I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 19

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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 19

2. Grandmother of House Layton

“I was worried there might be a fight back then.”

The next day, Anna said this to me while I was inspecting the garden for the masked martial arts tournament.

“With Helene?”

“Yes, it was the first time I’d seen the lady of the main house look so… frightening.”

The Helene I knew generally had that kind of image, but it seemed different to the servants.

The confrontation with Helene ended anticlimactically.

She coolly said “It was my mistake” and then added that she would only give Jackson the stable master a formal punishment before disappearing. Of course, she still took all the horses from the annex building.

‘She ran away.’

On the surface, it looked like an inconclusive confrontation, but in reality, it was an ending where Helene avoided giving an answer.

It meant that while she would acknowledge there was an error in the punishment process, she wouldn’t admit to her own wrongdoing.

Yet she still took the horses. In the end, only Jackson, who had stayed quiet and received a lighter punishment, benefited.

‘Or maybe not? His hard times are just beginning.’

Eventually, Jackson returned to the main house to handle the work of rebuilding the stable.

Anyone could predict that hard times awaited him. As if answering my expectations, Anna added her words.

“Jackson got beaten by the stable master uncles.”

“…Why?”

I was somewhat flustered by the treatment that was worse than I had expected.

“They cursed at him saying ‘Can’t you do your job properly? Where have you been slacking off!’ and he stayed up all night cleaning horse manure from the soldiers’ stables.”

The attendants’ information network was impressive as always, but Anna’s sinister smile was more frightening. Lately, Anna’s loyalty seemed a bit excessive.

I turned my gaze away from Anna and tried to focus on the garden.

I was thinking that we could clear away the flower pots in front of the fountain and create a circular arena when the workers sent by the Margrave arrived.

“We greet the Grand Duchess.”

“…Sir Nata.”

What arrived was Nata, one knight, and men carrying armfuls of luggage.

The men seemed to be apprentice knights, wearing uniforms that differed only in color from those of the knight. The unnamed knight had the apprentices carry the luggage to a corner of the garden.

“It’s my first time meeting you, Grand Duchess. Knight Derek Chasy pays his respects.”

“Welcome. Since we’re in the garden, it’s difficult to serve tea. My apologies.”

“Not at all, we came here for work.”

Following Anna’s instructions, he began organizing the garden with the apprentices.

Perhaps because they were strong soldiers, they easily moved even heavy flower pots and decorations.

‘That aside, the Margrave sent Nata.’

It was a deployment with obvious ulterior motives. I maintained an expressionless facade but glanced at Nata’s purple eyes that were brimming with anticipation.

“Grand Duchess, what should I do?”

I was about to tell him to help Derek organize the garden when Anna shook her head as if it wasn’t necessary. It seemed they had plenty of hands over there too.

“Then let’s go take a look at the costumes.”

“Yes.”

Taking Nata with me, I headed to the costume room in the annex building. When I opened the door, I saw children huddled together on the carpet, busily working with their hands.

“Page boys?”

“No, they’re children from the territory.”

There were several page boys among them, but most were children who had come in through the page boys’ recommendations.

“Are the children making costumes?”

“That’s right. I commissioned them.”

When I said I would give jobs to children with good handicraft skills, the page boys competed to bring their friends.

At first glance, I might look like an unscrupulous employer making children work, but this was actually part of my welfare program.

With winter approaching, it was charitable work – providing meals in a warm room and paying in one day what they would normally earn doing odd jobs for a week. I also added the condition that they could take home any leftover fabric.

‘I can’t just give away money for nothing.’

Unless I had enough money to feed the entire slums, there were limits to the welfare I could provide.

“Can the children make them well?”

“To be honest, quality doesn’t matter. Even if they’re ridiculous, they’re entertaining in their own way.”

“Won’t that lower our dignity?”

“It’s part of charitable work for children – who would complain about that?”

Nata nodded in admiration. Even if they had good handicraft skills, they were still children’s work.

They might look tacky due to the recklessly flashy colors and decorations, but anything becomes cute when you add the footnote that children made it.

“Of course, the tailor will help with the finishing work.”

“I see.”

“Then Sir Nata, you go sit down too. Help them.”

“Pardon?”

I picked up an armful of thread bundles and leftover fabric and squeezed in among the children.

The children, who had initially been tense due to the ducal house atmosphere, gathered around me with welcoming faces, perhaps thanks to the page boys who acted friendly.

“Sister! Are you going to make something too?”

Since I had deliberately told the page boys to call me Mila and not reveal my identity, the children didn’t seem to think I was the Grand Duchess.

Even in my previous life, rude students often called me sister, so I wasn’t particularly angry.

Instead, Nata, who was listening, had his mouth hanging wide open.

“Yes, what did you make?”

“I made a knight! A potato helmet knight!”

“You like potatoes?”

“They’re delicious!”

“Then are you going to tear off and eat that knight’s head?”

“Uh…”

Leaving behind the child who seemed to think ‘this isn’t right,’ I gestured to Nata. He approached hesitantly.

“Do you know how to sew?”

“N-no.”

“Then gather the fabrics and roughly attach them. I’ll do the stitching.”

“What should I attach?”

“Do as you like.”

I pointed to the bizarre robe made by connecting long strips of rainbow-colored fabric, claiming it was bird feathers. I meant it was fine to do it that way.

Perhaps thinking they couldn’t just rest while I was sewing, Nata also began helping with clumsy hand movements.

“Who is this really pretty lady?”

“Not a lady. Um… might not be a gentleman either.”

“Huh?”

“This person is a knight. Someone who will fight wearing the clothes you make.”

“Wow, a knight!”

The children’s eyes sparkled overwhelmingly. It seemed the cool profession of being a knight stirred their curiosity more than pretty looks.

‘Wait, but you didn’t call me pretty when you met me.’

So naturally calling them a pretty lady with praise? I’ll have to add plenty of cabbage to that little one’s stew at lunch later.

“Knight! If you’re a knight, do you have a sword? Can you ride a horse?”

“Where is the princess?”

“Our dad said knights are scary people!”

“W-wait… I left my sword behind…”

Under the storm of children’s questions, Nata gradually leaned back. But still answering each question one by one, it didn’t seem like an entirely unpleasant feeling.

“Are all knights handsome?”

“Appearance varies from person to person.”

“Then are you good with a sword, knight lady? There’s a really hard tree in front of our house!”

“Um… I’ve never chopped firewood with a sword.”

Nata got along better with the children than expected. The awkward, fumbling speech gradually became more comfortable.

Whether they liked the pretty knight who answered well, the children sat around us in a circle, chatting quietly while working with their hands.

“Do you often hold such… gatherings, Grand Duchess?”

“I called them because the opportunity arose, so not often.”

“To think you care for children like this, it’s admirable.”

It’s not really that admirable.

The subtle respect in the voice was somewhat burdensome. Since the masked martial arts tournament planning last time, Nata’s expectations of me felt excessive.

“I haven’t done anything. I just called the children, gave them some money, and put them to work.”

“…”

“The money isn’t even something I earned through my own work, so don’t praise me too much.”

Excessive respect inevitably leads to disappointment. I knew well that I was just an ordinary person.

“…Yes, I understand.”

But Nata instead nodded with an understanding, gentle smile as if comprehending something. When the beauty smiled too, it seemed like light was radiating from their face, leaving me momentarily dazed.

“I think I understand well what kind of person the Grand Duchess is.”

“What kind?”

“Just as you appear.”

‘So what does that mean exactly.’

Nata didn’t answer and silently worked with their hands. Perhaps having some dexterity, the tailoring that was clumsy at first gradually became more skillful.

Rather than engaging in pointless philosophical dialogue, I thought I’d better keep my hands busy and moved my needle.

‘Come to think of it, I’ve started speaking casually to Nata too.’

I try to use speech befitting a Grand Duchess as much as possible, but when it comes to people I have affection for, I end up reverting to my usual way of speaking. Fortunately, Nata didn’t seem to find it strange.

Several hours passed like this, and lunchtime approached.

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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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