I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 92

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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 92

 

‘Don’t tell me, when she said she wanted to make friends, she meant she wanted a boyfriend?’

 

No, that couldn’t be it.

 

I swept my hand across my forehead to collect myself and looked at the butler’s shocked face.

 

Seeing that even the butler hadn’t expected this, it didn’t seem like the kind of question Mabel would normally ask.

 

When a child suddenly asks an unexpected question, there are usually two causes.

 

Either they encountered the topic somewhere, or.

 

“Do you have a friend who says she needs a boyfriend?”

 

It was about a friend.

 

At my question, Mabel hesitated, then took a moment to choose her words.

 

“It’s not exactly a friend, but, well.”

 

“Is it about someone you know?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

I secretly let out a sigh of relief without Mabel noticing.

 

Mabel was thirteen years old, wasn’t she?

 

I had given romance advice to kids that age before, but it generally didn’t end well.

 

‘You can’t underestimate kids’ romance.’

 

I had expected innocent manga-like romance where they’d blush just from holding hands, but reality was different.

 

I remembered the face of a child who had slapped someone’s cheek, asking why they were ignoring her messages.

 

Thank goodness Mabel’s concern wasn’t that kind of thing.

 

“The beginning of love is different for everyone, so it’s hard to answer.”

 

“Then, how did you come to love the Duke, Grand Duchess?”

 

“Well…”

 

I glanced at the butler once more.

 

Seeing his pale face, I could roughly guess the situation.

 

‘Mabel doesn’t know much about me. Well, there’s nothing good about explaining it in detail.’

 

How could I explain to a child that I was the last wife of the Demon Duke who had killed four previous brides?

 

The rumor of being a ‘sold bride’ had only spread secretly in social circles, so Mabel, who hadn’t even had her debutante, wouldn’t know about me.

 

She probably just thought of me as a Grand Duchess who had lost her husband.

 

“Well, I didn’t love him.”

 

I explained in a way that would be easy for Mabel to understand and wouldn’t shock her.

 

“Mine was a kind of… arranged marriage. It wasn’t the kind of romance you’re thinking of, Mabel.”

 

“Ah…”

 

To begin with, the proportion of love marriages was even smaller among nobles.

 

It was a world where it was common to get engaged first and then cultivate love.

 

I thought I had answered in a roundabout way, but Mabel asked one more question.

 

“Then, have you ever loved someone?”

 

“…”

 

Somehow, answering became even more complicated.

 

I crossed my arms and slightly turned my head so Mabel couldn’t see, furrowing my brow.

 

There was something I could call first love, but I had never been in a relationship filled with affection.

 

I had dated, but it wasn’t love, I suppose.

 

Even that was all from my past life’s memories, and as Wilhelmina, I had never even dated a man.

 

I delayed my answer by pretending to admire the beautiful garden at sunset.

 

‘This is a fantasy world, but fairy tale-like encounters aren’t really…’

 

I had never even witnessed, let alone experienced, clichéd developments like encountering a handsome man in the garden or a prince on a white horse appearing.

 

Even during my Academy days… it was the same.

 

While I was pondering how to answer this, Mabel grabbed my collar and said,

 

“Or… have you ever lost someone you loved?”

 

“…”

 

At that moment, I realized whose story she was talking about.

 

Baroness Metokan’s past flashed through my mind.

 

‘Right, her husband left two years ago.’

 

Whether it was divorce or running away wasn’t known, but it was quite a famous story that Baroness Metokan’s husband didn’t show his face in High Society.

 

I hadn’t heard the proper reason, but considering the characteristics of Inventor Families who had little interest in politics, those two likely had a love marriage.

 

Besides, her husband’s status would have been just a baron at most.

 

The person Mabel was worried about was definitely her mother, Baroness Metokan.

 

I wrapped my hands around Mabel’s hand that was gripping my collar and said,

 

“I haven’t, but it seems Mabel has seen such a person.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“And you’re thinking about how to comfort that person?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

‘How kind.’

 

She was not only clever but also had a gentle heart.

 

Though I didn’t know the detailed family circumstances, the fact that she worried more about the wounds her mother would have suffered than about her father leaving the family was both admirable and…

 

‘A bit sad.’

 

It didn’t feel good that the child seemed to be trying to become an adult too quickly.

 

“Well, they say the pain of separation is different for each person, so it’s hard to speak carelessly about it. But…”

 

I stroked Mabel’s head and said quietly,

 

“If that person knew Mabel was worrying about them, it would be a great comfort.”

 

“…Really?”

 

“Of course. How grateful one feels for someone who understands them.”

 

There was no parent who would refuse their child’s encouragement and comfort.

 

Though Baroness Metokan was a bit peculiar, she still didn’t seem like someone without family love.

 

“As expected, ‘understanding’ is what’s needed, right?”

 

“Hm?”

 

It was just a simple expression, but Mabel kept mulling over the word ‘understanding.’

 

“That’s right, if we’re truly family, we need to understand each other. Otherwise…”

 

Because I’m being abandoned— It was a small murmur, but I heard it clearly.

 

‘…What did she say?’

 

As if she had realized something, Mabel nodded with a determined expression.

 

Just as I was about to ask Mabel what she meant by those words.

 

Dong-

 

The castle’s bell sound announcing 6 o’clock could be heard.

 

“Ah, time to go back….”

 

Mabel hurriedly urged the butler that they needed to return.

 

Indeed, 6 o’clock was quite late for a child.

 

I headed to the castle gate with Mabel to see her off.

 

Upon arriving at the castle gate, the butler called for the waiting carriage.

 

Was I the only one left with an uneasy feeling? Mabel greeted me with a brighter complexion than when she first arrived.

 

“Well then, thank you. Grand Duchess. I’ll come visit again.”

 

“Yes, see you next time.”

 

‘Did things go… well?’

 

Though it was a murmur that was hard to ignore, since she seemed fine, it wasn’t easy to add anything.

 

When I waved at Mabel, she smiled faintly and got into the carriage.

 

Then, the butler who had closed the carriage door approached me.

 

“We shall take our leave now, Grand Duchess.”

 

“Yes, you’ve worked hard too.”

 

His name was Kalsemo, wasn’t it?

 

He was a butler who visibly cherished Mabel.

 

Since he seemed to have Baron Metokan’s trust as well, he must be a capable retainer.

 

‘Perhaps this butler might know.’

 

I called out to the butler who was turning to head to the seat opposite Mabel.

 

“Butler Kalsemo.”

 

“Yes, did you call for me?”

 

“Do you know why Mabel is so obsessed with the word ‘understanding’?”

 

His face hardened stiffly.

 

It was an expressionless face meant to hide his emotions, but silence meant affirmation.

 

I crossed my arms and recalled the conversation I had with Baron Metokan in the reception room.

 

‘He was going on about whether works that aren’t understood are failed works.’

 

He said it was an unexpected remark, but seeing that Mabel was also obsessed with the word understanding, there must be some circumstances.

 

“I don’t know… what you mean.”

 

“If it’s confidential family matters, you don’t have to answer. I just want to know in advance if there’s something I should be careful about saying in front of Mabel.”

 

It meant I didn’t want to hurt Mabel by saying something careless.

 

Perhaps because he was a butler who cherished Mabel so much, I could see signs of contemplation from him as he pressed his lips tightly together.

 

After confirming that the carriage door was closed, he opened his mouth in a small voice.

 

“It’s not… a secret. You’ve probably heard it often, Grand Duchess, but the words ‘cannot understand’ are our master’s habit.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Of course, I’ve never heard of it.

 

Since I only started checking social circle rumors a few days ago, I only knew roughly what Baron Metokan’s reputation was like.

 

‘Baron Metokan is exactly the type of person who would be easy prey in high society.’

 

A female head of house with lots of money, but who rarely appears in social circles.

 

There are probably countless bad rumors about her that I don’t know about.

 

I decided to act like I knew what he was talking about.

 

“Why is that?”

 

“My master is a very rational and intelligent person. She often says ‘I can’t understand’ when things don’t make logical sense.”

 

I recalled how she had said ‘no one understands’ to the nobles who were blankly listening to the presentation.

 

I could imagine what tone she would use when saying such things.

 

“And when the young miss makes a mistake with something, she often says that as well.”

 

“…She says she can’t understand you?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Well, that’s something.

 

I could feel Teacher Kim Hana in my heart letting out a sigh of lament.

 

To think there was a parent who so blatantly said one of the things you should never say when scolding.

 

‘There are many parents who treat their children like possessions, so I suppose this situation is relatively better.’

 

The situation was even more complicated because Baron Metokan was a renowned genius.

 

‘Now I understand why Mabel was so determined.’

 

She was trying to be understood by her mother. And the reason she connected understanding with being a real family was probably…

 

‘Because of her father.’

 

I suddenly remembered the saying that when parents fight, children blame themselves.

 

A husband who doesn’t understand his wife, a genius and an ordinary person, with their daughter caught in between.

 

Sighing, I confirmed a hypothesis I had with the butler.

 

“Let me ask one more thing. Was the reason for participating in Western Sun because of Baron Metokan’s orders?”

 

“Yes? Y-yes, that’s right. How did you know?”

 

“And she failed to make friends, so she got scolded by the Baron.”

 

“Th-that’s also correct.”

 

“Sigh…”

 

In other words, the reason she participated in Western Sun, which she had no interest in, wasn’t because she wanted to make friends, but because of her mother’s orders.

 

‘It would be more of a test than an order.’

 

If it was an order with success and failure, I could predict what Mabel had resolved to do earlier.

 

“You said you don’t know what happened at the gathering.”

 

“Ah, yes. The young miss didn’t tell us. But…”

 

‘I can roughly guess though.’

 

My experience as a teacher told me and proved that when children all maintain silence together, it’s usually for bad reasons.

 

Either they felt guilty about something, or they had some scheme.

 

“Butler Kalsemo, Mabel will probably say she wants to participate in Western Sun again soon.”

 

“What? But at that time, the young miss was…”

 

“When that time comes, get another invitation and give it to me.”

 

The butler tilted his head as if he couldn’t understand what I was saying, but I was already certain.

 

If Mabel were a real inventor, she wouldn’t be afraid of trying again.

 

Moreover, since she thinks she needs her mother’s understanding to be considered family, it was obvious what she would plan.

 

“I can obtain an invitation, but… what do you intend to use it for?”

 

“I’m going to drop a bomb.”

 

“A bomb… you say?”

 

Yes, that kind of thing exists.

 

The kind of troublemaker who suddenly barges into a gathering full of pretentious children.

 

I had planned to investigate the gathering more before calling him, but now my mind was made up.

 

Having heard Mabel’s circumstances, I couldn’t just let her fail again.

 

If it’s a gathering that only children can participate in, then we just need to send one child from our side.

 

‘I wonder if that boy Jace has matured a bit?’

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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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