I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 125

Chapter 125: The Indigo Potion (2)

▶Memorial has ended.◀

“…”

The remaining scenes of the Memorial showed Carsein desperately attempting to salvage the situation using the meager potency of the rotten seeds.

He had clung to this last shred of hope, realizing that even rotten Lohea seeds retained a small amount of their original power. It was significantly weaker, but it still existed.

And he hadn’t given up.

Lohea seeds were typically scattered across vast fields to maximize their effectiveness. Carsein theorized that the weak potency of the rotten seeds would be sufficient if concentrated on a smaller scale, such as a single plant or a flowerpot.

It was a brilliant idea.

If he could demonstrate the effectiveness of the rotten seeds on a smaller scale, he could clear his name and repair his relationship with Count Lilpet.

But I already knew the fate of that flowerpot.

The Flowerpot Memorial. The one that had been shattered by Arina in the main hall. It hadn’t been restored, even after I had found it.

It hadn’t been enough. A single rotten seed couldn't overcome the damage.

“Damn it.”

Claire would have called me crazy, but all I could do was laugh bitterly and curse.

Carsein had been faced with an impossible task, and yet he had found a solution.

A brilliant solution that would have restored the trust of the Shatrain villagers and, through successful negotiations, cleared Count Lilpet’s name, turning him into a valuable ally.

But Claire had destroyed it.

That was the message of this Memorial.

Another unpleasant memory surfaced.

The memory of losing my part-time job after my second sister discovered the injury I had sustained at work.

It had been a minor injury, a scratch, but she had lectured me about getting into fights and then told the entire family. She had even started following me home from school.

-Look, no one bothers you when I’m around. See? If anyone tries to bully you, just tell me. You stubborn idiot.

But did she know…?

Bullies were even more relentless when they were hidden from view.

They found ways to torment their victims without leaving physical marks.

My school life hadn’t changed.

The worst part was, I had lost my part-time job.

Even when I tried to use studying as an excuse, she wouldn't leave me alone.

She didn’t understand.

That part-time job had allowed me to finally afford decent meals.

It had allowed me to buy school supplies, preventing me from being scolded for not having them.

It had allowed me to stop using broken, hand-me-down stationery.

And she had taken that away from me.

I hadn’t been able to find another job for weeks.

She had monitored my every move, making it impossible for me to even apply.

My youngest sister might have been the one who constantly tormented me, but ironically, it was my second eldest sister who had delayed my escape.

Carsein’s plan had been ruined as well, hadn’t it?

He knew it was pointless to rely on his family, so he had devised a plan, a solution.

And Claire, with her good intentions, had destroyed it, just like those rotten seeds.

The chills, which had subsided, returned with a vengeance.

My anger, which had been burning, cooled, replaced by a icy calm.

This wasn’t the time to be emotional.

I turned my attention to the episode, analyzing the situation.

“Fine, I’ll go back and give them what they want.”

Change of plans.

My journey to [redacted] was cancelled.

***

Three days had passed since she arrived in Lusmire.

Claire, after discovering Carsein collapsed on the floor, had lit a fire in the fireplace and immediately sent a message to the Duchy.

She had summoned Shaiden, the Duchy physician, asking him to check on Carsein.

Shaiden’s arrival had ensured that everything was taken care of.

However, the biggest problem remained – Carsein’s Depeshan Syndrome.

She knew it was an ailment exclusive to the Western region, but for Carsein to suffer from it, he would have had to visit the West.

And the timing…

The date the trade agreement document arrived, and the day Carsein’s secondary Depeshan Syndrome manifested…

They were too close.

She had learned about Carsein’s journey to the West during his brief moment of consciousness, and a sense of unease had settled in her stomach.

She had explored Lusmire, observing everything, just as he had described.

Lusmire had been a territory shunned by the nobility, a place they deemed a financial burden.

She had expected it to be another slum, but…

Her expectations had been shattered.

It was a rural village, yes, but it was a far cry from the poverty and despair she had envisioned.

The villagers had access to food, their faces were filled with smiles, and laughter echoed through the streets.

And it wasn’t just because of Carsein’s financial support.

The abundance of food alone was beyond anything he could have provided.

And their clothes, while simple, weren’t ragged or worn. The streets were clean, the houses well-maintained.

Even when faced with challenges, they reacted with a sense of order and efficiency. And they were actively trading with passing merchants, their newfound prosperity evident.

There was no way Carsein’s money alone could have accomplished this.

There was only one explanation.

‘The tunnel… that massive tunnel.’

Every merchant, every traveler, who passed through that tunnel paid a toll.

And it wasn’t just merchants. Nobles were visiting as well, drawn by the unique sculptures that adorned the tunnel walls.

The toll revenue was substantial.

It was enough to provide for both Carsein and the villagers.

And then there was the tourism revenue.

The sculptures, illuminated by the magic stone lamps, their appearance shifting with the light and angle, were a spectacle, a visual feast that attracted nobles from far and wide.

And he had secured a trade agreement with the Ipheros Marquisate.

She had heard rumors that they were facing a shortage of building materials, but those rumors had subsided recently. It made sense if they were purchasing the rocks excavated from the tunnel. That would have been a significant source of income.

She saw it all, the evidence of Lusmire’s transformation.

And she knew…

This dramatic change was because of him.

Her little brother, Carsein.

“…”

Claire, her lips pressed into a thin line, turned and headed back towards his house.

‘Fine, I have to admit it. He’s… competent now. He’s learned, he’s grown, and he’s capable of managing a territory.’

But if she brought him back to the Duchy, Arina would be furious.

She didn't know about the tea party, about the incident that had triggered this whole chain of events.

All she knew was that a trade agreement document had arrived, out of the blue.

He had stayed away for far too long, sulking about something insignificant.

He had entered into a trade agreement with a noble without permission.

He had acted recklessly, disregarding their authority.

There were countless reasons for her to be angry.

Carsein wouldn't escape her wrath.

“Well, I’ll have to come up with a good excuse.”

He was supposed to be confined to the Duchy, under strict supervision.

She had hoped to convince him to return, to smooth things over, but seeing Lusmire’s prosperity…

She couldn’t simply order him to leave.

She had to protect him, to shield him from Arina’s anger.

With a newfound determination, Claire entered the house.

Carsein was already dressed, waiting for her.

She grabbed his arm, her voice sharp.

“Carsein, Shaiden said you need to rest! Where are you going in that condition?”

“You’re here to take me back to the Duchy, aren’t you? To lecture me about staying out so long.”

“Hey, forget about that. I didn’t tell Arina about you leaving because I wanted you to do whatever you wanted. I’ll handle it, I’ll come up with a good excuse.”

She would bring up the trade agreement, of course, but she would focus on Lusmire’s success, his accomplishments.

The fact that he hadn't obtained permission was a minor detail, easily overshadowed by the positive results.

She had urged him to rest, to recover.

But Carsein continued to fold his blankets, his movements precise and methodical.

“I don’t need to rest.”

“Hey!”

His stubbornness frustrated her.

“Don’t be an idiot! Just stay here and let me handle it! Come back later, when things have calmed down! Why are you so inflexible?!”

She huffed, her pink bangs fluttering as she exhaled.

She was stressed.

“Do you have any idea what will happen if Arina finds out? The ban on leaving the Duchy might have been lifted, but you’re still not allowed to make deals with nobles! You’ll be in so much trouble! And yet you’re deliberately walking into a disaster?!”

This was foolish.

He could have simply avoided the blame, let someone else take the fall.

Everyone else did it.

She had relied on their mother and Arina to protect her when she made mistakes.

And she had intervened countless times to shield Flora from their wrath.

But Carsein was different.

“I don’t need your help.”

He didn’t need her help?

His words frustrated her.

It had been the same with their mother.

When he bought Lusmire, he could have simply explained his reasoning, but he had chosen to accept the blame without a fight.

And now, he was willingly walking into another disaster?

Her frustration boiled over.

“Damn it, fine! Go back and get yelled at! Suffer the consequences! See what happens when you do whatever you want, you stubborn idiot!”

She lashed out, her words laced with anger and frustration.

But…

Carsein, unfazed by her outburst, walked out of the room, his resolve unwavering.

He was going back to the Duchy.

“Ugh, seriously!”

Claire, left alone, stomped her foot in frustration.

“Damn it, he’ll be fine with Mother, but Arina…!”

Her sister wouldn’t be so forgiving.

And Carsein, always so stubborn, wouldn’t even try to defend himself. He wouldn't mention Lusmire, he would simply focus on the trade agreement with the West.

He could have asked for help. She would have gladly intervened.

Why was he so determined to be punished? Why wouldn't he acknowledge his accomplishments and instead focus on his supposed failures?

“I don’t understand—”

As she ranted, a memory surfaced.

Carsein, returning from his secret journey to the West, his body covered in wounds.

He had snuck back into the Duchy, hoping to avoid detection.

And she had found him.

Claire turned towards the table, her gaze settling on a small glass bottle.

The Indigo Potion.

The potion Carsein had taken after his secret journey to the West, the same potion she had used to treat him after his recent collapse.

It was the same.

Then, and now.

A strange sense of déjà vu washed over her.

“…Don’t tell me… because of me?”

He had attempted to make a deal without permission, and she had caught him, exposing his actions and making things worse.

Was he trying to avoid a repeat of that incident?

Was he being so stubborn, so reckless, to protect their agreement, no matter the cost?

The thought was absurd, yet…

She couldn’t deny it.

There was no other explanation for his behavior.

“Did he… Did he do all this… because of me?”

She bit her lip, her heart sinking.

If it was true, it was her fault.

If he was being punished for his accomplishments, if he was refusing to defend himself because of her…

He would never be acknowledged, never truly appreciated.

And it was true.

Even with Flora’s interference, it had always been like this.

He was always punished, always labeled a troublemaker.

Even the nobles outside the Duchy saw him that way.

And it had always been Claire Bagrand who reprimanded him, who scolded him for his supposed failures.

She laughed bitterly, shaking her head.

“No, that’s impossible. It can’t be that… coincidental.”

But a voice whispered in her mind.

Was she truly convinced?

“Carsein!”

She rushed out of the house, calling his name, but it was too late.

He had already left, riding a single horse.

“Driver!”

“Yes, Lady Claire!”

“Take me back to the Duchy. Hurry.”

Claire, her heart pounding, urged the driver to speed up as she followed after Carsein.

‘This can’t be happening… It can’t be…’

She couldn’t shake the feeling of dread.

-Ding!

▶ Episode IV. Stubborn Fool cleared. ◀

▶ Successfully persuaded Claire! Affinity maintained! ◀

[ Current Affinity: 61% ]

▶ Achieved an unexpected outcome! ◀

■ Reward

▶ This reward will remain hidden from the player.

[ Carsein will receive a significant reduction in penalties in the next branch due to the support of a specific individual! ]

[ A helper will appear in the next episode! ]

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