I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 296

Chapter 296: A Blatant Objective (2)

—Flutter.

Startled by a nearby presence, a bird took flight, its wings beating rapidly as it escaped into the night.

The blonde girl who had startled the bird stepped onto the balcony.

It was late, well past the time when even her older sisters and mother would be asleep. It was time for her to be in bed, dreaming.

If a maid saw her, they would scold her for being outside in her nightclothes.

The butler, or even the guards on patrol, would say the same.

And if her sisters or mother found out, she would be punished for staying up so late.

But Flora was here, a lantern in hand, waiting. She didn’t care if she was caught.

“…”

The front gate was quiet.

There were no signs of a carriage.

“He… didn’t come home again?”

This wasn’t a new occurrence.

Yesterday, the day before yesterday, three days ago…

Even ten days ago, he hadn’t come home.

It had been almost half a month since he had last set foot in the Bagrand Duchy.

She knew.

She knew why Carsein wasn’t coming home.

She had been the last person to see him, and she had a feeling she knew the reason.

And it made her pout.

“This is too much! Why is he taking so long?!”

Her frustration was genuine.

And the twinge of jealousy she felt was real as well.

“Hmph! We’re here, too! And our family is worried! Why is he always with his fiancée?!”

His fiancée wasn’t even family. Just a fiancée.

His real family, the ones who had been with him for years, were here.

What was so wrong with resting at the Duchy?

“Just stay with your fiancée forever! Don’t even bother coming home! Hmph!”

She had been worried for nothing!

He was probably fine, with his fiancée taking care of him.

Flora stomped back to her room, clutching her lantern.

…Or so she should have.

“…”

But after a few steps, she stopped,

Her gaze fixed on the front gate.

Despite her harsh words, she couldn't shake off her worry.

She didn’t want to see Carsein get hurt again.

She didn’t want to see him covered in blood, collapsing from his injuries, like in her dream.

“He… hasn’t applied the medicine yet…”

Harnie, his fiancée, must have treated the burns he had sustained in the fire.

But Carsein had other injuries as well.

The monster attack at the after-party.

He had been injured while fighting the monsters, his clothes stained with blood.

And those wounds were likely still there.

The demonic energy corruption would take time to purify, and judging from the amount of blood, the wounds must have been deep.

He should be applying the medicine regularly, but…

…She couldn't smell the distinct scent she had added to the ointment. She had checked several times before they parted ways, but the scent hadn't been there.

She couldn't dismiss it as a mistake.

“Don’t tell me…”

No, right?

Brother, you’re applying the medicine, aren’t you?

-Ding!

▶ Hidden Episode: The Unused Ointment cleared. ◀

▶ Flora Bagrand’s affinity has reached 100%. ◀

[The 100% affinity reward will be granted at a specific time.]

[Condition: ???]

***

It was an important day. A meeting between the Bagrand family and their vassals. A chance for the vassals to voice their concerns and request assistance.

And as expected, the vassals were whispering amongst themselves.

‘Did something happen at the Duchy?’

‘How would I know?’

‘What about you? You were there. Don’t you know anything?’

‘I wish I did…’

They exchanged glances and hushed whispers, but no one had any answers.

The Bagrand family, seated at the head of the table, knew what they were whispering about.

The empty seat.

Carsein’s seat.

It had been empty for over half a month.

He had been absent from every meeting, and today was no different.

‘I’ll have to make some excuses…’

Isabella thought, sighing inwardly.

“Now that everyone’s here, let’s begin.”

““Yes, My Lady.””

The meeting started earlier than usual.

Arguments and counterarguments were exchanged.

Time passed, the lengthy discussions nearing their conclusion, but the empty seat remained unoccupied.

“Then we’ll proceed with the third option for the Founding Festival, with the proposed revisions. Any objections?”

““None, My Lady.””

“Then the meeting is adjourned.”

With Isabella’s declaration, the meeting ended.

Just then, one of the vassals cleared his throat and cautiously asked,

“Duchess Isabella, may I ask a question?”

“What is it?”

“Um… may I ask why the Young Master wasn’t present at this meeting?”

With one person having broken the ice, the other vassals chimed in.

“It is rather unusual for him to be absent, considering he is a member of the Bagrand family.”

“Hmm. I agree. He hasn’t been causing as much trouble lately… He’s certainly qualified to participate.”

“And he might even have some valuable insights to offer regarding the current issues.”

The question had finally been asked.

Isabella calmly replied,

“Carsein is currently resting. I instructed him to do so.”

“Resting? Hmm…”

It wasn't a satisfactory answer.

The vassals’ expressions indicated that they wanted a more convincing explanation.

Isabella hesitated, searching for the right words, but someone else spoke up.

“Look, I understand your concern, but if we force him to come, he’ll just get worse.”

“Lady Claire, what do you mean?”

“We can’t force someone who’s injured to attend a meeting, can we?”

“The Young Master is injured?”

“Good heavens… How unfortunate…”

“Hmm… that’s understandable, if he’s injured.”

The mention of an injury seemed to appease them somewhat.

But it wasn't enough.

“But is he injured so severely that he can’t even attend this meeting?”

“What kind of injury would prevent him from being here…?”

“It’s hard to believe.”

“My Lady,”

“Please understand. Considering his history of feigning illness, we need to be certain.”

Not all of the vassals were favorably disposed towards Carsein.

There were still a few who viewed him with suspicion.

But…

Someone whose words carried weight intervened.

“He’s not faking it.”

“Lady Flora…?”

“I examined him myself, and I prescribed the medicine. Are you saying I’m lying?”

“N-no, My Lady! Of course not! Ahem.”

Flora glared at the middle-aged vassal.

No matter how young she was, she was still a Bagrand.

“Be careful what you say. I was the last person to see Carsein.”

“I… I see… My apologies.”

The vassal who had been criticizing Carsein quickly backed down.

“We understand that the Young Master is unwell. However, the matter at hand hasn’t been resolved.”

“That’s right. The Founding Festival is fast approaching.”

“Being ill is not a valid excuse to miss the Founding Festival.”

Even the vassals who had defended Carsein agreed on this point.

“His absence would reflect poorly on the Bagrand Duchy, especially in the eyes of the Imperial Family.”

“And Young Master Carsein, of all people, is the most suitable person to attend such an event.”

“I agree. He’s the one who brought such glory to the Empire this year.”

It was the Founding Festival, a celebration of the founding of the Pesselus Empire.

A historical day, commemorating the establishment of the current Imperial dynasty.

No noble would miss this event.

And for the only ducal house in the Empire to have an absent member… it was unacceptable.

It could damage their relationship with the Imperial Family.

And there were other reasons why Carsein should attend.

The Imperial Family would be awarding honors to the most influential figures in the Empire.

The vassals’ concerns were valid.

‘But to force him to attend when he’s injured…’

She couldn't bring herself to do that.

Not as his mother.

“I understand the importance of the Founding Festival. But the relationship between the Bagrand Duchy and the Imperial Family is strong.”

“My Lady…!”

“I’ll personally visit the Imperial Palace and explain the situation. There’s no need to worry. The meeting is adjourned.”

Just as Isabella was about to end the meeting,

Someone spoke, their voice sharp and accusatory.

“He should have recovered by now, Mother.”

“…Arina!”

“It’s been half a month. That’s more than enough time for him to… well, to enjoy himself with his fiancée in his territory.”

Isabella’s eyes widened in surprise.

The vassals murmured amongst themselves, confused.

“You should summon him back, Mother. We can’t damage our relationship with the Imperial Family for such a trivial reason. Or…”

-Click.

“I’ll bring him back myself.”

“There’s no need.”

Someone opened the door and entered the conference room, interrupting Arina.

“Oh…?”

“How could I miss the Founding Festival? I’ve recovered, so there’s no need to worry.”

The vassals’ worries were instantly dispelled.

***

-Ding!

▶ Episode VIII: A Blatant Objective is in progress. ◀

▶ You have interrupted the meeting and addressed their concerns. ◀

▶ Vassal affinity slightly increased. ◀

The notification appeared, confirming that I had successfully navigated the first trap.

After clearing the Family Trip episode, I had been granted free time, and just like before, I could extend it.

However, staying away from the Duchy for too long, even if I paid the price, could lead to a bad ending.

And that's what happened when an event related to the Founding Festival appeared.

I had managed to appease the vassals by appearing at the meeting, seemingly healthy and recovered, but…

“So your injuries weren’t that serious after all.”

“That’s a relief. You’re receiving an award at the Founding Festival. Hahahaha!”

“Ahem. So, do you have any… plans? Perhaps you could share them with us.”

These unexpected reactions, which hadn’t appeared in the skipped scenes of the game, had to be addressed.

I made small talk with the vassals.

There were no choices, so it wasn't difficult. I simply had to avoid offending those who were still hostile towards me.

And then, I realized something.

‘…Wait a minute. I can start preparing now.’

The incident in Episode VIII.

This was the perfect opportunity to prepare for it.

“Well, it’s not exactly a secret, but… there is one thing I would like to request.”

“A request?”

“Perhaps you could all… bring some protective gear.”

It would make things much easier for me.

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