I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 107

Chapter 107: The Remnants of Malice (8)

Carsein's Kelbia allergy was a given, especially after witnessing that Memorial. The nobles would go to any lengths to force him to eat the poisoned food, and the system would undoubtedly exploit this opportunity to corner him.

But I had a plan.

A single, meticulously prepared item was all it took to turn the tables.

▶ Activated Kelbia Fruit Indicator!◀
▶ Large quantities of Kelbia Fruit detected in the dish prepared by Phitea Gelgenton.◀
▶ Choices have been disabled.◀

The system might have prevented me from buying the indicator directly, but it couldn't stop me from creating it myself.

How could they possibly block such a legitimate, irrefutable method?

With the choices disabled, I could finally speak freely.

“I told you, Flora. I should have gone back to the Duchy.”

“…”

Flora flinched, her gaze snapping up to meet mine.

But even then, she couldn’t speak.

The scene unfolding before her was all too familiar.

Carsein had never been truly invited. He was a pawn, a jester brought here for their amusement.

And Flora, in that moment, realized she was no different. She, too, had been complicit in their cruelty, trapping him, hurling insults, and inflicting pain.

“This… this wasn’t me! I didn’t do this! There’s been a misunderstanding…!”

A misunderstanding? Now?

‘No. This is the consequence of your actions.’

This was the result of her malice.

The seeds of her petty jealousy had grown into a poisonous tree, its branches reaching far beyond the walls of the Duchy. Because of her, Carsein was forced to face this torment, not only within his own home, but even among outsiders.

And she had remained oblivious.

This was the reality Flora Bagrand had created for Carsein.

I cut her off, my voice cold and sharp.

“This place… It wasn’t meant for me. I should have stayed behind as an escort.”

“W-What… What are you saying?”

“I apologize for realizing this so late. It seems I was an unwelcome guest.”

-Click.

“I’ll excuse myself now.”

Ignoring the bewildered nobles, I turned and walked out of the tea party.

No one tried to stop me.

***

Why?

That was the question that had plagued Flora’s mind all day.

Why was he dressed so plainly for a gathering of nobles?

He could have dressed up. He could have looked presentable. His simple attire bothered her.

Why did he insist on two carriages?

It wasn't as if he had brought a servant. They could have ridden together. His insistence on separate carriages bothered her.

Why did he call himself an escort when he was clearly an invited guest?

He was a noble, a member of the Bagrand Duchy, and her companion. His attempts to downplay his status bothered her.

Why did he keep saying he should go back to the Duchy?

He was here as her companion. What was the problem? His constant attempts to leave bothered her.

Every single one of his actions screamed discomfort, as if he felt out of place, unworthy of being there.

And it all bothered her.

But when Hemnon Modric arrived, a realization struck her like a bolt of lightning.

Her irritation with Carsein vanished, replaced by a vivid memory.

Carsein, just like Hemnon today, had been late. He had been criticized for his lack of punctuality, lectured about responsibility and decorum. He had apologized, his head bowed, as those nobles berated him.

The situation today, with the roles reversed, was eerily similar.

And that realization suffocated her.

That day… Flora Bagrand had tormented Carsein relentlessly.

The gathering of nobles.

Carsein’s presence.

The incident.

And… her own reaction. The satisfaction she had felt, watching him squirm under their scrutiny.

‘Don’t tell me…’

She finally understood.

And as Phitea Gelgenton announced the arrival of their meal, another memory surfaced.

-Lady Phitea, could you… add Kelbia Fruit to every dish?

Her own request, whispered discreetly, asking for every single dish to be laced with the allergen.

And then, she saw it.

The color.

The food on Carsein’s plate had changed, its vibrant hues a clear indication of the Kelbia Fruit indicator he had used.

And her heart sank.

Carsein had never been truly welcome here.

None of them considered him a true noble.

He was alone, isolated, and ostracized.

And it was all her fault. She had been the one to reveal his allergy.

The message was clear.

‘Why… Why did this happen? How…!’

Phitea Gelgenton approached, her voice laced with fake concern.

“I’m so sorry, Lady Flora.”

“…What?”

“I wanted to prepare a special gift for you, something you would truly enjoy… But Carsein seems to have… evaded everything we planned. I even tried to slip some Kelbia Fruit into his food, but… well, it seems he saw through it. I really wanted to make you happy.”

Phitea sighed dramatically, lamenting her failed attempts to ruin his reputation.

Flora’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“What do you mean? Make me happy?”

“You were so upset at the last tea party. And when Lady Flora is upset, there’s only one possible reason…”

Flora’s blood ran cold.

“Are you saying… I orchestrated all of this? That you poisoned his food… for me?”

“What? Oh, yes, of course. Anything for Lady Flora. Making Carsein suffer… that’s what would make you happy…”

“I… I never asked you to do any of this…!”

Nausea welled up inside her, but her words caught in her throat.

Should she yell at them, accuse them of acting on their own?

No, she couldn’t.

‘If I make a scene now…’

One person always became the scapegoat in these situations.

Even if it was a carefully orchestrated plan, the truth would be buried. The blame would inevitably fall on a single individual, the one deemed responsible for ruining the gathering.

She couldn’t scold them, couldn’t accuse them of betraying her trust, of disrespecting the Bagrand Duchy.

It would only highlight Carsein’s “eccentric” behavior, his “inability” to handle social situations.

She had planted the seeds.

And Carsein, constantly subjected to their scorn and prejudice, was bearing the brunt of the storm.

No matter what he said…

No matter how he reacted…

The narrative would be twisted, leaving him with deep, unhealable scars.

-Drip. Drip.

Tears streamed down her face.

‘He’s… He’s been through this… all this time…’

The depth of his suffering was unimaginable.

No, she couldn’t even begin to comprehend it.

Flora Bagrand, the naive, sheltered young lady, had been unwittingly inflicting pain, deepening his wounds with each thoughtless act.

And all this time, Carsein had endured it all, never truly lashing out, because he knew it would only make things worse.

And she… she had tried to poison him.

Her heart ached, a crushing weight settling in her chest.

“Lady Flora…?”

“Why are you crying?”

“Are you alright?”

The nobles, sensing her distress, began to panic.

Their concern, however well-intentioned, would only worsen the situation. Her tears, shed in this very room, would only amplify Carsein’s pain.

Wiping her tears hastily, she choked out an excuse.

“The food… I think it upset my stomach.”

“W-What?!”

“N-No, that’s impossible…”

The food was the culprit. That’s why Carsein had left.

And Flora Bagrand, overwhelmed by guilt, had broken down in tears.

This narrative, carefully crafted, would control the rumors.

No one would question his sudden departure.

This was the best she could do.

“I’ll… I’ll excuse myself now.”

“W-Wait, Lady Flora!”

Ignoring the bewildered nobles, she fled the tea party.

She wasn't really sick.

Her tears had stopped.

She had rushed to the carriages, desperate to find Carsein, but he was gone.

He had left for the Duchy, riding a single horse.

But…

Someone else was there.

“Flora? Have you been crying?”

Pink hair emerged from the newly arrived carriage.

It was her second eldest sister.

“S-Sister…”

The sight of Claire, the one person she had confided in, broke the dam.

She ran towards her, burying her face in her sister’s embrace, and sobbed uncontrollably.

“…!”

“Sister, h-how… how could I…? I-I hurt Carsein again…”

“…What?”

“Waaah, what… what should I do…? Carsein… he must be in so much pain…”

He hadn’t actually eaten the food, so technically, he wasn’t suffering from an allergic reaction.

But… she had still hurt him.

-Ding!

***

Flora, seeking comfort in the arms of the one person she had trusted with her true feelings, cried uncontrollably.

Claire, her heart aching for her little sister, stroked her hair gently, offering words of comfort.

But she didn’t simply appease her.

“Flora, like I told you before, I can’t fix this for you. You know that, right?”

Flora sniffled, her voice muffled.

She couldn’t forget those words.

And unlike before, Claire didn’t scold her. She simply stroked her hair gently.

“This is just my opinion, but… I think you need to figure this out on your own. What can you do to make sure Carsein doesn’t get hurt anymore?”

But she didn't know.

She had no idea what to do.

She had confessed her helplessness to Claire.

And Claire, as they rode back to the Duchy in the carriage, had urged her to think.

The quiet carriage.

The empty seat, a reminder of Carsein’s absence, weighed heavily on her mind.

Lost in thought, she drifted between the past and the present.

“Lady Flora, we have arrived at the Duchy.”

They were back.

She still didn’t have an answer.

But one thing was clear – the consequences of her childish jealousy and thoughtless actions were far greater than she had imagined.

That realization spurred her into action.

“Shaiden.”

“Lady Flora? What brings you here?”

The Duchy physician’s room.

This was where Shaiden spent most of his time, always ready to treat her whenever she fell ill.

Her eyes, red and puffy from crying, gave her away. Shaiden was about to ask what was wrong, but Flora beat him to it.

“Teach me how to make medicine, Shaiden.”

“Medicine…?”

Flora nodded, her voice firm.

“When someone gets hurt, you give them medicine to heal. I need medicine too. And I need to learn how to make it from you.”

Her request, somewhat ironic considering her past actions, didn’t escape Shaiden’s notice. He knew this was about Carsein.

He closed his eyes for a moment, contemplating his response.

This was his chance to say what needed to be said.

“Lady Flora, I’m afraid medicine… it doesn’t always heal wounds.”

“What… You mean… medicine can’t fix everything?”

“No, that’s not what I meant. Sometimes… wounds need more than just medicine to heal. And if used incorrectly, medicine can be harmful. It can even worsen the injury.”

“What? But… even oral medication?”

“Yes, Lady Flora.”

“How… how is that…?”

Her eyes widened, shocked by his words.

“So… you mean… Carsein’s Kelbia allergy… it can’t be cured?”

Tears welled up in her eyes once more.

He had to be honest, even if it hurt.

“There’s no cure for that, Lady Flora. No matter what medicine you apply, no matter what you make him take, it can’t be completely cured.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks, tracing the path of the ones she had wiped away earlier.

But they weren’t the same tears.

“However… Young Master Carsein’s allergy has stages. We can take measures to alleviate the symptoms before they worsen.”

“…?”

She looked up, a glimmer of hope flickering in her eyes.

“We can’t cure it, but we can prevent it from getting worse. We can shorten the duration of his suffering, reduce the severity of the reaction. If we act quickly, he can recover faster. That’s what we, as physicians, do.”

Shaiden’s words, spoken with a gentle smile, rekindled the spark in her eyes.

A single ray of hope was all it took to wipe away her tears.

“What… What can I do?”

Her determination was palpable.

The sheltered young lady, used to being coddled by her mother and sisters, had always been irresponsible, childish.

Her days had been filled with frivolous pursuits, ignoring her studies, indulging in luxuries, and relying on her family.

But now… she was ready to break free, to take matters into her own hands.

“First… you need to study hard.”

“Study…? Yes, I will! I’ll study hard!”

Shaiden handed her a book, the same one she had discarded in the past, and gently urged her forward.

“And this time, don’t look for the answers immediately when you get stuck. Try to solve it on your own. Do you understand?”

“Yes!”

-Ding!

▶ You have cleared Flora’s hidden episode, <A Girl Awakened to Reality>.◀

▶ Flora Bagrand’s settings have been updated.◀

[ ??? → Please, ■■■ me, ■■■■■. ]

[ Guilt: 80% ]