The Damn Family Is Back Again

351. Family (21)

For a moment, it felt like I was hit on the head.

‘The worsening relationship with my family… is it because of someone else’s intention?’

No. That can’t be.

“Harnie. I was originally a beggar living in the slums.”

This game starts by informing us that the protagonist, Karsein, has a very bad relationship with his family.

“I was a child picked up from the streets. By luck, I caught the eye of Isabella, the Duchess of Bagrande, and entered a grand noble family. Naturally, there was bound to be resistance. You taught me that the noble society is inherently like that.”

The tutorial itself was blatantly harsh. The problem is, that’s the least of it.

“A commoner was adopted into the house of the greatest noble in the current empire. Naturally… no, even if it wasn’t Bagrande, any noble family would not look kindly upon me. A complete stranger with no blood ties, a commoner at that, being called family—no one would see that in a good light.”

The information obtained through behind-the-scenes stories, memorials, and sub-episodes vividly depicts Karsein’s current situation.

An uncultured commoner.

A child picked up from the streets.

A stranger with no blood ties.

There are plenty more labels that could be attached, but the gaze of the Duke’s family was never kind.

Eyes that could never be considered familial. Filled with contempt and hatred, indifference was the norm, and some family members even aimed to torment him.

Even the gazes from those around them accelerated the deterioration of emotions, claiming it brought disgrace to Bagrande.

Yes. This is the environment the character Karsein is in.

A background that inevitably breeds rejection and sparks of exclusion.

That’s how the game’s story can progress.

To achieve that, the atmosphere around Karsein must be set up so that these episodes can unfold.

He is bound to be hated. His relationship with his family was doomed from the start.

“To say this much might be a bit much, but someone else’s intention? Does that… have any meaning?”

Isn’t it true that nothing changes even if you don’t intervene?

Anyway, the family relationship is already broken.

Not only Carsein, but I also know because I have experienced the same thing.

It was never the result of someone intervening with their own hands.

And.

Even if I take a step back, no, a hundred steps back.

“Even if we assume that it’s true, what happened to me doesn’t disappear. It was none other than them who pushed me into it by falling for such intentions.”

The fact that I was terribly bullied.

The experience of being treated worse than living in a slum, trapped in the hell called the Duke’s family.

These days, which my body remembers and my brain remembers, will never disappear.

“Anyway, since I left the Duke’s family, it’s no longer my concern. Whatever happened in the past, I won’t show it anymore.”

Harnie slightly opened her mouth when she heard that.

And then she muttered to herself as if she realized something.

“Ah… right. I forgot about that. I must be a fool. Why did I realize such an important fact only now?”

“Harnie?”

“What you said is right. Even if there was external intervention, the fact that the Duke’s family ignored and neglected you and only hurt you doesn’t disappear… I must have been immersed in some strange sentiment.”

“…”

“There’s no point in talking about this. Why did I do that? Besides, it wasn’t even relevant to you. Regardless of Roselle’s memo, being careful of that person and escaping from this hell are unrelated.”

As she said, even if the family relationship was further broken due to someone else’s intention, it has nothing to do with me.

It was an extremely right statement. In this place, I need to escape as soon as possible.

But… something feels different in meaning.

“Let’s escape quickly. We’ve gathered everything we need.”

-Ding!

▶You have obtained a total of four jewels.◀

▶The location of the last jewel is revealed.◀

With her urging words, I am now just one step away from the fifth and final jewel.

But, why is it?

I felt as if I had missed something. No, as if something was being hidden.

*

-Creak.

Arina received the report and frowned deeply.

“Explain again. What did Karsein do?”

With eyes that seemed like blue sparks could fly out at any moment, she asked the soldier bowing before her once more.

The soldier answered without hesitation.

“It appears that Lord Karsein has allied with the Marquis of Theresia to plot something.”

“…Ha. So, the Marquis of Theresia is helping the fugitive Karsein? I’ve never received such a report.”

Arina’s voice was sharp. If something like that had happened in the Marquis of Theresia’s household, it wouldn’t be strange for a report to have come in already.

“Moreover, it’s impossible. Karsein is being pursued for treason. If they extend a hand to him, the entire family would be suspected of treason.”

If they were wasting her time in hopes of a reward, they might have to be prepared for the consequences.

But the soldier did not shrink back.

“Would it be possible in another household?”

“Hmm?”

“It wasn’t treason, but they were plotting something else. In the past.”

“…What kind of thing?”

“This came out from the Marquis’ house.”

The soldier took out the documents he had investigated and handed them to Arina.

“…No way, is this Carsein’s handwriting?”

“Yes. According to my direct investigation, every single one is the handwriting of the young master.”

-Snap!

Arina roughly snatched the remaining documents the soldier handed over.

Before long, her hands, which were carefully reading the contents, began to tremble.

“…He’s nothing but a sewer rat.”

Carsein’s name was unmistakably listed in the report.

Considering the severity of Carsein’s past deeds, the punishment would not be light.

He had recklessly stirred up the Duke’s house.

Cruelly manipulated or deceived the servants.

Used the residents who followed him as shields while fleeing.

It couldn’t be more vicious.

He even deceived his own family.

However, this matter is of a different level. The things he had done so far seemed like child’s play in comparison.

“The exact date itself is not confirmed. However, there were numerous traces of the young master’s involvement in the Marquis of Theresia. Not only were many strands of hair found, but documents written in his own handwriting were also meticulously compared and confirmed to be his. And, most of those contracts were signed not with Master Belian and Lady Harnie, but with the Marquis of Theresia, ultimately leading to Bagrand…”

“Enough.”

Arina cut off the soldier’s words like a blade, as if there was no need for further explanation.

At her fierce voice, all the soldiers fell silent at once.

“Filthy commoner. I thought he was just overstepping his bounds, but it was all planned.”

The plan presented as evidence was indeed meticulous.

Taking advantage of the luck of entering the Duke of Bagrand, he planned to establish his position within the duchy and make his name known throughout the empire. Slowly, he intended to use that name to destroy Bagrand from within.

However, a mere adopted son could not bring down the massive fortress of Bagrand alone.

He had to gradually create cracks in this fortress.

He caused incidents and accidents from time to time.

During major events, he acted arbitrarily, disrupting unity of opinion or wasting time.

He left indelible stains on the name of Bagrand.

Through incidents and accidents, he created weaknesses in the unapproachable title of the duchy.

Starting from the territory, the aging of the Duchess, the disunited opinions of the retainers, and the resulting poor establishment plans.

The cracks widened and widened, and even the once solid fortress began to show holes.

Perfectly fitting causal relationships.

Schedules exposed to incidents and accidents.

Information leaked from within that could never have been known, there were more than a few suspicious things.

And everything was revealed in this plan.

He was not stupid. It seemed he knew that someone who lived a bottom-feeding life could not sustain it forever.

Because he was a commoner, he aimed even higher.

He wanted to set foot in a place he couldn’t even look up to.

With a burning, vicious ambition, he sought to seize control of this ducal house. Slowly, he would infiltrate it.

From this point on, Karsein was neither family nor brother. He was the enemy of Bagrande, who had trampled on the grace of his mother and the hearts of his family with his ambition.

But this would be the end of it.

“Everyone. Listen.”

Arina drew the soldiers’ attention by planting her sword into the ground.

“As the acting head of the Bagrande ducal house, I declare that from this moment on, the name Bagrande no longer exists for Karsein.”

The soldiers belonging to the house began to murmur.

‘Wait, stripping him of the name?’

‘Then he won’t receive any protection from the ducal house at all.’

‘If that’s the case… a wanted criminal…’

As the soldiers murmured in disbelief, Arina drove the point home.

“From this moment, he is a criminal who has disgraced Bagrande and a heinous villain who has caused great chaos in the empire. Do not forget this.”

Moreover, with the plan revealed, the next destination was clear.

“The one who dared to point a sword at Bagrande will be hiding within Bagrande.”

-Thunk!

“He is no longer the master you once served. Do not hesitate to cut him down.”

*

With the discovery of two additional jewels at the tomb of Roselle Bagland, only the last jewel remained.

If I could find that, I could return to reality.

I could escape this wretched world.

Of course, before that, I had to find a way out of the Bagland Duke’s estate.

This tomb was one of the most heavily guarded places within the estate. After all, it housed the remains of the Duke.

I probably had to move cautiously.

Even more carefully.

Everything kept weighing on my mind.

“…Phew.”

I’m going crazy.

I can’t shake this uneasy feeling.

The memorial is as it is.

The status window that showed the bad ending is as it is.

Even Harnie, who had something to say to me, had withdrawn her words.

Nothing had been resolved.

And yet, the status window tells me.

▶EX Episode. Uncover the secrets of the world.◀

▶This episode provides no information.◀

It tells me to uncover something.

Is there still more I need to know, more that remains?

-Ding!

‘…Hmm?’

Suddenly, a status window popped up?

▶Your notoriety has dropped to -444!◀

▶Arina has discovered your location. Soldiers are coming to the Duke’s house.◀

▶The chase event has been activated.◀

“Karsein?”

“…Damn it. Harnie. Let’s run!”

I don’t know what happened, but since we’ve been discovered, we have no choice but to run.

-Clang!

As soon as we stepped out of the mausoleum, a chunk of metal came flying at us.

But, there are two chunks of metal.

A sword swung at me. And another sword blocking it.

“Ugh…! Why is a knight of the Duke’s house blocking me?”

The knight of the Duke’s house shouted at me.

“Young master! Get out of here!”

“Sir Carlton…?”

“Argh!”

“Go!”

Carlton gripped his sword and charged forward.

Leaving him behind, the knights of the ducal house shouted in unison.

“Young master!”

“Please, run away!”

“We will hold them off!”

Though they should be chasing me, the knights of the ducal house were clearly visible. The 1st Knight Order. They were blocking the numerous pursuers.