I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 191
Added 2024-11-24 15:48:38 +0000 UTCChapter 191: One Step Away (7)
▶ Harvest the specified number of crops. ◀
[ Shatrain Strawberries (0/25) ]
[ Shatrain Grapes (0/25) ]
Sub-episodes with clear conditions like this usually had a hidden purpose.
The required quantity hinted at their intended use, and these small pieces often contributed to creating choices in the main episodes.
Even though my actions were currently unrestricted by choices, I could still deduce the meaning.
This quantity… It was undoubtedly for the guards.
“H-How did you…?”
Dyke looked up, his eyes wide with surprise. I decided to explain, to avoid any misunderstandings.
“Helketa I requires Shatrain strawberries, Helketa II requires Shatrain grapes. Most of the guards who come here are trying to cure those diseases. And even if they’re using them for something else, I doubt you suddenly need this many.”
“…!”
“You know that festival organizer who was expelled, right? I investigated him because I knew there was an internal enemy. So, don’t misunderstand.”
Dyke didn’t react negatively.
In the game, revealing that I had investigated someone would usually lower their affinity and trigger a hostile response.
‘…No, wait. Maybe that’s why his affinity decreased.’
The pieces were starting to fall into place.
“I understand your situation. I’ll give them to you.”
“R-Really?”
“I told you before, didn’t I? Nothing is more important than a person’s life.”
That’s how I would have responded, even if this wasn’t a game.
And there was something that had been bothering me, something Ferdi had mentioned when I had used his Agent skill.
“What about the guards who can’t afford the strawberries? How bad is their situation?”
“Some of them have sold everything they own. Others are skipping meals to save money.”
“…There are people like that here too, huh?”
“What?”
“It’s nothing. I’ll take care of them. But I need some time to grow more strawberries. Can you wait?”
“O-Of course!”
“Tell the guards who are skipping meals to use that money to buy food. If they collapse, they won’t get any strawberries.”
Even though this was a game, the characters were still people.
There were many hardships in this world, but I believed that hunger, the gnawing emptiness of an empty stomach, was the worst of them all.
I couldn't ignore their suffering. I had experienced it firsthand.
“…Thank you. I’ll tell them.”
-Ding!
▶ Sub-Episode: The Guard’s Resolve accepted. ◀
▶ Obtain the specified quantity of Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes within the time limit and deliver them to the guards. ◀
‘I’ll take care of this later. Now, I need to use my Agent’s skill.’
I handed Dyke a note.
“What’s this?”
“It’s an order. Don’t read it now. Read it after I send you the strawberries and grapes.”
Dyke looked at the note, tucked it into his pocket, and then bowed his head before leaving.
In the game, a choice window would have appeared here.
Since I was giving an order to the guards, to restrict access to Shatrain, the conversation could have branched off in several directions.
I hadn't intended to use any of the choices, but now, it seemed like the right thing to do.
‘If an Agent’s skill is used at the wrong time, their rank decreases, and the skill’s effectiveness is reduced. This seems like one of those times.’
The correct approach was to write the order on a note and tell him to read it later.
I had already accelerated the timeline significantly.
There wouldn't be any problems with proceeding with my plan, so I decided to wait, to prepare for the challenges that awaited me.
***
Dyke returned to the guards’ barracks and relayed Carsein’s message.
But his colleagues were still skeptical.
They had accepted Dyke’s claim that Carsein was cultivating Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes, but they doubted he would actually give them away.
But their doubts were erased.
Just two days later.
“W-What is this?”
“Strawberries and grapes…?”
Dyke opened the boxes he had brought, revealing a mountain of Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes.
Just like he had said, Carsein had cultivated them himself and sent them to the guards.
“H-Haha. I must be seeing things. I’m too tired…”
“I’m dreaming. I need to wake up.”
“These aren’t from Shatrain, are they? These are just… regular strawberries and grapes… Right?”
They couldn't believe their eyes.
They rubbed their eyes, pinched themselves, even questioned the authenticity of the fruits.
They were stunned, speechless.
And then, the silence broke, their eyes widening with realization.
Dyke simply smiled.
“It’s not a dream. That pinch hurt like hell!”
“Th-These are real! Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes…!”
“Oh my god… This many… He just… gave them to us…?”
The boxes contained a single, undeniable truth: happiness.
As his colleagues celebrated, Dyke remembered Carsein’s instructions.
‘He told me to read the note after I received the boxes.’
He pulled out the note he had tucked into his pocket, the one he hadn't read yet.
‘This is…’
His eyes widened.
『 Shatrain will be closed off. Monitor anyone who leaves the territory. Observe their actions, investigate their activities, and report back to me. And no one is allowed to enter Shatrain without my permission. 』
-Gulp.
It was a direct order, an order only the temporary lord of Shatrain could give.
It was a risky move, a potentially dangerous command that could have serious repercussions, not just for Shatrain, but for the guards as well.
But Dyke wasn't afraid.
“Listen up!”
He gathered his colleagues, his voice booming through the barracks. The guards, their celebration interrupted, turned to him, their faces filled with anticipation.
The cheers subsided, replaced by a tense silence.
“I know you’re all excited, but… I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it?”
“Young Master Carsein gave me an order, right after he sent these boxes.”
Dyke’s voice was serious, his expression grim.
“He said, Shatrain will be closed off. Monitor anyone who leaves the territory, investigate their activities, and report back to me. And no one is allowed to enter without my permission. That’s his order.”
“…Isn’t that dangerous?”
“That’s a lockdown! A complete lockdown!”
“We could get into trouble…”
They were guards, just like Dyke. And they understood the risks, the potential consequences of this order.
They knew how the villagers would react.
Dyke, his voice filled with conviction, spoke.
“Did he ask for anything in return? Did he demand payment? Did he ask for compensation?”
“No.”
“He didn’t, did he?”
“We were suspicious of him, remember? We would have noticed if he had asked for anything.”
“That’s right. What does that mean? It means he doesn’t want anything in return. He gave us these strawberries and grapes, even though he could have sold them for a fortune. Do you understand?”
So, what was the meaning of this order?
He summarized his argument.
“I don’t know much about what happened in Shatrain before I arrived. I was just focused on getting strawberries for my sister. I only heard about the blight from you guys. But do you really think he deserves all that criticism? Do you really think he’s a bad person?”
“…”
“I’ve been observing him, visiting him whenever I had time, and I’ve seen how hard he works. He’s devoted to Shatrain, to improving this territory, to finding a way to cultivate its crops. He’s not acting like a noble, he’s acting like a true lord. He even works late into the night, sacrificing his sleep.”
“Now that you mention it…”
“He’s been working in the fields, cultivating the crops himself…”
And that wasn't all.
One by one, they remembered Carsein's actions, his dedication, his sincerity.
The guards nodded, their expressions softening.
“Maybe… Maybe the villagers are the ones who are wrong. So, this is what I think.”
Even if it meant facing some backlash, they had to repay his kindness.
It was a small price to pay.
A risk they were willing to take.
Dyke spoke, his voice filled with conviction.
He still didn’t understand why Carsein was being criticized.
He had been an exemplary lord, a true leader.
But…
“…”
The guards fell silent.
‘They’re hesitant. They don’t want to get involved.’
Thankfully, Frikt, followed by a few others, stepped forward, placing the boxes of strawberries and grapes in the center of the room.
A line had been drawn, a division created.
This was enough. He had enough support to carry out Carsein’s orders.
They would have to work harder, sacrifice their sleep, take turns standing guard.
They might not be able to fulfill all of his requests, but they would do their best.
Dyke, his heart filled with determination, was ready to follow Carsein’s orders, along with his loyal colleagues.
And then…
-Slide.
“Frikt, why are you dividing us? Don’t be stupid.”
“What do you mean? This isn’t about taking sides.”
“Carsein is better than those merchants who keep raising the prices and selling only to the nobles!”
“I agree. Maybe Dyke’s right. Maybe the villagers are the ones who are wrong.”
“You guys…”
Dyke realized the truth.
It wasn't just about the boxes, it was about their shared desire to help Carsein, to support him.
They were all on the same side.
“Dyke, you’ve been here the longest. Tell us what to do.”
“…If we’re going to take shifts, we need to divide into groups.”
“Ugh, shifts…”
“It’s going to be tough.”
“But there are a lot of us. We can manage.”
They were grateful for Carsein’s gift, and they were eager to repay his kindness. They gathered around the table, discussing the shift schedule.
-Ding!
▶ This message will not be displayed to the player. ◀
▶ Achieved an outcome beyond the given choices! ◀
▶ Cleared Dyke’s character-specific Sub-Episode: The Guard’s Resolve, awakening his Agent skill. ◀
▶ Agent Rank increased! ◀
[ 2. Dyke ]
▶ Rank: A-
▶ Skill: Controller
[ Can access Shatrain’s visitor logs. At higher ranks, can control and restrict access to the territory. ]
▶ Affinity for Dyke, Frikt, and other guards significantly increased. ◀
[ Affinity Levels ]
[ Dyke: 35% ]
[ Frikt: 31% ]
[ Sen: 28% ]
…
…
▶ Trigger activated! ◀
▶ The guards have realized the truth about Shatrain! ◀
