I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 93

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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 93

 

Western Sun held various events, both big and small, at every gathering.

 

Theater viewings, volunteer activities, recitals, and other events befitting children of noble houses.

 

When Mabel first participated, a birthday party happened to be scheduled.

 

It was the birthday party of Cornell Maron, the president of the group.

 

The invitation stated to bring a birthday gift for him.

 

To find out what this boy named Cornell liked, Mabel asked her cousin who had recommended her to the group for advice.

 

Her cousin sister Yufina, who was a member of the group, said:

 

‘What Cornell likes are large birds. How about using that surprise box you invented last time?’

 

‘The one I showed you before, sister?’

 

‘Yes, everyone would love that.’

 

Believing those words completely, Mabel prepared a gift using the surprise box she had previously invented.

 

It was an invention where the moment the box was opened, a paper bird loaded by clockwork would launch into the sky while scattering confetti.

 

Since it was her first time making an invention for someone else, Mabel worked day and night to create the gift.

 

The servants offered to help, but she declined them all.

 

‘Because sister Yufina said I had to make it myself.’

 

Yufina had advised that gifts only had meaning when touched by the giver’s own hands.

 

Since it was advice from Yufina, one of her few relatives and from a family of fellow inventors and scholars, Mabel obediently followed it.

 

Time passed, and the day of the gathering arrived.

 

Mabel participated carrying her gift and a letter.

 

Though her shyness prevented her from properly greeting others, she wasn’t entirely anxious.

 

Mabel was confident in her invention.

 

She believed that if Cornell liked her invention, her plan to make friends would also work out well.

 

‘Then we’ll now begin Cornell’s birthday party! We’ll open the gifts in order, along with their letters.’

 

The gathering was held in Count Maron’s garden, and the children who had come to celebrate Cornell’s birthday clapped with bright faces.

 

Among them, Mabel, who sat with an awkward expression, also raised her hands together.

 

The vice president, who was acting as host, brought the gifts with exaggerated gestures as if performing in a play.

 

‘First, here’s the first gift.’

 

In front of Cornell, who sat on an ornate chair with a flower crown on his head, they opened the gifts one by one.

 

Befitting children of distinguished noble families, the gifts were all equally luxurious.

 

A gem-encrusted training sword, a magic lamp that emitted beautiful light, a hero’s portrait painted by a famous artist, and many other gifts were revealed.

 

Cornell graciously expressed his gratitude to each gift giver.

 

‘Huh? That box is…’

 

Just then, Mabel felt a sense of déjà vu when she saw the next gift box.

 

The wrapping and the clockwork on the hinges were similar to her own surprise box.

 

‘The next gift is from Miss Yufina. Now I’ll read the letter. Dear Cornell, congratulations on your fourteenth birthday. It’s such a pity that we only have one year left to spend together at Western Sun. For this birthday…’

 

It was ordinary congratulatory content, but the last words stuck in Mabel’s ears.

 

‘I’m giving you a surprise gift that I made myself.’

 

At that moment, the box opened and a bird decorated with gold-colored paper sprang out.

 

‘Wow-!’

 

Along with the children’s exclamations, the bird that soared high into the sky circled around Cornell’s head.

 

It wasn’t the simple paper bird that Mabel had made, launched by clockwork, but a treasure engraved with wind magic.

 

The operating mechanism was the same as Mabel’s, but its splendor was incomparable.

 

Dozens of small paper birds that sprang out of the box along with the golden bird, and the flower fragrance felt in the gentle breeze.

 

Yufina’s gift instantly captured Cornell’s heart.

 

‘Thank you so much, Miss Yufina! I’ll never forget this gift!’

 

With no trace of his dignified appearance, Cornell greeted with a lively voice while holding the golden bird in his arms.

 

‘This isn’t… right.’

 

Only then did Mabel instinctively realize she had fallen into a trap.

 

Since they opened gifts in order of when members joined, Mabel’s turn was dead last.

 

This meant Mabel’s invention would be presented after Yufina’s such splendid gift.

 

She wanted to grab her gift and run away right now, but it was already too late.

 

While Mabel was in confusion, the Vice President picked up the last box.

 

‘But why? Sister Yufina…’

 

She couldn’t understand at all why her cousin sister, whom she had known since childhood, would do such a thing.

 

The memories of having secret conversations with her as fellow inventor’s daughters began to fade.

 

Her inventions that she had secretly shared only with her, her big and small worries… she realized everything had gone wrong.

 

Mabel couldn’t understand her heart.

 

‘Last is Miss Mabel, our new member. Welcome to Western Sun! Now shall we read the letter first?’

 

Mabel hurriedly looked for Yufina.

 

Unlike herself, Yufina was sitting among the popular children and happened to turn her head toward Mabel at that moment.

 

‘I’m giving you a surprise box that I invented as a gift. I hope you like it.’

 

Their eyes met.

 

The moment the Vice President opened the box, Yufina smiled.

 

It was an unfamiliar smile to Mabel, who had never made friends before.

 

Mabel froze upon witnessing the look in her eyes that mixed inferiority, jealousy, and ecstasy.

 

Whoosh-!

 

The box opened, and the bird that Mabel had painstakingly made shot up into the sky.

 

At the same time, resentful voices flowed from the children around her.

 

‘What, another bird? Did she copy Young Lady Yufina?’

 

‘Isn’t the Metokan Family that famous inventor family? To make such an imitation…’

 

Under the barrage of criticism and sighs, Mabel felt her vision turning black.

 

‘No, this is something I made…’

 

‘How cowardly. To steal someone else’s invention.’

 

The clockwork mechanism, the paper bird’s structure – all of it was an invention that Mabel had made herself.

 

It was Yufina who had stolen it.

 

‘What does this Mabel girl look like? Someone find her. …Oh, isn’t that her?’

 

Her mother’s voice telling her to build friendships held back Mabel’s feet as she tried to flee.

 

Facing the pouring ridicule and contemptuous stares, Mabel slowly opened her mouth.

 

As an inventor, as the daughter of the Metokan Family, she stammered out the excuse she had to make.

 

‘N-no, mine isn’t, it’s not an im- imitation. That is…’

 

Boisterous laughter drowned out Mabel’s remaining words.

 

‘Could you please stop stuttering? It’s hard to listen to.’

 

‘She’s suddenly crying? I mean, what did we do wrong?’

 

The birthday party turned into an event of interrogating and ridiculing Mabel.

 

Pouring questions, reproach, pity and accusations. Children who had no intention of listening to Mabel’s words.

 

And with the sight of Yufina offering an apologetic greeting to Cornel and receiving comfort as the last thing she saw…

 

“Young Miss, we have arrived.”

 

Mabel’s nightmare ended.

 

She slowly opened her eyes.

 

‘It was a dream.’

 

The nightmare she never wanted to have again faded away with Kalsemo’s worried voice.

 

She shook her head, trying hard to drive away the laughter and reproach that still lingered in her ears.

 

Mabel opened the carriage door and spoke to Kalsemo, who was waiting.

 

“Yes, thank you for waking me up.”

 

Mabel stretched as she got out of the carriage.

 

This was the arboretum where the Western Sun gathering was held.

 

Today, an art exhibition was planned to take place here.

 

It was an occasion for meeting participants to appreciate each other’s paintings they had drawn themselves.

 

“Young Miss, here it is.”

 

Kalsemo handed Mabel her painting.

 

When she held the large canvas covered with white paper in her arms, the already small Mabel was half-hidden.

 

“I’ll be back.”

 

From here on, personal attendants could not accompany them.

 

When Mabel waved the canvas instead of her hand as a greeting, Kalsemo said with a face that looked like he was about to cry.

 

“Will you be alright? Even now, going back would be…”

 

“No.”

 

Though she felt sorry for Kalsemo, Mabel intended to face it without running away.

 

Kalsemo, who didn’t know what had happened at the meeting, couldn’t bring himself to continue speaking and complained with a worried expression.

 

“Then, how about at least a different meeting? It doesn’t have to be the Western Sun.”

 

“No. It has to be here. Mother said so too. That we can’t make the same mistake.”

 

“That’s…”

 

There was also a conflict with Yufina that needed to be resolved.

 

At first, she thought about telling Kalsemo and Mother about the situation and asking for help, but she soon pulled herself together.

 

‘This is my failure.’

 

If she told Mother, would she sympathize with Mabel? Rather, she would obviously ask back, ‘Why did you share your knowledge with others?’

 

And then she would shake her head again, saying she couldn’t understand.

 

She didn’t want that.

 

Since she didn’t want to disappoint Mother anymore, she resolved to solve the problem herself.

 

Mabel left Kalsemo’s attempts to stop her behind and walked energetically into the arboretum.

 

When she thought of the ridicule and humiliation she had suffered then, her heart still pounded.

 

She hated herself from a month ago, who had left in tears without even being able to properly argue back.

 

‘Don’t stutter. Speak confidently. I can explain. I can’t be discouraged by ridicule.’

 

The image of her who had calmly saved her at that presentation where everyone was screaming flickered before her eyes.

 

‘I can do it like the Grand Duchess too. It’s okay. It will go well.’

 

The moment she arrived at the arboretum while repeating such resolutions.

 

“Huh?”

 

Mabel unconsciously let out a gasp at the unexpected scene.

 

The Western Sun, a gathering of children from prestigious Western noble families.

 

The venue of that elegant and classical gathering, which could be called a small social circle…

 

It had been turned into a complete mess by some troublemaker.

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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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