The Damn Family Is Back Again

192 – A Step Away (8)

The time it took for Karsein to cultivate strawberries and grapes and deliver them to the guards.

It was two days.

And these two days were also the time that flowed commonly among the residents.

They hurriedly expanded the land, but concerns began to arise due to the poor harvest rate, and soon, as they settled the accounts, those worries became reality.

“We’re in deficit…”

“Again?”

The expressions of Chatren’s residents hardened.

“Even after using such high-quality fertilizer, we’re still in deficit?”

“Is this going to be another poor harvest?”

“What about our food supply? We’re in a situation where we have to procure from outside.”

They had used up all the subsidy funds and even bought fertilizer. They planned to cover the entire territory’s food expenses with the sales from the harvest.

However, an unexpected deficit led to a situation where not a few households were starving.

“A poor harvest? No, that’s not the issue here!”

As everyone became gloomy,

Maf, the action team leader, clenched his fist and denied the situation.

“We’ve only used 2/3 of Chatren’s land. A whole 1/3 of the land went unused. How can we expect proper profits?”

Then the residents pondered and agreed.

“That’s true. If we had more land, the harvest rate would have increased. There’s a problem with our farmland, as Maf said.”

“But that’s not all. We rapidly converted the land that was growing other crops into strawberry and grape fields. It might not be apparent on the surface, but from experience, this will surely cause problems.”

“That would have significantly affected the harvest rate!”

“It’s not like 1/3 of the land just disappeared!”

The deficit came from a poor harvest. The poor harvest, a problem of the land.

And the arrow of blame swiftly turns to the lord who took a third of the territory, Karsein.

“Pfft. Isn’t the cause of this deficit blatantly obvious?”

“If we had cultivated that land ourselves, the harvest would have been greater. It wouldn’t have come to this.”

“Perhaps there wouldn’t have been a deficit at all. If we had used that land, the costs would have been more than covered.”

“The cause of this painful blow? It’s clearly the fault of one unworthy of lordship!”

With one mind, they pinpoint Karsein’s issue, and Maph seizes the moment to suggest.

“Everyone. Don’t you think we should formally protest?”

“Protest?”

“We demand they provide us with food.”

“What, what?”

“The cause of the deficit has been identified. There was a reason to step back when we gave up a third of the land, but this deficit is Karsein’s doing!”

The villagers nod in unison.

“Right. There’s no need for us to starve like this.”

“Why should we bear the burden when someone else is at fault?”

“It wasn’t even this bad during the off-season. It’s worth a formal protest, just like Maph says!”

“Let’s all go. We’re going to demand rightful compensation!”

“Ooh!”

Led by the action leader Maph, they go to lodge their protest against Karsein.

***

“Hmm.”

Looking at the screens brimming with UIs, I prop my chin with one hand.

“It seems this hasn’t been adjusted properly.”

The timing of the agent ability usage was spot on.

Daik moved according to my intentions only two days later, and since no other event popped up and there was no mention of a rank drop in the agent UI, I could conclude there were no major issues.

However, I didn’t expect the schedule to get tangled even if the timing was pulled forward like this.

▶A designated essential schedule has been omitted.◀

▶Main Episode. The agent of Chatren is pushed back in priority.◀

▶Episode VII is changed to Flora’s birthday.◀

▶Episode VII. Flora’s birthday is underway.◀

▶You must spend the day at the birthday party venue.◀

Even I, having been possessed by this game, have experienced sudden shifts in the main episode when hidden conditions are met, but such drastic changes in the storyline were not unheard of in this game.

It was precisely the main event of the third week at the 21st Eastern Nobility Conference.

It was when Flora’s birthday was approaching.

“Haah. Why do I have to be away right now?”

Chatren’s strategy is to point out problems and prove them.

In other words, making good use of the Clue and Prove event is key.

Initially, Karsein, who had no influence, must gradually gain rights through proof and grow this power.

But then, the bill collector comes calling.

“Tch. Can’t be helped. This episode absolutely cannot be refused.”

If you don’t attend Flora’s birthday, all family intimacy drops by 30%, and if you don’t have certain preparations in place, a disaster ensues where intimacy is fixed at -10% no matter the situation.

Moreover, since it’s a birthday that coincides with the debutante period of an important figure in noble society, you end up facing the wrath of all the nobles.

That’s why it can’t be refused. Not only the power of the family fixed in the ashen box but also starting from the servants of the Duke’s house, everyone who hears this news turns their back on me.

After this, no matter which path you choose, it’s a bad ending.

Thanks to this, Flora’s birthday in the third week is an episode that must be carried out.

The answer came quickly. Since I can’t proceed with the Clue and Prove event right now, I decided to prioritize the main episode, Flora’s birthday.

“The proof is actually all ready, so it doesn’t matter. The real issue now is the food.”

It doesn’t matter when I point out the problems with the farming method, showing the strawberries and grapes I’ve harvested myself.

Instead, the problem that arose because I converted all the existing land into strawberry and grape fields just needs to be resolved.

“This side is… Yes. That guy would be perfect to ask for help.”

If, my predictions could be wrong.

If they’ve really managed well, they might not touch it.

If they don’t, I lose a card, but even if they do, this card isn’t really effective. When I return, the most important thing to prove with the Clue and Prove event is pointing out the problems with the farming method.

If it’s not taken, then that’s a problem for another time.

And when I returned…

A lot had happened.

***

About 30 minutes after Karsein left in the carriage.

The villagers who came looking for the lord heard the news from the guards.

“Huh. The lord is away right now?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Did he mention when he might return?”

“We don’t know that much either.”

The guard’s response left the residents in disarray.

‘Could it be, he’s already noticed and fled?’

‘Or perhaps he made up an excuse, knowing we would come.’

‘Is he trying to avoid giving us what’s due with some trickery?’

All sorts of thoughts sprouted among the residents.

They had come to formally protest, citing the symposium’s rules, but without the lord present, their protest was futile.

In the midst of this confusion,

the guards nodded to each other and soon brought baskets and boxes filled with goods.

“Are these… ingredients?”

“Did you prepare these?”

“Would we do such a thing?”

When the ban was first imposed, Daik had many worries.

He had seen guards from the Chatren domain secretly purchasing ingredients, so many that the future seemed predictable if a ban were to be imposed.

After the closure was ordered, the trading near the domain had significantly decreased. The blocked roads meant even ingredients sourced from outside were reduced.

But what about now?

Karusein thought this might be an even greater foresight.

“Before the lord left, he said to give these to you if you came looking.”

Various fresh vegetables. Those grown on this land were returned to the residents. What a surefire method.

Maintaining the ban while not causing problems for the domain.

It was indeed the most certain way.

Thus, Daik, Frikte, and the other guards presented the ingredients, conveying the true will of the lord.

The residents would surely bow their heads in admiration of the lord’s merciful nature. They had no doubt about it.

However,

“Hmph. Putting on airs again, are you?”

“You think we’ll be grateful for this?”

“After all, the land that grew these was stolen from us, wasn’t it?”

The residents showed their resentment towards the lord’s intentions.

“What’s this, what’s going on?”

“Isn’t this a situation to be happy about…?”

“The ingredients are sorted, so why the anger instead?”

The guards, including Daik, are puzzled. They too cannot fathom the reason.

However.

“Isn’t that too harsh of a word?”

“No, in other places, it’s not uncommon for lords to embezzle openly, and you’re reluctant to accept what’s harvested directly?”

“This is even after Lord Karsein personally bought meat with his own money to add to it! Not recognizing such grace, isn’t that the real problem?!”

The villagers couldn’t shake off the feeling that something had gone terribly wrong somewhere.

Unable to contain his criticism, Daik gritted his teeth.

-Click.

“Oh my!”

“Look here!”

“What is this madness!”

As Daik’s spear thrust forward towards the neck of one of the territory’s residents, the people shouted in shock.

“If you don’t want to be dragged away, then stop there and go back.”

“What, what?”

“Just quietly take it and go back. Unless you’re trying to blame us who brought this.”

Marp, the action leader of this territory, looked at Daik with wide eyes.

At that intense gaze, Marp involuntarily swallowed his saliva and turned away.

“…What an interference. And from a guard, no less. Tsk.”

As the villagers left, the guards all vented the anger they had been holding back.

“What’s wrong with these people? How can they react like that?”

“Those on the brink of starvation…!”

“If the lord has treated them this well, they should be grateful, not dredging up insults. These damn fools.”

“Don’t know. Maybe their pride swelled up after growing expensive fruits.”

All the guards felt the same.

Karsein was their benefactor.

A noble who generously offered the Chatren strawberries and Chatren grapes, even at a loss to himself.

The fact that such a person was being insulted right before their eyes twisted their temper to the extreme, but only after seeing the guards threaten the villagers did they manage to quell their anger.

“Shouldn’t we go and say something about this?”

“I was thinking the same!”

“It’s so blatant, I can’t stand it!”

Then, Dyke, who had been grinding his teeth, muttered in a deep voice.

“Let’s go back.”

“Dyke!”

“Is this the right thing to do?”

“We must hold back our anger. No one wants to see the young master suffer because of us.”

The guards nodded in agreement, albeit reluctantly.

Despite the lingering frustration, it was time to retreat, as Dyke had said.

“Frickt. Those people, they said they were trading with folks from other territories on the northern road, right?”

“Yes. It seems they’re using such tricks to evade the ban.”

“Then let’s get our revenge this way.”

Hours passed.

The guards began a much stricter watch.

“Sorry, but could you show us what’s inside there?”

“What is the meaning of this?”

“Aren’t you one of our territory’s guards? Why are you asking to see our goods?”

“If you won’t show us, we’ll have to inspect by force.”

“What nonsense is this!”

“We are the guards. It’s our duty to monitor for any suspicious activity in this territory, is that nonsense?”

“You think we’d just let in whatever goods you’ve brought from outside? As guards, we cannot overlook this.”

Faced with the just argument, the people of the Chatren territory reluctantly agreed to the inspection.

“This is…”

“A suspicious item, indeed. We’ll be taking this.”

“No, how can this be deemed suspicious!”

“Isn’t it an unverified item?”

“All external goods must be checked.”

Watching the distorted faces of the residents directed at Karsein, a subtle anger was displayed.

A step back, quietly.

That was their petty revenge against them.

In the process, the guards came to a conclusion in the back of their minds.

Surely, the disgrace of Châtenay must be due to some problem with the residents of this domain.

-Ding!

▶The affinity of the guards, including Dyke, has greatly increased.◀

[Dyke]

[Current Affinity: 52%]

▶Affinity settings have been changed upon meeting the conditions.◀

[Guard’s Fury]

[Current Affinity: 52%]