episode_0351

For a moment, it felt like I had been hit in the head.

‘The reason my relationship with my family got worse… was because of someone else’s intentions?’

No. That can’t be possible.

“Harnie. I was originally a beggar living in a slum.”

The game starts off by telling us that the main character, Karsane, has a very bad relationship with his family.

“He was a child picked up outside. He was lucky enough to catch the eye of Isabella, the Duchess of Bagrand, and entered a large noble family. So it is only natural that there would be resistance. Didn’t you teach me that this is how noble society is supposed to be?”

The tutorial itself was blatantly deceiving. The problem is that it’s the weakest link.

“A commoner was adopted into the most noble family in the current empire. Of course… No. Even if it weren’t Bagrand, no matter what noble family they belong to, they wouldn’t look kindly on me. No one would look kindly on a stranger who is not related by blood, especially a commoner, as their family.”

Information obtained through behind-the-scenes stories, memorials, and sub-episodes vividly depicts Karsane’s current situation.

An uncultured commoner.

A child picked up outside.

A man and a woman who are not related by blood.

Besides that, I could have added as many as I wanted, but the Duke’s gaze was never kind.

The gazes were not at all like family relationships. They were full of contempt and disgust, and bystanders were just a daily occurrence. Some families went beyond indifference and targeted bullying.

Even the gazes of those around him were said to have stigmatized Baghdad, accelerating the worsening of his feelings.

Yeah. This is the situation that the character Karcein is in.

The background itself is one that is bound to be rejected and create the spark of rejection.

So that the story of this game can progress.

The biggest device for that is to create an atmosphere for Carcein so that those episodes can proceed.

You can’t help but be hated. Your relationship with your family is bound to be bad from the start.

“I know it’s a bit odd to say this, but other people’s intentions? Does that… have any meaning?”

Wouldn’t it be the case that nothing will change even if we don’t intervene?

Family relationships are already ruined anyway?

I know because I’ve had the same experience, not just with Carcein.

It was never the result of someone’s manual intervention.

and.

Even if we take one step back, or even a hundred steps back.

“Even if that were true, what happened to me wouldn’t go away. It was none other than them who fell for that intention and drove me into it.”

The fact that I was bullied terribly.

The experience of being trapped in the hell of the Duke’s household and being treated worse than living in the slums.

These tiresome days that your body remembers and your brain remembers will never go away.

“Anyway, since I’ve left the Duke’s house, it’s none of my business anymore. Whatever happened in the past, I won’t show it anymore.”

Harnie opened her mouth slightly when she heard that.

And then he muttered to himself as if he knew something.

“Ah… right. I forgot that. I guess I’m an idiot. Why am I only just realizing this important fact now?”

“Harnie?”

“What you said is right. Even if there was external intervention, the fact that the Duke’s family ignored you, turned a blind eye, and only hurt you doesn’t go away… I guess I’m also feeling a bit strange.”

“…”

“There’s no point in talking about this. Why did you do that? And it didn’t apply to you either. Whatever Roselle’s note said, being careful of that guy has nothing to do with escaping this hell.”

Even if, as you said, my family relationship was further damaged due to other people’s intentions, that has nothing to do with me.

That was absolutely right. I had to get out of here as soon as possible.

But… somehow, the meaning feels different.

“Let’s escape quickly. I’ve got everything we need.”

-Tiring!

▶You have obtained a total of four gems.◀

▶The location of the last jewel is revealed.◀

With her urging words, I am only left with the last fifth jewel.

But why is that?

I felt like I was missing something. No, I felt like I was hiding something.

***

-Kkuk.

Arina frowned upon hearing the report.

“Explain again. What did Carcein do?”

With eyes that looked as if blue sparks might fly at any moment, she asked the soldier in front of her again.

The soldier answered without hesitation.

“It is believed that Prince Carcein was plotting something in conjunction with Marquis Teresia.”

“…Ha. So, is the Marquis helping Karsain, who is being chased right now? I haven’t heard any such reports.”

Arina’s voice made me stand out. If something like that had happened at Marquis Teresia’s house, it wouldn’t have been strange if it had been reported long ago.

“Besides, this is impossible. Karsain is being pursued for treason, so if he were to give in here, the entire family would be suspected of treason?”

If you’re wasting her time for the reward, you might want to brace yourself.

But the soldier was not intimidated.

“Wouldn’t it be possible in other families?”

“Hmm?”

“It wasn’t treason, they were planning something else. In the past.”

“…What’s going on?”

“This came out from the writer.”

The soldier took out the documents he had examined and handed them to Arina.

“…Could this be Karsine’s handwriting?”

“Yes. According to my own research, every single one of them is Confucius’s handwriting.”

-Okay!

Arina roughly snatched the remaining documents the soldier had handed her.

Soon, her hands, which were reading the contents carefully, began to tremble.

“…There really is no such thing as a rat bastard.”

Carcein’s name was invariably included in the report.

Considering the level of things Karsane has done so far, the punishment will not be light.

He’s messing around with the Duke’s house.

To trick or deceive the servants viciously.

He fled, using the residents who followed him as shields.

It can’t be that evil.

Even, he deceived his own family.

But this incident is on a whole other level. It makes everything he’s done so far seem like child’s play.

“The date itself is not confirmed. However, there were many traces of the Prince’s hand in the Marquis Teresia. Not only were many hairs found, but the handwritten documents were also carefully compared and confirmed to be his. Also, most of the contracts were signed with Marquis Teresia, not with Lord Belian and Lady Harnie, and ultimately, Bagrand…”

“Stop.”

Arina cut off the soldier’s words like a blade, as if there was no need for further explanation.

All the soldiers fell silent at that murderous voice.

“You dirty commoner. I thought you were just installing it without knowing the topic, but it turns out it was planned.”

The plan that was pushed in as evidence was truly meticulous.

The plan was to use the fortunate opportunity of entering the Bagrand Duke’s household to expand his position within the household and make his name known to the empire, and slowly use that name to ruin Bagrand from within.

However, it is impossible for a mere adopted son to destroy the huge castle called Bagrand alone.

This castle had to be slowly gilded.

Accidents and incidents occurred here and there.

On important dates, they act arbitrarily, fail to reach a consensus, and take up time.

Leaving an indelible mark on the name Bagrand.

The title of Duke, which cannot be looked up to, creates weaknesses through incidents and accidents.

From the estates to the aging of the Duchess, to the disunity of the vassals’ opinions and the resulting poorly constructed plan.

The gaps kept widening, and holes began to appear in the once sturdy castle.

A causal relationship that fits perfectly.

Exposed schedules intertwined with incidents and accidents.

There were more than a few suspicious things, including information leaked from within that we would never have known about.

And in this plan, everything was revealed.

He wasn’t stupid. He seemed to know that someone who lived a life at the bottom would eventually be unable to sustain a life at the bottom.

Because they are commoners, they try to rise higher.

He wants to step into a place that he cannot look up to.

He was burning with wicked ambition and was trying to take control of this dukedom. By slowly eroding it.

From this point on, Karsain was neither a family member nor a younger brother. He was Bagrand’s enemy, who had trampled on his mother’s grace and his family’s hearts with his ambition.

But that would be the end of it.

“All. Listen.”

Arina attracted the soldiers’ attention by thrusting her sword down.

“As the temporary head of the Bagrand Dukes, I speak. From now on, the Bagrand family name will no longer exist for Karsain.”

The soldiers belonging to the family began to stir.

‘Wait, you’re saying we’re taking off the last name?’

‘Then, then you won’t be able to receive the Duke’s protection at all.’

‘In that case… the wanted person is…’

Among the soldiers who were murmuring, “Surely not!”

Arina drove the wedge in.

“Do not forget that this bastard is a sinner who has been feeding Bagrand since this moment, and a heinous criminal who has caused great chaos in the empire.”

Also, now that the plan has been revealed, it’s clear where the next destination will be.

“Anyone who dares point a sword at Bagrand will be hiding in Bagrand.”

-Swish!

“He is not the master you served in the past. Don’t hesitate and cut him down.”

***

With the discovery of two more gems in Roselle Bagrand’s tomb, only the last one remained.

If I can just find it, I can go back to reality.

I was able to escape from this fucking world.

Of course. Before that, I had to find a way out of the Bagrand Dukedom.

This tomb would be one of the most heavily guarded places within the dukedom itself, as it contains the remains of none other than the duke himself.

Perhaps I should have moved carefully.

I should have been even more careful when moving.

It kept bothering me. Everything.

“…whoa.”

This is driving me crazy.

I can’t shake off this uneasy feeling.

A memorial is a memorial.

The status window that shows the bad ending is the status window.

Harnie, who had something to say to me, stopped talking.

Nothing was released.

And yet the status window is speaking to me.

▶EX Episode. Uncover the secrets of the world.◀

▶This is an episode where no information is given.◀

To dig something up.

Is there still more I need to know?

-Tiring!

‘…hmm?’

Suddenly, a status window popped up?

▶Notoriety score dropped to -444!◀

▶Arina has found your location. The soldiers are coming to the Duke’s house.◀

▶The chase event has been activated.◀

“Carcein?”

“…Oh, shit. Harnie. Let’s jump!”

I don’t know what happened, but since I got caught, I had no choice but to run.

-Kaang!

As soon as I stepped out of the graveyard, a chunk of iron flew at me.

By the way, there are two of these lumps of iron.

The sword that swung at me. And the sword that blocked it.

“Kuuuk…! Why is this kid, the duke’s knight, stopping me!”

The Duke’s knight shouted at me, looking at me.

“Your Majesty! Get out!”

“Carlton Sir…?”

“Kwak!”

“Go!”

Carlton ran out, sword in hand.

Behind him, the knights of the Duke’s household shout in unison.

“Your Majesty!”

“Run away!”

“Because we’ll be stopping you!”

Rather, it was the knights of the duke’s house who should be chasing me, but I could clearly see who they were. The First Division of Knights. They were blocking the numerous pursuers.