I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 165

Chapter 165: Legitimate Right (5)

Flora, muttering something under her breath, her voice barely audible, turned and walked away.

And then, a notification popped up in the status window.

-Ding!

▶ Your reward encounter with Flora has concluded. ◀

“What the…? This is absurd.”

I had sensed something was wrong when Flora, instead of Ferdi, had appeared. But I hadn’t expected this.

Meeting Flora… as a reward?

“Don’t make me laugh. That wasn’t a reward, it was a trap.”

Normally, choosing the wrong option in a conversation with Flora would result in a significant drop in affinity and a warning from the system. But in a high-danger zone, those wrong choices could have a much greater impact.

They could lock me out of certain paths, restrict my options, even trigger a chain of events leading to a bad ending.

And Flora’s sudden appearance was a disaster waiting to happen.

“The worst bad ending I’ve ever seen was triggered by her.”

In low-danger zones, I could mitigate the risks by deliberately lowering their affinity, by choosing options that angered or disappointed them. I had even used that strategy to bypass the Late Return penalty, gaining more free time and manipulating the game's timeline to my advantage.

But that wasn't an option here.

I had learned, through countless retries, that Danger Zones affected everyone within their radius, regardless of their relationship to Carsein.

The bad ending I had witnessed back then… it was still fresh in my mind, its cruelty sending shivers down my spine.

“Well, at least I won’t die this time.”

▶ You have chosen a path that does not involve using the Bagrand Duchy’s influence. ◀

▶ The Bagrand Duchy’s interference has been neutralized. ◀

▶ All positive and negative effects from your family members have been nullified. ◀

The status window confirmed it.

I was on my own.

I scanned the information displayed, the stats, the rankings, the affinity levels.

It was a mess.

“…So, using affinity is out. And so are sub-episodes.”

The first strategy for navigating this game was affinity manipulation. The second, relied on sub-episodes.

I had usually bypassed the Late Return penalties by raising their affinity levels, but that was just a shortcut, a way to avoid the intended solution. The “correct” approach was to take on those sub-episodes, those tedious tasks and errands that appeased those who were dissatisfied and neutralized the penalties.

It was a time-consuming strategy that drained Carsein’s stamina and HP, but it was the safest way to avoid further complications.

But in Shatrain…

There were no sub-episodes, not with their current hostility, their distrust.

It was a minefield, a breeding ground for death flags.

“I have no choice but to wait for an opportunity.”

▶ You must inspect the strawberry fields. ◀

▶ Use farming tools to till the soil and gather information about its condition. ◀

▶ The amount of information obtained will depend on the time spent and the amount of land tilled. ◀

Time was running out, but rushing into this would only make things worse.

The opportunity would present itself, eventually.

Until then, I had to be patient, to follow the episode’s instructions, to gather information and analyze the situation.

***

“Did the items I sent help?”

“Help? My Lady, we’re grateful for your generosity! We never expected such kindness!”

“We were in dire need of clothes. We’ve been wearing the same tattered garments for months, patching them up, making do… ”

“We feel like we’re taking advantage of your generosity. We’re so sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just let me know if you need anything else.”

“Such a kind lord…”

“Thank you, Lady Harnie. Thank you.”

Three days had passed since the start of the 21st Eastern Nobles’ Conference.

And Harnie, just like the other participants, was diligently managing her assigned territory, following the rules of the symposium.

‘I’m lucky.’

She knew the symposium was essentially a competition, a race to the top, but last year, she had deliberately lowered her score, to avoid suspicion from the Marquisate.

Which meant she had been placed in a lower tier this year, far away from the most influential families.

And yet…

Her assigned territory was manageable.

The villagers were eager to improve their lives, and she had been able to provide them with something they desperately needed - clothes.

She had been lucky, despite her low ranking.

“Lady Harnie.”

“Mina?”

She was in the middle of a meeting with the villagers, gathering information and assessing their needs, when…

Mina, her maid, approached her, her expression serious.

“A letter has arrived.”

“…A letter?”

A letter? Now?

She was participating in the symposium, managing a territory. There was no reason for the Marquisate to contact her.

And the Plesia Trading Company was thriving, generating record profits. There shouldn't be any urgent reports.

‘But… Mina wouldn’t have come here personally unless…’

It was important.

“That’s all for today. I’ll explain everything in detail next time. You’re all dismissed.”

She dismissed the villagers and turned to her maid, her curiosity piqued.

“What kind of letter would make you come all the way here?”

“…Well, My Lady, it’s not exactly a letter.”

“What?”

She had said it was a letter.

Harnie tilted her head, confused.

“Ugh, this isn’t the place to explain. We need to go.”

“Go? Go where?”

“Come on, My Lady! We’re going back to… to our lodgings!”

Mina, without further explanation, began pushing her towards the door, her movements urgent, her expression frantic.

Harnie, caught off guard, didn't even protest, her mind struggling to keep up.

And then…

She realized they were at her temporary residence, the place she was staying during the symposium.

“Mina? We’re already here.”

Why did you…

Before she could finish the question, the door to her room swung open, and someone stepped out.

‘Someone?’

She turned towards the sound of approaching footsteps, light and quick, and then she understood.

It wasn’t a letter.

It was a visitor.

But…

It was someone she hadn't expected.

“My Lady? Why are you… here? At my…”

-Grab.

Before she could finish the question, the girl, her small legs carrying her forward with surprising speed, lunged at Harnie, burying her face in her mistress’s chest, her fingers clutching the fabric of her dress.

And then, she whispered, her voice trembling,

“Please, help me.”

“What? What are you…”

“I… I ruined everything… Carsein… he’s suffering because of me… Please, help him…!”

Those blue eyes, a stark contrast to her golden hair, were filled with tears.

-Ding!

[ Please… ■■■ me… ■■■■■. ]

[ Guilt: 87% ]

***

-Clatter.

“W-What? What did you say, Sister?”

Arina had returned, having completed her inspection of her assigned territory.

Claire had expected to discuss the situation, to analyze the data, to prepare for the challenges ahead. She had even brewed a pot of tea, hoping to create a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere for their conversation.

But…

Arina’s words, her shocked exclamation, made her drop the teacup.

“Flora’s gone to Carsein’s territory?!”

It was a shocking revelation, a piece of news that could make anyone choke on their tea.

Arina, clicking her tongue, confirmed it.

“I thought she had grown tired of studying and decided to return to the Duchy. But then, I received a message. She’s in Shatrain.”

“…”

In the past, it wouldn't have been strange.

Flora’s favorite fruits were the Shatrain strawberries and grapes.

She had always had a sweet tooth, and Shatrain, with its abundance of fruits, had been her favorite destination.

But now…

‘She went there secretly, to see Carsein.’

She hadn’t told Arina, their eldest sister.

That was significant.

"So, Claire, have you heard anything by any chance?"

"Huh...?"

"How should I put it? To me, it seemed like Flora suddenly hurried back to the carriage."

"She hurried back to the carriage?"

"Yeah. Watching them like that made me wonder if they had a fight since they weren’t talking to each other at all."

No. That definitely wasn’t the case.

There was no longer any reason for the two to fight.

Flora had apologized for her behavior, for her cruel words, and she had even accepted her punishment, her tears a genuine expression of remorse.

And Claire, while unable to answer Flora’s question, her own guilt preventing her from offering any comfort…

She had understood.

“They didn’t fight.”

“Hmm?”

“You know how Carsein has matured? He’s different now.”

“Well, that’s true, but… why would Flora go to see him? She has no reason to visit Shatrain anymore. Those specialties are gone.”

Claire swallowed, forcing a smile, her heart pounding.

“Maybe… she wants to learn something from him. She’s been studying, remember? And Carsein’s been helping her.”

“Hmm… That could be it. But if she’s just there for math lessons, we should bring her back. She shouldn’t be there alone.”

“Right, I’ll go get her. It’s a long journey for you, Sister.”

Yes, it was better for her to go, not Arina.

She could assess the situation in Shatrain, check on Carsein, and talk to Flora.

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