I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 74

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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 74

The Captain let out a low groan as he watched the man emerge from the darkness.

The man was walking calmly toward them, holding a blood-stained sword.

During all this time, there had been no sound of clashing swords or screams.

This meant that the Separate Unit had been killed in a single blow without even being able to block the enemy’s sword.

The moment the man was about to emerge from the tree’s shadow, the Captain signaled to his colleagues hiding nearby.

‘Attack!’

They simultaneously surrounded the man. The elite of Raven Skull who had broken through countless battlefields, their sharp swords rushed toward the man and…

“…Huh?”

“Captain-”

They all collapsed at the same time.

With an unreal rustling sound, they fell to the ground.

Five colleagues had charged in total, each receiving fatal wounds to their neck and chest area, dying without even being able to scream.

Blood slowly flowed across the floor as the man walked over it. The man’s appearance outside the shadows was… ordinary.

So ordinary that both the tense Captain and Yulkes, who was hiding behind a tree watching the situation while suppressing his screams, were momentarily confused.

A pure white tunic, long hair covering his eyes, tall height and large build – there was nothing special about him. He wasn’t even wearing armor.

The Captain frowned, unable to guess the man’s identity.

The man spoke in a dry voice.

“…Raven Skull, I didn’t expect to see such notorious mercenaries.”

“If you find it so interesting, pay an admission fee. Or just pass by.”

“Leave Yulkes behind. I’ll spare your life.”

“Haha, you say that even knowing our reputation.”

Raven Skull was a group of beasts where each member had dozens of murder convictions, who would sell even their own family for money.

When the Captain bared his teeth threateningly, the man tilted his head slightly and said quietly.

“Then there’s no choice.”

“Good, let’s have a fight…!”

Just as he was about to throw the dagger hidden in his chest, his head fell off.

It was a futile end unworthy of the name Crow Captain.

Even until the moment of death, he couldn’t understand what had severed his neck.

“Hiiiik!”

Yulkes, who had been pressed against the tree, ran outside in terror.

He had no intention of resisting from the start.

Since his legs had given out, he was crawling on all fours like an animal when the man approached him.

“Hey.”

“I’m, I’m sorry. Please spare my life…!”

“Stand up.”

Then he grabbed Yulkes by the scruff of his neck and lifted him up. Having lifted the heavy body in one go, he turned Yulkes’s gaze toward himself.

“Wh-who are you…?”

“To think something like this would happen while I was away.”

Ignoring Yulkes’s question, he applied force with his fingers, forcibly lifting Yulkes’s head.

“Gah!”

“Still, I should repay the favor.”

This time he raised his other hand and brought it to Yulkes’s face. His large hand covered Yulkes’s entire face.

“If you run away, the ending won’t be perfect.”

“St, stop…”

“But if my help gets exposed, it would put a blemish on her plan.”

His fingers pressed down over Yulkes’s two eyes.

He lifted the eyelids that were trying to close and pressed his fingers against the pupils.

“Aaaah!”

And then an unidentifiable magic power began flowing through his fingers into Yulkes’s head.

Yulkes shook his legs violently from the pain, as if red-hot skewers were piercing through his eyes. But the man’s arm didn’t budge an inch.

“This is a curse. The moment you think of me, this pain will return.”

“It hurts, aaah! Pl, please spare me, please! I’ll do anything, anything—!”

“Forget me, and repent. Then someday I’ll free you from this pain.”

Though he screamed that he understood, the unidentifiable curse tormented Yulkes until it settled completely in his mind.

After time passed and the curse was fully inscribed, Yulkes finally fainted and collapsed limply over the man’s arm.

The man calmly slung Yulkes over his shoulder and walked out of the forest.

Even though corpses filled the area all around, he muttered as if speaking to someone.

“To have my position stolen by my employer, what a sorry state for a wolf.”

The man, Rohan, put his envious feelings behind him and shook off the remaining curse from his hands.

Despite his words, his footsteps were quite light.

5. Spring, and Vacation

Spring had arrived.

Thanks to the warmer weather, my body had become so languid that I now made sure to add nap time to my daily routine.

Just when Anna was showing a worried expression about my ever-increasing laziness, dozens of letters flew in from the castle.

They were invitations to social gatherings that were gradually beginning.

‘They finally came.’

I had hoped Helene would continue to block them, but that congratulatory speech from before was indeed the problem.

The nobles who had made note of me then began sending invitations without pause.

Eventually, even the main house couldn’t refuse them all, expressing that it would be good to attend a few.

Well, if I refused any more, rumors might spread that I was locked up in some prison and couldn’t come out.

‘Actually, my reputation isn’t exactly good either.’

Until last year, my evaluation was nothing more or less than a rolling stone that had tumbled in.

The congratulatory speech did help with that. Ilina also said she was moved when she heard my story from her father at that time.

I should attend the gatherings for the sake of my son and daughter-in-law’s reputation, but nothing about it appealed to me.

Sports are physically demanding, and I don’t want to join another reading club. What’s left are tea parties or banquets…

“…Hm? What’s this now?”

While sorting through the invitations, I discovered a letter bearing a familiar crest.

It was Mikhail’s seal.

Opening the letter, I first noticed the neat handwriting with its polite greetings.

[Mother, I hope you are spending a warm and happy spring. We have both been busy with various matters, so the opportunity…]

The sentences are long. I skimmed through the flowery language typical of nobles and read the main point.

[How about going on a picnic together?]

“…No way.”

I knew Mikhail wasn’t here, but the words of refusal still slipped out.

Frowning deeply, I carefully folded Mikhail’s letter and placed it on the table. Then I let out a deep sigh.

Anna, who was organizing the remaining letters, asked with a worried expression.

“Grand Madam? Did you receive a troublesome letter?”

“Yes, a letter I don’t want to answer.”

“Oh dear… Should I contact the Main House?”

“It’s from the Main House.”

“…Ah.”

Then there’s nothing we can do, Anna said with a bitter smile.

‘Sending a letter is very much like Mikhail though.’

He must have felt it would be rude to just send someone to deliver such an invitation verbally.

To capture the spring atmosphere, he had even used pink letter paper and applied rose oil. His thoughtfulness remained unchanged.

‘And his insensitive boldness remains the same too.’

I sighed looking at the scope of ‘family’ mentioned in the letter.

He intended to invite not only Helene, but also his children Minerva and Zeonil.

He probably planned to use this opportunity to introduce his children and have a harmonious family time.

It had been well over half a year since I came to the Duke’s Estate. I had avoided family gatherings with all sorts of excuses, but now I had no justification left to offer.

‘Besides, Helene has already agreed.’

I still couldn’t forget Helene’s expression when we met in the garden.

Since then, there had been several opportunities to encounter Helene, but we hadn’t had a proper conversation.

I couldn’t bring myself to mention that incident first, and Helene also acted as if nothing had happened.

Anyway, with Helene attending, I couldn’t refuse to participate without reason.

“Speaking of which, a picnic.”

“Oh my, are you going on a picnic with your husband’s family?”

“Yes, we’ll take a stroll somewhere and go to the lake.”

“Then you’ll ride boats too! You must have a lot to prepare.”

“…Prepare? What is there to do?”

When I tilted my head to show I didn’t understand, Anna’s eyes widened as if she found it surprising.

“Oh… don’t people in the Capital ride boats much?”

“They do, but I’ve never tried it.”

I never even made my debut in High Society.

My childhood outings were limited to memories of gathering flower Honey with my Nanny.

Our Family House was poor, having nothing but our noble status and Mansion.

The common sense from my previous world that all Nobles were wealthy was brutally shattered.

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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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