I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 234

Chapter 234: I Wanted To ■■■ ■■■■■ ■■■ ■■ (4)

The back path was completely blocked.

The collapsed ceiling had sealed off my escape route. In other words, the monster was trapped in here with me, and I was trapped in here with the monster.

Was that all?

No.

-Drip. Drip.

Blood flowed from my shoulder.

The wound had cost me roughly 16% of my HP.

My remaining HP, directly tied to my survival, was now at 70%. My stamina, which depleted rapidly during combat, had also plummeted by 30%.

This was the result of a single action.

I couldn’t deflect all of the vines that were aimed at Claire, especially not while she was defenseless. So I had pushed her out of the way, and the stray thorn had found its mark in my shoulder.

To protect Claire from Map.

To ensure her safety.

I knew how foolish this was.

To save Claire, who was just like my second sister, whom I loathed so much.

Considering everything she had put me through, I could have simply left her to her fate. A single thorn was nothing compared to what I had endured.

I could withstand this much pain. It was insignificant compared to the torment I had suffered.

I could have even taken some twisted satisfaction in watching her suffer.

But my body moved on its own.

And I knew how foolish that was.

Why did I do it?

The answer came easily.

The most plausible explanation was the episode’s clear condition.

Any harm to Claire was undesirable. If she died, I would be met with a bad ending for some unknown reason. So I had saved her.

That was the most logical answer.

But…

I couldn’t be certain that was the only reason.

It felt… similar to that time.

When Young-jun, rejected by Eun-hye, had come to our house with a kitchen knife, and I had subdued him and handed him over to the police.

I still hated Eun-hye. That woman had constantly interfered with my plans, causing countless setbacks. The way she nitpicked at everything I did still made me cringe.

But if I were asked whether I wanted her to die at Young-jun’s hands… the answer would be a resounding no.

That was it.

No matter how much I disliked someone, I didn’t wish them dead.

It was a foolish, almost childish reason, but it felt closer to the truth than the logical explanation. This was probably why I had acted so foolishly to save Claire.

…Probably.

-Crash!

“You dare use such trickery…! You dare harm my future wife?!”

-Ding!

▶ Claire has been removed from the combat zone. ◀

▶ You have lost an ally. No further allies can enter this isolated space! ◀

▶ With Claire’s isolation, one death flag has been removed. ◀

[Claire’s Death Event removed.]

A system message appeared as Map roared in frustration.

‘…So I was right.’

I had suspected as much, after seeing the vines erupting from the walls and the flow of demonic energy, but this room was likely Map’s domain.

Plants were rooted in the soil, drawing nutrients to grow. It was more likely that this entire room had been consumed by Map’s roots, transforming it into a living, breathing extension of his body, rather than simply allowing him to manipulate the vines from a distance.

The positive aspect was that, as long as Map remained within this room, he wouldn’t be able to extend his roots elsewhere, eliminating the threat to Claire.

However, the negative aspect was that, as long as I remained in this room, I would be constantly exposed to his attacks. Every inch of this space was a potential weapon, a part of Map’s body, ready to strike.

Objectively, this was insane.

I had sealed off my own escape route.

And now, injured and trapped in enemy territory, I had to fight under the worst possible conditions.

Breaking through the incoming vines and landing a decisive blow would be incredibly difficult.

I had to face him alone, without Claire’s support.

▶ Status Ailment: Bleeding Level 2 has been applied. ◀

▶ Status Ailment: Laceration Level 3 has been applied. ◀

▶ Status Ailment: Muscle Soreness Level 2 has been applied. ◀

…

…

And with all of these status ailments…

The price of my foolish act was steep. Too steep.

‘Well, it’s not like I’m completely out of options.’

Being alone also meant there were no prying eyes.

“Die! Die!”

Here it comes. The same vine attack he had used countless times.

But this time, it was different.

-Whoosh!

“Kuh?!”

It was heavier, thicker.

His attacks, fueled by the activation of his 30% HP threshold, had become significantly more powerful.

In game terms, he had entered the next phase.

-Crash!

The force of the heavier vines pushed me back into a corner.

Map approached, a smug grin plastered on his face.

“Heh heh. Perhaps it’s fortunate that I have the opportunity to eliminate a pest like you here. Yes… With you gone, my lady will surely accept my love! Won’t she?”

“What the hell are you babbling about?”

“Ah, Carsein. How would you like to die?”

Map’s smile twisted into something grotesque.

“My lady despises you, you know. I’ve been wondering how best to dispose of you… to please her.”

“What?”

“I’ve been pondering what she dislikes most about you. Should I gouge out those arrogant eyes of yours? Rip out your tongue for your insolent words? Or perhaps she despises the way you walk around on those two legs of yours? Those arms that dare wield a sword? That back that stands so straight, despite your lowly status? Ahh… it’s so difficult to choose! I don’t know what to offer her!”

He was going to offer Claire the parts of me she hated most. How thoughtful.

“So, tell me. Nobles value honor above all else, wouldn’t you agree?”

-Click.

Map raised his vines.

“I believe the best offering would be… your head. So, how about I just take your head? Heh heh.”

-Crackle.

Map’s vines writhed and twisted, coalescing into a grotesque weapon.

“…”

“A sword is a fitting weapon for a man who claims to protect a lady. So I’ll behead you with this, and present your head to her.”

A vine, lashing out without warning.

A pot, blooming instantly and launching thorns.

Seeds, scattered in the air, ready to sprout into unknown horrors.

Each attack was dangerous in its own right, but now, they were all coming at me at once.

The worst possible scenario.

But…

-Clang!

“Oh? You blocked it head-on? Your mana must be running low. Then try this!”

-Clang! Clang! Clang!

“Heh? Not bad for a commoner. I suppose even the Bagrand Duchy teaches its members some basic swordsmanship.”

-Swish! Swish!

His sword attacks were predictable, easy to deflect.

“Damn it! Stop dodging! Take this!”

“Hey.”

“Wh-what?!”

I infused my hand with mana and grabbed his blade, stopping it mid-swing. Map stared at me, his face a mask of confusion.

I decided to give him a little nudge.

“You’ve… never held a sword before, have you?”

It was the setup for my final move.

***

‘What…?!’

Map recoiled at Carsein's question, his momentum faltering.

He instinctively dropped his makeshift sword.

Realizing what he had done, he gritted his teeth.

‘Why… Why am I backing down?’

He had him cornered.

That brat was on the verge of collapse.

Why was he suddenly intimidated by this commoner’s sudden display of confidence?

‘No. I can’t back down. I have to finish him!’

Map stepped forward again, raising his weapon.

“Don’t get cocky just because you know how to use a sword!”

He swung, putting all his strength into the blow.

He would crush that arrogant smirk, once and for all.

-Whoosh! Map’s weapon whistled through the air, aimed directly at Carsein’s head.

But once again…

“…!”

Carsein caught the weapon with his bare hand, his fingers glowing faintly with mana.

“You’re so slow I can see it coming. Did you really think that would hit?”

“W-what?!”

“Let me show you,”

-Clang!

“Ugh?!”

“…how to use a sword.”

With a flick of his wrist, Carsein effortlessly deflected Map’s weapon, sending him stumbling backwards.

No, not just the weapon.

Map’s entire body staggered from the force of the deflection.

“Don’t underestimate me! That’s nothing…!”

-Clang!

“…What?”

His crude weapon, a mass of vines infused with brute strength, was deflected upwards at a 60-degree angle.

-Clang!

“Kuh?!”

Unable to regain his balance, he swung downwards with even more force, only to have his weapon deflected upwards again, this time in the opposite direction, at another 60-degree angle.

-Thwack!

“Oof!”

As he struggled to regain control of his weapon, Carsein kicked him hard in the stomach.

And then…

-Swish!

Map’s weapon, the mass of vines he had formed into a sword, went flying.

It landed a considerable distance away.

‘Impossible…’

Was the difference between them truly this vast?

Could it be that he, Map, couldn't wield a weapon that even this commoner could handle with such ease?

The realization of the sheer gap in their skill stunned him, forcing him to retreat.

Fighting sword-to-sword was clearly out of the question.

But the fight wasn’t over yet.

“Fine! I’ll give you that…! But what about this?!”

He unleashed a barrage of vines.

The charade was over. It was time to end Carsein’s life.

“I’m afraid I’ve already figured that out.”

-Ting! Clang!

Vines, seeds, thorns, and exploding flower pots rained down on Carsein.

Yet, he effortlessly dodged them all, deflecting a few stray vines with casual ease.

“What…!”

“I can see everything. The flow of your demonic energy, the trajectory of your attacks.”

Impossible.

That shouldn’t be possible!

-Swish!

Three of Map’s hidden demonic energy receptors were severed in a single stroke.

“I told you, I can see everything.”

How could he see?

How was that even possible?!

How could he dodge and deflect every single attack, as if he had eyes everywhere?!

That kind of awareness… it was something only someone far superior could possess.

Map gritted his teeth, refusing to accept it.

‘Am I… inferior to this brat? No way!’

It was an insult to even compare his reborn body to that of a lowly commoner!

-Crackle.

There was no need for further thought.

He would simply show him the difference in their power.

“I no longer care about impressing Lady Claire.”

He would crush him, utterly and completely, with all his might.

Map forced all of his remaining seeds to sprout.

Hidden buds bloomed, their stems rapidly growing, their flowers unfurling.

The spacious room was filled with vegetation. As Map’s main body, previously hidden beneath the rubble, was revealed, it became clear that the entire room was essentially… the inside of a giant plant.

But revealing his true form also meant exposing his weakness.

As the branches parted, revealing a single, jet-black fruit, Carsein smiled.

***

I had always taken the hard path.

There was no easy way.

I had to fight for everything, protect everything, endure everything, alone.

I had to face injustice and unfairness head-on, find solutions myself, and ultimately, overcome every obstacle.

That’s why, even in this dire situation, I could find a way out.

Unlike Map, who had always taken the easy road, I could seize this single opportunity, utilizing everything at my disposal.

I had meticulously calculated, strategized, and found solutions even in the worst possible scenarios, turning the impossible into possible.

Just like that time, when I had subdued a man much larger than myself, a man wielding a kitchen knife in a drunken rage.

-Crackle.

Sparks of mana danced on Carsein’s blade.

“W-wait…! Don’t tell me you’re aiming for…!”

“Too late, you idiot.”

-Remember, Carsein. This will consume over half of your mana. This is your last resort.

▶ Consuming over 50% of the mana in your weapon! ◀

▶ Conditions met, skill automatically activated. ◀

[Wederos Kingdom Divine Swordsmanship - Eradication of Evil]

▶ Wederos Kingdom Swordsmanship Lv. 2 temporarily upgraded to Lv. 4! ◀

“W-wait! I don’t want to die—!”

Map stumbled backwards, trying to shield the fruit, as a sense of dread washed over him.

But as Carsein had said, it was too late.

“Unlike you, I didn’t rely on some unearned power. I had to work for everything I have, you fool.”

—

With a brief, almost silent whisper, a flash of brilliant light engulfed Map.

His body split apart, disintegrating.

Crumbling, shattering.

Reduced to ashes in a flash of white light, Map’s body disintegrated, the destruction spreading through his vines like a contagion.

“Aaaargh!”

The wave of destruction reached the single, jet-black fruit, obliterating it from existence.

The grotesque shriek faded.

The monstrous voice, layered over a human’s, was purified.

The scream transformed into the hiss of scattering ashes.

And as the ashes settled, the air in the room returned to normal.

A heavy silence descended.

The battle was over.

“Cough.”

Blood splattered on the ground, staining the pristine silence crimson. The boy, his mouth filled with the coppery tang of blood and the sickly sweet taste of mana, leaned heavily on his sword for support.

Just like that time.

His body, battered and bruised, his mana reserves almost completely depleted after unleashing such a powerful attack.

Even before I could check my status window, my body screamed in protest.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

This was foolish. So incredibly foolish.

I had vowed never to do this again.

And yet, here I was, the same result.

-Thump. Thump. Crash!

A pounding sound broke the silence.

The rubble shifted and crumbled.

And with it, Carsein’s body swayed.

“C-Carsein! —! —!”

A blur of pink hair filled his fading vision.

Here comes the nagging again.

I really hated my second sister.

***

Carsein stumbled, his body finally giving way, and collapsed.

Claire’s heart lurched as she rushed towards him, catching him before he hit the ground.

“Carsein… Hey, wake up…! What…?”

She shook him gently, her own knees scraped and bleeding from the fall, but she barely registered the pain.

Fear, cold and sharp, pierced her heart.

The fear of losing him.

The terror of him dying in her place.

Trembling, she reached for his neck, her fingers searching for a pulse.

What if he wasn’t breathing?

What if he had died because of her? What if…

Please.

Her fingers brushed against his skin, her silent plea echoing in the sudden quiet of the room.

“…!”

Faint, but steady.

The gentle thrum of his heartbeat beneath her fingertips.

Claire finally exhaled, relief washing over her in a dizzying wave.

He was alive. Thank goodness.

“…Ah.”

Her hand brushed against his cheek.

Claire quickly pulled away, staring at her hand, then at Carsein’s face, lost in thought.

This hand… she had only ever used it to strike him.

Had she ever… gently caressed his cheek?

…Never. Not once.

Yet he had…

Celebrated her birthday.

Carefully chosen gifts for her.

And so much more…

-Clench.

The memories of her past actions, each one a cruel blow, flooded Claire’s mind, and she bit her lip, suppressing a sob.

All she could remember was the sting of her hand against his cheek, the harsh words she had spat at him.

That wasn’t… how a sister should treat her brother.

Even when she had tried to help, she had ruined it with her temper, her uncontrolled emotions, lashing out at him instead.

In Shatrain, she had blindly interfered, making things worse, solely based on what she had seen, without understanding the situation.

That wasn’t protecting him.

“…I’m sorry, Carsein.”

She whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

She pulled his unconscious form into a tight embrace.

-Ding!

▶ Episode XII: Claire’s Whereabouts cleared. ◀

▶ CHAPTER 2 cleared! ◀

▶ You achieved the highest possible score in the 21st Eastern Nobles’ Conference and successfully protected Claire. ◀

▶ You have achieved an outcome beyond the given choices! ◀

▶ Distributing rewards. ◀

■ Rewards

[Chapter 2 Clear Reward: Shatrain Territory acquired.]

[Chapter 2 Clear Reward: — ]

…

…

[Decreases in Claire’s affinity will no longer trigger death flags.]

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