I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 185

Chapter 185: One Step Away (1)

“How… How did you…?”

“Your behavior has been strange from the start.”

I replied to Trisha, who was stammering, her eyes wide with surprise.

I had recruited Trisha as an Agent in the game mainly because she was friendly towards Carsein. But thinking about it now, it was strange.

“Everyone else in this territory sees me as an enemy, as the worst lord who ruined their land. So why have you never said anything like that to me?”

Her friendliness itself was suspicious.

Why was she the only one with a white affinity box, with a base level of affinity for Carsein?

“And then there’s Ferdi’s Informant skill. He gathers information by running around, by using his stealth and agility. That’s why he’s so good at collecting information. But you, you knew the exact market price of Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes, including the reservation fees. How did you get that information?”

Then, there was Trisha’s Informant skill.

Ferdi, a B-rank Informant, gathered information through direct observation, using his skills as a thief.

But Trisha’s methods were unknown. How did a C-rank Informant like her obtain such detailed, accurate information?

“Finally, Trisha, you came to see Ferdi late at night. You came on your own, not with Ferdi. No one in Shatrain knows where Ferdi lives. And they don’t know where I’m staying either. Only one person knows both.”

Visiting Ferdi late at night.

Knowing my location.

Only one person had access to that information.

“Village Head Brem. He’s the only one who would have received that information after Shatrain was chosen for the symposium. And your age… Everything points to you being his granddaughter.”

“…Oh my.”

Trisha gasped, her eyes wide with surprise.

And then, a notification appeared.

-Ding!

▶ Information obtained from Agent. ◀

[ Trisha is Village Head Brem’s granddaughter and knows that something is wrong with Shatrain. ]

Yes, of course.

‘This is another hidden game setting.’

The game had already established this connection.

-Rush.

“As expected… You’ll be able to save our territory… Won’t you?”

“…?”

“T-Trisha!”

Trisha, snapping out of her daze, grabbed my clothes, her eyes pleading.

“Please! Let me help you! I’m Brem’s granddaughter! I can get you anything you need, anything I can get my hands on!”

“…”

“I’ll do anything! Please, let me help! Just like Ferdi!”

She wanted to save her territory, her home. She wanted to help the villagers, to guide them back to the right path.

Just like Village Head Brem, who had been hiding his concern, his granddaughter Trisha was deeply devoted to Shatrain.

She would be a valuable asset, a loyal ally.

But…

▶ Trisha can be recruited as an Agent. ◀

▶ Will you recruit this NPC as an Agent? ◀

[ 1. Yes. ]

[ 2. No. ]

‘If I recruit you, I won’t be able to proceed with my plan.’

I could only have three Agents. And I had to refuse her, for now.

“I’m sorry, but I—”

“I can help with the strawberries! Just let me do that!”

“…What?”

“You said our farming methods were wrong! That there was a problem with our techniques! I can teach you our methods! That way, you can see for yourself!”

Trisha’s offer, her willingness to reveal their farming methods, made me pause.

Did I really need to recruit her as an Agent?

‘I can only recruit Agents through specific choices. But what if I just… let her work with Ferdi, without officially recruiting her?’

I glanced at the status window.

▶ Trisha can be recruited as an Agent. ◀

▶ Will you recruit this NPC as an Agent? ◀

[ 1. Yes. ]

[ 2. No. ]

The window was still there, but just like with Ferdi and Dyke, there were no specific conditions listed.

This was just a hunch, but I suspected that Agents were only recruited through specific choices, or when the NPC explicitly agreed to become an Agent.

‘It’s possible. If simply offering help was enough, then Tasha and Camilla should have been recruited as Agents already.’

But they weren't.

They had offered their assistance, their support, and yet, they weren't listed as Agents.

Maybe they were simply Helpers, not Agents.

I wasn't sure.

But it was worth a try.

“I understand your intentions, Trisha. But I won’t let you directly interfere. Would you be satisfied with just teaching me?”

“Not planting them myself… but teaching you?”

“Yes.”

Trisha didn’t hesitate.

“That’s more than enough!”

She agreed.

But the status window didn’t react.

My suspicions were confirmed.

‘Agents are only recruited when they can directly influence territory management. Indirect assistance, like Camilla’s, just increases their affinity.’

It seemed unfair, but this game allowed for a high degree of player freedom.

That freedom created countless branching paths, countless choices, countless possibilities.

And that’s why there had to be a distinction between Helpers and Agents. Direct influence versus indirect influence. It seemed like my theory was correct.

I decided to accept Trisha as a Helper, a valuable ally with a high affinity level.

But I had to warn her.

“It could be dangerous.”

“Dangerous?”

“Yes. Helping me might not seem like a big deal now, but it could be dangerous later, once it’s revealed.”

Agents often faced hostility and discrimination. During my retries, I had seen Agents being beaten, ostracized, even killed.

It was a realistic consequence of their loyalty to Carsein.

“They might despise you. Your friends, your neighbors, even your grandfather… They might say terrible things to you. And you might get hurt. Even if you’re Brem’s granddaughter.”

“…!”

“Are you willing to take that risk? To help me?”

Trisha flinched, but she didn't hesitate.

“Yes!”

“Really?”

“I want to protect this territory! I can’t just stand by and watch while everyone’s going down the wrong path!”

Trisha placed her hand over her heart, her voice filled with conviction.

“Just like Ferdi, who tried to sabotage the territory to get your attention, I want to help! I don’t want to just stand by!”

“Is that so?”

She was a remarkable girl.

“Alright, Trisha. Then you’ll be working with Ferdi for now.”

“With… Ferdi?”

“Like I said, I won’t let you directly interfere.”

Trisha seemed surprised, and Ferdi quickly interjected.

“B-Brother! Do you mean… she’ll be staying… in my cabin…?”

“Where else would she stay?”

“Gasp…!”

Ferdi glanced at Trisha, who covered her mouth with her hands, her face flushed.

What was wrong with them working together?

“It could be dangerous, so I’m asking you to work together. What’s so strange about that?”

“But…”

“Brother…”

They glanced at each other, their faces red, and then quickly looked away.

Had I said something wrong?

***

▶ Dyke recruited as the second Agent. ◀

▶ Recruit the third Agent to proceed to the next episode. ◀

I had recruited my second Agent. Now, it was time for the third.

Once I had three Agents, I could move on to the next episode.

But I had to be careful.

▶ Warning! You have entered a Forbidden Zone! ◀

▶ Combat may occur! ◀

As the system message indicated, the villagers’ low affinity levels meant they were hostile towards me.

Some were even openly aggressive. They would throw things, set traps, hoping to injure me, hoping I would give up on the symposium.

-Clang!

I heard a frustrated grunt from the right. My mana-enhanced senses allowed me to pinpoint the direction of the sound, the location of the attacker.

But if I pursued them, if I retaliated… It would only make things worse.

‘A temporary lord being attacked by his own villagers…’

It was absurd. But that was Carsein’s reality. He was still trapped in the past.

▶ Danger level decreased due to sufficient stats. ◀

▶ This area is now a Caution Zone. ◀

‘A Caution Zone. That means it’s safe enough to move around.’

Forbidden Zones were off-limits. They were filled with uncontrollable dangers, and my stats wouldn't be enough to protect me. Danger Zones were risky. They were filled with traps and potential ambushes.

But Caution Zones and Restricted Zones were manageable.

I entered the seed warehouse.

“Let’s see… A blue box in Section 3… Is this it?”

-Click.

“Oh! It’s really here!”

I opened the box Trisha had told me about, and inside, it was filled with improved strawberry and grape seeds.

◆ Improved Strawberry Seeds

[ Shatrain strawberry seeds improved by the villagers. Can be planted to grow crops. Relatively long harvest cycle. ]

◆ Improved Grape Seeds

[ Shatrain grape seeds improved by the villagers. Can be planted to grow crops. Relatively long harvest cycle. ]

“I used to have to complete a sub-episode to get these.”

The Village Head’s granddaughter was proving to be a valuable asset.

▶ Use the scoop to transfer the seeds to the bucket. ◀

I followed the instructions, scooping the seeds into the bucket.

As I left the warehouse, bucket in hand, the villagers were waiting for me.

“What are you doing in there?”

“Are those… seeds?”

-Ding!

▶ Villagers have witnessed you entering and exiting the warehouse. How will you respond?

[ 1. (Holding up the bucket) Yes, these are strawberry seeds, and these are grape seeds. ]

[ 2. (Pushing past the villager) Get out of my way. ]

[ 3. (Shrugging) What’s wrong with taking some seeds? ]

…

…

So it wasn't going to be that easy.

I had expected this. I had been targeted by a hostile villager in this area, and this was a Caution Zone.

This was the perfect opportunity for them to accuse me of stealing.

“You can’t just take those seeds! Even if you’re the temporary lord! That’s stealing!”

“That’s right! Put them back! You’re a thief!”

Like this.

But I had a prepared response.

I used the additional choice, word for word.

[ 5. Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes require regular thinning because their seeds absorb mana. And you have to remove some of the seeds during that process. Is that wrong? ] ☑

“Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes require regular thinning because their seeds absorb mana. And you have to remove some of the seeds during that process. Is that wrong?”

“…!”

I’m sorry, but…

I’ve already received a thorough explanation from Trisha.

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