I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 182

Chapter 182: The Second Agent (3)

It was late when I returned to my lodgings in Shatrain.

It wasn’t that far, not really.

Even if I dawdled, it should have only taken thirty minutes at most.

But I had been thinking about how to raise Dyke’s affinity, and I had remembered the traps.

When I had first tested the danger level of Shatrain, I had encountered a group of bandits.

In the game, they were just enemies, obstacles to overcome. But I had realized that those traps, those encounters with enemies, could be used to my advantage.

There were sub-episodes related to bandit attacks, sub-episodes that triggered automatically when the villagers were threatened. And helping the guards during those encounters would increase Dyke’s affinity.

So, I had decided to clear out some of those traps in advance. But…

“Where have you been? It’s late.”

My fiancée, arms crossed, a frown on her face, was waiting for me.

…Damn it.

This meant I couldn’t work late into the night. She would nag me.

And as I had feared…

“You’re out this late? Don’t tell me you skipped dinner?!”

…I was scolded for not taking care of myself.

After an hour of nagging and a forced meal…

The sky was already transitioning from dark to pre-dawn.

“Harnie?”

“Go to sleep. Don’t even think about working.”

“…”

I had expected this.

Tonight was a lost cause.

…Or was it?

I still had one last resort!

“Ahem. Why are you back? I thought you had something to do.”

Harnie hesitated for a moment, glancing at me before turning away with a huff.

“You asked me to test if Shatrain’s specialties could grow in other territories, didn’t you? So… I brought the soil here. I can plant them in flowerpots.”

“…”

“Is… Is something wrong?”

“No, not really.”

I had asked her to bring the soil, but I already knew it wouldn’t work.

Whether it was the soil, the climate, the vegetation, the rainfall, the humidity… Countless records, countless data points from the game, confirmed that Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes could only be cultivated in Shatrain.

The territory introduction. The Duchy’s records. The survey reports. The item descriptions. The evidence was overwhelming.

So why had I asked Harnie to do this?

Because I needed to establish a baseline, to confirm that Shatrain’s specialties couldn't be cultivated elsewhere. I needed to create a justification for focusing on the farming methods.

‘But even then, there’s no reason for her to come all the way here, is there?’

And then…

“Um… Thank you… for helping me earlier.”

“What?”

“Thanks to you, I was able to avoid the Marquis’ suspicion. And the Plesia Trading Company can operate without any problems, using Lusmire as a hub. Everything worked out perfectly.”

Was… Was she here to thank me?

“But, I’m still a bit worried.”

“Worried? About what?”

“It’s not uncommon for fiancés and married couples to attend these symposiums together. If we’re always apart, the Marquis might get suspicious… Don't you think?”

“You’re worried about arousing suspicion.”

“Y-Yes! That’s why I thought… it would be better if we stayed together… So… I came here.”

I had felt awkward when she had thanked me earlier, but her explanation made sense.

Harnie was being watched, not just by the Marquis, but also by the other nobles. They were probably working together, trying to find a way to discredit her, to expose her secret trading company.

It was in our best interest to maintain the pretense of an engagement.

‘Of course. This smart woman wouldn’t waste her time. She has a reason for being here.’

…But why was she acting so strangely?

She was fidgeting, her demeanor hesitant, even though she was simply stating the obvious.

“Harnie?”

“Y-Yes?”

“Hmm.”

-Touch.

“Gasp!”

I placed my hand on her forehead, and she flinched, taking a step back.

“W-What are you doing…?”

“Sorry. Your face is a bit flushed. I thought you might have a fever.”

“N-No! I’m fine…!”

“But you feel a bit warm. Are you sure you’re not sick?”

“I’m fine, I said!”

She definitely felt warm when I touched her forehead.

But she was denying it so vehemently, so I decided to drop it.

“Um… Can I open the window?”

“Are you hot?”

“J-Just a little.”

“Alright. It has been getting warmer lately.”

Harnie opened the window, fanning herself with her hand, and then she glared at me, pointing at the bed.

“It’s late. Go to sleep. I’ll be watching you, making sure you rest properly.”

Ugh. So this was how it was going to be.

This was troublesome. I couldn’t stay up all night if Harnie was here.

I tried to reason with her.

“I can’t sleep.”

“Sigh. Don’t give me that excuse. You were sleeping just fine earlier.”

“No, really. I have insomnia. I didn’t sleep that well earlier. That was just… a fluke.”

-Glare!

This was frustrating. I wasn’t lying!

“…Well… if you insist.”

“What?”

She stared at me for a moment, and then she walked towards me.

And then… my world turned upside down.

I blinked, confused, disoriented, and Harnie cleared her throat.

“C-Can you… sleep now?”

“Harnie? What…?”

“You were sleeping just fine earlier… If… If you can’t sleep in the bed, I’ll… I’ll let you use my lap as a pillow…”

No, that wasn’t why I was sleeping!

And this made it seem like I asked her to let me use her lap as a pillow!

I had to explain.

This was strange! Incredibly strange!

If I fell asleep like this, it would look like I couldn’t sleep without her lap as a pillow!

And Harnie hated this kind of thing!

I had to clear up this misunderstanding.

But…

I couldn’t escape this awkward lap pillow.

Her hands were already covering my eyes.

“…I’ll try to sleep in the bed. Please remove your hands.”

“J-Just sleep. Like this.”

“I feel bad, making you do this…”

-Slap!

“Ow!”

“It’s more comfortable for me this way. If you feel bad, just go to sleep.”

“I can’t ask you to do this every time I can’t sleep. And it doesn’t look good, not in front of other people…”

“Lap pillows are common between lovers! And we’re engaged!”

It seemed like that argument wasn’t working.

Time for Plan B.

“Harnie, you really hate this kind of thing, don’t you?”

“Again with that? You’re not that kind of person.”

“But with such a beautiful woman right here, I might suddenly get the wrong idea…”

-Slap!

“Ow.”

“Stop talking nonsense and go to sleep! Honestly…”

Harnie slapped my shoulder twice, complaining about the heat and fanning herself with her hand.

Both plans had failed. This was hopeless.

I had no choice but to close my eyes, my head resting on her lap.

At least she didn't think I was some kind of pervert, and this time, I hadn't fallen asleep first. Though how anyone could sleep in this position was beyond me.

A few minutes passed.

Harnie started yawning.

“Haa… He must be asleep by now…”

She mumbled to herself, and then she waved her hand over my face a few times. Satisfied that I was asleep, she leaned back against the headboard and closed her eyes.

Ten minutes later, I heard her soft, even breathing. It seemed like she was the one who had fallen asleep.

Now was my chance.

I carefully removed her hand from my eyes, and she didn’t react. I opened my eyes and saw her, asleep, her face relaxed and peaceful.

“…I might be fine, but she must be tired.”

It was past midnight.

She had arrived late, and she had been waiting for me. She must have been exhausted.

“You’re the one who needs sleep.”

-Slide.

I carefully slipped my arms under her neck and knees.

Sleeping in this awkward position… She should have been more concerned about her own comfort.

I managed to lift her without waking her and gently placed her on the bed.

‘Okay, no fever. She was just a bit warm earlier.’

I had checked everything. Now, all I had to do was remove my arms…

“Hmm… Carsein…”

“…!”

One of my arms was trapped.

This was troublesome.

“Mmm…”

I tried to free my arm without waking her, but she only snuggled closer. The warmth of her body against mine, the softness of her skin… This was incredibly awkward.

‘This is not good.’

My arm, which I had extended to lift her, was now trapped beneath her head, my shoulder pressed against her neck.

And now, I couldn’t escape her embrace.

“You… You have to… sleep properly, Carsein… and eat properly…”

“…”

-Hey, Min-hyeok! You have to sleep properly, and eat properly!

Her sleepy mumbling, her concern for my well-being, reminded me of Jieun.

-Mmm… Min-hyeok… You have to eat and sleep…

And this situation… I had experienced something similar with Jieun.

“Sigh.”

Why did these similarities keep happening?

I couldn’t escape Harnie’s embrace. I had no choice but to close my eyes and try to sleep.

I would probably wake up in a few hours, having rolled away from her in my sleep. She was mumbling in her sleep, after all.

And then, I could sneak out and get back to work.

…But.

Somehow, I fell asleep.

***

The bullying never stopped.

Among the nobles, I was labeled a bastard, an outsider.

The ladies of high society called me a temptress, a seductress, a homewrecker.

Yhe men saw me as a pawn, a tool to be used and discarded.

And my achievements, my hard work, my dedication… They were never acknowledged, never appreciated. I was just a bastard, after all.

I had to escape. I had to earn enough money to establish my trading company, to break free from the Theresia Marquisate.

I wanted to escape this world, this suffocating society, and never look back.

But…

There was one moment, one memory, that I couldn't forget.

“Eek?!”

I still remember that moment.

The agonizing pain in my ankle, the malicious intent behind Lady Helly’s gift.

He had seen through it all, sensed my discomfort, and carried me away from the dance floor.

The feeling of his arms around me, the warmth of his touch…

The way he had gently removed my shoe, his gaze fixed on my injured ankle…

The cool air against my skin, the relief as the pressure eased…

His touch, gentle and reassuring, as he applied the ointment and bandaged the wound…

The new shoes, the perfect fit, the warmth spreading through my feet…

Every second, every minute, every hour… I couldn’t forget it.

That moment, that memory, it wouldn't fade.

It was a moment of kindness, a moment of genuine concern, in a world filled with cruelty and indifference.

“…”

I realized I was dreaming.

And then, I woke up.

‘Again… like this…’

Why was I lying down?

I should have been sitting up, but… I had fallen asleep, lost in my dream.

‘Sigh. I have to get up…’

Carsein was probably working late into the night. I had to make sure he wasn’t overworking himself.

But the pillow felt strange.

It wasn’t the familiar texture of fabric, it was something warmer, softer…

“…”

Could it be…?

I carefully shifted my body, pulling away from the warmth.

The room was dark, but as I moved, the darkness receded.

It wasn’t darkness, it was just…

‘A-An arm pillow?!’

My head had been resting on Carsein’s arm.

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