I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 164

Chapter 164: Legitimate Right (4)

Reading books and documents, deciphering their cryptic messages… It was boring.

Fireworks, the dazzling lights of mana illuminating the night sky, those were captivating, a spectacle that never got old.

She would rather be outside, playing, exploring, dreaming up new ways to have fun, than stuck inside, listening to lectures, her mind numbed by numbers and theories.

She hated studying.

She loved playing.

That was Flora.

So, when she had first attended the Eastern Nobles' Conference, she had been bored, her mind wandering, her attention drifting.

Why spend her time listening to those tedious discussions about territories and responsibilities when she could be having fun, chatting with her friends, exploring the market with her family?

But…

She was different now.

“So… the people in this territory have plenty of crops, but not enough money, so they pay their taxes with grain?”

“That’s right. You’ve been paying attention, haven't you, Flora?”

“Heehee.”

In the past, she would have pretended to listen, nodded along, and then begged to be excused, to escape the boredom and return to her games. But now, she was genuinely interested.

However, she had her limits.

“This is a bit complicated, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it’s a bit too difficult.”

Arina’s explanations, while insightful, weren’t enough to fill the gaps in her knowledge.

“Don’t worry if you don’t understand everything, Flora. You’re still young. You can learn at your own pace.”

You’re still young, you have time to learn.

She had heard those words before, from Arina, from Claire, from Isabella. They had been a constant refrain, a reminder of her immaturity, her lack of knowledge.

But now, they held a different meaning.

‘My sisters and Mother have been dealing with all these complicated things…’

And she, too, would have to, eventually.

It wasn’t that difficult, was it? Just talking to the villagers, understanding their needs, making sure they were happy…

She could do this. She could be a good leader, just like her sisters.

She could earn her mother’s praise.

She had been so naive, so foolish, back then.

But reality, it seemed, wasn't as simple as she had imagined.

She had spent two days listening to reports, observing her sisters as they analyzed data and devised strategies, but she still didn't understand most of it.

She had been excused, allowed to return to the Duchy, but she had insisted on staying, on learning.

And Arina, smiling, had offered her a hand, a gesture of acceptance and support.

Flora had taken her sister’s hand, her heart filled with gratitude, and continued to follow her, asking questions, eager to learn.

Someday, she, too, would be responsible for a territory.

“So, this year, we’re going to focus on expanding their living spaces. What do you think?”

“There’s no way we would disagree with Lady Arina’s proposal!”

“Anyone opposed? Speak now, or forever hold your peace!”

─Hahahaha!

They had welcomed Arina with enthusiastic cheers when she had announced her arrival as their temporary lord, and two days later, their support was unwavering.

Their cheers, their approval, were overwhelming, even though she hadn’t even revealed her plans.

Flora, holding her sister’s hand, watched as they walked through the village, and she realized how much they respected Arina, how much they trusted her.

Arina smiled, patting her head gently.

“Don’t get too excited, Flora. It’s not always this easy.”

“What do you mean, Sister?”

“As you can see, a lord has absolute authority over this territory. It’s a heavy burden. And image is everything.”

“Image…?”

“The villagers want a better life, a more prosperous future. They want a competent leader, a good lord. If they perceive you as weak, incompetent, or… if you have a bad reputation… well, they might reject you. They might even fear you, believing you’re a threat to their well-being. ”

And there were territories, she added, that refused to accept certain lords, certain families.

Flora’s heart sank. A single phrase, a chilling reminder of her own actions, echoed in her mind.

An untrustworthy person.

“So, if… if I was… like you or Sister, a member of the Bagrand Duchy…”

Her voice, barely a whisper, trembled as she spoke, her gaze fixed on her sister’s face, searching for reassurance.

“They’re all commoners, so… they would listen to us, right? To nobles?”

Surely her status, her lineage, would be enough to overcome any resistance.

But Arina, her expression serious, shook her head.

“If I was known as a liar, a deceiver, a manipulator… they wouldn’t accept my plans.”

A wave of guilt, a suffocating reminder of her past actions, washed over Flora.

She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t stay here. She had to escape.

She turned and ran towards the carriage, her tears flowing freely.

A liar.

A deceiver.

A manipulator.

Those were the people who shouldn’t be allowed to lead.

And yet…

Carsein had become the lord of Lusmire.

And he, too, would become the lord of Shatrain.

She had called him a liar, a deceiver.

-Carsein is a liar!

-He tricked my sisters and Mother! He’s not a real Bagrand! Can you believe him?

-He’s always lying, causing trouble. The maids and servants, they all hate him!

She had been jealous, envious of his newfound acceptance, of the attention he was receiving from her family.

She had invented stories, fabricated lies, hoping to turn the villagers against him.

And she had even warned them, poisoning their minds with her words.

-Be careful! Don’t trust him! He’s going to ruin everything!

She had wanted him to fail, to be blamed for every misfortune.

And then…

Her words had come true.

Shatrain had been struck by a devastating blight, the worst they had ever experienced, and Carsein, blamed for the disaster, labeled a liar and a deceiver, had been sent back to the Duchy.

So what would happen if he returned?

If he, the one they believed to be a con man, the one who had tricked them, became their lord again?

‘Please… Please, let him be safe…’

She prayed, a silent plea, as the carriage rattled towards Shatrain.

She clung to the hope, the desperate, almost impossible belief that everything would be alright, that he wouldn’t be hurt.

‘Where… Where is he?’

She searched for him, her heart pounding, but she was lost, unfamiliar with the territory.

She had never bothered to learn, to explore.

She regretted her ignorance, her lack of knowledge.

And then…

“────!!”

She heard a voice, a familiar voice, calling out to the villagers.

But…

“You are not obligated to follow my policies. And I will not issue any other decrees.”

What she witnessed, as she approached, was the fruit of her malice, the seeds of her lies, now blooming into a twisted reality.

Tears welled up in her eyes, a choking sensation tightening her throat.

***

Carsein’s temporary lord announcement, delayed for two days, had been a disaster.

The villagers were hostile, their hearts filled with suspicion and resentment.

He had found a way to stay, to gain a foothold, but…

He had been forced to relinquish his authority, to surrender his power.

“Sob…”

Flora, her tears flowing freely, wandered through the streets of Shatrain, her heart breaking.

He was wounded, scarred.

His suffering wasn’t confined to the Duchy.

It had spread, tainting everything he touched.

Just like…

“Sob!”

The memory of Carsein’s demise, his body consumed by flames in her dream, flashed before her eyes, and she gasped, her heart pounding.

“No, it’s not… it can’t be… because of me…”

She wanted to deny it, to believe it wasn’t her fault.

It was absurd, she wanted to scream, to protest, that he was being treated like this because of a few words!

Yes, she would tell him!

She would confront him!

She would ask him!

She would tell him it wasn’t her intention!

She set off, her small legs carrying her towards him, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination.

“What are you doing here?”

His words, his tone, made her heart skip a beat.

But she forced herself to speak, her voice trembling,

“It’s not… it’s not true, is it? You didn’t… You didn’t get in trouble again, did you…?”

Please, tell me it wasn’t my fault.

Tell me it was just a coincidence.

Tell me that Shatrain’s ruin wasn’t your fault…

“Isn’t this what you wanted?”

A cold shiver ran down her spine, his words shattering the last remnants of her denial.

No way.

He couldn't know.

‘It can’t be… It can’t be true…!’

But…

His lips were curled into a cruel smirk, his eyes cold and distant.

The familiar feeling, the suffocating sensation of a barrier, a wall, rising between them…

It snapped her out of her daze.

‘What have I done?!’

She knew. She had always known.

It wasn’t his fault, it was hers.

She had fueled the fire, spread the lies, and now, she had to face the consequences.

She had to confess, to apologize.

She couldn't let him carry the burden of her sins.

“I heard rumors. About how I would ruin Shatrain. I thought they were just rumors, but it seems they were prophecies. ”

But the words wouldn’t come.

What should she say?

How could she deny it?

How could she confess?

“I should have listened… If I had known, if I had just stayed out of it, Shatrain wouldn’t be in this state. I regret what I did. It still haunts me.”

No!

That wasn't…

What was he saying?

If he said that, then her lies…

“It wasn’t my fault. It was inevitable. A commoner like me, with no skills, no talent, shouldn’t have tried to save that territory. That’s why I’m here now, to accept my punishment. To wait for another chance. Maybe fate will smile upon me again?”

And then, she realized…

She had missed her opportunity, again.

She should have confessed, she should have apologized, she should have taken responsibility for her actions.

And now… it was too late.

“Fool… Idiot…”

She whispered, her voice breaking, her tears flowing freely.

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