberry missing, and muttered.

 

“Anyway, I need to have a proper conversation with Chloe.”

 

I needed an opportunity to meet her separately.

 

As the host of the gathering, that much interference should be fine.

 

While I was hiding my complicated feelings and organizing my thoughts, the music flowing through the Banquet Hall suddenly stopped.

 

And lights began to gather on the Stage.

 

“Ah- Is everyone enjoying the Banquet? From now on, we will introduce the inventions of Metokan Research Institute.”

 

Baroness Metokan, who had somehow gotten on Stage, began the presentation with an awkward voice.

 

It was so terrible that I thought it would be better to hire a Host, but those listening responded with exaggeration, perhaps to save face for her.

 

“Oh my, how exciting.”

 

“What ingenious items will you show us today?”

 

Even though they were obviously empty words, it was amusing that they sounded more natural than Baroness Metokan’s hosting.

 

She brought several Attendants with her and displayed several inventions on the Stage.

 

And without proper greetings, she began introducing the inventions.

 

“First, the Paint Mixing Machine. When you combine these Clockwork in order, it mixes paint to create the desired color…”

 

‘Was this what presentations were like?’

 

And then followed scenes so absurd that they cleared away my gloomy mood.

 

Baroness Metokan explained the products as a technician rather than a noble, using boring and complex terminology that couldn’t spark interest in ordinary people.

 

This was closer to a university Professor’s lecture than a presentation.

 

‘Understanding… as expected, they can’t.’

 

Most of the Nobles were watching the presentation with unfocused eyes.

 

As if this kind of presentation scene was familiar, several people chatted quietly while only keeping their gazes fixed.

 

‘If this is how it’s going to be, why hold a presentation at all?’

 

The inventor herself seemed to lack motivation, and the audience had no interest either.

 

I couldn’t tell who this presentation was for.

 

“And this is a variation of a music box. By inserting this disc, music plays, and you can adjust it to your desired speed as well….”

 

Meanwhile, the ingenuity of the inventions she created was extraordinary.

 

I, who had been trying to listen half-heartedly, was shocked to see objects that seemed familiar somehow.

 

Though their usage was unique, each one was an extraordinary technique that transcended the era.

 

‘Music boxes are already cutting-edge in this world, but a disc music box? Even an automatic one?’

 

There were inventions and technologies that couldn’t possibly appear in this era.

 

I had an intuition that he wasn’t just an eccentric inventor, but would become a great figure representing the Empire.

 

After that, I concentrated more than I had during any lecture I’d ever heard.

 

Though the explanations were complex, each piece was precious knowledge that couldn’t be dismissed.

 

Even if I would never use it myself, I didn’t want to miss this historic presentation.

 

After quite a long time had passed and more people began yawning, Baroness Metokan concluded the first part.

 

“…That’s all! Haha, I wonder if everyone found it interesting.”

 

“Magnificent!”

 

“Truly the greatest inventor!”

 

The natural-sounding praise continued as before.

 

She handed all the remaining inventions to the attendants and wiped the sweat flowing down her forehead.

 

“Then I’ll prepare for the second part right away. It’ll take about 30 minutes, so please wait a moment.”

 

Then she left the banquet hall with the attendants without even saying goodbye.

 

I was staring blankly at her retreating figure, unable to escape my admiration, when the nobles’ gossip tormented my ears.

 

“So what are those things used for?”

 

“Well… won’t the Duke pick out a few again? I heard His Imperial Majesty also made purchases.”

 

“Oh my, they must have different taste from us.”

 

Hearing the conversation mixed with ridicule, my shoulders also sagged.

 

Indeed, it wasn’t easy for technology ahead of its time to be recognized.

 

They say Leonardo da Vinci was called crazy when he invented the helicopter, so Baroness Metokan’s creativity would need a bit more time to be recognized.

 

‘I should try to have a conversation with her sometime.’

 

I became curious about what kind of person she was as an inventor and as a human being, rather than how she appeared at the banquet hall.

 

Thinking it would be nice if there was a chance to meet, I approached Anna who was on the verge of falling asleep to wake her up.

 

Just then, something appeared on the stage.

 

“What’s that?”

 

That thing standing on the stage… a small child wearing a mask bowed toward the murmuring audience.

 

It was an unusual mask.

 

A monster’s mask with horns on the forehead, a round nose, and a mouth split wide open.

 

It looked like seeing a goblin.

 

Following that child, the butler who had been attending to Baroness Metokan earlier hurriedly climbed onto the stage.

 

“Ahem! Distinguished guests, from now on there will be a presentation by our little one… no, Lady Bayaga.”

 

“Bayaga? Who’s that?”

 

The hall became chaotic with the appearance of this person of unknown identity.

 

Soon, a noble lady guessed the child’s identity.

 

“Could it be Baron Metokan’s daughter?”

 

“Ah, now that you mention it, the age is about right…”

 

Seeing the butler flinch and his shoulders tremble, her guess seemed correct.

 

Thinking the daughter might be playing some prank while her mother was away, amused speculations were exchanged.

 

Meanwhile, the girl—Bayaga—brought out a large box from the corner of the stage.

 

Following her, servants set up a large wooden board behind the stage.

 

The pure white wooden board looked like a canvas used for painting.

 

“What is she trying to do?”

 

“Well, maybe she’s trying to show off an invention like the Baron?”

 

Though people sent glances mixed with anticipation and worry, Bayaga silently placed the box in front of the wooden board.

 

When she pressed the button on the hinge, the box opened with a clicking sound—

 

At that moment.

 

Whoosh—!

 

A stream of bright red blood spurted out from the box.

 

Like the opening of a fully inflated water balloon, the blood stream gushed out relentlessly and began soaking the wooden board.

 

Splash, splaaash—with horrible sounds, a picture made of blood was drawn on the wooden board.

 

It was asymmetrical, seemed to have multiple eyeballs, with wings and arms mixed together—a picture of a demon.

 

The demon drawn on the stage looked down at the nobles with eyes dripping with blood.

 

“Ugh, uaaaah! It’s a monster!”

 

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

 

…It was only a matter of time before the banquet hall became pandemonium.

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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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