I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Claire's Coming-of-Age Ceremony (9)

Why had I forgotten?

Come to think of it, there was a hint in the game.

There were spaces in the ballroom for guests to take a break or get some fresh air. Even at a banquet, people couldn't party nonstop, so these spaces were thoughtfully provided.

The balconies were the most commonly used spaces, located in the corners of the grand hall.

After the coming-of-age ceremony episode started, Carsein could always escape to a balcony to kill time. It was because of these spaces that I was able to devise a plan for him to avoid his family and the guests.

But strangely, not all balconies were accessible.

[The curtains are drawn.]

This message would occasionally appear, but oddly enough, if I used the balcony next to it, the one without the message, I could enter without any problems.

The only difference was the curtains. Why was there such a discrepancy? I couldn’t understand it back then.

I had suspected that a useful Memorial might be hidden there, so I had tried to enter whenever I got the chance, but the message always stopped me.

After the banquet was over, I checked the inaccessible balconies, but they looked the same as the others. To be blunt, there was no difference.

There were no hidden Memorials or items, and my thorough investigation yielded no results.

They were identical balconies, but for some reason, Carsein couldn't enter the ones with the curtains drawn.

If I had thought about this hint a little more deeply… If I had tried to understand why Carsein couldn’t enter the balconies with the drawn curtains…

If I had realized that the drawn curtains were essentially a sign that someone was using the balcony…

Then this wouldn't have happened.

"Ouch…"

The woman rubbed her forehead.

I had also bumped into her, so my forehead hurt, and I had fallen on my backside.

But this wasn't the time to be complaining about pain.

‘Such a mistake…!’

The woman, with her beautiful violet hair, lovely eyes, and sharp features, was clearly a noble, judging by her refined demeanor and elegant attire.

It was a noble.

Someone Carsein had to avoid at all costs.

First, I had to hide my face.

Make sure she doesn't recognize me.

"I apologize, my lady. I was careless in my haste and have acted disrespectfully.”

Fortunately, I managed to remember that I was supposed to be a servant and quickly recalled the proper etiquette when addressing nobles.

I bowed deeply, hiding my face. This should prevent the death flag that could be triggered by Carsein causing a scene.

The damage was already done.

I had to somehow navigate Claire's coming-of-age ceremony episode without causing any trouble.

If I got into even a minor conflict with a noble, I would be reprimanded by my family.

I had to avoid the worst-case scenario.

But it seemed that I had already stumbled into it…

“Oh… my dress.”

The drink she had been holding spilled onto her dress when we bumped into each other.

My stomach churned as I saw the stain.

I had to do something, anything, even if it meant taking a gamble.

“I’m truly sorry! Please tell me the cost of the dress and your family name, and I’ll send you the compensation as soon as possible!”

I handed her a towel from a nearby shelf and bowed deeply once again.

I hated borrowing money, but I had no choice.

It was better than dying, right?

If this didn’t work, it was game over!

The noblewoman sighed. It was so loud that I could hear it clearly.

Just as I thought it was over… I felt a soft touch on my cheek, followed by a sharp pain.

“My dress is simply stained, however you’re bleeding! Why are you apologizing?”

A white hand holding a handkerchief appeared, gently dabbing at the wound.

“You shouldn’t be bowing like this, Carsein.”

My heart sank.

She couldn’t have seen my face. I had bowed immediately after we bumped into each other, before she could see me.

But she knew my name?

This was dangerous.

“You haven’t changed, have you?”

She had recognized me, Carsein, despite my disguise.

***

The moment I was discovered, identified by this woman with the flowing violet hair who had appeared and tended to my wound…

I felt a headache coming on.

Being recognized wasn't a good thing, not now. Not as "Carsein," not as Kim Min-hyeok.

I vaguely remembered seeing her in the game. It meant she was one of the characters.

But I couldn’t place her. I thought I had gathered a lot of information through countless retries, and I had learned a lot about the characters, but…

I had no idea who she was.

I swallowed nervously, stealing a glance at her.

“Your clothes got messed up, huh? Well, that’s good. You wouldn’t have come here if you had something else planned, right, Carsein?”

She was speaking informally, so I had to match her tone. I responded with a bewildered look.

“…Well, yeah.”

“Then stay here for a bit. I hate mingling. If I tell them I was with you, they probably won’t nag me.”

Stay here? Because she hated mingling?

If she stayed with me, it would give her an alibi and prevent people from nagging her?

‘…Two pieces of information…’

I still didn’t understand.

How was this woman connected to Carsein?

She narrowed her eyes, her voice sharp,

“What’s with that look? Are you saying you don’t want to be seen with me?”

“No, it’s… it’s not that…”

To be honest, I didn’t mind.

If she stayed with me, it would kill time, helping me achieve my objective for this episode. Why would I mind?

“Then why are you making that face?! If you don’t want to, just say so!”

But I wasn’t used to this.

The looks Carsein usually received were filled with disgust, contempt, hostility… all negative.

But her reaction wasn’t like that. She wasn’t exactly being friendly, but how was I supposed to respond to this?

I couldn’t adapt.

I discreetly glanced above her violet hair, but there was no white box.

‘No information… damn it.’

I could eliminate all the members of the Bagrand family. And I could also eliminate the other nobles who always looked down on Carsein.

Even after narrowing it down, I still couldn’t figure out who she was.

She didn’t have an affinity box, so she wouldn’t be affected by the choices or influence them. It was a frustrating situation for a player.

Lost in thought, trying to figure out who she was, she spoke again.

“Have you… thought about my proposal?”

“What proposal?”

“I sent you a letter… Didn’t you receive it?”

I shook my head immediately.

It was the only answer that made sense. There was no way a letter could reach Carsein. The Bagrand family controlled all correspondence, and the servants would have intercepted it.

“That’s strange. I clearly wrote my name, Harnie, and I received confirmation that it was delivered.”

Well, it was natural for her not to know the situation.

This was a good opportunity for me. I could learn more about this woman, and if word got out, it might even force the servants to deliver my letters properly.

Her name was Harnie, right?

“Do you… not know anything about me, Lady Harnie?”

There were countless rumors about Carsein Bagrand among the nobility.

She was a noble too, so she must have heard them at least once. That was my intention behind the question.

“I’ve caused so much trouble… It’s impossible for me to receive letters. They’re usually discarded by my family. They’re always full of criticism.”

“Hmm, is that so? I didn't realize.”

“Why don’t you tell me what the letter said? What was it about?”

Harnie sighed softly, her expression turning serious.

This didn’t sound good.

“I asked you… to become engaged to me. For one year.”

“…What?”

It was more than unexpected; it was shocking. In many ways.

—Cough, cough!

Carsein coughed, flustered.

He had reacted this way the moment she mentioned the engagement.

Harnie narrowed her eyes.

“What? Are you that disgusted by the idea of being engaged to me?”

She might be in a disheveled state now, with her dress stained, but she had put a lot of effort into her appearance. Several young lords had approached her, their eyes filled with desire.

Harnie had a certain confidence in her appearance.

But Carsein’s reaction to her proposal had hurt her pride.

“I don’t think my appearance is… that bad, you know? This is insulting!”

“No, it’s… it’s not that… Cough!”

“You’re saying I’m not your type? Well, guess what? You’re not my type either!”

After her blunt, almost rude remark, Harnie turned away, her nose in the air.

Carsein finally understood and got to the point.

“So… there’s a reason behind this engagement proposal, right?”

“Yes! It’s not because I’m personally interested in you! It’s a business proposition!”

Harnie said, jabbing her finger in the air.

She felt parched and reached for her glass.

Of course, there was no water in the spilled glass. Carsein politely filled it from a nearby pitcher.

—Pour.

“Just to be clear, it’s not because I find you unattractive.”

“What?”

“Imagine someone coming up to you and asking for your hand in marriage. Wouldn’t you be surprised?”

“Well…”

It was a natural reaction, wasn’t it?

‘That’s right… a natural reaction…’

Her pride, which had been scratched, was now restored.

“It’s not because I dislike you. It was just… unexpected. If you had said it was a business proposition from the beginning, there wouldn’t have been any misunderstanding.”

Harnie, embarrassed, averted her gaze and took a sip of water. She cleared her throat as she set the glass back down.

‘She’s easy to read.’

Carsein chuckled and apologized.

“Well, I’m sorry. I was the one who overreacted.”

“No, it’s… there’s no need to apologize… and I was the one who spilled the water…”

“It’s alright. Calm down. Now, let’s get back to the main topic, shall we?”

“R-right.”

Carsein, quickly ending the awkward conversation, steered it back to the main point.

An engagement for a year, with a purpose.

A contractual engagement, a business deal.

This was an opportunity.

“What do you hope to gain from this one-year engagement, Lady Harnie?”

“Nothing.”

Harnie replied simply.

Her answer was a bit too simple, wasn't it? Even if it was a business deal, her request was surprisingly minimal for a one-year contractual engagement.

But Carsein understood the moment she added,

“This engagement itself is my goal.”

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