Surviving as the Wife of the Swordsmanship Clan’s Troublemaker - Chapter 42

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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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Episode 42

 

***

 

“Pickled onions…?”

 

“Yes. It’s a pickled side dish that’s easier to eat than the spicy kimchi you had today. It goes well with meat.”

 

It’s a side dish that pairs especially well with greasy meat, making it indispensable on Korean meat tables.

 

Since it’s pickled, it can be stored for a long time and eaten whenever you want.

 

Hotsen was already sparkling with excitement, but Francesca couldn’t do the same.

 

‘There’s no way a duchess would peel onions in the kitchen.’

 

She was wearing a formal dress that looked even thicker and stiffer than mine. Unlike me, she was wearing a corset that made it look difficult for her to even bend her waist.

 

The fact that she came dressed like that in the first place meant she had no intention of learning to cook.

 

I knew that when I asked.

 

If she was just here to monitor me, I wished she would just leave.

 

Mothers-in-law are always uncomfortable, after all.

 

“You pickle onions?”

 

Francesca’s pupils trembled.

 

“Yes. If you make seasoning and pickle them, they become really good side dishes. They also cut through the greasiness of steak.”

 

As expected, her face showed she wasn’t interested. I pretended not to notice and picked up an onion covered in dirt from the kitchen.

 

“First, we need to cleanly peel the onion skin and prepare it.”

 

“…You handle that directly?”

 

“Yes, cooking means doing everything from preparing ingredients to plating while thinking of the person who will eat it. Who are you planning to make this for, madam?”

 

Before that, we need to decide who will eat it and how much to make.

 

I was planning to make a lot and eat it for a long time, but her cooking wouldn’t be like that.

 

“I…”

 

Francesca hesitated, then finally answered.

 

“I’ll give it to my son.”

 

“Which son?”

 

At my question, Francesca bristled.

 

“I’ll give it to all three sons. Why are you prying into that?”

 

“I was worried you might leave out Docheop’s portion.”

 

He would really love it if Francesca made it for him, so I hoped she would definitely make some for him.

 

“I will make it. Why would you think otherwise?”

 

“Because you dislike Docheop.”

 

Even though I knew it would hurt her feelings, I deliberately asked directly. From what I could see, she didn’t even give Docheop a single warm congratulation at today’s meal.

 

“Look at the head chef’s expression. He was really surprised that you would make some for the young master.”

 

“Oh, that’s not it, it’s just that the young madam… No, never mind.”

 

When Hotsen quickly wrapped up his words, Francesca asked again with a shocked face.

 

“I dislike Docheop?”

 

“Not just you, but everyone dislikes young master Docheop. I think I might be the only one in this family who likes him.”

 

“Who dares to dislike my son!”

 

Francesca bristled again.

 

Then she stopped herself.

 

“That’s right. Why would anyone dare to dislike the young master?”

 

I repeated her words in a bitter voice.

 

She probably knew that answer best.

 

***

 

Francesca cried.

 

“Hueng! Huk huk, huk!”

 

She cried so hard that the makeup she had carefully applied in the morning was completely ruined.

 

In her pale hands was an onion smoother than her skin.

 

“Madam… please stop now. I’ll do it.”

 

Seeing this, Hotsen asked restlessly several times, but the answer was always the same.

 

“No. Hueuk, I have to see it through to the end. Hueuk.”

 

She didn’t know that just handling onions would make tears flow like this. Her nose tip turned red, and her eyes became watery.

 

Hallara said she could quit anytime, but Francesca couldn’t bring herself to say she wanted to give up.

 

It was the first time she had abandoned her dignity as a duchess, but she couldn’t break her promise as a mother in front of her daughter-in-law.

 

She had come to find Hallara today because the meal she shared with Docheop was so wonderful.

 

Because she rarely ate with anyone.

 

Or rather, meals with family members were always filled with tension, so she thought it was better to eat alone.

 

But today’s dinner with Docheop was comfortable and even overwhelming.

 

‘Docheop will become a father soon too. I’ll have a lot to teach him by his side.’

 

Though he doesn’t seem like that type.

 

That’s why she came to find Hallara.

 

Because Docheop seemed to really like her food.

 

She thought if she learned, maybe Docheop would have a meal with her once more.

 

But there was something more important.

 

“Because you dislike Docheop.”

 

Those words pierced like a dagger.

 

That dagger struck right to the point and wouldn’t come out. Not simply because it made her look like she disliked her son.

 

‘I was the one who isolated Docheop.’

 

Looking back, rather than comforting and embracing Docheop, she was busy scolding him.

 

A child who was already out of favor with his father.

 

She pressured him to at least try not to fall further out of favor.

 

The more she did that, the more no one remained by Docheop’s side.

 

Instead of embracing him, she turned away.

 

She only scolded him as he went astray.

 

Suddenly, Docheop’s clear eyes came to mind.

 

“Mother. I heard today is your birthday. Congratulations! This is… a gift for you, Mother.”

 

Eight-year-old Docheop had clear and intelligent eyes, unlike his other sons. And he was very affectionate.

 

“I drew Mother… I hope you like it.”

 

“Instead of making gifts for me, train more! I don’t care about things like this, so go do the training the evaluators assign!”

 

She threw away what he had drawn of his mother with his small hands and spoke such harsh words to the tender young child.

 

“Hueng, hueeng.”

 

Peel-.

 

As she peeled the orange skin, the white flesh of the onion was revealed.

 

At the same time, tears flowed endlessly.

 

She could no longer tell if it was because of the onion’s sharpness or because of guilt.

 

***

 

“Wow, I’m really proud.”

 

After sending Francesca away, Hotsen and I who remained in the kitchen made pickles from 100 onions’ worth.

 

Pickles packed full in glass jars.

 

A sense of pride wells up as if I’d prepared kimchi to last the entire winter.

 

“Young Madam has quite remarkable stamina despite her appearance.”

 

Hotsen, sprawled out exhausted, gave me a thumbs up.

 

“Me? Am I like that?”

 

Compared to preparing three meals a day for my husband, this is nothing.

 

“Of course. And to make the Elder Madam peel onions – you’re no ordinary person.”

 

“I didn’t know she could do it.”

 

“I thought the same. Perhaps Young Madam gave her a good lesson?”

 

“Hey, I didn’t give her a lesson. I was just being honest.”

 

I only asked if she’d been good to Docheop.

 

It was obvious she hadn’t, so my resentment gave me that courage. If she had been good to Docheop, she wouldn’t have done such terrible things.

 

“And then you handed her onions and made her cry her eyes out. Young Madam is truly frightening.”

 

Hotsen squinted his eyes and grinned wickedly as if he’d figured out my intention.

 

I was about to say I chose onions purely because I wanted to eat them.

 

[Hallara~!]

 

An extremely excited Junel burst into the kitchen.

 

I almost screamed at his unexpected appearance.

 

[Kek kek! What’s this!? It’s so spicy I can’t open my eyes!]

 

“Well, I’ll go in and rest now.”

 

I hurriedly dragged Junel back to my room.

 

“Where have you been? To see Helbeorn?”

 

He’d been missing since I went on a walk with Docheop, and several hours had already passed.

 

[Did you look for me?]

 

“Of course.”

 

Though only with my eyes.

 

Right after I parted with Docheop, Francesca appeared so I had no choice.

 

[Then I shall show you.]

 

“Did you go to retrieve the blood sword?”

 

I thought he’d gone to find Helbeorn, but he was empty-handed.

 

[I can’t get it back anymore.]

 

“Why? Helbeorn didn’t die, did he…?”

 

I hadn’t wished for that much.

 

[He didn’t die but came back to life. And he was completely reborn by inheriting the blood sword’s bloodlust!]

 

That became an even worse disaster.

 

Helbeorn had become an even stronger knight.

 

[I thought only the eldest could barely handle that sword, but as expected of Bloodmere. It seems to have found its rightful master, so that’s fortunate.]

 

…

 

[Hallara, that was an excellent choice. Kya. Though my eyes sting, this burning energy of the blood sword! This bloodlust that surges like a racing pulse! I feel like I’ve grown 100 years younger!]

 

Junel floated around as if swimming through the air like a fish in water.

 

I grabbed him.

 

“Junel…”

 

[Hmm?]

 

“Isn’t there some hidden poison or something in the family?”

 

It seems I’ll need a weapon too to face that monster.

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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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