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I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 346

Added 2025-03-21 14:07:54 +0000 UTC

Chapter 346: Family (16)

As Shaiden had predicted, the Duchy knights, seemingly harboring no suspicions toward the family physician, didn't come anywhere near his room.

Most of them were focused on guarding the ailing Duchess, keeping Claire confined, and preventing outside intrusions. It seemed they hadn't considered the possibility that Carsein might be hidden within the manor, especially by the physician.

‘That’s a relief.’

With nightfall, security within the manor had tightened considerably, making it impossible to move around freely. In their current predicament, finding a place to rest, let alone food, wasn’t easy, so she was truly grateful for this safe haven.

She didn’t know how much longer they would need to search the manor before escaping, but this respite greatly increased their chances of success.

Claire's confinement had provided a valuable clue about the security arrangements, making it easier to navigate the manor.

Knowing the manor's layout like the back of extensively, they would quickly figure out their next destination.

Relieved, Harnie drew the curtains.

“…”

Turning back, she saw Carsein sitting silently, his head bowed.

It was a posture that invited contemplation.

Harnie knew how calculating and cold Carsein could be.

For him, this time was precious.

Time to rest. Time to heal his wounds. Time to eat and get enough sleep to prepare for the next day.

It was obvious how valuable this time was to him.

Having finished his calculations, he wouldn't waste a single second. He would use every minute, every second, efficiently.

He always planned ahead, anticipating every possible outcome, so he never wasted time.

That was his philosophy.

The belief of a man who had always lived a solitary, lonely life.

But… Carsein was different now.

He simply stared blankly into space, lost in thought.

Carsein was someone who rarely rested, even when urged to do so. He even resorted to taking short naps, a maddening habit that worried her.

Now, he was wasting time.

His face creased with worry.

-Tick.

Harnie knew the reason.

There was only one.

It was because of what had happened in the Duchess’s room, before they came here.

If Carsein had followed his usual principles, his unwavering beliefs, he wouldn't have acted that way.

He wouldn’t have shown such concern for the Duchess.

Even if he had received the item he needed, he would have simply taken it and left.

He wouldn't have said those words, or performed those actions.

Coldly accepting what he needed and turning away would have been more in line with his character.

Considering his past experiences within the Duchy, he should have reacted even more coldly, more indifferently.

But he hadn’t.

It was a significant change.

A crack had appeared in the seemingly impenetrable wall around Carsein's heart, a wall that had seemed eternally closed.

A spark of emotion had ignited within him, a man who had been consumed by logic and reason.

And Harnie knew.

That the relationship between mother and son was incredibly complicated.

-D-Duchess? What brings you here…?

Shortly after Carsein had finished the Duchess’s birthday celebration, Isabella had sought out Harnie.

A long conversation followed. A long period of reflection. A painful period of self-reproach.

Isabella… truly considered Carsein her son.

-I, a foolish mother, may not be able to change Carsein’s mind. But… I believe you can, My Lady, which is why I came here.

-…

-Please… take care of him.

Her final request to Harnie had been the same.

Isabella sincerely wished for Carsein’s happiness, pleading with her again and again.

It was heartbreaking.

The tangled relationship between the two of them pained her.

That's why Harnie approached him.

To nurture that spark.

To open the door to his heart even wider.

-Embrace.

“Do you regret it, Carsein?”

Harnie gently embraced him from behind and asked.

He knew what she meant.

It was because of what had happened in the Duchess’s room.

Carsein quietly replied.

“…No.”

“Then why are you like this?”

“…”

Carsein didn’t answer immediately.

“You have your reasons, don’t you? There’s a reason behind every action. That’s why you’re like this, isn't it?”

“…”

After a long pause, he finally spoke, taking out the note he had received from the Duchess.

“This note. It was the most important part.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Without it, I might have been completely mistaken about the location of the final treasure.”

“The most important note… but… that…”

“…Yes. This is the note I received from the Duchess. And it’s a note we should never have been able to find.”

Carsein explained why they couldn’t have found the note.

Why it was impossible to obtain.

The inconsistencies in the Duchess’s behavior.

His explanation was convincing.

“…The Duchess… no, my mother, deliberately gave this to me.”

“Deliberately?”

“Yes. Otherwise… it doesn’t make sense.”

Isabella was afflicted with a peculiar mental illness, the Elbern Syndrome. But she had been lucid in that moment.

Her trembling fingertips. The change in her eyes. The clarity in her voice.

Based on all of that, Carsein concluded that the Duchess had deliberately kept him there.

And the fact that she knew the last note was in that specific drawer, that she retrieved the item and gave it to him…

It wouldn't have made sense unless she had been lucid, deliberately handing it to him.

That was the truth behind her actions.

“That’s why… I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”

He had never used the word “Mother” before, a title he had always avoided.

But the farewell, the embrace…

The heartfelt wish for her good health.

Carsein might have harbored many complicated feelings towards the Duchess…

But in that moment, his heart had opened.

A spark of emotion had broken through the cold wall of logic and reason.

Harnie embraced him tightly, expressing her feelings about his choice.

‘Yes. This is who you truly are.’

Beneath his rigid and indifferent exterior was an infinitely kind heart.

He might have seemed cold and selfish, but within that hard shell was his true nature, one he couldn't hide.

He might have lived a difficult life, but he wasn’t consumed by hatred and revenge.

He wasn’t a madman, seeking retribution for past grievances.

He was inherently good.

A kind soul, incapable of true malice.

No matter how he acted, no matter how much he tried to convince himself otherwise, his true nature, his warm heart, always shone through.

That’s why she couldn’t help but love him.

Because she had seen this side of him countless times.

It was natural for her to feel this way about him.

This was who he truly was.

It was embarrassing to admit, incredibly embarrassing, but…

‘This is why I fell in love with you.’

This was the reason she had fallen for him.

‘I’m so glad.’

Carsein would soon return to his world.

She had already accepted that she would have to let him go.

But… she had one final lingering hope.

That Carsein would overcome his deep-seated distrust of others.

She had to break down his unwavering belief that no one could help him.

She had to shatter his rigid philosophy that he had to face the world alone.

She had been working towards this.

Staying by his side, getting to know him.

She had done everything she could to rekindle his dulled emotions, to fight against the monster of logic that consumed him.

Finally, her efforts had borne fruit.

Today, the true value of her efforts had been revealed.

She wanted to ignore the approaching future, the inevitable separation…

But she could finally let go of her lingering hope, knowing that he could now trust others.

-Tick.

The sound of the clock ticking made Carsein turn his head.

He checked the time and his jaw dropped.

Harnie chuckled playfully.

“Finally, it’s over. I was starting to worry.”

“…I didn’t realize so much time had passed…”

“Do you know how many times I yawned? Hmph.”

“Ugh… I’m sorry…”

“If you’re sorry, then make the bed.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He immediately made the bed.

As always, she insisted on sharing the bed.

He looked flustered, scratching the back of his head, but in the end, he reluctantly joined her.

She decided to indulge in a bit of mischief.

“…Harnie?”

“Yes?”

“This is a bit…”

“We’ve shared a bed before. What’s the problem?”

“It’s… close. What if we touch…?”

“What if we do?”

“…”

Carsein didn’t answer, flustered.

His expression seemed to ask why she thought this was normal.

Ignoring his discomfort, Harnie snuggled closer.

She didn't care if their skin touched.

She moved closer, until their breaths mingled, until she could feel his warmth against her skin.

“I’m sleepy. It’s cold, so can’t we stay close?”

“…”

He needed her warmth to nurture the budding emotions within him, to drive away the cold monster of logic.

Hoping that his warmth would linger, she closed her eyes.

…And she hoped that her warmth would remain with him as well.

Forever.

***

Morning arrived.

Even though it was the familiar ceiling of the manor, it felt strangely unfamiliar.

Because Isabella had let me go, I was able to hide here.

After Flora, this was the second time.

Isabella, my adoptive mother, had helped me.

I still couldn’t quite believe it, as I had been certain it would never happen, not before I left, and certainly not after…

But I had to put yesterday’s events behind me.

I had hidden for a day, and now it was time to move.

-Ding!

▶ Found a note hidden by Karn Bagrand. ◀

▶ Successfully achieved an outcome beyond the given choices! ◀

Once again, the note pointed to the next location.

It contained an apology for the complicated steps required to uncover this secret, along with information about the arboreal grotesqueries and the demon's right-hand man.

『The third book. People dismiss it as fiction, but he’s a real person.』

『Arkshus Felscrime. That twisted man delights in destroying families. If there was a murder connected to a family that year, it was definitely his doing.』

『He doesn’t kill people himself… but he’s no different from a murderer. He infiltrates families, subtly sharpening the blade of hatred, until they finally strike. If you ever meet him… be careful, Carsein.』

The note described his ability to avoid detection, his uncanny skill at infiltration, and offered advice on how to deal with him.

It made me feel uneasy.

What if I had been chosen by him, becoming the one to wield the blade of hatred…?

I couldn’t help but frown.

“Carsein, the letters are connecting again,”

Harnie’s voice accompanied another message from the status window.

▶ Discovered the hidden fourth part. The location of the treasure has been revealed. ◀

『The location of the next treasure is—』

I was stunned when I saw the location of the next treasure.

“…Huh.”

『Rossel Bagrand’s tomb. In other words, my father’s tomb, which will be constructed within the manor soon.』

-Ding!