The Damn Family Is Back Again chapter 155

155. CHAPTER 2 – EPISODE V (2)

Chirp- chirp-

“…Is it morning?”

She realized morning had arrived with the sound of sparrows chirping.

“Haa.”

She naturally got up.

And immediately checked her status window.

▶Sleep Deprivation: 26◀

▶Fatigue: 30◀

“I guess it’s not going to go down anymore.”

She hadn’t thought she could sleep deeply, so she had only closed her eyes, but it seemed her status values weren’t going down anyway.

As I was about to start Episode V, my abnormal stats had skyrocketed, and I wondered how to bring them back down, but Karcesein’s body seemed to have taken a break on its own.

In reality, I hadn’t slept at all, only dozing off with my eyes closed, yet…

“…Was it because of that time?”

I had a hunch that it was during the break time, which would be yesterday.

Although I had accidentally fallen asleep, I slept for a long four hours on Harinee’s borrowed knee, and it was a deep sleep, like I was dreaming.

Karcesein’s body must have resolved its fatigue and sleep deprivation back then.

“It’s ironic that I fell asleep and ended up like this.”

-“Get a good night’s sleep, and don’t just focus on work. Got it?”

The scolding words that Harinee would say to me echoed in my mind, making me scratch the back of my head awkwardly.

“This isn’t something to be said, Harinee. I couldn’t sleep even if I wanted to.”

Anyway, with stats like these, there wouldn’t be any physical restrictions on my activities. I naturally got out of bed, went to the bathroom, and washed my body.

After washing up, I followed my daily routine: waking up, taking a light shower, and jogging and exercising. I had to stick to my basic routine to start the day.

But not today.

I put on a hoodie and tried to sneak out of the hotel room, checking the interior of the hotel first.

“You can’t go that way, sir.”

“Camilla?”

It was still early morning, even by modern standards. In other words, it was dawn for them.

However, at that early hour, when everyone was supposed to be sleeping after a tiring day, Camilla was holding my hand and saying…

“Are you planning to go out?”

Normally, I wouldn’t answer that question.

But…

[ Camilla Deol ]

[ Intimacy: 65% ]

With an intimacy level like this, it didn’t matter.

I didn’t need to lie to Camilla, who had become an ally to me.

“Yeah, I need to go out for a bit.”

“Going out… is it a personal matter?”

“Yeah. It’s something I want to keep from not just my family but the entire duke’s household.”

“The entire duke’s household…”

Camilla, who had been pondering for a moment, caught on to the meaning behind my words and began to guide me.

“Then you should change your route even more. The maids and butlers will be watching that path the most.”

As expected, she was quick-witted. After checking our surroundings, she led me through the path with the fewest eyes, avoiding the maids’ and butlers’ gazes, as well as those of outsiders and the hotel owner.

“If you go out this way and exit through the back door, you won’t be seen. But… when you return, can you give a signal from the front door?”

“Why?”

“If you return alone, you’ll arouse Lady Arina’s suspicion. It seems that yesterday’s incident has left an impression, and the young lady has ordered me to follow you if you go out.”

“Hmm. Got it?”

It seemed like she wanted me to report to her if something happened. Since I wasn’t going to say anything anyway, I might as well have Camilla listen in.

It was like Arina’s style.

I told Camilla to do so and left the hotel.

And, I checked my status window for the first time in a while.

■Carsein Bagrand■ – 18 years old

Lv. 47

▶Your SP will be automatically used for??? stats!◀

▶Strength 5.77

▶Agility 7.02

▶Endurance 7.28

▶Vitality 5.35

▶Immunity 1.50

▶??? 47%

“It’s increased quite a bit.”

Perhaps if I accepted it as reality rather than a game, the system would allow it? The repetitive routine has become a healthy lifestyle, and although the stat increase rate has slowed down after a certain level, it’s still rising steadily.

At this rate, I might as well give it a try.

-Ding!

▶You are entering the ── district.◀

▶Do you still want to enter?◀

A status window pops up as I approach the boundary line at the designated location.

To be honest, this isn’t a place I should be entering right now. No, to be precise, it’s a place I shouldn’t be entering.

Not all fields are the same just because the danger level is high.

There are fields with time limits, fields with branching choices, and cases where you can’t proceed unless you trigger a specific sub-episode.

However, all of those are indirect threats, not direct ones. To put it bluntly, this place is a direct threat.

But.

I still stepped into that place without hesitation.

Whoosh!

I’d only been in the field for a few seconds.

Suddenly, an axe flew towards me.

If I got hit, Carsein would have been dead for sure.

The axe’s trajectory was headed straight for my leg with a fierce momentum.

But.

-Kang!

I hadn’t slacked off on my training, so I could handle a slow-moving object like that.

My stats were bursting with power. Even without the system’s help, they were clearly visible to my eyes.

After deflecting the axe, the hidden enemies appeared.

“Ho, I thought it was a rabbit that came, but it turns out it was a wild dog?”

“What’s the big deal? It’s just a wild dog, after all.”

“Brother, isn’t it too late now? Give up everything you have and leave. We’ll let you go with your limbs intact.”

“In exchange, you’ll have to return in your underwear, haha!!”

▶The Eastern Outlaws have appeared!◀

▶Forced combat has begun!◀

A group of burly thieves.

As the system window indicated, they were the enemy mobs that spawned in this area.

This is also a trigger in the game, creating enemies when entering a specific field or performing a predetermined action.

What’s going on?

I already knew that those guys would attack me when I stepped into this place.

I’m also aware that their power is strong, given the danger level of this field, and that I could have ignored it and moved on. I’ve memorized the retry skill, so I’m prepared.

However, I deliberately triggered this, and by directly cutting them down, I obtained one piece of information.

▶The danger level of this field is alleviated according to the player’s stats.◀

▶The danger level of this area is at the caution stage.◀

Exactly. That’s how it was.

“What’s with this kid, suddenly laughing alone?”

“Has he lost his mind? Bro?”

“He’s going to pee his pants if he’s scared. He should sell those clothes.”

One of the guys approached me, put his arm around my shoulder, and started snickering.

“Okay, okay. Don’t tremble and just give us what you have. Then we won’t… “

-Swish!

Thud, thud.

“Ugh, ahhhh!!”

The arm of the guy who was falling freely, and the blood that fell one beat late.

And the scream of the guy that echoed even later.

“Why don’t you just attack us all at once?”

The danger level of the field where the battle takes place can be alleviated to some extent by stats.

That information is sufficient.

***

The servants of the ducal house began to stir slowly.

Not only the busy servants but also Isabella, Arina, Claire, and Flora started to wake up, still dazed.

That means it’s time for Carsein to return slowly.

‘Is the young master… still not back?’

Camilla, who was anxious, checked her pocket watch and swallowed her saliva.

About an hour.

It had been an hour since Carsein went out.

‘When is the young master coming back…?’

So far, we could somehow kill time.

We prolonged our sleep time, saying it was too long, and then extended our meal time by bringing out a plate and pretending to eat.

All that’s left is bath time and dressing, but… we’ve already used up all that time.

So far, the ducal house hasn’t noticed Carsein’s outing, but it wouldn’t be strange if someone came looking for him anytime soon.

From noble mtl dot com

Just then.

-Thud.

A hand landed on Camilla’s shoulder.

Camilla, who naturally turned her head, could finally let out a sigh of relief.

“Young master…!”

“Hmm. It seems I’m quite late.”

“What are you saying…?”

Camilia’s true feelings slipped out, but she quickly regained her composure and picked up the prepared basket.

“It’s time to head back. I have an excuse ready, saying I want to take a break and have some tea, so it’s okay to go out…”

“No. There’s no need for that.”

“…What?”

“There’s a solid reason for going out.”

Karsein showed his sword and tapped it lightly.

And then… I felt a strange smell of blood.

“Let’s go, Camilia.”

“Ah, okay.”

That’s right.

The young master had already prepared everything.

Camilia threw away the flowers from the basket under the tree.

***

“Were there people who tried to attack the top of Rusmayeur?”

Ariana scrunched up her face and asked, and I showed her a few wanted posters.

“These are the ones. They’re the eastern bandits who couldn’t be caught, and I heard the news, so I’m telling you.”

“…Did you go outside because of that?”

“Do I need another reason? It’s my territory.”

Ariana looked at the wanted posters for a while, then suddenly fell silent, and after a moment, she checked me from head to toe and asked.

“Just in case, did you bring someone with you?”

“I…”

I was about to say I went alone, but I stopped myself immediately.

Yes. It’s better to mix in some lies here.

“I went with Radel.”

“…Radel. If it’s the captain of the 1st Knight Division, I can believe it.”

Ariana let out a deep sigh.

If I said I went alone, it would be a mess.

I thought it was time to use an excuse.

“Anyway, I have something to say about this.”

“Say it.”

“If you look at this report, you’ll see that the profit and loss from the Rusmayeur territory will be different. So, the actual amount of money I receive won’t match it either. And ─”

I added a bit of Rusmayeur talk as a seasoning, and Ariana didn’t say anything more.

Just.

That one word was a bit different.

“Don’t do such dangerous things from now on, Karsein.”

Ariana left the room with the sound of her high heels, her red ponytail swaying above.

A status window appeared.

[ Ariana Bagrand ]

[Intimacy Level: 45%]

…What’s going on again, and why is my intimacy level rising?