The Damn Family Is Back Again - Chapter 375



375. Yggdrasil Project (15)

“Princess Arina…!”

“Princess. Can you not hear us?”

“Oh dear… what should we do…”

The soldiers, having heard the news, swarmed, restless.

The next head of the House, no less than the one to inherit the title of Duke Bagrand.

The sole heir to the only Dukedom in the Pesselos Empire.

To be slumped down, blank-eyed in the middle of the deserted hospital?

And not just that, but his condition was clearly alarming.

Eyes without focus.

Movements without even a twitch.

Ears that didn’t respond to repeated calls.

His physical state wasn’t normal either, not from what they could tell. Judging by the brutal surroundings, it was fair to say there had been at least one fight.

Which meant he needed treatment.

Whatever the situation, Arina needed to be taken to a medic.

But Arina wouldn’t budge.

He stayed like that for a long time.

The sighs and laments of the soldiers alone were enough to tell how much time had passed.

Arina’s condition was so strange it made them wonder what on earth had happened here.

“…”

A cold wind brushes past, caressing his hair.

It’s cold. Like being riddled with holes. A chill seemed to settle at the tips of his hair.

It was winter, and winter was supposed to be cold.

Was that why the cold wind blew?

No.

At least, not for Arina, that wasn’t the reason.

It was emptiness.

An emptiness felt in her hair, so hollow it was almost vacant.

This emptiness was spreading a chill like a knife wind through her whole body.

Soaked in emptiness for a long time, Arina was only now slowly starting to realize.

‘Why… didn’t I know?’

That Karsein had purposely avoided spending time in Vagrand.

‘Why… didn’t I realize?’

That Karsein had been steadily pulling money from the territory, trying to disappear from the Duchy, all along.

‘Why… didn’t my eyes go there?’

That the money left in Karsein’s room was like an itemized bill, meticulously calculated for every amount he’d used.

And.

‘Why… why didn’t I even notice that he’d left…!’

When she’d returned to the Duchy. That no trace of Karsein existed anywhere in the Duchy.

Not a single clue had she grasped.

…No.

She’d been more than blind.

Karsein had only ever thought of leaving this house. He’d never sought to have anything.

He needed nothing.

Even if he had desires, they weren’t for personal use.

They were used to amass money. Used to acquire the means to amass money. And that money was entirely for returning to the ducal house.

He held nothing.

Absolutely nothing was in his grasp.

Contrary to what they thought, he didn’t care for wealth, fame, power, or even his title.

He didn’t even glance at them.

As if they weren’t his.

The only thing he desired.

Was to get out of the ducal house.

‘I… I’m only realizing this now.’

Even when Crown Prince Albert was berating and trying to persuade him, he could have stopped it.

Even when Claire said this wasn’t right, it wasn’t too late.

Even when Flora was fidgeting and reluctant to agree easily, it wasn’t too late.

He could have come to his senses when Princess Arcien warned him he’d regret it.

There was a reason why the people of the estate threw themselves to stop him, as if protecting Calsein. Why even those who were once a maid and a head maid, Mark and Radiel, stalled for time. Why everyone defended Calsein.

It was this obvious.

If he’d only thought about it a little.

If he’d only shifted his gaze just a bit!

…He’d spun things out of control like this, and only after hearing it directly from the person in question did he realize it.

Why had this happened?

What the hell was my reason for this stupid act?

The answer…

Was already there.

– Arina Bagrand, you never once considered me family.

Because you didn’t consider me family.

Because you looked at Carsein with that ugly gaze, seeing him as less than you.

Because you harbored feelings you should never have had, and walked down the wrong path.

That’s why… you noticed nothing.

A hand trembling with a shiver. Arina pressed her lips tightly together, feeling the disgusting sensation of her own hand – the same hand that had slapped Carsein’s cheek countless times.

‘I… I did such a thing…’

Thinking about it again.

Looking back over and over.

…That was a wrong feeling.

-Thud!

“Ah, Princess Arina!”

“Her head hit the ground…!”

Inferiority? Jealousy?!

-Thump!

“Princess! What are you doing!”

“Stop this!”

How could you, how could you do that to your own family…!

-Thud. Thud! CRASH!

“I apologize. It seems you’re unstable, I’ll have to subdue you!”

“Let go. I said let go of me!”

“Ugh! Resisting…!”

“Hey! What are you all doing?!”

-If it had been Claire or Flora who came here, you wouldn’t have doubted them at all. You would have asked why they were here. Even seeing a blood-stained sword, you’d never have thought it was their mother’s blood, that’s for damn sure. Why? Because they’re your family.

Because they were family, you wouldn’t have suspected them. Not even a hint of suspicion. Instead, you’d have started with questions, listened to the whole story before making a judgment.

-It would have been different from the moment they left that house. There’d be no permission to kill, no wanted posters, instead the search itself would have started as an investigation. You’d have begun by finding out what happened, trying to quell any rumors. Why? Because they’re family.

Because they were family, you would have tried to protect them, ordered a search based on concern. Any nasty gossip would have been stamped out before it could spread.

-The day you received that gift? You’d have never forgotten it. What day, who gave it to you, how you used it, what events unfolded on that very day, you’d have remembered it all in detail, not a single thing missed. Of course you would. Because they’re family.

It’s the most natural thing. You shouldn’t have left out a single detail. Even more so because they’re family.

There aren’t any detailed regulations or laws, but it’s like a rule that has to be followed naturally.

However.

For Karsein, all those rules and laws were broken.

-But that wasn’t the case for me. For you, I was just a stranger.

Fueled by the wretched feeling of inferiority.

“…I will.”

“Excuse me?”

“What did you just say?”

The soldiers, who had just seen Arina banging her head, now stared, bewildered, as she answered clearly. They questioned her, confused.

“You said you’d lift all warrants for Carsein?”

“Uh…”

“…”

The soldiers exchanged stunned glances.

Arina, who had been so frantic about hunting Carsein, now flipped it all on its head, declaring the warrants completely lifted, and they were understandably bewildered.

“All pursuit is to cease. Bounties are also to be withdrawn. Requests for his capture, and of course, his death, are prohibited. This is the order of the acting Duke of Bagrand… no, the final order of Arina Bagrand, who *was* acting Duke.”

Arina then shrugged off their support and stood. With blood still dripping from her shattered forehead, she continued.

“And as of this moment, I am handing over all authority to Claire. I also transfer all my shares to Claire and am resigning from my current position.”

“Wha-?!”

“Does that mean…”

“Arina Bagrand hereby declares. I renounce my position in the Bagrand Dukedom’s succession order and the succession battle.”

Carsein… I probably won’t ever see him again.

…No, I *shouldn’t* see him again.

The karmic weight he carries is far too heavy.

*

▶ EPISODE IV. CLEARED: THE PERSON WHO DIDN’T CONSIDER FAMILY TO BE FAMILY.◀

▶ SUCCESSFULLY UNLOCKED ARINA’S SPECIAL MESSAGE IN FULL. ◀

[ Arina confronted her feelings of inferiority and realized her own mistakes. ]

▶ HIDDEN EPISODE. CLEARED: SEVERANCE. ◀

▶I’ve pulled out the secrets I’d kept from Arina, never revealed, and declared our severance.◀

▶Arina will no longer turn against me.◀

▶The wanted order is completely lifted. The pursuit penalty is removed.◀

[ Arina and the Grand Duke of Bagrand will no longer chase you. However, assassins are still targeting you, so be careful. ]

“…Is this it, then, the end?”

Even if the two episode clear windows hadn’t popped up, I’d had some idea.

How long had it been since I’d separated from Arina? A fair bit of time had passed.

It wouldn’t have been strange if they’d come looking for me sooner. It was also time I should’ve encountered pursuers already.

But I wasn’t as hurried as before.

I didn’t hide somewhere, nor did I disguise myself.

Instead, I walked out of the hospital with my head held high.

I was certain that there wouldn’t be anyone chasing after me.

And.

That’s how it was in reality.

No one dared to come at me as I walked this path with such confidence.

Perhaps Arina is now finally realizing things about me, belatedly. That’s what I think.

And so, I suddenly wondered.

What would have happened if it were the me of the past?

Would I have aimed to retaliate, revealing my true strength to Arina?

Or would I have kept everything a secret, without revealing anything at all?

Or maybe… I might have been consumed by rage and done something awful, like a bad ending on screen.

I don’t know.

All I know is that all of that is wrong.

I think I could’ve gone any way. Like the choices in this game.

But wouldn’t all of those paths lead to a bad ending?

If I’d just slightly slipped, I too might have faced the worst possible conclusion.

…The reason I didn’t become like that, it’s all because of one person.

-Karsein.

-Minhyuk-ah.

The person who drained that cold blood that was swirling in my body.

Because of her, I was able to not make the wrong choices.

“Now, there’s only… one left.”

▶EX Episode. The True Enemy Begins.◀

▶You must thwart Vellean Theresa’s Yggdrasil Project.◀

I want to finish this quickly and see her.

*

“It’s about time.”

Vellean mutters, staring off somewhere.

He looks rather doubtful.

-Tap. Tap.

“Why so late? You b*stard, Akshus.”

He drums on the desk, waiting for his right-hand man.

Akshus wouldn’t just kill that Isabella.

Make it as painful as possible?

As thin and long-drawn as possible?

No. Not his type.

What Akshus wants is to shatter family ties.

So, he’ll use Isabella to stir up internal strife in Bagrand, watching them fight and kill each other.

That’s something worth doing, isn’t it? The news will spread all the way here.

Word of trouble in Bagrand should have reached here a while ago.

But the silence… it leaves a nasty feeling, there’s no denying it.

“Whatever. Let that pervert deal with it himself.”

-Crack-

“Now then. Shall we paint Bagrand with Yggdrasil?”

Just then. A soldier rushes to find Bellian in a panic.

“M-Major problem, Bellian-nim!”

Bellian’s neck veins bulged.

Interrupting this precious time. The endless possibilities for how to kill him raced through his mind.

But then.

“T-That is… There’s trouble in Bagrand. Changes within the family…”

Hearing the word “Bagrand,” his expression shifts.

Bellian strides up to the soldier, who’s sweating bullets, and grabs him by the collar.

“Ugh…!”

“Hey. Talk. What about Bagrand?”

“Keh, kehek! Th-there’s been a sudden, major shift in shareholdings within the Bagrand Duchy. Arina’s shares have fallen below…”

A shift in shareholdings within the Duchy?

Arina’s shares fallen below?

That’s impossible.

Arina’s power structure was overwhelming. Her support was the same, and everyone was certain she’d inherit the next Duchy seat.

But this situation is changing?

“Fuck. How the hell could that happen?!”

“Ugh!”

The soldier gets thrown to the side.

Bellian immediately snatches the document from the soldier and begins rapidly reading the text.

And his composed face twists into a deep scowl.

“Ha. What the fuck is this?”

Arina’s shares, they’ve been completely transferred. What’s more, the family succession is about to be transferred as well.

“Why the hell would she…!”

“Bellian, Sir!”

Just then, another soldier enters.

“Urgent report! Claire Vagrand has entered the succession struggle for the dukedom!”

From noble mtl dot com

“What the fuck?! That b*tch was supposed to…!”

– *Thud!*

Then, another soldier bursts in.

“Lord Belian! Flora Vagrand has been reported alive!”

“…Huh?”

Claire’s entry into the dukedom succession battle.

The backlash from some vassals and the territory.

Ariana’s rapidly plummeting approval ratings, coupled with Flora’s survival and the transfer of her shares.

All these simultaneous events were throwing a wrench into Belian’s plans.

“What the hell is this?”

What the hell is going on?