I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: The Snowflake Festival (5)

I’ll say it again, this game was made with RPG Maker.

An old, outdated engine, with pixelated graphics that hurt your eyes, and clunky, awkward controls.

That meant that any mini-game you encountered would be insanely difficult, but it also meant that the rewards for clearing them would be incredible.

And this game was no different.

There were four gauge bars that controlled the launch of the ball, as well as other mechanisms that required quick reflexes. It was overwhelming.

So I had given up on it before.

‘The ball is just a small marble, about the size of my thumbnail. It’s smooth, with no sharp edges, and it weighs about the same as a marble. I should be able to control it if I adjust the force and angle. And the traps… I can just close them with the buttons.’

The game, in reality, wasn’t that difficult to analyze.

It was just an expansion of the original game, with a few more complicated elements. Even without the gauge bars, I should be able to handle it.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes, you can start whenever you’re ready.”

“Alright.”

The man dropped a marble into the game board.

It rattled down, hitting the lever connected to the handles, and bounced to the right.

“Oh, that one is worth 25 points, right?”

“This one is worth 35 points.”

“Look, another 20 points!”

The magical calculator kept track of the score, the numbers increasing rapidly.

The marble entered an area where it could fall out of bounds, but…

“Wow, that’s how you use it?”

I pressed the buttons at the right time, closing the traps, adjusting the speed to make the marble bounce back, or creating opportunities to bypass the danger zones. The marble kept going.

There were two conditions for winning a prize.

First, you had to reach the target score on the magical calculator.

Second, you had to hit the target corresponding to the prize with the marble after reaching the target score.

You had to meet both conditions.

I had already surpassed the target score. The score kept increasing as the marble survived, and it seemed like I could win anything.

But…

‘Damn it.’

The higher-tier prizes were in awkward positions. The slightest mistake would not only reset the score but also end the game.

I tried my best to focus, but the game speed increased with each point, making it difficult to aim.

My hands, frantically trying to keep up with the calculations in my head…

The pressure of the increasing speed…

This was my last chance.

I took a gamble…

And fell short.

“Amazing! You won the silver dagger forged by Turhen, the master blacksmith of the Wederos Kingdom. Congratulations!”

The man, impressed, presented me with a sword.

But…

▶Emergency Mission!◀
▶One chance only! Clear the game and win the teddy bear for Flora!◀

‘This… This is a waste.’

Flora’s affinity was the most difficult to raise.

She hated Carsein, and even if I cleared her name, she wouldn’t admit her own fault.

I needed to raise her affinity somehow…

Was there a way?

I asked the man,

“Is there any way to exchange this for another prize?”

“What?”

“Carsein, what are you talking about? That’s not an ordinary sword.”

“You can’t find blacksmiths from the Wederos Kingdom anymore. It’s a rare, limited-edition item.”

The two sisters were shocked. He was refusing a rare silver dagger from a lost kingdom, asking for something else?

However, the merchant seemed to understand. He asked,

“What prize would you like instead?”

“That one.”

I pointed to an item.

“What?!”

“…Carsein?”

“Sir…?”

Even the merchant looked at me as if I was crazy.

“Is that a problem?”

“I can give you a lower-tier prize, but… are you sure?”

“Yes, I want that one.”

I had pointed to the teddy bear.

The teddy bear Flora had been staring at with longing.

A rare, limited-edition sword? What did I care?

I didn’t know anything about the Wederos Kingdom.

The only thing I needed right now was affinity.

The man, realizing I was serious, put away the silver dagger with a faint smile.

And then, he handed the huge teddy bear to Flora.

“Wow!”

Flora squealed with delight, hugging the bear.

And the merchant said to me,

“Your love for your sister is truly admirable, young master.”

—Ding!

▶Emergency Mission Cleared!◀
▶The family’s affinity has increased, and your reputation in the duchy has greatly improved!◀
▶Your Reputation level has been upgraded to Fame!◀

■Reward
[Increased affinity: 3%]
[Time limit in danger zones increased from 3 seconds to 30 seconds.]
[Some restricted areas have been downgraded to warning zones.]

▶Current Affinity levels:
[Arina: 15%]
[Claire: 25%]
[Flora: 6%]
[Isabella: 43%]

The rewards were significant.

The result of choosing the fifth-place prize over the first-place prize.

‘Love for my sister? What nonsense.’

I was just trying to survive.

They wouldn’t have come all the way to the festival just for one game.

The Bagrand family continued to enjoy the festivities.

But there was a change. The way they looked at Carsein was different now.

However, it didn't feel pleasant.

After giving the teddy bear to Flora, he started to distance himself from the group.

They all assumed he was tired from the game.

Maybe he was just exhausted.

His family thought he didn't want to participate anymore.

So he stood alone, watching them from afar.

Claire was the first to notice.

‘He’s been doing that all day…’

She understood, but she wanted him to enjoy the festival with them.

However, this also presented an opportunity.

—Apologize to him. Tell him you’re sorry for suspecting him. You’re going to ruin your relationship if you keep doing this.

She remembered Arsienne's advice.

‘Maybe I should say something now.’

She hadn’t spoken to him properly since the incident at the ballroom.

Arina had tried to engage him, but Claire hadn't said a word.

She would have normally praised him for giving Flora the teddy bear, but…

The memory of the ballroom incident kept replaying in her mind, making her feel awkward.

So this was her chance.

“Ahem! Carsein.”

Claire coughed, covering her mouth, then approached him.

“…You seem different these days.”

“What?”

“You’re being kind… to Flora. And… uh… well… yes, you’re being kind…”

Carsein looked at her, his expression bewildered.

He seemed to understand what she was trying to say, and he corrected her,

“You mean giving the game to Flora and winning her the teddy bear?”

“Yes! That’s it.”

Carsein shrugged, his tone indifferent.

“Nothing’s changed. I just made up for my mistake.”

“Mistake?”

“I upset Flora in the carriage. So I was making amends. Don’t get the wrong idea.”

“What did you say in the carriage?”

Carsein turned the page in his notebook, ignoring her question.

“I made up for it. Just let it go.”

Claire didn’t know what they had talked about in the carriage.

But she knew she shouldn’t take his words at face value.

Flora had been wary of Carsein after the carriage ride.

And she had been happy when she received the teddy bear.

‘They probably just bickered.’

Or maybe Carsein, acting more maturely now, had just tolerated his younger sister’s whining.

“Is that all you wanted to talk about?”

“What? Oh… no.”

Claire, startled by his question, realized she had gotten sidetracked.

“Then why are you here?”

“I… uh…”

His questions made her nervous.

The words she wanted to say seemed stuck in her throat.

I’m sorry for suspecting you at the ballroom.

I’m sorry for not believing you.

She needed to apologize, but the words wouldn’t come out.

Finally, she blurted out something else.

“Do you want anything? From the festival?”

“What’s with the sudden question?”

“Well… you haven’t eaten anything, you haven’t bought anything… so I thought…”

It was a decent excuse, considering the circumstances.

She didn’t know what he wanted.

She had even forgotten his birthday, let alone bought him a gift.

This was her chance.

“Tell me what you want. I’ll buy it for you with my own money, not Mother’s.”

She could finally make amends.

For the birthday gift.

For today's misunderstanding.

Or maybe, for all the resentment that had been building up.

Standing tall, she waited for his answer.

But…

“I don’t need anything.”

Carsein flatly rejected her offer.

“Nothing’s changed. You never cared before, so why now?”

Claire retorted impulsively, her cheeks flushing.

“You… You’re my brother! What’s wrong with buying you something at the festival?”

"It's because you’re doing something you don’t usually do. When I did laundry by hand, you had plenty to say. So why can't I do the same?”

“Well, that’s…”

She couldn’t refute his point.

Compared to when she yelled at him for doing laundry at the washhouse, this was a clear double standard.

But this was making her even more frustrated.

“I’m doing this because I feel awful!”

Her face was red, her voice rising.

She was being honest.

She wanted to make amends.

For the birthday gift.

For today’s misunderstanding.

“I’m sorry! Okay? I’m sorry I suspected you earlier, and I’m sorry I forgot your birthday…!”

Her voice cracked, her emotions spilling out.

Claire, unable to hold back any longer, covered her face with her hands.

Carsein closed his notebook.

“I’ll think about it. So leave me alone for now.”

“…Don’t… Don’t say no later, okay?”

“Whatever.”

Claire, her mood slightly lighter, headed back towards Isabella and Flora.

The two sisters, watching them, exchanged glances.

Then Arina, watching Claire walk away, approached Carsein.

“What’s wrong? Carsein.”

That question marked the start of another incident.

It was unexpected.

To hear those words from Claire…

Those clumsy words, those awkward expressions of regret…

He hadn't expected it.

And he had almost enjoyed the rest of the festival.

But then, reality hit him.

“I don’t understand why you’re always alone. Why don’t you eat anything? Why aren’t you interested in the festival? You don’t interact with the other nobles. You reject everything we offer you. What’s wrong with you?”

Arina’s words echoed in his ears.

“What are you trying to say?”

“Claire just apologized to you, didn’t she? She even offered to buy you something. And you’re still acting like this?”

Carsein scoffed.

“So what? Do you think she meant it?”

“…What?”

“You’re all watching me, aren’t you? You’re just waiting for me to mess up, aren’t you?”

Carsein glared at Arina.

She was stunned.

“You’re still treating me like a criminal! You’re just testing me, aren’t you?”

“…What?!”

“You’re just using the festival as an excuse to keep an eye on me. You’re not even trying to hide it.”

Carsein’s words were laced with bitterness.

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