The Damn Family Is Back Again - Chapter 305



305. As If It Never Happened (2)

“Did you hear it from both Claire and Flora?”

“Yeah. I’ve never done anything like this before. How could I prepare it alone, knowing what might happen if I mess up?”

Carsein confessed that he had surprisingly asked for help honestly.

He propped his chin with his hand, maintaining a calm expression.

“Claire would know the ways of the nobles well. She must have hosted various events and would be familiar with prestigious boutiques or salons for entertaining distinguished guests. Also, this time, the age range is diverse, right? I might know how to handle the elderly, but I don’t understand kids. That’s why I asked Flora.”

“…”

It’s a reasonable judgment.

Claire is accustomed to dealing with nobles, as she often interacts with the distinguished guests of the Pesellos royal family.

The age range is also broad, similar to other events. If you don’t keep up with the trends among people of Flora’s age, they might complain.

‘Considering those two factors, he asked for their help.’

But this answer doesn’t address another question.

“It must have cost quite a bit.”

That’s right. It’s about money.

To the family of the Duke, she might be just a mother, but for the Duchess’s banquet, significant funds were needed to display the high status and prestige.

Even though Shatren and Rusmire were thriving, they were just two territories.

There were no reports of Carsein developing any business beyond that, so it couldn’t be solved with the money at hand.

“Yeah. It cost a lot.”

Carsein snorted and answered as if it were obvious.

“So I borrowed from Claire.”

“…From Claire?”

“Do you think I could cover it with my own money? I don’t even get my allowance properly. No, it’s not an amount that could be covered by allowance. You know this better than anyone, right?”

“That much could be paid with the Duke’s money.”

Carsein withdrew his arm in disbelief.

He noticed the file folder next to him and picked it up, adding,

“You told me not to inform the Duchess. But what if I used the Duke’s money and got caught? That’s why I had to borrow from Claire.”

What if someone asks where this money went?

They might find out that a birthday banquet is being prepared.

So, he had to borrow money from Claire.

The connections fit together like that.

—

—

“You should have told me that in advance. It’s not like it would have been discovered anyway, so what’s so hard about hiding it?”

“Where would I find the time to tell you? I’m busy to death answering all sorts of questions.”

“Hmm. I suppose that’s true.”

Yes. It’s not exactly a wrong judgment.

Since the priority was to ensure it didn’t reach Mother’s ears.

I didn’t particularly intend to question how the money was obtained either.

“Got it. I’ll talk to Claire and make sure the spent money is covered. Well, it’s not like she’s someone who would struggle with that.”

“Then I’ll be off now?”

“Yes. Good job. Take a rest.”

Carsein, who had stood up, organized the documents appropriately and left.

Click, the door closed.

As Carsein’s figure disappeared, Arina looked at the documents he had left behind.

This year’s preparation and completion of the birthday banquet were said to be the best.

As much as it was, it was a considerable amount of work to see it through personally.

It made one wonder if it could have been prepared by the day without someone’s help.

Of course, it was fortunate that Claire and Flora had helped appropriately.

“At this level…”

It’s generally accepted that it was overworked.

Arina sighed lightly and put down the documents.

“Really, how foolish. You could have asked me for help.”

That murmur never reached Carsein.

*

A carriage entered the duke’s house.

From that carriage, two young ladies hurriedly got off.

“Miss Claire? Even the youngest lady…”

Seeing the duke’s carriage return much earlier than usual, the butler Heron tilted his head in confusion.

Claire asked Heron directly.

“Heron, Carsein hasn’t gone anywhere, right?”

“Master Carsein? Uh… Yes. He doesn’t have any particular schedule today.”

“Is he in the mansion now? Or is he at the training ground?”

—

—

“They will be at the mansion. As usual.”

“Sister!”

“Yes. Let’s go!”

The two sisters quickly entered the duke’s mansion.

Watching Flora and Claire, Heron vaguely guessed.

‘It’s the birthday banquet.’

The old butler, with a bitter expression, followed the two masters.

It didn’t take long for the sisters who moved first and the butler who followed them to find Carsein.

“What is it? What’s so important that you had to meet in the room?”

Carsein, who was suddenly confronted in the room, responded indifferently.

On the other hand, the faces of the two sisters were stiff.

“Carsein. Be honest with us. Got it?”

“Yes! You have to be honest!”

“What now… Ha. Just say it.”

Claire swallowed and asked.

“Did my sister help you at the birthday banquet? Not that I’m suspicious! It’s just that there’s so much work…”

“And the money too! You got support from my sister, right?”

Heron closed his eyes gently at the sisters’ questions.

He already knew.

He was always alone.

He prepared the duchess’s birthday banquet all by himself.

The well-placed lighting.

From noble mtl dot com

The balanced arrangement of tables and seats.

The proper allocation of space and time.

He never asked for help with anything.

And that wasn’t all.

– Um? The young master just gave me the necessary tasks.

– Borrowing books or asking questions? Uh… No?

– He only told me what tasks to do in shifts.

He never expected such help from other ladies, let alone mere subordinates.

—

—

– You gave me the list of materials to order and the exact amount.

– Ah, those cookies? It seems that Young Master Carsein bought them himself. He also told me to be careful with their storage.

– The decorations were the same. I saw him order and pay for the ones to be used at the banquet himself.

Even the money used for that banquet.

He prepared the birthday banquet purely with his own strength.

Heron could only bite his lips, unable to utter those words.

“That’s right. Arina helped.”

A very thick line was drawn.

Between the Duke’s family and him.

There’s no way I did that.

What could I prepare alone when I know nothing?

If there was no one to help, could that birthday banquet have been properly prepared?

Lies.

Lies.

More lies.

Those blatant lies continued endlessly.

However, there was no time to notice this.

“I thought you took on everything by yourself again!”

“I couldn’t believe it… I’m so relieved…”

“Anyway, it’s really fortunate that the eldest sister helped.”

Claire and Flora were rather relieved and greatly unburdened.

Afterwards, the two sisters and Carsein chatted a bit more, but Carsein refused and the conversation ended.

Of course, Heron was aware of his presence in this place.

Several times during the conversation, their eyes met.

But Heron answered with silence.

He had no intention of revealing this fact.

Therefore, Carsein quietly passed by Heron.

“…”

Heron, who was looking at Carsein’s back with pity, quietly muttered in the room left alone.

“It’s about time to get ready.”

—

—

Many have benefited from the Duke’s grace.

However, few repay that grace, and even fewer understand his true intentions.

Though my heart is heavy, I cannot go against his will.

No, I must not go against it.

Heron’s task is to select the personnel.

So that he can at least leave a final farewell.

*

Meaningless, monotonous times.

Days passed endlessly beyond those times.

His family never found out until the end.

By telling believable lies to both sides, the birthday banquet was solidified.

Thanks to that, all suspicions related to funds were completely concealed.

The fact that he was gathering money. How he was gathering it. And why he was gathering it.

There was one obstacle, but…

He had no intention of hindering me.

Therefore, no one knows.

No one can even guess.

Thus, hiding everything, I have reached this point once again.

-Ding!

▶ You have chosen ＜Territory＞ as the method to acquire funds in ＜Another Plan＞. ◀

▶ This is a level 5 condition. The amount of funds you need to hold has increased! ◀

▶ The required amount of funds has been reached. ◀

[ Current funds: 300 million Pesel (100%) ]

Gathering. Gathering. Staying up all night to gather more.

The money gathered has reached the required amount.

Ironically, as if it were calculated perfectly, from today onwards.

▶ With the completion of Another Plan, the dead trigger that occurs upon failure within the period is completely removed. ◀

▶ You can now escape from the Duke’s house. ◀

▶ If you succeed in escaping, Chapter 3 will be cleared regardless of the episode. ◀

“Phew.”

—

—

Seeing that phrase, my old worries were completely washed away.

The grace period for executing another plan.

The dead trigger encountered in Episode XII.

The choices to be made.

All of those things disappeared from my mind.

Now, there’s only one thing in my head.

It was the exhilaration of impending liberation.

Finally, I can escape from here.

Just like my reality, I can escape from the detestable duke’s house.

I obtained freedom.

I achieved it. With my own strength.

“Now, this is really the last. I just need to finish this.”

-Ding!

▶Episode XI. The last of the year begins.◀

▶Go outside and see off your family.◀

This will probably be the last episode.

Today, even though the Bagrande Duke’s family has a group outing, it doesn’t apply to Karsein.

In other words, an outing schedule excluding me.

It was the perfect opportunity to organize everything and leave.

So, let’s make it more certain.

Handle it without any aftermath.

“What? Why are you wearing those clothes?”

As I came out to see them off, Claire asked sarcastically.

Well, it’s not strange for her to act like that.

Because what I’m wearing now is not the usual noble’s attire.

“Because I have to go inspect the territory later.”

“Inspect the territory? In that outfit?”

“It’s weird! Why are you going dressed like that! Dress up a bit.”

Arina also chimed in sarcastically.

Flora looked at me with strange eyes too.

—

—

Lastly, even Isabella had a rather uneasy look.

“Goodness. There might be people doing things I can’t see.”

“Hmm?”

“Think about it. If there’s someone who works properly in front of the lord but schemes behind his back, wouldn’t it be better to go in this attire to deceive them?”

“Aha?”

When I explained that it was a disguised inspection, everyone understood and dropped their suspicions.

“It would be great if you could come with us. But things have turned out this way…”

“It can’t be helped, Mother.”

“Right. This is something we have to do ourselves!”

“Hmph. Just because you’re alone doesn’t mean you should feel lonely, okay?”

Whatever it is, it seems like there’s something.

Whether or not, I don’t care.

They started getting on the carriage one by one.

Finally, it was Isabella’s turn to get on.

“There will be good news when we return, Carsein.”

With those words, everything ended.

The sound of the carriage leaving.

Along with the receding carriage, a progress window popped up.

-Ding!

▶ The family’s send-off is over. ◀

▶ Free action time is scheduled. ◀

Free action time.

I had already decided what to do.

I went straight back to my room.

-Swish.

A pile of cash and bills. And the envelopes to put them in.

“With this, I’ve paid it all back.”

Just as written in the notebook.

I started pricing all the items and sorting them into each envelope.