I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: A Precarious Cairn

“Mommy, look! It’s snowing!”

“Yes, it’s snowing today.”

A commoner mother and child were enjoying the festival.

“Haha! Anyone else want to have a snowball fight? You’re all outmatched—Ugh!”

“Gotcha!”

“Hey! Why are you throwing snowballs at me instead of them?”

“There are no brothers or sisters when it comes to deciding who’s king of the neighborhood! Take this!”

A group of siblings were having a snowball fight.

And…

“Where are you going? To enjoy the festival?”

A much younger Arina.

She was seventeen, still lacking the maturity and elegance she would possess later.

A young boy, his eyes sparkling with excitement, followed closely behind his older sister.

“Wow… This is the Snowflake Festival…!”

The boy, three years younger than his sister, was mesmerized by the scene unfolding before him.

The snowball fight, the warm food stalls, the festive atmosphere… it was all magical.

Especially for Carsein, a young boy who was always confined to the mansion, isolated from the outside world.

Everything was exciting.

He wanted to play in the snow.

He wanted to try the street food he had never seen before.

He wanted to wander freely like the other children.

Simply being outside was enough to fill him with joy.

“Carsein.”

“Yes? What’s up?”

He asked, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

He was hoping to hear those words from his sister.

“You said you wanted to enjoy the festival, right?”

“Yes! Of course!”

“Here. Enjoy yourself. Do whatever you want.”

Arina pulled out 300 Pessel from her purse and handed it to him.

Pocket money.

The boy was thrilled but also worried.

“But I got in so much trouble today… Are you sure I can have fun?”

His sister’s gaze was cold.

“Yes.”

That was all she said.

“Yay!”

He jumped for joy.

He ran off, reveling in his freedom.

The snow fell.

He bought snacks, toys, and played games, his hands filled with treasures.

But soon, he lost interest.

He had his freedom.

He had money to spend.

This might be his only chance.

But…

“Playing alone… is no fun.”

Carsein wasn’t happy.

He was alone.

Then, he saw something.

“This is a present for you, Mommy!”

“Oh my, thank you!”

A boy had won a prize and was giving it to his mother.

The son scratched his head, his expression slightly disappointed.

“I wish I could have gotten you something better.”

“No, darling. It’s enough that you thought of me.”

That scene sparked something within Carsein.

A gift for his family.

A present.

‘My sisters, Flora, Mother… They’d be happy if I got them something, right?’

He wanted their attention.

‘Yes, they’d be happy. I’ll win them something special and make them proud!’

He brushed the snow off his pants and stood up.

The snow continued to fall.

The sky, once blue, was now tinged with red as the sun set and the lanterns were lit.

Carsein’s hands were filled with bags. He had collected a lot of things.

But he didn’t know where to go.

He didn’t know where the carriage was.

Only Arina knew the way back.

“I guess… Arina will come looking for me?”

He sat down on a pile of stones, swinging his legs.

He imagined his sister’s surprised face when she saw him.

I’ll build a cairn while I wait.

Arina would surely find him.

But the stones kept toppling over.

He built it again and again.

Hours passed, and Arina didn’t come.

Instead…

“Hey, look! Isn’t that a little nobleman? What’s with all the bags?”

“Woah, they’re all prizes!”

“Damn it, they’re useless then.”

“No, we can sell them.”

A group of thugs, much larger than him, approached.

“Hey! That’s mine!”

“Listen, kid. Just hand them over if you don’t want to get hurt. You don’t even have a crest.”

“Why should I give you what I worked hard to earn?”

“Just shut up and hand them over. Do you want to get beat up?”

“These little shits… They still think they can walk around at night with their heads held high.”

“They need a good beating. That’ll teach them.”

They took everything he had.

His arms were bruised, his body aching.

Then, finally…

He was found.

A knight, searching for him, discovered him by the cairn.

“Carsein…! What are you doing here…? Oh, never mind. Let’s go home, my son. Please?”

His mother was horrified.

Carsein was a mess.

Behind Isabella, Arina stared at him in shock.

Carsein was relieved.

He could finally show her what he had been hiding.

“This… This is for you, Arina…”

He reached behind Isabella and held out a hair tie with a snowflake charm.

A small gift for his older sister who always wore her hair in a ponytail.

The scene faded.

The precarious cairn stood tall.

It had survived the rain and the wind.

His anticipation… it must have been the same as mine.

That’s why I was so angry.

“Carsein!”

Because the person who had abandoned him was standing right behind me.

—Ding!

***

It had been a mistake.

Mother had realized Carsein wasn’t there, and the knights were searching everywhere.

Arina couldn’t just stand by. She mounted her horse and headed straight for the carriage.

But…

“What? He hasn’t returned to the carriage?”

“That’s correct, my lady.”

He wasn’t there.

Heron’s words were never wrong. Carsein hadn't returned to the carriage after the festival.

‘Where could he be?’

Mother’s worry would be growing with each passing moment.

Arina had to find him and bring him back.

She spurred her horse forward.

She searched and searched…

And then, she saw him.

A boy, sitting by a pile of stones.

‘Could that be…?’

She saw his hair, dark with a hint of blue.

It was Carsein.

“Carsein!”

She dismounted her horse and called out to him.

As she approached, she recognized his build and his clothes.

It was definitely him.

She was relieved.

She could take him back to Mother and ease her worry.

The knights had done their job, so she would have to compensate them accordingly. But this was partly her fault as well.

If she hadn't mentioned the house arrest, Carsein wouldn't be so upset.

She wouldn’t forget this.

“I understand you’re upset. I promised you a fun festival, but I was secretly testing you. I wanted to see how much you’ve changed.”

“What kind of test?”

“To see if you’ve changed enough to have your house arrest lifted.”

Arina tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

She had to convince him.

The family meeting before the Snowflake Festival.

The forgotten birthday and the meager birthday gift.

She would use those to appease him.

She would also mention the possibility of lifting his house arrest.

But Carsein was armed with sharp words.

“So that incident years ago… Was that a test too?”

“What… What are you talking about?”

“Did you forget? Like you forgot about my birthday?”

He turned around, and she saw it.

“This place. This is where you gave me 300 Pessel and told me to enjoy the festival, then abandoned me.”

“…!”

She remembered.

The cairn built with flat stones.

Carsein, bruised and battered.

This place…

It was where 17-year-old Arina Bagrand had left behind a dark memory.

“C-Carsein… That… I…”

She couldn’t speak.

Carsein stared at her, his eyes cold.

“So you're saying you didn’t know I would end up like that? You’re just trying to make excuses.”

“No! Carsein, I… I swear I didn’t…”

“You didn’t want to see me get beat up? You just wanted me to cause trouble so you could justify kicking me out. Isn’t that right?”

“…!”

He was voicing her thoughts.

Her eyes closed, tears welling up.

“It was a mistake I made when I was young. I… I’m so sorry. I… I didn’t mean to…”

She tried to apologize, to make excuses for her past actions.

But Carsein cut her off.

“Stop it.”

“Carsein…”

“And you tell me to enjoy the festival with Mother? Because she’s worried about me? Do you think I can do that?”

“….”

“I’ll be by myself. I’d rather get beaten up again than pretend to be happy with you guys.”

—Young Master!

The Bagrand knights arrived, but they couldn’t take Carsein away.

“He… he wants to be alone.”

“But, my lady…”

“Just leave him be. This is my fault. I’ll explain everything to Mother.”

Carsein walked past the knights.

They were confused, but they obeyed Arina’s orders.

Arina dismissed the knights and stared at the spot where Carsein had been standing.

Then…

—Clatter.

The precarious cairn crumbled.