The Damn Family Is Back Again - Chapter 310



310. As if it never happened (7)

The distance from here to the Duke’s house is not that far.

If you take a carriage, you can arrive within a few hours at most, and if you ask to go a little faster, the journey can be shortened a bit more.

No. You could go even faster.

The Duke’s carriage is not some cheap one, it doesn’t rattle or loosen and break down easily.

If you set your mind to it, you can travel rough roads.

Even if it rattles, if you go fast, you can arrive earlier.

The coachman, who has been serving the masters all over the empire, rarely loses his way, so the journey to the Duke’s house could be done in about an hour.

But now, that’s not the case.

“Miss. It would be better to stay overnight and depart for the Duke’s house tomorrow.”

“What? Why?”

“The bridge crossing the Shas River is under inspection due to some issues. Although Viscount Ptoa is in charge of the repairs, it seems it will take quite some time.”

“If that’s the case, can’t we take another route? Do we really need to stay for a whole day?”

“Well, miss. That is…”

Just like Claire.

Flora followed the same procedure.

The raindrops gradually thickened.

The inside of the carriage might have been quiet, but outside, the sound was gradually growing.

The river, which eventually overflowed, blocked the path to the Duke’s house, not only before the bridge’s repair but also the surrounding routes.

That was the coachman’s explanation.

“…”

Flora gazes out the window.

The heavy rain.

The rainwater pounding the ground had turned into a torrential downpour, unlike what she had seen before departure.

“Miss, the muddy road is not passable. We must go to the solid ground, but is it really necessary? It seems the rain will stop by tomorrow, so why not stay for a day?”

“…”

“Miss Claire also stayed for a day. It seems perfect to stay there, what do you think?”

Of course, she didn’t want to get wet.

The coachman said that such roads often turn into mud, so they had to return to solid ground.

That would be much bumpier.

She would have to endure the occasional shaking of the carriage.

She didn’t like that.

But.

“…I still want to go.”

“Miss?”

“I don’t mind the bumps. I don’t mind the shaking. I want to go that way.”

Right now, such discomfort is not the problem.

*

The carriage starts moving again, driven by Flora’s will.

The coachman and the accompanying guards tried to persuade her, saying there was no need to embark on such an uncomfortable journey, but they couldn’t break her strong will.

-Thud!

Every time her small body jolted, the seat vibrated or shook.

It was uncomfortable.

If she tried to ride a horse outside, she would get wet.

It was by no means a comfortable journey.

Nevertheless, Flora did not utter a single complaint or grumble.

No, to be precise, she couldn’t. Her mind was entirely occupied with something else.

“The rain… Yes, because of this rain. That’s why I couldn’t reach my sister, right?”

It’s pouring rain.

With such rain falling, one might think of taking a break.

“The communication tube wasn’t delivered in advance, so it can’t be used… Yes. It would be difficult to write a letter too. How can you send someone in this weather? Besides, the weather there wouldn’t be good for a carrier pigeon to fly either. So, it’s understandable that I couldn’t reach her, right?”

There aren’t many ways to get in touch.

It’s possible that they are late or didn’t send a message.

If that’s the case, bringing Karsein… or not receiving any contact at all. Isn’t that natural? “My little sister might also dislike uncomfortable journeys… Yes. Then she might move as soon as the bridge is restored?”

No. Beyond that, what if it’s because it’s raining and they’re delayed?

What if they haven’t reached the Duke’s residence yet and haven’t contacted Karsein?

“Oh! Karsein is so quick-witted that it might be difficult to persuade him!”

Can they bring him without even talking?

Then, isn’t it natural that there’s no contact even though time is passing?

“What? Then I didn’t need to be in such a hurry.”

Flora smiled bashfully.

How efficiently her little sister handled things.

How many times had she felt amazed watching her?

How reassuring and proud she felt to have such a sister.

Yes. Her little sister had her reasons.

After meeting Karsein, she would have subtly hinted and asked to keep a certain day free for a family event.

She would have deceived Karsein perfectly, getting off the carriage filled with thoughts of surprising him at the coming-of-age ceremony.

“I should have waited a bit longer. I shouldn’t have been impatient, I should have waited until my little sister came. Hmm… But since I’m already here, I should go with her, right?”

She can already picture her little sister sighing.

-It’s because of the rain. Why did you have to come all the way here? Oh, really.

If she goes directly to the Duke’s residence, she would say something like that, right?

Then she can tell her then.

That she was too impatient.

That she hastily thought of something else.

She could just hug her little sister like before and shake off that anxiety.

…However.

“I hope we arrive soon.”

Flora was smiling, but she wasn’t.

*

The end of the arduous journey was approaching.

Breaking through the rain, despite the advice to rest for a day, Flora had crossed the rough path without stopping and was now right in front of the Duke’s mansion.

The coachman opened the door anxiously and asked.

“Oh dear, miss. Are you all righ─”

Hop!

Flora jumped out of the carriage.

“It’s, it’s dangerous. You could get hurt jumping like that…”

“It’s fine.”

Ignoring the voices of the coachman and the knights who were trying to dissuade her from doing it again.

Flora, who was distracted by looking around, noticed something strange and muttered.

“…Why is it so quiet?”

“Pardon?”

The coachman, who seemed to not understand her intention, asked back.

He tilted his head and then was startled.

“Oh, miss! What’s wrong with your nails!”

“…Ah. This.”

“Your veins are so swollen…! Could it be that my poor driving has injured your precious body…!”

“Oh, no! It’s not that. Don’t apologize.”

She hid her fingers behind her back.

This… was definitely not the fault of the man who drove the carriage.

But a familiar situation unfolded.

A scene where someone else gets scolded for her actions.

In that scene…

The shadow of a man who had become cold-hearted at some point was cast.

So Flora became more urgent.

“…It’s not your fault, so don’t worry. This happened because I… I grabbed something sharp by mistake.”

“Is, is that so?”

Leaving the worried coachman behind, Flora walked briskly into the mansion.

“Take care!” he said, but her gaze was still elsewhere.

A familiar yet unpleasant chill pricked her chest.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

It was so quiet that one might wonder if the duke’s house had ever been this silent.

She looked around, but there were hardly any servants passing by. Were they all gathered in another place?

‘…No. It’s late. They must have gone to rest.’

Even the servants of the duke’s house need time to rest.

Her mother and two older sisters had always told her not to treat the servants too harshly.

‘Yes. There must be another reason why I can’t see any servants right now.’

As Flora climbed the main hall’s stairs, she suddenly fell with a thud.

Tears welled up in her eyes from the sharp pain in her calf.

She could handle and recover from this on her own, but…

The surroundings remained quiet.

It wouldn’t have been strange if one of the servants had heard the noise and come to check.

At least one person should have been wandering around here. Someone dozing off nearby would have heard the noise, looked around in surprise, and come running.

There might even be servants having a secret meeting somewhere. The closest future was them discovering her fallen form upon hearing the noise.

But it was too quiet.

Why was it so quiet when there were two masters in the duke’s house?

“…”

Flora stood up again, her leg throbbing.

Her pupils began to blur.

“No, no. It’s just… everyone must be busy with something.”

Even if there were two masters.

They might have been given some task. That’s why it could be quiet.

From noble mtl dot com

Biting her still slightly torn finger, Flora started walking again.

-Whoosh.

“Achoo!”

She coughed as the cold wind hit her.

Wouldn’t the sound of her cough be enough to wake the sleeping servants?

…But why hadn’t she met anyone yet?

“No, it’s because it’s cold. Someone must have gone to get firewood for heating…”

She passed the stairs and reached the corridor.

This was the place where the most servants usually came and went. It was a place where the silence so far could be broken all at once.

And as always, the silence was broken.

-Thump, thud, thump.

It wasn’t a human voice, but the sound of a cup falling.

“…”

The cup fell on a food cart left in the hallway. It’s a tool used by maids to deliver food to their masters.

Having seen the maids bring it so often due to the frequent snacks, it was a familiar sight.

But why is it left unattended now, with no one pulling it?

Ripples began to form in the fading pupils.

“There might have been an urgent matter… right?”

Aren’t there already fewer people around?

The maids who were carrying the food cart might have had something urgent to do.

Yes. Something like that…

“…”

-Creak.

The pale fingernails began to curl slowly.

Flora’s steps, which had been touching her nails, did not stop.

Before long, she passed the food cart and headed towards a dark hallway.

-Tap. Tap.

-Tap, tap, tap, tap.

-Tap-tap-tap-tap.

-Thud. Thud-thud-thud.

-Thud-thud-thud-thud!

The footsteps gradually quickened.

The slow steps became faster little by little.

Before long, they were close to running.

Even though her delicate legs were slightly swollen and likely painful.

And with these footsteps.

A very faint sound of water droplets was added.

Every time she ran holding up her dress, water droplets scattered from somewhere.

The scattered droplets flowed down the darkest hallway, leaving a trail as if a line had been drawn.

Gasping for breath.

Running as if she had forgotten the pain in her aching leg.

Forgetting even the other crimson liquid coming from the bitten nails.

Flora was passing through this silent corridor.

But it wouldn’t be quiet in this room.

Because it’s a room where people live. When she enters, there will be someone reacting indifferently or reading a book.

She opened the door like that.

But what greeted her was…

Silence again.

“What… is this?”

A room full of all sorts of documents and money. It was a truly bizarre sight.

If it was a prank, who would play such a prank?

No, is there even anyone in the duchy who would play such a prank?

No.

There can’t be.

But knowing this fact clearly, Flora deliberately got angry.

“Damn it. Who is it! Which strange guy played such a prank in Carsein’s room?!”

-Clatter.

As the metallic sound spread from the money pouch she kicked in annoyance, Flora flinched and stepped back slightly.

Unfortunately, it stimulated her aching leg.

The body, which lost its balance due to the stimulated aching leg, stumbled and fell on its bottom while grabbing the drawer handle.

But at that moment.

The drawer came out entirely, and its contents spilled out.

-Clatter! Thud!

-Clang, clatter. Clang.

“…”

The eyes, which had been filled with clear blue, now seemed completely lost in the deep sea.

“Gasp, gasp…!”

Why didn’t she notice?

Carsein had never shown up with the medicine applied even once.

He always came out without healing the wounds he had inflicted on himself.

Even if I nagged him about why he didn’t apply the medicine, he never showed me applying it in front of my eyes.

…Yes. That was avoidance.

It was a denial of reality.

Just as he used to do in the past.

“Sniff…!”

Because of the rain, you couldn’t reach out?

Because of the heavy rain and the river’s overflow, you arrived late, and a proper conversation couldn’t take place yet?

Because Carsein is smart, it might have taken time to persuade him?

…Even that, I was just avoiding everything.

Like a fool, like a child, I was just denying reality.

And the things in front of me are a cruel reality that I can’t even deny.

“Brother Carsein…”

Now, he is no longer family.

No.

He can’t be.

As if he had never existed.

-Rattle. Tap.

The round ointment that had been rolling alone touched Flora’s swollen leg and fell over.

-Ding!

▶Key Memorial: The ointments in the drawer have been activated.◀