The Damn Family Is Back Again

Chapter 171

171. Diverging Paths (3)

‘Harunie is… asking for my help?’

The conversation had just been about why Flora had gone to see her. I wasn’t particularly interested in what the little one had said, but this was different.

Harunie is a meticulous woman.

She had devised a thorough plan to escape from the clutches of the Theresia Ducal Family. She chose me as her fiancé as a strategy to avoid being sacrificed in a political marriage, and she also laid groundwork to blind the ducal family’s view and move her merchant group in secret.

She’s considering where she could be checked and how she should act to deceive them.

That’s how strategic she is.

Filling her head with knowledge, progressing with well-crafted plans, and judging problems to prepare for contingencies.

Sometimes she might miss an important fact in her carelessness, but there’s no doubt that she’s the person who has helped me the most in accumulating the knowledge of this world.

So I thought she would have prepared for any problems, but… to suddenly ask for my help like this?

There must be something going on.

As I looked at Harunie with such questions, she suddenly pulled her hand away and covered her lips with a flustered look, then removed it.

“No… That’s not it. What am I saying.”

And then she acted as if nothing had happened.

With the same expression I’ve seen so often, and a faint smile.

It’s as if… she made a slip of the tongue and is trying to cover it up.

“It was out of the blue, wasn’t it? I have so many worries that I just blurted it out. Don’t mind it too much.”

“…”

As expected.

She said that, but… was it really a slip of the tongue?

‘No. It can’t be.’

I know better than anyone, being connected through a contract, that Harunie is not someone to speak without meaning.

“I should go now. Sorry for bothering you…”

“Just a moment.”

“Ka, Karsein…?”

As Harunie tried to rise, I grabbed her arm, and she trembled in surprise.

Yes. This trembling.

The slight trembling that comes from the hand I’m holding.

I’ve felt this trembling before.

‘Was it at the Snowflake Festival when I encountered the ladies of high society?’

Just before she was about to be harassed by other women right in front of her eyes.

Even then, Harunie’s hand would tremble like this.

Also, she had asked with a quivering voice, slightly bowing her head, to pretend to be lovers.

Yes. This is not a matter to be taken lightly.

I’ve worn that face most often; how could I not know? That’s the face she makes when trying to hide her feelings nonchalantly.

It was only for a brief moment, but the trembling of her hand indicated a significant problem had arisen.

But Harunie must have deliberately hidden it from me, fearing some harm might come. Despite the seriousness of the issue, she hesitated to speak again.

‘Even kindness has its limits.’

Maybe, this does concern me as well.

She could have come out more spiritedly, with a bit of venom.

She could have spoken logically about the potential disruption of the contract.

But she didn’t tell me, all because of her goodness. I didn’t want to ignore that and just move on.

‘Considering no windows have popped up… the timing isn’t bad.’

If there were an episode or system message restricting me, I wouldn’t know, but my status window is currently calm.

Skip scene.

It was a timing very unlikely to be affected by any choices.

I held her hand and did not let go.

“Let’s hear more about that.”

“Huh? Oh, that… You don’t need to worry about it anymore. Just forget what I said earlier.”

She kept trying to pull her hand away, insisting she was fine.

If I applied more strength, it would hurt her, but if I let go, she might just run away pretending everything is okay.

No choice then.

I really had to use force.

“Kyaa?! Ka, Karsein! What are you…!”

Just like at the party, I slipped my hand between her legs and lifted her up, causing Harunie to fluster.

“Put me down. Why are you suddenly…?”

“I won’t let you go until you talk straight.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not fair to keep secrets when we agreed to help each other in tough situations

So, you’re coming out with it.

“Mother?!”

“Oh dear. You should be careful. What would you do if you fell?”

That’s right. My arms should be clinging to my body like this.

That way, I won’t fall. No matter how much I struggle.

I’ve blocked the way out.

Now, it’s time for persuasion.

“Oh no. My fiancée has come to visit, and it would be troubling if she isn’t treated properly, right?”

“…! Karsein, are you listening to me? I’m asking you to let me down?!”

“Let’s go inside. Let’s enjoy a leisurely tea time, shall we? Hahaha.”

“How mean. To use force like this…!”

Knowing it’s futile to resist, Harunie just taps my shoulder with her fist, not putting up much of a fight.

***

Certainly, I thought I had handled the matter of Lady Flora’s visit well.

Although the reason for her visit hadn’t been revealed yet, Karsein didn’t seem to care much.

Seeing Lady Clare carry her away, I could conclude that she had come for a good reason.

But what satisfied me more was that Karsein had noticed I hadn’t slept well.

I was quite taken aback when he suddenly pounced on me on the sofa… but I managed to extract a promise from him to sleep properly. Since I’ve included this clause in the contract, he can’t complain.

But that should have been it.

“So, what brings you here?”

That question.

When I heard it, I should have stood up without hesitation.

I shouldn’t have mentioned Lady Flora and her intentions, hoping that he might be able to help.

I should have firmly realized that I was being a nuisance and cast aside my selfish desires.

However.

“This time, actually… I wanted to ask for your help.”

My true feelings slipped out unexpectedly.

Just for myself.

I blurted it out, driven by the belief that he could help.

I touched my lips, realizing too late that I had misspoken, and tried to pretend otherwise…

“Just a moment.”

The man named Karsein was too quick-witted.

“Let’s hear more about that.”

“Huh? Oh, that… You don’t need to say any more. Just forget what I said earlier.”

After being grabbed by the hand, she abruptly stood up from her seat, overwhelmed by the anxiety that if things continued this way, she would cause a significant inconvenience. She had to turn around and firmly end the conversation, insisting that she was leaving and that her business was finished.

But even that was a futile action.

Instead of loosening his grip, he lifted her up entirely.

To prevent her from escaping. To make sure she was caught.

Moreover, he was a meticulous man.

“I won’t let you go until you tell me straight.”

“What, what do you mean?”

“It’s not fair to keep secrets like this when we agreed to help each other out in tough situations.”

He reopened the conversation by bringing up their past agreement to help each other.

“Oh my!”

“Whoa there. Be careful. What would you do if you fell?”

Trying to detach herself from being suspended in mid-air only brought her closer to prevent a fall. Quite cunningly.

‘What should I do…’

This would only lead to harboring expectations.

The terrible expectation that maybe this man could help her.

Harnie covered her mouth with both hands and shook her head in denial.

It shouldn’t be said.

Such an outrageous request.

To harbor the expectation that he might indulge such a selfish request.

She should never have caused such a nuisance.

She should have struggled to break free from his embrace right then and there, but…

Strangely, her heart was pounding.

She couldn’t muster the strength.

She needed to break free with all her might, yet she couldn’t.

As if she had settled into this place.

With the sound of her heartbeat echoing inside her chest, Harnie’s movements also came to a halt.

From that moment on, it was nothing but futile resistance.

Any other words that came out were just excuses, deepening the dilemma. Karsein had even cited his fiancée as a legitimate reason, insisting on having tea time as he placed Harunie’s body on the sofa.

And then, with a sly smile.

“It must be troublesome because of Duke Teresia, right?”

“…!”

“Well, I somewhat expected it. How often do you find yourself in a bind, Harunie?”

He pinpointed exactly why she had come.

Even though she hadn’t brought up anything yet.

‘Good heavens… Just how much has he seen through…’

She had hoped to throw her last stone here, at least.

But even that turned to naught.

“…How did you know?”

“Just as you know me well, I too am familiar with you. You’re not someone who would cause trouble in your own territory, so it must be pressure from your family. It feels like quite a force was applied.”

She was astounded.

His extraordinary intellect combined with sharp insight left no need for explanations.

“Truly.”

Harunie let out a sigh with a disbelieving smile.

It was as if everything had ended right from the first button.

The moment she showed any vulnerability to this man. He had grasped everything.

“The house of the duke brought up our symposium scores, arguing the need to find a new fiancé for me. So now, I’m placed in a situation where I have to prove myself with the upcoming symposium scores.”

“Oh. Are you finally being honest with me?”

“What can I do when I’ve realized that excuses are futile?”

As Harunie grumbled, Karsein passed her the tea with a grin.

“Please, continue.”

“Duke Teresia seems to want to use me for a political marriage again, as I haven’t been consistently helpful to the family. He told me to try and match Belian’s scores. Specifically, to surpass Belian, the eldest son… but that’s, not easy.”

Two darts stuck in the unfolded map.

They marked the territories of Harunie and Belian.

Karsein, closely observing the positions of the two territories, immediately frowned.

“If we use the power of the Plescia merchant group, we could easily trample Belian’s scores, but that would expose the group. That’s the problem. Especially since the territory is right next door and wide open to surveillance, and if Belian is the one to receive the duke’s privileges, it would mean an unimaginable penalty for you. Ah, there might have been talk of sending support to Belian too, right?”

“How could you see all that at a glance…?”

“I think I understand why you’ve come to see me. If my fiancé and I were to collaborate, it would prove both our talents and put an end to any doubts about my fiancé’s capabilities, wouldn’t it?”

“…”

No exclamation of amazement comes out anymore.

It’s beyond remarkable, almost eerie.

But it wasn’t the time to be astonished.

“So, you’re saying you wish you hadn’t heard that, Karsein.”

“Why is that?”

“It’s hard enough for you managing the Chatren estate alone… I can’t be such a burden on you. Besides, with eyes watching me, I hardly have a way to help. If it comes to that, Karsein, you’d have to manage both estates.”

I explained everything. Wasn’t this my last chance to refuse him?

I couldn’t miss this opportunity.

“It’s absurd, isn’t it? To ask you to look after two estates at once. It was strange of me to even consider such an impossible request. So, please, pretend you didn’t hear it. This is a problem I must solve myself.”

However, Karsein simply smirked and responded.

“Who says it’s impossible to manage two estates at once?”

“…What?”

“No, on the contrary. It’s a much better proposition than just running Chatren alone.”

Excuse me?

What kind of nonsense is that…?

“It’s decided. We’ll seal the collaboration right here.”

“Are you serious?! If we go through with the collaboration, there’s no turning back…! Besides, it’s a nuisance!”

“Don’t think of it as a nuisance. This is my will to maintain our engagement contract.”

Again, such absurdity.

The engagement contract was meant to prevent loss for both parties… but this would mean a unilateral loss for you.

…And yet, you’re willing to help me? Taking on such a huge risk yourself?