I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 357

Chapter 357: Choice (3)

-Min-hyeok.

-Min-hyeok!

-M-Min-hyeok…!

-Damn it, Min-hyeok.

-Min…hyeok?

-Eek! Min-hyeok…!

“…”

That voice…

It was a voice from my dreams.

A strange dream.

In that dream, there was a friend whose voice I knew so well.

Countless scenes flashed by, and I remembered them all. I remembered every detail, every moment.

I was surprised.

I rarely remembered good memories, as there weren’t many in my life, but… I remembered everything about her.

But why?

It felt so vivid.

Even though it was a dream, it felt as real as reality.

As if it wasn't a dream at all.

The dream was explicit.

Too explicit to be dismissed as a mere dream, a figment of my imagination, a coincidence, or an overinterpretation.

The specific times…

The events that unfolded…

The familiar scenes and reactions…

The events in my dream mirrored the events in this world, overlapping perfectly.

It was too unsettling to dismiss as just a dream.

I wondered if it was even a dream at all.

I woke up early.

Today was different.

The usual pattern was broken.

Even with Harnie by my side, I couldn't sleep soundly.

But I wasn't the only one who woke up early.

“…”

Her eyes were puffy, dark circles under her violet irises. She seemed to have had a restless night.

Harnie, too, hadn’t slept well.

Yesterday’s events had shaken her. Her heart, warmed by his unexpected kindness, wouldn't stop racing.

Each heartbeat was a battleground.

The selfish desire to hold onto him.

The need to suppress those feelings and let him go.

These conflicting emotions waged war within her chest, making her heart pound.

She had spent the entire night trying to control her racing heart, desperately clinging to her resolve. Hours had passed as she wrestled with her inner turmoil.

She had barely slept, despite the comforting presence of Carsein beside her.

Carsein sat up.

‘I need time to gather my thoughts.’

He needed time to think.

How could he convey everything he wanted to say to Harnie?

He needed time to formulate the words he had failed to utter yesterday.

This time was precious, and he couldn't afford to waste it.

‘No, I need some time alone.’

Harnie, too, sat up, realizing she couldn't afford to waste this time either.

Being close to Carsein all night had intensified her inner conflict.

His gentle embrace fueled her desires.

She felt herself losing control, wanting to stay in his arms forever.

Even without seeing his face, without hearing his voice, just being near him amplified her feelings exponentially.

She couldn’t stay like this.

She needed some distance, to quell the growing desire to hold onto him.

Despite her exhaustion and the turmoil in her mind, today was crystal clear.

This was the most important day for both of them.

They both had things to say, and they needed time to prepare, to compose themselves.

But… unfortunately, that time was stolen from them.

“…”

“…”

Their eyes met.

They had both woken up at the same time.

It was difficult to gather her thoughts when he was right there.

An awkward silence hung in the air.

Neither of them spoke.

After a brief, charged moment, they both decided to postpone their confessions.

“You’re up early.”

“Early? This is my usual wake-up time.”

“Oh, really? I’ve never seen you up this early.”

“I guess today’s the day you finally witness my true waking hour.”

They both tried to maintain a semblance of normalcy.

They had to.

Because they both knew.

That this was their last day together.

***

The final day had begun.

The end was near, but it wasn’t over yet.

The pursuit hadn't ended, and the Bagrands’ warrant was still active, so I had to remain vigilant.

I carefully formulated my plan.

I meticulously researched and prepared to fulfill the conditions outlined in Karn Bagrand’s note.

The priority was the fifth treasure.

I couldn't relax until I had it in my possession.

That’s what I told myself.

Harnie agreed.

The closer we got to the goal, the more cautious we had to be.

Our priorities were clear.

…But that was just an excuse.

A cowardly excuse to postpone the inevitable conversation, as I still hadn’t figured out what to say.

I had thought that with time, my thoughts would become clearer, but they hadn’t.

In fact, they were even more tangled than before.

Because of what had happened yesterday.

I couldn't stop thinking about why Harnie had kissed me while I was sleeping.

The dream I had last night made things even more complicated.

Harnie’s image kept overlapping with Jieun’s.

…I needed more time.

So, once again, the conversation remained unspoken.

Leaving the city wasn’t difficult.

There were no pursuers, no bounty hunters.

They were either too far behind, or their search had been delayed.

Aside from the occasional monster encounter, there were no problems.

…But.

A bigger problem arose.

-Tack.

‘…What’s this?'

We had reached our destination, but Harnie warned me to be careful, as we were entering a remote village. She was observing the merchants’ movements to gauge the situation.

Meanwhile, I noticed something that made my eyes widen in disbelief.

“It’s quiet out here, away from the city. I’ve been observing the merchants, and it seems safe to wait here, Carsein.”

I didn't hear a word she said.

Because the status window had delivered a shocking message.

-Ding!

▶ Episode update. ◀

▶ New information acquired. ◀

[Harnie Theresia is currently a wanted fugitive.]

[Date of warrant: December 31st]

I grabbed Harnie’s shoulder and asked,

“…Why did you hide this from me, Harnie?”

“Hide what?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were a wanted fugitive?!”

I showed her the wanted poster I had just found.

I couldn't believe it.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

She had said there was no reason for her to be a fugitive, no evidence against her.

That’s why she always scouted ahead, ensuring it was safe before calling me. She had insisted she was safe and could gather information without any risk, as she could always return to the Theresia Marquisate.

But according to the status window, she had been a fugitive all along.

Since December 31st. The same day I had become a fugitive.

That… changed everything.

Despite being a fugitive herself, she had risked her life to protect me, scouting ahead, taking on the dangers I should have faced.

She had lied, saying she wasn't a target, that she wasn't in danger.

She could have been captured at any moment.

She could have been caught by bounty hunters.

She could have been targeted by assassins hired by rival families.

“…What about it?”

She turned away, trying to appear indifferent.

I felt a surge of panic.

“What were you thinking?! Did you… did you think I wanted to use you as a pawn?”

“Of course not.”

“Then why did you hide it?!”

“Our situations are different. I’m a noble, a member of the Theresia Marquisate. Even if I’m captured, I won’t be in any real danger.”

“Harnie!”

It was obvious.

She had risked her life for me.

“I… I didn’t want this. I never wanted you to be in danger…”

Suddenly, Harnie’s protective jewel glowed brightly.

And so did the four jades.

“No way…”

A sliver of light appeared between the horizon and the setting sun.

The ancient tree, bathed in the light, shed a single blossom.

The blossom dissolved into the light, and the five beams converged.

The combined light formed a rectangular portal, about ten meters away.

And beyond the portal…

Was the world I knew. Reality.

The portal to my world, the portal I had been searching for. It was time to leave this world and return to my reality.

“So that’s your world,”

…What?

I turned to her, my body stiff.

“What… what did you just say?”

Harnie smiled faintly.

“…I overheard you. Talking to Pollux.”

“What…?”

“You called yourself… an outsider,”

I asked, my voice trembling. Harnie replied calmly,

“I know everything. That you were dragged into this world against your will, that you almost died countless times, that you’ve been struggling to survive, that you’re not Carsein, that this isn’t your world, that you have another world you want to return to. I know everything.”

She knew everything.

She had overheard my conversation with Pollux, who had come to deliver Veneris’s prophecy.

But what was even more important…

‘She knew all along… and she pretended not to.’

She had known I was looking for something else.

That I had another world, another purpose.

That I would eventually leave her.

And she had kept silent.

“You… you knew all this time…”

-Ding!

▶ Episode XLIV, The Five Treasures, is… in… pr…ogr…ess…@#!@#! ◀

▶ Do not return to reality. You must not return. ◀

▶ Do not return to reality. You must not return. ◀

▶ Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. Do not return. ◀

…

…

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