I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 275

Chapter 275: The After-Party (3)

Everything had been perfect.

Seeing Carsein sitting up in bed, reading a book, had filled her with relief.

His injuries were healing.

Seeing him with her own eyes had erased all doubt.

And Isabella had even allowed herself a small sliver of hope.

Carsein was her son, after all.

She had hoped he would complain about the pain, about being trapped in the infirmary, about being bored. She had hoped he would act like a child, seeking comfort and reassurance.

She realized, on her way here, that she hadn’t done anything for him.

And yet, he was apologizing?

Saying he had wasted her time?

That wasn’t what she wanted to hear.

“What happened, Carsein?”

Isabella approached the bed and took Carsein’s hands in hers.

“Did someone come here and say something to you? Did they threaten you, or accuse you of something?”

It was fine that he wasn't complaining or seeking attention. He had matured.

But there was no reason for him to apologize.

“Who said that to you? Tell me who dared to say such a thing.”

Carsein’s well-being was her priority.

The fact that he was awake and recovering was all that mattered.

Wasting her time?

Taking up the Duchess’s precious time?

And even apologizing for it?

That was absurd.

There was no reason for Carsein to feel that way. For him to think such a thing, someone must have influenced him. And she would find that person and make them pay.

“Are there still remnants of that wretched Head Maid’s influence lingering? Or was it one of those impudent knights? Tell me who dared to say such a thing to my son, to a member of the Bagrand Duchy. I’ll make sure they regret it.”

Isabella urged Carsein to tell her, her voice filled with concern and a hint of anger.

But…

His reply was disappointing.

“I apologize, but that was my own decision.”

“…What?”

“No one said anything to me. I wasn’t threatened or accused of anything. It was my own decision, my own thoughts.”

It was Carsein’s own doing.

Isabella blinked, surprised.

“Why… why would you think that?”

Carsein’s expression remained unchanged as he replied,

“I’ve already disrupted your work enough with my morning greetings.”

“What…?”

Isabella’s eyes widened, her pupils trembling slightly.

“Countless times. I’ve always been an interruption. When you were busy with important matters, just before meetings with the vassals… And…”

Carsein showed her the scars on his body. They weren’t recent injuries, but old wounds, fully healed.

“Last year, when I stubbornly insisted on participating in the martial arts tournament, I wasted your time as well. So it’s only natural for me to think the same this time.”

Isabella covered her mouth with her trembling hand.

It was because of her.

Who had he apologized to?

Why did he think he was wasting her time?

Why was he bowing his head in shame?

It was because of her.

-…Don’t get injured again. It disrupts my work when I have to visit you like this, Carsein.

She, and no one else,

Isabella herself, had made him feel like he was a burden.

“You should go now. I don’t want to take up any more of your time. I don’t want to be scolded by Arina or Claire either. And if you’re going to show affection, shouldn't it be towards Flora, the youngest?”

It was her own fault.

***

-Click.

“…”

Isabella emerged from the infirmary, her expression somber.

When she had entered Carsein’s room, when she had seen him reading peacefully, she had been filled with relief and a flicker of hope.

But now, her face was clouded with a heavy gloom.

“I… I said that to him…”

She closed her eyes, the memory of her own words echoing in her mind.

When Carsein had longed for a parent’s affection, she had dismissed him, telling him he was wasting her time.

And after a year, after having forgotten that incident, she had inadvertently subjected him to the same experience again.

How could she have been so oblivious?

So inconsiderate?

How could she have forgotten what she had done to her own son?

Once again, Heron’s warning had proven to be true.

And the more she thought about it, the more clearly she remembered the past.

-Thump. Thump.

Isabella clutched her chest, her heart aching.

“I’ve only ever received help from you… and yet, I was so… so heartless…!”

While it was all in the past, back then, she had clung to him, desperately, her survival dependent on his presence.

The grief of losing her husband had clouded her vision.

And the disappearance of her only son, Karn, who had been with her husband, had deafened her to the world.

For Isabella, her senses dulled by grief, the news had been a devastating blow, both as a wife and as a mother.

So she had denied it.

While everyone else had accepted Karn’s death, even though his body hadn't been found, she had refused to believe it.

It wasn't death. It was a disappearance.

And without a body, there was still hope.

She had clung to that hope, traveling throughout the Empire, searching for him.

But as time passed, and her search yielded no results, Isabella’s mind had begun to unravel.

At some point, she had become unable to see anyone but Karn.

Her world had narrowed, her sole purpose to find her lost son.

Her husband’s last words, his plea for her to find Karn, echoed endlessly in her mind.

And finally,

Her mind had broken.

Unaware of her own deteriorating mental state, she had continued her frantic search, neglecting her duties, leaving the Duchy in a state of stagnation.

And then, like a ray of sunshine, he had appeared.

-Who… are you?

Jet-black hair, blue eyes.

Small hands, clutching a carriage doll.

He was covered in dirt, but to Isabella, he was her lost son, Karn.

Of course.

My son couldn’t be dead.

A sense of peace had finally settled in her heart.

Because of Karn, because of him, she had found the strength to live again.

The food, the clothes, the house… the world, which had been a blur of gray, had regained its color.

Her health had slowly recovered.

She had resumed her duties, taking back the responsibilities Arina had shouldered in her absence.

She had worked tirelessly, fulfilling her duties as Duchess, and even taking on her late husband’s work.

But then, at some point, she had started to see Karn differently. And as her mind healed, she had finally realized the truth she had been avoiding.

The child she had held so close, the child she had cared for and nurtured, wasn’t Karn.

She finally understood why her other children had insisted he wasn’t their brother.

His hair, his eyes, his features, his mannerisms, everything was different.

As her mind cleared, she realized she had brought home a complete stranger.

She had mistaken him for Karn.

And from then on, there had been an awkward distance between them.

She no longer offered him the same affection, and he hesitated to take her hand when she reached out.

They barely spoke. He was a stranger, not her son.

And yet, Isabella hadn’t sent him away.

She had given him the name Carsein, and legally adopted him into the Bagrand family, protecting him, giving him a home.

She had even allowed him to use the Bagrand name.

The reason was clear.

Because of him, she had been able to recover from the depths of despair.

Because of him, the child she had mistaken for Karn, she hadn't lost her other children, hadn't succumbed to the grief of losing her husband and son.

He, a complete stranger, had accepted her, and because of him, she had found the strength to face reality, to overcome her grief.

Isabella Bagrand had been saved.

By Carsein.

“And yet, I… as his mother, instead of caring for him…”

A wave of guilt washed over her, so intense it felt like a physical blow.

-Thud!

“Hah… hah…”

“Mother? What’s wrong?”

“Mother…!”

Flora and Claire rushed to her side, their eyes wide with concern.

They helped their mother, who had collapsed, her legs giving way.

“I’m fine… I’m fine…”

“You’re not young anymore, Mother. You can rely on us now.”

“That’s right! We’re old enough to help you now.”

Seeing her daughters offering their support, Isabella’s heart ached even more.

Because he,

Had offered her his support when he was just ten years old.

“M-mother? Why are you crying?”

“Don’t cry, Mother… What’s wrong?”

She couldn’t hold back the tears.

-Ding!

▶ Isabella’s Hidden Episode: <Miraculously Cured Mental Illness> cleared. ◀

▶ Isabella’s affinity settings have changed. ◀

[Even if ■■■■ ■■■■ I am still your ■■■■: 80%]

***

Isabella’s tears finally subsided.

As her breathing calmed, Claire cautiously asked,

“Mother, are you alright now?”

“Yes. I’m not sick or anything, so don’t look at me like that.”

Isabella nodded,

But her voice was still hoarse.

“You can go now. You should go see Carsein.”

“But…”

“It’s alright, Flora. I was just… remembering something. I… I thought of your father.”

“You were crying because you missed Dad…”

While Flora, oblivious to the true meaning of her words, seemed to accept the explanation, Claire sensed something was amiss.

‘Mother wouldn’t cry just because she missed Dad…’

Shortly after her mental illness had been cured,

She had told Heron that she had to be strong, that she couldn't afford to break down, that she couldn't show weakness to her children.

So, this was a lie.

Then why had she lied? Why had she been crying?

It was likely related to Carsein. The pieces were falling into place.

‘I see. Mother, too…’

Had wronged Carsein.

Claire quickly ushered Flora out of the room.

“Flora, let’s go. We’re making Mother uncomfortable.”

“Why would she be uncomfortable when I’m here?”

“Everyone needs some time alone, Flora. Mother can’t rest if you’re here.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes. Your older sister is right. I’ll be fine after a short rest, so go ahead. Carsein must be waiting for you.”

“O-okay.”

Flora, her worries eased, finally left the room.

Just as they were about to leave,

Isabella’s trembling voice stopped them.

“Could you… do me a favor, Claire?”

“Yes? What is it?”

“…I have a gift for Carsein.”

At the mention of a gift, both of them sighed.

They had rushed over as soon as they heard the news, so they hadn’t brought anything.

“Do you remember the report cards from when you were younger? I always gave you gifts, not just for your birthdays, but also when you did well.”

“Ah, right…!”

“I received funding when I opened my new boutique, didn’t I?”

“I… I received delicious chocolates and a dress.”

While most of her memories revolved around studying, she had enjoyed receiving gifts from her mother.

“It’s the same this time. Carsein achieved second place in the martial arts tournament, so I want to reward him. Tell him it’s a gift.”

The sisters’ faces brightened.

‘Right, right! It’s time for Carsein to be rewarded, too!’

‘He can get anything he wants, since he placed second!’

Their steps quickened, their hearts filled with anticipation.

But the response they received wasn’t what they expected.

Next Chapter

Index

Previous Chapter