Chapter 173: Diverging Paths (5)
After the successive visits from two, no, three guests, several days flew by.
Contrary to my worries, the status window kept displaying choices similar to the ones I had seen in the game. I decided it was still too early to make any drastic moves and focused on increasing the territory survey progress, limiting my activities to the strawberry fields.
After all, I was prepared.
And so, time passed.
Wh...
2024-11-15 18:27:48 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 172: Diverging Paths (4)
“Sigh…”
“Why are you sighing again?”
“Are you… really sure about this? This seems a bit…”
Even after I explained everything, Harnie still hadn't stamped the collaboration agreement, worried that she was burdening me.
Seriously. This woman, just like that kid, is surprisingly stubborn.
If she was going to hesitate like this, I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands.
“We ...
2024-11-15 18:25:25 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 171: Diverging Paths (3)
‘Harnie… is asking me for help?’
Until just a moment ago, we were talking about why Flora had sought her out. I wasn't particularly interested in what the little brat had said, but this was different.
Harnie is a meticulous woman.
She meticulously planned how to escape the Theresia Marquisate. She chose me as her fiancé to avoid being sacrificed in a political marriage, and she even es...
2024-11-15 18:18:36 +0000 UTC
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Hey Everyone,
This Friday we'll be back in business! The last of my pressing issues end tomorrow and I can finally get back to translating! I'll do my best to catch up to our schedule over the course of 5 days starting Friday. Look forward to it.
I am incredibly grateful for how patient you all have been, and again I sincerely apologise for this massive lapse in schedule.
Stay safe
Mod7
2024-11-13 13:14:24 +0000 UTC
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Hi everyone, hope you're all well. Just a little update, I apologise for the delay in updates. This past month has been quite hectic, with this upcoming week being the busiest.
Just to fill you in a little, I had an emergency earlier (but no need to worry, its been sorted out), I also have finals this week, and to top it all off I have to prepare for my internship as well, so I ask for your understanding.
I will upload last and this week's batches towards the end of this week. M...
2024-11-03 12:57:39 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 170: Diverging Paths (2)
At first, she had been nervous.
She had made it to Shatrain, but she didn't know what to say, how to start the conversation.
Should she mention that their sister might come looking for him? Should she ask if he was prepared?
Or should she ask about Flora, her whereabouts, her unexpected journey?
The questions, countless and unvoiced, swirled in her mind, a jumbled mess of anxieties and regrets. And when Carsein ha...
2024-10-23 12:07:30 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 169: Diverging Paths (1)
“Then, carry on.”
“Yes, Lady Arina.”
Arina, having carefully selected and assigned tasks to her most capable administrators, watched as they dispersed, returning to their duties.
She remained alone, examining the organizational chart she had meticulously crafted, a faint sigh escaping her lips.
“Mother’s absence is noticeable.”
It wasn’t the Duchy’s official organizational chart, it was a t...
2024-10-23 12:04:39 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 168: Legitimate Right (8)
As I dragged the man away by the scruff of his neck, the Shatrain villagers’ gazes followed us, their eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity, confusion, and apprehension.
“What’s going on?”
“Isn’t that one of the festival organizers?”
“He’s causing trouble again! I thought he promised not to issue any more orders! And yet, he’s resorting to violence!”
Their whispers, their accusations, thei...
2024-10-23 11:58:07 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 167: Legitimate Right (7)
Ferdi didn’t know his parents.
He didn’t know their names, their ages, or even the sound of their voices.
What could a child abandoned at birth possibly remember?
Nothing.
He was alone.
His world was small.
He had been a baby, crawling on all fours, his vision limited to the confines of a small house, filled with unfamiliar faces.
His life had begun in an orphanage in Shatrain. And Shatrain ...
2024-10-23 11:55:34 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 166: Legitimate Right (6)
A day had passed.
I had returned to the strawberry fields, following the system's instructions, but…
-Ding!
▶ Strawberry field inspection complete. ◀
▶ Territory survey progress: 6%. ◀
“6%…”
That was a ridiculously low number.
I had spent hours tilling this single field.
It should have been at least 30%, five times higher.
“In the game, I just had to complete these ...
2024-10-23 11:53:34 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 165: Legitimate Right (5)
Flora, muttering something under her breath, her voice barely audible, turned and walked away.
And then, a notification popped up in the status window.
-Ding!
▶ Your reward encounter with Flora has concluded. ◀
“What the…? This is absurd.”
I had sensed something was wrong when Flora, instead of Ferdi, had appeared. But I hadn’t expected this.
Meeting Flora… as a reward?
“Don’t ...
2024-10-23 11:48:35 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 164: Legitimate Right (4)
Reading books and documents, deciphering their cryptic messages… It was boring.
Fireworks, the dazzling lights of mana illuminating the night sky, those were captivating, a spectacle that never got old.
She would rather be outside, playing, exploring, dreaming up new ways to have fun, than stuck inside, listening to lectures, her mind numbed by numbers and theories.
She hated studying.
She loved playing.
...
2024-10-23 11:46:41 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 163: Legitimate Right (3)
“What does that have to do with the Young Master?”
“Trading with the Lusmire merchants is Shatrain’s business. It has nothing to do with Young Master Carsein!”
The villagers, their voices a chorus of disbelief, protested.
No, it wasn’t a protest. It was a denial, a refusal to accept the truth, their hearts hardened by years of resentment.
“Even if Lusmire sent aid, what difference does it make to yo...
2024-10-23 11:45:01 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 162: Legitimate Right (2)
“Pant… Pant…!”
“They’re… They’re not following us, are they?”
“I… I can’t see them anymore… Let’s… Let’s take a break.”
“Ugh, my chest… It feels like it’s going to explode…”
The children, finally convinced they had escaped, collapsed onto the ground, leaning against boulders and tree trunks, their bodies trembling with exhaustion.
They were out of breath, their he...
2024-10-23 11:41:54 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 161: Legitimate Right (1)
The territory selection process, starting from the highest tier and descending one level at a time, reached the lowest tier, where the final participants awaited their turn.
The last one.
Carsein stepped out of the inscription field, and the nobles, who had been engrossed in their own thoughts, turned to look at him, their gazes a mixture of curiosity and disdain.
Their reactions were usually divided.
Some were a...
2024-10-23 11:39:54 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 160: Chapter 2 - Episode V (7)
Shatrain.
A land blessed with fertile soil, located in the heart of the Empire.
It was known for its two specialties, the Shatrain strawberries and Shatrain grapes, rare and delicate fruits that couldn't be cultivated anywhere else. They were prized ingredients, staples in the Empire’s finest cuisines, adding a touch of sweetness and luxury to every dish.
But those days were gone.
Shatrain, once a thriving...
2024-10-23 11:37:49 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 159: CHAPTER 2 - EPISODE V (6)
The main episode, triggered by the completion of the Hidden Episode, began.
The game's script resumed, its predetermined path unfolding before me.
Arsienne, addressing the assembled nobles, announced the changes and additions to the rules of the 21st Eastern Nobles' Conference, emphasizing the stricter standards and the more detailed evaluation process.
Her words sparked a wave of anxiety and discontent.
“...
2024-10-23 11:34:44 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 158: CHAPTER 2 - EPISODE V (5)
The Eastern Nobles' Conference.
This conference hall, commonly referred to as the Symposium, was divided into sections.
It might have been a conference on the surface, but it was essentially a test, a way for the Imperial Family to assess the abilities of the young nobles. And for the nobles, who obsessed over their status and rankings, it was the perfect opportunity to flaunt their power and influence.
The seatin...
2024-10-23 10:12:41 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 157: CHAPTER 2 - EPISODE V (4)
Mother's worries had escalated when the new rules were announced, the restrictions imposed on family heads during the symposium.
They weren't allowed to offer any assistance, direct or indirect, to prevent cheating and ensure a fair assessment of the young nobles' abilities.
So, Claire and I had devised a plan, a strategy to alleviate her concerns. We had presented it to her after exiting the carriage, and she had readi...
2024-10-23 10:09:54 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 156: CHAPTER 2 - EPISODE V (3)
After my conversation with Arina, the game’s script resumed, unfolding as expected.
The entire Bagrand family boarded the carriage and headed towards the conference hall, a scene I was all too familiar with.
“Don’t worry, Mother.”
“…But I can’t help but worry. I can’t do anything to help you this time.”
Isabella’s concern was evident, her gaze filled with a mixture of apprehension and hel...
2024-10-23 10:08:04 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 155: Chapter 2 - Episode V (2)
Chirp— Chirp—
‘…Morning already?’
The chirping of sparrows heralded the arrival of a new day.
“Haa…”
I sat up in bed, stretching my stiff muscles.
And then, as always, I checked the status window.
▶ Sleep Deprivation: 26 ◀
▶ Fatigue: 30 ◀
“So it doesn’t go any lower…”
I hadn't expected to fall asleep properly. I had simply closed my eyes, rested. ...
2024-10-23 10:06:00 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 154: Chapter 2 - Episode V (1)
The penalty messages for causing trouble at the party appeared as expected.
That meant Arina's next line should be…
“Why did you cause a scene at the party, Carsein?”
A reprimand, a scolding, directed at the troublemaker who had disrupted the peace.
The game’s dialogue might vary slightly, but the core message remained the same.
‘But… this is different.’
Something was missing.
2024-10-23 10:03:56 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 153: A Significant Intersection (9)
After finishing my shift at the barbecue restaurant…
Jieun, my coworker, handed me a small box as we walked out.
“What’s this?”
“Just… a gift. For you.”
“I’m asking what it is.”
“Why are you asking? Just open it.”
She was right.
I could just open it and see for myself.
“I’m… I’m going to the restroom!”
“Alright, I’ll wait here.”
2024-10-23 10:00:12 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 152: A Significant Intersection (8)
The dance ended, and the party continued.
Radiel, stationed on the terrace as Carsein’s escort, sighed, a faint smile on her lips.
No, it was more like disbelief.
The events of the past hour were so absurd, so unexpected, that she couldn’t help but laugh.
‘At first, I didn’t understand why he had asked for the medicine.’
Carsein, a commoner, was an easy target for the nobles’ scorn and...
2024-10-23 09:57:55 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 151: A Significant Intersection (7)
The moment Helly realized the truth, that this entire situation was a carefully orchestrated act of retaliation, her face hardened.
The ill-fitting shoes, identical to the ones she had sent Harnie.
The prolonged conversation, designed to amplify her discomfort, to build both physical and mental stress.
The subtle “accidental” touches, the steps on her feet, the bumps against her shoulders, the disruptions...
2024-10-23 09:54:39 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 150: A Significant Intersection (6)
Confused, Helly stared at the gift Carsein had brought. She had expected something different, something unique, but the moment she opened the box, her eyes widened in alarm.
‘…They’re the same shoes?’
The shoes were identical to the ones she had sent Harnie, the ill-fitting pair she had gifted with malicious intent.
She was stunned.
This gesture, in noble society, carried a specific meaning.
...
2024-10-07 12:20:07 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 149: A Significant Intersection (5)
“…”
Minutes passed since Carsein left the terrace.
Harnie sat motionless, her gaze unfocused, lost in thought.
They had returned, her body lifted effortlessly into his arms, and she had been confused at first. But then, he had removed her shoe, his gaze fixed on her injured ankle.
The tight shoe.
The bandaged wound.
He had sensed it, somehow.
She had thought she was hiding it wel...
2024-10-07 12:18:30 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 148: A Significant Intersection (4)
Since Chapter 2 transitioned from sub-episodes to main episodes, Emergency Missions had a unique characteristic.
Emergency Missions in Chapter 2 were additional events that occurred during the downtime between episodes. They offered minigames with additional rewards upon completion.
They were similar to the sub-episodes of Chapter 1, in the sense that they were optional. Unlike main episodes, they didn’t carry an...
2024-10-07 12:16:45 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 147: A Significant Intersection (3)
The hour-long crash course in ballroom dancing wasn’t easy.
It was an impossible task, trying to master a complex sequence of steps, to synchronize their movements, to embody the grace and elegance of noble etiquette, all within a single hour.
And they couldn’t settle for a simple dance, not if they wanted to impress those judgmental noble ladies. The dance had to be intricate, challenging, a dizzying display o...
2024-10-07 12:14:56 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 146: A Significant Intersection (2)
“Did you enjoy yourself? Surrounded by those ladies?”
Her words left me speechless.
Enjoy myself?
How could I possibly enjoy that?
I had deliberately chosen this time and location, to avoid attracting attention.
I had meticulously studied the map, memorized the layout of the building, identifying the safe paths and avoiding the Danger Zones.
I hadn’t done anything to draw attention to ...
2024-10-07 12:13:02 +0000 UTC
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