The Damn Family Is Back Again

173. Divergent Paths (5)

After two, no, three guests came one after another.

Several days passed quickly.

Contrary to my concerns, the status window kept popping up choices just like in the game, and I decided it was still too early to make a move, limiting my method to increase the progress of the territory investigation to this field.

After all, everything was ready.

And so time passed.

When the first week was over.

-Ding!

▶The time for the first-week report meeting has come.◀

▶Please proceed to the meeting room.◀

▶If you do not move within the set time, a penalty may be given.◀

[ A limited time offer is provided as a special privilege for clearing the hidden episode. ]

[ Remaining time: 48 minutes 15 seconds ]

Now was the ripe time to embrace the next episode.

I crossed my arms and alternated looking at the two timers.

‘Hmm… It seems there’s a trigger that activates if there’s a delay.’

The timer marked three hours.

Another limited time of 48 minutes provided by the hidden episode.

If a different choice appears the moment there’s a delay, it’s best to block as many variables as possible. It’s earlier than the time I originally planned to move, but it seems better to move now.

“Excuse me, young master!”

Just as I was about to step away, Ferdi appeared before me.

However, his expression seemed a bit troubled.

‘I can tell what he’s thinking.’

He must be worried too. After all, all I did this week was investigate the field.

Maybe I should address his concerns first.

“I told you to change the way you address me, Ferdi.”

“…Ah.”

“I’m not the young master of the Bagrand Ducal House right now. You know what that means, right?”

“Yes. Then… Brother.”

That’s right. Brother.

Why would I, who belongs to no one, want to be called ‘young master’ so stiffly?

It was only then that I nodded slightly, allowing the lad to ask his question.

From noble mtl dot come

“Brother. Are you really okay? You’ve been just inspecting the fields. Isn’t something big happening at the symposium?”

“Why would you think that?”

“Well… The Eastern Nobility Conference is a meeting of nobles before it’s a royal examination. I heard that a poorly governed lord could be criticized by the nobles and end up with lower marks…”

The kid. He knows quite a lot.

Just as Ferdi said.

As it is a nobility conference, it is also a royal examination, and I must go through a ‘Defense Time’ where I have to refute all kinds of criticism from the nobles.

A week has passed.

That means it’s been a week since the nobles who attended the conference became temporary lords, and it’s also been a week since they’ve been governing their territories.

This Defense Time, which one must face every week at the conference hall, essentially asks what one has done during this time.

As a temporary lord, I must prove that I have improved the living standards of the imperial citizens and worked for the development of the territory I’m responsible for, and the judgment comes not only from the royal family but also from the criticism of the nobles.

In other words, among dozens of nobles, one must be able to rationally persuade them with valid evidence of how progressive their actions have been.

From that perspective, since I’ve been just tilling the fields… one might think it’s inadequate.

I stroked the lad’s head and asked.

“Do you really think I’ve been just tilling the fields? You rascal.”

“…Was there something else?”

“You know very well, why ask. There’s been a significant change in this territory, hasn’t there?”

Pondering what I meant, the lad soon exclaimed “Ah!” and his eyes widened.

To Ferdi, I put my index finger to my lips.

“Shh. Got it?”

“Uh… Yes!”

I haven’t wasted my time just tilling the fields.

So, there was certainly something to say at the conference hall.

***

The conference hall was silent.

Everyone must have come prepared.

If they were to squander this one week, they knew all too well what would unfold.

Hence, the tension in the conference room was unusually palpable.

“Let us commence the first-week meeting. I will draw the order myself, so when your family is called, step forward and begin your report.”

Arsien announced the start of the reporting.

With that, a heavy silence fell, punctuated only by the princess’s voice when called, the gulp of saliva, or the dripping of sweat held by tension.

Soon as the reporting began, they lost the claws of the beast known as nobility and were busy stuttering.

“I understand the policies you will contribute to development. However,”

-Whirring.

“Ultimately, your policy is no different from the current. Your argument seems to be nothing but increasing the labor force of the imperial citizens.”

“Oh, you misunderstand. It’s solely to improve the conditions of the fief…”

“The fief’s environment might change for now. But what if you can’t meet the labor force every time? Are you saying the sweat and blood of the imperial citizens in the mines will only be shed then?”

Unable to answer Arsien’s question, the noble bowed his head deeply.

“Prepare for a deduction. Next.”

This scene, seemingly without number, continued like a refrain even as the people changed.

The order was always the same: the fief report, Arsien’s question, the noble’s answer, Arsien’s critique. And here it ended.

No situation arose that seemed worth hearing other nobles’ critiques. She was there, cutting through their claims with an iron fist.

Those who attempted a reversal were not few, but all who stepped forward ultimately had to lower their tails.

Thus, one hour. Two hours.

Time flowed until it was my turn.

“Next, Karsein.”

-Ding!

▶The first-week report has commenced.◀

▶It’s your turn for the fief report. The report for the Chatren fief begins.◀

▶A rush of choices follows. It may affect your symposium score!◀

Finally, it begins.

With a short breath, I descended from the lowest tier and walked up to the podium.

‘I may have been crushed by Her Highness the Princess… but I refuse to lose to that guy.’

‘He must be thinking the same. How could he possibly break through?’

‘No need to watch. He wouldn’t have brought a proper issue anyway.’

Eyes filled with contempt.

Voices filled with mockery.

And within those gazes, three pairs of eyes also turn towards me.

‘It’s just like a class meeting.’

Indeed, it was a familiar scene.

I almost let out a laugh myself.

But perhaps it was because I remembered the time when my family was watching?

I was able to become even more composed.

“Let’s begin the report on the Chatren estate.”

As soon as the report was called for, I immediately checked the status window.

[ 1. Start with the story of the strawberry field you visited in the Chatren estate. ]

[ 2. Unfold the estate map and refer to the report within ─── ]

[ 3. Unfold the estate map and refer to Harnier’s report within ─── ]

…

…

Choices unfolded with the start of the Chatren estate report.

Some were a result of my actions, and others were because I held the reports.

However, the choice I made in the game was not visible.

‘Why isn’t it there?’

It was strange.

Despite needing that choice, it was nowhere to be found.

‘Damn it. Has the condition changed, or have I not met it…!’

The content of the choices changes with even the smallest actions of the player, and especially during the symposium, the variables expand further due to the domain of the estate.

If the choice I used is missing because of that… I couldn’t proceed as I had in the game.

But.

‘Just because it’s not there doesn’t mean I can’t choose it.’

If the choice disappeared in the game due to a variable, then I must create a variable on my end as well.

Yes. While I can’t deny choosing the choice itself, it’s possible to modify and carry out some of the content of the choice.

If I’m going to perform according to that choice…

‘This is the only way!’

-Swish.

Squeezing it once and drawing a line, I think I understand.

The sensation wasn’t much different from a whiteboard and marker.

With this, I could make the same choices I did in the game.

“What’s that guy doing?”

“Did he come out here just to draw?”

“Start the report, and then what…?”

“Ha, haha. Hahaha.”

Amidst the murmuring voices, the princess’s hearty laughter rang out.

Then, the nobles’ scoffing grew louder.

“Stupid fool. Who told you to come here and draw a snow map like yesterday?”

“Of course, that’s the limit for a commoner.”

“It seems like a waste of time, Your Highness. The other nobles probably think the same.”

“Indeed. This precious meeting time shouldn’t be ruined by that person’s lack of qualities.”

Starting with those hurling insults, the nobles pointed out that he was just sitting there drawing and requested that the report be stopped.

However.

“Fools. Truly incomprehensible.”

Arcien replied in a deeply scornful tone.

“What, what do you mean…?”

“Surely… you’re not targeting us with your words, are you?”

“Of course not. It couldn’t be us. Your Highness must naturally mean the Karseins…”

“If all you see with those barbaric eyes is a mere drawing, then you are truly fools. At least shut up and watch. See what’s different from you.”

After that, no more murmuring was heard.

It was because of Arcien’s direct order to not disturb and keep their mouths shut that no one could speak.

Not that I cared about the voices criticizing me…

‘I can’t help but think of the student council president.’

There’s a strangely overlapping part, just like back then.

Taking a short breath, I continued to draw the rest.

[ 12. Draw the territorial map to explain the geography. ]☑

Soon, a status window pops up.

I had no intention of explaining the geography. I just needed to draw the territorial map.

However, judging by the choices made, it seemed to be within the permissible range.

“So, what is it?”

When the completion was over, Arcien’s question came with a smirk.

I answered without care.

“It’s not a territorial map, but an internal map of the Chatren domain.”

***

At first glance, it might have seemed odd.

A territorial map was openly displayed, so why bother drawing a map?

It would suffice to use a magical tool to unfold the map and simply introduce it.

However, drawing such a map was indeed in line with the intentions of the symposium.

‘Indeed. You are certainly different from these mediocrities.’

In the first week’s report, many nobles typically conducted a survey of their domains and then explained what policies they would implement, starting with the strengths of their land.

But Karsein was the opposite.

His explanation did not stop at merely describing the structure of a domain.

It was nothing more than announcing the Chatren domain, map unfolded.

The explanation of the policies he would implement did not come for a long while.

Very slowly.

Deeply and broadly.

Unlike the nobles’ thin and shallow domain descriptions, a heavy amount of information followed.

That’s how it was known.

What additional problems had arisen in the Chatren domain, once the land of the royal family.

“So, what policies do you plan to implement next week?”

Arcien asked with a meaningful smile.

“I plan to bring in different soil and try planting the same crops.”

Karsein responded, meeting the expectation.

Very. Simply.

-Bang!

Immediately, the sound of a hammer echoed.

“Good. There is no problem with your policy, proceed as planned.”

The nobles began to murmur again.

How could Karsein pass the rigorous Arsien inspection without any issues when they themselves failed to do so in one attempt?

Their pride was too high to accept this.

Soon enough, just as Arsien predicted, the nobles began to protest.

“Your Highness. I wish to raise an objection. Please open the Defense Time!”

It was time for the nobles to challenge each other. They requested the Defense Time.

“Indeed, this is preposterous. If what you say is true, it’s as if all he did was plow the field a few times and that’s it!”

“Considering the dire state of Chatren, I fail to see any future in this policy.”

“It’s a waste of time. Shouldn’t Chatren be striving to restore its former glory by rejuvenating the soil? Yet, how does this action improve the quality of the soil?”

“I simply cannot comprehend it. I implore you to open the Defense Time so we may hear a valid justification…”

*Sigh.*

A sigh escaped involuntarily.

How could they be so obtuse?

Even when shown the difference, those who failed to understand were clearly only looking to find fault.

‘And to think, you’re wasting Karsein’s time with this nonsense.’

Although Arsien would have normally allowed the Defense Time, he mercilessly activated a magic formula engraved on a chess piece.

“…!”

“Your Majesty!”

“This is my response.”

The royal decree eliminated the Defense Time and granted the temporary lord the authority to implement the policy.

The rare and limited Fesselros Privilege was invoked for Karsein, usable only three times.