The Damn Family Is Back Again - Chapter 312



312. As if it never happened (9)

This is the third carriage heading to the Duke’s house.

They encountered the same problem again.

“Is the bridge over the Shas River under repair?”

“Yes. I heard that Viscount Ptoa is personally overseeing the restoration. Unfortunately, due to the heavy rain, the river is flooding, so we can’t cross it now.”

Arina explained while unfolding the map.

She marked in detail which roads were blocked according to the reports received from various places.

Just like Claire and Flora before, the bridge could not be used.

As it stood, Isabella and Arina would have to stay somewhere else for about a day.

Ordinarily, it would be better to stay and go.

However.

– “No need.”

Every time she heard that voice, her head throbbed.

At first, she just ignored it.

Although it was frustrating and brought a complicated feeling when Carsein pushed her away, that wasn’t the important part.

However, every time they passed a place reflected in the carriage, Isabella kept hearing that voice.

She thought it was just her imagination… but it was the same no matter where they went.

In places where Carsein had been, she heard the voice saying “no need” as if it were an afterimage.

Now, even just seeing the two famous products of Chatren or the building materials like stone and concrete being transported from Rusmire, she heard the voice.

When she governed the Rusmire estate to gain the qualification to attend the Eastern Nobles’ Conference, it rejected Isabella’s touch, as well as the allowance from the Duke’s family and even the support funds sent by Claire.

Those past memories vividly resurfaced, bringing headaches to Isabella.

The suffocating feeling in her chest and the headaches eventually made Isabella impatient.

“It would be better to stay for about a day. The conditions are not very good─”

“No. Let’s go to the Duke’s family today.”

“What?”

Arina asked in surprise.

“Even if the conditions are not good, it’s not like there’s no way to return to the Duke’s family.”

“Well… there are several other routes, but due to the heavy rain, the ground is muddy, and the carriage wheels might get stuck. So we have to take the off-road with solid ground, but it will be a very uncomfortable journey.”

“I don’t mind. What does it matter if the journey is a bit uncomfortable?”

“…Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

Arina was once again surprised by Isabella’s seemingly sincere answer.

But Isabella really didn’t mind.

Even if it meant taking that path and having an uncomfortable journey, it didn’t matter.

Rather than arriving a day later on a comfortable road, she had to reach the Duke’s family immediately.

– “No need.”

“Ugh…!”

“Mother?! I’ll call the physician. Just wait here for a moment…!”

“Ha, I’m fine.”

“Mother…”

“Let’s go to the Duke’s house. Quickly.”

Because of the endlessly cold and sharp rejection message from Carsein.

*

Carsein was a son who had never been properly cared for.

He grew up splendidly, but he was a son who had never been properly reached out to.

Outside, they might be spouting nonsense, but he was my son who had proudly completed the registration to the Duke’s house.

Although the same blood did not flow, he was a son embraced with the heart.

So, it might be that she was paying the price.

But Isabella did not want to give up despite this anxiety.

No. She couldn’t give up.

Even just once.

She wanted to extend a mother’s touch to that child.

She wanted to show the sincerity that she accepted him as her child.

Now, she does not forget.

December 31st, which had not even been properly marked in the past, is clearly marked on this calendar. As the most unforgettable day.

For the date of December 31st.

For the child who has that date as his birthday.

For the son who will have his coming-of-age ceremony on his birthday.

She meticulously planned to complete a perfect day for Carsein.

Even if it meant using the entire month of December and disrupting the Duke’s schedule, the coming-of-age ceremony would be carried out.

However, the closer she got to the Duke’s house, the more severe Isabella’s headaches became.

The splendidly completed Founding Festival.

The Hwangryong Martial Arts Tournament that elevated the Duke’s honor.

The Eastern Nobles’ Conference Hall where the symposium was held.

The Shatren Territory, which has been revived brilliantly and is enjoying more glory than in the past.

Rusmire, which has escaped from the worst land and has now become the center of imperial transportation.

The spring outing place where the whole family had come together.

The village where the Snowflake Festival was held.

Traces of that child began to appear little by little wherever I went.

At the Founding Festival, although I received help from my two daughters, I was burdened with an enormous load. Even so, I did not expect anything.

At the Hwangryong Martial Arts Tournament, I achieved second place, just behind Arina. Not only did I enter the arena, but I also achieved results that any family would welcome. Even so, Carsein did not expect anything.

The same was true for the Eastern Nobles’ Conference and the symposium. From the very beginning, the Duke’s family did not even touch this side when it came to qualifications.

Carsein, who developed Rusmire on his own and earned qualifications, did not even use the Duke’s family’s name, let alone their support.

What about the splendidly revived Shatren?

Rusmire, which everyone avoided, goes without saying.

The Snowflake Festival, which I returned to alone, was the same.

Carsein was alone.

Always.

‘No way…’

It felt as if a severe drought had formed inside my chest.

I took a deep breath at the fact that no hand had ever reached out.

Carsein, no way…

“Duchess. We have arrived!”

Before I knew it, we had arrived at the Duke’s residence.

“Mother. I will open the door─”

-Creak!

It was much faster than Arina’s touch.

As soon as the coachman’s voice was heard, my hand was already moving.

The door of the carriage opened.

I didn’t even hear Arina’s questioning voice from behind, “Mother?”

‘No, no way. No way…’

What did the child who had always lived in solitude want?

I still don’t know.

Even when I asked Carsein, he did not tell me what he wanted.

That child.

The child who always refused and pushed away everything.

Held onto one thing.

It was work.

Managing the estate and earning money.

Refusing the allowance allocated by the duchy and rejecting the support funds.

Saying he would buy something on his own and answering as if he had a debt to pay off with his own money.

This is… as if.

“No. That can’t be… that can’t be true.”

Saving money.

Rejecting the duchy’s hand.

It can’t mean that.

“Huff, huff…”

The flower crown that arrived on Claire’s coming-of-age day is hanging there.

Through the flower crown she had tended to herself, the image of Carsein, who spoke calmly while wearing the servant’s uniform, comes to mind.

Carsein’s reaction, as if his own birthday didn’t matter, slowly resurfaces.

Her breathing becomes labored.

That path appeared.

The day Carsein returned after managing his estate.

The day he was found collapsed with a severe cold, without even properly receiving a greeting.

It was that path he had responded to indifferently.

Despite collapsing from Rigomoth’s nervous sensitivity, instead of expressing his opinion, he firmly removed the morning greeting time, saying he wouldn’t disturb her time in the future.

Her mouth dries up.

She thought there would be at least one.

She thought something would remain.

She thought there would be something to remind her of Carsein.

But in reality, there is nothing connected to Carsein.

There is no trace of Carsein left in this duchy.

Even though she walks from the wide main hall, up the stairs, and through that secluded corridor, she can’t find a single trivial thing.

…No.

In the first place, such things don’t exist in her room either.

Of course, they wouldn’t exist in the office or any other place.

What is visible instead are all the remnants of Carsein.

It was only the false accusation written by the duke’s family and the past of the indifferent mother.

Her mind turns into a blank white sheet.

Not a trace of a person can be seen. In this large mansion, not a single trace of that person can be seen.

“No. That can’t be… That can’t be true.”

A place where even a single trace remains.

That room would be different.

Please, let there be even a single ink mark left on this blank sheet, she thought as she opened the slightly ajar door.

And then.

Isabella finally collapsed, unable to leave even a single dot on her now completely white mind.

“Did it mean… that it was unnecessary…?”

Her vision blurred due to the tears.

Yet, it was clear.

She had priced the used items.

And she paid that price.

With the money she earned herself, alone.

To him, who did not receive a single penny, nor a single touch.

There was no trace left in this duke’s family.

As if he had turned into a person who never existed.

Isabella’s mind was eventually filled with a completely blank white sheet.

“Ah, ah…!”

“Mother!”

“My son, my son… Karsein…”

Isabella reached out into the air.

What was in front of her was not a person, but clothes. Not Karsein, but Karsein’s clothes.

“This can’t be…”

Arina bit her lips hard.

How could she forget?

Her mother had been like this in the past as well.

This was a disaster.

A disaster that began from the day she lost Karn and her father.

“Why on earth…!”

The madness that had clearly been cured in his mother had returned.

“Karsein… Karsein… my son…”

-Ding!

▶Key Memorial: The room that lost its owner’s name has been activated.◀

▶Isabella Vagrande is afflicted with the madness status abnormality.◀

[ Effect: The state of the duchy is paralyzed. ]

“Mother… what on earth…”

“Ah, my son… my son…”

“…”

Arina bit her lip and asked.

“After causing such a mess, where on earth did you go, Karsein!”

-Ding!

▶Error occurred!◀

▶It is not the time to intervene in this branch.◀

▶Alternative decision in progress…◀

…

…

▶Turning off choices and entering forced event.◀

▶The clear conditions for CHAPTER 4 have been changed.◀

▶All episodes are changed to main episodes, and duplicate execution becomes possible.◀

▶Re-deciding the branch!◀

▶Deriving results…◀

…

…

▶Conditions satisfied.◀

▶The Key Memorials of the three synchronized characters have been activated.◀

▶The content of Arina Vagrande’s trigger, ＜The Mother’s Role Taken Up Again＞, has been deleted.◀

[ The chase trigger reoccurs. ]

▶From this point on, all episodes of CHAPTER 4 will forcibly start.◀

*

– Thud. Thud.

A man tapping the table with his arm propped up.

As soon as he read the document handed to him by another soldier, he laughed heartily.

“Hey.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Is this for real?”

“Y-Yes, absolutely! It was so strange that I checked it several times.”

Reading the magical lines that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Only one group in this world can do that.

‘It must be the Eyes of the Kingdom of Wederos.’

He had lost a cherished subordinate not long ago. In the brightly lit place called the Founding Festival.

The mission wasn’t that difficult.

How hard could it be to assassinate the Duchess who couldn’t use any power?

He had once been part of the Knights, so he knew all the ins and outs of the Duke’s household. It was a task he could easily accomplish.

Moreover, he wasn’t a lowly person like Emma Urnen or Theo Ramstair. He was a subordinate he had kept by his side for a long time.

From noble mtl dot com

However, the crucial part of this plan was thwarted by one person.

The only person who could do that…

Just one person. It was presumed to be Carsein Bagland.

‘Now that I think about it, there were a lot of strange things. All the plans were getting tangled up because of that irregularity called him.’

Indeed, Carsein. This guy must be killed.

“And, there’s one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“They say he disappeared without a trace!”

“Disappeared?”

“Yes. The Duke’s household is searching for him while keeping it a secret… but he’s definitely gone. Look at this!”

The man had a sly smile on his lips.

This is an opportunity.

The fear towards the Kingdom of Wederos would still be widespread in the Empire.

“Release all the beasts of the West immediately. We must firmly hold the Westerners by their ankles.”

“Y-Yes. But, what do you plan to do with this…?”

“Ah. That.”

*Grin.*

“Karsein Bagrande will become the worst human in the empire starting tomorrow.”