I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 38

Chapter 38: A Pack of Wolves (2)

The smiles vanished from the noblewomen’s faces as Carsein's unexpected reaction silenced their taunts.

His statement was clear.

Although he was unfamiliar with the intricacies of high society, his ignorance was actually an advantage.

Harnie’s alleged promiscuity was a serious accusation, especially for someone about to be engaged. His ignorance made his defense all the more convincing.

They had cornered Harnie, but her fiancé, instead of condemning her, was defending her.

“W-What do you mean? We’re just trying to help, to prevent innocent men from being hurt.”

One of the noblewomen stepped forward, trying to hide her embarrassment.

The others followed suit.

“Yes, we’re here because we’re worried that you’re being deceived.”

“Perhaps you’re unaware of Lady Harnie’s reputation, young master. She’s known for her…flirtatious nature. How can you accept someone like that as your fiancée?”

“And it’s not just her promiscuity. There’s evidence suggesting she’s taking advantage of men. Why else would she suddenly start a business?”

They had to intervene.

Their plan was falling apart.

“Are you done?”

Carsein scoffed.

“This is pathetic. You’re just a bunch of bullies. What makes you think I’d listen to your slander?”

“Y-Young Master! That’s going too far!”

“Too far? It seems to me that you’re the ones who have gone too far.”

“…What?”

“Since when have I become so docile that I would listen to the words of those who despise me?”

The noblewomen fell silent.

Yes, they were facing Carsein.

The infamous troublemaker, the stain on the Bagrand name.

Trying to persuade him was a mistake.

“Hmph! There’s a difference between right and wrong.”

“Yes, the young master is clearly the victim here.”

Victim? It was a blatant lie.

They were just trying to salvage the situation.

“Aha. Is that so?”

Carsein played along, pretending to believe them.

The noblewomen sighed in relief.

They thought they could manipulate him, that he was easily swayed by words.

‘They chose the wrong target, fools.’

Carsein looked at Harnie.

“I need to show them something. May I borrow your hand?”

“What…?”

She was confused, but she saw the reassuring smile in his eyes and offered her hand.

‘There you go.’

Carsein chuckled, examining her hand.

He pointed to one of the noblewomen.

“You. The slight indentation on the inside of your ring finger suggests you recently ended your marriage, right?”

“H-How did you…?”

“It’s because you were wearing a ring. You can tell by the way the skin has healed. There’s a faint mark, even if there’s no scar. You might not notice it, but it’s obvious to others.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“This is irrelevant.”

The noblewomen scoffed, but only Harnie understood his intentions.

“According to your testimonies, my fiancée has a long history of relationships, so she must have worn many rings. But her ring finger shows no such signs. What do you make of that?”

Harnie’s ring finger was smooth, unlike the woman’s.

It was as if she had never worn a ring.

“If she had seduced men and stolen their valuables, she would have worn rings. But Lady Harnie’s hand is clean. Your accusations are nothing more than lies.”

“A-Are you saying we’re lying?”

“What else could it be?”

The noblewomen were outraged.

“How can you judge based on just that? There have been countless witnesses who have seen her with men!”

“B-But she doesn’t have to wear rings! She could have received necklaces! They wouldn’t leave any marks!”

“There are countless gifts a man can give a woman besides rings! Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, gemstones, precious metals… countless possibilities! And she could have received a combination of those!”

“No one here said Lady Harnie had worn rings! And besides, even if she had received them, she could have sold them after breaking up with the men!”

They were right.

Harnie could have received those gifts and disposed of them secretly.

If she was a gold digger, as they claimed, she could have seduced men and taken everything they had.

But Carsein knew the truth.

Harnie would never do that.

“You, you said my fiancée started a business, right?”

“W-Well, yes…”

“And you said she made a suspicious amount of money all at once?”

“…Yes.”

Carsein pointed to Harnie’s fingers.

“Do you know what causes these marks on your fingers?”

The noblewomen were speechless.

Only Harnie seemed to understand, a sigh of relief escaping her lips.

“Amazingly, these marks are caused by repeated injuries in the same place. Thin, sharp cuts, concentrated on a single finger. What could cause that?”

There was only one answer.

“Paper cuts. From flipping through pages, turning documents. She’s cut herself so many times that she has scars. And she mainly uses this finger, so that’s where most of the cuts are.”

The noblewomen gasped.

Carsein, sensing their shock, delivered his final blow.

“So her involvement in business is also true. How far will you go to discredit my fiancée? Do you want to make an enemy of the Bagrand family?”

“…!”

The atmosphere shifted.

The young noblewomen, who had been so confident before, were now afraid.

The Bagrand name held immense power.

They were at the top of the noble hierarchy, a family even the Imperial family treated with caution.

And that power was now emanating from Carsein.

“You can say whatever you want. But if any of your families want to challenge the Bagrands, tell me your names. I’ll report everything to Mother.”

It was partly a bluff, but it also contained a hint of truth. He had skillfully woven this confrontation into a matter involving his family.

None of the noblewomen dared speak their names.

They were too afraid of the consequences.

They might offend the Bagrands, and their families would suffer.

Harnie, cornered by the bullies, was now watching them bow their heads.

“…We apologize.”

They were afraid of the Bagrand family.

They were afraid of the repercussions.

“This is ridiculous. You’ve ruined my day. Get out.”

They had taken their time, wasting precious minutes with their accusations and insults, but they scurried away in less than ten seconds.

Carsein dismissed the troublemakers and turned to Harnie, a sly smile on his face.

“You owe me one.”

***

Harnie knew.

A pack of hungry Wolves was always lurking, waiting to pounce.

But they wouldn’t just wait for their prey to stumble.

They would isolate their target, weaken them, break them.

They wouldn’t waste their energy; they would wait for their prey to collapse from exhaustion.

Noble society was a ruthless jungle, filled with cunning predators.

She had tried to ward off the Wolves by spreading the news of her engagement.

But she had overlooked something.

Wolves weren’t always male.

“So you have a fiancé?”

“How did you manage to snag him this time?”

The female Wolves had sensed her weakness and pounced.

This unexpected attack…

It could shatter the foundation she had carefully built.

She had tried to defend herself, to deny their accusations…

But…

‘Will he believe me?’

She was outnumbered.

It was obvious who he would side with.

His arm slipped from hers.

Harnie closed her eyes, bracing herself for the inevitable fallout.

But…

“Stop this nonsense! You dare insult my fiancée in front of me?”

Carsein stepped forward, his arm protectively around her shoulder.

He was defending her.

And…

“You owe me one.”

He had skillfully neutralized the situation.

He had saved her, using logic and reason to dismantle their accusations and expose their lies.

Harnie couldn’t help but wonder…

“Why did you help me?”

“What?”

“You could have sided with them.”

It would have been easier.

He could have gained allies by sacrificing her.

“You could have told them about the Gem of Oath, about our contract. They could have reported it to the Theresia Marquisate.”

The contract would be meaningless if the situation escalated.

Even if the gem’s power activated, the Bagrand family could easily handle the repercussions.

Carsein chuckled.

“You think I would sacrifice you to gain their approval? That’s foolish.”

“But it would have been the logical choice.”

He knew.

He was a shrewd negotiator.

“Why would I make a deal with those who only seek temporary alliances for their own benefit? It’s pointless. I wouldn't achieve my goal.”

He started with logic, then ended with speculation.

But was it really speculation?

It sounded more like… certainty.

“Speaking of which, you said you were being pressured by your family? Those women don’t seem like the type who would be deterred by an engagement.”

Harnie had sought a one-year engagement to avoid an arranged marriage.

So, from Carsein’s perspective, it was a valid question. Why were these women targeting her, instead of men seeking her hand in marriage?

But this was about high society, a world Carsein knew nothing about. Even if their engagement was real, it wouldn't help her.

She had to deflect his question.

But he was too perceptive.

“Don’t try to avoid the question. I can always have the Bagrand family investigate.”

“W-What? Why would you…!”

“I told you, I want to build trust with you. We should share these things, don't you think? We’re in this together.”

He also mentioned her request to pretend to be a couple, saying he needed to understand the context.

He wasn’t going to let this go.

She had lost control of the situation the moment they were discovered.

Harnie sighed and spoke hesitantly.

“It wasn’t always like this. I used to be… friends with them.”

She decided to tell him everything.

She felt safe confiding in Carsein.