I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 33

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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 33

“Hmm….”

It was bothersome to explain that I did this because I didn’t want to use the rod.

In this era, everyone chose corporal punishment, and Nata was someone who had worked in a group that gave self-discipline training to children who did wrong.

It would be difficult to convince him with words that there was punishment more effective than the rod.

“There might be things that can be fixed by using the rod. Like rude attitudes, or adolescent violence. But what I want to teach can’t be obtained with the rod.”

“What is it?”

I whispered softly in Nata’s ear.

When I leaned my head in, he was momentarily flustered, then after hearing my words, he rolled his eyes with a bewildered expression.

“Is that something that can be taught?”

“It’s difficult. That’s why simple corporal punishment won’t work.”

If it were a problem that could be taught by using the rod, the Baroness wouldn’t have asked me for help either.

And she seemed to expect that if this problem wasn’t resolved quickly, something terrible would happen.

That judgment was correct.

“I don’t think that child will repent in just ten days.”

“Still, we have to try. This is the last chance.”

“Why is it the last?”

It seemed Nata had many questions about my educational methods. He was talking more than when he met Jane.

As I entered the Annex Building, I hit the back of a servant who was muttering ‘I want to go on vacation like Rose too.’

“Sir Nata, when do you think is the optimal time for a person to reflect on their wrongdoings?”

“…Isn’t it when they mature?”

“No, it’s when there are the fewest victims harmed by them.”

“….”

In fact, whether the perpetrator matured, became an adult, or succeeded later… the timing of their repentance didn’t really matter.

When the number of victims was fewer, when the wounds hadn’t yet become scars, that was the optimal time when repentance could still be forgiven.

“Sounds like wordplay, right? Because if they were the type to repent so quickly, they wouldn’t have done wrong in the first place.”

“…So that’s why you said this is the last chance.”

“Yes. If we leave that child alone, he’s definitely the type who will do more vicious things.”

Rose left with a smile, bragging about getting a month’s vacation.

She said Jace’s verbal abuse was nothing compared to the Late Duke, and she even said she’d want to meet Jace again if it meant getting another vacation.

Jace’s misdeeds at the Academy were also still at a level that could end with an apology. He treated his friends like subordinates, but he had never resorted to violence or participated in bullying.

So this was the last chance, while there were fewer victims, to prevent that temperament from growing along with his physical growth.

In modern times, there were countless children who committed irreversible evil acts after missing the golden time for discipline.

“This is why education is bothersome… Oh, when I can’t control him, I’ll use the rod. I’ll ask Sir Nata then. I don’t have much hand strength.”

“If you command it, I’ll use the switch just enough not to break bones.”

“…Usually you can’t break bones with a switch.”

“The rudeness committed against Grand Madam can’t be punished with an ordinary switch.”

I wish he wouldn’t say that while smiling with that ridiculously beautiful face. Getting hit by such a beauty would cause aftereffects in a different sense.

I guided Jace to the study. Inside the study were beginner textbooks for Academy students that I had prepared in advance.

These were things I had brought with me when I married into this family, and naturally, since I had never solved even a single line, they were as good as new.

It was a workbook that had only gathered dust from my childhood Academy entrance until now.

At the time, I wondered why I had brought this, but I simply didn’t have much luggage. It was probably something like a keepsake.

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

“Ten pages every day, a total of one hundred pages. You need to solve the entire book.”

“…That’s it?”

“Yes.”

Jace hadn’t expected lessons to be just this simple, and his previously crumpled expression brightened up.

For Jace, this was just a workbook he used to solve daily when attending the Academy anyway, so he probably thought it would be no problem.

“Can I leave quickly once I finish it all?”

“Yes, but if you solve it slowly, then accordingly…”

“Never mind! I want to start quickly!”

“…”

When he was signing, I thought his spirit had been dampened a bit, but he still wasn’t listening to people as usual.

When Jace sat at the desk where the workbook was, I went to the sofa across from him and lay down.

“Well then, solve it.”

The workbook content was at a level that wouldn’t be difficult for someone of Jace’s grade to solve. Jace opened the workbook with a confident expression, then immediately froze with his eyes wide open.

“Th, this is…”

I yawned and picked up the book I had placed on the sofa. I was planning to supervise Jace’s lessons while finishing the novel I had been reading.

“There’s too much!”

“Yes, there’s a lot. It’s a ‘San’ workbook.”

Somehow it seemed like there was a workbook with a similar name in Korea too, but I deliberately ignored that thought.

That workbook was notorious even at the Capital Academy, due to its wickedly large volume of problems and various types.

Professors liked it, but students who had experienced it even once were disgusted by it. What I gave Jace was the beginner level workbook among them.

“If you don’t think you can do it, want to give up?”

“Ugh…”

Jace buried his face in the workbook with reluctant resignation.

Fortunately, as the Baroness had said, it wasn’t that he was bad at studying, as he began solving problems on his own, even utilizing the empty notebook beside him.

‘Now then…’

It was about time for the next candidate to perform to arrive.

About two hours passed, and when lunchtime was approaching, someone knocked on the study door.

“Who is it?”

“Grand Madam. It’s Mirinai.”

When I told her to come in, Mirinai entered, struggling to open the study door. Her fluffy reddish-brown hair bounced like clouds every time Mirinai walked.

“Excuse me.”

“Did you come to study again today?”

“Yes.”

Recently, several children including Mirinai had developed an interest in studying.

The children who had memorized the contents of the fairy tale book I had been reading to them without much thought seemed to have developed an interest in reading and writing.

Of course, only a few had started studying, but among them was a child like Mirinai who made remarkable progress.

Mirinai was just slow to speak, but was actually a very bright child. Though he was late to learn letters, he picked up arithmetic in no time, surprising even Anna who had been helping him.

I even urged him to save the money he earned from working to enroll in the Academy.

“The desk is being used right now… sit over here.”

I brought a portable desk to a spot a little away from Jace.

The time Mirinai could study was from lunch time until just before the afternoon work began – barely two hours or so.

The other children wanted to learn after work, but Mirinai always used his lunch time for this.

Finding Mirinai’s bright eyes endearing, I patted his head and went to the bookshelf to get some textbooks.

“Do you remember what we did yesterday?”

“Yes!”

“Then let’s review it.”

What Mirinai was currently learning was basic arithmetic and language arts. Since I had occasionally taught younger children at the Academy when I had time, teaching the clever Mirinai wasn’t difficult.

“Now, here…”

Jace, who had ended up attending the lesson by chance, frowned as if he found Mirinai disagreeable, but soon began stealing glances, seemingly curious about my teaching.

‘Is it because I don’t look like a teacher?’

Still, I thought he would at least ask why a page boy had come to sit next to him, but fortunately he let it pass quietly.

I didn’t want to give him a bad impression from our first meeting, and since I had just scolded him at the Main Gate, it would be troublesome if he caused another scene.

Before I knew it, lunch time was approaching. I glanced at the lunch box Mirinai had brought in his arms and asked.

“Are you going to eat here again today?”

“Yes, is that okay?”

“Of course. But you have to eat only at the desk.”

Mirinai nodded with a bright smile. Finding him adorable, I patted his head and then spoke to Jace, who was suffering from numerous problems.

“Jace, what will you do? Do you want to come to the Dining Hall with me?”

“…Eat together?”

“Since it’s just you and me, we’ll have to eat together.”

Jace’s face crumpled. Because of yesterday’s incident, his expression showed he’d rather die than eat with me.

“If you don’t want to, should I ask them to send food here? Do you want to eat with Mirinai?”

“…I’ll eat here.”

“Alright, then wait here nicely together.”

I immediately left the Study. I could hear Mirinai calling out to Jace behind me, but I pretended not to hear and closed the door.

Nata was waiting in front of the door, and he handed me a document.

“This is the permission document from the Main House.”

“They even prepared a permission document? They’re making things complicated.”

The content granted Jace permission to enter for ten days. From now on, Jace could come to the Annex Building without undergoing any inspection at the Castle’s Main Gate.

‘They’re definitely keeping watch on Baron Milo’s House.’

When I conveyed the story about Jace to the Main House along with the Baroness, Mikhail quickly sent back a response.

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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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