I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 366

Chapter 366: Project Yggdrasil (6)

Though Flora had escaped, I remained at the Shiren Villa.

The building was engulfed in flames, the fire raging uncontrollably as the Duchy personnel frantically tried to extinguish it.

I stayed to observe.

While the deception seemed successful, I wanted to monitor their reactions.

‘No one seems suspicious.’

I had been worried that someone might notice the small group escaping amidst the chaos, but everyone was too preoccupied with the fire.

It was time to leave.

I turned to go.

“Is it over?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a relief. I was worried. There were quite a few of them.”

She seemed relieved that I had returned safely.

But I had to be sure.

“They seem to have fallen for it. The fire, and the evidence we planted… no one left the area. How about your side?”

“Same here. I saw some movement towards the villa, but no one leaving.”

Harnie was confident that the deception had worked, as even those unaware of the plan were frantically trying to extinguish the fire.

But she still had questions.

“But I’m not sure… we successfully faked Flora’s death, but… what’s the point?”

She was right.

Everything had gone according to plan.

Flora had escaped, and I was unharmed. We had successfully staged her death.

It was a significant accomplishment, but its purpose remained unclear.

It had only caused a minor disruption.

I felt the same way. I knew the status window wanted me to save Flora, but I didn’t see how this would help us overcome the current situation.

That is, until the status window appeared.

“Don’t worry about that,”

“What?”

“We’ve gained something significant.”

Harnie tilted her head, confused, then looked at me, a flicker of understanding in her eyes.

“You received a message.”

I nodded.

Yes, this was why I had been so quiet.

This status window, this message, this reward…

It had appeared the moment Flora had escaped.

▶ Emergency mission clear reward granted. ◀

▶ Reward Level: 8. ◀

[Flora Bagrand’s survival remains unknown. Most of the command structure will receive misinformation.]

[Believing Flora to be dead, they will be convinced that the current regime within the Bagrand Duchy will remain unchanged.]

“At first, I didn’t understand. Project Yggdrasil is ultimately about Belian’s ambition, but it seemed strange that he would target Flora.”

If anyone, his target should have been Arina.

Eliminating her would be the easiest way to destabilize the Bagrand Duchy.

But that was a superficial interpretation. A closer look revealed a different motive.

The Memorials had provided me with a clue.

“His goal is to maintain the status quo.”

“The status quo?”

“Yes. The current power structure within the Bagrand Duchy.”

“…Ah!”

It was ironic.

If Belian wanted to destroy the Bagrands, he should be trying to destabilize Arina’s regime, but there was no evidence of such attempts.

That meant the current situation, with Arina in power, was advantageous to him. In other words, it was a necessary condition for Project Yggdrasil.

That was the blind spot.

“So, Belian isn’t trying to overthrow Arina. He wants to maintain her position?”

“Yes. He wants to preserve the current, unbalanced power structure.”

“…I see. And framing you, making you a scapegoat, is just a bonus. He wasn’t trying to kill Flora. He was trying to consolidate Arina’s power within the Duchy.”

Harnie seemed to be catching on.

Yes, this was about consolidating power.

While Arina was the most likely successor, she wasn't the only one. There were other potential heirs.

“Then our course of action is clear. We have to disrupt this power structure, but we can’t use external forces.”

She was right.

It wasn't just about Flora. The only way to destabilize the current regime was from within.

And conversely, creating a situation that would force a change in the power structure would be the most effective way to disrupt Belian’s plan.

Think.

If Belian’s goal was to maintain the status quo, who would be his next target?

Think.

What were the necessary conditions for maintaining this regime?

Think.

What steps would he take to preserve Arina’s authority?

The solution to this equation was clear.

“Harnie, Arina’s territory…”

-Click.

“I’ve already investigated it,”

Harnie smiled, handing me a document. She was always prepared.

“You look especially beautiful today.”

“W-what are you…!”

“Ow! Why did you hit me? I was just complimenting you!”

“You… you’re impossible…!”

-Ding!

▶ Episode II: The Aldersia Territory Conflict, begins. ◀

▶ Eliminate the enemy units in advance. ◀

[Target units: Arboreal Grotesqueries.]

[0/30]

The next episode had appeared.

“Let’s move, Harnie.”

“Yes!”

***

While someone was diligently working behind the scenes…

Someone else was trying to set things right.

“…Is everyone here?”

The nobles nodded.

The Bagrand vassals had gathered in secret, without Arina’s permission.

There was no need for introductions.

No need to explain why they had called this emergency meeting.

They all knew the reason.

“This is madness. How did things get this bad?”

“What are we going to do?”

“What’s your opinion, Elder?”

“Well… I’ve never encountered a situation like this…”

“This is unprecedented.”

They exchanged worried glances, their voices filled with frustration.

This wasn’t a celebratory gathering.

“…I’ll be frank. I’m not sure if this is right. While it’s fortunate that we have an acting Duchess in Isabella’s absence, I question the wisdom of her policies.”

“Indeed. The acting Duchess has a mountain of work to attend to. And yet, she’s personally leading the pursuit of a single criminal… neglecting her duties!”

“I agree. The contracts awaiting approval, the soldiers diverted from their posts… it’s affecting the Duchy’s operations.”

The empty manor.

The stalled proposals.

The growing discontent among the vassals.

“But what can we do? Acting Duchess Arina has the support of a powerful faction.”

“We can’t even voice our dissent. She’s obsessed with capturing Carsein, convinced he’s a traitor who desecrated the tomb. How can we possibly advise her to focus on her duties?”

“If we speak out of turn, we risk being expelled.”

And yet, they had to do something.

Arina’s power was absolute, and her supporters were unwavering.

Voicing their opposition was tantamount to suicide. No one dared to speak.

“That’s why we’re here. We have to present a united front!”

“With these numbers? Don’t be absurd!”

“So you’re saying we should just stand by and watch the Bagrand Duchy crumble?”

“We have to work together, before it’s too late!”

The meeting room descended into chaos.

Even with so many people gathered, they couldn't reach a consensus.

If this continued, they would be trapped in an endless cycle of arguments, leading to their downfall.

“There is a way,”

“Marquis Magnuel?”

“What… what is it?”

The vassals turned to him, their ears perked.

“We have to give up.”

“What?”

“We have to give up what we’ve gained. If we don’t want to lose even more. We were the ones who supported Arina, the ones who helped her gain power.”

“…”

In other words, they had to abandon her, to relinquish their positions within the Duchy.

But who would willingly give up their power?

They had spent years, fortunes, climbing to their current positions.

They couldn’t just give up so easily.

“I see. You’re not willing to give up. I expected as much. It’s good that I didn’t get my hopes up.”

“What?”

“Just wait. You’ll understand soon enough.”

“Wait, Marquis. What do you mean?”

“Understand soon enough?”

As the vassals exchanged confused glances…

A commotion erupted outside.

“…Wait. What was that?”

“What?”

“Did you hear that? Someone’s outside.”

“I heard it too. It sounds like a visitor.”

“Don’t be ridi…”

They were momentarily distracted by the sound, but then the voices grew closer.

“I don’t know how you got here, but… you know there’s a no-entry order in place, right?”

“—”

“No, you can’t enter without permission. These are the acting Duchess’s orders…”

This time, they all heard it clearly.

The visitor was arguing with the knights.

There were many knights guarding the meeting room.

And yet, the voices were getting closer.

“No, you can’t! You have to leave!”

“Please, turn back!”

-Click. Click.

The sound of heels echoed through the hallway, signaling the visitor’s approach.

And then…

A commanding voice reached them.

“Open the door.”

“…!””

The vassals’ eyes widened.

They recognized the voice.

But why was she here?

“You can’t do this! I warned you, this won’t just end with confinement!”

“There’s an acting Duchess, not a Duchess. The succession hasn’t been decided yet.”

“…”

“As a candidate for the Duchy, I order you to open the door.”

Overwhelmed by her presence, the knights opened the door.

The sound of her heels echoed through the meeting room.

She entered, her voice ringing with authority.

“My mother might be ill, but she hasn’t named a successor. Which means the fight for the Duchy is still ongoing.”

Pink hair.

The unmistakable heir to the Bagrand Duchy.

The vassals finally understood what Marquis Magnuel had meant.

‘So that’s what he meant by “wait.”’

‘That was his plan…!’

She stood in the center of the room, raising her hand.

“I, Claire Bagrand, hereby declare my candidacy for the Duchy. Those who wish to support me, make yourselves known.”

The arrival of another contender.

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