I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 187

Chapter 187: One Step Away (3)

A day passed.

Claire didn’t visit, and I, having exhausted my action points in the Shatrain fields, had to spend the day resting.

▶ Shatrain Strawberry Seeds and Shatrain Grape Seeds acquired. ◀

▶ You can plant these seeds in any field under your control. ◀

▶ However, the harvest results will vary depending on the growing conditions. ◀

I had secured the land through choices and the Clue and Proof event.

And thanks to Trisha, I had easily obtained the seeds needed for the next stage of my plan: to demonstrate the flaws in Shatrain’s farming methods and trigger another Clue and Proof event.

But before that, there was something I needed to confirm.

“It’s still not appearing.”

Yesterday’s events had left me with a nagging sense of unease.

So, the moment I returned, I carefully examined the status window. And it seemed like my suspicions were correct.

“I have the land, I have the seeds… so why isn’t the choice window appearing?”

That window was supposed to appear after acquiring the seeds, offering choices for how to proceed with the next stage of the plan. It had always appeared at this point, so I had expected it this time as well, but… it wasn't there.

This was a serious problem.

“And I don’t think it’s a coincidence.”

I had experienced this before.

It might have seemed trivial, but the missing crop management window had been a similar source of unease.

Yes, if the same thing happened twice, it wasn't a coincidence.

“Damn it. Now that I have the answer, it’s even more frustrating.”

The missing UI, the missing choice window… it felt like a warning.

The game’s episodes, its systems, its hidden mechanics…

They were telling me something.

They were telling me to find the problems in Shatrain myself, to solve them on my own, to prove my innocence without relying on the game’s predetermined paths.

They were telling me to face the reality of this world, to accept the consequences of my actions, to stop relying on the game’s mechanics, on the choices presented to me.

“Let’s think this through. Can I still proceed with the original plan?”

Even without the UI and the choices, I still remembered the steps, the sequence of actions. Could I replicate the outcome?

No, that was impossible.

From this point forward, the episode’s progression depended entirely on the choices. The costs and rewards associated with each choice had already been optimized through countless retries.

I had simply memorized the optimal path and followed it. But without the choices, I couldn't replicate the outcome.

Because I had already accelerated the timeline, skipping two weeks. The number of variables had increased exponentially, and the slightest deviation could lead to a completely different result. The chances of achieving the same outcome were practically zero.

I had to find my own solution.

It was a daunting task, an almost impossible challenge. The strategy I had used before, relying on the game’s fast-paced progression, skipping through time and focusing only on the necessary actions, ignoring the game’s intended path… it was useless now.

Because there were no choices.

My entire plan had revolved around choosing the right options. And now, there were no options.

And I had to learn everything from scratch, to rediscover the hidden mechanics of this world, to understand the rules of this new reality.

Time was running out.

But…

“They underestimated me. If I’m not bound by the choices, then my options are limitless.”

The UI window might be gone, but the absence of choices was also a clue.

It meant I wasn't restricted by the game’s predetermined paths anymore. I could find my own solutions, my own way to solve the problems in Shatrain.

I could prove that their farming methods were flawed, and I could do it my way.

This freedom was a powerful tool.

“Alright. Let’s put my textbook knowledge to the test.”

From this point forward, the outcome wouldn’t be determined by the system, by the choices. It would be determined by my own abilities, my own knowledge, my own skills.

The original plan was useless now.

But this was a challenge I was willing to accept.

It was an opportunity to use the knowledge I had accumulated in my previous life, the knowledge that had been useless until now.

***

The first week of the symposium was usually dedicated to gathering information and establishing a foundation for future policies. But starting from Week 2, attending lectures was mandatory.

Claire had signed up for a lecture, and she was currently in the conference hall with her sisters, listening to a presentation by a successful lord.

But Claire couldn't focus.

Her mind was elsewhere, her thoughts consumed by her own worries.

The lecture ended, and Flora tugged on her sleeve.

“…”

“Claire? Claire?”

“Huh? What?”

“The lecture’s over.”

Claire, startled, looked up.

She hadn't even realized how much time had passed. Her notebook was empty, a testament to her lack of focus.

“Claire, is something wrong?”

Flora, sensing her sister’s distress, asked, her voice filled with concern.

“I have a lot on my mind.”

“A lot on your mind?”

“Yes. It’s… complicated.”

She couldn't tell Flora the truth. She couldn't reveal how close she had come to harming Carsein again.

But after hours of agonizing over it, she had finally found an answer.

Flora had sought out Harnie. Knowing that she couldn't ask for help from the villagers, who had been poisoned by her lies, she had turned to Harnie, Carsein’s fiancée, hoping she could help.

She wasn't sure if it had actually helped, but the decision itself had been a good one. Harnie and Carsein seemed to have a good relationship, and as his fiancée, she wouldn't betray him.

That was the key.

“I have to meet someone. Can you go back with Arina?”

“Okay.”

As Claire left the conference hall, a thought occurred to her.

‘Just like those two, Carsein has no allies in Shatrain.’

If he wanted to improve the territory, he had to focus on agriculture. But the farmers had turned their backs on him.

It was a disastrous situation.

He wouldn’t be able to implement any policies, not without their support.

She had to find him an ally.

As Claire approached, a man who had been talking with a group of people dismissed them, sensing her presence.

“Hmm. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Second Daughter of the Bagrand Duchy?”

A burly man, his face covered in scars.

She had never met him before.

But…

“I’ve heard that the Ipheros Marquisate has a strong presence in the West. I need their help to speak with Count Lilpet, and I believe you can help me.”

He was the man she had been searching for.

***

“Could you… lower the price a bit?”

A merchant from Shatrain, having traveled to another territory to trade, pleaded with his counterpart.

But the other villager refused.

“Lower the price? Shatrain is making a lot of money these days.”

“But… we had another bad harvest. You know about the blight.”

“How can you say that when you’re making so much money from Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes?”

“We know your specialties are popular with the nobles!”

“Still… Please, lower the price. We’re struggling.”

“You know our temporary lord is Carsein, don’t you?”

“Don’t say such foolish things. This is the standard price.”

“We understand, but we have to make a living. We can’t lower the price any further.”

Despite his pleas, the other villager wouldn't budge.

It wasn’t an unfair price. It was the standard market price, and the other territories were paying the same amount.

And their lord had instructed them not to sell below a certain price. So, the Shatrain merchants had no choice but to accept the deal.

They returned to Shatrain, their supplies replenished, but their funds depleted. They gathered in the central hall, their faces grim.

“How much is left of the support funds?”

“We’ve used everything the Bagrand Duchy sent.”

“…So, all we have left is the money from selling strawberries and grapes?”

“Yes…”

The disheartened reply, coupled with the poor trade results, made their hearts sink.

“This is bad… We won’t have enough to buy fertilizer.”

“Should we… reduce the amount of fertilizer we use?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! We need that fertilizer to increase the yield of strawberries and grapes!”

“But then we’ll starve!”

If they reduced the amount of fertilizer, the strawberry and grape harvests would suffer.

But if they maintained the current levels, they wouldn't have enough food to eat.

The meeting dragged on, but no one could find a solution.

“What about Carsein? What’s he doing?”

“Hey!”

“He’s not even here! Why are we talking about him? Do we even have to be respectful?”

“That’s right! He’s just a commoner who got lucky!”

Voices of agreement rippled through the hall.

“So, does anyone know what he’s been doing for the past two weeks? He took our land, so he must be doing something.”

“I saw him planting something in the fields.”

“Me too! It looked like he was planting strawberries with Ferdi.”

“Ha. So he’s pretending to be a farmer now?”

“It seems like it.”

The news of Carsein working in the fields was met with disdain.

“Don’t tell me… he’s trying to prove that our farming methods are wrong?”

“What if… what if he manages to produce higher-grade crops…?”

-Bang!

Map, the village’s enforcer, slammed his fist on the table.

“Don’t be ridiculous! How can a spoiled noble brat who’s never worked a day in his life outperform us?!”

“Don’t worry. It won’t happen.”

“Who knows this land better than us? He’ll be lucky if he can even grow anything.”

And then, Brem, the Village Head, spoke.

“Never say never, Map.”

“Village Head…?”

“Look at Ferdi. He exposed the embezzlement scheme, the one we all missed. You all said he would never change, that he was a thief. But look what happened.”

“…”

Silence descended upon the hall. But the villagers quickly recovered, their voices rising in protest.

“B-But this is different!”

“That’s right! He’s an outsider! He ruined Shatrain! There’s a precedent!”

One by one, the key figures voiced their objections, and the hall fell silent once more.

“But Carsein will be presenting his report at the symposium. What will happen when he implements his policies?”

“Hmm…”

“Don’t worry. We have our orders.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Their worried expressions relaxed.

“Lady Claire told us to ignore Carsein’s orders. And she’s the one who’s been sending us support funds!”

“That’s right. We have our orders.”

“They can’t criticize us for following Lady Claire’s instructions.”

“And this is the Bagrand Duchy’s territory, after all!”

Claire, furious after that incident, had given them an order.

She had told them to ignore Carsein, no matter what he said or did.

If he tried to implement any policies, if he tried to change anything, they were to accuse him of lying, of trying to deceive them.

So, the villagers had agreed to oppose Carsein, to reject his authority.

But at the Week 2 report meeting, they would hear something unexpected.

Just like Brem had said, never say never.

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