99. Crumpled Report Card (4)
Claire couldn’t get a grip on things, so she put down her pen for a moment and walked around the mansion, saying she needed to take a walk.
She didn’t know, but all the servants of the Duke’s family were watching the second young lady with great care.
Unlike usual, the new maids who would have greeted her with a loud “Hello, Second Miss!” didn’t even dare to do so now.
A lovely face.
Eyes raised fiercely.
Sharp eyebrows.
Claire looked angry to anyone who saw her.
-Think as you please.
Carstein’s cold reply lingered in Claire’s ears.
Her brows furrowed immediately.
Her steps stopped abruptly.
She felt offended when he told her not to get involved, as if it was something that only worried her family.
It wasn’t strange that Carstein was offended here.
Claire herself was aware of that.
However, the problem was what came after.
If he had asked her why she had to hear such words or complained, Claire would have apologized right away.
However, he told her to think as she pleased.
As she watched Carstein pass by as if he didn’t care at all, she felt a strange discomfort.
That discomfort had led Claire here.
‘Ugh, damn it. What the hell?’
Claire, who had the motto that clothing and hairstyle changed a person’s impression, scratched her head again.
The discomfort was more deeply engraved than the hair getting tangled.
She thought and thought again.
No matter how hard she tried to shake it off, she couldn’t figure out Carstein’s feelings.
She had to walk a little more.
With a complicated feeling, she walked back along the promenade and soon reached the sponsorship.
Then, by chance, she realized her mother’s voice was coming from there. The sponsorship’s indoor garden was personally cultivated, so her mother’s voice could be heard here.
However.
“I know you were feeling bad. Carceine. However, this time, I should scold you properly.”
The fact that the person her mother was talking to was Carceine was enough to attract Claire’s attention.
Claire went to the back of the sponsorship and began to eavesdrop on the conversation between her mother and Carceine.
What was the conversation about?
It was about the money Carceine had not received during that time and his spending.
Come to think of it… He hadn’t been seen for a while. I wondered where he had gone, but it seemed that he had been spending his allowance.
As expected, her mother pointed out sharply that it was excessive.
Claire had heard that before. That’s why she could somewhat sympathize.
However, Carceine did not say a word during that long speech.
Only her mother’s voice could be heard, so it seemed that he did not respond at all.
Claire found that very strange.
‘Are you going to talk about it later?’
When you run a boutique, you hear all sorts of stories.
Claire knew that too.
Where Carceine’s money was spent.
The Rusmayer estate.
That place, which had been known to cause problems every day without the patronage of any family, had suddenly received the patronage of one man.
That man was Carceine.
Of course, her mother would not be angry if she heard this.
It was used for a good cause.
It was not used for luxury, but to help an estate.
It was something that was right for him as a vagrant. It was the right thing to do as a noble. She would say that right away.
“I understand.”
Soon, Carceine opened his mouth.
“Are you upset that I heard that, Carceine?”
“Not at all. Because it is a very correct statement.”
“…Then.”
Her mother asked again in a very cold tone.
Claire could tell.
That it was a very bland answer.
At that moment, a cold feeling ran down Claire’s spine.
Surely, he’s not just going to say nothing?
Surely. Surely not.
Claire shook her head, thinking that it was an excessive worry.
However, Carceine did not say a single word about Rusmayer.
Even after the conversation flowed from the old story of asking about his report card to the topic of the Eastern Nobles’ Conference.
Claire was shocked to hear that.
Moments later, Carsein finished his conversation and walked out.
Claire, who couldn’t bear it any longer, grabbed hold of Carsein’s arm and stopped him.
“Carsein. Why did you do that?”
“What’s bothering you now?”
“You idiot! If you had just told Mother the truth, you wouldn’t have gotten scolded!”
Why didn’t he just say it directly?
Claire, feeling suffocated, spoke out loud the words she wished Carsein had said.
“You used your money to buy the Rusmayer estate. If you had just told Mother that, she wouldn’t have scolded you! Would she have said she didn’t know about it?! Of course not!”
Instead of making excuses or finding fault, you could have asserted that it was a justified expense.
Since Mother was aware of the situation with Rusmayer, she would have understood and let it slide if you had just mentioned it briefly. You didn’t have to stand there like an idiot who had done something wrong. Didn’t you already set a precedent by helping Camilla because of Emma?
Even if you had just mentioned that it wasn’t a luxury expense, I can’t understand why you keep getting scolded for it.
I wish you would just say it now.
Just tell Mother exactly what happened.
However, Carsein, with that same look in his eyes as always, said:
“Why do you care?”
Once again.
He seemed to be denying his own fault.
“What…?”
Claire muttered, her voice lost.
“You spent that much money on a hopeless estate. Well, I guess you could call it overspending. And as you well know, since you eavesdropped, your grades are terrible too. Isn’t that right? There’s nothing wrong with it. Considering what happened with the Shatran estate, you’re not qualified to be a lord.”
“Hey. Carsein.”
“I deserve to be scolded. That’s how I’ve always seen it. There shouldn’t be any problem.”
As if there was no problem at all.
He was putting himself down as if this was a normal reaction.
Claire sighed heavily and asked:
“Why are you like this? Is this because of something I said in the past when you were a sponsor?”
“That’s not it, but I did do something wrong back then. This time or that time, it seems I’m still the one tarnishing the ducal family name.”
“Huh…!”
I’m shocked.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
“You were digging up the ground in the sponsorship because that was the garden Mother personally tended to, so it’s true that I said something about it. But this time is different. You didn’t do anything wrong, so why are you acting like you did?”
It’s different from that time. Even then, it was a minor detail to nitpick…
But this time, Carsein hadn’t done anything wrong.
“You didn’t do anything wrong. But why do you keep putting yourself down, saying you’re not qualified? If you had just said it properly, you wouldn’t have been scolded like this. You would have been praised instead! Overspending? Even for me, the cost of buying an empty estate that no one cares about is something that could be handled without involving the ducal family. It’s not even a scratch on the ducal family’s finances! So why are you calling it overspending and blaming yourself?”
That’s not all.
“And what? You’re saying you’re going to give all of my support funds for the Shatran estate to yourself as an allowance? If you had asked me or my sister for help, we could have explained the situation properly and gotten that authority back. Why are you doing this? Everyone else is trying to make things a little easier for themselves, so why can’t you take the easy way out!”
The right to participate in the Eastern Nobles’ Conference.
And the support funds for the Shatran estate.
“I really don’t understand why you’re hesitating. Why are you doing this?”
I just can’t understand it.
I don’t understand why you’re acting like this.
I’m really angry.
Claire shouted in a trembling voice.
Claire exhaled roughly, venting the heat rising from within her.
While she was catching her breath, Karsein said nothing.
Finally, when Claire’s breathing had calmed down,
Only then did Karsein open his tightly shut mouth.
“Isn’t it normal for me to solve this on my own?”
“What…are you saying?”
“A clumsy fool who can’t learn properly. A problem child who causes accidents wherever he goes. A blemish on the ducal family, who lies through his teeth and whines that it’s not his fault. That’s me.”
He chuckled and continued speaking.
“Why would I ask for the ducal family’s help here? I should solve it myself, shouldn’t I, if I don’t want to stain the nobility’s dignity with a vagrant’s filth?”
At that moment, as if to deny Karsein’s words, Claire grabbed his shoulders.
“Hey. Who said that? Which bastard put those ridiculous ideas in your head? Huh?”
Her eyes turned red with fury.
“Outsiders? Or was it something that happened in the ducal family before? Tell me. Which bastards dared to say such things to you!”
“No one said anything like that.”
“Don’t talk nonsense!”
It couldn’t be.
Claire shouted.
Karsein wouldn’t be acting like this if he hadn’t heard such things from someone else.
“Was it your older sister? Or was it Flora?! Who was it. Who was it!”
Still, this wasn’t a situation that warranted anger.
It made no sense to endure this.
At least, that’s what Claire thought.
“Can’t you tell Mom or your older sister? Then tell me. I’ll take care of everything. I may not have the power of the Lord, but I can handle something like this!”
Yes. I can handle anything.
If it’s something that happened internally, like before, I can solve it as the second child of the Vagrant family. If it’s something external, I can solve it as Claire Vagrant.
So Claire wanted Karsein to let go of the heavy burden he was carrying in his heart.
By asking her for help.
However.
Karsein coldly dismissed Claire’s expectations.
“I don’t need it.”
“…You really!”
“It seems you’ve completely misunderstood. This is my own decision. It’s not because I’m being threatened or coerced by someone.”
Watching Karsein push her away, Claire was speechless.
From Noble mtl dot com
‘How can you say something so ridiculous?’
You’re saying that the reason you’re in such a mess is because you’re not explaining something that you can explain?
You’re saying that it’s your own decision to turn away help that you can easily ask from your family?
Even though you could take the path of greater ease, you would rather walk the arduous path without accepting a helping hand? Is that your judgment?
“…Why on earth would you do that? Why do you have to lie so much?”
“No. I mean it.”
I hoped it wasn’t true.
However, this time, Cal responded without a moment’s hesitation.
That made me even angrier.
“You only have to say one thing. Ask for help. Is it that hard?”
“…”
“It’s not about being stubborn or about pride! It would be much easier if you just said one word to anyone and asked for help. Is it really that hard?!”
Carsein walked past Claire without saying a word.
Only one word came from his back.
“I don’t need it.”
Was there a strong gust of cold wind from somewhere?
Claire’s bubbling anger subsided in an instant at those words.
-Ting!
[ Claire Bagran ]
[ Intimacy: 56% ]
***
[ 1. Follow Claire’s advice and clear up the misunderstanding with Isabella. ]
[ 2. Talk to Isabella again with Claire’s help, then go to Arina. ]
[ 3. Go to Isabella with Claire and talk about the Rusmayer estate. ]
…
…
An emergency event suddenly popped up with these choices because Claire had overheard that conversation.
However, that had more or less been resolved.
[ 5. Finish the conversation and go to Arina without Claire’s or Isabella’s help. ]☑︎
Whether she overheard it or not, I don’t intend to accept their help.
It’s possible that things will go smoothly if I choose the other options, but that’s not what I want.
Carsein was alone anyway.
Just like at the memorial when he showed me the crumpled report card with a perfect score, Carsein doesn’t expect anything from this family.
And neither do I.
Just as I didn’t expect anything from my original family, I don’t expect anything from the ducal family now.
Even if I have to take a difficult and arduous path without their help, I won’t change this decision.
I’m used to solving things on my own now.
That’s why I told Claire that I didn’t need her help and turned away.
▶The Extravagance is Forbidden event is in progress!◀︎
▶Go meet Arina!◀︎
The system’s demands were not over yet.
It seemed that in Isabella’s and Claire’s cases, it had been treated as an additional event, but the fact that I still had to meet Arina did not change.
Arina, too, would ask about anything I had talked about with Isabella and Claire. With choices, of course.
Let’s move.
If we stay here too long, who knows what variable may crop up.
Just as I was about to take a step, Claire’s voice immediately pierced the back of my head.
“Oh, this stupid jerk. Sure! Be stubborn about it! You useless punk!”
Her mouth was as foul as ever.
But… something was off.
It didn’t feel like her usual self.
I thought she’d chase after me even today, say a few words, or perhaps even raise a hand if she didn’t like something, but she didn’t.
“You’ll be fine on your own───. Anyway, take this──────!”
Claire was grumbling and mumbling something when she suddenly unpinned her hair and walked away in the opposite direction.
Nevermind what I said earlier.
She’s acting like her usual self after all.