The Damn Family Is Back Again

185. A Step Away (1)

“How did you…?”

“Your actions were strange from the start.”

I replied to Trisha, who was stammering in surprise.

In fact, the main reason I employed Trisha as an agent in the game was her favorable stance towards Karsein. But on second thought, it raises questions.

“Why is it that everyone from the same domain views me as an enemy or an object of hatred? They see me as the worst lord who ruined their land. Yet, why were you the only one who didn’t speak to me in that manner?”

It started with her being favorable towards Karsein.

Why was she the only one with a white box instead of a gray one for Karsein, and a basic level of intimacy existed?

“Next, Ferdi gathers information by running around on his own two legs. He’s so skilled in stealth and quickness that he’s notorious for thievery. That’s why he was good at collecting. But you, you came back with the exact trade prices for Chatren strawberries and grapes, including reservation costs, from a trading post frequented by nobles. How on earth, by what means did you obtain that information?”

Then there’s Trisha’s ability as an informant.

Ferdi, as a B-rank informant, gathers his information by physically running around. His notoriety for thievery due to his stealth and speed is the reason he’s good at collecting.

However, unlike Ferdi, it was not known how Trisha obtained her information. How did she become a C-rank informant?

“Lastly, Trisha, you came to me in the dead of night, not brought by Ferdi, but on your own. Currently, no one among the Chatren domain residents knows where Ferdi lives. The same goes for my whereabouts. Only one person knows this.”

The fact that she came looking for Ferdi at night.

Knowing my location.

The person who could have such information is… just one.

“Village Chief Brem. After Chatren became a target of the Symposium domain, he’s the only old man who would receive that information. It all fits, even the age. It proves that you are the village chief’s granddaughter.”

“…My goodness.”

Trisha uttered in astonishment, her face a picture of surprise.

In the meantime, a window popped up before my eyes.

-Ding!

▶You have received information from the agent!◀

[ Trisha is Brem’s granddaughter, and she knows that Chatren is going astray. ]

Yes, that must be it.

‘It must be a hidden setting within the game.’

The game’s setting had already concluded that.

-Tadadat.

“Indeed, young master… You can change our domain, can’t you?”

“…?”

“Trisha, Trisha!”

After being shocked for a while, Trisha clutched my clothes tightly with both hands and pleaded.

“Please, let me help you. I am the granddaughter of Grandpa Brem. If there’s anything I can secretly bring, I can bring as much as needed!”

“…”

“If there’s anything else I can do, I don’t care how you treat me. Please, accept me like you did Ferdi!”

To save her own territory. To protect the home she had lived in all her life. And to turn the hearts of those who were going astray.

Village chief Brem might have been rotting away inside, but his granddaughter Trisha was no less filled with love for Chatren.

Certainly, accepting her would be helpful to someone like me, who has no one to follow orders.

But…

▶ You can employ Trisha as an agent. ◀

▶ Will you accept this NPC as an agent? ◀

[ 1. Yes. ]

[ 2. No. ]

‘If I accept you, I won’t be able to proceed with my plans.’

Unfortunately, since the maximum number of agents is three, I had no choice but to refuse for now.

“I’m sorry, but I─”

“Even if it’s just planting strawberries, that’s fine!”

“…What?”

“You said there was something wrong with our farming methods. You said there was a problem with our territory’s farming methods. If it’s about proving that, I can personally show you our territory’s farming methods!”

Seeing Trisha pointing out even the problems with the farming methods, a thought suddenly occurred to me.

Do I really need to make Trisha an agent?

‘Accepting as an agent is only possible when I agree. But what happens if I don’t accept and just let her stay with Ferdi?’

I immediately turned my gaze to the status window.

▶ You can employ Trisha as an agent. ◀

▶ Will you accept this NPC as an agent? ◀

[ 1. Yes. ]

[ 2. No. ]

The window is still open, but like with Ferdi and Dyke, there are no specified conditions for acceptance.

It’s just a hunch, but maybe an agent is only registered when I use the option to accept them as an agent or when the other party agrees to it?

“There’s a possibility. If becoming an agent was just about providing help, then Tasha or Camilla should have been my agents from the start.”

Yet, neither of them became agents.

Even though it wouldn’t have been strange if they were the first to be registered.

If that’s the case… perhaps they were not agents, but rather, considered as general supporters.

Nothing is certain.

But it’s worth a try.

“I understand how you feel, Trisha. However, if I only allow you to teach me without directly intervening, would that be enough for you?”

“You mean I won’t be planting… but teaching you instead?”

“Yes.”

With that, Trisha immediately replied.

“That alone would be enough!”

A positive response returns.

But the status window remains silent.

Indeed, my thoughts were correct.

‘An agent must be able to exert their abilities through direct interference to be registered. If it’s just an indirect influence, then it’s no more than a character with high affinity like Camilla.’

There are many unreasonable aspects, but this game does not hinder the player’s freedom.

This freedom of play leads to a multitude of choices, and everything responds to my slightest movements.

In that sense, there has to be a gap between characters with high affinity and agents. Whether to make someone a figure who directly assists in managing the territory. That gap might just be the answer, it seems.

So, I reassure myself and prepare to accept Trisha as a ‘supporter with high affinity.’

However, there’s a need to mention this.

“It could be dangerous.”

“Danger?”

“Yes. The fact that you’re helping me might not be revealed right now, but it will be different once it comes to light.”

Agents, as usual, receive poor treatment the moment they act with me. I’ve experienced this during retries, but in the worst case, a particular agent was beaten to death or framed and expelled from the territory.

Realistically, it makes sense. That’s why I’m warning you.

“Perhaps everyone will despise you. The rice cake shop lady you’re friendly with, the tavern owner, and even your grandfather might speak ill of you. And that might not be the end of it; you could even get seriously hurt. Even if you are the granddaughter of the village chief, Brem.”

“…!”

“Even with that risk, would you still help me?”

Trisha trembled at the rather direct and heavy words.

But the answer that came from her lips was immediate.

“Yes!”

“Really?”

“I want to protect this territory too. I can see that the people from my hometown are going astray!”

Trisha answered spiritedly, her hand on her chest.

“Ferdi is somehow tarnishing Chatren’s reputation with his misdeeds, and I don’t want to just stand by as he seeks outside power, just like it reached you, my lord!”

“Is that so?”

What a commendable fellow.

“Alright, Trisha. Then you shall stay with Ferdi for the time being.”

“With Ferdi… together?”

“As I said before, I won’t allow you direct involvement.”

At that response, Trisha looked flustered, and Ferdi quickly interjected.

“Bro, you don’t mean… that I should stay in my cabin, do you?”

“What else would it mean?”

“Oh no…!”

Ferdi, who had asked the question, stole glances at Trisha, and Trisha covered her mouth with both hands, watching Ferdi’s reaction.

Is there something wrong with acting together?

“It’s just because it could be dangerous. What’s so strange about that?”

“Well…”

“Brother…”

The two exchanged glances and then turned their heads in opposite directions.

Somehow, both of their faces were flushed.

What? Did I really say something wrong?

***

▶You have accepted Dyke as the second agent.◀

▶Create a third agent to proceed to the next episode.◀

Now that the second agent has been obtained, it’s time for the third.

Once all three agents are assembled, then the next episode can begin.

But from this point on, one must not move rashly.

▶Warning! You have stepped onto a field where danger is forbidden.◀

▶A battle may occur!◀

Just as the system message appears to me, the residents’ low affinity signifies their full discontent with me.

Among them, some even resort to violence. Throwing objects and setting traps with the intent that Karsein might get hurt and give up on the symposium.

-Clang!

Just like that.

From the right, a voice expressed disappointment with a “Tsk!” It seems my mana-amplified senses can roughly tell the direction of the footsteps.

But if I were to chase them down now to set an example, their dissatisfaction would surely deepen.

‘To think the temporary lord is threatened by his own subjects.’

Unfairly, Karsein is still unable to escape the quagmire of the past.

▶Sufficient stat acquisition has reduced the risk level.◀

▶The risk level of the field has been adjusted to a warning.◀

‘A warning risk level. This means it’s a place where one can be active.’

Areas where combat doesn’t even occur and my stats can’t be utilized, like the forbidden zones, are truly places one must not enter, and in the danger zones, one might get hurt by unexpected traps.

On the other hand, warning or restricted areas are navigable.

I entered the well-maintained seed storage.

“Let’s see. A blue box in block 3… Is this it?”

-Creak.

“Oh! It’s really here?”

Upon opening the lid of the box Trisha had told me about, it was filled with improved strawberry and grape seeds.

◆Improved Strawberry Seeds

[ Chatren estate residents have improved and cultivated Chatren strawberry seeds. They can be planted in the field to grow crops. They have a relatively long harvest cycle. ]

◆Improved Grape Seeds

[ Chatren estate residents have improved and cultivated Chatren grape seeds. They can be planted in the field to grow crops. They have a relatively long harvest cycle. ]

“Wow. I used to have to clear a sub-episode to get these.”

Must be the village chief’s granddaughter.

She’s been a great help in many ways.

▶Please use the ladle on the right to scoop up the seeds if you wish to take them.◀

As instructed, I used the ladle on the right to pour seeds into a bucket.

With a sufficient amount of seeds in the bucket, I left the storage, and outside, the residents were waiting for me.

“What are you doing in this storage right now?”

“Don’t tell me, those are seeds inside?”

-Ding!

▶You’ve witnessed the residents entering and exiting the warehouse. How will you respond?

[ 1. (Showing a bucket) Yes. This side has strawberries, and this side has grapes. ]

[ 2. (Pushing past a resident’s shoulder) Don’t block the way, move aside. ]

[ 3. (Shrugging) Can’t I take some seeds with me? ]

…

…

As expected, it’s not that easy.

Well, I anticipated as much. In this field, it would be strange if there weren’t such incidents, especially when a resident openly threatens me. Not to mention the warning risk level.

This scene could easily make me out to be a thief stealing seeds.

“Even as a temporary lord, I cannot condone this. Our seeds, you’re just taking them like this?”

“Absurd…! Put them down immediately! This is theft!”

So they say.

But I have plenty to say in my defense.

I use the added option without missing a single beat.

[ 5. Chatren strawberries and Chatren grapes grow from seeds that feed on mana, so it’s better to thin them out periodically. Some seeds need to be removed in the process. Is that action wrong?]☑

“Chatren strawberries and Chatren grapes grow from seeds that feed on mana, so it’s better to thin them out periodically. Some seeds need to be removed in the process. Is that action wrong?”

“…!”

Sorry to say.

I’ve already received a thorough explanation from Trisha.