I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 286

Chapter 286: The Prophet of Wederos (5)

The fact that I had paid to extend the grace period meant that some kind of loss was inevitable in this branch of the story.

It didn't matter what the player did.

The time limit for the Another Plan, the player’s chosen objective for Chapter 3, was fixed, and the game system would do everything in its power to create obstacles.

This rule applied to the choices as well.

Unfamiliar situations, unexpected dialogue, and sudden questions, but to avoid a major loss, I had to find the answers within the given choices.

‘So, medicine.’

Fortunately, I had a clue.

While it seemed like a random question, it wasn't entirely out of the blue.

I hadn’t noticed anything unusual on the first day when I extended the grace period.

But around noon on the second day, Camilla had given me something.

‘This was it, wasn't it?’

■ Inventory ■

◆ ???

[Applying this to a wound restores a small amount of HP, nullifies pain-related status ailments below Level 2, and grants regeneration. Its effects are doubled when applied to an area affected by demonic energy corruption.]

Camilla had said it was delivered from the Bagrand Duchy.

Its effects were exactly what I needed, removing most of the pain-related status ailments. It was clearly a consumable item.

But there was no way something like this would be sent to me without a reason. While it wasn't dangerous, it could still be used against me.

I had been wary. Anything from the Duchy could be a trap.

So I had tried to refuse it, but…

-What? You don’t know who sent it?

-No… They didn’t tell me who the sender was, so I don’t know how to return it…

Camilla had been at a loss.

And if I had insisted on returning it, it would have led to a disaster.

I would have been criticized for rejecting a gift from the Duchy, or the servants would have been scolded for failing to deliver it properly, resulting in a decrease in affinity.

So I had simply accepted it and put it aside.

And it had been sent by Flora?

The pieces were starting to fall into place.

‘…If I had thought about it a little more, I could have prevented this. Another miscalculation.’

The ointment, the bandages, the high-quality gauze… it should have been obvious.

Shaiden had mentioned that Flora had taken an interest in medicine and was conducting various experiments.

And she would have easily deduced that I hadn’t used the medicine, just by looking at my exposed wounds.

‘So, I have to choose, right?’

The choice of not having received it.

The choice of having received it but not knowing how to use it.

The choice of pretending it had been sent to another territory.

There were several options, but none of them were the correct answer.

The difficulty had increased, and there were no predictable outcomes.

I had to carefully consider each choice, wary of hidden traps.

Even so, I didn’t hesitate.

[ 6. (Covering the wound with your hand) ── ]

There was no need to hide the wound.

I could just leave it exposed.

Because…

[ 6. (Covering the wound with your hand) I don’t need medicine for this kind of scratch. ]

“I don’t need it.”

That wasn’t Carsein’s answer. It was Kim Min-hyeok’s.

***

Flora, terrified by the news of the monster attack at the after-party, had clung to her mother’s side.

The sounds of clashing steel, the roars of the monsters, the explosions of magic… every sound that echoed through the hall made her squeeze her eyes shut and cover her ears.

She had simply clung to Isabella’s skirt,

Waiting, trusting that her older sisters would protect her.

When the commotion subsided, and the lights flickered back on, she had finally been able to open her eyes. Her eyes, still wet with tears, searched for her sisters, but one person was missing.

He wasn’t here, in the only safe place in the entire venue…?

Her heart sank.

While there had been talk of him joining the Imperial troops or another group of survivors, seeking safety in numbers…

She couldn’t forget what she had seen in her dream.

-It’s your fault.

Carsein, covered in blood, his voice filled with accusation.

She had become afraid of blood after that day.

The crimson liquid, once simply unpleasant, had become a source of terror.

The mere sight of it made her nauseous.

The metallic scent made her want to gag.

Her chest tightened, her heart pounding, her skin crawling with fear.

Hemophobia.

That’s what Shaiden had called it.

But Flora hadn’t given up.

She hadn’t turned away from the reality she had been avoiding.

She had endured, despite her fear, forcing herself to face it.

Because she had a goal.

To be able to heal Carsein, to be there for him when he was injured.

Thanks to her perseverance, she had learned a few things from Shaiden, despite her limited skills.

And while the others hadn’t noticed, Flora had.

‘Carsein… was injured…?’

She had been taught to pay attention to even the smallest details.

That a healer must always observe the patient’s entire body.

And her keen eyes had spotted the bloodstains hidden beneath Carsein’s clothes.

After that, she had rushed to the infirmary.

He was injured, of course. And she had immediately begun preparing medicine to heal his wounds.

‘I can’t use a fast-acting potion.’

While effective, potions caused intense pain as the body rapidly regenerated. Even if it healed him quickly, she had to use a slower-acting medicine to minimize his suffering.

‘I have to use ingredients that are safe for him.’

Carsein was allergic to Kelbia fruit, and there were other ingredients he couldn’t tolerate. She carefully reviewed Shaiden’s records and selected the appropriate ingredients.

‘He must have been injured fighting those monsters.’

She had to use a formula that would purify the demonic energy corruption and restore his body.

It had taken her all night to prepare the medicine, and another day to conduct tests to ensure its safety. But sending it to Carsein’s territory had been easy.

However,

He hadn’t used it.

“I don’t need it.”

He didn’t… need it?

“What are you talking about?!”

She grabbed his arm, her voice filled with frustration.

“You were injured! While fighting those monsters!”

Flora’s small hand traced the bloodstains on his clothes.

“Here! You were injured here! You have to apply medicine to heal it!”

She pulled out another vial of medicine she had prepared, just in case, and was about to apply it to his wound.

But Carsein firmly pushed her hand away.

“I don’t need it, I said. Why are you making such a fuss over a small scratch?”

“What…?”

“This is nothing compared to what the Westerners endure on the battlefield, fighting those monsters.”

That was absurd.

It was a deep enough wound to stain his clothes with blood. How could he call it a small scratch?

No, the point was that he was injured.

And when someone was injured, they had to treat their wounds.

Then why…?

“It doesn’t hurt, so just stop.”

Carsein, his voice firm, pushed her hand away and left.

“…”

She couldn’t understand.

Questions swirled in her mind.

But she couldn't stop him.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

And then, they began to fall, one after another.

“I-I’m… not trying to… bully you anymore…”

She genuinely wanted him to be okay.

She had wanted to help him because he was hurt.

Couldn’t he just trust her, this once?

She murmured, her voice choked with tears, but…

“Sob… sob…”

She knew.

This was her karma, the consequence of her past actions, of all the times she had tormented him.

-Ding!

▶ Flora’s Hidden Episode: <The Unopened Medicine> cleared. ◀

▶ Synchronizing… ◀

▶ An event will be triggered when the target discovers the Key Memorial. ◀

[Key Memorial: Ointments in the Drawer]

***

My conversation with Flora had ended successfully.

It hadn't affected the green lights above her head, and her affinity hadn't decreased.

However, there was one difference.

▶ Irrecoverable penalty applied! ◀

“…Seriously? What now?”

Healing was crucial in this game.

Excessive exertion led to status ailments, and stamina depletion resulted in fatigue and exhaustion.

And HP, well, that went without saying.

In any game, zero HP meant death.

Therefore, healing was essential.

▶ HP Recovery Disabled. ◀

▶ You can no longer accept medicine from Flora. ◀

▶ You cannot seek treatment from any physician, including Shaiden, for this injury. ◀

▶ You cannot visit any medical facilities displayed on the map. ◀

[Duration: 30 days]

And I had just been inflicted with an HP Recovery Disabled penalty.

“Damn it. A few days after that monster attack event, and now this?”

It couldn’t be helped.

I had to clear the penalty removal sub-episode.

▶ To begin the penalty removal sub-episode, please proceed to the designated location. ◀

“I still have some time before the episode begins… It should be fine.”

All this trouble, just because of a single choice I had made with Flora.

Just thinking about the potential costs made my head spin.

I suppressed my frustration and headed towards the location marked on the minimap.

And then…

I saw it. A shimmering object, floating in the air.

“…Don’t tell me…”

-Ding!

▶ Penalty removal condition discovered. ◀

[Discover a Memorial at the designated location.]

▶ Memorial automatically acquired! ◀

A wave of white light washed over me.

And when it subsided…

It wasn’t a Memorial of Carsein, but a distant memory of my own.

***

“Veneris!”

“…Talfon.”

Talfon, having heard that the Prophet of Wederos had arrived, rushed to meet him.

He wasn’t unhappy to see him.

How could he not be pleased to see the man who had helped not only the Pesselus Empire, but also the Western tribes?

He was a friend, after all.

He had expected a joyous reunion, a chance to catch up over drinks.

But Talfon couldn’t bring himself to celebrate.

Because he was Veneris, the Prophet of Wederos.

He swallowed hard, a sense of foreboding washing over him.

“…Has a prophecy been revealed, Veneris?” he cautiously asked.

Veneris, his eyes hollow and dark, stared at Talfon for a moment, then…

-Nod.

A single, almost imperceptible, nod.

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