Mother-in-Law Refuses to Regress! (7 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 26
Guinevere sighed inwardly, wondering how things had ended up like this. She never imagined she’d be using concealment magic to spy on children’s school activities of all things. Was this even a crime or not?
“Why on earth am I doing this?”
“Aren’t you even curious?”
“…….”
“What if our sweet Lara gets bullied by her classmates?”
‘Since when did you get so close to Larisa…?’
Guinevere exhaled deeply and kept watching through the window. Larisa had just finished introducing herself nervously beside the homeroom teacher and took her seat.
Class was about to begin. Guinevere didn’t have time to stand around for long.
“I’m busy, so I’ll leave now.”
Just as Guinevere was about to teleport away, her hand was again caught effortlessly.
“Wait.”
“You can watch her alone just fine. I’m busy.”
“What’s so urgent? I already checked everything—Aldo’s fine, and Lord’s asleep. Is there really something more important than Lara’s happiness right now?”
She hadn’t completed her time-reversal magic yet. But Guinevere wanted to keep her research on it secret from Siod; she couldn’t predict how he’d react.
Would Siod betray his own kin and side with her? Probably not to that extent. With no other choice, she changed the subject.
“Getting bullied a bit in childhood doesn’t make your whole life miserable, you know.”
“Wow.”
Siod was genuinely impressed by Guinevere’s character.
‘Instead of asking Larisa what happiness means, I should’ve asked Bera. After all, the oath hinges on Bera’s judgment.’
Seizing the moment, Siod decided to ask right then.
“Bera, what do you think happiness is?”
Guinevere frowned slightly. It was a question she’d never considered before. Hesitantly, she offered an answer she herself lacked confidence in.
“Being safe… and… well-off… and… healthy?”
‘Lucky her standards are low.’
Siod nodded without further comment. It seemed best to let Guinevere keep thinking that way.
Even if Larisa herself felt unhappy, as long as Guinevere didn’t recognize it, the oath would remain valid.
“Anyway, don’t go yet. I’ve got something for you too.”
Siod pulled something from inside his coat.
“What’s this?”
“A mithril dagger.”
Guinevere instinctively took the dagger he offered. The scabbard alone bore exquisite craftsmanship, clearly no ordinary item. When she drew the blade, its smooth, gleaming surface nearly dazzled her eyes.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“The one you had before was ridiculously shoddy.”
The magic etched onto the blade was of a kind Guinevere couldn’t even begin to comprehend.
Siod chuckled softly as he watched her unconsciously scrutinize the dagger, trying to decipher its enchantment. She must look genuinely adorable like this—it was clear he was thoroughly smitten.
“The magic on it isn’t human-made. So you won’t be able to interpret it.”
“Then what is it?”
“My curse.”
A curse? Guinevere silently studied the blade, then quietly slid it back into its sheath.
“What happens if I stab someone with it?”
“Even a dragon wouldn’t walk away unscathed.”
It was a gift she quite liked. Guinevere tucked the dagger away and asked,
“Why are you giving it to me?”
“Why? Because yours was pathetic. How were you planning to fight a dragon with that? Well, I’ll make sure you never have to face one—but just in case.”
“…….”
Siod took Guinevere’s silent hand and leaned back against the wall. Smiling gently at her dazed expression, he said,
“Anyway, I’ve given you a present, so stay a while longer. Standing here together feels just like we’re on a date.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. This isn’t a date—it’s stalking.”
“Stalking? I’m just watching my child grow with a parent’s heart.”
Siod put on an exaggeratedly wronged expression.
“Look at Lara’s nervous face. ‘Is it really okay for someone from the slums like me to be here? What if I mess up school and disgrace the Rodante name?’”
“…….”
“Can you hear it? Lara’s inner thoughts?”
Guinevere silently stared at Larisa’s face. Now that he mentioned it, she did look tense. Why would the girl think such useless things? Larisa was practically her own daughter now—and if anyone dared ignore her, Guinevere was certain she’d send them straight to hell.
“What are you thinking? Don’t even consider doing something scary to the kids.”
Guinevere shot Siod a suspicious glare. Could this dragon brat actually read minds?
“Don’t worry—I can’t read thoughts. It’s obvious just by looking. I’ve lived among humans long enough.”
“How long exactly?”
“About a thousand years or so?”
Guinevere was genuinely surprised. That explained why, despite being a dragon, he acted so well-versed in human society.
“Why would a dragon know so much about human life?”
“Because we keep our distance—but stay vigilant.”
Guinevere found it fascinating. This version of Siod seemed ready to spill everything if only she asked.
“Why did you approach me in the first place?”
“An Ascendant appeared in human society after hundreds of years—I came to take a look.”
“…….”
“What else are you curious about?”
Siod grinned. To him, Guinevere—a woman usually so indifferent—showing curiosity toward him felt incredibly special.
“Huh? Ask quickly.”
“Never mind.”
“Aww, why? Don’t you have more questions for me?”
“…….”
As soon as Guinevere clamped her mouth shut, Siod started rambling about things she hadn’t even asked.
“I came on Lord’s orders. It’s standard whenever an Ascendant appears in the human realm—to eliminate them if they seem like a threat to dragonkind.”
“Then why did you let me be?”
“You only care about magic. You didn’t seem like the type to covet a dragon’s heart. You’re not interested in politics, so you’d never dream of conquering the world. And you’ve never even considered crossing the Dragon Valley, right?”
She hadn’t. Guinevere frowned. It was true—she truly cared about nothing but magic.
“And I told you already—I fell in love.”
Guinevere watched Siod’s smile and gave a small, disbelieving chuckle.
“Lord’ll probably kill me if he finds out I gave you this gift… Still can’t trust me?”
“I trust no one.”
It was the truth. Even her own parents had abandoned her, and her only son had cast her aside without hesitation. When William stabbed his own heart, Guinevere had felt utterly forsaken.
“Even so, I’m sincere, Guinevere.”
“Then why did you leave?”
Siod, completely stumped, started banging his head lightly against the wall.
“Seriously… why did I do that…? Sigh…”
While the two passed time chatting, class had already ended without them noticing. A little girl approached Larisa, who sat quietly at her desk. Guinevere unconsciously leaned in to listen.
“You’re Larisa Rodante?”
The girl had a sharp, assertive look in her eyes. Larisa blinked her innocent eyes and replied,
“Huh? I’m not Rodante.”
“So you’re just Larisa, then?”
“Yeah…”
“I’m Juliana Dymore.”
Larisa visibly flinched.
‘Why’s she reacting like that?’
Guinevere was puzzled, but Siod muttered beside her,
“Oh dear, a noble.”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Lara’s a commoner—she has to use honorifics with nobles.”
Only then did Guinevere understand Larisa’s awkward position, and her brow furrowed. Fortunately, the girl didn’t scold Larisa for her informal speech and continued,
“So… is it really true?”
“What is?”
“That witches eat children?”
Larisa’s eyes widened as she cried out,
“No!”
“If not, then just say no—why shout like that?”
Larisa clamped her lips shut. The girl—who seemed to be the class leader—turned away, and the other children, taking her cue, refrained from speaking to Larisa.
Watching the scene unfold, Guinevere grew exasperated. She muttered darkly,
“Is that… tiny brat really bullying our Lara?”
“Whoa, calm down, Bera. She hasn’t actually bullied her yet.”
“What’s with that atmosphere? How dare those clueless brats ignore a Rodante?”
“They’re just kids, that’s why. Please, calm down already?”
With nowhere else to vent her rising fury, Guinevere glared at Siod. As if he’d expected this, he said,
“You said William had no friends either. Wouldn’t it be even harder for Larisa?”
“William’s personality was…”
“His personality was just like yours, so he had no friends? Is that really it?”
Siod continued casually,
“The rumors circulating in the academy didn’t form overnight. Even if she’s from a noble house, she’s a bastard with no known father. While other nobles hire private tutors for every subject, you sent her to a crumbling basic school—clearly showing you didn’t care. No special treatment, no reason for teachers to pay attention, and you didn’t even attend her entrance or graduation ceremonies, right?”
Struck speechless by this barrage of facts, Guinevere stared at Siod in blank shock. He sighed and went on,
“I know—I have no right to say any of this to you. But things can change now. Both for you, and for me.”
Inside the classroom, Larisa sat with a dejected expression. What was that child thinking? Guinevere whispered, almost as if making excuses,
“I didn’t know… how other nobles raised their children…”
When she was young, Guinevere had desperately wanted to go to school—graduation meant a proper job. But as a slum-born girl without even a registered lineage, she couldn’t enroll and ended up doing menial tasks for a mercenary band.
She’d picked up magic by helping their mage with chores, and even then, she’d been severely beaten whenever caught. Her life only began to change when she saved up enough to buy a proper spellbook.
Or so she’d thought.
“Should I withdraw her from school now and hire private tutors at home?”
“Do you really need to, when I’m here?”
“But if she stays in school…”
“All that matters is making it clear that Larisa is a beloved child.”
How?
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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