I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 309

Chapter 309: As If It Never Happened (6)

“Wh-what should we do…?”

“I… I don’t know what to say…”

“I can’t believe this happened…”

The servants were sweating, their faces pale.

They didn’t know how to respond to Claire’s sudden, frantic demand to find Carsein.

Initially, they had been confused.

When she had demanded to know who had defaced Carsein’s portrait, they had scrambled to make excuses. The portraits had been fine just a while ago. No one in the Duchy would dare to do such a thing.

But now, they knew.

All traces of him were gone.

From this place.

From the Bagrand Duchy.

Every single trace of Carsein Bagrand had vanished.

How could they report this?

None of them were brave enough, not after witnessing her fury just moments ago.

But there was no need to report anything.

Claire already knew.

A lingering unease had plagued her.

A persistent premonition, a sense of foreboding she couldn’t shake off.

It had started with the unanswered messages to his territories.

The cold dread she had felt when the communication orbs hadn’t lit up on her way back to the Duchy.

And then,

The unsettling quiet of the manor.

The unusual emptiness of the Duchy, a place that should have been bustling with activity.

The discovery that all of Carsein’s portraits had been defaced.

The realization that he was the one who had done it.

And…

Even when she had reached his room, the last possible location…

Her unease had grown, transforming into a full-blown anxiety.

“We’ve searched the entire manor, but there’s no trace of Young Master Carsein, Lady Claire.”

Shaiden, the physician, stepped forward, delivering the report the other servants had been too afraid to give.

“…”

Claire’s blue eyes widened, a tremor running through her.

There was no trace of him.

They didn’t know where he had gone.

Which meant,

This frame, clutched tightly in her hand,

Was the only thing left of Carsein.

-Drip. Drip.

Something fell to the floor.

Not blood. The maids had bandaged her hand, and the bleeding had stopped.

They were tears.

Silent tears, flowing freely, a clear, crystalline expression of her grief.

‘So… that’s…’

She finally understood.

The documents, the neatly organized stacks of money in his room.

They were invoices, and payments.

For everything he had used, every expense he had incurred.

The cost of the tools, the servants’ wages, the carriage fees, the expenses associated with maintaining his status as a noble,

And the cost of every single outfit she had meticulously crafted for him.

Everything was accounted for. Every single penny.

So he had been saving money… to repay them?

The portrait, sliced through, a single face removed.

It was a clear demarcation.

As if he had never been a part of their family.

He had left the Duchy without a trace, as if he had never belonged there.

And his departure…

Had been planned all along…?

His refusal to accept gifts,

His insistence on handling everything himself, paying for everything,

His tireless efforts to manage his territories, to earn money…

It had all been part of a meticulously calculated plan…?

-Thump.

The horrifying realization made Claire’s heart sink.

She didn’t wonder when it had started.

She knew.

They had never truly treated him like family.

They had paid lip service to his inclusion, but their words had never reached him.

No.

They hadn't even tried to understand him.

They had neglected him,

Judged him, spied on him, worried about him,

Refused to believe him, dismissing his pain as an act, a performance,

And even resorted to violence, compounding his suffering, all while claiming to be his family.

So he had changed.

He had stopped hoping, stopped asking for help,

And had devised this plan.

…Right.

It wasn't surprising.

He must have felt this way all along.

Carsein had wanted to escape.

-Drip. Drip.

Tears fell onto the frame, the only thing left of Carsein.

“We… weren’t even… proper sisters to him…”

She hadn’t understood.

She hadn't offered him the help he so desperately needed.

Instead, she had slapped him, yelled at him, hurt him.

And she hadn't even apologized.

Could she even call herself his sister?

Did she deserve to be called his sister?

“…I’m… such a terrible person…”

She hated herself, her inability to control her temper, her cruelty.

***

-Pitter-patter.

The bright sunshine was gone, replaced by a steady drizzle.

Isabella looked at the rain, her voice filled with concern.

“It’s raining quite heavily. Perhaps… it’s time to leave.”

“…I suppose so.”

“Yes. We should get going if we want to stay on schedule.”

Their stay wasn't meant to be long.

The rain was a sign that time was running out.

“Claire’s late. She’s usually not this late.”

“That’s true. We should be leaving together…”

“I hope she’ll contact us if there’s a problem.”

Flora flinched at her mother’s words.

While Flora had seen Claire leave that morning, the other family members believed she was on a short business trip.

Flora had made excuses, covering for her.

‘But… she should be back by now…’

While Claire was occasionally late, this was unusual.

And there was something else that bothered her.

-I can’t reach Carsein, so I’m going to see him.

-See him?

-Yes. I need to ask him to free up some time in his schedule. He might be free now, but he could be busy later. I need to make arrangements in advance.

-Why don’t you just send a letter?

-Ahaha… I tried, but he seems to be very busy.

‘Claire… she went to see Carsein.’

Her words had been strange.

There had been times when Claire had refused to tell her what she was doing.

So…

“Mother, Sister, I’ll go get Claire!”

She had to make another excuse.

If she said Claire had gone to see Carsein, Arina would be furious, scolding her for bothering him about his schedule.

“Flora, do you know where Claire is?”

“Yes. She should be at the Duchy.”

“She’s at the Duchy?”

“I… I woke up early this morning and asked the maid who was traveling with her.”

“And she said they were going to the Duchy?”

“Yes!”

“That makes sense… but why…?”

There was no point in hiding the fact that Claire had gone to the Duchy.

She just had to conceal her true intentions.

“I don’t know the details. But she said it was important.”

“Important?”

“If she had to return to the Duchy, it must be something important.”

“That’s true. And if she didn’t even tell Mother… perhaps we should go back as well?”

“But we can’t just leave…”

They seemed to be considering it, trying to remember if there was anything important they had to do at the Duchy.

But they wouldn't remember anything. Their schedule was full, and they couldn't return to the Duchy now.

Flora seized the opportunity.

“So I’ll go by myself!”

“By yourself?”

“Yes! You and Sister are busy. I can just go to the Duchy and deliver a message to Claire!”

Their expressions softened.

A little more. Just a little more.

“Claire is already handling a lot of work. It would be difficult if one of us left. And if both of us left, the preparations for Carsein’s coming-of-age ceremony would be delayed!”

“That’s true… but are you sure you’ll be okay by yourself?”

“What?”

“You’ll be bored without us. And Mother’s not there either.”

Success.

Flora put her hands on her hips, feigning annoyance.

“I’m a year older now! I’m not a child!”

“Ahaha. Is that so?”

“Hmph. Are you always going to treat me like a child?”

“Oh dear, I’m sorry, Flora.”

Is that okay?

Arina looked at Isabella, who nodded in agreement.

“Alright. Then Flora will go and bring Claire back.”

“Okay! I’ll bring her back!”

Claire’s true intentions had been successfully concealed.

And Flora had secured permission to return to the Duchy.

She happily arranged for the Bagrand carriage.

***

“I’ll deliver the message quickly! Just wait here!”

“Okay. Come inside, out of the rain.”

“Okay!”

After waving goodbye, the coachman took the reins.

The carriage departed.

Everything had gone according to plan.

She had successfully hidden Claire’s true intentions and secured permission to return to the Duchy.

It was a resounding success.

She should be humming a cheerful tune, anticipating Claire’s praise.

…She should have been.

“…”

But inside the carriage,

As the rain pattered against the roof, Flora wasn’t smiling.

“Claire…”

It was supposed to be a simple errand.

To ask Carsein to free up some time in his schedule.

She shouldn’t be this late.

Not if everything was fine.

“Driver!”

“Yes, My Lady?”

“Hurry! Go faster!”

“Yes, My Lady! Giddy up!”

There were times when Claire wouldn’t tell her what she was doing.

Times when she would dismiss her concerns, saying it was nothing.

And Flora knew the reason.

It was always related to Carsein.

So, she had a feeling,

That this, too, was about Carsein.

“…No, it can’t be…”

She shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought.

They were busy preparing for Carsein’s coming-of-age ceremony. What could possibly go wrong?

“It’s fine. Everything’s fine. She’s just… busy, that’s all.”

Carsein often spent time alone.

Claire might have scolded him for it.

If she was late because of that, well, it wouldn’t be surprising.

But her actions betrayed her words.

-Nibble.

She bit her nails, her small hands clenched tightly.

Her anxiety, a familiar feeling, made her nibble on her nails, just like she used to.

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