I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 136

Chapter 136: Spring Outing (6)

The Bagrand Duchy was abuzz with activity.

The carriages, prepared for the outing, stood waiting at the main gate. Isabella was already there, her daughters gathered around her.

Only Carsein, who was being fetched by Heron, was missing.

“Surely he’s not going to be late even today? I told him to be ready on time… Tsk.”

“Arina.”

“…Sorry, Mother.”

Arina glanced at the grandfather clock, clicking her tongue in annoyance, and Isabella gently reprimanded her.

He wasn’t late yet.

“I apologize for the delay.”

And as if summoned by their words, Carsein appeared.

Their faces lit up, their smiles returning.

‘He’s here!’

Flora, who would usually be showered with affection, the center of their attention, had been anxious, worried that Carsein wouldn’t join them.

But her worries vanished as he emerged from the hallway.

However…

As he stepped into the light, a brief silence fell over them.

They all seemed surprised.

‘Was Carsein… always like this?’

He was dressed for the occasion, his clothes elegant and well-fitting, and there was a strange, unfamiliar aura about him.

Isabella, breaking the silence, beamed at him.

“My, my, look how you’ve grown. You look very handsome, Carsein.”

She placed a hand on his shoulder, her eyes filled with pride and affection.

His scrawny frame was gone, replaced by a lean, toned physique. His face, no longer pale and gaunt, held a healthy glow. And the subtle play of muscles beneath his well-tailored clothes made him seem like a different person.

The three sisters stared at him, speechless.

“Well, since there are five of us, we’ll need two carriages. What do you think?”

Flora, snapping out of her daze at the mention of carriages, her eyes widened.

‘Two carriages… That means…’

It would be just like the Snowflake Festival.

She would have a chance to spend time alone with Carsein.

She raised her hand, jumping up and down, eager to be chosen.

“Me! Me! I want to ride with Carsein!”

“Really? Then Carsein can ride with Flora.”

As Isabella was about to agree, patting Flora’s head affectionately…

“W-Wait.”

Claire, who had been unusually quiet, spoke.

“Flora, can I… Can I ride with Carsein today?”

“Sister…?”

“Well…”

She hesitated, her cheeks flushing, before continuing.

“I… I need to talk to him about something important. Something about Lusmire.”

It was a lie, of course.

Lusmire was thriving, there was nothing to discuss.

“I’m sorry, Flora, but it’s… important. Can you let me ride with him this time?”

“…Alright.”

Flora’s shoulders slumped, her disappointment evident.

Claire patted her head gently, offering a comforting smile.

“It seems everyone wants to spend time with Carsein these days. You’ve all gotten so close.”

“Indeed, it’s quite a change.”

Isabella smiled, telling them to decide among themselves before heading towards the first carriage. Flora, her excitement fading, followed her mother.

The first carriage would carry Isabella, Arina, and Flora.

The second carriage, Carsein and Claire.

Arina had made the suggestion, and Carsein simply chuckled.

“No.”

“What?”

“Why don’t you three ride together? I don’t really want to take a carriage.”

The pleasant, carefully constructed atmosphere shattered, replaced by an icy tension.

He turned away, heading towards the stables.

“Sorry, but I want to enjoy the fresh air. I’d rather ride a horse. Besides, it’s more efficient. I ride alone, and you four can share a carriage. Problem solved.”

Arina’s brow furrowed, her eyes narrowing.

“Are you serious right now?”

“What? Is there something wrong with my suggestion? You might see it as stubbornness, but I just want to enjoy the weather, ride a horse, and solve this transportation issue. What’s the problem?”

“You…”

His defiance, his blatant disregard for her authority, made her laugh, a sharp, humorless sound.

The mood soured.

Their gazes locked, sparks flying between them.

Claire, sensing the impending explosion, intervened, stepping between them.

“S-Sister, let him go. He just wants to enjoy the fresh air, to clear his head.”

“…”

Arina glared at her, her anger simmering.

Claire, lowering her voice, tried to reason with her.

“There’s no point in arguing. Mother’s watching.”

Arina glanced at Isabella, who was observing them with a worried expression.

She sighed, taking a step back.

“…Fine, you’re right, Claire. There’s no point in fighting, not today.”

But she wasn’t done.

“I’m only letting this go because I don’t want to upset Mother. But she was looking forward to this outing. If you ruin it, Carsein, I won’t be so forgiving.”

She delivered her warning, her voice sharp and cold, before turning away, her steps carrying her towards Isabella.

“…”

Claire let out a sigh of relief, but a question lingered in her mind.

Why?

Why was Arina so harsh, so unforgiving?

And as she pondered the question…

-Neigh!

Carsein, already mounted, was riding away.

“Seriously! Why is he in such a hurry?!”

Claire kicked at the ground, venting her frustration.

Why was he always so impatient?

Why was he acting like he had a fire under his feet?

But her anger faded quickly.

Her steps slowed.

“…I wanted to apologize.”

She would have another chance, during the outing.

Next time, she would tell him.

With a sigh, she walked towards the carriage.

***

The Duchy carriage arrived at its destination, the warm spring sun bathing the landscape in a golden glow.

“Wow! It’s so beautiful!”

Flora gasped, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of the cherry blossoms.

They were in full bloom, their delicate petals dancing in the gentle breeze, creating a breathtaking spectacle.

Claire cleared her throat.

“Apparently, they weren’t fully bloomed two days ago. There were only a few trees here and there, and most of them were still buds.”

“Really? Then we came at the perfect time?”

“That’s right, Flora. There were huge crowds, and people were struggling to leave.”

The crowds had been so dense that certain areas were completely congested, and some inns were already fully booked.

“Carsein was right, we should have waited.”

Isabella, a single cherry blossom petal resting on her outstretched palm, smiled at him.

Arina, still annoyed, didn’t participate in their conversation.

But that wasn't important right now.

▶ Episode IV: Spring Outing is in progress. ◀

▶ You have arrived at the outing location. ◀

▶ Choices will appear based on your actions, and your completion rate will be affected! ◀

The Spring Outing Episode had begun, and I was about to be bombarded with choices.

▶ This area is a Danger Zone!◀

[ Remaining in this area for prolonged periods of time may trigger choices. ]

And those choices would be triggered in a Danger Zone.

It seemed like a simple outing location, but it was also a gathering place for other nobles.

Crowds.

Nobles.

It was a recipe for disaster, a perfect breeding ground for potential conflicts and chaos.

‘But, that’s not the real problem.’

▶ Existing affinity levels do not apply in this episode. ◀

▶ Choices will be influenced by affinity levels accumulated within the episode. ◀

This episode was designed to challenge the player, to force them into difficult situations.

And usually, I could manipulate those situations, using high affinity levels to neutralize or weaken the impact of those choices.

But this time, that option was gone.

My existing affinity levels were locked.

And the Danger Zone, with its unpredictable nature, meant that choices could be triggered at any moment.

My actions, my responses, would determine not only the outcome of the episode, but also my new affinity levels.

It was a high-stakes game, a dangerous gamble where staying close to the Duchy members, obeying their every command, was the safest path to victory.

‘But I’m not going to do that.’

Not after witnessing that Memorial.

Not after reliving those painful memories.

I wasn't going to cling to those family members, to act like a helpless victim.

Not a chance.

The locked affinity levels didn't mean this episode was impossible to clear.

And the Danger Zone, while unpredictable, didn't mean I had to respond to every single choice.

I could remain passive, I could observe, and I could still clear this episode without relying on them.

I waited for my opportunity.

“I apologize, children, but could you wait here for a moment?”

“Did something happen, Mother?”

“It seems… His Highness, the Second Prince, has decided to grace us with his presence.”

-Ding!

▶ Isabella wants to meet with the Second Prince. How will you respond?

[ 1. Accompany Isabella to meet the Second Prince. ]

[ 2. Tell her you want to explore the area first. ]

[ 3. Tell her you’ll wait for her. ]

[ 4. Convince a family member, excluding Isabella, to go to the market with you. ]

The choice appeared, and I immediately chose option 2.

[ 2. Tell her you want to explore the area first. ]☑

“I think I’ll explore the area first.”

“Carsein, we can all go together. Why are you leaving?” Arina asked, her voice laced with annoyance.

“Arina, only four people, including herself, are allowed to have this audience,” I corrected her.

“…What?”

“Isn’t that right?”

I turned to Isabella, challenging her to deny it.

She was surprised, but she didn’t contradict me.

“You’re right. How… how did you know that?”

Because I had played this game countless times and I knew every detail of the script, but…

It was time for a plausible lie.

“Princess Arsienne informed me before she left.”

It might seem strange, but it wasn’t entirely unbelievable.

And as expected, my affinity levels remained unchanged.

“I’m not sure how long this will take… Will you be alright?”

“Yes, I’ll just take a walk. Go ahead.”

Clinging to them would only increase the risk of lowering their affinity, and besides, this was the perfect opportunity.

“Alright, but don’t wander too far. I’ll be back soon.”

As Isabella and the three sisters headed towards the Second Prince’s entourage, a status window popped up.

-Ding!

▶ Episode IV: Spring Outing is in progress. ◀

▶ Route confirmed. ◀

▶ You must purchase an item from a nearby vendor and return to your family. ◀

▶ Failure to acquire an item will trigger a death flag. ◀

“What?”

Seriously? Even for a game filled with unpredictable twists and turns, this was absurd.

“This… This is just like that Memorial!”

The situation was eerily similar.

The Bagrand family, occupied with an audience with the Second Prince.

Carsein, left alone, isolated.

And a location swarming with nobles, a perfect opportunity for them to target him.

It was almost as if the Memorial was repeating itself.

“So, if that’s the case…”

I would encounter those nobles, that was inevitable.

I could easily overpower them now, but, it wouldn’t be difficult to stage a defeat.

If things played out that way…

“I can clear this episode. The portrait session would be cancelled, after all.”

It would be an ending that satisfied the Bagrand family.

But I needed a backup plan. I had to prepare for the other choices, the ones I couldn’t control.

I followed the path from the Memorial, retracing Carsein’s steps.

▶ Entering shop! ◀

I arrived at a familiar location.

The makeshift market from the Memorial.

‘I hope I can find something useful.’

I browsed the stalls, reading the item descriptions, and then, pointing at a particular object, I asked,

“How much is this hairpin?”

[ Turmus Flower Hairpin ]

[ A hairpin crafted from a real Turmus flower. Fragile and easily broken, its sharp fragments can be dangerous. ]

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