I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 169

Chapter 169: Diverging Paths (1)

“Then, carry on.”

“Yes, Lady Arina.”

Arina, having carefully selected and assigned tasks to her most capable administrators, watched as they dispersed, returning to their duties.

She remained alone, examining the organizational chart she had meticulously crafted, a faint sigh escaping her lips.

“Mother’s absence is noticeable.”

It wasn’t the Duchy’s official organizational chart, it was a temporary one, a makeshift solution designed to maintain order during their absence.

It was imperfect, a work in progress.

“Haa… I thought I had learned enough, watching Mother manage the Duchy, but…”

The reality was far more challenging than she had anticipated.

Understanding a territory’s unique characteristics, analyzing its strengths and weaknesses, identifying potential areas for development, devising strategies, and implementing policies…

She had studied, observed, prepared… And yet, actually putting those skills into practice was a completely different experience.

The first challenge was the lack of information. This wasn’t one of the Duchy’s territories, a familiar land with readily available data. This was a new territory, a place she was unfamiliar with.

When she had managed the Duchy’s territories alongside her mother, information was readily available – reports, ledgers, maps, detailed accounts of the citizens’ lives, the environment, the geography…

But the territories assigned during the symposium were different.

Everything was new, unfamiliar. And even though she had conducted preliminary research, there were still countless variables, unforeseen circumstances, that she had to consider.

And then, there was the task of assembling a team, of selecting capable administrators from among the unfamiliar faces of the local population.

When she had worked alongside her mother, she had known the Duchy staff, their strengths, their weaknesses, their areas of expertise. Delegating tasks, assigning roles, had been effortless.

But these were strangers.

Their education levels varied, their skills unknown. Even their age and gender played a role in their capabilities, their knowledge. Choosing a steward, someone she could trust to manage the territory effectively, was a daunting task.

It would take time, she realized, to truly understand their strengths and weaknesses, to create an efficient, effective team.

She wasn't making mistakes.

Not yet.

But she felt inadequate, her lack of experience a heavy burden.

Her mother’s absence was a constant reminder of her shortcomings, of the long road ahead.

“…At least the villagers are cooperative.”

She couldn’t begin implementing her plans, not until she had a proper team in place, but their willingness to cooperate was a good sign.

At least they weren’t openly defiant, there was no hostility, no attempt to undermine her authority.

“….”

Arina glanced at the calendar.

The first week was almost over.

Soon, it would be time for the weekly report, the gathering at the conference hall.

And she wasn't the only one struggling. The thought made her frown.

“Haa… That boy, Carsein, always causing trouble.”

The best solution?

He was stuck with Shatrain, a territory notorious for its low morale and its recent downfall. And he was already infamous for his failure, his inability to manage a territory.

Even she, with her good reputation, was facing challenges.

What would happen if he, with his tarnished image, was met with resistance and hostility?

It would be a disaster.

He wouldn't even be able to assemble a team.

And yet, she had received no messages from him, no requests for help, no updates on his progress, despite her warnings.

She hated his stubbornness, his refusal to acknowledge his limitations.

He always took on more than he could handle, and then, when things inevitably fell apart, he expected others to clean up his mess.

And he always had an excuse, a justification for his actions.

‘Well, he wasn’t always wrong…’

But those moments were rare, overshadowed by his past mistakes, his countless failures.

And now, he had done it again. He had chosen Shatrain, that cursed land, without even considering the consequences, ignoring her advice.

“I told Claire to look after him, but I should visit him. Soon.”

She sighed, returning to her work, to the task at hand.

She had a territory to manage, a reputation to uphold.

Carsein could wait.

***

‘There she is.’

That bright pink hair…

Claire’s hair, a vibrant, almost luminous shade of pink, was unmistakable, even from a distance.

The Imperial knight, who had escorted her to Carsein’s location, had assured her that Claire wasn't as intimidating as she seemed.

-She didn’t ask me to deliver a message.

Claire had waited for two hours, and she hadn't said a word?

That was surprising.

She would have usually stormed in, demanding to know why he was wasting his time, lecturing him about his priorities.

And even though the symposium’s rules restricted her actions, she would have found a way to express her disapproval.

And yet, she had simply sat there, sipping her tea, her expression unreadable.

‘I don’t know why she’s here, but I have no choice.’

▶ Your encounter with Claire has been triggered, thanks to a Hidden Episode reward. ◀

▶ You must complete the conversation. ◀

I had to follow the script.

-Clatter.

“Aah!”

The chair I had accidentally bumped into as I entered the room clattered to the floor, and Claire, startled, jumped.

“Seriously, what was that?”

“You scared me! Knock next time! I thought you were a ghost!”

“You barge into my room all the time without knocking. Why are you complaining now?”

“You little…”

Her brow twitched, and then, with a huff, she blew her bangs out of her face.

This was a miracle. The infamous Claire Bagrand, holding back her anger?

Maybe this conversation wouldn't be a complete disaster.

I relaxed, sinking into the sofa.

“Why are you here?”

I cut to the chase. She was here to see me, so there was no need to waste time with pleasantries.

And then, she stood up, her face flushed, and… slapped me, her hand connecting with my cheek.

“I came to see how you were doing! That’s why!”

“Why did you hit me? You could have just asked.”

“You’re not saying anything! You’re not telling us anything! You’re just… sitting here, while everyone’s talking about you! How can I not worry?!”

“Worry? Don’t make me… Ow!”

“Don’t talk back to your sister.”

Her pinch, her carefully calibrated assault, made me wince.

And then, her hand relaxed, her anger fading.

“…Where’s Flora?”

“Why are you asking me?”

Claire stared at me, her eyes wide with surprise.

“Didn’t she come to see you?”

“She did.”

“But? She’s probably still here, isn’t she?”

“She left a while ago.”

“She… left?”

“She used to love Shatrain because of the fruits and the festivals. But those are gone, why would she stay?”

Claire, her expression a mixture of confusion and worry, grabbed my shoulder, her fingers digging into my skin.

“That’s… That’s impossible! Are you telling me… she went back alone?”

“What?”

“I came to get her. She’s in my territory, remember? But, you’re saying she left? Where… Where could she be?”

Her words, her panic, sent a shiver down my spine.

‘Don’t tell me… this is a repeat of that other time?’

I quickly checked the status window, searching for any sign of a change, an unexpected twist in the script.

But there were no warnings, no notifications.

The main episode hadn't even started, and the Hidden Episode window was still active.

There wouldn’t be any unexpected variables at this point, not during this crucial phase of the storyline.

‘And besides, Flora doesn’t pose a threat at this point in the game. Not as a death trigger.’

Then why… Why had this happened?

“Do… Do you have any idea… where she went? Where she might have gone?”

Claire’s voice, laced with a desperate urgency, made me hesitate.

And then, a voice, a familiar voice, interrupted them.

“Lady Flora is here.”

A voice that calmed my anxieties, a voice that brought a sense of relief.

Claire, her head snapping up, her eyes widening, let out a sigh as she recognized the woman standing in the doorway.

“Flora!”

“Shh, keep your voice down.”

“…What?”

“She cried herself to sleep.”

Harnie, her back to them, Flora’s small body cradled in her arms, entered the room.

And as she turned, Claire saw the tearstains on her younger sister’s face, the evidence of her distress.

“What… What happened, Lady Harnie?”

“I’m… I’m not sure. She didn’t really explain.”

“…I see.”

Claire sighed, her expression softening.

She approached Harnie, gently taking Flora into her arms, her maternal instincts taking over. It seemed like her objective, her reason for visiting, was simply to retrieve her younger sister.

“Oh, and Carsein?”

“What?”

“…Never mind. I changed my mind.”

“What?”

“Nothing! I forgot!”

First, she wanted to tell me something, and now she had changed her mind? Forgotten?

She was truly unpredictable.

‘Just go. Please.’

I wanted her to leave, to disappear. Her presence was unsettling.

But…

“I’ll make up a good excuse, so just focus on the weekly report! Okay?”

And with that, she closed the window, her words a strange mix of concern and annoyance.

You don’t have to tell me…

I’ll handle it…

The carriage, with a final rattle of wheels, departed.

The notification, the reminder of that reward, disappeared from the status window, and I finally relaxed.

“Hmm, so you didn’t sleep again, did you?”

“…Ah.”

It wasn’t over yet.

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