I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 83

Chapter 83: A Tiny Sprout (5)

“Why is Milady so late?”

Mina, waiting anxiously for Harnie’s return, muttered to herself, her brow furrowed with concern.

Her mistress was known for her punctuality.

While occasional delays were inevitable, usually caused by the machinations of the social circles or the watchful eyes of the marquisate, she was meticulous when it came to her carefully laid plans.

Harnie’s continued absence was unsettling.

“She's terribly late... and no response to my messages. This is driving me crazy, Milady…”

Mina paced restlessly, desperately hoping for a message from the merchant guild.

Harnie had mentioned an important task, attending a party to quell the relentless scrutiny of the social circles.

She'd been surprised to learn that her mistress had decided to stay overnight at the Ducal Manor, but there'd been no further communication since then.

Which meant, based on Mina’s calculations, Harnie should have arrived back at the marquisate hours ago.

The possibility of something unforeseen occurring, something beyond the usual social maneuvering, sent a chill down Mina’s spine.

“Could it be... something happened outside the party venue, something beyond the nobles and the social circles?”

Those vultures within the social circles, clinging to any opportunity to exploit Harnie’s vulnerabilities. That party, a den of hyenas disguised as a gathering of nobles.

It had been a risky venture, but surely, the nobles and the social circles wouldn't dare detain her, not openly at least.

But what if she wasn’t being detained?

“Yes, something's off. It's too quiet.”

She had planted numerous informants within the party. By now, at least one message should have arrived.

Even if things didn’t go according to plan, whispers would inevitably reach her, considering the exclusive nature of the event.

And if a major incident had occurred, news would spread like wildfire, amplified by the very status of the attendees.

Yet, silence. The lack of information pointed towards a different possibility: something had transpired outside the party, something beyond their reach.

Just as Mina was about to mobilize the guild's resources, a carriage rolled to a stop before the marquisate gates.

'That crest... it's from House Bagrand?'

Relief washed over her.

It wasn't an unfamiliar carriage, or one belonging to the marquisate, returning from some errand.

'I can't let my guard down. He’s still a man, after all.'

While the arrival of a carriage bearing the Bagrand crest suggested that her initial fears were unfounded, she couldn't afford to be complacent.

Harnie had spent years fending off unwanted advances and navigating treacherous marriage proposals.

Insincere offers veiled in ulterior motives. Lewd gazes fixated on her beauty. Countless schemes concocted to exploit her vulnerability. Every man, a predator in her eyes.

And in that moment, a terrifying thought struck Mina.

‘If they’re in a carriage… they must be alone!’

Her mistress, the Empire’s most sought-after beauty, was tragically close to being sold off like a prized possession, her very freedom hanging precariously in the balance.

Hope that House Bagrand would be any different?
None.

If anything, they were more likely to exploit her situation than offer protection.

Even the highest-ranking nobles were still men, driven by the same base desires. And that young master, notorious for courting trouble, wouldn't hesitate to use his family’s power and influence to his advantage.

‘I have to hurry!’

Mina hastily reached beneath her skirt, drawing a small, concealed dagger from her thigh.

She crept towards the carriage, silencing her footsteps.

The carriage door, a thin barrier separating her from her mistress.

This had to be swift, decisive.

The moment that vile man, caught red-handed, flinched in surprise, she’d strike, aiming for a vital point, and make her escape.

‘Breathe.’

Her hand trembled as she counted down, preparing to burst through the door.

Three, two.

And just as she reached one, a voice, calm and measured, echoed from within the carriage.

“You there. Harnie’s asleep, so enter quietly.”
“...!”

Carsein’s voice. From inside the carriage.

She’d been silent as a shadow, yet somehow, he knew. His voice, a low murmur, as if anticipating her approach.

“My fiancée has been asleep for approximately one hour and forty minutes. I’d like to let her rest for two hours, if possible. Would you grant me another twenty minutes?”
“...”

Carsein’s voice again, laced with an unexpected gentleness, as if seeking permission. It reminded her of Harnie’s words.

-Young Master Carsein isn’t like that.

Those words, spoken by her mistress, who’d spent years fending off men driven by lust and greed.

Could it be…he truly hadn't laid a hand on her?

A glimmer of hope flickered within Mina’s heart. Cautiously, she opened the carriage door.

And she saw it.

Harnie, fast asleep, her head resting peacefully against Carsein’s shoulder.

They were alone, just the two of them.

Surely, those vile hands must have roamed, violating her mistress's body…

-Rustle.

But no, Carsein's eyes were focused solely on a book in his lap.

He glanced up, his voice a quiet inquiry.

“It seems you suspected I might be taking advantage of Harnie.”
“E-Excuse me? I…”
“Think nothing of it. I'm a man, after all. It’s natural to assume the worst, especially when presented with such beauty. And as someone devoted to Harnie, it's understandable that you'd be wary.”

He spoke matter-of-factly, acknowledging her suspicions, her protectiveness. He even commended Harnie for having such a loyal servant.

He went on to assure her that he didn’t take offense to her actions, her vigilance a natural response given the circumstances.

Even his voice, lowered as if in deference to the sleeping Harnie, was a stark contrast to the men she'd encountered before.

“Just twenty minutes. I’d like to let her sleep a while longer. She exhausted herself trying to help me.”
“What do you mean? Milady exhausted herself trying to help you…”
“You know what I’m referring to, don’t you?”

He held out a document, the Shatrain Territory Report, a report Mina was vaguely familiar with.

“She fell asleep on our way back from the party. I saw her yawning earlier and asked her about it. She said she’d stayed up late working on something at the Ducal Manor. She spent the entire carriage ride focused on this.”
“This…report?”

It didn't make sense.

Harnie had no connection to the Shatrain territory.

If anything, it was directly related to Carsein Bagrand.

But this report, the one in her hand, contained additional information, more detailed than she’d seen before.

‘Which means…Milady was preparing this for Young Master Carsein.’

As realization dawned, Carsein, sensing her confusion, addressed the elephant in the room.

“She was trying to help me by compiling this information, in exchange for playing the role of my fiancée at the party. I never asked her to go to such lengths, but… it seems I inadvertently burdened her.”
“...“
“I don’t want to be indebted to her. That’s why I’m letting her rest, even if it’s just for a little while. I hope you understand.”

His words disarmed Mina completely.

He seemed utterly oblivious to the fact that the woman beside him, the object of countless marriage proposals, was the Empire’s most sought-after prize.

The soft sound of Harnie’s breathing, the gentle rustle of paper as he turned a page, painted a picture of unexpected tenderness.

Her mistress’s judgment had been spot on.

Relief washed over Mina, her initial anxieties fading.

“May I bring a blanket?”
“Hmm? Are you suggesting we let her sleep here even longer?”
“Precisely. Milady rarely gets a proper night’s sleep at the marquisate. She'll be back to work the moment she returns.”

Carsein blinked twice, taken aback by her suggestion.

“Hmm. That’s… I…”
“I know you’re not that kind of person, so feel free to join her. The marquisate is currently empty.”

Mina, sensing his hesitation, intervened, gently pushing back against his protest.

She pressed on, unwilling to let this opportunity slip away.

“Or, if you prefer, Young Master, you could stay here at the marquisate for the night. That way, Milady could rest even longer.”
“That’s… I can’t do that. I have things to attend to back at the manor.”
“Then could you please let her sleep here, in the carriage, for two hours? No, even one hour would be enough.”
“...Why are you going to such lengths?”
“Milady constantly sacrifices sleep for work. The only time she truly rests is when she's with you.”

Carsein’s gaze settled on the sleeping Harnie, his dark eyes filled with contemplation.

‘Milady, you might have pretended to be fine, but I knew it was only a matter of time before your exhaustion caught up with you.’

She fought tirelessly against the oppressive forces of her own household, but human endurance had its limits.

Sooner or later, exhaustion would claim its due, and cracks would appear in her carefully constructed facade.

But now, a glimmer of hope.

Someone to shield her from the relentless pressure, someone to offer a moment of respite when she needed it the most.

Even if it was a stranger, someone willing to offer this small act of kindness without hesitation.

Someone upright, honorable, and wise.

He met all the criteria. He was someone who would readily extend a hand to Harnie Theresia when she faltered, someone who wouldn't judge or exploit her vulnerability.

“Forgive me for doubting you. But please, allow my mistress to rest, even if it’s just for a little while.”
“...”

Silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft sound of Harnie’s breathing. Carsein stared at her, his gaze a mixture of concern and contemplation.

Finally, he sighed, a hint of resignation in his voice.

“Well, it’s partly my fault. I can hardly refuse now… “

As expected.

Even if it seemed like he was reluctantly agreeing, Mina knew better.

“... What about the marquisate family?”
“Everyone, except for Lady Harnie, is currently preparing for the Eastern Nobles’ Conference. They won’t suspect a thing.”

This was precisely why he'd considered heading to the party venue and back. The family, determined to make a strong showing at the conference, had left the marquisate, leaving Harnie behind.

With prying eyes conveniently out of the way, their actions would go unnoticed.

However, Carsein quickly rejected her suggestion.

“Which makes staying overnight even more dangerous.”
“Why?”
“Today, Harnie deflected suspicion and managed to shake off those nobles at the party. Now that one of the factions pressuring her has been neutralized, news might have reached the marquisate.”
“...!”
“They might return sooner than expected, suspecting that our relationship is more than a simple engagement. If that happens, Harnie will be caught in their trap.”

A shiver ran down Mina’s spine.

‘Of course. Even though the nobles are divided into factions… the enemy of your enemy can become a temporary ally.’

As Carsein had pointed out, the marquisate family were still nobles. She couldn’t rule out the possibility of collusion with the social circles.

“How long until the family returns to the marquisate?”
“P-Probably... three hours at most, if they push their horses to their limit.”
“Then we have an hour at most. I’ll let Harnie sleep here and wake her before they arrive.”
“Understood. I’ll fetch a blanket.”

Mina bowed, quietly closing the carriage door.

It was fortunate her mistress, lost in the depths of slumber, was blissfully unaware of their conversation. Had she been awake, she would have protested vehemently, demanding an explanation for this…unconventional arrangement.

That aside, these two...

They had an unexpected connection, a spark that defied logic.

And perhaps, just perhaps…

‘Hmm, they do seem rather well-suited, don’t they?’

The thought, though fleeting, brought a faint smile to Mina’s lips as she hurried towards the house to fetch a blanket.

***

“Hmm…”

A soft smile graced Harnie's lips.

She was deeply asleep, her body finally succumbing to much-needed rest.

She hadn’t slept properly in days, her schedule overflowing with obligations and responsibilities.

Endless tasks piled before her, her body stretched thin, exhaustion gnawing at her.

The urge to collapse onto her bed and surrender to sleep? It was a constant companion.

But that was a luxury she couldn’t afford. Not while maintaining the charade, keeping her family oblivious to her true intentions.

Whenever Mina, her voice filled with concern, urged her to rest, she’d brush it aside, masking her fatigue with a practiced smile.

But today was an exception. The family, focused on their upcoming performance at the Eastern Nobles’ Conference, had conveniently left her behind.

And with the social circles temporarily appeased, she could finally allow herself a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. She sank into the comforting embrace of her bed, pushing aside all thoughts of work and responsibilities.

Softness enveloped her. Warmth seeped into her weary bones.

The blanket draped across her, a cocoon of comfort. The gentle heat radiating from…

‘Wait.’

A sense of unease prickled at her senses.

Had she even made it to her bed after returning from the party?

No, even disregarding that, was this truly the feel of her bed sheets? And the weight on top of her…it didn’t feel like a blanket.

And the warmth… it emanated from something solid, angular…

…Don’t tell me.

The realization struck her with the force of a lightning bolt. It wasn't the plush embrace of her bed, but the warmth of another human body. Her eyes flew open.

“Did you sleep well?”

A voice, close enough to feel his breath on her skin.

Her eyes met his, Carsein's face mere inches away.