I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Death Trigger (1)

I opened my eyes, and it was morning.

After a day of struggling with a cold, I had fallen into a deep sleep after a simple meal.

I vaguely remembered Claire finally realizing her mistake and bringing me the porridge, and the irritation I felt as I ate it. But I didn’t remember anything after lying down in bed.

So I had slept through the entire day.

“Ha. So this is what ‘recovery from fatigue and sleep deprivation’ feels like.”

Perhaps there was no other realistic way to recover. Well, there’s nothing better for recovery than a good meal and a long sleep.

I couldn’t change the fact that time had already passed.

—Knock, knock.

“I’ve brought breakfast.”

Breakfast had already arrived.

It was porridge again. Yesterday, Claire had hastily summoned the maids to my room and ordered them to clear out the feast, which seemed to have helped prevent indigestion.

However…

“I’ll be leaving now.”

There were a few differences.

First, the maid had changed. Originally, Camilla would have been the one to bring me breakfast, but given what had happened, the maid had changed, just like in the game.

And second…

‘She looks resentful.’

The maid seemed to dislike me. I was well aware of Carsein’s reputation in the duchy, but the maid’s affinity box was a darker shade of white than yesterday.

It wasn't a good sign.

Camilla, though she had poisoned Carsein's food, was not the type to gossip or spread rumors.

But what about this new maid? She could easily spread rumors and create problems for me. If that happened, my affinity with the other servants would continue to plummet.

“I have to escape this duchy eventually… but I can’t right now.”

A strict social hierarchy was in place, and a world far more dangerous than Korea awaited me. There could be events unfolding that I wasn’t even aware of.

Ironically, the most dangerous place was also the safest, for now. I couldn’t even dream of escaping right now.

“First, I need to progress through the story and avoid any choices that trigger a death flag. If I can go further, I might even be able to deactivate the death triggers altogether.”

In a certain online community, one user had called choices that directly lead to a bad ending “death flags” and the events that trigger them “death triggers.”

It was a fitting description.

The meaning of “flag” was self-explanatory.

Trigger. As the name implied, it was a trigger. A situation that could set off a death flag, lurking in the flow of the story, waiting for its chance.

It was why everyone was so confused about how certain choices could suddenly lead to a bad ending, regardless of the context.

Now that I was trapped in this game, I was probably facing a major death trigger.

“...Perhaps I need to get Camilla out of solitary confinement first.”

Even after possessing Carsein, the story hadn’t changed much. Carsein had collapsed from a cold, and Camilla, his personal maid, had become a suspect. So, she was locked up in solitary confinement, considered a prime suspect.

If I left things as they were, I would surely die. Camilla had a massive death trigger associated with her.

There were subtle hints—the maids’ affinity boxes and their reactions.

Camilla was well-liked among the maids, known for her friendly and sociable personality. Only a few people in the duchy disliked her.

And she had been my maid. So naturally, the blame was shifting towards me. Getting Camilla out of solitary confinement was not a choice but a necessity.

However, I had to progress through the episode first.

—Clatter.

My door, which usually received a polite knock when a maid arrived, swung open without warning. Well, it was someone who could get away with it.

“What is it, Arina?”

It was Arina, the eldest daughter of the Bagrand duchy.

***

Arina strode into the room and scoffed, her eyes fixed on the meager table with only a single bowl of porridge.

“So you refused to eat all that carefully prepared food, only to eat this?”

I knew she would say something like this, but hearing it directly dampened my mood. Still, there was no need to tell her the truth.

It would be pointless.

“It’s still food from the duchy. What’s wrong with it?”

“The same food? The chef who prepared those dishes for you yesterday would be appalled.”

“Ha.”

“You find this situation amusing? Your entire family is facing humiliation because of you.”

That chuckle had escaped involuntarily. It was absurd.

This humble meal had saved my life. Not the elaborate dishes Claire and Arina had prepared, but this simple porridge.

I had almost retorted impulsively but managed to hold back.

—Ding!

▶Episode II - The maids’ discontent begins!◀
▶Answer Arina’s question!◀

[1. Why are you getting worked up for no reason? Stop ruining my appetite and get out!]
[2. Why are you bringing up Mother? She wouldn’t even think of visiting me, even if I’m sick.]
[3. It’s not stubbornness…! Ugh, whatever. Why am I even talking to you? You’re crazy.]
…
…

The main story was finally starting.

And what lovely choices I was given.

As soon as the episode started, it branched out into multiple choices, each one worse than the last, some even blatant traps.

[6. This isn’t why you’re here, is it?]

“This isn’t why you’re here, is it?”

There’s no way Arina Bagrand would visit me for something this trivial.

“You didn’t come here to lecture me. You’re here to show me that, right?” I said, pointing to the papers she was holding.

“Hmph. You’re right. I didn’t come here because of your meal. Wait here for a moment. I have more to bring.”

Arina returned shortly after with another stack of papers. At a glance, it seemed far larger than the one she had brought earlier.

The papers were profiles of the servants who worked in the duchy. They contained detailed information about their past work experience and current duties.

Why was she showing me this? That was the real question.

“The duchy is currently in a very busy period. We have a major event coming up, and preparations are taking up a lot of time. There are other reasons as well. But you caused a major incident, and now we have to spend even more money to resolve it.”

I had a hunch.

If all the servants were swamped, there was only one thing she could possibly want to say.

“So, you want me to choose a new maid?”

“You’re quick. Camilla, the maid who worked so diligently for you despite your tantrums, is now under suspicion. We’ll find her a new job out of pity. Don’t worry, the suspicion will be cleared soon.”

Arina added those words, pretending to give me a choice.

But this wasn’t a choice; it was a rebuke.

She was emphasizing the fact that Carsein was a terrible master, and that only Camilla had endured him, despite his terrible personality.

Yes, even though she didn’t say it…

“This whole incident has created more work for the duchy, especially during such a busy period. It’s all because you failed to take care of your health.”

…It was nothing less than a scolding.

But I didn’t understand.

‘Why blame Carsein?’

He was the victim! He was forced to bathe in cold water, dragged to a dinner where he was treated coldly, and wasn't even allowed to eat proper food.

He was then given a poisoned dessert. He was nothing but a victim. He didn’t deserve to be scolded.

“Mother is also troubled by this. If you have any conscience, handle this yourself so that she doesn't hear about it. Don’t cause more trouble for the entire family.”

And she kept saying that word: family, family.

I felt it from the beginning, but she was just like that woman, in both personality and actions.

"Kim Min-hyeok, why do you always insist on embarrassing us? I can't even show my face in public because of you. You know that?”

“Mother is working hard to earn money so that we can live in a harmonious household, unlike other children. So please, have some shame. Stop ruining our family’s reputation.”

It was exactly what I heard from the eldest sister in my past life.

—Ding!

Just as I was about to retort, disgusted, the choice window appeared. I should have just chosen the correct option and sent her away, but I couldn’t hold back.

“You’re the one who’s causing trouble for me…!”

—Beep! Beep!

My vision turned red, my words blocked, and a warning window popped up.

▶Warning!◀
▶Warning!◀
▶Warning!◀

The room buzzed as if red warning lights were flashing, and a continuous siren blared in my ears.

Then, the status window appeared.

▶Warning! This action is not permitted!◀
▶A serious error has been detected that could disrupt the story!◀
▶Please choose a different option.◀
▶If the same action is detected again, a penalty will be imposed!◀

‘Damn it.’

▶Current warning count: 1◀
▶Penalty will be imposed upon the next warning.◀
▶5 random choices will be forced.◀

My impulsive outburst had triggered this.

And “random” was just a fancy word. This penalty was essentially a death sentence.

It was frustrating to realize I couldn’t even say what I wanted, but it was my fault. Still, it wasn’t a complete loss.

‘So they’re saying I can only intervene within the confines of the story?’

I had gained information. Though I could twist the choices, I couldn’t reject the choices themselves. I had to follow the main storyline, at least the main dialogue.

Also, when a choice window appeared, my actions were restricted. And lastly… they had given me a clear warning: next time, I’d die.

It was unfair, the lengths I had to go to just to gather information, but these little details could be exploited.

‘Be careful, Kim Min-hyeok. Don't act on your emotions.’

I sighed, staring at the timer that had just appeared, reminding me that the game would soon resume.

“Mother is also troubled by this. If you have any conscience, handle this yourself so that she doesn't hear about it. Don’t cause more trouble for the entire family—“

Arina’s words echoed in my ears, as if they were being re-recorded.

She didn’t seem to have heard my outburst, showing no reaction. It was as if everything had been reset.

‘I can’t complain; I need to survive. I have to choose the right option… huh?’

I noticed something on the shelf that had fallen to the floor, emitting a glow. It was definitely a Memorial.

‘There’s a carriage doll on the shelf in Carsein’s room… right?’

Memorials revealed Carsein’s past and sometimes contained key clues to solving the episode.

I already knew the general gist of this episode, but…

‘There must be something more.’

It wasn't just a hunch.

The moment I reached for the doll with the choices still displayed, my vision went white.

***

A normal day, bathed in sunlight.

The citizens of the Pesselus Empire were brimming with energy, basking in the spring sunshine, eager to start a new day.

The spring sunshine reached even the slums. It warmed even the children who had been abandoned on the streets, children who never knew their parents. The winter had passed, and the spring had arrived, bringing with it a comforting warmth.

One day…

The lady, her eyes dull with despair, having searched the entire country for one child, was suddenly filled with life.

“Ah…! There you are! I found you!”

And the one standing before her, filled with life, was Carsein.

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