I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 124

Chapter 124: The Indigo Potion (1)

“…”

The ceiling that greeted me as I woke up was unfamiliar.

I was definitely not at the Duchy.

The pain was gone, and I could move freely.

My vision was clear, my voice was back, and the dizziness, headache, and the bone-chilling cold… all gone.

It was a relief that the symptoms had subsided, but the most comforting realization was that I wasn’t at the Duchy.

“Haa…”

This stupid setting, this ailment, made me want to curse the game developers. But what bothered me more was the flood of memories from my previous life.

That awful flu I had back then… it hadn’t gone away even after my family returned from their trip.

The symptoms were eerily similar.

The headaches, the dizziness, the muscle pain that made it impossible to speak, the nerve pain… My vision had been so blurry, I could barely see. Crawling had been the limit of my mobility.

And the chills… they had been relentless, constantly draining the warmth from my body.

It was almost identical to what I had just experienced.

I had spent days in bed, drifting between unconsciousness and restless sleep. And when I finally woke up…

-Min-hyeok, you idiot! Why didn’t you tell us you were sick?! You should have said something!

My family had returned from their trip, and my second eldest sister had unleashed her fury.

It had been a nightmare. I had been confined to my room for days, unable to work my part-time jobs. My plans had been delayed, my goals pushed further out of reach.

Even now, the memory made me shudder.

“At least… she’s not here to yell at me this time.”

It was a small consolation, but it helped to focus on the positives.

I sat up in bed and heard footsteps approaching.

‘Who is it?’

It couldn’t be Harnie.

I was in Lusmire, so it was probably Barak.

Or maybe a physician they had summoned from another territory.

Well, it didn't really matter.

But as the door swung open…

I couldn’t help but curse internally.

“Finally awake, you stubborn idiot?”

-Ding!

▶ Error detected in existing sub-episode! ◀

▶ Error Occurred! ◀

▶ Determining alternative… ◀

…

…

▶ The importance of this episode has increased. ◀

▶ Upgrading from sub-episode to main episode. ◀

▶ Episode IV clear conditions updated. ◀

▶ Calculating results… ◀

-Ding!

▶ Episode IV. Stubborn Fool activated. ◀

▶ Successfully complete the conversation with Claire. ◀

▶ Failure Condition: Affinity drops by 1%. ◀

[ Upon Success: This episode will be cleared, and the original storyline will resume. ]

[ Upon Failure: You will be forced to leave Lusmire, the trade agreement with Pollux will be cancelled, and you will be dragged back to the Duchy. ]

Damn those developers.

***

I had been relieved that my family hadn’t found out about my condition…

And now? A sudden upgrade from sub-episode to main episode?

And failure meant being dragged back to the Duchy with the trade agreement cancelled?

That was a death flag.

It meant losing everything and triggering the worst possible outcome.

It was a classic bad ending in Chapter 2.

I had to clear this episode, but…

‘How am I supposed to know what to do?!’

A headache pounded behind my eyes.

Calm down.

I needed to stay calm and gather information.

[ 1. Stubborn? I just woke up from a good night’s sleep. What are you talking about? ]☑

“Stubborn? I just woke up from a good night’s sleep. What are you talking about?”

It might annoy her, but it was the best option for gathering information.

As far as she knew, I had been sleeping peacefully in bed.

Claire’s brow twitched, her eyes narrowing.

“A good night’s sleep? Are you serious right now?!”

…What? That wasn’t the reaction I had expected.

What was wrong with getting a good night’s sleep?

No, that didn’t make sense.

Wait, could it be…?

“You’ve been asleep for three days straight! And you have the audacity to say you had a good night’s sleep? You idiot!”

“…Three days?”

“Yes, three days! Did you think it was only one day because you slept so well?”

So that was it.

She was angry because I had been asleep for three days.

But waking up after a three-day sleep and being greeted by my second eldest sister…

A bitter taste filled my mouth. This was eerily similar to my past.

I suppressed my annoyance and asked,

“So what? What do you want?”

Claire flinched, but quickly recovered.

She ran a hand through her pink hair, sat down on a chair, and glared at me.

“Did you sneak off to the West? Why are you suffering from Depeshan Syndrome? You know it doesn’t affect you here, right?”

So that was her main concern.

This confirmed that she knew about the Depeshan Syndrome. And it meant that it wasn’t the villagers who had taken care of me. It was…

‘Claire. It has to be.’

And she must have come here because of that sub-episode.

Talk about bad luck.

There were several choices that allowed me to deflect her questions, to avoid revealing the truth, but I decided honesty was the best policy.

“I went to the West. ”

“Are you crazy?! Why would you go to such a dangerous place? Don’t you remember what happened last time? You came back bruised and beaten!”

Another clue.

I had been to the West before.

I didn't want to reveal why.

But…

“Carsein, you’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”

Her sharp words, her accusing gaze…

-Ding!

…triggered a choice.

“Tell me the truth. What are you hiding?”

[ 1. I’m not hiding anything. ]

[ 2. Is that all you came here to say? I was sick, so I slept. Why are you making a big deal out of this? ]

[ 3. Are you interrogating a patient? Get out of my room. ]

…

…

This episode had never been upgraded to a main episode before, so these choices were unfamiliar.

But… I had a feeling I knew the right answer.

[ 5. Yes. I am. ]

“Yes… I am.”

“…!”

This was a test.

Just like my second sister used to do.

The realization brought a flood of words to my lips.

“I became the Lord of Lusmire on purpose. And as you know, because you witnessed it firsthand, I went to the West, to the Ipheros Marquisate. I met with the Yaricans, the people the Empire looks down on.”

“Wait, so you’re saying…”

“What? Is it wrong for me to meet with Yaricans?”

“…That’s not what I meant. It’s just…”

“Yes, it’s strange. Not only did I suddenly become the Lord of Lusmire, but I went to the West, a land infested with demonic energy, and made a deal with the Ipheros Marquisate. You’re wondering why, aren’t you?”

Claire hesitated for a moment before urging him to continue.

I didn't want to reveal why I had visited the West before.

But thankfully, there was a suitable choice.

[ 7. I’m doing all of this to prepare for the Eastern Nobles' Conference. ] ☑

“I’m doing all of this to prepare for the Eastern Nobles' Conference. ”

Silence.

And then…

“Are you insane?! Why would you even consider managing a territory again? Do you have any idea what people will say?!”

Claire jumped to her feet, her voice rising in anger.

“You’re not qualified! We saw what happened last year! You ruined Shatrain, and now you want to do it again? Don’t be ridiculous!”

She continued to rant, accusing me of wanting to become a laughingstock, a disgrace to the Duchy.

But I remained calm, my voice steady.

“You thought Lusmire was just another slum when you arrived, didn't you?”

“Why are you bringing that up?!”

I didn’t answer.

I simply stared at her, my gaze unwavering.

The anger drained from her face as she turned away, her gaze fixed on the village outside the window.

A long silence stretched between us.

She was taking it all in, analyzing the situation. She was the owner of a successful boutique, a noblewoman who had experience managing a territory.

And as she observed…

A faint glow emanated from a nearby object.

A Memorial.

I had known it would appear eventually, but I hadn’t expected it to be triggered by this.

“…Wait here for a moment.”

Claire, seemingly engrossed in her observations, stepped outside.

I could have used my knowledge of the game to choose the final option and proceed with the episode. But, more information wouldn't hurt.

“Let’s see what kind of trouble you caused this time.”

There was a reason this Memorial had appeared now. It had to be related to the current situation.

-Ding!

▶ Acquired the Indigo Potion Memorial!◀

***

-Flip. Flip.

Carsein flipped through the pages of the thick herbal encyclopedia, his hands moving rapidly despite the sweat dripping from his brow. He had a mission, a purpose that drove him.

“It was here… It has to be here…! I need it… to save Shatrain…!”

Shatrain.

The most prosperous territory in the Bagrand Duchy, the one he was currently managing for the Eastern Nobles’ Conference… It was facing a devastating crop failure.

The harvest cycles were lengthening, and the quality and quantity of the crops were declining.

Thankfully, Carsein had discovered the cause. Through meticulous research and countless hours poring over books, he had identified the problem. It was a latent disease, a hidden ailment that could be treated if addressed early.

He had issued an order, instructing the villagers to implement his solution.

But instead of improving, the situation worsened.

The crop failure intensified.

Ironically, his intervention seemed to have accelerated the decline.

And from that moment onward, the people of Shatrain stopped trusting him.

He pleaded with them, urging them not to panic, assuring them that he could fix this.

But their response was always the same.

-We’re sorry, Young Master, but we can’t follow your instructions any longer.

The name Carsein Bagrand was synonymous with failure.

They had heard the rumors, whispers passed down through generations of both nobles and commoners, and they believed their own experience.

He was the lord, the one entrusted with managing their territory, and yet… his authority, his expertise, were ignored.

But he didn’t give up.

He had to find a solution.

He delved into the world of herbal medicine, searching for answers in ancient texts.

And he found it.

The key to saving Shatrain.

‘If I can just get this… Shatrain will be saved!’

Fueled by hope, he journeyed to the West.

It was a dangerous land, infested with monsters, its soil corrupted by demonic energy. But the herb he needed, the one that could save Shatrain, grew only in those harsh conditions.

But…

“You filthy Imperial! How dare you set foot in our land!”

“Get out of here!”

This tribe, living on the fringes of the Empire, despised nobles.

They were treated like barbarians, ostracized and marginalized.

And so, Carsein, a noble, was not welcome.

“Ugh!”

“We told you to leave!”

“Damn Imperials!”

“Please… Please, I just want to trade! I’ll pay anything! Just let me have it!”

He pleaded, lowering himself, begging for their mercy.

But their anger was unwavering.

And then, a man stepped forward, his voice booming, stopping the assault.

“You said… you wanted to trade?”

“…Yes.”

Despite the beating he had endured, Carsein nodded, his eyes filled with determination.

He needed this herb.

The man, seeing the fire in his eyes, asked,

“You’re looking for Lohea seeds. Why would you trade for them? What do you need them for?”

“I’m going to plant them in a… territory’s soil.”

“In the soil? You can use them like that?”

“I read it in a book. Lohea seeds, when planted directly in the soil, release mana. I believe that property can be used as a fertilizer, to change the soil’s composition.”

They exchanged bewildered glances, unfamiliar with this method.

But the man, sensing Carsein’s desperation, his sincerity, agreed.

“Alright, we’ll trade with you.”

“R-Really?”

“But we’re changing the terms. Unlike you Imperials, we’re not interested in money.”

The man, introducing himself as Count Lilpet, promised to deliver the seeds to the Duchy. In exchange, he asked for Carsein’s help in improving their standing within the Empire, a tribe shunned and ostracized.

This was a golden opportunity for Carsein.

He could easily fulfill their request. All he had to do was demonstrate the effectiveness of the seeds, to show how they could revitalize Shatrain, a territory belonging to the Bagrand Duchy.

The deal was struck.

And Carsein returned, his heart filled with hope.

However, his appearance didn’t reflect his success. The bruises, the marks of the beating he had endured, were impossible to hide.

And those marks, as he arrived at the Duchy, proved to be his undoing.

“What the… Carsein, where have you been? Look at you!”

“C-Claire…”

“This is more than just wandering around… You got into a fight with some nobles, didn’t you? Never mind, just follow me.”

He had been caught sneaking in, and of all people, he had run into Claire.

His wounds were treated by Shaiden, but Claire’s interrogation left him with no choice but to confess.

“The West? That demon-infested land? You went there to get this herb?”

“Yes, but… as long as it’s administered correctly…”

“Haa, forget it. There’s only one explanation. You snuck into Count Lilpet’s estate, didn’t you?”

Her eyes widened, her voice rising in anger.

“You idiot! This is it! I’m reporting this to Mother.”

“C-Claire! I didn’t sneak in! I was there to negotiate a trade…!”

“Just go to bed, you moron!”

At least it wasn't a complete disaster.

She would be furious, but she wouldn’t cancel the trade.

The seeds would arrive soon, and he would show everyone their effectiveness, how they could revitalize Shatrain. He would explain that he had gone to the West to procure more seeds, a legitimate excuse for his journey.

He took the Indigo Potion, hoping it would speed up his recovery.

But the next day, a letter arrived.

His heart sank as he saw the Lilpet family crest.

He opened the letter, and a small package fell out.

Lohea seeds.

“They’re… rotten?”

Count Lilpet had warned him.

Rotten Lohea seeds meant a broken trust.

It meant their deal was off.

『 You’re no different from the rest of them. These rotten seeds are a symbol of our broken trust. – Count Lilpet 』

As he unfolded the letter, his heart sinking with each word, he realized the situation was worse than he had imagined.

Claire, leaning against the wall, snatched the letter from his hands, her eyes scanning the words.

“Ha, that petty Count Lilpet. He’s giving you a hard time, isn’t he?”

She clicked her tongue, shaking her head.

“Don’t even think about making deals with nobles anymore. I’m tired of you coming back injured. You need my permission from now on.”

“Claire, what… What did you do?”

“What do you think I did? I sent a message to those bastards who dared underestimate the Bagrands! How dare they beat you up like that?! Trying to make deals with those nobodies?!”

She had warned them.

From now on, all trade agreements would be scrutinized.

And Count Lilpet, after crossing the line, would never be able to deal with the Bagrand Duchy again.

‘W-Which means…’

Only the Lilpet family could cultivate those seeds. And if they couldn't trade with them anymore… What about Shatrain?

Despair filled young Carsein’s heart.