Chapter 38
She’s My Mother-in-Law, But I Don’t Want a Power Struggle
A bundle of unfamiliar documents fell out from among the test papers. It was a thin and slightly worn stack, about three or four pages.
The problem was the title written on the cover.
[Budget Execution of the Layton Knights – 2nd Half, Year 1022]
“W-Why is this here?”
Jace, gripping the documents with trembling hands, quickly checked the rest of the test papers just in case. Fortunately, everything except the last one was in order.
Should… should I return it?
He recalled Anna’s panicked expression and the servants’ commotion. It was obvious that simply returning it wouldn’t resolve anything easily.
Besides, even Jace knew how important the word “budget” made these documents. His father often said during meals, “The territory’s budget is sacred,” followed by furious remarks that anyone who squandered money deserved to be executed.
And now, he had such a confidential document. One that belonged to a duke’s household, not some mere viscount’s.
How do I return this? Say I just found it? But then it looks like I stole it. Anyone would think I wrote this. Wait, and the one who brought it here was…
Just then, the study door creaked open.
“Hic!”
Startled into a hiccup, Jace slapped a hand over his mouth when he saw who it was.
“Oh? Studying, are we?”
It was Wilhelmina. She strode into the study confidently and plopped down on the couch like always.
Worried she might notice, Jace hastily shoved the documents and test papers into his bag.
“Aaah, so busy. I swear, why did that document have to disappear now of all times?”
As she swept her hair back with a sigh loud enough to be heard, Jace, clutching the bag tightly to his chest, stammered out a question.
“S-Something happened?”
“A rather important document went missing. And wouldn’t you know it—the main suspect is Mirinae.”
“But it might not be her fault!”
Wilhelmina’s hand froze mid-motion. Slowly, her calm eyes turned toward Jace and fixed on him.
“Why do you think that?”
“W-Well, I overheard earlier… couldn’t someone else have snuck into the office?”
“Hm.”
She stood up from the couch and approached Jace. Thinking she might have seen the document in his bag, Jace instinctively recoiled and hunched over defensively.
Wilhelmina didn’t even glance at his bag. Instead, she picked up the workbook on the desk.
“That’s not possible. Nata was guarding the office door. The only people who’ve been in there this past week are me and Mirinae.”
“M-Maybe it slipped into a bookshelf somewhere…”
“Even the butler joined in the search. It’s gone for sure.”
“…”
Jace’s escape routes were closing one by one. Cold sweat trickled down his back as he avoided her gaze. Wilhelmina, in contrast, gave him a fleeting glance before checking the workbook answers.
“T-Then what happens to Mirinae? There’s no proof. But if she’s being blamed…”
“She’ll be dismissed.”
“Gasp!”
Jace, knowing Mirinae’s circumstances, was horrified.
She had no family. Her entire life revolved around working at the ducal estate. She knew nothing of the world outside.
And with a servant’s meager salary, it would be nearly impossible to survive in the city alone.
No… Maybe I could take her in…
“And there will be a trial. She’ll be punished.”
“What… kind of punishment?”
“She’s suspected of theft. She’ll be barred from working for noble families. And she’ll be flogged. The trial… will be a summary one, like the one you and Rose had.”
It was already lenient because she was young. Any other servant would’ve faced an unspeakable sentence.
Jace turned pale.
Mirinae’s going to be thrown out… because of me?
If she was labeled a thief, Jace would have no reason or justification to help her.
If he handed the documents over to Wilhelmina right now, maybe this could all be undone.
If he confessed that it was his doing—that he’d told Mirinae to collect the test papers and this was just a mistake…
…But what if Count Jorun’s household finds out?
A heavy weight of dread settled in his chest.
They would never forgive his wrongdoing. Everything he’d done would be reported to House Milo.
He had once been their pride. Adored and expected to rise, he would become a disgrace overnight.
No…
Fear took hold of him. Just imagining the looks of disappointment and blame that would be directed at him was unbearable.
His nanny, the countess who had always preached virtue—none of them would take his side. He had given them plenty of reason to dislike him.
The only person who would’ve stood by him…
“I’ll take the blame for you.”
…was gone now.
Jace clutched his bag and lowered his head.
“All answers are correct. Excellent work. As expected, you’re brilliant.”
Wilhelmina set the workbook down on the desk after reviewing it.
“I’ll be quite busy today. Let’s have a shorter lesson. You may go home early if you wish.”
She patted Jace’s shoulder gently.
“Ah, would you like to eat before you go? The servants are all busy, so we’d have to eat in the main dining hall, but I can tell them—”
“I’ll just go.”
Jace pushed away her hand and climbed down from the chair. Clutching his bag tightly, he ran toward the study door.
Tap tap tap—!
It was just a child running, but to an adult, it was hardly more than a fast trot.
Watching Jace flee with all his might, Wilhelmina whispered to herself.
“Well then… what will you do now?”
Tomorrow marked the end of Jace’s training.
What should I do?
Back at the viscountess’s house, Jace locked himself in his room without eating.
With the blanket pulled over his head, he sobbed under the crushing weight of guilt and pressure.
His heart screamed that he had to save Mirinae, but the thought of disappointing his father suffocated him.
Conflicting thoughts and worries raged inside his head.
It’s my fault. No, it’s just a coincidence.
I should take the blame. But if Mirinae takes the fall, things will blow over quietly.
She won’t die from the flogging. I could secretly bring her medicine. Since it’s the duchess, she might not ruin Mirinae completely.
But what if she did? Winter was coming. If Mirinae couldn’t endure the cold and died, would he ever be able to forget her?
If only I hadn’t found the document. No, if this question wasn’t on the test. If the viscountess hadn’t handed me over to the duchess…
It was a storm of thoughts too heavy for a mere twelve-year-old to handle.
He stayed curled under the blanket for who knows how long. Only when he started struggling to breathe did he hear the morning bell chime outside.
It was the viscountess’s signal for him to wash up and come to the dining room.
“Ah…”
The day he had both longed for and feared… had finally arrived.
Blankly staring at the now-bright window, Jace slowly got out of bed. Without washing or changing his clothes, he staggered down the stairs.
Strangely, the viscountess was waiting for him on the first floor. She looked at him quietly and asked,
“Will you be going to the ducal estate?”
“…Yes.”
“Very well. Get in the carriage.”
Why she wasn’t questioning anything was beyond Jace’s understanding at the moment.
He silently boarded the carriage waiting at the front gate. The viscountess joined him as well.
Neither of them spoke a word on the way to the ducal estate.
“We’ve arrived.”
At last, the coachman opened the door politely. Jace, clutching his bag tightly, ran toward the annex building.
Morning had come. It was the day of Mirinae’s trial and punishment.
“Is all of this really necessary?”
“Yes.”
Jein, dressed in a judge’s robe from who-knows-where, looked at me with a conflicted expression.
She held a makeshift gavel in one hand. Her heavy makeup gave her a completely different appearance—less like a merchant, and more like a medieval prosecutor.
“We could just give her a light punishment…”
“You’re turning into Nata, you know.”
“…Madam, that’s not a compliment, is it?”
Nata, standing nearby, interjected, but I ignored her.
