The Damn Family Is Back Again

177. The Bottom (1)

A map presumed to be made by the Waglu faction.

Florence explained that it was something someone had dropped and left behind in Chatren.

“I wanted to dig deeper, so I hid myself, but it hasn’t been easy since Chatren became more closed off. It’s also been hard to track down the person who dropped it.”

That’s why he wanted to inform Karsein about this fact as soon as possible.

The item that should have been delivered during the spring outing a long time ago had no chance of being handed over after I entered the hotel alone that day. It was a conversation that needed to be had in person, naturally.

Afterward, Florence lightly tapped my shoulder.

“I’m sorry I can’t help more than this. Please be careful.”

With those words, he left.

“…He really seems like a vice president. Now that I see it.”

Blocking the eldest who was about to swing his hand at me in a fit of rage. Then, the vice president who was persuading that woman and scratching his head as if he felt sorry for no reason.

That senior and Florence, they strangely overlapped in my view.

[Florence Curnen Fesselos]

[Intimacy: 23%]

Now that I think about it… The fact that Arsien is blood-related to Florence also oddly gives off a vibe of a chairman and vice-chairman.

“…Eh. It must be my imagination.”

From noble mtl dot come

It’s always been like this in the game.

*Sigh.* “Let’s put aside the distractions.”

It was time to face the reality that had coldly presented itself before me.

-Ding!

▶You have passed one of the episode branch points. The episode will be automatically selected based on your choices.◀

▶Calculating results…◀

…

…

▶Calculation complete!◀

▶After successfully completing the first week, you have entered the second week.◀

▶Now, you can proceed with your plans in earnest. Various sub-episodes and events are activated, and clearing them allows you to establish your plans.◀

▶But beware! The residents may also rebel! Depending on the intimacy and recognition levels, they may refuse or even sabotage your efforts!◀

The second week unfolds as soon as Florence leaves the scene.

Considering the time I had to leave after making my choice with Arina, it was a bit late, but the status window I was used to seeing wasn’t much different.

▶You can now select the next choice to proceed with Episode VII or obtain additional information.◀

▶Where will you head to?

Until the main episode is designated.

What to start next is already in my mind.

But.

“Hmm…”

◆Poor Chartren Territory Map

[A noticeably inferior territory map of Chartren. It looks too rudimentary to be used as a proper map.]

It’s concerning.

The poor map.

It’s no exaggeration to say that this is a product of the lack of surveying and geography knowledge in this era.

How could exploring, recording, and drawing the place by oneself ever be accurate? It would take a long time before a perfect map based on scholarship, knowledge, and science could be created. Even if magic existed, it might not have reached this area of thought.

For this reason, I could predict that this map belonged to the Waglu clan. The poor map had the direction of the Waglu mountains significantly wrong in the part representing Chartren.

Therefore, the information this map brings me is… significant.

“An enemy within and signs of external intervention appearing simultaneously…”

When it was just the former, I thought it was merely a device to advance the episode, but with the latter, the story changes.

At the memorial, Karsein also made a meaningful statement.

-This matter must never spread outside.

He was clearly trying to hide something. He even turned his back on the Bagrande ducal family to prevent the story from spreading to places other than Chatren.

That means…

[ 3. Chatren – Karsein’s House ]☑

The plan, needs to be changed.

An enemy exists within, and traces of external intervention exist simultaneously.

Is that really just a device to advance the episode?

At least, I don’t think so.

***

“…Sigh.”

Isabella, who was working in her office, put down her pen and placed a hand on her forehead.

“I wonder if they’re doing well.”

It was a worry.

In this symposium, the head of the family cannot exert influence.

It is governed by a test of the abilities of the imperial nobility’s offspring, not just the power of the family or the knowledge of the head.

Therefore, no matter how much they are my children, I can’t help but worry about how well they are doing.

The retainers called it an excessive concern.

-Surely, your daughters have been well taught and have learned.

-Indeed. There’s no need for you to worry about such daughters, madam.

-They have been well educated by your side for years. In fact, they have even managed to govern not only the Bagrande territory but also the lands of the retainers.

-The ones we should worry about are our sons and daughters who are taking on a territory alone.

The eldest daughter, who has taken over part of the Bagrande business early on.

The second daughter, who established her own boutique and enjoys all the popularity among the nobility, leading the fashion scene.

And the youngest, still too young to show her capabilities, but gradually learning and following her older sisters.

Even though I have daughters who can surely handle the test of managing a territory, I still make such comments, so much so that I even joked about having a stomachache.

Of course, they are not without their own worries.

The only adopted son, Karsein, unlike his three sisters, was particularly prone to accidents and, given the nature of the aristocratic council, was likely to cause trouble.

However, even Karsein, should any problem arise, hadn’t Clare decided to personally oversee the two territories to prevent any criticism from emerging beforehand?

From the vassals’ perspective, it was a symposium with absolutely nothing to worry about.

Although a very few, there were also those who could not ignore the significant changes Karsein had brought to Rusmayer.

“…Yes. You’re right. My children have grown well enough that there’s no need to worry. They surely must.”

-So, Mother, please use this symposium’s privilege for Karsein.

The royal guards intervened, so I couldn’t hear the details, but the last words linger in my memory.

It was an unusual request, asking to use the privilege—a special opportunity to borrow the power of the family—for Karsein just once.

“Is the report coming in soon?”

The use of privilege was to start from the second week at the earliest.

Before that, the first week’s meeting report would come in, and that’s when I planned to make a decision.

-Knock knock.

“Madam. A letter has arrived from the Eastern Aristocratic Council.”

“Come in.”

There you are! Isabella, who had been waiting anxiously, quickly rose to receive the letter from Heron.

“Hmm…? Why is the defense time blank?”

Isabella rubbed her eyes as if she had seen something wrong.

Seeing Isabella’s expression, Heron slightly lifted the corners of his mouth and replied.

“It seems His Highness Arcien has used the royal privilege to bypass the defense time.”

“The, the Phecilros privilege?”

“Yes.”

Isabella’s eyes widened in surprise.

The royal privilege holds a much stronger power than the one drawn from the family. Even the Bagramd Duke’s family cannot catch up to the Phecilros privilege.

That’s why the royal side rarely granted this privilege, and recently, when the results continued to be unsatisfactory, they either didn’t use it at all or used it sparingly, only to agree or counter opinions, not for skipping defense time.

But Karsein had created an exceptional result.

Not in the last week, but from the very first.

Not at the time of the incident, but from the first report.

The Phecilros royal family had granted him the privilege. Specifically, to skip defense time, where the royal power is most influential.

“A privilege from Her Highness Arcien, known for her fastidiousness…”

Heron tried his hand at comforting the surprised Isabella.

“Surely, Lord Karsein must have demonstrated exceptional abilities to satisfy Her Highness, the meticulous princess.”

The corners of Isabella’s mouth, which had been drooping, lifted ever so slightly.

“That’s right. My son… has done remarkably well. To produce such astonishing results in the first week.”

“Then, perhaps sending a gift would be appropriate?”

“A gift…? That’s out of the question. The symposium is still in progress.”

“Directly influential items cannot be sent, but perhaps a letter of commendation would be acceptable?”

“…”

A letter of commendation.

A smile spread across Isabella’s lips as she pondered.

Unlike before, when only the corners of her mouth had lifted slightly, this was a clearly full-blown smile.

“Heron, would you step out for a moment?”

“Yes, my lady.”

“And dispose of this, will you?”

The privilege application form, filled with Isabella’s worries, was neatly folded and handed to Heron.

There were no more worries.

-Ding!

▶Isabella’s affinity has increased due to the excellent performance in the first week!◀

[ Isabella Vagrand ]

[ Affinity: 73% ]

▶This message will not be displayed to the player.◀

▶You have successfully achieved a result beyond the choices!◀

▶With the acquisition of the Fesselos Privilege, the use of the Vagrand family’s privilege event is postponed.◀

▶A trigger has been activated. A hidden event will occur if the player meets the conditions!◀

▶Discovering and clearing this event will significantly increase the residents’ perception rank!◀

[ Hidden Event: Proof of Lordship II ]

***

After concluding the first week’s meeting report, the choice to meet Arina falls at a branching point for selecting the next episode.

This branching point involves a day of grace chosen by the options, and only after this day can the next episode be brought up.

So, what happens during this one day?

The influence of this peculiar day was precisely the factor that decisively split the path of the main episode.

If you rashly try to do something, fearing wasted time, it turns into a bad move. At this timing, a sub-episode inevitably triggers an incident, and once it happens, one of the family members is bound to come and make things worse.

Among them, the worst was Arina, the eldest. Even as time passed, that sub-episode could never be entrusted to her again.

Looking back, it’s truly dreadful.

For that reason, I had to spend the day without meeting anyone. I had to take on this main episode, after all.

▶Episode VII. The Agent of Chatren is in progress.◀

▶Please employ the remaining two agents.◀

But it wasn’t right to waste the entire day.

In times like these, it was better to do something with the help of an agent.

However, there was a slightly unsettling point.

Agents have different abilities depending on the NPC when employed by the player.

Each ability directly aids Karsein in managing the territory, but if it’s the wrong performance ability, using it would drop the rank and drastically reduce efficiency.

So, I was worried that hastily employing Ferdi might cause problems… but to cut to the chase, there were none.

[ Chatren Territory Agent List ]

[ 1. Ferdi ]

▶Rank: B-

▶Performance Ability: Informant.

[ You can send him to the Chatren territory for a certain period to gather information. ]

The most useful performance ability determined at the beginning was none other than that of an informant.

Being an information conduit that details what’s happening in Chatren, it allows one to obtain the highest territory investigation degree.

In that regard, Ferdi is top-notch.

His rank is not just respectable, but high.

Considering that Trisha, who was most frequently employed in the game, had a C- rank as an informant, Ferdi is three steps higher.

That’s why I’ve already sent the guy to Chatren.

▶The use of Agent 1. Ferdi’s ability has been completed.◀

“Bro! I’m back!”

Oh. Already?

It seemed like I had to wait at least three more hours during Trisha’s time.

I asked with an excited heart.

“How did it go?”

“It seems to have been delivered well. There’s hardly any friction with the people of Rusmayer.”

“Really?”

-Ding!

▶You have received information from the agent.◀

[ Chatren is not hostile towards Ruthsmire. ]

[ The lord of Ruthsmire, Karsein, has no idea that this was sent. ]

I wondered if the residents were rejecting Ruthsmire’s touch because I was the temporary lord. It seems that’s not quite the problem.

In fact, it wasn’t much different during Trisha’s time.

As much as they are not hostile towards Ruthsmire’s domain, it seemed they wouldn’t start a riot for now.

That means there’s no situation where a knife is being pushed against me in this domain.

“Good. You’ve done well…”

“But… this is just what I think.”

Hmm? Isn’t that the end?

I nodded to Ferdi, signaling him to continue his story.

Then Ferdi paused for a moment before speaking again.

“It seems that some of the goods received from Ruthsmire are being exported out again.”

…What?

What kind of nonsense is that?

“It might sound strange, but…! Chatren’s domain still believes they can harvest Chatren strawberries and Chatren grapes like the old days…!”

-Ding!

▶You have received additional information from the agent.◀

[ Chatren is still planting strawberries and grapes in their domain. ]

[ The agricultural ratio is in a ruined state! ]

Could it be…

“Ferdi. Can you tell me more about that?”

There might be a way to make use of this.