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I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 21
🕑 Added 2024-07-20 22:21:00 +0000 UTCChapter 21: Claire's Coming-of-Age Ceremony (11)
They should have questioned Carsein relentlessly.
Where had he been, what had he been doing all this time?
He was a Bagrand; why did he dare leave during his family's celebration, damaging their reputation?
They should have grilled him, interrogated him, reprimanded him.
But the atmosphere was no longer conducive to a conversation.
──♬
Gentle violin notes blended with the beautiful melody of the piano. The music filled the ballroom, silencing any possibility of conversation.
“Claire.”
“…”
Arina shook her head, her expression stern. She had a lot to say, but this wasn’t the time.
It was time for Claire to open the dance floor, to set an example as a member of the Bagrand family, the most prestigious in the empire.
There was no time to scold Carsein.
Claire, her face a mask of frustration, forced a smile, suppressing her anger.
“May I have this dance, Lady Claire?”
“…Yes.”
She took the hand of her dance partner and stepped onto the floor, signaling the start of the banquet.
It was a perfect start. But her gaze, occasionally flickering towards Carsein, betrayed her true emotions.
‘I came at the right time.’
Carsein, watching the silent status window, felt a sense of relief. Claire hadn't charged at him in a fit of rage, which meant he had avoided a major death trigger.
And he had also managed to avoid the nobles' gazes. All eyes were on Claire as she danced, and no one was paying attention to him.
He had successfully avoided being ostracized and alienated.
But he hadn’t cleared all the hurdles. The other triggers might be gone, but one death flag remained.
“I need an explanation, or at least an excuse, for this disgraceful behavior, Carsein.”
One person was still watching him intently.
Arina, her piercing blue eyes starkly contrasting her red hair , fixed him with a cold stare.
Arina had said she wanted an excuse, not an explanation.
This was a clear acknowledgment of Carsein’s wrongdoing. She could severely punish him for not showing up for Claire's birthday.
‘There’s no other way. I’ll just have to deal with it.’
Carsein asked casually,
“Why don’t we move to a different location? This isn’t the place for this conversation.”
He gestured towards Claire, and Arina didn’t object. She was aware of their surroundings, so she simply told him to follow her.
Arina's affinity box, at a meager 2%, started to shimmer.
***
CHAPTER 1 - Episode III, Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony, was a major branching point in the game.
The unique aspect of this episode was that you couldn't avoid all the characters, no matter what you did.
For some reason, the game system was designed that way.
In other episodes, there were clear correct choices that would lead to the desired branch if you played through the episode enough times.
But this one didn’t have a correct answer. You either had to face the nobles, whose affinity boxes were filled with gray (representing negative affinity), or you would cause a scene and have to deal with Isabella and her daughters. There was no escape.
The only solution was to choose the least risky option.
Confronting the nobles could easily be twisted to make it look like I was the one causing trouble. That was a no-go.
Explaining myself to Claire would be useless. Her affinity would plummet even further, making our relationship even worse.
What about Flora? I had leverage over her now, so maybe she would be a good option?
But that wouldn’t work either.
If I tried to interact with Flora, I would end up facing two people, not one.
“Sister! I saw him! He was hiding!”
She was a master manipulator, and she could easily twist the situation to make it seem like it was my fault.
‘And Flora and Claire were a package deal. Confronting both of them would be a direct route to a bad ending.’
Next, Isabella.
Her affinity was hovering around 30%, so maybe she would listen to Carsein?
‘But I can’t afford to be put under house arrest again. It would disrupt my plan with Harnie.’
Choosing Isabella would minimize the risk, but it would lead to a choice where I had to admit my fault and request house arrest.
And house arrest was no longer a safe option for me.
So, just like in the game, I decided to confront Arina, the least risky option.
I followed Arina to a lounge, a space designated for relaxation. We were alone.
As soon as I entered the room, she ordered the maids to close the door. She then fixed me with a cold stare and asked,
“Explain yourself. Your appearance.”
Here we go.
The same old question.
—Ding!
[1. What about my appearance? Don’t you remember what happened to my clothes this morning?]
[2. I’m wearing this because I’m pissed about getting slapped. What, you don’t like it?]
…
…
The choice window appeared.
I responded calmly.
First, defiance.
“What are you talking about?”
Arina frowned.
“Don’t play dumb. I’m asking why you, a member of this family, my brother, are wearing a servant's uniform.”
So that’s how she was going to play this.
“You’re talking about the clothes that were ruined this morning? There are people in the duchy who could have prepared new clothes for you. You could have had a new outfit made, even if it wasn’t ready for laundry.”
“Is there a reason why I shouldn’t be wearing this?”
“Carsein, stop playing games. If you had just asked someone to make you a new outfit, this wouldn’t be an issue. You’re seriously wearing that to a banquet where all the nobles are gathered, all because of your stupid pride?!”
Her voice was laced with authority.
This was a serious matter, involving the family and its reputation, and she seemed ready to strike.
The right moment for a choice had arrived.
…
…
[5. What difference would a new outfit make?]
“What difference would a new outfit make?”
“Carsein, keep your personal issues separate from official matters. This banquet represents the Bagrand duchy. This is official business.”
“So I’m asking, what difference would a new outfit make? I’m just following the advice you gave me, Arina Bagrand. The warning.”
“Warning?”
Arina tilted her head, as if she had no idea what I was talking about.
She had said it herself, treated Carsein with such cruelty, and now she was pretending not to know?
If it had been the real Carsein, he would have exploded by now. The choices reflected his anger.
A question about her hypocrisy.
A sarcastic laugh.
A description of his trembling body, his teeth gritted in frustration.
They all expressed Carsein’s resentment.
But I wasn’t Carsein. I had witnessed this through the Memorial, and instead of feeling anger, I felt a chilling sense of calm.
It allowed me to maintain a cool and collected tone.
[4. You said I wasn’t your brother, I wasn’t family.]
“You said it three years ago. That I wasn’t your brother, I wasn’t family.”
“…What?”
“You even told me not to call you ‘sister.’ I remember every word. And now you’re telling me to attend the ceremony? I’ll have to call someone ‘sister,’ whether it’s you or Claire.”
“Three years ago… You’re talking about my coming-of-age ceremony, right? That’s when you caused that incident.”
“Right, right. I caused an incident. At someone’s coming-of-age ceremony, I beat up one of the young lords and ruined the atmosphere. I tarnished the family’s reputation and ruined your special day. And then I had the audacity to whine about how unfair it was.”
She knew who I was talking about.
I straightened the collar of my uniform, emphasizing my point.
“So, isn’t this outfit perfect? If they think I’m a servant, I won’t cause any trouble. The nobles won’t bother me, and I won’t have to call anyone ‘sister.’ Isn’t it great? The duchy’s only blemish is gone.”
“Wh-what…”
“I’m trying my best not to ruin Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony. I even asked Heron to help me avoid the nobles. I’ve done everything you asked. Why are you scolding me?”
Her blue eyes, which had been blazing with anger, softened.
And then, a heavy silence descended. Those few seconds felt like an eternity.
I didn’t know what was going through Arina’s mind. And in the game, this was the last scene. There was no dialogue after this.
I didn’t know what her expression was like, hidden behind her bangs, but I followed the original storyline and turned to leave.
“This is so unfair. I just did what you told me, Arina Bagrand.”
—Click. Thud.
The door closed, and the notification for clearing Episode III appeared before my eyes.
▶Episode III. Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony has been cleared!◀
▶Reward granted!◀
■Reward
[Exp 50]
[Lv. 2 -> Lv. 3]
[0.05 stat points have been awarded!]
[Arina’s affinity has increased!]
[Affinity level: 6%]
The clear window I had been waiting for.
I had managed to navigate the branches and hadn’t suffered any losses, despite the risks.
I had cleared the episode, and Arina's affinity had increased. I should have been happy.
“Damn it, this feels awful.”
But I wasn’t.
Memories of Kim Min-hyeok kept surfacing.
“Family birthdays… Yeah, right. Something I would never forget. Not with how much they celebrated them.”
Carsein might have been envious. A day of celebration in a lavish hall, surrounded by guests and well-wishers.
He might have hoped that someday, he would experience the same, that despite everything, they were still family.
…I had felt the same way once.
That’s why they never noticed. Even if they felt a sense of unease, they wouldn’t question it.
And even if they heard the answer, they would soon forget it.
It was inevitable. After all, I wasn't truly a part of their family.
‘The cake… Yeah, I’ll take some.’
I cut a piece of the barely touched cake, wrapped it up, and took it with me.
It was a stupid thing to do, and I knew it. To dwell on my past on such an important day, to waste the remaining hours…
But I couldn’t help it.
I felt like I was watching myself.
Perhaps I wanted someone, even in my own mind, to remember me, to acknowledge my existence. Perhaps it was just a futile attempt to alleviate my loneliness.
***
Arina remained in the lounge long after Carsein left, a troubled expression on her face.
“He remembers everything from three years ago.”
It had been a day just like this. Her birthday. Her coming-of-age ceremony, a grand celebration filled with guests and well-wishers.
Carsein had caused a scene, punching one of the young lords and ruining the atmosphere.
But she couldn’t remember the details.
The fact that he had caused trouble, the fact that he had ruined the ceremony… she couldn’t even remember what else had happened that day.
“Did I… did I really say that?”
She couldn’t recall what she had said to him.
Arina sighed softly, a feeling of resignation washing over her.
“No, I can’t be sure it’s true.”
Carsein could be lying, as he always did.
She could ask those who were there, but… she didn't want to.
Why dredge up the memory of that ruined ceremony?
But today… nothing had happened. Unlike her own coming-of-age ceremony, Claire’s had gone smoothly, without any disturbances.
“Alright. I’ll admit, you’ve done well. I’ll let it slide.”
Carsein might have irritated her by showing up in that ridiculous outfit, but at least he hadn’t caused any trouble.
It was a success.
Yes, everything had gone well, without a hitch. She should have been enjoying the rest of the evening, content with the smooth progression of the ceremony.
“…Why do I feel so uneasy?”
Yet a strange feeling of dissonance gnawed at her, making her frown.
It felt like she was missing something… something important…
“Sister! Ha… there you are!”
“Claire? What’s the rush?”
“Never mind that. What happened? About him.”
She must have just finished her first dance. She had rushed over without even enjoying her own ceremony. She must have been really angry.
Arina didn’t need to explain much. She simply recited Carsein's explanation, how he had worn that outfit because he didn’t want to repeat the mistakes of the past, because he didn’t want to ruin Claire’s ceremony.
“What? That idiot. He’s such a moron.”
Claire, unable to contain her frustration, scowled.
12:35 AM.
It was only 35 minutes past her birthday.
“I’m going back. This isn’t fun at all.”
Claire, despite it being her birthday, decided to leave.
“At least tell Mother and Flora.”
“I already told them. But…”
Claire, still annoyed, ran her fingers through her pink hair, mussing it up. She usually hated messing up her hair, but something was bothering her.
“Sister, there’s something… something that’s bugging me.”
“What is it?”
“…Yesterday…”
“Yesterday? Claire, you can’t just…”
“Oh, right. The day… the day of my ceremony preparation.”
“I understand. What about it?”
“Was… was there anything special about that day? I can’t remember.”
It was the same unease Arina had been feeling, the nagging feeling about December 31st.
Comments
Deadmilkmen1 .
Yeah it's been a lot of him getting crapped on so far.
TheSaltKing
God please let this story heard towards a positive route and end happy. Please give this boy peace and bliss away from these despicable monsters called people and family
