I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Consequences of Malice (3)

Claire's triumphant expression twisted into a scowl, while Arina furrowed her brow in displeasure.

"You better explain yourself, Carsein. Are you saying you won't eat this food, even though we personally supervised its preparation?"

Arina, the eldest, wanted to hear his explanation once more.

Sorry, but my answer wasn't wrong.

“Why ask if you already know?”

I retorted bluntly.

It meant I wouldn’t eat that perfectly prepared meal, the food that hadn’t been touched by any maid other than those under the watchful eyes of my two sisters.

Claire scoffed in disbelief, then burst out in frustration,

"You little shit, are you kidding me? Is that any way to treat someone who’s trying to help you?”

"Carsein, I’ll let it slide this once. But there won't be a next time."

Their icy blue eyes glared at me, threatening me to retract my words.

Once again, I hadn't done anything wrong.

This was self-defense, the right thing to do. So, I wouldn't back down.

“I didn't do anything wrong.”

"You little…!"

Claire’s hand shot up, ready to strike. If she followed through, it would land squarely on my cheek.

“...Sister.”

“He’s not even worth hitting. You’ll only dirty your hands. Besides, he’s still a patient. If you hurt him, you’ll only make more work for Shaiden.”

Another hand stopped Claire, preventing the blow, but I couldn't help but feel a surge of bitterness as I saw them prioritize the physician over the patient.

“Oh right. We were stupid! We even went through all the trouble of preparing your meal because we thought you couldn’t even feed yourself!”

“Yes, we were stupid. There was no need to call the doctor or worry about your meals. You refuse to eat even a feast like this? Well, then, your nutritional deficiency is your own fault.”

“Keep choking down your sandy water and salty food. Keep refusing the food we prepared and collapse again. You idiot.”

Claire stormed out of the room, fuming.

Arina, her gaze razor-sharp, followed, spitting out a final, icy remark.

"If you don't want to eat it, leave it. The maids will eat it. It's a grand feast fit for nobility, but it’s a waste on an ungrateful peasant like you. I can't believe we went through all this trouble for you. Summoning the esteemed physician and chef of the Bagrand duchy, even gathering the maids.”

I was left alone, and all I could do was laugh bitterly.

“Ha, a waste on an ungrateful peasant? Refuse to eat the food you prepared and collapse again?”

It was ridiculous.

"Well, what would you know? You’re both just like my sisters."

A scoff escaped my lips.

Watching Arina and Claire, their roles mirroring those of my sisters, I couldn’t help but laugh.

They had never starved, both being born into nobility. They had grown up healthy and wealthy. So how could they possibly understand?

But just like a beggar knows another beggar's heart, I knew Carsein’s physical condition better than anyone.

He couldn't eat this. No matter how delicious the food was, no matter how much it stimulated his appetite, he couldn’t eat it in his current state.

“I can’t eat this, you idiots.”

I mocked them, these people who had prepared a feast without knowing anything.

***

‘He’s saying he won't eat it? What?’

Claire stormed down the hallway, still fuming, replaying Carsein's defiance. His stubborn refusal to eat the food, his audacity to talk back to them as if he had done nothing wrong… it was infuriating.

She paused, noticing a small wrinkle in her dress.

"Sister."

She turned around and saw Flora clinging to her skirt.

“What is it, Flora?”

Claire smiled brightly, lowering herself to Flora’s eye level. Flora opened her mouth to speak but then hesitated, shivering slightly before looking away with a sheepish smile.

"N-nothing. It’s nothing.”

“Come on. Tell your sister if you’re troubled.”

“I… I forgot what I wanted to say. Hee hee.”

“Oh, you.”

Claire affectionately patted Flora’s head, finding her little sister’s silliness endearing.

But then, she realized they were near Carsein’s room, and she took Flora’s hand, leading her in the opposite direction.

"Flora, why don't you stay with me today?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Well, you didn’t eat properly earlier. I want to make sure you’re eating well.”

She couldn’t help but worry about Flora as well, remembering how Carsein had collapsed.

However, Flora vehemently objected.

“Today is my embroidery lesson. I can’t stay with you.”

“Ah, is that so?”

An embroidery lesson. That was a relief. Flora would be fine with her teacher by her side.

"Okay, I’ll just take you to your room.”

“Yes, Claire!”

Shortly after Claire took Flora to her room, Shaiden, the physician, came to find her.

“Shaiden? What’s going on?”

“I heard that the two ladies visited Master Carsein earlier. I’m here because of that.”

“...”

Claire’s eyebrows shot up at the mention of Carsein's name. She didn’t want to hear about him, not after what had happened.

“Tell me. What is it?”

“I wanted to ask if the young master has eaten yet.”

Claire’s frown deepened. The mention of food reignited her frustration, and she responded sarcastically,

“He wouldn’t eat even when we brought it to him. Let him do whatever he wants, whether he collapses or not.”

“What? What do you mean? He didn’t eat it?”

“What can we do if he doesn’t want to eat? We even went to the kitchen ourselves and instructed them to make proper food."

Shaiden was shocked.

“But he’ll be incredibly hungry by now. You’re saying he’s really not eating?”

“Yes! We even told them to prepare the most luxurious dishes, a full table! My sister and I checked everything, from the chef to the maids, making sure it was clean. What can we do if he refuses to eat?”

What could they do indeed? He had rejected the feast they prepared, a meal free of any foreign substances.

And not only that, he had the audacity to talk back to them. They had given him another chance, and he still insisted he had done nothing wrong.

It was maddening.

“Goodness. Aren’t you worried about the young master?”

Shaiden gasped in disbelief.

“Worried? What nonsense! He’s like that because he won’t eat!”

It was a pointless concern. He had a comfortable room in the duchy, luxurious clothes, and a feast fit for a king every day. Why would they worry?

Claire responded with an exasperated sigh, but Shaiden was shocked once more, his mouth hanging open.

“A patient who just woke up wouldn’t have that kind of strength! You can’t give him that kind of food!”

“If he’s acting weak, just prescribe him some medicine. It’s not like anyone’s going to scold you for using the duchy’s medicine.”

“Medicine isn’t the solution. He doesn’t even have the energy to digest food right now. If he gets desperate and eats that, it’ll be even more dangerous.”

“…What?”

The words "even more dangerous" made Claire’s head spin.

"Wait, what do you mean, dangerous? So, are you saying that the food we brought…?”

“If you give him fatty, difficult-to-digest food, his stomach won’t be able to handle it, and he might get indigestion. He shouldn’t be eating those dishes at all! He can only have porridge right now!”

Shaiden, realizing that this wasn’t the time for idle chit-chat, said he had to check on Carsein’s condition, then rushed away.

She hadn’t known. She had thought that good food would help him recover, so she had made sure they took extra care.

But it was actually poison?

Claire’s fist trembled.

“…You there.”

"Yes, Lady Claire.”

“Go to Carsein's room right now and stop him from eating anything! Hurry!”

The maids rushed to Carsein’s room.

“Lady Claire?”

“Ah… he probably hasn’t eaten anything. He said he wasn’t going to. I’ll go to the kitchen and ask them to prepare porridge.”

“Start with something that’s easy to digest. He’ll need to eat slowly for a while.”

“…Understood.”

Shaiden finally relaxed, relieved that they were taking precautions. Claire, on the other hand, seemed conflicted.

And then…

—Snap!

“Damn it…!”

Someone’s nail broke.

***

Not long after Claire and Arina left, the maids rushed into the room.

They checked the food, worried that Carsein might have eaten something. They all sighed in relief upon realizing he hadn't touched anything.

‘They finally figured it out.’

To force fatty, heavy food into the stomach of a weakened patient would be like giving him poison.

The feast that had been presented as a reward was now being taken away by the maids. They even took the food cart, leaving the room spotless.

But then, another tray arrived.

This time, it was food that a patient could actually eat.

“How dull.”

The aroma of the food wafting from the tray was tantalizing, making it even more difficult for Carsein, with his starved body, to resist. It was the kind of food that made you want to eat it, no matter what.

But instead, I had this bland-looking porridge.

Still, as I took a spoonful and put it in my mouth, I couldn’t help but say,

“…This is delicious.”

It was a simple meal, but it tasted incredibly good. It brought back unwelcome memories.

I yearned for a simple hotdog, felt envy when I saw someone eating a triangle gimbap, and my nose tingled when I ate a discarded lunchbox on my first day at the convenience store.

I wondered why someone would leave behind perfectly good stir-fried kimchi, its sweet and sour flavor a delight. A single piece of ham disappeared in my mouth the moment I put it in. I devoured the rest of the side dishes, savoring every bite, until the container was empty.

It was the first time I felt full. The first time I experienced the untainted, genuine taste of food.

I could never forget that feeling of fullness.

At home, the food was often ruined because someone in the family tampered with it, so I couldn’t even taste it, let alone eat it.

“…Huh? What? Already?”

I came to my senses, and the bowl was empty.

▶Hunger status completely recovered!

The status message appeared, announcing the complete recovery of my hunger.

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