I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 108

Chapter 108: The House of Ipheros (1)

Claire watched the carriage carrying Flora disappear down the road as a heavy weight settled in her chest.

Her little sister’s tearful breakdown meant something terrible had happened at that tea party, something that had hurt Carsein deeply.

Flora already knew she had wronged Carsein. Though Claire couldn't offer her any advice, knowing their history, she was certain Flora desperately wanted to make amends.

And this Gelgenton villa was the likely setting for their conflict.

“…And yet they returned separately?”

Carsein was nowhere to be seen when Claire arrived.

There was only one Duchy carriage. Flora and Carsein had arrived together.

However one of the horses in the stable was missing. This meant Carsein had chosen to ride back alone.

Flora, wracked with guilt, had confessed to hurting him.

Carsein, instead of returning with her in the carriage, had left alone, on horseback.

The only plausible explanation was that something significant had occurred at the villa.

“I have to go. I won’t know anything unless I see for myself.”

She couldn't bear to see her siblings drift further apart. She had to find out what happened, to get some answers from the nobles who attended the tea party.

She might not have had an invitation, but surely they would answer a few questions from a member of the Bagrand family.

The tea party room wasn't difficult to locate. The boisterous chatter of the nobles carried even from a distance.

“It doesn’t make sense. Lady Flora didn’t eat anything.”

“So you think it was Carsein?”

“That’s the only explanation. He must have been dissatisfied with something.”

“But that doesn’t explain why he left. We didn’t eat anything either. If he had eaten something and left, I could understand.”

“So what exactly happened to make Lady Flora—”

“E-Excuse me… everyone? Could you please…”

“What is it… Oh!”

The room fell silent as Claire stepped inside.

Another Bagrand.

Her presence alone was enough to make the nobles nervous.

“L-Lady Claire… what brings you here…?”

Phitea, her forehead beaded with sweat, stumbled over her words.

“It’s nothing serious. It’s just that… my younger siblings, Carsein and Flora, attended the tea party, right?”

Gulp.

The nobles swallowed in unison, their anxiety palpable.

“Y-Yes… that’s right.”

“Could you tell me what happened? What transpired between them at this tea party?”

Claire asked, her voice calm, but her eyes sharp.

Silence met her question.

“Why isn’t anyone answering?”

“W-Well… that is…”

This was a sensitive subject.

Even for them, Carsein and Flora were a source of conflict, their relationship a tangled web they hadn’t quite unraveled.

‘W-What should we do?’

‘What else can we do? We have to come up with an excuse.’

‘We can’t say Lady Flora was upset because Carsein left without eating anything… We didn’t eat either.’

The young ladies whispered among themselves, desperately trying to fabricate a believable story.

Claire’s eyes narrowed, her patience wearing thin.

“I know Carsein left first. I met Flora earlier. So tell me, why did he leave?”

Carsein’s actions were strange, but not entirely inexplicable.

He had evaded every trap they laid, and when the Kelbia-laced food arrived, he had declared himself an unwelcome guest, poured some strange liquid on his plate, and left.

They didn’t know his reasons, but they had dismissed it as a missed opportunity.

They had no answers.

The nobles exchanged uneasy glances, their silence speaking volumes.

Claire, frustrated by their evasiveness, stepped further into the room.

Her eyes scanned the table, taking in every detail.

“I heard there was a special dish prepared today. Where is it?”

“P-Pardon?!”

“This is a tea party, so I assume it wasn’t a full meal? But the timing seems more appropriate for dinner than just tea and pastries.”

“W-Well… the servants have already cleared everything. There’s nothing left, Lady Claire.”

Of course, they wouldn’t leave the food out.

Flora had left, claiming the food had upset her stomach. She had even shed tears. Although she had barely touched her plate, they wouldn't risk leaving anything behind.

But as Claire examined the tablecloth and the area around the table, a familiar color caught her eye.

“Lady Claire?”

Ignoring the questioning murmurs, she walked towards the table, her steps purposeful.

And as she got closer, she saw it clearly.

Fury surged through her veins.

“Damn it.”

A low and guttural curse escaped her lips.

She had seen this liquid before, back at the Duchy.

It was the Kelbia Fruit indicator, a concoction that changed color only when it came into contact with the allergen.

Which meant… there had been Kelbia Fruit in the food served here.

And what had Flora said?

She had hurt Carsein.

The sight of those few drops of liquid was enough to paint a vivid picture of what had transpired.

“Haa…”

Claire took a deep breath, her pink bangs fluttering as she exhaled.

Sensing her anger, the nobles instinctively recoiled.

They knew that any attempt to defend themselves would only incur the wrath of the Bagrand Duchy.

And their target…

…was clear.

“I can’t believe you had the audacity to serve him food laced with his allergen. Phitea Gelgenton.”

“W-What…? Audacity…? I don’t understand…”

“Don’t play dumb. The color of that indicator means the food was full of Kelbia Fruit.”

“K-Kelbia Fruit? B-But… that’s… a common ingredient…”

Phitea stammered, her face paling.

But Claire’s anger was unwavering.

“You’re telling me you, the host, didn’t know about your guest’s allergy? Haa… The Gelgenton family is renowned for its culinary expertise. This couldn't have been an accident. Could it?”

“L-Lady Claire… I… I…!”

“I’m afraid the Bagrand Duchy will no longer be associating with the Gelgenton family.”

-Slap!

Claire’s handkerchief, stained with the indicator, struck Phitea Gelgenton across the face.

She tossed it aside without a second glance and turned to leave.

The sound of her heels clicking against the marble floor echoed through the silent room.

Every person in that room, listening to the receding footsteps, knew one thing.

The Gelgenton family was finished.

***

▶ Episode III. The Remnants of Malice cleared!◀

▶ Successfully escaped the tea party.◀

▶ Achieved an unexpected outcome!◀

▶ Arina's restrictions have been lifted.◀

▶ Lusmire management restrictions have been lifted.◀

▶ Receiving additional rewards.◀

One of the two main episodes had been cleared.

The unexpected drama at the tea party might have been messy, but this status window confirmed my success.

But despite the victory, a bitter taste lingered.

Being treated as an unwelcome guest was a familiar feeling.

It wasn’t just at home.

At school, I wasn’t considered a true classmate.

During group projects, I wasn’t seen as an equal teammate.

At social gatherings and company dinners, I was never invited to join the conversations of the employees’ children, or their colleagues.

School trips, field trips…

It was always the same.

And at birthday parties I was forced to attend because of my family, I was often treated like an intruder, just like today, subjected to countless uncomfortable situations. Just like Carsein.

But as I sifted through those unpleasant memories, one place stood out.

The only place where I had truly felt accepted…

‘…Was at work.’

Part-time jobs… places where family, education, and social connections didn’t matter… those were the places where he had felt like an equal.

Strangers, customers he had never met before.

Managers who judged him solely on his work ethic.

And…

-Hmm, so you work here?

…the one person who knew about his part-time jobs.

A sudden thought struck him.

He was struggling to survive in this game, but what about her? How was she doing?

‘…She’d probably think I’m crazy if I told her about this game.’

The thought of her reaction brought a chuckle to his lips, lifting his spirits slightly.

“Right, I need to clear this damn game before I can worry about anything else.”

▶ Episode III. Proving Your Worth as a Lord is in progress!◀

As the status window indicated, one episode remained.

▶ You must make contact with the Ipheros family and initiate a trade agreement!◀

This episode's objective was to revitalize Lusmire.

The territory’s prosperity depended on my management as its lord, but this game wasn't that simple.

This route came with two major constraints.

The first was the trade agreement.

I was forced to enter into a trade agreement with a specific family. Carsein, as the Lord of Lusmire, had no choice in the matter.

And this process would undoubtedly involve choices.

‘And the second constraint is…’

-Swipe.

Lv. 25

▶ Available SP will be automatically allocated to the ??? stat!◀

▶ Strength: 4.88

▶ Agility: 6.13

▶ Endurance: 6.20

▶ Stamina: 4.57

▶ Immunity: 1.30

I checked my stats, and a wave of anxiety washed over me.

‘It’s not enough.’

In RPGs, there was a term called “minimum requirement,” referring to the minimum stats needed to defeat a particular monster.

This game, with its stat-based system, followed the same logic. There were certain thresholds that had to be met, and failing to do so meant certain death.

But my stats weren't high enough, thanks to two major restrictions.

First, the developer had deliberately limited the effectiveness of stat-grinding. From level 20 onwards, the stat gains from physical training were significantly reduced.

That was fine. It was a built-in mechanic.

But the decision to manage Lusmire from the start had severely limited my free time, which meant less time for training.

And the extra episode had further reduced my available time.

“Did I clear the previous episodes too quickly? Did I not have enough time to raise my stats?”

I couldn’t proceed with this episode yet.

“It would be beneficial to head west and contact the Ipheros family as soon as possible, but with these stats… it’s impossible.”

Their conditions for accepting the initial trade agreement were unique.

-Neigh!

I dismounted, allowing my tired horse to rest, and decided to check out the nearby market.

Perhaps I could find something useful with the remaining money. I had already managed to create the Kelbia Fruit indicator myself, so maybe there were other ingredients or items that could come in handy.

And maybe I could find something for Lusmire.

If I bought it with my own money and had it delivered to the territory, the system wouldn’t interfere.

“Hmm?”

As I entered the market, browsing the various stalls, something on the status window caught my eye.

It was the ??? stat.

It remained a mystery.

I didn’t know what it affected, and even after investing all my points in it, I hadn't noticed any changes.

But now… there was a slight alteration.

▶??? 25%

“25%?”

The stat, usually displayed as a numerical value, now showed a percentage.

“I have no idea what this means.”

I sighed, baffled by the change.

And thats I heard it.

Laughter, light and carefree, drifting from a nearby cafe.

“What about you, Lady Harnie? I heard this year’s Eastern Nobles’ Conference is going to be tough for you. You can’t rely on your family, so having a supportive fiancé is crucial. But yours… well, he’s not exactly known for his competence, is he?”

A rather blunt, insensitive remark.

They were mocking me, weren't they? Implying that Harnie couldn’t rely on me for support because I was incompetent.

It was amusing, in a way.

Not only were those nobles at the tea party badmouthing me, but even outsiders were gossiping about me.

Well, I was already in a bad mood. Might as well have some fun.

Even if Arina found out, I could just claim they were insulting my fiancée.

I stepped into the cafe, ready to confront them and perhaps alleviate his frustration.