I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 71

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

I’m a Mother-in-Law, But I Don’t Want Family Conflicts Episode 71

Wilhelmina barely managed to cover her mouth and suppress her laughter with a stifled chuckle.

“You don’t need to grant me the authority of an exclusive merchant. I don’t need to host this business venture. But please give me the opportunity to serve Layton Territory.”

“Are you asking me to employ you?”

“Yes, Layton Territory needs a sheepdog right now.”

From the word sheepdog alone, Mikhail understood what position she wanted.

She meant a role to monitor the merchants within the territory and protect the market from external threats.

It was quite different from the role of a financial officer.

While a financial officer focused on managing money, the sheepdog she spoke of was a role focused solely on surveillance and punishment.

“There is no one more suitable for this role than me. Someone with no connections to any trading company in the western region, yet possessing the ability to uncover their corruption. I guarantee that I am the only talent the Duke needs.”

It was a self-introduction that felt almost arrogant, but no one objected.

The accused merchants remained silent, and Mikhail…

‘He never looks down on people based on their status.’

Wilhelmina had said that if she revealed her abilities, he would surely evaluate them objectively.

Mikhail didn’t believe it, but Wilhelmina trusted him.

As proof, Mikhail faced Jane with a humorless expression.

It was the face of someone seriously contemplating her usefulness, not joking around.

“…No, Duke.”

Realizing that things were heading toward the worst possible outcome, Yulkes forced himself to speak.

“She is my daughter, a child of Goldrail. I cannot allow her to take on such… a position!”

“She has severed her ties with you.”

He was the one who had punished her, yet it sounded as if Jane had abandoned him.

Unable to bear this fact, Yulkes raised his voice rudely.

“Even so, we are parent and child! There are eternal laws that no law can prevent! That children should not go against their parents’ will is something even the Duke knows…!”

And in his extreme anger, he ended up touching the Duke’s reverse scale.

Even covering his mouth with an “Oh no” was already too late.

‘Parent and child.’ To discuss the bond between father and son in the Ducal House where not even a year had passed since the Late Duke’s death.

Even though he had heard rumors that Mikhail might have been the one who killed the Late Duke…

“No, no, Duke! That’s not what I meant!”

“It’s fine, Yulkes Goldrail.”

“I naturally think the Duke is superior to the Late Duke…”

“I don’t want to hear your evaluation of the Ducal House. Jane Goldreail seems more composed as a merchant than you.”

At Mikhail’s cold words, everyone in the banquet hall froze.

The warm and gentle Mikhail who had shown himself when he entered was nowhere to be found.

‘What is this?’

Even Jane, who had been watching the situation, felt so unsettled that she stepped back.

She had felt this feeling somewhere before.

‘Just like… the Late Duke.’

She had seen the Late Duke at Yulkes’ noble appointment ceremony.

He was an old man who couldn’t even move without someone supporting him, but everyone was crushed under his piercing gaze.

His eyes, mixed with hostility, madness, and arrogance – that memory of seeing what seemed like a demon king from a fairy tale came flooding back.

That mysterious magic power that overwhelmed people… in her eyes, the Late Duke and Mikhail began to overlap.

“You seem to need… more opportunity for reflection.”

“Th-that is…”

Mikhail slowly raised his finger.

The knight who had been blocking the banquet hall entrance moved according to his gesture. The knight approached Yulkes.

Just as Yulkes was about to kneel and beg for his life, Wilhelmina spoke up.

“Knight, arrest Yulkes. There seems to be no value in listening to his words any further.”

“…Yes!”

The knight was momentarily confused by Wilhelmina’s command instead of Mikhail’s, but moved without hesitation and arrested Yulkes.

“Listen well, all of you. If you want to prove your innocence, face the investigation with dignity. I will not forgive criticism aimed at the accuser while failing to properly refute the accusations.”

Wilhelmina’s command bound the merchants.

Several merchants who had thought of her as a puppet Grand Duchess lowered their heads with expressions of shock.

While Yulkes was being restrained and dragged to a corner of the banquet hall, Mikhail’s atmosphere returned to normal.

He smiled bitterly and whispered to Wilhelmina.

“I was going to do the same thing.”

“I know.”

Mikhail cleared his throat and turned his gaze back to Jane.

“Jane Goldreail, I understand your abilities well. Regardless of who helped you, the accusation documents are excellent and your intentions are bold. I also realized the necessity of the purification you speak of. To think we left such corruption alone – it’s a painful mistake.”

“Then…”

“But I still haven’t found the final reason why I should trust you.”

“What is that?”

“Loyalty.”

Mikhail glanced at Wilhelmina once before continuing.

“You are a merchant who tries to uphold business ethics. Your cold judgment that can even evaluate family members is commendable. However… I’m not sure if that constitutes loyalty to House Layton.”

“…”

“Will you answer my question? If I choose you, will you pledge loyalty to me? Or will you pledge loyalty to ‘the one who showed you kindness’?”

Jane showed a confused expression for the first time.

She hadn’t expected such a blatant question.

Mikhail knew that Jane was on Wilhelmina’s side.

But ultimately, Wilhelmina was also a member of the Layton Family.

Whether she pledged loyalty to Mikhail or Wilhelmina, nothing would change.

But Mikhail demanded a clear answer.

“I am…”

Jane’s lost eyes traced through the air and found Wilhelmina.

She moved her lips with an indifferent face, as if asking what there was to worry about.

Though no sound came out, Jane could tell what she was saying by the shape of her lips.

‘Me, really?’

I wanted to ask back, but I couldn’t do so with Mikhail watching.

Jane took a slow, deep breath and answered calmly.

“The one I shall pledge my loyalty to is….”

Hearing that answer, Mikhail smiled and clapped his hands.

Clap clap, in the banquet hall where not even a breath could be heard, he smiled with satisfaction and spoke.

“Welcome to House Layton, Jane Goldreail.”

Jane squeezed her eyes shut and bowed deeply to show her respect.

* * *

After the evaluation meeting ended, all the merchants were moved to the detention center along with the knights.

They were in a position where they couldn’t escape the detention center until their sentences were carried out.

Watching the merchants being taken away one by one in their luxurious clothing, Jane tried hard to calm her trembling heart.

It was finally over.

It was the result of three months of effort, working day and night without rest.

Saying they should discuss business starting tomorrow, Mikhail gave a leisurely farewell and returned to the castle.

In the end, he also entrusted Jane with overseeing this ducal house business.

She would be grateful just to be employed as a surveillance officer, but he encouraged her to work on business alongside the financial officer.

‘Still, keep in mind that you must not neglect your main duties.’

From now on, her main job would not be selling food ingredients, but surveilling and investigating merchants.

Though Jane had already prepared everything from the investigation agency’s organizational chart to investigation plans for suspicious trading companies, she couldn’t help but feel nervous now that she had reached this position.

Layton Ducal House Tax Evasion and Financial Crime Investigation Unit, Investigation Officer Jane Goldreail.

She felt the weight of that title for the first time.

While feeling both overwhelming emotion and worry simultaneously, she spotted the figure of a familiar man leaving the banquet hall.

It was Yulkes, a middle-aged man with a gaunt complexion, unlike when he had entered.

She unconsciously walked toward Yulkes.

“…Jane.”

Yulkes also spotted Jane.

He glared at Jane with eyes full of rage.

It seemed like he might rush at her at any moment, but he couldn’t move rashly with a knight watching him from behind.

“Are you satisfied now?”

“….”

Jane narrowed her eyes at Yulkes’ words, as if he were facing an enemy.

“I raised you wrong. If I had known you were an unfilial child who would aim for your father’s neck, I wouldn’t have given you such affection. Your mother must be shedding tears of blood from heaven.”

He had never given her affection, and her memories of her mother were vague.

From the beginning, Yulkes wasn’t a man devoted to his family. Her mother had surely suffered and died from hardship.

“What? Justice? Investigation officer? To be caught up in such fantasies, you haven’t become an adult! The actions you exposed were necessary evils that the trading company did to survive. They were wrongdoings we had no choice but to choose to survive in the market!”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————