I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Broken Wings (1)

▶You have entered a Warning Zone!◀
[ Time Limit: 30 minutes ]

The timer appeared, its sudden activation confirming my suspicions.

“A bit earlier than expected… but it was bound to happen eventually.”

Carsein, within the training grounds, was a target. That was the baseline. His past actions had made him an outcast.

So, this system message… it could be easily dismissed as a natural consequence of their animosity.

But if you thought about it… something wasn’t right.

Why hadn’t this message appeared sooner?

If they truly hated him, it should have been there from the moment he stepped foot in the training grounds. Back then, Mark’s affinity had been a dismal -25%, his name displayed in a menacing shade of gray. The other knights… they were no better.

I remembered this peculiar detail from the game, a small smirk playing on my lips.

“It was a warning. A death flag, waiting to be triggered.”

One could argue that a general warning was pointless since everyone already despised him. But it was… strange. And the fact that certain areas within the training grounds were suddenly being classified as “dangerous” after being deemed safe… that was even stranger.

This world, this reality… it wasn’t that different from the game. The details might have shifted, but the core mechanics… they remained the same.

These were clues. Hints pointing towards the real threat within this episode, the one that had yet to reveal itself.

And if I thought about my actions today, the answer became clear.

“Bruce is obviously the one harboring animosity. And his… master? He’s probably fuming as well, after that little stunt.”

I had exposed Bruce’s past misdeeds, humiliated him in front of the other knights, then used his pathetic attempt at theft to trigger a punishment session from Arina.

Need I say more? He was probably plotting his revenge as we spoke.

And if I ignored this… it would lead to a bad ending.

I counted off the precautions I needed to take whenever I was targeted by a hostile character.

“Better finish this laundry later. Avoid the dining hall between 5:30 and 6:30. And make sure I’m never alone with…”

The plan was forming, taking shape.

They already knew my weaknesses, so I would have to be extra careful.

But the problem was… this had happened too soon. This warning was supposed to appear on the evening of the fifth day, not the fourth. Which meant there was one more thing I needed to do.

“…I need to see Radiel. Now.”

I was supposed to visit her on the fifth day, but with this sudden development… it was possible she had already been… influenced.

▶Sub-Episode: Mark and Radiel is in progress!◀

I had to clear this sub-episode. Now.

The main episode was… volatile. A single action could have a ripple effect, altering the narrative, the environment, even the characters themselves. And sub-episodes? They were crucial. Sources of information, potential loopholes, tools that could help me clear the main episode.

But there was a catch.

Sub-episodes, just like the main ones, had conditions. Failing to meet those conditions could turn them into… liabilities.

They offered hints, warnings, glimpses of possible outcomes, but… if I didn’t meet the requirements, they would backfire, just like the main episode, imposing penalties and punishments.

The Mark and Radiel sub-episode was no different. It could only be triggered once Mark’s affinity was no longer in the negative. And once activated, his affinity would be frozen, unaffected by my actions.

The system had stated there were no direct penalties for failing this episode… but in reality… it triggered a death flag. Because of Radiel.

‘It’s ironic, isn’t it? A sub-episode, not even part of the main narrative, can alter the course of the story, turning a harmless choice into a death trap.’

But I had no choice. The developers had made the rules, and I had to play by them.

“Ugh, I’m full. Think I’ll head to the market for a bit.”

“Just say you have a date, man.”

“W-what are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb. Everyone knows you’re seeing one of the Duchy’s maids.”

“Wh-what?!”

The knight choked, the toothpick he had been using clattering to the ground. His companions burst out laughing.

I approached them, my voice casual.

“You might want to… delay your visit.”

“What? Who…? Wait…”

“Young Master?”

“Hey!”

The knight who had addressed me as “Young Master” received a sharp elbow to the ribs.

“Come on, training’s over, it’s fine…”

“Be careful! Someone might hear you.”

Right. I wasn’t the Young Master here.

I was Trainee Carsein.

“What did you mean, Carsein? About delaying my visit?”

I smiled.

“She… rushes to get ready.”

“Rushes? What are you talking about?”

“She’s a maid, right? She’s always telling me how she has to hurry to finish her work so you can meet. And since you always show up so early… well, she doesn’t have enough time to… prepare.”

“Oh… that… that actually makes sense. She always seems a bit… flustered.”

“So if you arrive a little later… she’ll have more time to get ready?”

“Right.”

This was something I knew for sure. It had happened in the game, and… well, I had met that maid myself.

“Dude, you’re stressing her out with your impatience.”

“How was I supposed to know?”

“Pay attention, man! If you like her… you should at least be aware of these things.”

“…Easy for you to say, with all your… experience.”

As the knights continued their banter, I noticed a subtle change. The gray lines that had crisscrossed their affinity boxes had… faded slightly.

“Hmm… thanks… thank you, Young Master. But… why are you telling me this…?”

“Hey!”

“Come on, it’s ‘Young Master.’ He might be a trainee, but it’s still disrespectful, considering he’s our…”

“…You’re right.”

The lovestruck knight thanked me, his previous apprehension fading.

Time to gather some information.

“Who’s at the dining hall right now? I’m starving.”

“Right now? Not many.”

He rattled off a list of names, most of them unfamiliar. But there was one crucial detail: Bruce wasn't there.

Then, I noticed their expressions. They were looking at me with… pity.

“Young Master, trust me… aside from this guy, I always ate alone when I was a trainee. Just hang in there.”

“…What?”

“Menu number two is pretty good today. Even if you don’t have… company, at least you can have a decent meal.”

They thought I was lonely. A friendless outcast.

They patted me on the shoulder, their voices filled with misplaced encouragement.

““Hang in there!””

No. That wasn’t it at all.

.
.
.

The dining hall was where I could find Radiel, who always seemed to disappear after triggering a sub-episode.

[ Order List ]

A large sheet of paper displayed a list of names. One of them… was blank.

[ Radiel Gruppein ] [ ]

‘She hasn’t been here yet?’

Even as Captain, she was still a knight. To skip a meal… it wasn’t like her.

I knew where to find her.

I turned and left, heading towards the training grounds.

Thwack! Clang!

The sounds of a wooden sword striking a training dummy echoed through the empty training area.

“Ugh…!”

The woman wielding the sword gritted her teeth, her frustration evident.

The sound had been dull, off-key. A glancing blow, not a clean strike.

Her arm wouldn't cooperate. It was weak, the muscles refusing to respond properly. Her balance was off, her strikes clumsy.

Her body remembered. This was… wrong.

Radiel dropped the sword, a wave of despair washing over her.

Her arm hadn’t been the same since that day.

“At this rate… at this rate, Young Master Carsein…!”

The poor, wrongly accused boy… he had given up. He hadn’t returned to the training ground since that day. He hadn’t visited her.

She hadn’t heard from him since. All she knew was that he was… confined to his room, a prisoner in his own home.

He had become the training ground’s scapegoat, the Duchy’s shame, the enemy of every knight.

But somehow… the ban had been lifted. He had returned, despite everything. Despite the fact that the training grounds must have held nothing but painful memories for him.

This was her last chance. She knew she couldn’t clear his name, but… she had to do something. She had to bring those responsible to justice.

But… her arm wasn’t strong enough. Her broken body wouldn’t allow it.

“Why won’t you listen?! It’s just a cut! It’s not like it was severed!”

Radiel sank to her knees, pounding her arm in frustration.

Why? Why couldn't she even avenge him?

A shadow fell over her, and she hastily wiped away her tears.

“What is it, Mark? I thought you were busy.”

She tried to hide the evidence of her tears, her frustration. It had to be Mark. The one who had refused to believe her, who had insisted on blaming Carsein…

He would lecture her, scold her for pushing herself too hard, for neglecting her duties, for starving herself while she relentlessly practiced with her injured arm. He would tell her to give up, to accept that she was wrong, to step down as Captain.

But… it wasn’t Mark.

“I apologize if you were expecting Mark.”

“…!”

She froze, her breath catching in her throat.

Whose voice was that?

‘Could it be…?’

No, it was impossible. She had heard he had returned to the training grounds, but… he wouldn’t seek her out. Not after what she had done, after the way she had inadvertently made things worse for him.

But then… she looked up. The figure standing before her, silhouetted against the bright lights, seemed… familiar.

And as she met his gaze, a wave of recognition washed over her.

“Y-Young Master…?”

The boy she had wronged, the one who must have hated her…

Carsein was standing right there, his eyes fixed on hers.