I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 240

Chapter 240: School Trip (3)

“This is the perfect opportunity! A trip, and to the beach, no less!”

“What? Why is this a good opportunity?”

“My lady, you owe the young master a great debt,”

“…Oh.”

“And this is your chance to repay him!”

When she had first received notice of the post-symposium trip,

Mina had said those words.

She had told Harnie that this was her chance to repay the debt she owed Carsein.

She had even suggested what to give him, advising Harnie to stay close to him during his hospitalization.

Because of this, Harnie had been looking forward to this trip.

A school trip.

While ostensibly for educational purposes, it was essentially a vacation, a chance for the young nobles to unwind after the stressful symposium.

Which meant, she would be able to spend time alone with Carsein.

The perfect setting to give him her gift.

Back at the hotel, as she changed clothes, she had hesitated.

“D-do I really have to wear this? It’s so…”

She had put down the outfit Mina had given her, then picked it up again, Mina’s nagging voice echoing in her head.

After much deliberation, she had finally chosen a different approach.

She had a gift for Carsein, regardless.

But…

“My, my. Look at young Carsein.”

“Gulp. Those muscles…”

“His back and shoulders are covered, but I bet they’re just as toned…”

Carsein, dressed in a simple swim shirt and shorts,

Was the subject of hushed whispers and admiring glances from the other noblewomen, and Harnie suddenly felt a strange unease.

‘Why does this bother me?’

He wasn’t being insulted.

They were praising his physique, his toned body.

It was probably just her being overly sensitive.

Harnie tried to dismiss the feeling.

-Thwack!

Carsein deflected a projectile.

This, too, was perfectly normal. He was simply protecting his teammate.

No, it was more than that. It was chivalrous. Unlike that young lord who had forfeited and fled, Carsein was a true gentleman, protecting a lady.

But…

“You should leave. Before you get hit and eliminated.”

“Th-thank you…”

“…”

Just moments ago, she had been enjoying the game, working alongside Carsein to eliminate their opponents.

But that single act of his had shifted something within her.

Why bother saving her?

He could have simply let her be eliminated.

The pain in this space was minimal.

It wouldn’t have mattered if she was hit.

That other man had forfeited and fled, but…

With the odds so stacked against them, he could have simply let her be eliminated and forfeited himself.

She felt a sudden surge of irritation.

The way the other noblewomen had eyed Carsein earlier.

Their excited squeals.

The way that woman, who had just been eliminated, was staring at him.

Carsein’s actions.

Everything was starting to annoy her.

An involuntary scoff escaped her lips.

“…Hmm…”

“Is… something wrong?”

“That young lady seems quite pleased to have been saved by you. She’s been staring at you from the sidelines.”

“Is… that so?”

…Well, of course she was. He had saved her from being hit.

No, that wasn’t the point.

Harnie’s eye twitched.

“Harnie, let’s just forfeit. We can’t win this.”

And let’s just end this.

Protect that woman, and forfeit?

“No.”

“…What?”

“I… want to see this through.”

She couldn’t accept that.

“Just block everything. Don’t let me get hit.”

So, do your job.

Work harder than you did protecting that woman. Much harder.

Harnie smiled and grabbed another projectile with her mana.

“Cough! Cough!”

Arsienne, who had been watching Harnie and Carsein intently, choked on her drink.

No, it was more than a cough.

A sudden chill ran down her spine, as if a winter wind had swept through the warm summer air.

Well… the reason was obvious.

Anyone who saw that chilling smile would understand.

Arsienne sighed, looking at Carsein.

“Honestly, how can you be so oblivious?”

Tsk, tsk.

She couldn’t help but shake her head.

To save another woman, with his fiancée standing right there? And to even tell her to leave the playing field?

“You should learn about the consequences of a woman’s jealousy.”

As the saying went, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Arsienne leaned back, a smirk playing on her lips, eager to watch the ensuing chaos.

And then, something unexpected happened.

***

The game, which should have ended with their forfeit, continued, as Harnie refused to give up.

‘She’s still playing?’

‘With only two people left… why?’

‘Doesn’t she realize how many players are on the other team?’

‘And those two Bagrand sisters are on their side as well…’

The opposing team was understandably confused.

‘Well, it’s only two of them.’

‘We can finish this quickly.’

‘They’ll tire themselves out eventually.’

They resumed the game.

They used their mana to deflect projectiles.

They used items to hinder their opponents.

They launched their own attacks.

But…

The moment the game resumed, their team began to rapidly lose players.

“Oof!”

“Eek!”

-Thwack! Thwack! Thud!

The sounds of impact were disturbingly powerful.

‘…Wait a minute.’

‘Isn't Lady Harnie throwing those a little too hard?’

‘Eep! S-scary!’

The remaining players gulped as they watched their teammates being eliminated one by one.

“What are you doing?! We have the advantage in numbers!”

“Don’t lose your nerve just because we lost a few players. If we focus our attacks, we can still wear him down.”

Claire and Arina tried to rally their team, but the eliminations continued.

The young lords, who had been acting as shields, were eliminated one by one, leaving the remaining players vulnerable.

-Thwack.

“Huh?!”

Claire.

-Thwack.

“No…!”

And Arina.

They, too, fell victim to Harnie’s relentless barrage, eliminated from the game.

The number of players on Claire and Arina’s team had dwindled significantly.

Harnie, her attacks fueled by a cold fury, had systematically eliminated the opposing team, starting with their leaders.

2 vs. 2. A tie.

One more team to eliminate, and the game would be over.

However…

“Hah… hah…”

Carsein, who had been tirelessly protecting Harnie, was exhausted.

He gasped for air, his thoughts a jumbled mess.

‘I’m… so tired!’

How long had he been doing this?

He couldn’t even remember how many projectiles he had deflected.

Harnie had wanted to continue, and he had agreed.

Or rather, he had felt he had to agree, but it felt like she was demanding he protect her, at all costs.

…And to avoid her wrath, her infamous backhand spike… he had no choice but to comply.

He had been trying to conserve his mana, knowing it would quickly deplete if he relied solely on magic to deflect the projectiles. So he had resorted to using his body as a shield, and somehow… he had made it this far.

‘Just one more team.’

One more team, and this would be over.

No more hand-shaped bruises on his back!

“Hah!”

Carsein thought, deflecting another attack.

And then…

“Whoa—!”

“Eek!”

Harnie eliminated the remaining two players, securing their victory.

-Thud.

Carsein collapsed onto the sand, his body sprawled out, completely spent.

Sweat plastered his back. No, his entire body was drenched in sweat.

Harnie knelt beside him, her voice laced with a playful annoyance.

“Hmph. Serves you right for being so chivalrous.”

“Wh-what…? What are you… Oof!”

Harnie poked him in the side.

“With your fiancée right here? Protecting another woman? Are you trying to make me jealous?”

“Ow! I understand! I was wrong, so stop!”

“Hmph.”

Harnie released him and turned away, a huff escaping her lips.

While she felt a sense of satisfaction after putting him through that ordeal, the strange unease hadn’t completely disappeared.

‘Did I… go too far?’

Looking at him sprawled out on the sand, drenched in sweat, she felt a pang of guilt.

He was popular with the women simply because he was attractive and physically fit.

And he had protected that woman and told her to leave because he was kind. She knew that.

It wasn’t his fault.

Perhaps she had overreacted.

Feeling a twinge of remorse, Harnie rose to her feet.

‘…I should at least wipe off his sweat. Where’s the towel?’

Just then…

-Whoosh!

A projectile hurtled towards her face.

One of the opposing team members, who had apparently not been eliminated, had reappeared and launched a surprise attack.

‘I… I miscalculated…’

Why had she forgotten?

The princess hadn’t officially declared the game over.

There was no way to dodge this.

Harnie closed her eyes, bracing for the inevitable.

But…

“Harnie!”

-Grab.

Instead of being hit by the projectile, she found herself pulled into a strong, muscular embrace.

-Thwack.

A dull thud, and the embrace loosened.

“I’m glad you didn’t get hit.”

“Y-you…”

-Thump!

“Take care of the rest. Alright?”

Carsein, having been hit by the projectile, was eliminated, his body vanishing from the playing field.

Harnie quickly covered her mouth, suppressing a smile.

Her heart pounded in her chest, her eyes wide.

A warmth spread through her body.

And…

-Take care of the rest. Alright?

His voice echoed in her mind.

That…

That was unfair.

“Eek!”

The remaining member of the opposing team flinched.

‘I… I have to win…!’

She grabbed another projectile and threw it.

It lacked the power of her previous throws, but the outcome was quickly decided.

-Beep!

“The last player remaining is Lady Harnie! Therefore, her team wins!”

The whistle blew, signaling the end of the game.

Her teammates cheered, celebrating their victory. Harnie, pushing through the crowd, went to find Carsein.

“Excuse me… coming through…”

There were so many people.

Where was he?

Remembering that he had been lying on the sand, she scanned the area, and quickly spotted him.

“Haha… We won.”

“…”

He was still talking about the game.

Silly man.

-Rustle.

“Harnie? Are you not mad anymore?”

Carsein asked, bewildered, as she placed his head in her lap.

Harnie, her heart still pounding, forced a shy smile.

“I’m sorry. I… overreacted.”

“Haha. Don’t worry about it. I was being careless. I shouldn’t have done anything that could be misinterpreted.”

But we won, so it’s all good, right?

Carsein chuckled.

Harnie, unsure of how to respond, glanced at him nervously.

She still couldn’t shake the feeling of his body pressed against hers, shielding her from that projectile.

Even though she had used a pain-numbing artifact, the sensation of his embrace lingered.

‘Why… why do I feel like this?’

Her thigh, where his head rested, tingled.

It wasn’t just his hair.

The sensation spread from the point of contact, radiating outwards, encompassing her entire body.

And that strange, unfamiliar feeling, coalesced into a single point.

-Thump. Thump.

Just like when she had been held in his arms, protected…

Her heart pounded in her chest.

This summer felt strangely hot.

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