I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Troublemaker at the Training Grounds (1)

Today, Harnie, eager to escape the Theresia Marquisate, diligently worked at her desk, her pen gliding across the paper.

“Lady Harnie, you have a letter.”

Her maid's announcement made Harnie pause, a sigh escaping her lips.

“Mina, I told you to discard all the letters. They’re useless anyway.”

“What? But, my lady…”

“They’re just from nobles who are only interested in my appearance.”

The number of letters had increased recently.

Rumors of her engagement had spread, but most dismissed them as false. Her father hadn't bothered to address the rumors.

As a result, men, eager to be seen with the most beautiful woman in the empire, had become even more persistent, sending countless letters and proposals.

Harnie was already tired of it.

“Umm… I know, but…”

Mina hesitated, glancing at Harnie and the letter.

“I don’t think you should discard this one, my lady…”

“What do you mean? All the letters addressed to me as head of the trading company should be under that name.”

“Well, my lady… I think this one is… important. Just look at the crest.”

Harnie, still focused on her work, looked up and asked,

“Mina, you wouldn't say that without a reason… What is it?”

Mina finally revealed her concerns.

“Have you made any promises with anyone recently? You know, like… appointments or something?”

Harnie tilted her head, confused.

Mina was a maid from the Marquisate, assigned to her by her father, but she was loyal to Harnie.

There had to be a reason why she was emphasizing this letter.

“I don’t think I have…”

Harnie racked her brain, trying to remember any important correspondence.

And then, it hit her.

“M-Mina, which family is this from?”

Mina gulped and showed her the crest on the letter.

“Oh…”

Harnie gasped, dropping her pen.

The letter bore the crest of the most powerful family in the empire.

The Bagrand duchy.

“Ha… I almost threw it away. What’s wrong with me these days?”

“It was an important letter, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, and it seems like it was sent here by mistake.”

“See? I told you it’s always better to double-check.”

Mina, relieved, handed her the letter and a letter opener.

Harnie broke the seal and read the contents.

“I almost made a big mistake… ” she muttered, clutching her chest.

“So… the Bagrand family sent you a letter…?”

“Yes, it’s about the contract. With Young Master Carsein.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? He’s still a man, you know…”

Mina asked, her voice laced with concern. Harnie nodded confidently.

“Don’t worry. He’s not interested in me. He just wants to make a deal.”

“A deal?”

“Yes, he’s in a similar situation. He’s not accepted by his family. No, maybe his situation is even worse. I can at least use my family’s influence, since I’m an illegitimate child, but…”

“Ah…”

Mina sighed sympathetically.

Everyone knew that Carsein Bagrand was an adopted child.

“He wants the same thing I do. And he won’t have any ulterior motives, unlike those other men.”

“So he’s the perfect partner for you.”

“Yes, he is.”

He might be an adopted child, but he was still a Bagrand.

The weight of that name was enough to deter most suitors.

“You should spend more time with your fiancé. There’s a perfect party coming up!”

“I know, but… It seems like I’ll have to wait.”

“What?”

“He’s confined to the duchy for a while.”

Harnie showed Mina the letter.

“He’s a very intelligent man. He wouldn't waste time on trivial matters.”

“Really?”

“The problem is… he needs a lot of guidance. Haha…”

An intelligent man who needs a lot of guidance?

Mina tilted her head, confused.

‘Ugh… What should I say?’

Harnie was struggling to explain the situation.

She was worried about how to guide him, not about his intelligence.

***

That evening…

Carsein visited the annex, wondering if Claire would really go as far as nailing it shut.

It was absurd, wasn't it?

The Bagrand family was involved in countless businesses. It didn’t make sense to close the annex, their guest house, especially when they received so many visitors.

It was ridiculous… but it was true.

That crazy Claire had actually sealed the annex.

he returned to his room, disappointed, and encountered Shaiden.

“I was here to check on your injuries, but it seems you’ve been to the annex.”

Shaiden seemed to know where he had been.

“It’s ridiculous. Why would she seal the annex?”

“There are other buildings in the duchy. And besides, it’s not a big deal if the guests don’t stay in the annex. Most of them are afraid of offending the Bagrand family.”

Most guests stayed at inns near the duchy.

They were too afraid of the powerful Bagrand family to stay at the annex.

Damn it, Claire would probably say something like that.

He returned to his room, frustrated, and spent the rest of the evening trying to come up with a new plan.

“Hmm… It seems like you’ll need a few more applications of the ointment.”

The next morning, Shaiden visited him during his rounds.

“The other young ladies are always in pain when they have mouth sores, but you don’t seem to be bothered, young master.”

“It’ll heal in a few days. It’s not a big deal.”

“But it must be quite painful…”

Shaiden looked at him, surprised by his indifference.

‘It doesn’t hurt anymore.’

He had assumed the mouth sores would be painful, preventing him from eating.

But he had experienced worse.

He had suffered from mouth sores often in his past life.

From stress, from lack of sleep, from overworking…

He was used to the pain.

‘…Or maybe it’s because of that modern medicine.’

The pain, or rather the strange pleasure, of applying that liquid with a cotton swab…

He had probably become desensitized to it.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, young master.”

Shaiden finished applying the ointment and bowed.

It was time to tell him.

“You don’t have to come tomorrow.”

“But your wounds haven’t healed yet…”

“They’re almost gone. And besides, I won’t be here tomorrow.”

Shaiden seemed to understand.

“But, young master, you can’t enter the annex…”

“Yes, I’ve seen it myself.”

“Then are you planning to… sleep on the streets?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to sleep on the streets.”

“Then where…”

He waved his hand dismissively.

Shaiden was worried he would be homeless, but unlike the coming-of-age ceremony, he had found a solution.

‘My destination is the training grounds.’

It was the perfect excuse to avoid his family.

***

Carsein chose a time when he wouldn’t encounter his family and left his room.

To summarize the current situation:

He had overcome the initial crisis of Episode V and neutralized Emma.

Flora wouldn’t be bothering him for three days, thanks to the outcome of their conversation.

And he wouldn’t be encountering his other family members, as they were focused on the investigation and trying to make amends.

The biggest problem was, of course, Emma.

▶Emma is currently in solitary confinement!◀
▶You will not be harassed by the maids!◀

She had been framed by Claire, but there was no evidence against her.

He had provoked her, making her anxious and desperate, but she was still the head maid of the Bagrand family. A powerful figure in the duchy.

He couldn't risk making another move against her.

He had tried to get rid of her in the game, but he had always failed.

In short, he couldn’t get rid of her with his current status as an adopted child, not while she was still considered innocent.

‘She’s a tough opponent. But I can’t waste this opportunity.’

He had to prepare thoroughly.

He needed to find a weapon, something to expose her and bring her down.

That’s why he was going to the training grounds.

‘This is the line.’

He stood at the boundary separating the mansion from the training grounds.

Even in the game, the map would change names at this point.

Crossing this line would officially begin Episode V, Troublemaker at the Training Grounds.

“The training grounds… This is going to be a tough one.”

It hadn't been long since he had deactivated Camilla’s death triggers.

Less than a week.

But as soon as he crossed this line, new death triggers would activate.

He had to find them and neutralize them.

He glanced at the status window, checked his declining stats, and took a deep breath.

And then, he took a step forward.

—Ding!

▶Episode V. Troublemaker at the Training Grounds in progress!◀
▶Enter the training grounds and talk to the knights!◀

The notification appeared, along with instructions.

It was a cruel twist.

He had to enter the training grounds and talk to the knights.

But he had already taken the first step.

There was no turning back.

He walked towards them, knowing he had no other choice.

“Hey, look.”

“Wow, what a pathetic sight.”

As he approached the entrance, the knights turned their heads, their gazes cold and dismissive.

‘Well, that’s understandable. Carsein injured one of them at the training grounds.’

It was just a story in the game, but it wasn’t something they would easily forget.

Especially the knights.

Proud knights, serving the Bagrand family.

They would be furious that one of their own had been injured.

And they would be even angrier that the culprit was a commoner, an adopted child taken in by the Duchess when she had been mentally ill.

They probably wouldn’t even acknowledge him as a knight.

Their affinity boxes confirmed it.

They were different from the ones he had seen in the mansion.

The white boxes had gray stripes on the left side.

They weren’t normal affinity boxes.

They were gray boxes, representing negative affinity.

It meant that it would be even more difficult to recover their favor.

“What brings the esteemed young master to the training grounds?”

One of the knights approached him, his voice laced with sarcasm.

He sneered, his eyes cold and calculating.

He looked dangerous, ready to attack at the slightest provocation.

‘It’s true. This could easily trigger a bad ending.’

He couldn’t act recklessly, like he had done in the mansion.

But he couldn’t just stand there and take it.

▶The Bagrand knights are threatening you. How will you respond?◀

The choice window appeared.