The Damn Family Is Back Again

352. Family (22)

Once again, I felt bewildered, as if I had been struck on the head…

‘This is not the time to be thinking like this.’

I have to run away.

The ducal residence, which had been quiet until just before I entered the mausoleum, was suddenly filled with the sound of clashing weapons.

I don’t know how they found out, but the pursuers had stormed the ducal residence.

The pursuers were trying to capture me with even more ferocity than before, and they even revealed the pursuit event and notoriety points.

It’s obvious what will happen if I get caught.

▶ The pursuit event has been activated. ◀

▶ You must escape from the pursuing enemies! ◀

[ If caught, a bad ending is guaranteed. ]

I will die.

The status window already indicates this.

Taking advantage of the time that Carlton and the 1st Knight Order were buying for me, I had to escape the ducal residence.

Unlike other fields, I knew all the paths in the ducal residence, so there was no chance of getting lost.

Also, judging by the path the pursuit team is taking, it seems they don’t have this information. However, there are always exceptions.

-Sreung.

“Argh!”

There was nothing to be done about the ones who had already infiltrated the duke’s mansion.

It would be impossible to stop so many people with just one division.

These things are inevitable.

Since they are marked as enemy entities, the only option is to deal with them.

-Ding!

▶Enemy entity: Mercenary eliminated.◀

▶Pursuit time reduced.◀

-Ding!

▶Enemy entity: Assassin eliminated.◀

▶Pursuit time reduced.◀

Every time I deal with an opponent, the time decreases, and although Harni is using magic to bind their feet or assist me, there are just too many of them.

“There he is!”

“Get him!”

The encirclement is gradually tightening.

-Fwoosh! Thud!

“Ugh…!”

“Cough…!”

Some of the soldiers who had returned, knowing it would be difficult to break through the main gate, blocked the way.

They were a ragtag bunch.

Many of them were so pathetic that they could be eliminated in just a few moves.

Money, social status, rewards, bounties, connections with Bagland.

What kind of skills could those who only chased after visible things possibly have?

Occasionally, they sent assassins or killers, or even hired mercenaries, but the foundation I had built never crumbled.

I had almost broken through.

Only one section remained. If I could secure the escape route to the training ground, it would be over.

However.

-Swish!

“…!”

I had to abandon that thought as I narrowly dodged an arrow.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Did you think you could escape so easily? Commoner.”

“Come here. My treasure.”

A pursuit squad was firmly stationed at the path leading to the training ground.

It wasn’t just one or two. There were those with bows. Those aiming crossbows. Those preparing magic. Those waiting with various weapons to finish me off.

They all seemed to know I would come this way.

‘…Damn.’

Each one might be weak, but there’s no answer to a human wave tactic.

If you try to weaken them by grouping together, they will easily drain your strength. They were in no hurry, as if narrowing the encirclement could wait until later.

Dragging out time. Slowly sapping strength. The moment when the weapon finally slips from your exhausted hand and falls to the ground.

It means they intend to devour you.

Time must not be delayed.

Especially in a situation like now, where those who are blocking for me from behind might be breached at any moment, time must not be delayed even more.

‘No choice. I have to grit my teeth and break through like this!’

Just as I gripped my sword again and tried to clear a path.

““aaah!””

With a loud explosion, their formation suddenly collapsed.

“…This, could it be.”

Turning my head with a glimmer of hope, the one who had cast the spell was standing there.

“What are you doing?! Run quickly!”

A fierce expression with an irritated voice.

Even the fluttering pink hair.

It was undoubtedly the second child.

*

I know.

That this won’t be resolved in this way.

I know.

No matter how much I change my mind and try to do well, the wounds won’t heal.

I know.

What has been done cannot be undone. Time does not turn back either.

Deeply engraved scars cannot be erased.

The hand that created those scars, the hand that made them bigger, the hand that made them dig deeper, is this hand.

That was the way of atonement.

Even if I sent my people to the checkpoint on purpose, making the security of the territory lax with loose inspections.

Even if I went against my sister’s opinion and instead sneaked into the duke’s mansion to buy a little more time.

Even if I destroyed the layout and made it possible to move within the duke’s mansion.

Family, my younger sibling.

The hand that inflicted the greatest wound was this hand.

But at this moment, I wanted to protect.

With this hand. Just this once, I wanted to protect.

I wanted to be a sister who could protect her younger sibling.

Even if I didn’t deserve forgiveness, I hoped for safety.

So I block the path of the pursuers.

I will go against my sister Arina’s orders and stop them.

The trees near the castle wall burst into flames in an instant. The burning trees stood in the way of the intruders.

“Ugh.”

Maybe it’s because I used big magic spells in succession, but my head is throbbing quite a bit.

Still, by now, I should have bought enough time to head to the training ground…?

I thought so.

Karsein stood still in that spot.

No. He wasn’t even taking a step towards the training ground, but was staring intently at Claire.

Claire, exasperated, shouted first.

“Hey! What are you doing? You should be running!”

“…”

“Hey, Karsein!”

Even as she yelled and urged him to go quickly, Karsein didn’t move an inch.

“Was it all you?”

“What?”

“Was it you who deliberately gave orders to loosen the inspections at the checkpoint, sent Radiel and Mark to the borders and outposts of the Bagrand Duchy, deliberately removed or messed up the soldiers’ placements inside the Duke’s mansion and passed the information to me, and even guided me safely out of the mausoleum?”

Claire was at a loss for words at Karsein’s question, which brought up every single one of her actions without missing a beat.

She was surprised and grateful that he had noticed all of that, but she had to deny it.

“I don’t know anything about that.”

“Hey, Claire.”

“Oh, damn! It must have been a coincidence! There must have been some slackers at the checkpoint, and they found you because they were loyal or something! The Duke’s mansion…! I was just stressed out and lost my temper, so that…”

“Do you realize that nothing you’re saying makes any sense?”

She tried to make excuses in a fluster, but as he said, nothing was properly explained.

Knowing this better than anyone, Claire changed the subject.

“Oh, damn. Just run away! We don’t have time for this!”

“`

“…Are you okay?”

“…Huh?”

“After all this, will you be okay?”

This was clearly an act against the orders of the Bagrande.

It was a direct defiance of the current duke’s proxy’s command, helping a heinous criminal of the family escape.

There might be a huge backlash.

But Claire didn’t care.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

The aftermath didn’t matter.

Even if she was pointed at later, even if she received all kinds of criticism, she didn’t care. Even if it hurt, even if it was hard, even if it was lonely, even if it was painful.

“…Now, I’m just receiving my karma.”

She was beaten by her family.

She had a harder time because of her family.

She spent more painful and lonely days because of her family’s actions.

Compared to that, this was nothing.

Rather than being buried in noble society, being hated for this and having all her relationships fall apart was something she had to bear for acting rashly and causing the problem in the first place.

She was finally receiving the price for the things she had done because she couldn’t control her temper.

So this was karma.

Compared to what Karsein went through, this was an infinitely light price to pay.

“By the way, I have something to return to you.”

“`

Claire slowly approached Carsein and handed him an item.

This was the first gift Carsein had ever given to Claire.

She had cherished it all this time, never parting with the hairpin.

Considering Claire’s fashion sense, status, and the fact that she ran the most famous boutique in the empire, it didn’t suit her at all. Yet, she never failed to wear the hairpin.

It was that precious to her, and she treasured it that much.

Even if there were items of incomparable value before her, she would choose this hairpin and wear it.

No matter how shabby and insignificant the hairpin was, it was the most valuable accessory to her.

Claire took it from her hair and handed it to Carsein.

The time had come to return it.

“…Something like this. I don’t deserve it. I should have done something to earn this gift.”

She didn’t deserve it.

Even though it was a gift from her brother, considering all the things she had done, it was an excessive gift.

So, she had to erase all traces of herself from this place, as Carsein wanted.

Returning this last remaining trace, she let Carsein go.

At the same time, she handed him all the jewelry she had, as if to say he should sell them and use the money.

“Damn… Why am I so stupid? I should have prepared cash for this… But still, if you sell these, you’ll get some money! They’re made of quite valuable materials, so even if you sell them separately, it should be enough for your living expenses. Take all of these. You’ll need them to settle somewhere else.”

“…”

“Just go. I’ll try to buy as much time as I can here. This time, as your sister, I have to protect you at least once, don’t I? And…”

Turning her back to Carsein, she finally said the words she had always wanted to say.

“…I’m sorry. Carsein. I’ve always been a burden. From now on… live well and stay healthy.”

That was the last farewell Claire could give to her brother, who was leaving the prison called the Duke’s mansion. To someone who would no longer be family.

But Carsein approached with a deep sigh.

He approached Claire, who was secretly wiping away her tears, and handed back the only hairpin that hadn’t been ruined.

“Carsein? Why are you giving this back…”

“A hairpin like this is useless to me. It doesn’t make money, and it doesn’t help. And you know what? You look better wearing this hairpin.”

“…!”

You look better wearing this hairpin… That means…

Before passing Claire again, Carsein placed a hand on her shoulder and said,

“Thank you for helping me, Claire.”

Claire’s tears, which she had been holding back, flowed down her cheeks.

“Ugh…!”

“Lady Claire, why are you doing this…!”

-Fwoosh!

“aaah!”

“…No one can go. Not to my sister.”

In the empty pink hair, only that hairpin remained.