I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 106

Chapter 106: The Remnants of Malice (7)

The atmosphere immediately turned sour as my opening jab landed squarely on its target.

‘This is what you nobles hate the most, isn’t it?’

Being put on the same level as a commoner like Carsein. Of course, they would loathe it.

They had committed countless atrocities to maintain their distance from him, and now he was acting like one of them.

‘I could use this to provoke them further…’

As I pondered how to best push their buttons, Hemnon approached, his annoyance barely concealed.

“Hmph! Are you unaware that the only way to reach this villa from Count Modric’s estate is through Mount Waglu? The journey was unavoidable.”

Ah, so that was it.

“Even then, you should have left earlier. It’s common courtesy to arrive early for appointments, especially when dealing with a large group.”

“W-Well, yes. But as I said, there was a problem with my carriage…”

“Your excuses are excessive. A simple apology would have sufficed. Must you be so… unrefined?”

“…Ugh.”

Hemnon scowled, his frustration evident.

But I wasn’t about to let up.

No, I couldn’t.

“You said your carriage had problems? How strange. I seem to recall you lecturing me, the one who arrived last, about punctuality. You said that as long as we used the designated route, arriving on time shouldn’t be an issue unless our carriages flipped over.”

Carriage problems?

That excuse wouldn’t work on me.

I remembered clearly from the Memorial that Hemnon was the one who had criticized Carsein for disrupting the Duchy’s etiquette lessons.

“N-No, that’s not…!”

“Do you have anything else to say? After disregarding the time of so many people?”

And it was Hemnon who had demanded a proper apology from Carsein for wasting everyone’s time.

“B-But… unless it’s a formal gathering, arriving on time isn’t absolutely necessary… It’s just a matter of courtesy…”

“So you’re saying you’re exempt from following basic etiquette? How… disappointing. To think a noble would disregard their own code of conduct.”

And it was Hemnon who had used the concept of “noble dignity” to shame Carsein.

And all this…

“Did I say anything wrong, Flora?”

…had been witnessed by Flora Bagrand.

“No… You’re right.”

“There you have it. I asked Flora just in case I was mistaken, but it seems I wasn’t. Am I right, Hemnon Modric?”

I asked, a smirk playing on my lips, and Hemnon trembled, his face turning pale.

Finally, he lowered his head.

“…I apologize.”

A short, curt apology, devoid of any genuine remorse.

He didn’t want to apologize any further.

He might accept his mistake in front of other nobles, but to apologize to me, a commoner… That was unacceptable.

The other nobles, sensing the tension, quickly stepped in to defuse the situation.

“He has apologized. Let’s move on, shall we?”

“We weren’t discussing anything that important anyway.”

“Even if Lord Hemnon couldn’t attend due to unforeseen circumstances, it wouldn’t have ruined the tea party.”

It was common for nobles to apologize to each other.

But for a noble to apologize, and even bow, to a commoner… That was unheard of.

This was about more than just their pride.

They were subtly shifting public opinion, signaling that they accepted his apology and wanted to move on.

‘Well, that was all I intended to do anyway.’

I had experienced this myself in my previous life.

Those stuck-up students from prestigious schools had tried to isolate me using the same tactics.

If I pushed any further, they would turn the tables on me, using my own words against me.

So, it was best to stop here.

‘But I’m sure this has brought back some… memories, hasn’t it, Flora?’

I glanced at Flora, and judging by her delayed reaction, my assumption was correct.

“…”

She remained silent, her hands clenched tightly around her skirt.

The memories were resurfacing, weren’t they?

Then let this be a lesson.

The remnants of her past actions…

Her malice…

Still lingered, leaving deep scars on Carsein’s soul.

***

The elaborate stage, designed to turn Carsein into a laughingstock, was slowly coming together.

Thanks to the other nobles’ desperate attempts to protect Hemnon’s dignity and preserve the illusion of noble decorum, his tardiness was quickly forgotten.

The conversation shifted to the Eastern Nobles’ Conference, and the topic of territory management surfaced.

“Count Modric’s territory achieved the highest performance last year, didn’t it?”

“I heard his citizens are very happy. Their living standards have apparently improved significantly.”

“It must be thanks to Lord Hemnon’s excellent leadership.”

Hemnon, pleased by the praise, responded with a smug smile.

“Haha, it’s all thanks to proper education and guidance. My father’s teachings have been invaluable.”

“Oh my.”

“Of course, being a role model for other nobles is a different matter altogether. Hahaha!”

He was practically flaunting his accomplishments, his words laced with arrogance.

He emphasized the phrase “role model,” his eyes subtly mocking those around him.

His self-satisfied laughter and smug demeanor made his intentions crystal clear.

And now that the topic of territories had been brought up, it was only a matter of time before they turned their attention to me.

“Speaking of which, I wonder how Young Master Carsein is doing.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ah, right. Not everyone knows! Oh dear, oh dear. To think you’ve all missed such a… significant event.”

Hemnon placed a hand on his forehead, shaking his head dramatically.

“Young Master Carsein has recently become the Lord of Lusmire.”

“Oh my.”

“A lord?”

A chorus of gasps, carefully orchestrated, echoed across the room.

They already knew, of course. This was all an act, a carefully constructed performance.

Except for one person.

“Carsein… is the Lord of Lusmire?”

“Yes, Lady Flora. It seems like this information hasn’t been shared within the Bagrand Duchy.”

Flora was completely unaware.

He wasn’t sure if it was due to the episode’s script, but it seemed like only Arina and Claire knew about his new position.

Sensing an opportunity, the hyenas began to circle.

“He only recently became a lord. We had a… disagreement regarding tolls. But for him to manage a territory again… isn’t this cause for concern?”

“He’s not qualified to be a lord. Were they trying to hide this from us?”

“Or perhaps they had a reason to keep it a secret.”

“Maybe they’re ashamed of how he ruined Shatrain.”

The nobles nodded in agreement, their words dripping with venom.

And the final blow came from…

“Why didn’t you tell us about this? Hmm?”

…Hemnon.

-Ding!

[ 1. Why should I explain myself to him? It won’t change anything. I don’t want to waste my time. ]

[ 2. Are you planning on using my territory to ridicule me again?! ]

[ 3. Don’t you dare interfere in the Bagrand Duchy’s affairs, you insignificant Count. ]

[ 4. It’s not that important. ]

[ 5. Look who’s talking? You’re the one who’s been exploiting Lusmire! ]

Finally, the real choices for this episode had arrived.

There hadn't been any significant choices before this, but this was clearly the main event.

Options 2 and 3 were too aggressive, guaranteed to backfire.

Option 5 was similar to Hemnon’s tactic, questioning his qualifications as a lord and inviting the other nobles to attack.

Option 1, dismissing Flora’s concern, would likely result in a significant drop in her affinity.

Option 4 seemed like the safest option, the most neutral response.

‘But I won’t back down. Not against him.’

I had my own cards to play.

[ 5. Look who’s talking? You’re the one who’s been exploiting Lusmire! ]☑

“Look who’s talking.”

“…What?”

“Are you implying that Lord Hemnon has done something wrong?”

“Wrong? Lord Hemnon achieved outstanding results at the last Eastern Nobles’ Conference.”

“That’s no way to accept advice, Young Master Carsein.”

The nobles were ready to attack.

Hemnon, anticipating a favorable outcome, smirked, his eyes gleaming with malice.

But they had targeted the wrong prey.

“You can’t even control your own knights, the ones who were causing trouble in my territory, and you dare question my qualifications as a lord?”

“…!”

“What? What does he mean?”

“Knights…?”

“Ah, for those who are unaware, allow me to explain. Three knights from Count Modric’s estate were wreaking havoc in my territory. They disguised themselves as bandits and plundered my citizens.”

The nobles, initially confused, gasped in shock.

“When I first arrived as the new lord, a young girl was gravely ill, and they wouldn’t even allow her passage. They claimed she couldn’t afford the toll and offered her a measly copper coin, telling her to use it for travel expenses.”

“N-No, that’s not…!”

Yes, framing the story like this, without mentioning the compensation he received, would create the perfect misunderstanding.

But he had been planning to lie anyway, hadn’t he?

“And that’s not all. They used the only flat path through Mount Waglu, which happens to be located in Lusmire, without paying a single toll.”

Silence descended upon the room.

“You call me unqualified? It seems Lord Hemnon lacks the basic qualities of a lord as well. Would a responsible, ethical noble allow such atrocities to occur in their name?”

My question wiped the smug smiles off their faces.

They had attempted to corner me by bringing up my territory and comparing my achievements to Hemnon’s, praising him for his accomplishments while subtly implying I was incompetent.

But Hemnon’s actions were indefensible.

His knights had harassed the citizens of another territory.

And those knights had turned out to be bandits.

He couldn’t even control his own men, and yet he dared to question my qualifications as a lord?

This blatant hypocrisy made it impossible for him to criticize me any further.

“…It seems like an unwelcome guest has joined our gathering. Don’t you agree?”

Phitea, realizing they couldn't defend Hemnon any longer, swiftly shifted public opinion.

The other nobles, eager to distance themselves from the unfolding disaster, quickly agreed.

“Indeed.”

“We were mistaken about him.”

“This is very disappointing, Lord Hemnon.”

“N-No, it’s a misunderstanding! I’ve already dealt with those knights, and I’ve been supporting Lusmire…!”

Snap!

The accomplice, with a flick of her fan, cut him off.

“You might have performed well last year, but after this incident, your chances are looking bleak. A true noble is always willing to reflect on their mistakes.”

“Indeed. Self-reflection is essential for growth and improvement.”

“Perhaps some time for introspection would be beneficial. It would give you a chance to prepare for the Conference as well.”

They might have phrased it politely, but they were basically telling him to leave.

Hemnon glared at me, his eyes bloodshot, before storming out of the room, his anger palpable in the loud slam of the door.

-Ding!

▶ You have successfully driven Hemnon out of the tea party using your eloquence.◀

▶ You have achieved an unexpected outcome!◀

▶ Receiving reward!◀

■ Reward

[ Completion rate increased by 10%! (Current completion rate: 45%) ]

[ The topic of territory management has been removed, preventing any mention of Shatrain. ]

“Perhaps we should change the subject. To think that this happened…”

“I agree with Lady Phitea.”

“Me too! This topic is a bit too… serious for a tea party, don't you think?”

“Indeed. Ladies usually focus on managing their families, not territories.”

As the reward stated, they quickly dropped the subject.

And then…

The moment we had all been waiting for arrived.

“Excuse me, everyone. I have something to say.”

“To us, Lady Flora?”

“We’re all ears. What is it?”

The nobles perked up, their eyes gleaming with anticipation as Flora spoke.

“Lady Flora, I’m so sorry, but would it be alright if we postponed your announcement for a bit?”

Phitea Gelgenton interjected, seizing the opportunity as if she had been waiting for this cue.

“As you might have guessed, we don’t actually host tea parties at Gelgenton. Our hospitality always involves delectable cuisine.”

-Clap.

Phitea clapped her hands, and a food cart was wheeled in from the other side of the room.

“Since you have something important to share, we thought it would be appropriate to serve some refreshments. I’m sure you’re all hungry after all that discussion.”

She explained that they had prepared a special meal for this occasion, suggesting they continue their conversation over dinner.

Flora, still oblivious, agreed readily.

“And you, Young Master Carsein? Is that alright with you?”

Phitea made sure to include me in her question.

“I’m always happy to indulge in Gelgenton’s cuisine.”

The nobles exchanged knowing smiles.

They could sense what was coming, their eyes filled with anticipation and a hint of malice.

Dishes, one by one, were placed on the table.

And then…

-Ding!

▶ Consuming this meal may trigger your Kelbia allergy!◀

The expected message popped up.

‘It’s time to leave.’

***

He was the fish on their carefully prepared grill.

A source of entertainment, a pawn to be manipulated, his suffering a spectacle for their amusement.

But today, something was different.

He hadn't played along.

He had claimed to be a mere escort.

He had revealed his position as the Lord of Lusmire, turning their attempt to undermine him against Hemnon, resulting in his expulsion.

He had effortlessly avoided every trap they laid for him.

‘But your luck has run out.’

Phitea smirked inwardly, her anxieties fading away.

“This is a new dish, made using my own special recipe. I’m sharing it with you all today. I hope you enjoy it.”

“Oh my, what an honor.”

“It’s not every day we get to try a new dish from Gelgenton. Thank you.”

“We’ll make sure to finish every bite. Right?”

“Of course! It would be rude to refuse Lady Phitea’s hospitality.”

They were right.

They would finish every bite.

It was a special occasion, after all.

He wouldn’t escape this.

He would be forced to consume the poisoned food, just like he had in the past.

All eyes turned to the dark-haired young man.

‘Go on.’

‘Pick up your silverware and take a bite.’

‘Show us your suffering.’

The main event, the highlight of their little performance, was about to begin – Carsein, writhing in agony as the Kelbia fruit took effect.

But then…

-Clang!

He tossed his silverware aside, sending it clattering across the table.

As the nobles stared, their mouths agape, he smiled.

A cold, knowing smile.

“It seems I’m being treated worse than an escort.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial, pouring its contents onto the plate in front of him.

The food instantly changed color.

Murmurs of disapproval rippled through the room as the nobles questioned his actions.

But his words, spoken softly, were meant for one person alone.

“I told you, Flora. I shouldn’t have come here. I should have gone back to the Duchy.”

“…”

And for that one person, this simple act…

…changed everything.