I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 80

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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 80

Orb playfully opened one eye and continued speaking.

“I don’t like it unless it’s ‘everyone lived happily ever after.’ I want to read stories where bad people get punished and those who work hard get rewarded. I hope that happens for you too, Teacher.”

For words supposedly based on imagination, they were far too characteristic of her.

She didn’t like works that weren’t happy endings.

To forget reality, she desperately sought out works mixed with happy fantasies.

And I was far from the protagonists of the novels she loved.

Neither lovely, nor smart, nor beautiful. Yet still she…

“I have no intention of reading any work where Teacher doesn’t become happy.”

I once again covered my face with my hands.

I didn’t want to show such an expression in front of her.

It was as distasteful as reciting clumsy poetry.

…After a long period of silence, having sorted out my emotions, I faced Orb again.

She threw the tree branch into the sea with a whoosh, then pointed to the sandy beach.

“Shall we walk a bit more?”

Without answering, I followed her and began walking.

No matter how far we went, only the same scenery continued.

The sea stretched endlessly, and the sun, brighter than in reality, still remained motionless in its place.

She had been humming as she walked when she suddenly opened her mouth as if remembering something.

“Ah, that fairy child Nata is on the water. The time in the outside world shouldn’t have changed much, so there’s no need to worry.”

“Then what about Rohan?”

I recalled the scene of Nata and Rohan jumping into the lake simultaneously.

Orb made a groaning sound at my question before answering.

“He’s in this world. He followed right before I brought you here. Really, this is a place that absolutely cannot be entered without an invitation, so I wonder what method he used…”

“Are we perhaps on our way to find Rohan now?”

“That’s right. To expel him, I need to meet him directly. To send you both back to the ground together, moving together was the only option.”

‘So it wasn’t like we were walking without purpose after all.’

The direction we were heading seemed to be where Rohan was.

“Now all your curiosities have been satisfied, right? Maybe because it’s been so long since I’ve had a conversation with a human, I’ve been quite talkative.”

“Yes, now you just need to let me return.”

“Hmm, ordinary humans are usually desperate to stay here longer, so this is quite a disappointing reaction. At this rate, the King’s reputation will suffer…”

I didn’t understand why she was so concerned about such things, but she seemed determined to give me some kind of reward.

I was about to say there was no need to go that far when Orb snapped her fingers, saying she had a good idea.

“I’ll give you one ‘correct answer.'”

“Correct answer?”

“That’s right, if there’s something you want to know, I’ll teach you anything. Haven’t you heard that the King of fairies is wise?”

When I shook my head in denial, she pouted with a gloomy expression.

I had heard of the Fairy Realm, but this was the first time I learned that there was a fairy king.

“I have no more curiosities. If Sir Nata and Rohan are safe, that’s enough for me.”

“That’s something I should naturally do, and this gift is special. I can tell you any truth whatsoever. The treasure map bestowed by the Sun God, the Wolf King’s hidden tomb, myths from beyond the horizon… anything, I’ll tell you just one thing.”

A fairy offering to give me something like a treasure map in return… when I thought about it, it really was like something from a fairy tale.

‘But then the ending is obvious.’

Either be greedy and face disaster, or answer honestly and receive a blessing – it was one of the two.

They say fairy tales and reality are different, but that wasn’t something to say in a world where fairies exist.

Besides, I truly didn’t want anything.

‘I’m living comfortably in a wealthy household, my relationships are peaceful enough, and I don’t particularly want to travel anywhere…’

No matter how I thought about it, it was a satisfying life.

I could force myself to come up with something, but it wouldn’t be a question worth asking Orb.

“…There really isn’t anything.”

“Hmm, that’s troublesome. If I send you away like this, it would tarnish my reputation.”

‘What reputation is there to tarnish when no one even knows your name?’

The words almost slipped out, but I managed to hold them back.

Still, since she was supposedly a king, I couldn’t speak rudely.

“Really nothing? You must have thought at least once while living in this world, ‘How could such a magical thing happen?'”

For a question, the example was quite specific.

It was as if she was guessing that I had experienced something like that…

‘You seem to need more opportunities for reflection.’

At that moment, Mikhail’s appearance during the evaluation meeting flashed through my mind.

I also recalled thinking it was a magical change when I saw him.

It was an incident I had forgotten about since there hadn’t been any particular changes afterward.

“…Didn’t you say you don’t read inner thoughts?”

“This is for giving thanks, so it’s being used for a good cause.”

Orb flashed another sinister smile.

“Fine, alright. I’ll go with that question. Is the reason Mikhail suddenly changes because of magic?”

“No, that’s a curse. A curse that has been passed down through generations in the Layton Family.”

The answer was unexpected, making me frown.

A curse on Mikhail – it was a word I had never heard in the over six months I’d been living here.

“Words filled with emotion become Word Magic, and can suppress souls. The heads of Layton have used this Ruler’s Power, whether great or small.”

“That… doesn’t seem like a curse.”

“It’s called a curse because of the aftereffects of that power. The more you use the Ruler’s Power, the more it harms the body. Yes, to use your student’s expression…”

Orb began acting out expressions again.

With an intrigued face, she raised her index finger and continued speaking.

“The Northern Grand Dukes are bound to suffer from madness, Teacher.”

“This isn’t the Northern Region.”

“It’s just a figure of speech!”

She burst into loud laughter.

I couldn’t tell what was so funny about it, so I waited for an explanation.

“This curse gives humans excessive power and forces self-restraint. But if you become intoxicated by that power, you’ll lose your humanity.”

“Does using it more destroy your mind?”

“That’s right, it’s a curse that takes away humanity in exchange for power. The stronger the power, the faster the soul corrupts.”

It was hard to dismiss as a lie since there was precedent.

Mikhail’s father, the Late Duke. I’d heard he was a tyrant who terrorized the ducal house even while dying of illness.

If it was a curse passed down through generations, his violent nature would be understandable.

Of course, that didn’t absolve him of his sins.

“Not using it would be best, but it’s difficult for humans. Since it’s a power influenced by emotions. To maintain sanity with the current head’s level of power, you’d have to become a doll devoid of emotions.”

“…Mikhail has always been sane.”

“That’s what’s amazing. It shouldn’t be an impulse humans can withstand, yet he’s managing to endure it. Usually people break before reaching adulthood.”

For all that, Mikhail was a benevolent lord.

A noble who earned respect rather than fear from his territory’s people was extremely rare in this era.

Could that virtuous appearance have been a mask to suppress madness?

‘That can’t be right.’

Though it was baseless conviction, I didn’t doubt for a moment that Mikhail was acting.

There had been no falsehood in the Mikhail I’d observed all this time.

‘Is it because he has strong mental fortitude? No, for that to be the case…’

Complex questions began piling up in my head.

Since these were problems I couldn’t solve alone, I ended up asking Orb the next question.

“Isn’t there a way to break that curse?”

“…Curious?”

If there was a way to cast a curse, there should naturally be a way to break it too.

When I nodded, she continued playfully.

“Well, that would be…”

And the solution she presented was an evil act that far exceeded my expectations.

Rather than a way to break the curse, it was more like an act that would destroy Mikhail’s mind.

“…I’d rather choose a way to overcome the curse than do something like that.”

Having heard something so vile, my tone became somewhat rough.

But Orb just laughed it off without concern.

“That sounds like you. I wonder what the person involved would think though.”

Despite saying something outrageous, she casually shrugged her shoulders.

“Whether you accept it or not, this is the correct answer. Whether to tell him or not is your choice.”

I had no intention of telling him whatsoever.

How could I tell my adopted son to abandon his humanity for the sake of his humanity?

At this incomprehensible answer, I voiced the doubt that arose.

“Why would doing such a thing break the curse? What exactly is this curse in the first place? If it’s been passed down through generations, then someone from a previous generation must have cast the curse…”

“Shh, wait.”

She suddenly raised her index finger to cover my mouth.

I tried to pull my hand away, asking what she was doing, but she led me behind a large rock that was beside the sandy beach.

“We’ve arrived.”

“What?”

“That guy is right up ahead.”

That guy… Rohan?

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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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