The Damn Family Is Back Again - Chapter 332



332. Family (2)

The person who would know best about the Kelvia fruit.

That was undoubtedly Flora.

She was the first to know that Carsein would show a severe allergic reaction when exposed to Kelvia.

It was she who tormented him by using the effects of this fruit in various places, over and over again.

The one who knew best.

The one who used it best.

That was Flora Bagrand.

Therefore, it is not strange to make a neutralizer.

If she were to use the neutralizer and spread it throughout the empire, it might be possible.

But, what justification would there be for that?

What reason would there be to give such an order, and what purpose would she have?

Leading me all the way here is an action far removed from trying to torment me.

So nothing came to mind.

Justification, reason, purpose. Nothing could be connected through calculation.

This was a contradiction in itself.

But the series of events unfolding before my eyes strangely suggested that slight possibility to me.

The medicine bottle handed over with both hands.

The effect of the medicine bottle seen beyond the status window.

Flora, shedding tears, earnestly begging me to accept it.

Truly, it was an unbelievable sight.

All the circumstances told me.

That this little girl was sincerely trying to help me.

Listening to Flora’s words, they seemed rather disorganized. She was fumbling or trying to say as much as she could.

Yes. Those were not prepared words.

So, I vaguely realized that it was sincere.

I denied it, and denied it again.

Unless it was a case where it happened to be helpful by chance, I never thought that this little girl would help me with her own hands.

But.

Flora called me “Orabeoni.”

Just as I never directly called Isabella “Mother,” Flora had never once called me “Orabeoni.”

Because we are not family.

Because we have never been family.

Because she never even wanted to accept me as family.

So she never corrected that title.

That title of “Oppa.”

The title she had sworn never to use, even under threat of death.

The title she had said she didn’t even want to call me, just like the youngest, adding that it was disgusting.

It’s not just a mockery in front of the nobles.

It’s not just saying “Orabeoni” for appearances.

Here, where it’s just the two of us.

She called me the title she so hated to use.

…Change.

She must have no choice but to call me that. Hard to believe, but.

‘…Because it’s the last time.’

My mind is complicated.

This is something that should never happen.

It’s not like she’s shouting at me to accept it forcibly. She’s confessing her faults and showing remorse.

Even trying to help me…

I couldn’t adapt at all.

But Flora said it was the last time.

It means she knew I was going to leave.

It means she realized I would never return to the Duke’s house.

This little one no longer avoids reality.

‘…Hoo.’

Normally, I might have doubted.

Saying our relationship was worse than with strangers, I might have turned away in the end.

I might have tried to receive nothing from them in the end.

But.

This sincerity…

Did not make my blood run cold.

-Swish.

“…!”

Flora, with her head bowed, was silently shedding tears.

From her trembling hands, I carefully took the medicine bottle without a word.

Then Flora lifted her head.

“…”

A mess.

Her eyes were red, probably from crying so much.

And yet, she was still crying.

-Swish.

I lowered myself to match her height and handed her the worn handkerchief I had.

Flora took the handkerchief, sniffling.

This should… be enough.

I didn’t say anything else.

I just turned my back and left the cabin.

This was my final farewell.

“Sob, thank you. Brother…”

As I opened the door, Flora spoke through her sobs.

“Thank you for saving me when I was in danger, for helping me…”

“…”

So that’s what she meant by final.

Not just to give me the necessary supplies, but to say those words.

That’s why she made her way here.

Without turning my head, I asked Flora a question.

“Did you study to make this?”

After a brief silence.

A nod came.

“…Yeah. I asked because I didn’t know. Even when I learned from Shaiden, there were nights I stayed up all night…”

…Was that how it was?

It must have taken quite a while.

I thought I vaguely understood.

Since when Flora had such thoughts.

The naive little kid who didn’t know the ways of the world was already gone by then.

There was a reason why she started holding books and pens she didn’t even want to touch and began reading passages.

Going to Shaiden, and asking me to teach her as well, was the same.

Already, it had changed since then.

I gently closed my eyes.

Rationally, it might be a useless action.

It might just be meaningless words, filled with emotion.

But still.

…I think it’s better to say this.

“Take care, Flora.”

Flora seemed to swallow a sob as she heard those words.

The door opens again.

Light begins to enter the cabin.

It was quite a dark place, so my eyes were slightly dazzled.

As I left the cabin.

Flora’s voice echoed loudly.

“Goodbye, Brother Carsein…! Don’t get sick anymore, eat lots of delicious food, and take care…!”

I don’t know what principle makes me feel this way, but I felt a bit relieved.

Was it because I heard the youngest’s last farewell?

…I don’t know.

*

“It’s been a while, Marquis.”

“…”

Heron greeted Marquis Magnuel.

Marquis Magnuel swallowed his silence.

He may be just a butler, but he is the butler of Bagrande.

There must have been a good reason for someone from the Bagrande duchy to come to see him.

It might also be related to the pile of documents in front of him.

“Let’s get straight to the point. Why have you come to see me, Heron?”

Heron accepted the direct question with a nod.

“The current Duchess of Bagrande needs a proxy to manage the affairs due to her recurring mental illness. You are aware of this, aren’t you?”

“I am aware.”

There was nothing more to add.

Bagrande was currently entangled in very complicated issues.

The disappearance of Carsein Bagrande and the rumors related to his identity that surfaced at that time.

This brought significant changes to the Bagrande duchy.

“The Duchess can no longer manage the duchy. It is time for the heir to take over.”

“…”

“But if the duchy, if Bagrande, is heading down the wrong path, it must be corrected, don’t you think?”

Indeed, the eyes of the loyal butler who had served the duchy for decades were sharp.

Marquis Magnuel was one of the most powerful retainers of the duchy.

Although the power of other retainers like Count Mendel was not insignificant, he was one of the main pillars supporting the duchy on his own.

Heron had come to see the Marquis, having seen through this accurately.

Marquis Magnuel, realizing Heron’s intention, sighed lightly.

“Give me some time. I need to prepare as well.”

“Understood. Please read through it carefully.”

Heron, too, understood the Marquis’s intention and withdrew.

“…”

Left alone, the Marquis swallowed his silence.

The current deterioration of the Duchess’s health led to Arina’s rise to power.

In a way, this situation could also be beneficial to him.

With a supporter who had seized the position of proxy due to the health deterioration leading the duchy, if he helped, the Marquis could also solidify his position.

Furthermore, he could more firmly push out competitors and later focus his efforts on Arina’s regime.

But because of this, the Marquis also realized that things were getting complicated.

Since the time Carsein disappeared.

And it was from the time when the health of the Duchess Isabella began to deteriorate.

The wanted order was excessive.

What should have been issued at this time was not a ‘wanted order’ but a ‘search order’.

A search order for a family member, not a wanted order?

Even though they were not blood-related family, it was an excessive measure.

If the name was being mentioned in the Empire, and if it had to be checked?

Even that can be said to be excessive. After meeting Carsein in person, it was clear that he had no desire for power from the beginning.

In the end, the Marquis could not be entirely happy with this measure, which could not be seen as treating a family member without blood or tears.

If they issued a wanted order considering such a person as a competitor, isn’t it truly a judgment without blood or tears?

Due to this wanted order, Carsein drew all attention and was on the verge of becoming a traitor to the Empire.

Even though Princess Arina was someone he supported.

Even though it was an opportunity to gain greater power by cooperating with her.

Is it really right for Bagrand to walk this path?

“…”

The Marquis Magnuel, who was chasing the question, fixed his gaze on the file.

The documents of the Duke’s family, managed directly by Heron. Each one of them would have Arina’s seal, not the Duchess Isabella’s.

He picked up the documents and calmly read through them.

“Still… are you okay?”

Judging by the circumstances, it seemed that Carsein had not yet been captured.

Seeing that a sighting report was reported somewhere and he approved the document to investigate it, it did not seem like he was assassinated outside of Bagrand.

However, how should the definition of ‘safe’ be viewed?

Arina’s misjudgment, which had already been put forward, does not disappear.

To capture Carsein, they reinforced troops from all over, including the Duke’s knights.

Is this really an order to find a family member?

…Rather, isn’t it an order to capture a criminal?

“If blinded by immediate profit, the future may become dark…”

The deeply troubled Marquis muttered so.

It was a time of contemplation.

*

With a complicated mind, he came out of the cabin.

However, it seemed there wasn’t much time to gather his complicated thoughts.

-Ding!

▶The chase event is now active.◀

▶Traces of activity have been found in Rusmire.◀

▶The pursuit squad is after you again.◀

“…Damn.”

The pursuit squad had already passed through Rusmire.

It seemed the conversation with Flora had taken longer than expected.

“I’ve let my guard down too much.”

Although Rusmire was supposed to hold them off, it was inevitable that the path would eventually open.

From noble mtl dot com

It’s time to progress the episode.

First, I need to drink this.

▶You have consumed an item.◀

[ Kelvia Allergy Medicine ]

◆Kelvia Allergy Medicine

[ When consumed, the body adapts to Kelvia allergy. ]

[ All allergy levels decrease by 3 stages. ]

As soon as I drank the allergy medicine Flora gave me, the effect was immediate.

▶The effects of Kelvia allergy decrease by 3 stages!◀

The entire Shatren Field area lost its color.

It meant that low concentrations of Kelvia allergy wouldn’t affect me.

Stage 0. A state of no penalties would persist permanently.

With this, my path is clear.

▶Episode XLIV. The Five Treasures is in progress.◀

▶Collect the five treasures existing in the empire to create a dimensional portal.◀

▶If you clear this episode, the player can return to reality.◀

To gather those treasures, moving to other fields is essential, and each time, Kelvia allergy would hinder me.

Now that I can resist Kelvia allergy, I can go collect the treasures.

However, the locations of the treasures seemed strange no matter how I looked at it.

[ 1. The Duke of Bagrand’s House ]

‘Why on earth is there a treasure in the Bagrande Ducal House that will bring me back to reality?’

Well, because there can’t be.

I had checked every place while erasing my traces from the ducal house.

I had visited all the large spaces while getting rid of all my portraits.

Arina, Claire, Flora, and even Isabella’s rooms. I had looked around everywhere.

There wasn’t anything particularly strange…

A place I haven’t looked around?

Is there such a place?

After pondering deeply, the answer came to me.

“…No. There was one place.”

That place alone, I hadn’t looked around.

And it was a place I couldn’t enter until I left.

The basement.

A place designated as a forbidden zone along with the training ground in the early stages of the game.

That must be the place this episode is designating.

But, it seems the path is not so easy.

“Young master!”

“The pursuit squad is here. You must flee immediately, right now!”

-Ding!

▶All pursuit time has been exhausted.◀

▶The pursuit squad is about to enter the Shatren field.◀

▶Warning! Numerous enemy entities may attack you!◀

Damn it.

I should have realized when they didn’t tell me the remaining time!

“The horse is ready. We’ll hold them off, so hurry, hurry and run!”

“What? You guys will hold them off. What does that mean…”

At that moment, when I was questioning Dyke’s words.

“We’re going to hold them off, young master!”

The residents of Shatren all came out holding farming tools.

…What is this?

The villagers were all…

Even their intimacy levels were all filled to 100%.

[ To our lord, loyalty. ]

“What on earth is going on…”

“Go, young master.”

“Hurry, run away!”

“Brother! There’s no time! Quickly!”

It wasn’t just the guards like Dyke and Frict.

Not only those who were once registered as agents, but all the villagers.

All of them, with 100% intimacy, were telling me to run away.

Weren’t there only a handful of people who could help me?

Even that was a stroke of luck, so I always had to live like a loner, didn’t I?

Why on earth.

Why are they helping me?

-Neigh!

“Karsein. Get on quickly! It looks like they’re about to storm the estate!”

Right.

…I don’t have time to think right now.

I had to grab that hand and get on the horse to escape.

*

A short time later.

The villagers gathered where the soldiers would arrive.

“Has the young master gone?”

“…Yes.”

“Then that’s good.”

All that was left was to stop those ruffians.

They had only been able to farm until now, but at this moment, they had a more grand resolve than ever.

They were not knights of the Bagrand duchy.

Each one of them was an outsider.

Only with the goal of eliminating Karsein.

Therefore, I cannot yield this path.

Even if I had to yield the path, I had to grab onto their pant legs to buy time.

That was for the sake of the Lord of Shatren.

“These guys and those guys are interfering again. They even knocked down the soldiers at the checkpoint, and now they’re all out of their minds.”

The commander leading the soldiers clicked his tongue in disbelief.

-Sreung.

“The only option is to eliminate all those who interfere.”

The villagers swallowed hard at the sight of the blade, still stained with blood.

At that moment.

Someone shouted from behind.

“Stop!”

A resounding voice echoed from right behind.

Even though they thought no one would listen to such an order at this point…

All the soldiers flinched and began to look around nervously.

It was someone worthy of such authority.

Someone with a position worthy of such command.

“Ah, Princess Arshien…!”

What reflected in their eyes was none other than the royal family’s distinctive silver hair and golden eyes.