I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 9

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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 9

With her emotions running high, Ilina forgot she was in front of the Grand Duchess and poured out all the words she had kept bottled up in her heart.

“There are no dresses larger than this size at Tashio Boutique. Everyone wore Tashio outfits for their debutante… but I couldn’t wear one because I was too fat back then. And then, despite being fat, I ate cake at the debutante…”

“Who said you were ugly?”

“…Yes. They said that despite being a country noble, I ate shamelessly at the debutante without knowing any better…”

No matter how mature she tried to look with makeup and clothing, Ilina was ultimately just a child who had barely turned fifteen. Adolescence—an age when others’ gazes are more frightening than anything else.

She would dry heave every night because of the corset squeezing her waist, and clutch her aching ankles after walking just a little in high heels, all while struggling desperately to erase the memories of her debutante.

Even as Ilina spoke as if vomiting out her words, she hung her head in shame.

She knew very well how childish her words sounded. She felt incredibly foolish for making a mistake at the Duke’s banquet just because she had heard some gossip once.

But Wilhelmina didn’t dismiss her. Instead, she said it was understandable, with a serious expression.

“That must have been painful.”

“That…”

Wilhelmina was the first person to empathize with her troubles. She didn’t regard her concerns as the petulant complaints of an immature child.

Ilina’s tear-filled eyes turned toward Wilhelmina.

“So that’s why you didn’t want to drink the milk?”

“…That’s right. If I eat things like this when I’m hungry, it’s ugly, isn’t it?”

“It’s not ugly.”

Wilhelmina picked up the teapot. Then she filled Ilina’s teacup to the brim with the still-warm milk.

“It’s neither strange nor ugly. Is eating food really such a wrong thing to do?”

“But other people…”

“There’s only you and me here.”

Wilhelmina rose from her seat, took the teacup, and approached Ilina. Then she placed the warm teacup in her hands. Wilhelmina’s hands were as warm as the teacup.

“And the conversation we have here cannot be known by those outside.”

“Grand Duchess…”

Wilhelmina wiped Ilina’s tear-streaked cheeks with a handkerchief.

Unlike the one that had covered her mouth at the banquet hall, this was a handkerchief with a simple, rough pattern.

“I don’t think you’re ugly. So you shouldn’t think of yourself as ugly either.”

“…”

“It’s okay, you can eat. It’s a secret between just the two of us.”

Ilina slowly brought the teacup to her lips. It was warm and sweet.

That wasn’t because of the milk, but because of Wilhelmina, who repeatedly said it was okay while wiping away her tears.

* * *

I never thought I’d end up playing the role of a teacher even after being reborn.

At first, I thought I’d just comfort her appropriately, but once I heard her situation, I couldn’t just leave it alone.

‘Peer relationships… they’re difficult.’

Human relationships during adolescence carry a different weight from those of adults.

It’s not that one is more difficult than the other. It means they each carry different kinds of pain.

‘Because friends can sometimes be scarier than parents.’

While some forget as they grow into adults, there are people whose childhood wounds from friends never heal for their entire lives.

Teaching children, I often feel it. How cruel children can become.

‘Innocence… what a damn word.’

Pure malice, baseless hatred, gossip without guilt. Those brief conflicts often became lifelong nightmares for a child.

From experience, rashly digging into the heart of a child with such wounds was ineffective.

In the end, I’m an adult, and I’m in no position to help in the community where that child lives.

If I tried to give advice presumptuously, I’d only hear sharp responses like ‘Teacher, you don’t know anything.’

So what I chose was to express my opinion.

I think differently from them. I think you did nothing wrong.

Sometimes honest expression is more effective than hasty empathy.

What the wounded child, Ilina, needed wasn’t a teacher to give advice, but an ally to stay by her side.

“Um, I’ll head back now.”

“Alright.”

The bell announcing midnight rang. Before we knew it, the time for the banquet to end had approached.

There was still what you’d call an ‘after-party’ in Korean terms, with only the Ducal House, the Margrave, and a few others remaining, but that had nothing to do with Ilina’s family.

In the end, I couldn’t keep my promise to return to the Banquet Hall later.

‘I might get an earful.’

Since I’d been absent from the start of the banquet, it wouldn’t be strange to hear complaints from somewhere.

…Especially from my daughter-in-law.

Perhaps because she’d washed her face to erase traces of crying, the makeup had disappeared from Ilina’s face.

It was a cute, childlike face with some acne scars remaining. She dressed with a slightly pained expression.

By the way, since her previous clothes didn’t fit after drinking milk, I lent her mine.

‘Since she drank the milk well, let me pack some things for her. Honey, and herbs that aid digestion…’

While I was packing things for her, Ilina asked with a cautious expression.

“May I come again? Not for a banquet, but… as a personal visit?”

“…”

It was a difficult matter to readily agree to. I wasn’t sure if I had the right to invite guests, and the external appearance wouldn’t be good either.

It was obvious how much gossip about me had spread among the nobles, and I felt like I’d cause unnecessary trouble for a young child.

‘Then instead of an invitation, I could call her through a different method.’

Let’s not think too hard about it.

“I don’t know when it will be, but I’m thinking of holding regular book clubs.”

The book club was a method Baroness Rollan had recommended when I didn’t know about outside affairs.

I recalled the Baroness, who had become close to me thanks to ginger tea and gave me various advice.

‘High society has various gatherings. Any woman from a prestigious noble family hosts at least one. You should create one too, madam. For example… a book club or tea party would be good.’

‘I don’t have much interest in reading.’

‘I’m not telling you to read. The purpose of the gathering is friendship.’

‘You mean I should make friends?’

‘I’m saying you need to create allies.’

I had averted my gaze because Baroness Rollan’s expression was frightening when she said those words.

High society was ultimately a place where people lived. Meaning it was a battlefield in a muddy swamp.

“Oh my, then are you perhaps inviting me to the book club?”

“Yes.”

The responsibility of being an ally of the former Grand Duchess might be a bit heavy for someone like Ilina.

If she insisted on meeting me again, this was the only way. I thought she might dislike it, but Ilina looked moved instead.

“It’s an honor! To think I’d be the first participant in the Grand Duchess’s book club!”

I never said she was the first participant, but since I had no friends anyway, it wasn’t wrong.

Ilina kept expressing her gratitude with an excited face. Worried she might get dizzy again, I scolded her to calm down.

“Now go back home.”

“Yes!”

“…Tell your father properly. If you say I was being unreasonable, he’ll understand.”

Someone skilled in politics would actually be pleased, saying they could put the Ducal House in their debt.

Rather than trying to impress the hard-to-see Margrave, it would feel better to receive an apology from the Ducal House, which was a major landowner.

At my words, Ilina shook her head vigorously.

“No, the Grand Duchess helped me. I’ll tell my father the truth.”

“Well, whatever…”

What truth was there? I just took a girl who looked like she was going to vomit and gave her a few glasses of milk.

I didn’t understand why she was declaring it so solemnly as if it were something significant.

Setting aside my doubts, we parted ways like that.

In front of the banquet hall, the Baron happened to be looking for Ilina.

He didn’t seem like a completely bad father, as his face was full of worry.

When Ilina approached, I thought he might burst into anger, but instead he sighed with relief and carefully helped her into the carriage.

‘Even such a father just left his child alone until she was about to vomit.’

Family love in this world was truly incomprehensible. Though it wasn’t really my business.

Not wanting to have a conversation with the Baron, I secretly returned to the banquet hall.

The servants were busily cleaning up the banquet hall.

“You there, boy.”

“Oh, yes!”

I pointed to a child who appeared to be a page boy. The child hurried over and stood before me.

“Where is the Duke?”

“The master? He just went to the inner courtyard. He said he’s sharing drinks there with several guests.”

The after-party seemed to be in the Duke’s garden. Nobles drinking while looking at the moon. How peaceful of them.

‘Still, I should at least greet the Margrave properly.’

Since I heard he was still here, it felt wrong to just pass by. Though I disliked it, I thought I should at least see his face, so I slowly made my way toward the inner courtyard.

I was about to make my way there.

I should have known better than to dismiss my attendants.

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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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