I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 163

Chapter 163: Legitimate Right (3)

“What does that have to do with the Young Master?”

“Trading with the Lusmire merchants is Shatrain’s business. It has nothing to do with Young Master Carsein!”

The villagers, their voices a chorus of disbelief, protested.

No, it wasn’t a protest. It was a denial, a refusal to accept the truth, their hearts hardened by years of resentment.

“Even if Lusmire sent aid, what difference does it make to you?”

“Aid? Yes, you can call it aid. At least they didn’t ruin our territory, unlike you!”

“Look at what you did to our land! You destroyed our livelihoods, our hopes, our dreams! ”

“And now… you’re back to finish the job?! To crush what little hope we have left?!”

They were blinded by their anger, their hatred.

Shatrain, once devastated, had closed itself off, its people wary of outsiders, their hearts filled with fear and suspicion.

“It has everything to do with me. Because I’m the Lord of Lusmire.”

“W-What?!”

“The Lord of Lusmire? What did he just say?”

“He’s… He’s lying! He’s trying to trick us again! How could he possibly be the Lord of…”

Their protests, their denials, were cut short.

“Shatrain, in the past, sent their merchant caravans to Lusmire. They even turned a blind eye to the children who stole food from those carriages. And now, the roles are reversed.”

“H-How did you…!”

“What kind of lord would be ignorant of his own territory’s affairs? Oh, you don’t believe me? Want me to tell you more?”

“What else do you…?”

“The tunnel in Lusmire? I’m the one who had it built. I knew Lusmire was a village of sculptors, so I utilized their skills and the mountain’s unique structure. Haven’t you noticed the increase in merchant caravans passing through?”

“…!”

“Oh, and how about this? The children in Lusmire have trouble digesting certain crops, so they drink milk to supplement their nutrition.”

This information, while common knowledge in Lusmire, wouldn't be known to those outside the territory. And Shatrain, having maintained a close relationship with Lusmire for years…

They knew he was telling the truth.

Carsein, sensing their hesitation, delivered the final blow.

“And let’s not forget… you would have been in serious trouble this past winter, if it weren’t for the Lusmire caravans.”

“W-What are you talking about?”

“Don’t deny it. Your reckless attempts to revive Shatrain backfired, and your food supplies dwindled, leaving the children on the verge of starvation. And then, a caravan arrived, just in time.”

-Thud.

He pointed his scabbard towards the ground, his gaze sweeping across their faces.

“You might not believe it, but I’m the one who saved you. And as the Lord of Lusmire, I have the right to claim this territory. It’s my legitimate right, earned by preventing your demise. Any objections?”

“….”

Silence.

They had been reckless, their desperate attempts to revive Shatrain backfiring.

They had been blinded by their desperation, their actions only worsening the situation.

And the Lusmire caravan, arriving just in time, had been their salvation.

Carsein, a faint smile playing on his lips, sheathed his sword.

“I, Carsein, hereby declare myself the temporary lord of Shatrain. And I, as your lord, issue my first decree.”

The inscription stone, reacting to his words, his voice, his authority, glowed. This order, this decree, was a protective measure, preventing him from harming the villagers, and also a binding contract, granting him additional points for accepting certain restrictions.

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

His words, his declaration, sent a ripple of confusion through the crowd.

A lord who wasn’t demanding obedience? A lord who was relinquishing his authority?

“We can just… ignore him, right?”

“That’s right, if the territory collapses, it will be his fault. We won’t be held responsible.”

“I agree. What about you?”

“Of course, we don’t even have to obey his orders. I’m already happy.”

“Just try to defy him. We’ll lower his evaluation score and demand even more compensation.”

And this decree, this inscription, was also a contract for the villagers. If they broke it, they could demand compensation from their temporary lord.

But…

“No! You can’t!”

“Trisha!”

“Are you alright? Are you hurt?!”

“I’m… I’m fine, but that decree… I disagree! You can’t do that!”

Trisha, who had been sleeping peacefully on Camilla’s lap just moments ago, rushed towards them, her voice trembling with urgency, protesting the decree.

“W-Why… Why isn’t it working? I’m objecting, but…”

“This decree is a contract with the entire village. At least 40% of the villagers have to agree with your objection.”

“But…!”

She turned towards the villagers, her voice rising in desperation.

“Don’t you understand?! Why do you think he came back?! Think about it!”

But…

“Hmph, like we care.”

“He’s already ruined our lives once! There’s nothing stopping him from doing it again!”

“You’re just a child, Trisha. You don’t understand. We’ve been living in hell ever since he left!”

“You’ve been tricked, Trisha! Whatever he told you… It’s a lie! He’s here to destroy us!”

They ignored her pleas, their faces hardened by years of resentment.

They might have cared for her, protected her as one of their own, but they saw her as a naive child, easily manipulated by a liar, by Carsein.

-Whoosh.

“N-No! Please…!”

The inscription stone, having reached the 40% threshold, activated, its magic binding them to the agreement.

“The announcement is complete. I’ll be on my way.”

Carsein turned away, a bitter smile playing on his lips, and walked away without another word.

“Trisha.”

“This is the right thing to do. Don’t worry.”

Trisha, tears streaming down her face, cried out,

“But… why? Why did he save me? He healed me! I’m alive because of him! Why won’t you listen to me?!”

“…You’ve been tricked, child. Carsein hasn’t changed.”

“Have you forgotten? When was the last time we harvested Shatrain strawberries and grapes? Our prized specialties?”

“We have to take advantage of this opportunity, Trisha. We have to make him pay, or we’ll all starve.”

“But he’s… he’s only trying to help us! He’s been trying to save us all along!”

“Trisha!”

“You don’t understand! You don’t know anything! He even let Ferdi and the other children go! They were stealing from the Lusmire caravan!”

She ran out of the village, her sobs echoing through the silent streets.

And…

‘…No… No way… This can’t be…’

Someone watched, their heart sinking, their hope fading, as reality sank its teeth into them.

***

-Ding!

▶ You have been officially appointed the temporary lord of Shatrain. You have gained the right to manage the territory, thanks to the inscription’s decree. ◀

▶ Episode VI. Target of Hatred, cleared. ◀

■ Reward

[ You can now exercise your authority as the temporary lord. ]

[ The Danger Zone level for Shatrain has been lowered. ]

‘So… I’ve cleared the first hurdle.’

The reward window appeared, a confirmation of my victory.

I had the authority, the power to govern Shatrain. And the lowered Danger Zone level meant, at the very least, I wouldn’t be expelled.

-Thud. Thud. Thud.

And then… I heard footsteps, rapidly approaching.

I braced myself, expecting an attack, a confrontation with an angry villager, but…

There was no hostility.

“Wait!”

The footsteps were light, almost… frantic.

It was Ferdi.

▶ Achieved an unexpected outcome! ◀

▶ Encounter triggered with a specific character! ◀

So… it was him.

This encounter wasn't part of the main storyline, it wasn’t a scripted event. I relaxed, turning towards him, a faint smile playing on my lips.

“Pant… pant… Young Master.”

Ferdi, out of breath, stood before me, his eyes wide, his expression a mixture of confusion and… hope?

A white box, unlike the greyed-out boxes of the other villagers, appeared above his head.

[ Ferdi ]

[ Affinity: 12% ]

‘12%?’

I blinked, surprised.

Ferdi, at this point in the game, was supposed to be hostile.

His affinity should have been negative.

“Why did you do that?”

“Hmm?”

“You could have told them. You could have told them that we stole food from your caravan. You could have told them that you… forgave us, even though we attacked the lord’s carriage! You didn’t need to… to use the inscription stone.”

So he had seen me, back then. He had witnessed my actions.

That’s why Trisha had taken his place, why his usual hostility was absent.

His trigger, his initial confrontation with Carsein, had been bypassed.

But to answer his question…

▶ Will you answer Ferdi’s question?

[ 1. You’re right. I didn't need to do that. I regret it, actually. ]

[ 2. What would be the point? They wouldn’t have believed me. ]

[ 3. I was planning on revealing the truth later. It’s a valuable bargaining chip. ]

[ 4. I would have told them about Trisha first! ]

[ 5. Remain silent. ]

‘I have to choose something.’

I glanced at the choices, and then, without hesitation, I chose option 2.

[ 2. What would be the point? They wouldn’t have believed me. ]☑

“What would be the point?”

“…What?”

“They wouldn’t have believed me.”

“But…”

“I already helped you once, remember? I could have tried to convince them, to explain the situation, but it wouldn’t have worked.”

“…”

My words, hitting a nerve, silenced him.

I continued, modifying the second choice slightly.

[ 2. Trust me, it wouldn’t have worked. And besides, they could easily afford to compensate for a few stolen meals, couldn't they? ] ☑

“It wouldn’t have worked. Those villagers believe I ruined this territory. They wouldn’t have listened to me, even if I pleaded with them.”

“But… the other kids could have testified! If there were enough witnesses…!”

“They would have accused you of lying, of conspiring to deceive them.”

“W-What?!”

“I’m considered a liar, a deceiver. If I had stood there and declared my intention to save Shatrain, to revitalize this territory… what do you think would have happened?”

He fell silent, his eyes widening as he understood the futility of his suggestion.

“That’s right. They wouldn't have believed me. Words are meaningless, empty promises. I need to show them, to prove myself, to give them tangible evidence.”

The only thing that could convince them, that could change their minds, was a change in their circumstances, an improvement in their lives.

And that was why I had imposed that restriction, that decree. To lower their defenses, to earn their trust.

It wasn’t Carsein’s fault he was labeled a liar.

They had been manipulated, their perception of him twisted by lies and rumors. And the culprit…

Well, it was obvious.

I decided to embellish the truth, to use Ferdi’s innocence to strengthen my argument.

“And let me tell you, Ferdi, this isn’t the first time this has happened. Even at the Duchy…”

“E-Even… at the Duchy?”

“Yes, a maid deliberately put excess amounts of salt in my food. I knew it, but I didn’t say anything. What would you have done, Ferdi, if you were in my situation?”

“Well, I would have… confronted the maid… asked her why…”

“The moment I did that, they accused me of being paranoid, of suspecting the chef and the other maids. I was confined to my room.”

“C-Confined…?”

“I had no proof, so I couldn’t defend myself. But it continued. Over and over again. They kept adding things to my food, trying to poison me. I knew who was doing it, but I couldn't prove it. They just accused me of bullying the maids.”

The accusations, the whispers of being a liar, a deceiver…

They hadn't come from strangers, from outsiders.

They had come from my family, the people closest to me.

“So, what did you do?”

Ferdi, his voice barely a whisper, asked, his eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and… sympathy?

I smiled, a bitter, twisted smile.

“I ate that salt-laced soup.”

“…!!!”

“It was pointless to complain. They wouldn’t believe me. So, I had no choice.”

I had endured it, meal after meal, pretending to be oblivious.

“I wanted to make them think… maybe there wasn’t any salt in the soup. Maybe I was imagining things.”

“You… you endured it?”

“Yes, I waited, patiently, for them to slip up, to reveal their true intentions. I waited for my chance to expose them.”

And I had succeeded.

I had revealed the truth, the darkness hidden within the Duchy’s walls.

“Do you understand now? Why I didn’t say anything?”

“S-So… you’re saying… this decree, your refusal to issue any orders… it’s…”

His eyes, wide and earnest, searched mine, and…

“Yes, I’m going to prove myself, just like I did with that salt-laced soup. I’ll endure the accusations, the whispers, the doubts. I’ll wait for my chance.”

I would reclaim this territory. Not through force, not through manipulation, but through action.

This should be enough.

Ferdi, who was initially hostile, was destined to become an ally.

And while I hadn’t intended to trigger this change so early…

-Ding!

▶ Achieved an unexpected outcome! ◀

What?

“…So, you think you can win this time?”

“What?”

“Shatrain… it’s… it’s broken! The villagers… they’re all wrong! I know… I know you were trying to help us! So… so can you do it? Can you prove them wrong?!”

-Ding!

▶ Ferdi’s Affinity has increased dramatically, and he has become an ally! ◀

▶ Affinity settings have changed. ◀

[ Ferdi ]

[ Blind Faith: 38% ]

This sudden change, this unexpected jump in affinity, was surprising, but…

“I… I stole from the Lusmire caravan to… to expose the truth! To show everyone that you were right! To give you a reason to fight back!”

“…”

He wasn’t avoiding my gaze anymore. His eyes, filled with a fierce loyalty, held me captive.

He had understood.

He had known all along.

“Yes, I’ll prove them wrong.”

“You… You promise? Don’t… Don’t let them chase you away!”

“I won’t.”

I would honor his faith, his unwavering loyalty.

Ferdi…

***

I parted ways with Ferdi, who, with a pinky swear, had begged me not to be driven away. He had one last thing to show me.

-I have something for you. Something you left behind. It might… It might help.

Proof that the Shatrain villagers were wrong.

I didn't know what it was, but the system had confirmed it.

■ Reward

[ You will receive an item from Ferdi in due time. ]

An item.

A reward for choosing this path.

It was an item acquired during this episode, which meant… I could use it somehow. I would simply have to wait.

-Ding!

▶ Encounter triggered with a specific character! ◀

‘Wait, Ferdi’s already back?’

I turned around, and…

A young girl, her eyes filled with tears, stood before me.

She was wearing an elegant dress, a garment that looked out of place in this impoverished village.

Her golden hair was styled in two buns, framing her delicate features.

It was Flora.

Of course, it had to be Flora.

Speak of the devil, and she shall appear.

“What are you doing here?”

I asked, my voice flat, my expression unchanged.

Flora, taking a deep breath, asked, her voice trembling,

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

Ah, so that was what she was worried about.

I chuckled, a bitter, humorless sound.

“Isn’t this what you wanted?”

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