I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 43

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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 43

I had seen this before in my previous life—one person leading a chant and everyone praising that person.

“Then shall I ask the Count? Since you’ve been to the Capital several times to report victories, you might know what kind of banquets His Majesty prefers.”

“That’s right, they held a victory ceremony in the Capital too, didn’t they?”

“Yes, but I heard it had a different nature from the one held at the Duke’s Estate.”

The one at the Duke’s Estate was a celebration for the Margrave, while the one held in the Capital was a victory event where they made empty flattery saying ‘all this victory is thanks to His Majesty.’

Such a Margrave might come up with a clever plan.

‘Huh? Wait, victory ceremony?’

Toast, victory ceremony, praise… I was getting a rough outline. It would be a bit embarrassing for me to do it directly, but if the Emperor’s personality was as I expected, it would be quite effective.

“Sir Nata, could you contact the Count as quickly as possible?”

“Ah, yes!”

“And Anna, please call the Tailor again. I need to change my Formal Attire. Also, find out what the Banquet Hall structure is like.”

“Understood!”

Instead of dividing the congratulatory speech in two, I found a way to express loyalty quite convincingly. This should be enough to show that I wasn’t refusing the request.

Watching the two people who seemed to be working harder than me, I yawned loudly.

“Ah, let’s sleep first and do this later. It’s late at night.”

“It’s 9 o’clock though?”

“Yeah, I went out and now I want to sleep early.”

“Ah, yes.”

Leaving behind their instantly cooled enthusiasm, I climbed onto the Bed.

* * *

After receiving a Letter from the Margrave through a messenger, I moved as if my feet were on fire. There was quite a lot to prepare.

I stopped by the Banquet Hall to check the seating for the year-end party, and even had meetings with the Tailor for the newly made Formal Attire.

I rehearsed the congratulatory speech with Nata and Anna, and the Baroness came whenever she had time to teach me the etiquette required for the Imperial Family.

As I spent my days busily like this, the year-end party quickly approached.

Guests began arriving at the Castle one by one, and I stopped by the Banquet Hall for a final check.

Tomorrow the Emperor would arrive, and the year-end party was scheduled to begin the evening after that.

Coming out of the Banquet Hall, I looked up at the sky that had turned gray with clouds and muttered.

“Phew, but this is the final check.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

Nata, who had been assisting me, smiled gently. This beauty had suffered similarly to me but didn’t have a single blemish on her face.

Grumbling inwardly for no reason, I walked through the Main Castle Garden. Crossing here was the fastest way back.

The Garden was empty, so I could walk leisurely.

“I’m looking forward to the year-end party.”

“Really? I just want it to end quickly so I can rest.”

“Everyone will see Grand Madam’s performance.”

“Hmm…”

Somehow, the more we rehearsed, the higher Nata’s expectations seemed to grow.

I thought it was rather ridiculous acting, but he was deeply impressed.

The same went for Anna, who recently said she couldn’t sleep at night from excitement.

I let out a short sigh and said.

“I just hope nothing unexpected happens.”

“It’ll be fine. We’ve prepared this much.”

“I suppose so. First… hm?”

His sparkling eyes were burdensome, so I was trying to change the topic to work matters when I noticed two cotton balls moving among the bare trees in the corner of the garden.

Looking closer, they weren’t cotton balls but children wearing white coats. They were so white and fluffy that they looked like two cotton balls with heads rolling on the ground.

‘Are those… Helene’s children?’

I should call them grandchildren, but somehow that word didn’t stick. Even so, I’m in my twenties – grandchildren is a bit much.

Anyway, I didn’t expect the ducal house children to be playing in the dirt in the garden. The two children were chattering excitedly while looking at a small tree growing in the corner of the garden.

“Grand Madam?”

“Hm? Oh, let’s go.”

I hadn’t been introduced to the children yet, so I didn’t feel inclined to approach them.

Though I was drawn to their appearance that perfectly resembled Mikhail and Helene, I had no intention of approaching and frightening them.

I was about to start walking again when the children’s innocent voices reached my ears.

“This was delicious when we ate it in summer!”

“But the color is a bit different from then…”

“Brother said it was delicious too! If you don’t eat it, I’ll eat it all by myself?”

“N-no!”

The child who appeared to be the younger sister pointed to young shoots on the tree. When she said she’d eat them alone, the brother stamped his feet enviously and approached.

‘Wait, that’s a poisonous plant.’

It was a plant I’d heard about from Johan.

What was it again – the young shoots that grow in summer are sweet and delicious enough to eat as snacks, but from autumn they contain poison. So even if you’re hungry, you shouldn’t eat them – that’s the plant he’d warned me about.

The children were reaching out to eat those.

‘Oh dear, really.’

I don’t know where the servants went, leaving just those two alone. I sighed and approached the children.

“Hey there, little ones. You’ll get sick if you eat that.”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t anyone teach you not to eat things off the ground carelessly?”

Both children looked at me simultaneously. Their posture of looking up while sitting on the ground was quite something.

‘The brother resembles Helene, and the sister resembles Mikhail. The genders are reversed.’

Which means both are indescribably cute.

Being looked up at by adorable children you couldn’t easily find even in children’s fashion magazines was quite shocking.

I felt both the sentiment that Mikhail and Helene must have been this cute once, and regret that there were no cameras in this world.

“…Grand Madam?”

“Oh, anyway, you can’t eat that. Put it down.”

If Nata hadn’t awakened me, I would have just stood there admiring them.

I regained my composure and approached the children, carefully taking the plant from their hands.

“Uh-”

“Grand Madam? But Mother is our only madam.”

The boy stammered, not knowing what to say, while the girl seemed quick-witted as she questioned the title.

‘I’m your grandmother… would be a bit troublesome to say.’

Explaining a mother-in-law younger than their parents to children was too arduous a task for me.

While pondering what to do, I decided to choose the most convenient answer.

“There isn’t originally just one madam. Each household has one.”

“Oh…”

“So you’ll become a madam someday too. You’ll understand everything when you grow up.”

The siblings nodded awkwardly at my unreasonable sophistry.

I helped the children stand up, then brushed off the dirt and twigs from their knees. My old habit from my academy teaching days suddenly emerged.

“So don’t eat those things, and play safely. Only eat what adults have allowed. If something happens to you, the person taking care of you would be sad too. It’s a promise with big sister, okay?”

“…Big sister?”

I ignored Sir Nata’s question. The two, still looking dazed, hooked their pinky fingers with mine and obediently nodded.

“Good, you’re good children. Then big sister will be going now.”

As I was about to move away from them again, suddenly the girl grabbed the hem of my clothes.

“…What’s wrong?”

“I’m called Minerva. Minerva Layton.”

“…I see. I’m called Wilhelmina.”

“This is my older brother, Zeonil.”

“Ah, hello.”

After accepting their greeting with a “yes,” I looked at the siblings with suspicious eyes. The younger sister, Minerva’s eyes were sparkling to an overwhelming degree.

“Are you majoring in botany, teacher?”

“Bot… what?”

“Well, I was really curious about what flowers are in our house’s garden. Even Teacher Nope didn’t know, but you know, right? Our Teacher Nope said he doesn’t know because he didn’t major in botany, so that means you’re majoring in botany!”

I was momentarily speechless at Minerva’s words that swept through like a storm.

‘Well, Johan told me so I roughly know what plants the ducal house grows. …That’s not the point, teacher?’

It seemed she misunderstood me as a teacher because of what I just taught them. Well, it made sense since my teaching habits had emerged.

As I was about to speak again to correct this misunderstanding, this time older brother Zeonil approached and firmly grasped my hand.

“Ex-excuse me, do you have time? Would you like to have some tea?”

Where did this kid learn such things?

Both the botany thing and lines that would only appear in romance novels. These weren’t things children who appeared to be 5-6 years old should be saying.

As I was flustered by their inappropriate conversational skills, Zeonil, whose cheeks had turned red from embarrassment, said hesitantly.

“I mean… would you like to play with us?”

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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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