154. CHAPTER 2 – EPISODE V (1)
The penalty message for Karcein, who caused a commotion at the party venue, remained unchanged.
Then, I would hear Arina’s words.
“Why did you cause trouble at the party venue again, Karcein?”
The rebuke towards Karcein, the main culprit behind the party’s chaos, was inevitable.
Of course, the in-game dialogue might change slightly, but it wouldn’t deviate greatly from this point.
“But… this is quite different.”
Something was off. The question was right, but it didn’t feel like the kind of question that would come up in this situation.
First, there are choices, but…
▶I have to answer Arina’s question. How will I react?
[ 1. (Pretending not to know) What’s that supposed to mean? ]
[ 2. (Sarcastically) You already knew, so what’s the point of asking? Didn’t you come here to scold me? ]
[ 3. (Confidently shrugging) I didn’t do anything wrong. ]
“There’s no information to gain, anyway.”
Originally, I would choose option 2.
If I choose that option, a secondary choice will appear, and I can provide a response that downplays the situation and move on.
But somehow, it doesn’t feel right.
Usually, in a conversation, a few words might change lightly, but it’s not a big deal… but this has changed too much.
“Okay. I think it’s better to consider this as a variable in the game.”
In the game, a small action can change the development.
The dialogue is no exception, but in a situation like this, where the key point is omitted, I can’t answer carelessly.
It’s possible that there’s information I’m not aware of that’s causing a variable, and this might affect the original development.
I want to find out about this variable, so I asked Arina, pretending to be curious.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
The main point is the party and the disturbance. And at the center of it is Karcein.
Arina came to me after hearing that Karcein caused a disturbance at the party, but in this situation, I could gain some information by taking some damage.
Then, Arina briefly fell silent before opening her mouth.
“You… right now, that incident isn’t even a big deal…!”
No. That’s not the answer I want.
An answer has to come out, but that’s not enough.
More clearly. More accurately. What incident are you referring to? How did it happen? I don’t know, but tell me how you accepted it.
That way, I can see the choices and understand why you came to me.
Here, I’ll try to get more information out of you.
Okay. I’ll give you a little bait too.
“It’s my fault, so go ahead and say whatever you want. Scold me, get angry, I won’t say anything.”
Whatever penalty I might get, if it’s certain that Arina will scold me, then I’ll just accept it. It’s always been that way.
With such a versatile response, I’ll soon find out why Arina is angry with me.
I kept silent like that.
Then, Arina’s eyebrows twitched at my words.
“I don’t know why you think I’m here to scold you.”
“…What?”
“It seems like a misunderstanding, so let me correct you. I didn’t come here to scold you. I came for a different reason from the start.”
What is she talking about?
Currently, I’m in a situation where I’ve revealed my hostility towards Helley Young, a noble, at the ball, and somehow, my intentions are reaching Arina.
But, she says she didn’t come to scold me?
“What do you mean?”
“…Hmm. It seems like we both had our own assumptions.”
Arina let out a faint sigh and continued speaking.
“After you finished your second dance at the ball, Helleyoung Lady came to find me and said, ‘Carsein intentionally didn’t dance properly on stage and embarrassed you.’ “
Up to this point, it was within my expectations.
Not only Helleyoung Lady, but any noble would distort the facts and convey them to Arian, which would trigger a penalty.
But the next sentence was different.
“I thought it was just a matter of causing trouble with the nobles, but after hearing the stories of the two people, the situation turned out to be different.”
“Two people?”
“You mean your exclusive maid, Camilla, and the knight, Radiele, who you brought with you?”
…What’s with the two people’s testimony?
It turned out that Camilla and Radiele had spoken up for me.
Arian then inquired about what orders Camilla and Radiele had received from me.
“Anyway, at first, I asked you to take the blame, thinking it was true. But after the two of them testified, I realized that Helleyoung Lady was the one who lied. So, you responded perfectly, just like a member of the Bagrande family. I didn’t come to scold you, but to praise you.”
In this situation, I should be penalized… but it seems that the testimonies of the two people have influenced the options.
“What’s the reason you came to find me?”
“To tell you directly. You are a Bagrande.”
“What?”
“Helleyoung Lady tried to deceive you. It’s okay to use the power of the Bagrande family here.”
Use the power of the family?
That means… impossible.
“When the time comes, you can use the family’s power to the fullest. Carsein. You can use the family’s name to get revenge. Don’t respond half-heartedly like that.”
“…”
Arian’s words, telling Carsein to use the family’s name, came out of her mouth.
This was a situation I had never experienced before, and a line I had never heard before.
No. That’s not possible.
I was told never to use it.
Using the family’s power would tarnish the family’s reputation, and I, an outsider, didn’t have the authority to do so. That was Arian Bagrande.
Just like in the first year. She would shout, “Don’t shame the family, don’t tarnish the company’s name!”
But now…
She’s saying it’s okay to take care of it herself?
“Is it burdensome to regain your authority now? If that’s the case, I can convey it to you. Next time, I’ll respond directly as a member of the Bagrande family.”
Her words, saying she’ll take care of it herself, are astonishing.
-Ding!
“…In the meantime, is this an option?”
I didn’t receive a penalty, but it seems I need to complete this option.
There was no option that made my head ache.
[ 5. Got it. ]☑
“Got it.”
“Ah, I’ll say it now, but I’m sure about the reward. This isn’t to scold you for doing something wrong, but to praise you and return your authority. Your behavior was the most noble-like among all the ones I’ve seen so far.”
“Got it?”
Arian left after giving a brief remark, ending the option.
Is the reward certain?
Is it not that you’re trying to flatter me and return the favor?
You’re doing a noble-like gesture, returning it to me?
“Don’t make me laugh.”
Even if the same situation arises again, I will never rely on the power of the Duke’s household.
Especially to you, Arina, I will never speak of it.
– Ding!
▶Hidden Episode. Noble-like gesture cleared.◀
▶You can proudly write the name of the Bagrand Duke’s household.◀
▶Even if you borrow the power of the family, you can avoid penalties through adjustments.◀
The status window popped up from Arina’s distant back.
The penalty selection was nowhere to be found, and the hidden episode was included.
Seriously, I don’t know what’s going on.
“Anyway, I’ll never ask the Bagrand Duke’s household for help.”
With my own power. With my own abilities.
I’ll pay back everything and escape that household.
[ Arina Bagrand ]
[ Intimacy change: 32%→42% ]
***
Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
The villagers, who were not good at farming, were pulling out withered plants from the soil.
When they gave up and pulled out the roots, they were shockingly withered.
The farmers shook their heads, looking at the withered roots.
“…It’s wrong. This year’s harvest is also a failure.”
“The same goes for other crops. There’s no difference from the previous harvest season.”
“It’s the same here.”
“It’s the same.”
The farmers followed each other, shaking their heads in despair.
Their powerless voices were accompanied by the withered plants they had pulled out.
“What’s going on! What’s the problem?”
Their words of frustration were met with silence, as they all knew the answer.
They, too, didn’t know. Despite living here for decades.
“…Let’s not give up. Let’s keep planting crops, so the young people’s sweat isn’t wasted.”
“Village chief…”
“Do you all know? Shatren can no longer return to its former state. It’s been ruined too much.”
The villagers fell silent as the village chief lamented.
Yes. Shatren can no longer return to its former state.
From noble mtl dot com
Shatren’s strawberries and Shatren’s grapes, famous for being grown only here, had no way to return to their former state.
The villagers began to express their anger one by one.
“This is all because of that guy…!”
“Yes. It’s because of Carsain. Our crops started to wither and die after he came!”
“It’s all because of that incompetent person…! If only they had entrusted it to us, we could’ve taken our time to resolve it slowly!”
“That guy didn’t even qualify as our temporary lord!!”
It all started when a certain young man visited this land.
The villagers, who cursed and hurled abuse at him, were now enraged once more.
“…By the way, didn’t they say the Eastern Noble Assembly is going to be held soon?”
“That’s right. I heard it’s starting tomorrow.”
“I heard this time it’s closely related to territorial management!”
“Village Chief!”
The village chief nodded in response to the villagers’ cunning question.
“Our territory is also included.”
Shatren was also a territory subject to symposium.
“Oh…”
“I hope we can finally get a proper leader this time.”
“Mm, we’ll definitely be able to turn things around then!”
“As long as it’s not Carsein!”
“We receive support funds every month, so let’s find some other way to make use of this land. It can be useful in some way!”
They prayed and prayed that a noble suitable for territorial management, other than Carsein, would take over Shatren territory.
But.
Trisha, who had been eavesdropping on the adults’ conversation, pursed her lips.
‘Our villagers are… all idiots. All idiots!’
They don’t know that.
How hard Lord Carsein worked!
Shatren territory wasn’t ruined because of Lord Carsein.
On the contrary, it was because of him that this territory was able to survive.
He was the one who worked harder than anyone to restore it, getting his hands and feet dirty.
‘Please, please help us. Lord Carsein.’
Trisha prayed that Lord Carsein would take over their territory again this time.