I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 72

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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 72

Ridiculously enough, Jane thought Yulkes had quite a good choice of words.

It was just like Yulkes, who had read educational books voraciously to become a noble.

“You too will someday realize the foolishness of what you’ve done. You’ll also come to feel the guilt of abandoning your family. Your elder brother and father will watch until the end. What kind of regret you’ll have to face…”

“There’s no need for that. If you find me so repulsive to look at, I’ll guide you to a place where you won’t be able to see me.”

“…What did you say?”

‘As expected, he didn’t hear me properly.’

Filled with rage, he seemed unable to remember what Jane had said.

Jane sighed and explained the punishment he would receive.

“The moment Father is arrested, all of Goldreail’s financial rights will belong to Layton.”

“How long do you think I’ll be locked up! A mere detention center…”

“That’s right, even if you’re sentenced, you won’t go to prison. Since you’re an economic criminal, you’ll be able to return home if you just pay bail… if there’s any bail money left, that is.”

“…!”

Only then did Yulkes realize what Jane meant.

Yulkes and his two sons were accomplices.

Since they were included in the charges, all three would have to be investigated together.

When that happened, Goldreail’s financial rights would be sealed.

Of course, House Layton wouldn’t freely use the assets of suspects under investigation, but… in this case, there was one more heir.

Jane Goldreail. The moment the three were taken away, Goldreail’s representative would become Jane.

“Th-that can’t be! I fired you! I eliminated the branch store…”

“But you didn’t remove me from the family registry. Because you needed to marry me off to the Billow Family. And… you know the inheritance law, don’t you?”

Children inherit everything from their parents.

Crimes, debts, and naturally, assets too. Just like how Wilhelmina was sold to the ducal house after inheriting debts through guilt by association.

Yulkes’ face had lost all color and looked deathly pale.

“The moment you all disappear, I’ll make all of Goldreail’s authority mine. Don’t worry about the legal procedures. I’m confident I can persuade the investors, and I plan to become the head through legitimate means.”

“Do you know who I am! How dare you do this to the family of this noble Yulkes…!”

“You’re not a noble anymore.”

She raised the corners of her mouth.

“First-generation nobility is easy to grant, but also easy to strip away. The moment Father can’t pay bail, his noble status will be revoked.”

This was a foregone conclusion.

Because among the crimes Yulkes had committed was military supply corruption involving military rations.

It was such a serious crime that his status would be stripped even if he paid bail.

Moreover, having no bail money meant he would have to work that much to pay it back.

Instead of prison, he might be drafted as a laborer in mines or farms.

It meant he wouldn’t even be able to set foot in a civilized town, let alone witness Jane’s downfall.

Yulkes’ final mask of pretending to be a noble shattered.

“Th-this wench…!”

“Hey there!”

“Let go, let go of this! You- damn it, you ungrateful child who can’t even recognize your own father! How can you, how can you still call yourself human after doing this!”

As Yulkes tried to struggle, the knight immediately grabbed his wrist and slammed him down to the ground.

“Kugh!”

Yulkes’ face was buried in the muddy floor that was still wet from the rain.

Mud entered his mouth, and even as he coughed roughly, he shouted.

“Why, why don’t you understand that this is the way to revive the Goldrail family! Was that petty honor so important! That Grand Duchess has honey smeared over her eyes and become blind!”

“Don’t you dare speak of the Grand Duchess.”

Jane kicked him, smearing mud on Yulkes’ face.

He coughed as he spat out the mud that had entered his mouth again, writhing his entire body as he spewed curses.

“If you had just, just stayed still! If you had just followed your father’s words! You could have become a noble, gained wealth and honor! Me too! Your elder brother too! Everyone could have been happy!”

“No, that would be your happiness, not mine.”

Jane sighed and swept her hair back. She wasn’t used to her roughly cut hair yet.

“I was never happy being your family. And I never will be. So this is about reclaiming my own happiness.”

“How much I invested in you…!”

Watching him scream “Ahhhhh!”, Jane smiled dryly.

“Did someone threaten you to invest? This was your choice.”

It was a scathing criticism.

The knight carried Yulkes away.

Jane waved at Yulkes, who was cursing her while shedding tears and drool.

Yulkes’ future would be dozens of times more difficult than what she had told him, but she had no intention of explaining that to him.

‘It doesn’t hurt as much as I thought…’

Even though she had heard more intense criticism than when she lost the branch store, there was no emotional turmoil.

Far from feeling guilty about having her father arrested, only the satisfaction of successful revenge remained.

Who was it that said the end of revenge is bitter?

This was less bitter than black tea. It was light enough to be forgotten with a single sweet.

She could feel that the inferiority complex and sense of deprivation that had always followed her had finally disappeared.

“…Grand Duchess.”

Right after the evaluation meeting ended, Wilhelmina had smiled at her.

She briefly praised her, saying she had worked hard and done very well, and patted her shoulder.

And though she wanted to talk more, she ordered Jane to go home for now, saying it would be better to rest first.

Jane knew that she had said this because she herself wanted to rest.

Just before leaving for the annex building, she had given her final praise as a farewell.

‘The haircut suits you well.’

Jane slowly looked up at the sky.

The sky after the spring rain had stopped was clean and clear. The cool night breeze seemed to announce that winter had ended.

“Thank you.”

Offering gratitude that wouldn’t be enough no matter how many times she said it, Jane slowly walked toward the place where she belonged.

* * *

A week had passed since the evaluation meeting ended.

After handing over all business rights to Mikhail, I leisurely enjoyed my free time while watching the castle administrators busily moving about.

I worked like crazy for three months, so I should be allowed this much leisure time.

Though it wasn’t me who actually ran around doing the work.

‘Mental work is still work.’

Though it was Jane who used her brain the most.

Armed with the theory of an unemployed person, I boldly ignored the Financial Officer’s requests for help and enjoyed my vacation.

The reading club also resumed.

Jane, who now worked between the Goldrail main store and the castle, said she would force herself to make time to participate whenever it was reading club day.

Despite being busy day and night, she said she would take a day off just for that.

When I told her there was no need to go that far, that we could just gather one or two more people, Jane suddenly became serious and…

‘My place is next to the Grand Duchess.’

She said that.

I don’t know what’s so important about such a seat, but I nodded and said I understood.

Before I knew it, Rohan, the man who was Jane’s guard, had also returned.

Having become a member of the reading club, he brought specialty sweets from the Eastern Region that were rumored to be delicious, to commemorate his return from vacation.

I was about to suggest that we should invite other guests now and that man should return to his main job, but I closed my mouth.

The sweets he brought from the Eastern Region were like yakgwa, and they were so delicious I couldn’t find a moment to speak.

I don’t know how he figured out my taste so perfectly, but I had no choice but to acknowledge his participation once more.

While enjoying the yakgwa-like sweets and proceeding with the reading club, Jane, now familiar with her short hair, carefully called out to me.

“Grand Duchess.”

“Yes?”

Ilina was making a fuss and being moved while eating sweets, Chloe beside her was wiping her cheeks with a handkerchief, and the Baroness was having a meaningful conversation with Rohan. There was no one to focus on our conversation.

Thinking she wanted to have some kind of secret conversation, I leaned my ear closer.

“At the end of the evaluation meeting… are you really satisfied with that answer?”

“That answer? What do you mean?”

“I said ‘I pledge loyalty to the ducal house.'”

“Ah.”

I roughly guessed what she was thinking.

Looking at Jane who was watching me with guilt-ridden eyes, I let out a small laugh.

At that time, I had briefly said to Jane, ‘Ducal house, loyalty.’

The quick-witted girl politely answered toward Mikhail.

‘The one I pledge my loyalty to is House Layton. Nothing can take priority over the ducal house.’

It was an excellent answer.

“What’s wrong with that?”

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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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