episode_0166

A day has passed.

I came here again after seeing a message telling me to plow the strawberry field, but really.

-Tiring!

▶The strawberry field survey has been completed.◀

▶Territory investigation progress: 6%◀

“6%…”

That’s a terribly low number.

How many hours did it take to plow this entire field?

Taking that into account, even filling it up by 5 times, or 30%, would not be enough.

“In the game, you have to fill these out one by one… but doing it yourself is a really bad thing.”

Plowing the field with only farming tools and without any help from anyone was nothing short of crazy.

This is the part where you can feel how Karssein’s HP and action ability dropped so quickly in the game.

“Well… you mean you can’t not do that?”

▶We are currently working on the optional branch of Main Episode VII.◀

▶The main episode of the 2nd week will be designated according to the progress of the investigation in the Shatren Territory.◀

System messages are speaking to me.

It will be difficult if you don’t complete the research progress.

The word is designated. That’s no different from coercion.

The Eastern Noble Council basically uses the ‘meeting’ method.

It is a meeting of nobles to discuss and find the answer on how to develop the territory and provide a better life for the commoners.

For the above-mentioned reasons, the nobles attending the symposium went through a discussion process every week, and the basic procedure was to explain how much they had researched the territory and what they had done during that time.

So how does this approach the player?

It’s obvious.

“Optional.”

If he answers that he didn’t even properly investigate his territory… it will be obvious what will happen.

Reflecting that, the game chose question and answer as an option.

If you fail to answer numerous questions from nobles, your grade will automatically plummet and approach a dead flag. Conversely, if you have made enough research progress to get the right answer, you are given the option to refute it.

In other words, you need to increase the investigation progress and secure at least one more option. This is the biggest factor in determining the performance of my symposium.

That was the answer I got through numerous retries.

“However, even if you know the answer, the conditions in the Chatrene Territory do not smile on Karssein.”

Those who become temporary lords usually give light orders to the residents of the territory and prioritize the investigation of the territory.

However, Karsein’s problem is that he cannot use this method.

The Shatrene Territory’s opposition to Karssein is so deep that even if you ask them to cooperate, there is a high possibility that they will be uncooperative.

Orders could have been issued as well, but each person’s order was written considering that recognition would be further diminished, and there is a greater possibility that the territory’s residents will not respond to this order.

Due to the already low recognition level and intimacy issues, it is difficult to take action on either side.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a way.

I have this.

■Owned Items■

◆Shatren Territory Report 1

[ Report on the estate investigated by Camilla. ]

◆Shatren Territory Report 2

[Report on the territory investigated by Harnier. ]

When I compared the information I just obtained from plowing my own strawberry field with the contents of the two reports, there are some similarities. It was clearly more serious than what was known in the past and the text seen in the game.

“If this is the options you’ll find in the first week, it won’t be that difficult… but you never know.”

Since something troublesome might happen, I thought it would be better to get a few more days of investigation progress first.

“More than that, what on earth is this?”

I muttered that while holding up what I found while plowing the field.

◆???

When you see the status window pop up like this, it appears to be some kind of item, but the name is a question mark and there is no explanation.

What on earth is this?

I have no idea because I’ve never seen anything like this in a game.

“Just by looking at its appearance, it looks like a tree trunk… Then that’s also strange.”

No matter how you look at it, isn’t it a strange part?

There is no way a stem of such an abnormal size could come out of this strawberry field. Also, considering that it was quite hard, it wouldn’t be strange to assume that it was cut from another piece of wood.

It’s strange in many ways.

Find out more…

-Tiring!

“…Ah.”

▶Where would you like to change your schedule next?

but. That’s not the time.

Now it was time to meet another source of information given to me.

[ 4. Move to area 4 and meet Ferdi. ]☑

***

“Young Master…!”

As I reached an alley that was not easily seen by the people of the estate, Ferdi recognized me and ran towards me.

There are many variables in the Chatrene territory. So I checked the intimacy window one more time just in case.

[Blind faith: 38%]

Even though a day had passed, there seemed to be no problem with intimacy.

It seemed that the influence of the danger within the territory had not yet reached that level.

“I’m sorry for asking you to meet me in a place like this. However, there was an unavoidable reason.”

After adding that, Ferdi took a quick look at the surroundings, walked through an obscure alley, and arrived at a place with a wooden door.

I never thought that when I removed boxes that didn’t look different at first glance, a door like this would appear. It seemed like he was determined to hide this.

‘So… is there something you want to show me here?’

no. To be exact, it’s probably something Karssein left behind.

And that’s not me, it’s Karssein from the past.

The door creaking open.

As Ferdi went inside and lit a small lamp, the surroundings began to reveal themselves little by little.

Then, he slowly pulled out a drawer full of dust and started handing me the things in it one by one.

Every time an object is placed on the creaky wooden table, it makes a squeak sound. Soon, the items were piled up one by one.

“These are all the things I left behind?”

“Yes!”

I asked because I thought it was strange, but Ferdi said yes without any hesitation.

“At that time, I brought all the things you had collected to this secret base. Everything, everything, only you!”

“…”

I feel sorry for Ferdi, but… I think this is just a bunch of crap.

The item window pops up, but there is no detailed explanation in the text.

Dust accumulated. Shabby. worn out It was torn to pieces. It’s broken.

Because these items were full of such modifiers, it was difficult to even consider them as items.

Still, I checked it once in a while, considering the hard work I had to go through. Inside, what he wanted to say was conveyed at least through objects. No, maybe this is more sincere.

Ferdi’s message was so blatant that it wouldn’t be strange to think that he brought me here to show me this.

“How do you feel? Is there anything that can help?”

“Hmm…”

First of all, this was clearly visible to me.

If you look at books or notebooks, you can see traces of Carcein’s handwriting, which is identical to the handwriting this body is accustomed to. Karssein’s was correct.

The habits of handling things are also different for each person, but since this guy’s habits are ingrained in him, it’s understandable.

but…

I didn’t think being here would actually help me much. Not only Carcein’s message, but also the message Ferdi implicitly sent to me was like that.

‘I already know that these are the enemies within. Ferdi.’

The information here did not have much meaning as the information obtained in the game was sufficient.

“Thank you for collecting it, but I think this is the only useful thing.”

“Uh… really? Then I just wasted my time…”

“But this is enough. I think records of the past can be quite useful.”

Although it was a very old record, I felt like I could just use it. This record may also be used in the selection that comes out of the conference room in the first week.

“Ah. right. There was that too, right?”

“Hmm?”

“Wait a minute!”

Ferdi reaches into the miscellaneous box and begins to take out something again.

And I couldn’t help but be surprised.

“This is it!”

“This is…”

It’s that piece of wood, right?

This is what Karssein left behind in the past?

“I’m not sure when it was, but… Master suddenly picked this up and said something strange.”

“…What did you say?”

“I said there was a problem with the soil in Chatelaine.”

“…!”

***

When I heard that there was a problem with the soil in Shatrene, I looked at the items again and read the records and reports left by Karssein in the past.

A little more carefully.

Did I miss anything?

I read it two or three more times.

But nothing in particular was found out.

“…after.”

◆???

Why did he make that conclusion just by looking at this piece of wood?

No matter how hard I tried to find an answer, I couldn’t find it.

For now, this is the limit.

No matter what you try to find out, you can’t reach an answer with limited information.

First, I’ll have to go out and get some more information.

So, I was going to tell Ferdi that I had to head back.

“Boy…”

From quite far away, he called me once with his fists clenched and then lowered his head.

All kinds of distrustful eyes are pouring towards me.

Soon they started shouting at me.

“You told Ferdi to meet you here.”

“What more were you trying to say by seducing an innocent child?”

“You won’t give any more orders, so you’re going to do it this way?!”

It was filled with voices of criticism.

“It’s not like that! I, I…!”

“Be quiet. This guy.”

“Whoop!”

Ferdi struggled, but was immediately subdued by the adults.

Looking at that, it seemed like the villagers were trying to take advantage of this opportunity.

‘what. I didn’t think it would be resolved so smoothly either.’

To some extent, this was expected.

-Tiring!

▶The Shatren Territory requests an explanation from you.◀

▶How would you react?

The status window is so familiar that it makes you sick of it.

Another message appeared asking me to choose an option.

Perhaps the best option is…

[ 3. A girl named Trisha collapsed. If that guy is friends with him, he could deliver the medicine. That’s why you asked to meet me? ]

It will be this way.

Trisha is basically one of the few allies who does not show hostility to Karssein, and she has a history of helping him when she first appears, so she can provide valid evidence.

If you choose this, you will easily survive this crisis.

“Be quiet. You guy!”

“Still, you came here to commit theft, so are you going to come all the way here and interfere?”

“Unfortunately, this troublemaker ended up piling up even more debt on Ruthmeier!”

“He was a thief. Ugh! Really, you are the only blemish on this Chatelaine. Do you know?!”

That guy’s future will become infinitely dark.

The people of Shatren Territory are now looking at this with great disapproval just by incurring a debt to Karssein through theft from Ruthmire’s peddler’s carriage, and since it has been revealed that he was even trying to help me, it is no wonder that something happened to him.

Still, since he is an orphan with no parents, there is no one to protect him, and since he is a frequent thief, he does not complain.

When I focused on that aspect, it seemed like the story didn’t change even if the first meeting went wrong.

In the end, he met the fate of being beaten to death by adults while I was here. Karssein can use this to eliminate internal enemies and raise awareness within the territory.

The reason is…

An unfortunate extra character who appears briefly in the game to help progress through an episode, but then dies after giving information that there is an enemy inside.

This was because Ferdi himself was such an expendable character.

-I’m a guy who only steals anyway. It’s okay… It was enough to be called a stain on this territory…?

-Thank you… for your help. young master. No, my lord. With this, Shatrene…

As I recall those scenes now, my teeth clench and bite.

It’s the only blemish. You are the only one who realized that there was an internal enemy within the territory.

‘I don’t know why you would listen to me like that. Ferdi.’

It makes me angry to see that I am not recognized even though I am doing the most right thing.

The body reacts naturally.

This isn’t it.

okay. Even if you die, why do you die?

The other bastards should be killed.

-puck!

“Khehe?!”

A man who had been hit in the stomach flew towards the box, making a noise.

“Bar, did you kick it?”

“Ji, what have you done to that person just now…!”

I said calmly.

“Because that bastard stole more seriously.”

[ 5. (Punching the man in the stomach) You also committed theft. ]☑