I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 190

Chapter 190: One Step Away (6)

Finally.

He had finally obtained the Shatrain strawberries he had been searching for.

The final ingredient for the medicine that would cure his sister’s rare disease. These strawberries, contained within this small box, held the power to save a life.

He had made the right choice.

Instead of waiting in line with the other villagers, he had gambled on Carsein. It had been the right decision.

And thanks to Carsein, who had even granted him leave, he had returned home…

“Brother…”

His sister, who had been bedridden, unable to even sit up, was now standing, her arms wrapped around him.

“It’s alright now. It’s really… really alright…!”

Dyke wept, tears of relief streaming down his face, as he held his sister close.

Half a day passed.

His sister was able to eat, to move around.

The physician, after observing her for a while, checking her pulse, smiled and nodded.

“She’s almost fully recovered. She should be back to normal soon.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Don’t mention it. All I did was prepare the medicine.”

The physician put on his hat, preparing to leave.

“Your sister’s recovery is thanks to your efforts.”

“What?”

“If you had brought the lower-grade strawberries I had initially requested, her condition might have worsened. But you brought a higher grade, so she recovered without any problems.”

“…”

The physician had sent a letter, requesting a higher grade of strawberries, just in case. But Dyke had exceeded his expectations, bringing an even higher grade than requested. The physician praised him for his diligence.

After the physician left, Dyke was lost in thought.

Shatrain strawberries were a key ingredient in the medicine for Helketa I.

The lower the grade, the weaker the effect. The higher the grade, the more effective the medicine, even in the later stages of the disease. It even reduced the risk of long-term side effects.

Yes, the physician’s words had been true.

His sister’s complete recovery was thanks to the high grade of the strawberries.

But there was a secret.

“C- grade… I heard those were the best they’ve harvested this year.”

Not just the best this year, but the highest grade Shatrain had produced since the blight, excluding the pre-blight era.

The other strawberries had all been lower grade. The only C- grade strawberries were the ones he had received from Carsein.

And yet…

He had given them to him.

Strawberries that could be sold for a fortune to nobles, who would have lined up to buy them.

He had given them to him, saying that a person’s life was more important than profit.

The realization, the weight of Carsein's kindness, made Dyke’s chest ache.

And a deep, unsettling question arose in his mind.

Dyke’s leave ended quickly.

It was time to return to his duties as a guard.

His sister was recovering, her family taking care of her. It was time for him to go back to Shatrain.

“Oh, Dyke.”

“You’re back from leave?”

“…Yeah.”

He returned to Shatrain and was greeted by his colleagues, but their expressions were grim.

“What’s wrong?”

Dyke asked cautiously, and one of the guards sighed.

“The price of strawberries and grapes has skyrocketed while you were gone. Everyone’s panicking.”

“…”

“It’s not just a slight increase. It’s doubled! This is insane!”

“The merchants are only accepting reservations now. Even for the lower grades!”

The price of those fruits, how could it possibly increase this much?

The guards lamented their misfortune.

A cold shiver ran down Dyke’s spine.

He had known the price would rise, but the notebook Carsein had given him…

He still had it.

And its contents had been eerily accurate.

‘He predicted the price would increase at this time… Did he… Did he see even this coming?’

If that was the case…

-Gulp.

“Hey, guys. Can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Hmm?”

“…I didn’t actually buy those strawberries from the villagers.”

His colleagues turned to him, their gazes filled with curiosity.

“What do you mean?”

“Is there… a black market for Shatrain’s crops?”

“Tell us more!”

Dyke hesitated for a moment, and then revealed the source of the strawberries.

“I… I received them from Young Master Carsein.”

“What?!”

“He… He cultivated them himself. And he gave them to me.”

“You received them from Shatrain’s temporary lord?”

“That’s impossible. A noble… a Bagrand… working in the fields…?”

“And that’s not all. There’s more.”

“That’s right! Shatrain…”

His colleagues murmured among themselves, their faces filled with confusion.

“I can’t explain everything. And I can’t guarantee it will work. But I believe this is our best chance to get what we need.”

At least, that’s what Dyke believed.

“So? What are we supposed to do?”

“Frikt!”

Frikt spoke, his voice rising above the murmurs.

“We don’t have time, guys. We all came here for Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes. We were even thinking about stealing them, remember?”

“…”

His colleagues fell silent.

Frikt turned to Dyke.

“Tell us, Dyke. What should we do?”

Dyke took a deep breath, and then spoke, his voice firm.

“Let’s ask Young Master Carsein.”

He had been observing Carsein, visiting him whenever he had time, and he had seen his dedication, his sincerity.

Carsein, shedding his noble facade, was genuinely devoted to Shatrain, to improving the territory, to finding a way to cultivate its crops.

No, it was more than just dedication.

He had poured his heart and soul into it.

Carsein was a diligent, hardworking man.

He had spent countless hours working in the fields, poring over books and documents, analyzing data, even while eating.

And…

He had given him those precious, high-grade strawberries, without asking for anything in return.

A man like that…

A man who prioritized a person’s life over profit…

Maybe… just maybe…

***

“Hmm… This isn’t working.”

I continued planting, harvesting, collecting data, just like before.

But unlike the previous week, I had hit a wall.

“There was a problem with their farming methods, yes. But even after correcting the techniques, the improvement in quality and yield is negligible.”

This kind of calculation had been easy in the game, with its pixelated graphics and simplified mechanics.

I had created a miniature version of Shatrain, using two fields, and I had calculated the rate of decline at a specific point in time.

By comparing a healthy field to a blighted field, I could determine the extent of the damage. The rate of improvement should have been similar, and all I had to do was adjust the variables.

But the difference was too small.

It meant that the farming methods weren't the only problem.

“So, something else is affecting the crops.”

The yield had declined drastically immediately after Carsein had taken charge of Shatrain and implemented his policies.

That seemed unlikely.

It was more plausible that someone had deliberately sabotaged the territory, to discredit Carsein.

Just like that festival organizer, the internal enemy.

“I need him… He should be arriving soon.”

I wanted to use Dyke’s Controller skill, but I had given him time off to take care of his sister, just like in the Memorial.

He should be back by now.

The next steps were familiar.

I would use Dyke’s Controller skill to isolate Shatrain, blocking all contact with other territories, and then I would investigate.

Dyke’s rank was B.

He could control access to the territory for a significant amount of time, giving me ample opportunity to investigate. And if the villagers protested, I could simply show them the high-grade strawberries and grapes I had cultivated. That would silence them, at least for a while.

‘Alright. Time to find him.’

It was time to use Dyke’s skill. I decided to visit him at his lodgings.

But…

‘Hmm?’

Something unexpected happened.

“Carsein… No, Lord Carsein… I have something to tell you.”

Dyke had come to see me.

I didn't know what was going on.

I didn’t know what event had triggered this.

But there was one piece of information that stood out.

[ Dyke ]

[ Affinity: 20% ]

His affinity had changed.

-Ding!

▶ Dyke’s Affinity has reached 20% in Week 3. ◀

▶ Character-specific Sub-Episode: The Guard’s Resolve activated. ◀

‘…Was there such a thing?’

It wasn’t entirely surprising, considering the vast number of branching paths and hidden events in this game.

But Dyke’s affinity reaching 20% in Week 3…

That was a bizarre condition. I doubted I would have ever discovered this on my own.

The clear condition was simple.

Consume Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes. That was all.

It would cost me some money, but it was easily manageable. I could simply replace them with the next harvest.

Whether or not I cleared this sub-episode was my choice, but I had to at least find out what was going on.

I nodded, giving him permission to speak.

“Tell me.”

“May I ask… how many Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes you’ve harvested?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“…I need them. A lot of them.”

A lot of them?

His sister’s treatment should have been successful.

She needed D-grade strawberries for Helketa I, or D grade if her condition had worsened. I had given him C- grade strawberries, so there shouldn’t be any problems.

‘Wait a minute.’

This wasn’t about his sister.

I glanced at the status window, checking the sub-episode details.

▶ This Sub-Episode requires Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes to clear. ◀

▶ Will you accept? ◀

[ 1. Yes. ]

[ 2. No. ]

Below the acceptance window, the required quantity of strawberries and grapes was displayed.

It was a significant amount.

There was a reason for this high cost.

But the fact that I had to provide these fruits to clear the sub-episode…

That was it.

“The other guards need them, don’t they?”

Dyke’s head snapped up, his eyes wide with surprise.

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