I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 146

Chapter 146: A Significant Intersection (2)

“Did you enjoy yourself? Surrounded by those ladies?”

Her words left me speechless.

Enjoy myself?

How could I possibly enjoy that?

I had deliberately chosen this time and location, to avoid attracting attention.

I had meticulously studied the map, memorized the layout of the building, identifying the safe paths and avoiding the Danger Zones.

I hadn’t done anything to draw attention to myself.

And yet, those women had swarmed me, their presence suffocating, their questions relentless. It was overwhelming.

I couldn’t voice my true feelings, my frustration as a player trapped in this absurd situation, but even from Carsein’s perspective…

It was annoying.

They had chased after me relentlessly.

I wanted to protest, to defend myself, but…

‘…If I say anything, she’ll probably hit me.’

Experience, it seemed, had taught me a valuable lesson. A cold sweat trickled down my back as my instincts screamed danger.

I had to tread carefully, to diffuse the situation.

“I was… just passing through…”

“Hmm, is that so?”

Oh no. This was bad.

She was even angrier than before.

Was my explanation not good enough?

“I… I didn’t ask them to… to follow me…”

“I know. So?”

“…They just… appeared. I’m not lying.”

Her voice, sharper than before, made me flinch.

“And yet you allowed them to surround you, to hold you captive?”

“If I had caused a scene, the news would have reached the Duchy.”

“So you let them touch you, one after another?”

She leaned closer, her face inches from mine, and I instinctively took a step back.

“You should have refused! Why didn’t you say anything? Why did you just stand there?”

“I didn't want to… to cause a scene… Ugh!”

She stepped closer, closing the distance, and I stumbled back, my heart pounding.

“You could have said no! You could have politely refused! Why didn’t you?!”

“B-But… it’s not that easy…!”

She took another step towards me, and I swallowed nervously, retreating further.

“You could have excused yourself, said you had an appointment. You could have said you were tired and needed to rest! You could have said you were looking for your family, or that you had to leave for another engagement. You could have even said you were hungry, or that you were busy preparing for something! And if all else failed… you could have said you weren't feeling well! There are so many options!”

With each suggestion, each alternative she offered, she advanced, her steps relentless, her gaze unwavering.

I stumbled back, cornered, until my back hit the wall.

“You didn’t say a single word! I didn’t ask you to resort to violence! You could have just… talked! Do you have any idea how many things you could have said?”

I was trapped, nowhere to go.

“And there was one more option, the best option! Why didn’t you use it?”

“…The best option?”

Was there another option? I had tried everything.

I tilted my head, confused, and she closed the distance between us, her face inches from mine.

“Was it really that difficult to say you have a fiancée? You could have told them you were meeting someone, that you weren't interested. You could have drawn a line! Why didn’t you?!”

I scratched the back of my head, trying to find the words.

“Well…”

“Well, what?!”

Her voice, sharper than before, made me flinch, but I had to say it.

“You’re… a bit too close.”

“…What?”

She looked at me, bewildered, her anger momentarily forgotten.

-Tap. Tap.

I pointed a finger at the space between us, my voice barely a whisper.

“You said… you didn’t like physical contact. If you keep coming closer… we’ll… touch.”

“….”

She finally stepped back, breaking the tension.

She turned away, her cheeks flushing, and muttered,

“I-I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s alright. I didn’t ask those ladies to follow me either.”

I cleared my throat, my voice regaining its usual composure.

“But… why didn’t you say anything?”

“I was a bit flustered. And I was trying to figure out how to to get rid of them.”

“Get rid of them?”

“Yes. If I made a wrong move, the news would reach my family, and things would get complicated.”

“Ah…”

She sighed, understanding dawning in her eyes. But it wasn't enough. Her gaze sharpened once again, her frustration returning.

“But… you could have just said you have a fiancée! They wouldn’t have dared to bother you after that.”

“Well… I did consider that, but…”

“Is there a reason why you couldn’t?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Give me one good reason!”

Harnie glared at me, her expression incredulous.

“It’s just a contract, isn’t it? Our engagement.”

“That’s true, but… I thought you might be… uncomfortable.”

“…What?”

“We’re engaged, yes, but it’s just a contract. And I remembered what you said, about those men who harassed you, who took advantage of you. I didn’t want to add to your burden.”

She had told me, when we had negotiated the contract, that men had used her supposed engagement to their advantage.

Some had even tried to manipulate her, to create opportunities to be alone with her.

I had never experienced such things, so I couldn’t truly understand, but she… she had endured it countless times.

It made sense for her to be wary, to be protective of herself.

That’s why she had proposed this contract, this pretense of an engagement.

To escape a forced marriage, to shield herself from unwanted attention. She had even insisted on using the Oath Orb, on creating a convincing performance.

She was protecting herself.

And I didn’t want to use her vulnerabilities against her, to exploit her situation for my own gain.

“Well, maybe I was overthinking things… but, you’ll need to find a good man someday and get married, right?”

“…”

“Just tell me when you do, and I’ll use that excuse. I’ll play along…”

Harnie stared at me, her mouth slightly agape, before quickly turning away, her cheeks flushing.

“Y-You don’t need my permission! We agreed to cooperate, didn’t we…? And… and you can tell them… you have a fiancée! Without asking me!”

“U-Um… Yes.”

Her response, her flustered demeanor, made me uncomfortable.

An awkward silence stretched between us, and then…

It was my turn to ask a question.

“Harnie, you asked me to set a date for our meeting, but why didn’t you respond to my message?”

“Ah… about that…”

She sighed, her shoulders slumping.

“You… You have to dance with me.”

…What?

Wait a minute, fiancée?

What are you talking about?

***

“Haa…”

Carsein buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking with a sigh so deep, it seemed to reverberate through the very table.

He looked up, a pained expression on his face, and repeated her words, as if trying to make sense of them.

“So, let me get this straight. Before we signed our contract, you were cornered by a group of ladies at a social gathering. They were trying to expose your… side business, and to protect yourself, you claimed to have a fiancé. And now, they’re expecting you to dance with him at this party. And you couldn’t respond to my message because… the Marquisate was watching you?”

“…”

Harnie, unable to deny the accuracy of his summary, simply nodded.

There was nothing she could say.

This was her fault.

“…Just curious, when does the ball start?”

“I-In about an hour… ”

“So you’re telling me we have to learn a complicated dance, a dance those ladies will approve of, in less than an hour? And you expect me to dance? With you?”

He stared at her, his disbelief evident.

A cold sweat trickled down Harnie’s neck.

“…Is there no other way?”

“N-No…”

“Think carefully. There has to be another option.”

“Even if I do…”

She had already committed to the lie.

There was no escaping the dance.

Carsein let out another deep sigh.

“I can’t dance. I’ve never danced before.”

“W-We can practice! We can learn it!”

“How can we learn something we’ve never done before? In less than an hour?”

“Maybe… Maybe you have a hidden talent for dancing!”

“Haa, right. And you’ve only practiced with a mannequin.”

“Come on, just get up! I know the steps, so we can at least try!”

Carsein reluctantly stood up, and Harnie studied him, her gaze lingering on his physique.

‘Wait… He’s gotten taller…’

She had to look up at him now.

She stepped back, adjusting the distance between them, and realized it wasn’t her imagination.

He had definitely grown.

He had been slightly taller than her before, but now…

And his shoulders were broader. She felt small beside him, as if he could engulf her with a single embrace. The firmness of his chest, the subtle play of muscles beneath his clothes…

He was no longer the skinny boy she had met.

And…

“What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with me?”

…something else had changed.

Something those ladies would undoubtedly appreciate.

“Harnie?”

“Y-Yes?”

“Isn't this urgent? We should start practicing.”

“R-Right! Yes… So, place your hand here, and the other arm…”

She began instructing him, demonstrating the steps, but her focus wavered, her thoughts drifting.

She was distracted.

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