The Damn Family Is Back Again - Chapter 358



358. Choice (4)

It was all a lie.

The bounty had been there from the beginning.

At the point when Harunie’s name was soon to be placed on the wanted list, she could no longer walk the streets with confidence.

Family, status.

She relied on both, but neither would be of much help.

The Teresia Marquis family was not that weak, but the family was still in turmoil, and those who had not been subdued, whether collateral or relatives, would come forward and try to push her out of the head’s position, claiming she was just an illegitimate child.

Although she had noble status, in such a serious matter, it was likely to become another faded status. Moreover, if she was said to have helped a criminal, even that status might be stripped away.

Everyone would surely neglect her and turn their backs.

Even if they didn’t listen to her circumstances, she might lose everything she had painstakingly built up until now.

Nevertheless, she took that risk.

She helped him without hesitation.

She had no choice.

At this point, family and status meant nothing because there was no place for them in her life anymore.

Only one thing remained.

For the sake of one person’s goal.

For the safety of the man she had in her heart.

Even if she lost everything, she would move for his sake.

No matter how many wanted notices were issued.

Even if she lost her noble status and fell into ruin.

She had to ensure his safe return.

Even if she was caught within the territory, if she could shout and send a signal, Carsein could escape from that spot.

Even if her identity was revealed and she was chased by the pursuers, as long as it wasn’t Carsein being chased, she could lure all the hunters to her.

Even if exposed to the background, even if captured and judged by the nobles, even if, in the worst case, one of the vassals who helped Belian cuts off his head.

Karsein does not die.

With that single thought, Harnie has stayed by Karsein’s side until now.

‘This too, is the end.’

No matter how much the bounty is placed, the Marquis family is behind him, and he still maintains his noble status, but at that moment, he saw the bounty notice. That bounty notice clearly reveals the lies he has been telling.

Still, it was fortunate.

The goddess of luck happened to favor him.

“Even though… I knew everything…”

Karsein had a more bewildered expression than ever before.

He was a person who rarely showed other expressions on the outside.

He treated it as if it was no big deal and accepted it indifferently.

No matter what happened, he rarely showed his feelings, and it was hard to tell his reactions.

Such a person was showing that kind of expression.

Perhaps the words just now were quite shocking.

‘…Don’t waver. You must not waver.’

Harnie shook his head coldly inside.

If Karsein properly refuted and noticed, he would soon realize that he was in trouble.

If that happened… the worst situation of being held back could occur.

‘Now is the only time. Only now, when Karsein is shaken and unable to come to his senses.’

Although it seemed like what was still pressed down in his heart would explode at any moment… for now, reason had to come first.

I was already prepared.

I had suppressed my desires enough to not waver.

Now, the only thing left is to send him back to the world he originally belonged to.

For that…

“You asked why I didn’t say anything even though I knew everything, right?”

When I prompted the conversation by attaching a tail to Carsein’s muttering, he, who had been staring blankly, lifted his head.

“Of course. You don’t belong to this world.”

Yes. It’s an obvious statement.

“I’ve lived in the Empire all my life. For someone like me, born and raised in this Peselos Empire, it all makes sense. But why should you, who were dragged here without knowing anything, go through such things?”

He is not a resident of this place.

He is someone who has a world to return to, a place where he originally lived.

“I only heard the news… You said you suffered all kinds of hardships without knowing why you were brought here. I heard you almost died several times. If I were in your shoes, I would want to leave as soon as possible too.”

He took on all the dangerous tasks.

He almost died several times, and faced all sorts of hardships without anyone to help him.

“That’s why I didn’t say anything even though I knew everything. Because you have nothing to do with this world. You were someone who shouldn’t have had to go through such experiences from the beginning.”

Because he is someone who will leave.

Because he is someone who will return to his original world.

That’s why I didn’t say anything.

“…”

Carsein couldn’t say anything, as if he had frozen.

As planned.

‘Yes. This is it.’

Even though the chaotic content is rushing in, the two worlds are separate spaces.

One is the place where he should remain.

The other is the place where he should return and live happily.

We had to part ways here.

“…What will happen to you? You must be being chased.”

It was time to say the words I had prepared.

“You know, Carsein. Maybe… I think I might have died without making any progress on my plan in that place.”

“…”

“If you hadn’t advised the Plesia Merchant Guild, it wouldn’t have been strange if they were caught by the Marquis at any time. In the social circles, they were always trying to devour me, and in the noble society, I was sold off as a single flower and soon discarded. I think I would have died no matter which path I took. But. I survived.”

-Thump!

My heart pounds.

My lips tremble. As if telling me not to say those words.

I lifted the corners of my mouth to hide it.

“Because of you. Because you came here. Because you reached out to me, who was freezing cold. That’s why I’m still alive.”

My throat started to choke.

As if to dissuade me, saying that I absolutely don’t want to say those words.

I put strength into my voice to maintain my tone and current voice.

“If you’re alive, you can do anything. The foundation I’ve built is much stronger than it was back then. The Plesia Merchant Guild hasn’t shown itself, but if I reveal that it’s me, I can pressure the noble society by releasing the information each noble has hidden. I can take control of the family alone and get through this crisis. Compared to back then, I have a lot. I have the means to prepare.”

Moisture gathers at the corners of my eyes, gradually making them damp.

As if trying to stop it from spilling out on purpose.

When tears fall, words and actions change. I smiled brighter and covered my eyes.

“So, don’t worry about me and go back. Forget all the bad memories, forget everything about this world, and go back. Oh, and from now on, you must live happily, okay?”

Just looking at him now is exhausting.

I want to hold his hand right now, I want to bury myself in his arms right now. I feel like I could scream at him not to leave right now.

No. I can’t mess things up here.

As my whole body started to react in rejection, I turned around.

“The contract ends here. Thank you for everything, Carsein. Ah, in your world, you were called Kim Minhyuk… right? I’m not sure how to address you… but I will never forget this kindness. Minhyuk. I don’t have time to watch you leave… so I must go prepare myself.”

I said my farewell with my back turned.

I pretended to be as unaffected as possible.

I acted as my usual self as much as I could.

With this level of acting, he wouldn’t have noticed.

But the suppressed emotions seemed like they would burst out at any moment.

‘I don’t want to. I don’t want to let you go. I wish you could stay here.’

…Hurry, hurry and leave, Carsein.

‘Don’t leave me alone. Please, stay by my side.’

Time started to press.

I hope it doesn’t burst out while he’s still here.

From noble mtl dot com

‘I don’t want to. I want to hold on to you. Do you really have to go…?!’

There was no choice but to hope he would leave as soon as possible.

‘No. Don’t go. I love you. Whether you’re Karsein, Kim Minhyuk, or from any world, I love you.’

Please leave quickly. I feel like I might burst into tears any moment now.

I’m scared that I might start sobbing.

I’m afraid I might tell you not to leave.

‘I… I love you.’

The worst thing would be for you to stay here.

For you to remain here, unable to leave.

The happiness that came after all the hardships would disappear.

So…

Please, leave quickly.

Before I, who loves you so much, hold you back.

*

My mind was blank.

I couldn’t think straight.

The shock that hadn’t faded kept trying to hold me back.

But, Harni woke me up from this state.

“Of course. You’re not from this world.”

As she said, it was such an obvious thing.

“I’ve lived in the Empire all my life. For someone like me, born and raised in this Peselos Empire, it makes sense. But why should you, who were dragged here without knowing anything, have to go through such things?”

I was dragged here, not even from the place I originally lived, knowing nothing.

The very fact that I had to go through this was an unfair situation.

“I only heard the news… You said you went through all sorts of hardships, dragged here without knowing why. I heard you almost died several times. After going through such an unfair ordeal, I would want to leave as soon as possible too.”

Yeah. It was a really shitty experience.

All the dirty memories I had in reality were revived, an experience so rotten that it was disturbingly similar to reality.

“That’s why, even if I knew everything, I didn’t tell you. Because you have nothing to do with this world. From the beginning, you were someone who shouldn’t have had to go through such an experience.”

That’s right. I’m not from this world.

I was possessed by a game. I was dragged here with no relation from the start.

A portal to reality is clearly visible to the right.

I just have to walk there.

As she said, there was nothing more I needed to do.

The two worlds are disconnected.

Once I return to my world, there is nothing left for me here.

To be blunt, I went through all sorts of hardships here.

I went through that rotten experience twice, and only more unpleasant memories resurfaced.

It was a disgusting world in many ways, wasn’t it?

So this situation was like a sweet fruit.

Just escaping this damned world and returning to reality.

Of course, there was something that bothered me…

“If you’re alive, you can do anything. The foundation I’ve built is much stronger than before. Although the Plesia merchant group hasn’t shown itself, if I reveal that it’s me, I can pressure the noble society by releasing the information each noble has hidden. I can also take control of the family alone and pass through this crisis. Compared to that time, I have a lot more now. I have the means to prepare.”

Harnie had said with her own mouth that it would be okay, that there were contingency measures in place, so not to worry and to go back.

She is a smart woman. She wouldn’t have overlooked something like this.

Even though my mind isn’t working right now, I can rest assured and go back, knowing she will handle it.

I have no lingering attachments to this world, so I can just leave.

No. Rather, being chased, I had to take a step further away.

…

But, is that all there is?

Is it really over if I just return to reality from here?

‘…No.’

I denied that answer.

It has nothing to do with evidence, logic, reason, or statistics, the way I usually pursue things.

Only by intuition.

I denied it solely on the basis of intuition, that uncertain thing.

There has never been an easy path in my life.

Even though I have never walked a silk road, I have walked thorny paths to the point of nausea.

That’s why I could tell.

This path is too well-paved, like a silk road.

A path that someone else is struggling to support.

My head started spinning.

Things I had missed began to come into view.

The sense of incongruity was so strong that it was strange not to feel it.

‘Harnie had already… lied to me.’

Why did I think she wouldn’t do it again?

I, who had lied countless times, could tell.

It was all a lie.

And that wasn’t all.

Harnie was wearing a mask.

It was evident in every movement.

Why, why did I only realize it now?

It felt like I had to hold onto Harnie.

It felt like I shouldn’t leave her now.

-Ding!

As soon as I had that thought, an alarm sounded.

▶Do not go backDo not go backDo not go backDo not go backDo not go backDo not go backDo not go backDo not go backDo not go backDo not go backDo not go backDo not go backDo not go back◀

…

…

The status window, which had been repeating the phrase “Do not go back,” displayed a new message.

【 The fate of someone else in this world will be determined by your choice. 】

【 You couldn’t save someone in the past, and that person eventually met their death. 】

【 This time, can you save them? 】

【 Your death brought despair to someone. This despair spread like a plague and anchored that person’s soul here. 】

【 It’s not too late yet, Kim Min-hyuk. 】

【 It is inevitable. Coming here, being possessed by Carsein’s body. 】

“This is…!”

The messages that appeared every time I cleared an EX episode, claiming to reveal the truth of the world…?

It was as if those phrases were saying there was a reason I came here.

“No way…”

-Ding!

▶The conditions for the EX episode have been met.◀

▶The truth of the world will be revealed.◀

【 This world was created because of you, and it flowed because of you. 】

【 Are you going to let the woman who loved you die again this time, Kim Min-hyuk? 】

▶Would you like to view the hidden memorial?◀

Yes. The clue must be here.

I reached out to the memorial without even breathing.