I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 325

Chapter 325: Alone (8)

The merchant cart, having evaded the pursuers, took a detour, circling the territory.

This was to create an alibi, to avoid suspicion, and to match the delivery schedule listed on the manifest.

By the time they reached Lusmire, it was already dusk.

“Halt.”

The carriage stopped at the checkpoint.

“What are you transporting?”

“Here’s the manifest.”

Tasha handed the document to the guards. While they should have inspected the carriage’s contents, they seemed distracted, their attention elsewhere.

“Looks fine. You may pass.”

“Thank you.”

The guard returned the manifest, and the carriage passed through the checkpoint.

Carsein, who had been skeptical, was surprised.

‘They really just let us through?’

The guards at the checkpoint, who should have been on high alert due to Arina’s arrest warrant, had simply waved them through.

The carriage continued deeper into Lusmire.

-Ding!

▶ Entered Lusmire Field. ◀

▶ Danger Level of this area: Caution. ◀

Caution.

It was a relatively low danger level.

I wasn’t banned from entering, there weren’t any immediate traps or triggers, my actions weren’t restricted, and the penalties to my stamina and action points weren’t severe.

There was no need to question the reason.

But…

That wasn’t why I had been able to pass through the checkpoint so easily.

-…We’ll escort you to Lusmire. And don’t worry about the checkpoint. Lady Claire has lowered the security level.

If a wanted man was on the run, he would likely seek refuge somewhere, but with a severe Kelbia allergy, hiding wasn’t an option.

He would have to move to a different location, away from the Kelbia fruit, which meant passing through checkpoints.

They could have easily captured him.

So why had this happened?

And that wasn't the only strange thing.

The Kelbia fruit, scattered throughout the northern region, should have made escape impossible. But I had escaped, thanks to Harnie, and the neutralizer that had been strategically placed along the route.

The fact that the neutralizer had been used to counter the Kelbia fruit was already ironic, and the fact that it had created a clear path was even more suspicious.

And then there was Camilla and Tasha’s decision.

They could have earned a substantial reward by betraying me.

Why had they helped me?

The question lingered.

▶ Episode II: The Path of Independence is in progress. ◀

▶ Survive for the designated period with the Independence status ailment. ◀

[Time Remaining]

[3 days 2 hours 11 minutes]

But the objective was clear.

‘Right. Survival is my priority.’

Survival.

Nothing else mattered.

***

Once they were out of sight, I signaled to the back of the carriage, and they sent the coachman away, eliminating any witnesses.

As I disembarked, I heard a familiar voice.

“Carsein!”

“Harnie.”

She was here, in Lusmire, just as I had expected.

She ran towards me, her beautiful violet hair swaying, and threw her arms around me, her hands frantically checking for injuries.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt…?”

“I’m fine, as you can see.”

“Hah… I was so worried… They said it was dangerous, that there were patrols…”

Her sigh of relief, the worry etched on her face,

Showed how much she had been through.

But her worry quickly faded.

“Thank you, both of you.”

“It was our duty, My Lady.”

“We simply did what we had to do.”

The two women bowed their heads respectfully.

And then, it was their turn.

“Young Master Carsein, could you please stay here for a day?”

“…What?”

“This is where my daughter lives. It’s a restricted area, not easily accessible to the villagers.”

Tasha paused, taking a deep breath.

“As you know, we’re currently acting as the interim lord of Lusmire. Which means there aren’t many villagers who would come here without a specific reason.”

…In other words, they were offering me a safe haven.

“Please, stay here for a few days, Young Master.”

“Our quarters, as interim lord, are not easily searched. And if anyone tries, the guards will notify us immediately.”

Harnie, who had been watching them, gently took my hand.

“I agree with them, Carsein. It’s too dangerous for us to leave now. It’s not as cold as the north, but this winter is still harsh. You can’t survive out there without any supplies.”

“…”

I knew.

This was a godsend.

I couldn’t survive the remaining three days without food, clothing, or shelter, not in this weather.

Refusing their offer would be foolish.

I should be begging them, offering to pay anything for their help.

But this… this was unfamiliar.

…To receive help from others.

It felt strange, unnatural, for someone who had always been alone.

“He says it’s fine. He’ll stay. He knows he doesn’t have much of a choice, anyway. Right?”

Harnie, perhaps sensing my hesitation, answered for me.

…She was right. I didn’t have a choice.

“I’ll keep an eye on him. If he tries to escape, I’ll drag him back myself!”

Harnie’s confident declaration, her sleeves rolled up, made the two women smile, the tension easing from their faces.

““We will take good care of you, Young Master.””

They bowed deeply and led us to their quarters.

They told me to ask for anything I needed, offering their services as if they were still my maids.

After Camilla and Tasha left,

Harnie turned to me, her eyes narrowed playfully, then lightly punched me on the arm.

“…Ow. What was that for?”

“From my experience of observing you, Carsein, you tend to overthink things.”

“What?”

“You should try to… simplify things. You’re too rigid.”

What was she talking about?

Whatever. I needed to rest.

“Let’s go inside. We don’t know when or how they might find us, so it’s best to rest while we can.”

“…”

“What’s wrong?”

Harnie seemed to notice my hesitation and took a step back.

Then, she sniffed the air, and asked a strange question.

“J-just in case… you know…”

“What?”

“Do… do I smell… strange? Is it me…?”

“…”

“Or did it… start when I hugged you…?”

Seriously?

She was worried about that in this situation?

How could she be so… her?

Her unexpected question made me laugh, the tension easing slightly.

And her clumsiness made me want to tease her.

“Yes, you do.”

“Wh-what?!”

“You have a… distinct scent. Yes, indeed.”

“That’s mean! I’ve been running around, so of course I’m going to sweat! But you didn’t have to be so blunt…!”

Her face flushed, and she took a step back, as if suddenly aware of the close proximity between us.

“I-I’ll… I’ll go in first.”

She hurried inside, as if she were being chased.

I, having momentarily forgotten about the actual pursuit, chuckled.

“I went a bit too far with the teasing. I’m sorry.”

I hadn’t realized she was so self-conscious about her scent. She would probably head straight for the bathroom.

Well, I would apologize later.

Harnie always smelled nice.

When we first met,

And even after we had gotten closer.

It was the same now.

Whenever she was near, I could smell her scent.

A bright, cheerful fragrance, so unlike me.

If I told her that, she would probably pinch me and pout, but… well, I had gone too far with the teasing. I would have to apologize.

I followed her, reaching for the doorknob.

Just then,

The door opened, and Harnie stood there, fidgeting.

“Is something wrong?”

“It’s…”

She seemed hesitant, as if she was struggling to find the words.

“…My clothes.”

“Your clothes?”

“I… I was in such a hurry that I… I wore this…”

Harnie turned around.

‘Ah.’

I inwardly groaned.

This outfit… no, this item, was infamous.

In the game, there was an item called the Stone Mask.

It offered a stat boost early on, so I had eagerly equipped it, only to discover that it couldn't be removed without external help.

I had no idea who had designed such a thing, but it had triggered a ridiculous choice and led to a bad ending.

I had never used it again.

And there was a similar item, a piece of clothing with the same effect. It was infamously known as the “Stone Mask Outfit.”

…And Harnie was wearing it.

“…”

“…”

We exchanged glances, our silence filled with unspoken understanding.

She couldn’t remove the outfit by herself. She needed help.

And I was the only one here.

If I tried to help her, I would have to touch her…

And I didn't even want to think about what would happen next.

“…Perhaps you could blindfold me first…?”

I would try my best.

I had to.

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