Mod7 Translations
patreon
I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 141
🕑 Added 2024-10-07 12:01:42 +0000 UTCChapter 141: The Broken Picture Frame (2)
‘The situation now… is no different from then?’
Isabella’s eyes widened in disbelief.
She hadn't given it much thought at the time…
But now, the memory was clear.
Heron was referring to an incident a few months ago.
An incident that had occurred after they discovered a discrepancy in the number of letters addressed to Carsein.
It had been the day they realized she hadn’t even bothered to mark his birthday on the calendar, a stark contrast to her meticulous reminders for Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony.
It had been the day Heron confronted her, his voice trembling, his eyes filled with disappointment.
And now, he was saying that nothing had changed? She couldn’t understand.
“I’m not denying my mistakes back then. But I’m confused.”
She picked up a calendar from her desk, pointing to two specific dates.
December 31st and January 1st.
Proof that she remembered those days, that she had learned from her mistakes.
“I’m not refusing to acknowledge the disparity in my treatment of Carsein. I know I favored the other children, that I built walls around him, that I allowed my prejudice to cloud my judgment. It was my fault. But how is this the same?”
She admitted her mistakes.
But things were different now.
There was a clear distinction between then and now.
“I know what Carsein has accomplished. Arsienne told me everything. He deserves to be praised, and that’s why I proposed this outing, this reward. It wasn’t a thoughtless decision like last time.”
It wasn't just about appeasing him or making him feel better.
She knew what he had done, she understood the sacrifices he had made, and she wanted to acknowledge his achievements.
Heron sighed.
“That’s the problem, My Lady. You’re still neglecting him, and yet you claim to understand him? It’s a contradiction.”
“Neglecting him?”
“This outing is not a reward. It’s a punishment. A reminder of his past.”
“Heron, what are you…?”
Her confusion deepened, her brow furrowed in concern.
And then, Heron handed her a framed portrait.
Isabella gasped, her anger flaring.
“Who… Who dared… to… to deface Carsein’s image?! No, wait. There’s only one person who would do such a thing. Emma Urnen, that wretched woman!”
Carsein’s face in the portrait was crumpled, torn, separated from the rest of the family.
How could such a thing still exist within the Duchy? That woman, Emma, deserved to be punished, her crimes against her son unforgivable.
“This… I didn't know. I didn’t realize… I was… neglecting him again, wasn’t I?”
“No, My Lady.”
“You’re saying… this isn’t…?”
He nodded.
He pointed toward the window, his gaze fixed on the scenery outside.
“The cherry blossoms, the family outing, the portrait session… Don’t you see the similarities?”
“Similarities…? What…”
Her eyes, a vibrant blue just moments ago, clouded over, a dark shadow falling over her face.
They trembled, darting back and forth between Heron’s outstretched hand and the broken portrait.
-Thump!
Her body swayed, and she stumbled back, grasping the wall for support.
“Haa… haa…”
“My Lady…”
“Oh my God… I… I forgot…”
She closed her eyes, a wave of nausea washing over her.
Shaiden, his heart aching, watched helplessly.
And Heron…
“If you hadn't been neglecting Young Master Carsein, My Lady, you would have realized. This entire situation is a nightmare for him.”
His words, sharper than before, cut through her denial.
***
That bright, sunny day…
A perfect day for a picnic, a chance to enjoy the warm spring weather…
Their family outing had begun with a single act of rejection.
-I don’t think we need a new family portrait.
-It’s fine to have a picnic, but I’m not sure about the portrait.
-I don’t like him! I hate him! He’s not even part of our family, so why would we have a portrait with him?!
They had all drawn a line, a boundary that excluded him.
They had expressed their reluctance, their disapproval, their outright hatred.
None of them had wanted him to be included in the family portrait.
They hadn't wanted his face to be captured alongside theirs.
They hadn't wanted to acknowledge him as a member of their family.
And so, under the warm spring sun, the single portrait that had been captured, revealed a family devoid of joy, their faces grim and unwelcoming.
Even after the delay, after Carsein’s return, covered in dirt and grime, his new clothes ruined…
The opportunity for a new portrait never arose.
And they had seized that opportunity.
-Mother, there’s nothing we can do. Let’s just finish the portraits of the rest of us.
-We have to fill the other frames. It’s unfortunate about Carsein, but we can at least have individual portraits, can’t we?
-Sister’s right, Mother. We should at least complete our own portraits.
-Me too! I want to have my portrait painted!
They had deliberately excluded him, removed him from the family picture.
Every single one of them.
And they had succeeded.
There was not a single portrait of Carsein hanging in the Duchy.
And his face was missing from the family portraits as well.
Because they had chosen to exclude him, to reject him.
“Again… they’re… excluding him…”
Flora, remembering that day as Claire recounted the events, clutched her skirt, her knuckles white.
She didn’t need to hear anything more.
They had ostracized a member of their own family.
“You understand, don't you, Flora?”
“…Yes.”
She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.
“We shouldn’t have painted the portraits. We shouldn’t have even come here. Right, Sister?”
“Yes, Flora.”
“Okay. But Sister…”
She sniffed, wiping away her tears with her sleeve.
“Mother was really looking forward to this. What should we do?”
“….”
She was right.
If they wanted to cancel the portrait session and return to the Duchy, they had to convince their mother.
It wouldn't be easy.
She had been so excited about this outing, about creating a new family portrait, about spending time with them.
This entire event had been planned for Carsein’s sake.
Claire smiled sadly, stroking Flora’s hair.
“I’ll talk to Mother, don't worry. I’ll take the blame.”
She would be scolded, of course. She had deliberately allowed them to paint the portraits without Carsein, and their mother wouldn't be happy about it.
But she had to tell her, to confess everything.
It was Carsein who had been truly hurt.
This day, this carefully planned outing, had been a nightmare for him.
“Shouldn’t we all be punished? ”
“No, I made the biggest mistake.”
The cherry blossom hairpin…
Carsein had returned with his body covered in wounds, just to get that gift for her.
“Come on, let’s go back to our room.”
“…Alright.”
Flora, unlike her usual defiant self, agreed, following Claire back to the mansion.
Claire, after settling her younger sister in her room, headed straight for Isabella’s office.
-Knock, knock.
“Mother, it’s me. I need to talk to you.”
After a moment of silence, her mother’s voice, soft and gentle, reached her.
“Come in, dear.”
She took a deep breath, steeling herself, and entered the room.
Her gaze fell to the floor, her guilt a heavy weight on her shoulders.
But she had to speak, to confess.
“Mother, I don’t think we should paint the portraits.”
She was ready for her mother’s questions, her anger, her disappointment.
“…Very well.”
“What?”
The unexpected response startled her.
“M-Mother, did you just…?”
“I realized… that assuming Carsein would enjoy this… was my prejudice.”
“….”
Claire stared at her mother, her mouth agape, finally seeing her clearly.
Isabella’s eyes were filled with sadness, her expression weary.
Just a few hours ago, she had been excited, her face beaming with happiness.
And now…
She was a shadow of her former self.
‘She knows…’
Claire realized the truth.
“I… I brought him here, oblivious to his pain… How could I…?”
How had she known?
No one had told her.
It wasn’t Arina… and Flora had been with her. And Claire had just arrived.
And Carsein wouldn’t have told her, not willingly.
So someone else had informed her.
‘But who…?’
Her gaze fell on the table.
A broken picture frame lay there, its contents exposed.
‘That’s it…’
She had wondered who would have done such a thing, but knowing it had been a Duchy order, she could guess the culprit.
But that didn’t matter.
The portrait itself was the message.
It was a reminder of that day, the day they had refused to acknowledge Carsein as their brother.
She bit her lip, her heart clenching as she saw the crack, the line that separated Carsein from the rest of the family.
His isolated figure, his somber expression, was a stark contrast to her sisters’ forced smiles.
She had to tell her.
“It’s my fault, Mother. I’m the one who…”
She confessed everything, her voice trembling, her words punctuated by sobs.
Every detail, every mistake, every action that had led to this…
She admitted it all, revealing her role in this disaster.
“…I see.”
Isabella, after a long silence, placed a hand on her chest, her voice a mere whisper.
“It seems… it was our fault. Both of us. You understand, don’t you, Claire?”
“…Yes.”
“So, let’s do this. I want to go back to the Duchy, but the symposium is approaching, so we’ll stay for now, but we’ll… we’ll leave Carsein alone. We’ll just… focus on our own schedule. What do you think?”
“I agree.”
“Then tell Flora. I’ll talk to Arina.”
She didn’t need to explain anything to Flora, but…
What else could she say?
Claire nodded, resigned.
The portrait session was cancelled.
***
I woke up to sunlight streaming through the window.
I had lost track of time, caught up in work. The entire day, a day that should have been filled with family drama and awkward encounters, had vanished.
“Um… Young Master?”
“What is it?”
“May I ask, did you get any sleep?”
“Of course, I slept.”
“But, the pillows and blankets… they haven’t been touched…”
“People can function perfectly fine with just a few naps.”
Camilla's gaze was filled with worry, her voice laced with concern.
“Young Master Carsein, I’m worried about your health. You need to get some rest.”
“I don’t have time.”
The Perfect Clear reward had granted me an extra day, but the work never ended.
Managing Lusmire.
Preparing for Shatrain.
Dealing with the other families, securing resources and protecting my interests.
Analyzing market trends and gathering information.
The paperwork was piling up, and I needed to be efficient, to maximize my productivity, to minimize my time at the Duchy.
Short naps were the only solution.
Camilla sighed, closing the file I had been working on.
“…?”
I stared at her, questioning her actions, but she simply shook her head.
“I’m sorry, Young Master, but I’m your personal maid. It’s my duty to take care of your health.”
“You’re meddling.”
“…If you keep this up, I’ll be forced to take drastic measures.”
“Drastic measures?”
“Yes, something you won’t be able to refuse.”
Her words, despite her polite tone and demure posture, were a threat.
-Ding!
‘What?’
▶ Camilla’s Affinity increased! ◀
[ Current Affinity: 60% ]
…What was going on?
This game was unpredictable.
But drastic measures…?
I would play along, pretend to listen, and then handle this later, when I had more time.
And then…
▶ A specific character is approaching. ◀
▶ A choice may appear. ◀
“Carsein, May I come in?”
It was Isabella.
