I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 120

Chapter 120: The House of Ipheros (13)

Clang!

Their swords clashed with a heavy, resounding impact.

Countless times, no, dozens of times, their blades had met.

Pollux had known Carsein wouldn't hold back, but now he, too, was fighting with everything he had.

Fiercer. Rougher.

Deeper.

Because he was reading Carsein's sword, a sword that revealed a broken, twisted inner world.

The difference in their physique was obvious.

Height, weight, muscle mass, reach… Carsein was at a clear disadvantage.

And yet, his movements were clean and precise.

His balance was impeccable, his reflexes sharp, reacting not only to standard attacks but also to feints and unexpected maneuvers.

The gap in their experience was even greater.

How could a boy who had trained for a mere few months possibly match the skill of a seasoned warrior who had faced countless monsters in real battles?

Furthermore, he had only recently picked up a sword.

The blisters and calluses on Carsein's hands were evidence of his limited experience, marks from his forced abandonment of swordsmanship in the past and his recent attempts to regain his strength.

No matter how talented he was, he couldn't overcome years of experience.

But his movements, while precise, were often unpredictable.

He used the flat of his blade to deflect attacks, creating openings. He utilized feints, drawing his opponent in before countering with swift, powerful strikes. His fluid movements, his unorthodox style, were different from anything Pollux had encountered before.

Yes, Carsein was skilled. Exceptionally skilled.

He wasn't just a swordsman who wielded his blade for show. He possessed tenacity, a strong will, and an unwavering mind.

He was a boy with incredible potential, a promising future.

But…

The glimpse into his soul, revealed through their swordplay, was suffocating.

What was that chilling aura emanating from him?

What had forged those controlled, measured movements?

That precise swordsmanship, those calculated angles, that unchanging expression…

It was unsettling.

He wasn't expected to wield his sword with fiery passion, with reckless abandon.

It was alright to break the rules, to show ambition.

It was normal to react emotionally, to lose his composure.

But Carsein possessed none of those qualities.

His swordsmanship was unlike anything he had ever encountered.

Cold, precise, and detached.

A sword forged in logic, devoid of emotion or desire.

And…

It was riddled with scars.

Marks of countless wounds, deeply etched into its surface.

That wounded sword was a reflection of Carsein’s soul.

‘Damn it… How can someone so young…?’

How could someone so young be so broken?

So utterly devoid of emotion?

He had to understand.

He had to know what had shattered this boy's spirit.

He pressed forward, delving deeper into Carsein’s swordsmanship.

And he was met with a wave of loneliness.

An overwhelming sense of isolation, of a soul that had endured countless hardships, alone and abandoned.

It rained indifference.

A cold, icy rain that washed away all hope and expectation.

The wind howled with pain.

A pain so deep, so constant, that it had numbed all emotion, leaving behind only cold, hard logic.

Had he endured this loneliness, this pain, without ever seeking comfort, without ever fighting back? Had he retreated into himself, shielding his heart from the world, sacrificing his emotions for the sake of survival?

Was this calculated precision, this detachment, all that remained?

What kind of life was that?

That wasn't living.

It was existing.

-Clang!

Unable to bear it any longer, Pollux channeled his mana into his bare hand and grabbed Carsein’s blade, stopping the duel.

“…That’s enough.”

The intense exchange ended abruptly, silenced by his single action.

***

Harnie’s anxiety grew with each passing moment.

She wasn't a warrior, but even she could sense the shift in the atmosphere.

No, it wasn’t just a shift, it was a transformation.

-Clang! Clang!

‘I thought this was just a formality…?’

The sounds were different, sharper, more intense.

The power behind Pollux's strikes had increased significantly.

-It would be best if you didn’t interfere in this duel, Head of the Plesia Trading Company.

-What?

-I need to see what lies behind his swordsmanship. So please, don’t interrupt us.

Pollux had warned her, but…

This was too intense, too dangerous.

She watched, her heart pounding, as they continued to exchange blows.

She had to stop them.

And then…

-Clang!

Pollux, channeling mana into his hand, blocked Carsein’s attack.

“…That’s enough.”

Harnie, ready to intervene, rushed towards them.

“Carsein, I’d like to postpone signing the contract. Is that alright with you?”

“It doesn’t matter to me, as long as we finalize it today.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

The duel ended abruptly, leaving Harnie bewildered.

Pollux turned towards her, his expression serious.

“I need to speak with you, Head of the Plesia Trading Company.”

“W-With me? Not Carsein?”

“Yes. You’re the one I need to talk to.”

His insistence on speaking with her, rather than Carsein, was strange, but she nodded, sensing the importance of this conversation.

They moved away from the training ground, finding a secluded spot.

The absence of Carsein, despite the serious nature of their conversation, confirmed her suspicions.

This was a private matter.

“Haa, I’m still shaken.”

Pollux sighed, rubbing his forehead.

“I should apologize first. I got carried away, and the duel… well, it became a bit more intense than I intended. I must have worried you.”

“Worried me?”

“I practically beat your fiancé senseless. It was my fault.”

“O-Oh, well…”

Harnie stammered, finally understanding his apology.

He was right, of course.

She was his fiancée. It was natural for her to be concerned after witnessing him being beaten so ruthlessly.

“I-It’s alright. Carsein probably sees it as a learning experience.”

She doubted that was the case, but she couldn't reveal the true nature of their relationship.

She cleared her throat, averting her gaze, desperate to change the subject.

“Anyway, why did you want to speak with me? Alone?”

Pollux sighed again, his shoulders slumping.

“Head of the Plesia Trading Company, how much do you truly know about Carsein?”

“Know about him? To what extent…?”

“Beyond the engagement, I mean. His secrets, his burdens…”

His serious tone banished all thoughts of awkwardness from Harnie’s mind.

She pondered his question, trying to decide where to begin.

“…He only sleeps for two hours a day. He sacrifices his sleep for work, for his goals. He even sleeps on chairs, in uncomfortable positions.”

“Ha, really? I sensed his exhaustion when I touched his shoulder, but…”

“And those are just naps. He gave me his bed.”

“He’s a fool. That kind of dedication will only destroy him.”

Pollux clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

“…Maybe… maybe he doesn’t care if it destroys him.”

“What do you mean?”

“Maybe… he has something he wants to achieve, something more important than his own well-being.”

Ironically, it was because she understood his goals that she could say this.

“He would sacrifice his health, his sanity, to achieve that goal. He’s a cold, calculating man.”

For a brief moment, she saw a reflection of herself in Carsein.

It was both relatable and concerning.

But there was more.

“But even though he’s ruthless, he’s not a bad person. He wouldn’t sacrifice others for his own gain, he wouldn’t hurt anyone to achieve his goals.”

Carsein’s priority was escaping the Duchy.

But he would never use others to do so.

That was the reason she had agreed to this contractual engagement, the reason she continued to support him.

Pollux nodded, agreeing with her assessment.

“I know. I saw it in his swordsmanship. It wasn’t a sword meant for inflicting harm. But I understand now. He’s broken, isn’t he? Not just physically…”

“…Yes.”

It wasn’t just his body. She knew why he was physically exhausted, why he was pushing himself to the limit. His mind and soul were wounded as well.

“And the reason…”

Harnie slowly revealed Carsein’s past.

His origins as an abandoned child found in the slums, the treatment he had endured at the hands of the nobility, the events that had transpired within the Bagrand Duchy… She told him everything.

Pollux, his expression grim, ran a hand over his face.

‘This is dangerous, Head of the Plesia Trading Company. He’s already…’

The soul he had glimpsed during their duel had been chillingly cold, dark, and bitter.

His heart was riddled with scars, wounds unlike any he had ever seen.

And if he was this detached, this mechanical…

‘Is this engagement just another transaction? Another deal?’

He understood why Harnie had hesitated, why her reaction to his brutal treatment of Carsein had been so subdued.

But, there was something they could do.

And it was already happening.

“Why… Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Don’t you care about your fiancé? I hurt him pretty badly.”

“What? No, it’s just… He’ll… He’ll be fine. He can heal himself… And…!”

Yes, they were a good match.

If there were no feelings between them, they could nurture them.

“Let me ask you this, Head of the Plesia Trading Company. Carsein could break. Is that what you want?”

“No! Of course not!”

Her answer was immediate, honest, and unguarded.

“He’s… He’s my fiancé! It’s not something I would ever want!”

Her voice held a hint of a young girl’s innocence, a naivete that only made her words more endearing.

“There’s a way to prevent that, if you’re willing to try.”

“What… What is it?”

It was quite simple.

“Stay by his side.”

Carsein was being consumed by logic, by reason.

Before it devoured him completely, before his heart turned to stone, they had to awaken his emotions.

He needed to feel something powerful, something overwhelming, something he had never experienced before.

And there was one thing he had yet to encounter…

“M-Me…?”

“Yes, stay by his side.”

Pollux smiled encouragingly as she pointed a finger at herself, her eyes wide with uncertainty.

Stay close to him.

The closer the better.

And when the seeds of emotion began to sprout the monster within him would disappear.