The Damn Family Is Back Again - Chapter 333



333. Family (3)

Silver hair, as if blessed.

Following that silver hair, eyes shining like gold.

No one present could fail to recognize this appearance.

Although the youngest, a member of the royal family. A rightful member of the ruling family of the Peselos Empire, holding a position of authority and even the right to succeed the throne in the future.

At the princess’s single command to stop, the entire area fell into a frozen silence.

In the meantime, Arshien, who was looking around, finally realized the reason.

‘…Now I understand.’

At this moment, everyone was desperate to find Karsein.

The royal family was no exception, so Arshien had also been moving to find Karsein.

Then, suddenly, a strange report came from a soldier.

“Your Highness, there has been an uproar in the Rusmire territory.”

“In Rusmire? All of a sudden?”

“Yes. I am not sure of the reason, but it seems there was friction between the residents and the soldiers of the noble family.”

Upon reaching Rusmire following this report, an unimaginable scene unfolded.

I don’t know what exactly happened, but everyone was trampled and crushed without a single person left unscathed. In severe cases, deep wounds were spiraling, and blood was flowing profusely.

Arsien, as a princess of a country, naturally had to step forward. A princess who cannot even take care of her own people should not exist.

“What is this…! Treat the most urgent people first. Immediately…!”

At that moment, a mother and daughter suddenly approached her and bowed their heads.

“Your Highness, please go to Shatren immediately.”

“We are fine. We can recover on our own, so please go to Shatren quickly!”

It was this desperate plea to go to Shatren that brought her here.

Yes. This was the reason.

‘That maid in Rusmire earnestly asked me to go to Shatren… Was it because of this?’

There was no need to delve deeply. Just by looking, she could sense it.

Residents resisting with farming tools as if defending Shatren.

Those who pointed swords at them and tried to break through by force.

Shatren was already on the verge of a fight.

But common sense dictates that there can be no fight.

It is a fight between trained soldiers and farmers who have only grown up farming. Even if you include the guards, there is no comparison.

The weapons and armor suitable for battle are also heavily concentrated on the soldiers. Those who guard the territory have some equipment, but they are few, and most are just farming tools, with some picking up whatever they could find.

This will end in a one-sided suppression.

Resistance will only leave pain, a harsh and cruel suppression.

Rusmire was already a scene of such a past event.

And Shatren was on the verge of repeating the same thing in the present.

‘But these people must know that it is like hitting a rock with an egg.’

Even so, are they determined to firmly guard the gates of Shatren?

Are they willing to build a wall of people to prevent this path to Shatren from being opened at all costs?

The meaning of this is obvious.

Simply to buy time.

To buy time for someone to escape from this place.

‘To buy time. What a pity.’

If only Karsein had stayed here, things would have been easier. If the imperial family had taken him under the pretext of protection, things could not have gone so smoothly.

But since the pursuit team arrived first, Karsein had no choice but to leave Shatren.

Arsien could only blame himself for being a step late.

‘If that’s the case, it would be better to buy time here.’

In fact, it is almost impossible to catch Karsein by chasing him here.

Even if they follow him, they don’t know how much time has passed, and although Shatren is not as complex as Rusmire, it still has many crossroads. Opening all those paths to search would only increase the chances of the pursuit team being discovered.

Therefore, it is safer to buy time here to protect Karsein.

Arsien dismounted and slowly walked towards the villagers. Then, as if splitting the two groups, he took a central position and soon glared coldly at the pursuit team holding their swords, warning them.

“Do you dare to keep holding that sword in front of me, Captain Fergo?”

“Y-Your Highness.”

“These are powerless farmers, and to me, they are my people. Are you going to brandish your ruthless blades at them?”

Then Captain Fergo, who was leading the pursuit team, retorted.

“As Princess Arsien knows, we are searching for Karsein Bagrand. They were blocking our way, so we had no choice.”

The soldiers next to him agreed.

“Y-Yes, that’s right. This place is very likely where Karsein was staying. It is also the area he originally governed.”

“But they refuse to move aside. It looks suspicious no matter how you see it!”

“We have already investigated Rusmire once, and we guessed that Karsein might have come here following that path. We must investigate!”

“He is a traitor who plotted rebellion. We must capture him!”

Arsien, who had been listening calmly, frowned at the word ‘rebellion’.

“Speak correctly. The imperial family has never once treated Karsein Bagrand as a reactionary or a criminal.”

“B-But…!”

“It is nothing but a rumor. Are you going to forcefully make someone a criminal and a traitor based on mere rumors?”

Captain Fergo swallowed hard.

However, they still had a justification.

“I will retract those words as per Your Highness’s advice. But if you try to prevent us from investigating this place, we will have no choice but to use force. The warrant issued by the Bagrand Duchy is still valid, isn’t it?”

It was clear that everyone was aware of the warrant, yet they were hiding it transparently.

That was something even Arsien could not do anything about.

The warrant issued by the Duchy. And the bounty. These were the greatest justifications for anyone in the empire to chase Karsein.

Somehow, that justification had to be blocked.

However, the number is not appropriate.

If the Imperial family says they will investigate, they will secretly try to open the way, saying it is urgent and everyone should look together.

But blocking the way here directly contradicts the warrant issued by the Bagrande Duchy. Shatren is no longer under the Imperial family but belongs to the Bagrande Duchy.

‘The only thing that can be used is the threat shown to Shatren.’

There is no choice. We have to use that as an excuse to buy time and block the way.

So the Imperial Princess tried to solve it by buying a little more time.

An unexpected reinforcement appeared.

“Not a criminal!!!”

A girl runs from behind, shouting.

“Ugh?! L-Lady Flora?”

“Hey, hey! What did you just say? Did you call my brother a criminal?!”

“L-Lady!”

“Lady Flora!”

“Who do you think you are to speak so recklessly! My brother is not a criminal!!!”

A blonde tomboy is yelling at Captain Fergo.

She is truly rude and unreasonable.

According to the etiquette of noble society, she should be stopped and sternly advised.

Especially since she is from the Bagrande Ducal family, it is even more condemnable.

However, this was also an opportunity to fill the lack of justification.

‘Karsein. It seems that not only the residents but also others have been influenced by you.’

Arsien, who was watching this, smiled.

“It seems we have a distinguished guest in Shatren. Captain Fergo, you didn’t even know a guest had arrived and tried to forcibly subdue the residents with your sword?”

“…!”

Flora’s eyes flashed. Captain Fergo, who was being beaten mercilessly by Flora, felt a sense of crisis and flinched.

“So, Lady Flora, what do you think? This person wants to investigate here, should we open the way? Or do you want the Imperial family to investigate?”

Although not directly said, many words were omitted in front.

To the one who didn’t even know the Lady was here and tried to forcibly open this way.

To the one who doesn’t listen to Bagrande’s words and tries to ruin the territory because of the warrant.

To the one who pointed a sword at the territory that her brother worked hard to cultivate and save.

To the one who accused Karsein of being a criminal and tried to chase him away.

Any modifier doesn’t matter.

The answer is already decided.

“I can’t entrust my brother to someone who called him a criminal! Princess Arshien, please investigate!”

-Ding!

▶Flora has tied the feet of the pursuit team.◀

▶The pursuit speed slows down, and the traces are erased, increasing the time it takes for the pursuit team to reach.◀

*

Somehow, we managed to escape from Shatren.

Just like with Rusmire, we succeeded in escaping safely this time as well.

And this time, it wasn’t just a simple escape.

▶The level of Kelvia allergy decreases!◀

▶The power of the 5th level field is downgraded to the 2nd level.◀

▶The amount of stat reduction is reapplied. The effects of the status abnormalities are reapplied.◀

With the power to resist Kelvia allergy, the movement restrictions have significantly improved.

Thanks to this, we were able to take a big detour and hide in the city center where Kelvia fruits are scattered, just like now.

If the future episodes proceed like this, we can move while hiding as much as we want. Since we’ve analyzed how the traces remain, if we cover this up, there should be no problem with the episode progression.

But still, there is a remaining problem.

“…It’s chilly. Seeing that there’s a fireplace and a chimney, it seems like they don’t use magic stones for heating here. We need to light a fire quickly.”

As soon as Harni entered the inn, she walked straight to where the firewood was.

I immediately grabbed her, as if to stop her.

“…Now, go back. Harni.”

I must not give her a chance to turn back.

I must send her back.

She, who has helped me for a long time.

Harni.

“If you don’t return to the Marquis’ house, everything we’ve gained might collapse.”

This is not a joke.

The status window is already giving a sticky warning.

▶Carsein’s reputation grade drops to recognition grade.◀

▶If it drops further from the recognition grade, it may fall to notoriety grade!◀

From noble mtl dot com

The stage of reputation had already fallen into recognition.

Below that is infamy.

Ruthmeyer and Chatren might end up just getting beaten, but from that point on, they might be treated as real criminals. Those who help me might also receive heavier sentences.

“Really? Still talking about that?”

Harnie responds indifferently, placing her hands on her hips.

“Yes. If I help you, I might be accused as an accomplice and face punishment. But aren’t you considering my situation too little? My family is also a marquisate. It’s not so weak that everything we’ve built will collapse.”

-Clatter.

She continued, putting firewood into the fireplace.

“When I was running the merchant guild, it was true that everything could collapse with one mistake. But now the situation is different, Karsein. Back then, I couldn’t use the name of the marquisate, so it could collapse, but now I can officially use the title of marquis. In short, it’s impossible for everything to fall like dominoes. And since Belian isn’t a particularly outstanding head of the family, they’ll be even more eager to place me in the marquisate.”

-Clatter.

-Tap tap.

After putting in the right amount of firewood and shaking off her hands, she lit a small flame and blew on it to grow the fire.

Satisfied with the fire, she poked me with her crescent-moon eyes.

“Well, anyway, I have my own ways. But you, don’t you?”

“…”

“If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even be able to hide here. You have no money, you don’t know the prices, and you can’t find work. How will you survive if you send me away right now?”

Other words might be typical of Harnie, but…

This is hard to refute.

No money on hand, no job. In a situation where I’m being chased, it’s the worst-case scenario.

In this worst-case scenario, the one opening a way out for me is none other than Harnie.

“I know you don’t want to rely on anyone. I was like that too. But in a situation like this, it’s okay to rely on someone.”

Harnie added, hugging me.

“I’ve received a lot too. Think of it as repaying that. Even if I suffer a loss, I can make up for it.”

“…”

…Yeah.

If it’s this person, it should be okay.

Even if it’s not anyone else, she would have made enough plans.

Because she’s a smart person.

A person who finds a way to live alone and makes thorough plans.

Even if she shows a clumsy side, she’s a woman who does things properly when it matters.

Like Ji-eun.

-Pinch.

“Ah.”

“I’ve been freezing to death since earlier, won’t you hug me?”

…I wondered why she had a sulky expression since earlier.

So this was the reason.

I opened my arms and hugged her.

“Mmm. Warm.”

I was warm too.