I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 145

Chapter 145: A Significant Intersection (1)

Harnie sighed as she walked towards the carriage, her heart heavy.

Today was the last day of the symposium break, and a grand party was being held, the final celebration before the official start of the Eastern Nobles' Conference.

It was a party in name only. It was a crucial event, a chance for the participating nobles to network, to gather information, and to assess their rivals. She couldn't afford to miss it.

But she dreaded it.

-Who is she planning to seduce this time?

-That poor young lady, betrayed by her best friend, their friendship shattered by a gold-digging viper.

-She’s a master manipulator, a temptress who preys on vulnerable men.

Lady Helly’s accusations had turned her into a social pariah, a target for gossip and scorn.

No matter what she did, she was always the villain.

Any interaction with a man was instantly twisted into a scandal, a malicious rumor designed to tarnish her reputation. And any attempt to defend herself was met with deaf ears and judgmental stares.

The men, eager to exploit the situation, pursued her relentlessly, their words a blend of sweet promises and thinly veiled threats. And when she rejected their advances, the vicious cycle continued, fueling the rumors and whispers.

It would be the same here.

The ladies of high society, all participants of the Conference, would be present, and the atmosphere would be toxic.

But that wasn’t her biggest concern.

“Ugh…! Why did I have to say that?!”

She remembered a similar gathering, a social event where she had been cornered by a group of ladies.

They had been trying to expose her, to uncover her secrets, to catch her in a compromising situation. And she had been on the verge of being discovered, her secret trading company, the one she had built to escape the Theresia Marquisate, almost exposed.

There had been only one way to divert their attention, to silence their accusations.

Claiming to have a fiancé.

To avoid suspicion from the Marquisate, she had to invent a lover, a man she was supposedly committed to.

But she hadn’t thought it through.

-If you’re truly engaged, you wouldn’t hesitate to dance with him, would you?

-A dance is the perfect way to display affection, to show the world how close you are. If you’re truly in love… you wouldn’t refuse, would you?

-You can prove it to us at the Eastern Nobles’ Conference, Lady Harnie.

Her attempts to convince them, to emphasize the depth of her supposed relationship, had backfired.

They had demanded proof, a public display of affection.

And she had been trapped.

“Haa… I can dance, but… he doesn’t even know the steps.”

Carsein was unfamiliar with noble customs. She had corrected his etiquette countless times, replacing his outdated etiquette books with more accurate ones.

He wouldn’t be able to handle a formal dance.

And she was running out of time.

She had tried to contact him, to warn him about the situation, but…

The Marquisate, suspicious of her actions, had placed her under surveillance, making it impossible to send a message.

If she didn’t do something, her lie would be exposed.

She glanced at her watch, her heart sinking.

“How much time…?”

She had a few hours at most, not nearly enough.

The journey to the party would take time, leaving her with only a few minutes to prepare.

Harnie, ignoring the sudden surge of pain, clutched her skirt and hurried towards the carriage.

“Ugh!”

She closed her eyes, gritting her teeth as she fought back the pain.

They had done this to her, deliberately sabotaged her, to prevent her from attending the party.

“No, I can’t stop now.”

She couldn’t let them win.

This was her second chance, and she wouldn't let it slip away.

She boarded the carriage, her heart pounding, her mind racing.

As the carriage rattled down the cobblestone streets, she desperately searched for a solution, for a way to escape this predicament.

But there was nothing.

The moment she refused to dance, the moment her lie was exposed, she would be ostracized, abandoned by both the Marquisate and the society she so desperately wanted to escape.

Another wave of pain washed over her, and she gritted her teeth, forcing herself to endure it.

The carriage arrived at its destination, and Harnie stepped out, her eyes adjusting to the bright lights of the ballroom.

‘…He’s not here, is he?’

It was unlikely.

The Bagrand Duchy wasn't known for their enthusiasm for social gatherings.

They usually made a brief appearance, a formality, before retreating to their own private quarters.

She had hoped Carsein would arrive early, but…

‘I’ll have to wait for my chance. Hopefully, at least one of them arrives early…’

As she scanned the ballroom, her heart pounding with anxiety, a commotion erupted nearby, a chorus of gasps and squeals followed by a wave of laughter.

‘…Don’t tell me…’

Harnie’s eyes widened, her heart racing, and she rushed towards the source of the commotion, hoping it was the Bagrand Duchy’s arrival.

It was a plausible scenario.

The Bagrands, the most powerful noble family in the Empire, were a target for envy and jealousy, but they were also admired, respected, even revered.

But…

It wasn't them.

“Oh my…”

“Who is that?”

“He’s so handsome…”

The source of the commotion, the center of attention, was a group of young ladies, their faces flushed, their eyes sparkling with excitement.

And…

‘…Carsein?’

He was surrounded, his every move scrutinized, his presence eliciting gasps of admiration and squeals of delight.

***

What was going on?

How had this happened?

I had chosen the safest time, the most discreet route.

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

I had hoped to avoid any unnecessary interactions, to minimize the chances of triggering a choice.

And so, I had chosen this route, a path rarely used by nobles, a route frequented by servants and commoners.

It was a Green Zone, the safest area in the entire building.

And the Perfect Clear reward should have eliminated any unforeseen complications.

‘So why… Why are they all over me?’

I didn't understand.

This was frustrating, and potentially dangerous.

If someone recognized me, if my identity was revealed…

It could trigger a choice, a chain of events that could disrupt my plans, forcing me to participate in a sub-episode and potentially incur penalties for the main episode.

And if the Bagrands saw me like this…?

It would be a disaster.

Damn it, I needed to escape, to get away from these women…

But how?

I couldn’t use force. That would only trigger a new sub-episode, the “Carsein Causes Trouble in the Ballroom” scenario.

The Perfect Clear reward had revealed several such possibilities.

I couldn’t threaten them, I couldn’t draw my sword, and I couldn’t even accidentally touch them, for fear of being accused of inappropriate behavior.

There was nothing I could do.

“Perhaps we could move to a more private location, Young Master? We could have a conversation, enjoy some refreshments…”

“We have delicious treats and beverages prepared.”

“Tell us about yourself, we’re so curious!”

Damn it, tell you about myself?

The moment they learned my name, the moment they realized I was Carsein Bagrand, they would scatter.

I had to leave. Now.

Staying here would only invite trouble.

I had to accept the penalty, to endure their scorn, to escape this situation.

I would curse them, insult them, anything to get them to leave me alone.

“Get out of my way, you—”

And then, someone shoved their way through the crowd, grasping my hand.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Who is that?! How dare she interrupt our conversation?!”

“How rude!”

The ladies’ outraged cries were cut short.

“I believe those words are meant for you.”

I didn’t recognize any of them.

I could only gauge their level of dislike by the color of their affinity boxes.

But there was one person here, one person I knew.

“What do you think you’re doing to my fiancé?”

Harnie Theresia.

Officially, my fiancée.

Unofficially, my ally in this twisted game, the one person who could save me from this predicament.

***

The ladies' reactions to Harnie’s arrival were mixed.

Some frowned, their eyes narrowed in disapproval. Others, realizing who I was, gasped in surprise. And a few even glared at Harnie, their expressions filled with hostility.

But…

“Let’s go, Carsein.”

She had rescued me.

…But was it just my imagination?

Usually, I was the one escorting her, my hand gently guiding her through the crowds, but today, it was the other way around.

It wasn’t exactly an escort, it was more like…

She was dragging me away.

“Harnie, you can let go now.”

“…”

She stopped, glancing at me, her gaze sharp, her tone cold.

“Just follow me.”

And then, she resumed walking, pulling me along.

This wasn't like her. Something was wrong.

“…Harnie? Is something wrong?”

“Don’t say anything. Just follow me.”

“But, you have to at least tell me where we’re going…”

“I said, don’t say anything.”

She didn’t even turn around, her steps carrying her away from the crowded ballroom.

‘…If we wander around, we might end up in a Danger Zone…’

But my worries were unfounded.

She led me to a secluded terrace, hidden from the prying eyes of the other nobles.

It was a Green Zone, a safe haven.

There were few people here, and as long as we didn't cause a scene, it would be the perfect place to kill some time, just like at Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony.

-Click.

I let out a sigh of relief as the door closed behind us, but then…

Harnie turned towards me, her gaze intense, her expression unreadable.

“What’s wrong?”

Had I done something?

Her eyes seemed to pierce through me, sending a shiver down my spine.

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

She glared at me, her voice laced with a strange mix of anger and… jealousy?

Wait, why was she acting like this?

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