I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 161

Chapter 161: Legitimate Right (1)

The territory selection process, starting from the highest tier and descending one level at a time, reached the lowest tier, where the final participants awaited their turn.

The last one.

Carsein stepped out of the inscription field, and the nobles, who had been engrossed in their own thoughts, turned to look at him, their gazes a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

Their reactions were usually divided.

Some were anxious, overwhelmed by the symposium’s new rules and the pressure to perform. Others were confident, believing that their skills and knowledge were enough to secure a high score.

But as they saw Carsein, their thoughts aligned.

‘Well, at least I'm not him.’

‘It’s comforting to know there’s someone at the bottom.’

‘Even if I don’t achieve a high score, as long as I outperform him…’

They were relieved, knowing they weren’t the last, that they wouldn't be the worst.

After all, Carsein had automatically been assigned Shatrain, the most undesirable territory.

It was a barren wasteland, devoid of potential, just like Lusmire before he had transformed it.

“This concludes the introduction and orientation for the first week of the 21st Eastern Nobles' Conference.”

Arsienne, sensing their unified disdain, their shared relief, ended the session abruptly.

Claire, her heart pounding, activated the inscription stone she had received. It displayed the chosen territories and the names of the temporary lords assigned to each one.

And there was only one name, one territory, that she cared about.

[ Shatrain - Carsein ]

‘…So it’s come to this.’

Nothing had changed.

She had known no one else would choose Shatrain, that it would be his by default.

But she still had a role to play.

“Sister, would it be alright if I returned to the Duchy? I need to review last year’s financial records for my territory.”

“Review the records now? You don’t need to rush, Claire.”

“It’s better to be prepared, don't you think? The rules have changed, and there’s a lot to consider.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“I’ll be back soon.”

“Wait, Claire!”

Arina sighed as Claire, with a hasty excuse, left the conference hall.

It made sense, of course. Claire was planning on working with Carsein, accepting the penalty for collaboration. Her workload had increased significantly.

There was no reason to be suspicious.

But…

Claire didn’t return to the Duchy. Instead, she sought out their mother, her heart pounding, her anxiety growing.

“…What do you mean, Claire?”

Isabella, who had been enjoying a cup of tea with the other family heads, waiting for her children to return, stared at her second eldest daughter, her eyes filled with confusion.

“It’s… it’s my fault. Shatrain… it was ruined because of me.”

Shatrain, the territory that had been struck by a blight after Carsein’s arrival, the land that had never recovered…

Claire confessed, revealing her role in its downfall.

The guilt, the weight of her past actions, was suffocating, but she couldn't keep this secret any longer.

She was prepared for the consequences, for their anger, for their disappointment.

But she had to say this.

“So, Mother, please use your privilege on Carsein.”

***

The first day of the symposium had unfolded as expected, despite my initial deviations from the game’s script. There had been some minor changes - the Hidden Episode, the altered title, the unexpected reward - but the main storyline remained intact.

The moment I chose Shatrain, the Episode V completion message appeared.

▶ Episode VI. Target of Hatred, activated! ◀

▶ You must travel to Shatrain and announce your arrival as the temporary lord. ◀

The Shatrain episode.

And the first objective was to inform the villagers of my arrival.

This wasn’t just a game mechanic, it was also a custom, a tradition associated with the symposium.

All the young nobles, having chosen their territories, were expected to visit their assigned lands and formally introduce themselves to their people.

It was a meet-and-greet, a chance for the villagers to assess their new lord and for the temporary lord to familiarize themselves with the territory and its inhabitants.

But I hadn't made the announcement yet.

“Young Master Carsein, a letter from Lady Arina has arrived.”

Speak of the devil.

This letter was a mandatory event, always delivered at this point in the game.

“Give it to me.”

The contents, as expected, were a thinly veiled threat.

『 I heard you. You’ve chosen to accept responsibility for your past failures. The decision has been made, and it won’t be reversed. But I’ll be watching you, Carsein. Don't forget what you said about not disgracing the Duchy. 』

-Crumple.

‘Same old warning. Nothing’s changed.’

And it was just a setup, a way for the game to add another condition to this episode.

-Ding!

▶ New clear condition added! ◀

▶ You must achieve a certain ranking in the symposium. ◀

▶ This objective must be achieved, regardless of the episode’s progress. Failure will result in a bad ending. ◀

As expected, Carsein couldn't afford to fail.

If I simply dismissed this as just a score, a meaningless number… the game would find a way to punish me, to ensure a tragic ending.

“Um… Young Master?”

“What is it?”

“Are you… sure it’s alright for you to… not go to Shatrain?”

Camilla, her voice laced with concern, approached me as I sheathed my sword.

Her eyes, her tightly clasped hands… She was worried.

If Arina was watching, she would have dragged me back to the training grounds, accusing me of slacking off.

I hadn't even set foot in Shatrain, not since choosing the territory two days ago.

The temporary lord announcement might seem like a formality, but it was a crucial step, a chance to assess the situation, to meet the villagers, to familiarize myself with the territory.

But did she really think I would just… ignore it?

▶ Delaying the temporary lord announcement will result in a significant drop in both Territorial Reputation and Villager Affinity. And if you fail to make the announcement before the first weekly report, the villagers will riot. ◀

With that warning hanging over me, there was no way to avoid Shatrain.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go. But… I need some time.”

“Time…?”

“You’ll see.”

Camilla, her brow furrowed, looked around the training grounds, searching for an explanation.

▶ Choose your method of transportation to Shatrain.

[ 1. Use a Duchy carriage from the Bagrand estate. ]

[ 2. Ride with Claire, and then get off at Shatrain. ]

[ 3. Hire a discreet carriage. ]

…

…

Nine choices, each one tailored to a specific time and situation, had appeared during the past two days. But I had ignored them, choosing to focus on training.

And then…

A carriage arrived, stopping abruptly in front of the training grounds.

“Young Master Carsein, I’ve come to take you to Shatrain.”

Tasha stepped out, her expression serious, her gaze unwavering.

Camilla, her eyes widening in surprise, turned towards me.

“Y-Young Master… did you… plan this?”

“Yes, I was waiting for your mother to leave.”

I couldn’t enter Shatrain through conventional means.

The resentment, the hostility, was palpable, elevating the Danger Zone level. And it wasn’t just a physical threat, it was a psychological one, a toxic atmosphere that could easily trigger a bad ending.

Their Territorial Reputation was at an all-time low, and their affinity for Carsein was practically nonexistent. A single misstep, a single wrong choice, could result in a catastrophic failure.

I had to pacify them, to find a way to lower their defenses.

I needed a weapon, a justification, a shield.

And I would use the connection between Lusmire and Shatrain to create that shield, that protection.

-Ding!

A new choice appeared.

[ 10. Travel in a Lusmire merchant caravan. ]

The connection between Lusmire and Shatrain…

It hadn’t been revealed in the game, but it was the safest, the most strategic way to enter Shatrain.

***

-Clip-clop, clip-clop.

“…They’re here!”

The familiar sound of hooves against cobblestones alerted the children.

The date, the time, the location…

The Lusmire caravan always passed through this area at this time.

They had memorized the schedule, and they were hiding, waiting.

“You all know the plan, right?”

““Yes!””

They nodded eagerly, responding to Ferdi’s instructions.

They would blind the adults with a flash of light, and then, while they were disoriented, they would raid the carriage, stealing whatever they could.

The carriage, as predicted, came to a halt.

The men who had been leading the horses emerged, their faces pale, their expressions filled with anxiety.

“…This is the worst possible day…”

“Damn it, we have to do something. But… what?”

“Shouldn't we tell the Young Master? Maybe… maybe we should…”

“Don’t be ridiculous! He’ll punish us all! And the Village Head will be blamed as well!”

They were whispering, their voices hushed, their words laced with fear.

Ferdi, who had unintentionally overheard their conversation, smiled. This was nothing.

“Now!”

-Beep!

“Aah?!”

They had used a flashbang, a blinding light that enveloped the area, and then, wearing goggles to protect their eyes, they rushed towards the carriage.

‘This is bad… The Young Master is inside…’

‘Damn it! We could stop them, but…’

But, they knew.

They had been discussing what to do, how to handle these children who kept stealing from their caravan.

“…Stop them.”

“But…”

“We have no choice! Just… Just stop them!”

The leader of the caravan, his voice filled with resignation, gave the order.

The men, closing their eyes, lunged for the children.

“Let go of me!”

“Aah!”

“We’re… We’re sorry! We won’t do it again!”

They could have easily stopped them before, but they hadn’t.

But this time, they had no choice.

Carsein, alerted by the commotion, stepped out of the carriage.

“Young Master, it seems… the children were hiding, stealing food.”

“…What should we do with them?”

The merchants, their jaws clenched, asked, their voices filled with anger and frustration.

Carsein, ignoring their question, untied the ropes binding the children’s hands.

“W-What? Are you… Are you letting us go?”

“Now’s our chance! Run!”

The children, seizing the opportunity, scattered, disappearing into the forest before the men could react. They even took the stolen food with them.

“Y-Young Master?”

“Why… Why did you let them go?”

“They were only stealing food. They didn’t touch anything valuable, no jewelry, no crafts. They were just hungry, weren’t they?”

“W-Well…”

“The missing inventory, the small discrepancies in the ledger… It all makes sense now. They were only taking food, so the losses were concentrated in those areas. It’s all there, in the records. ”

The merchants, their faces pale, finally realized…

He knew.

“L-Let us explain! It was…!”

“Shh.”

One of the men was about to defend himself, to offer an explanation, but Carsein silenced him with a finger to his lips, his gaze cold and unwavering.

“I’m not here to punish them.”

“…What?”

“This… This is Shatrain’s responsibility. So, stay quiet.”

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