I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 174

Chapter 174: Diverging Paths (6)

‘Is it over?’

Arsienne brought down the gavel, acknowledging my proposal.

Two hurdles cleared in the blink of an eye.

The Week 1 Report Meeting usually followed a set pattern: territory report, followed by Arsienne’s critique.

If there were any problems with the report, or if the information presented was deemed insufficient, a warning would appear, followed by a new set of choices. Thankfully, that hadn’t happened.

Arsienne’s critique was an extension of the report.

If she had questioned my actions, my methods, my proposal would have been rejected. But that hadn’t happened either.

‘…I guess drawing the map of Shatrain paid off.’

The system had acknowledged my actions, displaying Choice 12, but I hadn't been able to relax. I had taken a risk, a gamble, and it had paid off.

The choices presented to the player at this point in the game were designed to assess their knowledge of their assigned territory. If I hadn’t thoroughly researched Shatrain, Arsienne’s critique would have been much harsher.

In short, any lack of preparation would have resulted in serious consequences.

So, even if my methods seemed excessive, I had to ensure they didn’t see any weakness, any lack of knowledge. I had to make a strong impression, to demonstrate my commitment to Shatrain.

…Of course, there were discrepancies between the map I had obtained from the game and the one I had drawn based on my own observations, so I had to improvise, to fill in the gaps.

But regardless, I had cleared the first two hurdles.

I was currently in the Week 1 Report Meeting, at a crucial branching point in the main episode.

If I could just survive the Defense Time, the final challenge…

I could move on to the next episode.

‘There they are. Ganging up as always.’

The nobles, their faces red with indignation, were demanding a Defense Time from Arsienne. As expected, those arrogant fools couldn’t accept the fact that a commoner like Carsein had outperformed them.

It was a familiar scene, one I had witnessed countless times in the game.

It felt strangely similar to those times in school, when those idiots would complain about my high scores, accusing me of cheating.

Were they really that similar? These nobles and those classmates?

“This is absurd! He’s just been inspecting the fields all week! What kind of report is that?!”

“Considering Shatrain’s current state, I don’t see how his proposal will help.”

“It’s a waste of time! Shatrain needs to focus on restoring its soil! How will planting new crops achieve that?!”

“This doesn’t make sense! We demand a Defense Time! We need to hear his reasoning!”

Their arguments, their protests, their insistence that I was wrong… It was like listening to those classmates all over again.

They couldn’t accept the truth, couldn't acknowledge their own shortcomings. They were just looking for someone to blame, someone to tear down.

And their ages, these nobles and those classmates… they weren’t that different. Most of them seemed to be around Carsein’s age, still in their late teens, their arrogance fueled by their immaturity.

Even Arsienne, in her Student Council President role, seemed exasperated by their behavior.

I chuckled inwardly, watching the scene unfold, waiting for the next set of choices.

But then…

-Hum.

“What?”

A faint glow emanated from one of the chess pieces on the podium, drawing everyone’s attention.

And then, a blue light flashed, a magic inscription appearing on the back of my hand.

“…!”

“Your Highness!”

“This is my answer.”

…Wait.

Was this supposed to happen?

‘I thought… the Defense Time was supposed to start now, followed by a new set of choices…’

And then, the status window appeared.

-Ding!

▶ Arsienne has bestowed the Pesselus Privilege upon you! ◀

▶ Week 1 Report concluded. ◀

▶ Episode branching point cleared! ◀

‘What?’

What was going on?

The Defense Time hadn't even started yet…

As I pondered the unexpected turn of events, the system displayed another message.

▶ Providing additional information. ◀

※ Pesselus Privilege

[ A privilege granted by the Imperial Family of the Pesselus Empire, usable only three times during the symposium. It is bestowed upon a temporary lord whose proposal is deemed worthy of implementation. The recipient is exempt from the Defense Time and ─── ]

“…”

I skimmed through the rest of the description, the lengthy list of benefits, but one sentence stood out.

Exempt from the Defense Time.

‘This is practically a reward…’

I glanced at the other status window, and a new message appeared, explaining the unexpected outcome.

▶ You demonstrated a deep understanding of Shatrain by drawing the territory map yourself. ◀

▶ You have achieved an outcome beyond the given choices! ◀

▶ Additional rewards granted! ◀

So that was it.

It wasn’t a feature I had encountered in the game, but it seemed like my actions, my decision to draw the map, had triggered some hidden mechanic, granting me an unexpected advantage.

‘No, it’s not just a hidden mechanic.’

I had sensed it, even before this, a subtle difference between the nobles’ reports and my own.

I had noticed it while playing the game as well. The nobles’ reports were always superficial, lacking in detail.

They would mention the size of the territory, the altitude, the geological stability, the main industries…

But their reports always felt lacking.

They were simply regurgitating information readily available in books or obtained through cursory interviews with the villagers. There was no depth, no real understanding of the territory.

Shallow and superficial.

That’s how their reports felt.

And perhaps that’s why Arsienne had sided with me, recognizing the effort I had put into understanding Shatrain.

‘This game… it rewards realistic actions.’

Regardless, I had completed my report. I could finally relax.

Well, not completely relax.

“That… That bastard…!”

“H-He’s mocking us?!”

“That commoner! Does he think he’s won?!”

Their reactions were predictable.

I had simply smirked, a small, almost imperceptible upturn of my lips, and they had erupted, their faces contorted with rage.

They were like children throwing a tantrum, their pride wounded, their authority challenged.

It was almost identical to those idiots back in school, who couldn't accept the fact that I had outscored them.

I savored their frustration, their anger, as I walked back to my seat.

And then, the affinity window expanded.

“You, who couldn’t even properly identify the resources in your own territory, have no right to criticize him.”

“Y-Your Highness…!”

“And you, standing right next to him, are no different. Carsein’s performance was clearly superior.”

“…”

-Ding!

▶ Arsienne’s Affinity increased! ◀

[ Current Affinity: 35% ]

…Why was her affinity increasing? I hadn’t done anything to impress her.

“Be quiet and sit down. It’s the next person’s turn.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

“We apologize…”

She seemed angry, but I couldn't understand why.

I hadn’t intended to provoke her, but it felt satisfying, seeing those nobles put in their place.

And the increase in affinity was a welcome bonus.

***

After a short break, the reports resumed.

The last presenter had just returned to his seat, his face a mask of disappointment.

“That concludes the Week 1 reports. Are there any questions?”

“…”

Silence.

They had been so thoroughly defeated, they had nothing to say.

“It seems there are no questions. The Week 1 Report Meeting is adjourned.”

Arsienne, her expression cold and impassive, continued.

“As you all know, starting next week, the temporary lords’ policies will no longer be subject to rejection. However, I want to make one thing clear. I didn’t intend for you to implement policies without proper research. I…”

Her gaze swept across the hall, her eyes lingering on me for a moment.

This woman…

Was this what she wanted to say?

“…expect you to thoroughly understand your assigned territory before implementing any changes. That’s why all the proposals presented today were rejected.”

-Bang!

“Starting next week, we will also be inviting guest lecturers, so study hard and think about how you can improve the lives of your citizens. That is all.”

Arsienne left the podium.

As she walked away, the nobles groaned, their shoulders slumping.

For some reason, they had been even harsher on the nobles who presented after me. Arsienne’s critiques had been relentless, her deductions flawless. Very few had escaped unscathed.

The nobles were dejected, their confidence shattered.

They complained about the symposium’s difficulty, the lack of support from their family heads, the impossible standards.

It seemed like it was time for me to leave as well.

-Ding!

▶ Week 1 Report Meeting concluded. The next event will determine the next episode. ◀

▶ You must meet with Arina and choose from the given options before returning to your territory. ◀

‘Arina’s choices…’

I had been expecting some deviations from the game’s script, but thankfully, this branch seemed to be following the original storyline.

I had been planning on seeking her out, but it seemed like she was already on her way.

“Your performance was impressive, Carsein. I didn’t know you were so knowledgeable about Shatrain. I was… surprised, to be honest. However,”

Arina’s words began with praise.

But the “however” that followed signaled a shift in tone, a change in direction.

“I’m sure you’re aware of your limitations. You know how devastated Shatrain is. You need to be realistic, Carsein. You understand what I’m saying, right?”

It wasn’t praise, it was a subtle condemnation.

“Stop being stubborn and accept our help. You can’t handle this on your own, not without the Bagrand Duchy’s support. This symposium, this test… it’s too much for you.”

She was telling him to return to the Bagrand Duchy, to give up on Shatrain, to rely on their power and influence.

She was telling him to know his place.

-Just give up and let us handle it.

Just like Arina.

Just like my eldest sister.

They wanted him to acknowledge his limitations, his inferiority.

The situation, the words, the tone… It was all too familiar, too similar to my past. It made me want to scream.

‘I need to choose an option and get this over with.’

▶ Arina suggests returning to the Bagrand Duchy. How will you respond?

I scanned the choices, relieved to see that they were familiar, predictable. I was about to choose the option I had always used, the one that would trigger the next set of choices, when…

-Ding!

▶ Additional reward revealed! ◀

▶ Memorial activated automatically! ◀

A new message appeared, overriding my choice.

‘A Memorial? Now?’

I was momentarily confused, but then I remembered the Memorials that could be triggered in the conference hall.

I scanned the room, searching for the telltale white glow.

‘There it is!’

The familiar white mist began to envelop me.

The last thing I saw, before closing my eyes, was the location of the Memorial.

The trash can.

▶ Acquired the Torn Plan Memorial! ◀

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