The Damn Family Is Back Again - Chapter 269



269. The Sword That Split the Skin (2)

– Ha. There’s really no end to this madness. Is it so strange that I want to leave the Duke’s household?

Truly, it was just as it sounded.

There was no end to the madness.

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To barge in after hearing just a single word from the conversation between Karsein and Marquis Magnuel. Even now, thinking back, it was hasty.

To misunderstand on my own.

To seize someone innocent.

To almost stir up trouble.

Thank goodness I regained my senses unlike before; had it turned out like the incident with Lilpetten…

The retainers would have used this against me, and Karsein would have suffered the consequences. If I had missed it by just a hair, a dizzying future would have loomed ahead, enough to make my eyes close involuntarily.

It was a stroke of luck that I came to my senses and didn’t go that far.

But why was that?

Claire couldn’t shake off the feeling those words left in her heart.

‘Why does leaving home feel so unsettling?’

I had provided reasonable grounds for why I needed to leave the Duke’s household, yet I couldn’t erase the lingering discomfort.

Was I missing something?

Just as she fell back into her thoughts.

“Claire. Claire.”

“Oh, Mom.”

When she came to her senses, Isabella was shaking her shoulder.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve called you.”

Since Claire had been completely unresponsive for a while, Isabella shook her shoulder with enough force to make her body sway, and only then did Claire finally react.

Isabella subtly inquired of Claire.

“…Did you perhaps have a fight with Karsein?”

Claire flinched at that question for a moment.

It was true that she had met with Karsein, so she couldn’t help but flinch. Moreover, what had happened there wasn’t exactly pleasant.

But she denied it sharply.

“No, Mom! Fight? What are you talking about?”

“It’s because you’re not giving him any attention. Look over there.”

Isabella pointed towards the arena.

Karsein had not only emerged but had also fought in the match.

And he had even managed to overpower his opponent in just two rounds, claiming victory. It was no wonder that misunderstandings could arise.

“Only two rounds! The winner has been decided in just two rounds! The winner is Karsein Bagrand!”

─Wow!!!

The surroundings were already bustling, filled with cheers.

Who should be the happiest person witnessing this scene before their eyes?

“Even while he’s fighting like that, you don’t even glance his way or show any reaction. Doesn’t that worry you?”

“…”

It was none other than her second sister, who remained unusually quiet, making one wonder if she was even fighting.

The misunderstanding needed to be cleared up.

Claire cleared her throat and replied.

“I did meet Karsein, but, um… we didn’t fight.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s just that I had other things on my mind.”

At those words, Isabela felt relieved.

“If you keep spacing out like that, you’ll miss everything. Claire?”

“Oh come on. Mom!”

The atmosphere shifted back.

With light-hearted teasing and the topic returning to Karsein’s match, the conversation naturally came to a close.

As she shook off her thoughts and turned her gaze toward the arena, suddenly, her collar was tugged gently.

Her youngest sister, with fingers as delicate as ferns, was pulling at her collar, wearing a worried expression.

Right. If Karsein was being talked about, there was bound to be one more person to worry about. There were so many remnants scattered from the past.

Perhaps sensing the lingering effects again, Flora lowered her voice and asked her.

“Could it be… something happened to Karsein?”

“No, no. There haven’t been any bad rumors circulating.”

“But, I remember before…”

“Flora.”

Claire gently brushed her youngest sister’s golden hair.

“There are things even I don’t know, but I can say this for sure. This time, it’s not like that.”

“Really?”

—

“Yeah. So, shall we watch the match without worry, little brother?”

“Yeah.”

Only then did Flora also smile brightly and shift her gaze to the arena.

– Right. I’m someone who should have left the duke’s house from the start, right?

That thought still felt unsettling…

For now, Claire decided to set that discomfort aside.

This was a chance to see her younger brother shine; she couldn’t miss it. She had to take it all in.

*

Meanwhile.

Arina was carefully observing the matches of the other participants.

Establishing their styles by watching their games.

Formulating strategies on how to face them.

She had to carve a path to victory using the information at hand.

While the other participants were likely busy with personal preparations during this time, Arina was leisurely digging into this information.

‘Lord Mexel’s fierce attacks will be quite tricky. The opponent who got eliminated last year made it to the quarterfinals. To think I’d have to break through someone like that.’

Moreover, there were quite a few new participants this time.

Some members from the western tribes had joined this martial arts tournament as examples, showcasing considerable skill, which meant there were even more unknown figures.

However, there weren’t many who posed a significant threat.

She could handle them well enough.

With the considerable experience Arina had built up, no formidable rival was in sight.

At that moment, a match was about to begin.

Arina’s gaze quickly fixed on one person.

“…Karsein.”

Her eyes instinctively narrowed.

Memories of her birthday day faintly surfaced.

While the hair tie was one thing, it was more important that this gathering, with not just the nobles but even the retainers present, didn’t fall apart, so she didn’t get too worked up.

However, Karsein had caused a massive storm at the party by brandishing that hair tie once again.

The sharp criticisms from the retainers, along with the various complaints and accusations from the attending nobles, had poured in.

She had been so exhausted trying to quell that uproar. Karsein had turned Arina’s birthday into the worst day ever.

And to top it all off, by getting rid of the birthday gift she had previously given him, he had left her with nothing but lingering resentment.

—

—

It was, in fact, the day before the arena began.

If the match against Karsein had been confirmed, he would have paid dearly for his arrogant words.

In that sense, Karsein was quite lucky.

“If I had been matched against him, he would have been shedding tears of blood.”

In any case, Karsein was positioned directly opposite Arina, so they would have no chance of meeting unless it was the finals.

That meant, regardless, there would be no opportunity to correct that rotten mindset of his in this martial arts tournament.

Though, one might wonder if he could miraculously make it to the finals.

“Hmph. Whatever. It’s not worth watching.”

Seeing that ridiculous stance left her with nothing more to say. A posture so full of openings that it wouldn’t be surprising for any attack to land. He would fall soon enough.

Just as Arina was about to turn her head away without even watching Karsein’s match.

Karsein’s sword moved gracefully, deflecting his opponent’s blade.

– Clang! Clang!

After neatly countering the opponent’s attack, he easily pushed the center of his sword away and finished with a martial technique.

“…”

It was a simple sword strike, without any flair.

Ordinary movements devoid of mana.

It was easy to grasp at a glance.

Yet, he had claimed victory.

Arina let out a small laugh.

“See? I told you, didn’t I? Karsein Bagland’s skills have indeed improved!”

“Cheh. The opponent was no slouch either.”

With Karsein’s victory, a new current began to flow through the audience.

Unlike in the past, there were not a few who predicted his victory, and those who witnessed his performance were noticeably increasing in their enthusiasm.

—

However, there were not a few who envied that Karsein.

“Hmph. Have you seen him win cowardly like that even once last year? Of course, it was the same this time.”

“Exactly. How could someone so fundamentally base go anywhere?”

“Considering he only has one sponsor, it seems the family must have shown some goodwill. Heh heh.”

“It would be funny if he knocked someone out again during the match this time.”

Because he still had many enemies.

From the outside, the fact that he was a child picked up from a slum.

The fact that a lowborn, whose origins were unknown, had suddenly risen to join a duke’s family.

On top of that, he carried countless incidents and scandals with him, not to mention the gossip that followed.

Such labels were in a position that made it all too easy to gain enemies, whether in noble society or in the Peselros Empire.

It couldn’t be helped. There was no value in reacting to such things one by one, so it was better to let them slide. Pollux tried to close his ears to their conversation.

“No matter what, it was just two exchanges. The fact that he subdued his opponent so easily…”

“Hey. Common sense dictates that luck plays a part, right? Huh?”

“Well, he might have poured all his strength into taking down his opponent.”

“Taking him down in just two exchanges? It looked easy from the start. I could do it!”

Because foolish people carelessly spouted such words, Pollux suddenly let out a small laugh.

‘Does it really look easy?’

It was an unbearable blunder.

Yes. Just two exchanges. If there were some convenient trick to deceive others, perhaps one could seize the moment of carelessness to win.

A foolish person who had never properly held a sword, who had never even had a blister on their hand, might think that way.

So how could he not laugh?

‘In swordsmanship, if something appears easy to the eyes of others, it means that person’s movements are exceptionally clean.’

Clean. Clear.

So intuitive that anyone could see it at a glance.

The neat and upright movements meant only one thing:

The gap between him and his opponent.

Already, the difference in rank was vast.

Karsein was able to pin down his opponent in just two exchanges because the disparity was that great.

And that was how this result came to be.

This was something Pollux, who had directly faced Karsein’s sword, understood best.

In the unwavering gaze, a thorough calculation unfolds…

As time passes, I instinctively realize that no one can defeat that man.

‘It’s been quite a while since the duel with Karsein. Considering the growth during that time…’

Well, I can’t guarantee victory.

I might have won back then, but now I can’t be so sure.

“Indeed, it’s beyond my imagination. I never thought he would grow to this extent since our last match.”

Next to Pollux, who scoffs at the foolish chatterers behind him, Talphon boldly makes his presence known.

Thanks to him, the blabbering fools suddenly shut their mouths like a clam.

“Talphon.”

Pollux stares at him as if to ask why he did such a foolish thing.

Talphon grins at Pollux’s expression.

“It’s quite amusing to see those who don’t even know the gap between us babbling carelessly. That Karsein has been polishing his sword every single day without fail, yet they say he hasn’t made any progress.”

“…”

“You agree, don’t you?”

“Hey, Talphon.”

At those words, the clueless ones who didn’t even know the basics of swordsmanship fled the scene as if escaping.

Feeling the absence of their presence, Pollux sighed.

“Spreading baseless slander, huh?”

“Hmph. I have no intention of listening to those insect-like imperial fools insult my friend.”

Well, Pollux could somewhat relate to that sentiment.

“So, Pollux. What’s your take on this?”

“What do you mean?”

“What do you mean, what? I’m asking how the matchups in this tournament will turn out.”

Pollux glanced around the gathering of participants before responding.

“It’ll likely flow into a two-power system. Probably.”

“Just as I thought, right? I feel the same. When I caught a whiff of mana, about six stood out to me.”

Talphon gulped down from a large goblet and casually inquired.

“Ha! But among them, there are only two. The ones who will truly face off in the finals. You know that well, don’t you?”

“…What’s the point of saying it?”

Those with skill recognize skill in others.

—

In this arena, there were two individuals who stood out so distinctly that it felt like they were on a different level.

Karsein and Arina.

At this moment, the conversation ceased.

Even though everyone was aware of that fact. No, perhaps even anticipating the outcome of this competition, Talphon and Pollux did not bring up the topic first.

A strange silence lingered.

“Next match begins!”

The silence was filled by the announcer’s voice, signaling the start of the next match.

*

– clang!

“Ugh…! I-I surrender.”

– ding!

▶ You have defeated your opponent in the martial arts tournament! ◀

▶ Proceeding to the next match. ◀

– thud.

“I-I lost.”

– ding!

▶ You have defeated your opponent in the martial arts tournament! ◀

▶ Proceeding to the next match. ◀

– flop.

“I surrender. You are impressive.”

– ding!

▶ You have defeated your opponent in the martial arts tournament! ◀

▶ Proceeding to the next match. ◀

Several times, victories were claimed against opponents in the tournament, weapons clashing.

Winning like this. And winning again.

As I watched the noble points steadily accumulate, the moment had finally arrived.

“Final match, we will commence the civil war between the Duke of Bagrand’s house—henceforth!”

– ding!

▶ You have reached the finals! ◀

▶ Additional rewards may be granted upon victory against your opponent. ◀

—

[ Opponent: Arina Vagrand ]

The final seat claimed only by those who grasped victory in fierce battles.

It was the championship match.

‘Ha. This is ridiculous.’

The message that appeared in the status window was truly amusing.

[ Arina Vagrand ]

[ Inferiority Complex: 86% ]

The figure had swelled in the meantime.

The very word “inferiority” was absurd, but the fact that it had grown was astonishing.

Moreover, with each opponent I defeated, a phrase that had been invisible now appeared.

▶ You have received a penalty! ◀

[ Damage taken when facing Arina increases! ]

[ Damage taken when facing Arina increases! ]

[ Damage taken when facing Arina increases! ]

…

…

Stacked, stacked, and stacked again.

The accumulated figure was.

[ Damage taken when facing Arina increases by 35%! ]

A figure of 35%.

At this rate, there would be other debuffs when facing Arina.

‘She’s really gunning for me, isn’t she?’

Suddenly, I thought of something—perhaps it would have been the same for the first one.

That thought almost made a hollow laugh escape my lips without me realizing it.

‘Well. It’s fine. I’ve already chosen my path.’

Perhaps this is the championship match that everyone desires and anticipates.

Isn’t it an exciting matchup?

The civil war in Vagrand has been realized again this year, under conditions no different from before.

Some might be hoping for a certain outcome.

Whether externally or internally, that is.

And one person.

Must be itching to pin me down.

So, in that moment, I crush it all.

“I forfeit.”