The Damn Family Is Back Again - Chapter 377



377. Yggdrasil Project (17)

So taken aback, Arina couldn’t speak for a long while, her mouth hanging open.

She was always the one who’d call out, “Big sister, big sister,” clinging to me so readily.

Flora, who used to beam, saying she was so proud, so incredibly proud, to be big sister’s little sister.

Because of that, my family relationship with Flora was the best. We hardly ever fought, and more often than not, Flora would come running up, eager to tag along with my schedule.

That’s why I was so much more shocked.

By her curt declaration that her only sister was Claire.

The reason… I already know it.

‘Back then, in Chatren, because I opened that door…’

In Chatren, Flora had told me never to open that door. Never to carelessly open a path to Chatren and to listen to her words.

But I rejected that request, lost in the delusion that Flora too had been deceived by Carsein, and failed to accept her sincerity.

-Big sister, I hate you. I really hate you! I hate you most in the whole world! If you open that door, I won’t be your sister anymore! I won’t even call you unnie in the future-!!!

As a result.

I’ve ended up not being called unnie, like now.

I’ve ended up being treated like someone who’s not family.

I can no longer see the youngest’s beaming, affectionate laughter, proud to be her beloved big sister’s little sister.

My lips are pressed into a tight line.

To hear such words from my own family, it brought a colossal sense of loss.

But at the same time, something more suffocating than loss clawed deep inside my chest.

‘Was this… how Carsein felt?’

The time he was slapped across the face, told he wasn’t her brother.

The time he was chased away, called vulgar for the trouble he’d caused.

The time they drew a line, saying there was no one like that in our family.

…And countless other memories.

The words I’d carelessly thrown at Carsein were relentlessly resurfacing.

My insides burned.

Like bile was about to rise.

‘No. Still. Now isn’t the time for that.’

Even so, there were things I had to do.

Somehow, I had to soothe this burning pain and convince Flora.

But then.

“…G-go. Just go.”

Flora, who had been moments ago, desperately barring the way with her arms outstretched, slowly stepped back.

“Flora…?”

“…”

Then she turned, and started walking down the opposite hallway.

As if she wouldn’t hold back Arina, or get in her way.

From noble mtl dot com

“It seems Lady Flora has matured quite a bit.”

“…Huh?”

Again, Albert tossed out a loaded remark.

“You need to get moving. You don’t have much time, do you?”

But yet again, all that came back was an urging to leave quickly since there was no time.

Still, she had to go.

The urgency of time hadn’t changed.

“I’m sorry, Flora. I know now I don’t deserve to be your sister. But… there are things I absolutely have to tie up. Let’s talk later. Your sister will apologize for everything later!”

Nothing had been resolved, so she’d have to talk to Flora separately later… but for now, she had to move.

As she entered the lobby, this time the ducal house’s head butler stopped Arina.

“You have returned, Miss Arina.”

“… Heron? Why are you here?”

“You came back to the manor to resolve the issues of Master Karsein… no, former Master Karsein, is that not correct?”

“That is true, but…”

“That is why I am here. I am here to inform you, Miss, that there is no need for you to do anything.”

“What…?”

No need to do anything? That couldn’t be.

With loose ends everywhere, there were things Arina absolutely had to take care of to resolve them.

To clean up the mess she’d made to catch Karsein, she had to step forward herself.

As the acting head of the house, she was the only one who could settle and break the inter-family agreements and pledges.

Furthermore, to hand everything over to Claire without causing more problems, he needed to be present to transfer his shares at that very moment.

…But, nothing needed to be done?

“What are you saying, Heron. Explain in detail.”

“…”

“Heron!”

At that shout, Albert stepped forward from behind.

“It means to go see for yourself, Princess.”

“Your Highness…?”

“Sometimes seeing is faster than explaining. No, rather, the more I explain, the harder it might be to understand. So, it’s right that you see it with your own eyes now.”

The old butler, who had been gazing intently at Arina, stepped aside, clearing a path. It seemed to be as Albert had said.

“Me telling you won’t mean anything. Princess, go inside and realize for yourself why that is.”

To be told to see for herself without an explanation was hard to understand, but somehow the words to see with her own eyes felt deeply meaningful.

From Flora simply making way, to Heron saying there was nothing to do, it was all still a mystery, but for now, she had no choice but to go.

Entering the lobby, she found a large hall.

Inside, there was a flurry of activity among the knights.

“I’ve brought the wanted posters, Sir Carlton. The rest are—”

“Shhh.”

Some knights noticed Arina’s entrance and gave a signal, then they all lowered their stance and saluted.

“We apologize for the commotion, Miss Arina.”

Before she could even ask what was going on.

They were standing at attention, saluting.

“Do you have any orders for us, Lady?”

And then they waited, as if ready to drop everything they’d been doing, at a moment’s notice.

It was perfect timing.

With knights like these, there were definitely matters that could be resolved immediately with an order.

But…

‘What they’re holding…are those wanted posters?’

For some reason, she had a gut feeling.

Even at a glance, what they held in their hands were wanted posters.

Just as she was about to receive a report after collecting all the wanted posters, instructions given to merchants, and requests that had been scattered thanks to her throughout the Empire.

The sight of it struck Arina like a blow to the back of the head.

The knights here, sworn to loyalty to the main family, would never disobey Arina’s orders.

As they’ve been told, as they’ve been ordered, they’d carry out every task, ready to follow her command right here. Of course, they were those who were completely loyal to the Bagrand Ducal family.

If the order came from Bagrand, they’d carry it out without fail.

But what would happen if her order, an order even slightly driven by her feelings, was given here?

It was obvious. She’d be stepping right back onto the tracks she’d trodden over and over again.

She’d end up hindering them with her own hands.

She’d be committing the insane act of ensnaring Carsein twice over.

‘That means…’

It means she shouldn’t do anything at all.

“Princess Arina. Give your command.”

Carlton, having already returned to his position, knelt and asked again, prompting Arina to bite her lip.

“…Continue what you were doing. I will not interfere. There are no orders I will give here.”

She had to move on.

She had to pass it by without doing anything.

No. Even the time she spent in this place shouldn’t be prolonged.

Even the length of time they were kneeling felt like she was interfering because of her presence.

She had to escape this place as quickly as possible.

“…”

She shut the door to the hall. The knights would still be waiting for Arina Bagrand, wouldn’t they. She had to close it where they couldn’t see.

There was no need to recover the wanted poster.

The knights would take care of destroying the request letter.

One thing to do had disappeared.

She could now concentrate on other things more easily.

…But.

It should be good news.

Strangely enough, Arina was having other thoughts first.

“…Could it be.”

-Tap. Taptaptaptaptap.

Arina’s pace began to quicken.

“…”

Arina’s footsteps quickened.

Albert, who had merely watched silently from behind, sighed inwardly and repeated to himself.

‘It’s not a fluke. Princess.’

His hunch was right.

*

“Welcome, Miss Arina.”

She met Sheyden. Yes. She had things to say to him too. To remove the substances triggering the Kelbia allergy that had been spread across the Empire, she needed Sheyden’s help—

“Neutralizers have already been thoroughly applied everywhere, so there’s no issue. Especially not to the point of collapsing and being unable to move due to an unusually high dosage. Miss Flora personally took care of it, so there are no side effects either.”

…It was already resolved, he said.

The Kelbia allergy was resolved.

Yes. This was a good thing too. Then another matter—

“Are you referring to the agreements with the other families? The families near the Bagrand territory dealt with that in cooperation. There are still a few families remaining, but those will be resolved soon.”

Marquis Magnuel had already taken measures; his vassals had neatly organized agreements with other families.

Not only that, but they had even demanded an immediate withdrawal, stating there was no need to hire soldiers. Unless a family was particularly daring, there would be none that would disobey.

Thanks to that, there was no need to visit the families she’d asked for help in capturing Karsein.

…Yes. This was a good thing too.

Because there was less to do. Because there were fewer families chasing Karsein.

…

She met the people involved several times, but couldn’t touch a single thing.

No. There was no need to interfere.

The moment I’d lay a hand or issue a command, the situation would sour.

Meaning, everything was unfolding naturally, heading towards resolution.

Now, just outside the meeting hall. Only the act of transferring the shares to Claire, the most crucial matter, relinquishing the headship succession remained.

Naturally, there was no need to enter the hall this time either.

“All vassals, hear me. From this moment on, the acting head of the duchy is not Arina Bagrand, but I, Claire Bagrand.”

The shares had been transferred long ago, and the support within the territory had naturally shifted to Claire as well.

It was predicted that the vassals, the only obstacle, would interfere, but not only had she absorbed all the centrists into her faction, she even swayed the hearts of some vassals, including Marquis Magnuel, solidifying her position.

That’s right. Everything was already settled.

There was never a place for me to step in from the beginning.

“…Is that why you said I’d know when I saw it?”

Arina asked Albert, who was trailing close behind, almost a whisper.

Albert didn’t deny it.

“Yes. The fact that I didn’t intend to interfere was also for the same reason. You’re too late. Your feelings for Karsein… you should have abandoned them the moment you couldn’t shed your inferiority complex. If you persist any further, you’ll only end up hindering.”

“…”

Arina’s hands trembled violently.

‘Even this… was I blind to it?’

It wasn’t that I couldn’t do anything.

It was that I shouldn’t have done anything.

That was the price for awakening to my inferiority so late.

In the last matter requiring action, Arina quietly withdrew, not touching it to the very end.

*

Too much had changed.

The factors disrupting the existing plan had rapidly increased.

If you gathered all the soldiers and scraped together all the available information, you could realize the Yggdrasil Project itself was being interfered with.

“Shit. It’s like they know my whole plan and are moving accordingly.”

It wasn’t coincidence.

These were definite issues, handled with full knowledge of everything.

But how?

By what means could they have figured out the truth of the project?

They had checked it countless times, and there were no variables. Those who knew anything had already been eliminated, so no one existed who could interfere.

-BANG!

“Shit. Ha, hahaha! Not once has my plan ever failed before. Wow. This, this feeling is fucking disgusting?”

Experiencing this feeling for the first time, Belian laughed loudly.

Then, with eyes that had grown chillingly cold.

Muttering with a ghastly expression.

“Shit. There’s no son-of-a-b*tch to be behind this. The Imperial Family? Bagrand? Or some other nobles or western power? There couldn’t be any of that!!”

Everything in the world was inferior.

I was the only special one. It was only natural to manipulate those less than ants.

And yet, a plan that had never once failed was now breaking down?

This can’t be happening.

Absolutely not.

“Hey. You there.”

“Yes, yes sir!”

“Tell the entire force. We’re to grow the primordial seed.”

Doesn’t matter who the opponent is.

It’s a bit early, but we can just push the plan forward.