The Damn Family Is Back Again - Chapter 267



267. Resurgence of Discontent (2)

The highlight of the martial arts tournament.

The arena where weapons are wielded in one-on-one combat is just around the corner.

Most participants will be pouring their hearts into managing their condition.

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The sponsors will provide the best support for the participants they have backed.

Of course, there are those who do not fall into that majority.

Like the Marquis Magnuell, who has designated Arina Bagrand as a sponsored participant.

She has already completed all her preparations.

It has been a long time since she fine-tuned her equipment.

Optimization goes without saying. Arina’s mana control is so exceptional that she has virtually no rivals.

Condition issues? Nonsense. Such talk should be dismissed when it comes to her.

For a perfect candidate waiting for the arena for quite some time, this moment must feel rather tedious.

In any case, unless one is an exceptional case like this, most would be doing their final checks.

Whether pressed for time, solving problems, or trying to ease their tension.

Regardless of the means employed, there would be no leisure to spend this time elsewhere.

No. To put it more strongly, one would call them a madman.

If there were someone wandering around thoughtlessly at this time, everyone would point fingers at them, calling them a hopeless human.

—

However.

“I’d like to have a word with you for a moment, Marquis Magnuell.”

There he was, that madman, right in front of me.

The Marquis Magnuell clicked his tongue in disbelief.

‘Hah. How much longer until the tournament starts, and yet here he is, wandering around like this.’

There were plenty of people who valued this time like gold and would beg for it to be extended.

But to seek out another person, especially to meet a sponsor of a fellow participant?

He was far gone, indeed.

‘But I suppose I can’t just send him away empty-handed.’

After all, he was a legitimate member of the Bagland family, having completed his registration there.

As a family that served a lord, it was only right to treat him with respect.

The Marquis Magnuell offered a formal response.

“Even if I were to engage in this conversation, it seems there’s nothing to be said.”

Though he had come asking for a conversation, he shouldn’t readily agree to it.

The martial arts tournament was currently in full swing, after all.

And this was the moment just before the arena, often referred to as the highlight of the competition.

Given that he had come to seek out the sponsor of Arena Bagland, it wouldn’t be strange to cut off the conversation if he didn’t first explain what business he had.

‘Well, if he can’t even grasp this, then a conversation would be impossible.’

The other party was none other than that Karsein.

Thus, he didn’t expect much in the way of understanding this question.

But then.

The Marquis’s expectations were immediately shattered.

“I’m not here as a participant in this tournament to meet Arena Bagland’s sponsor; I’m here as Karsein Bagland to meet you, Marquis Magnuell, a vassal of the Bagland family.”

“…!”

“If I were to beat around the bush, we’d just waste time. The arena is about to start soon, so we should wrap this up quickly, shouldn’t we?”

Contrary to his expectations, the other party had sharply grasped his intent and even mentioned the dwindling time until the arena began.

Overwhelmed by confusion, the Marquis swallowed hard.

“…I’ll change my seat.”

Thus, the two moved to a different location.

The conversation shifted to an empty room where others could not overhear.

As the Marquis Magnuell seemed poised to knock on the door of conversation again, determined not to be swayed by the sharp retort from earlier,

Carseine swiftly seized the initiative.

“It would have been quite a fitting position to elevate Arina Bagrand as the successor, wouldn’t it, Marquis?”

“…I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“No need to play coy. Given Arina’s interest in martial arts and her direct involvement in subjugating monsters, this martial arts tournament must have been more than just a pastime for her. In that regard, you must have secured your position quite well, having a mine capable of producing weapons at such speed.”

It was an overt expression, yet

not a single word was wrong.

In truth, it was because of that mine that Marquis Magnuell could lay claim to the vassal position of the Bagrand Duke family.

He twitched his lips and asked,

“What is it you wish to convey?”

“Don’t worry; I’m telling you to refrain from such petty checks.”

“…What did you say?”

“I can understand your choice of Arina Bagrand as the successor. It’s only natural that my recent actions might seem unusual to you. However, contrary to what you might think, I’m not a man driven by ambition.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

Carseine threw a direct pitch at the Marquis.

“Within the Bagrand Duke family, I have no interest whatsoever in the position of successor.”

The Marquis Magnuell’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Ha, ha ha. That’s a response that’s hard to accept logically. Are you asking me to believe that? That you don’t need the position of the Bagrand Duke?”

“Exactly. I have no need for that at all.”

“Ha! You… you can’t be serious…?”

“If possible, I’d like to ask for a spell that would completely suppress any concern about it. I wonder why such magic hasn’t been researched.”

“How dare you speak so recklessly…!”

The Marquis gasped, his expression one of disbelief.

In stark contrast, Carseine calmly laid out his reasoning.

“You must be presenting the issues of my lowly status and the legitimacy of the Bagrand Duke family, right? Let’s add one more thing to that. Consider the financial damage inflicted on the Bagrand Duke family, along with the issue of social standing. If reputation doesn’t follow in noble society, it would be difficult to engage in negotiations or discussions, wouldn’t it? That’s something you could easily come up with, isn’t it?”

Who would have thought such a method existed?

It was indeed a valid point.

Reputation is extremely important in noble society.

Even with factions, power, and vassals, one must possess the ability to ally with other families when necessary.

However…

—

Are you really going to say that with your own mouth?

Something that is practically your weakness?

The marquis, having calmed his excitement, asks.

“Do you truly have not even the slightest interest in the position of heir to the Duke of Bagrand?”

In response, Karsein answers sharply.

“Yeah. I’m someone who should have left the duke’s family from the start, right?”

“…!”

It’s not just any family; it’s the Duke of Bagrand.

No other family, aside from the Pesselos Imperial Family, can even dare to covet that lineage.

To become the head of that family.

To rise to a position where one can snatch up the largest piece of the empire’s pie.

Even among the nobility, everyone would be salivating at the thought of being a duke.

And yet, he was saying he would kick that position away with his own feet.

‘…He seems to be serious. I don’t know the reason, but still.’

There was no need to stop a candidate for succession who had been a nuisance from leaving.

But just then.

The door swung open with a loud bang.

“Hey. You’re leaving the duke’s family? What do you mean by that?”

*

“P-Princess Claire, it’s an honor to meet you─.”

With her eyes wide in shock, Claire burst through the door, causing Marquis Magnuell, who had been conversing with Karsein, to flinch and lower his head.

However, Claire didn’t care how Marquis Magnuell reacted or what he said.

Leaving, huh.

Someone who should have left the duke’s family from the start, she thought.

That statement turned her world upside down.

“Explain. What do you mean by that? Karsein. Did that old man say you don’t belong in the duke’s family? Or did he dare to threaten you, telling you not to overstep your bounds?”

In any situation, it wouldn’t be strange.

Karsein had faced oppression not just within the duke’s family.

His infamous reputation had spread widely among the nobility, and among the retainers, he was known to have the worst reputation.

Marquis Magnuell, being someone with considerable influence among them, had the potential to make things even worse.

—

I’m not sure what conversation led to this conclusion, but depending on how you listen, it’s not hard to punish that person. So Claire quickly hoped for the truth to spill out of Karsein’s mouth.

However, what came out of Karsein’s mouth was a sigh.

“Ha. This is really absurd. Is it so strange that I want to leave the Duke’s family?”

“Of course it is! You’re our family. My little brother! What reason do you have to be chased out of the Bagland Duke’s family and go somewhere else?”

Karsein sighed once more at Claire, who was fuming.

“You misunderstand on your own. You grab at straws on your own. Is it only when you create chaos like this that you feel satisfied?”

“…What?”

“When Arina becomes the head, I naturally have to go out and live. Should I spend my whole life in the Bagland Duke’s family? Are you seriously saying that?”

Karsein brushed his hair back with his hand.

He continued speaking with a laugh, as if he found it ridiculous.

“Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that I stay in the Duke’s family. But what about my fiancée? I have a fiancée named Harniere too. Should I bring her along and settle down in the Bagland Duke’s family?”

“…”

Hearing that left Claire speechless.

“What I discussed with the Marquis was this. Since I have no interest in the succession, I told him not to interfere unnecessarily.”

Claire turned her head toward the Marquis, silently asking if this was true.

“Y-yes, it is true. Prince Karsein came to discuss this matter.”

Since the Marquis was responding like that, Claire couldn’t press Karsein any further.

“Are you satisfied now? Seriously.”

“Hey, hey! Karsein!”

Karsein left as if there was no point in continuing the conversation, and it ended there.

“I-I should also take my leave now. Lady Claire.”

After the Marquis cleared his throat and left, Claire was left alone, scratching her head.

“Ah, damn. I was too hasty again…”

If only she had listened a bit longer to their conversation, this wouldn’t have happened.

Just hearing that Karsein was someone who needed to leave the Duke’s family made her lose her temper and almost cause trouble again.

However…

“Why do I feel so uneasy?”

Something, an unpleasant feeling, wouldn’t go away.

Strangely enough.

– Ding!

—

▶A hidden episode exclusive to the Claire character, satisfying the conditions. ＜The Resurgence of Discomfort II＞ is now in progress.◀

▶Synchronizing intimacy…◀

[ ??? : 93% ]