The Damn Family Is Back Again - Chapter 306



306. As If It Never Happened (3)

A lot of time had passed.

Starting from spring, passing through the scorching summer, and now the chilly winter was approaching.

Nevertheless, the carriage of the four mother and daughters leaving the duke’s house was filled with an unusual warmth.

“Mom. It’s suspicious that you’re coming so late. What were you talking about?”

“Hehe. What do you think we were talking about?”

“Seeing that you’re so late… You must have secretly tipped off Carsein or something!”

“Gasp…? Really, Mom?! You shouldn’t have told him…! It was a promise between us!”

Flora’s fuss caused a burst of laughter.

“Huh? Huh? What? Why is everyone laughing?”

The youngest, who had been making a serious face alone, looked around in confusion.

“Mom wouldn’t do that. Flora. It was just a joke.”

“Flora is so naive that it’s fun to tease her.”

“Ugh. What? Was it just to tease me? Geez!”

“Oh dear. You guys teased Flora, and now she’s sulking.”

“Ahaha. Sorry. It’s my fault, so forgive me.”

“I’m sorry for teasing you too.”

The two older sisters comforted the youngest, who was slightly pouting.

Amidst the gentle warmth rising between the sisters, Flora sneezed.

“It’s time to start coughing now.”

“Yeah. It’s a bit chilly, isn’t it?”

“You’ll catch a cold. Flora, let’s wrap a scarf around you.”

“…Yeah. Winter has come.”

At the word “winter,” the mother’s voice slightly lowered, and the duke’s daughters instinctively turned their gaze to one side.

Soon, that topic would come up.

“My birthday banquet was truly grand. We prepared so diligently that no one had any complaints. We must have investigated and checked everything thoroughly to ensure there was no noise. You could tell how much effort that child put into preparing my birthday banquet just from that. It was truly something to be grateful for.”

Isabella brought up the topic in a calm tone.

The three sisters listened quietly.

“But on the other hand, I wished it wasn’t so extravagant. I would have been satisfied with just a small gathering of family, enjoying the atmosphere lightly. How could a mother’s birthday be more splendid than her child’s?”

She didn’t specify, but everyone present knew.

A birthday celebration for the mother, more grandiose than ever before.

This means that the child’s birthday should not be shabby in such a situation.

Among the sisters, there is no one whose birthday has not passed this year.

Claire had already completed her coming-of-age ceremony on the first day of the first month.

Flora’s birthday was positioned on the best day, just before spring faded away.

Even Arina had celebrated her birthday.

It was before Isabella’s birthday banquet.

So, the only one left.

The only birthday she was referring to was Carsein’s.

“I want to create a more splendid coming-of-age ceremony than ever before. No, it must be so. That child must enjoy the happiest birthday.”

Because that child, Carsein,

had never once enjoyed a proper birthday in this ducal family.

Seeing Carsein, who had lost even the smallest hopes and wishes, Isabella couldn’t just stand by.

So she gathered her daughters.

To create the happiest coming-of-age ceremony for Carsein.

To fill that child’s deficiencies with everyone’s hands.

As a member of the family.

As the son of the ducal family.

On the day he becomes an adult, to give him the happiest day.

No one denies Isabella’s rather strong assertion.

This silence signifies agreement. There was not a single objection to the idea that Carsein’s birthday should be the most grand and splendid.

Because they, too, had too many debts left.

“Then we should hold it even bigger than mom’s! Right?”

“Yes, it’s possible. There’s more than a month left until December 31st.”

“Since I often go out for estate inspections, there’s no worry about being caught. Mother.”

“Alright. Do you all have any ideas?”

The cheerful atmosphere continues.

Not just a simple birthday, but a once-in-a-lifetime coming-of-age ceremony.

For that reason, preparations are made to greatly expand the scope and scale to add satisfaction.

Thus begins the mother and daughters’ plan for Carsein’s coming-of-age ceremony.

On this day, as the chilly winter approaches, a day warmer than any other will come to Karsein, marking his 19th birthday and the day he becomes an adult.

However, it didn’t take long for all those plans to become futile.

*

Everything had to be paid for.

Having nothing, I calculated everything here.

I crammed every day’s schedule into a single notebook.

I recorded everything I used, obtained, and ate that wasn’t mine.

Numbers emerged without a single error.

Endlessly diverse phrases were written down.

With each page turned. And with each page turned again.

The values accumulated and carried over to the next page.

Like a debt.

So, I once had such a thought.

Could there really be a last page in this notebook where endless numbers grow?

Could there be a last page in the records written in this notebook, carried over to another notebook?

Absurd figures grow.

Even though there are things I don’t want to increase.

I once wondered if a last page could be created if I didn’t exclude and attached those things.

But this time, the last page is created.

The values that were continuously carried over to another notebook finally created the final chapter in this notebook.

No more dates are written.

No more food expenses for the next day need to be attached.

No more clothing costs for me.

Laundry fees. Lodging fees. Employment fees. Rental fees. Medical fees, etc.

All those living expenses that were charged and attached end on this page.

Starting from today.

Starting from this page.

[ 300 million Pesel ]

The amount I have to pay no longer exists.

“…Phew. So, this is what’s left instead.”

After pricing everything and breaking it down, there wasn’t much money left.

▶Available Funds: 50,000 Pesels◀

“50,000 Pesels. It’s enough to stay at an inn for a while, but in a few days, I’ll run out and be forced to work.”

The units here were different.

And the money received was different from the money in the reality I lived in.

But if I roughly compare it to reality…

“It’s the kind of money that would allow you to pay rent for a musty basement room and live there for a short while.”

Compared to what I’ve used so far, it was a pitiful amount.

So it felt more familiar.

I, too, had to get out of that house as soon as possible and immediately start working part-time.

“Well, it’s still okay. It’s better to leave as soon as possible.”

The free action time given before escaping the duke’s house was quite long.

A whole three days of free time. So, one might think it would be okay to stay a day or two longer, gather some money, and then escape.

But this was an obvious trap.

Even though a long free action time was given, this damn game didn’t give much leeway.

After Carsein disappeared.

The duke’s house would immediately start searching for him.

“I’ve never been caught after the search started… but it would probably be a bad ending.”

I don’t really know what happens after this.

Since I got possessed by this game while trying to escape in Chapter 3.

So, I feel a bit scared and a bit overwhelmed… but staying here longer to gather more money would be the worst.

For me.

And for the character named Carsein.

“Hoo.”

I took a deep breath with a relieved heart.

With a refreshing sense of liberation, I left the room with lighter steps than ever.

Then a white box immediately caught my eye.

“…”

[Camilla Deol]

There’s no need to worry about it. I already said I would go out for an inspection of the territory anyway.

However, Camilla was quite a loyal maid to me.

“I will serve you only until you leave the mansion.”

Yes. Of course.

Until I left the mansion, Camilla always followed me.

As it had become a habit, I walked down the corridor without paying much attention.

Then, as I was about to leave through the main door as usual, she spoke up.

“You must not go that way, young master.”

“What?”

“There is a path that avoids the eyes of the servants. May I guide you that way?”

“…”

-Ding!

▶ A choice has appeared.

[ 1. Accept Camilla’s guidance. ]

[ 2. Refuse and go your own way. ]

As always, I was going on an inspection of the estate, so was it really necessary to do this?

‘No. This is actually better. With fewer eyes on me, it will be harder for the Duke’s family to track me.’

So, I decided to follow Camilla’s guidance.

Suddenly, I snapped to my senses.

‘Yes. This scene. It felt familiar.’

It always happens like this.

It was when I voiced my confusion out loud.

…This was the scene I saw just before my mind became clouded and I was possessed by the game.

And then.

At that time, I thought…

I would have left it alone.

I thought I had no choice but to choose because I couldn’t die.

But.

Now, I think I understand why this choice is the correct one.

“Please, young master. At least allow me to say goodbye.”

She was different from Dot, who had shown no expression at all.

It was different from when he was just a character in a Tsukuru game.

The desperation in his voice was already apparent.

The sincerity was evident in his deeply bowed head.

And then…

-Drip.

“Please, Master Karsein. Please… as this is the last time, grant me this one request.”

“…”

Though it was hidden by his orange hair, the transparent liquid could not be concealed.

-Ding!

▶By satisfying the hidden condition, Camilla’s intimacy will not drop below 100%.◀

▶This character shows endless loyalty to you.◀

[ Camilla Deol ]

[ Intimacy: 100% ]

▶There has been a change in Camilla’s intimacy settings.◀

[ To my benefactor, a final farewell. ]

* “…”

Unable to refuse Camilla’s final request, who bowed her head, I arrived here.

It was a truly alien sight.

What I had always seen were gray boxes.

The boxes, always filled with contempt and hatred, were at best of a negative or dark brightness.

But now, before my eyes…

[ Intimacy: 100% ]

Not only were they entirely white, but they also had a clear brightness, and they were filled with 100% intimacy.

‘…I see.’

These people had come to bid me farewell.

They had long noticed that I would leave the Duke’s house.