The Damn Family Is Back Again

401. CHAPTER 6. ■■■■(10)

Deep into the night.

Harnier could not easily fall asleep.

She felt so empty.

So very much.

He was always there, next to her in the bed.

There was always his arm, holding her close, and she would drift off to sleep, leaning into his embrace.

Every day was like that.

No matter how difficult the day, no matter how meager, no matter how suffocatingly anxious.

She would seek sleep in the same bed as Carsein.

But now, she could not feel his warmth right beside her.

The arm that tenderly enveloped her was gone.

The person she should see when she opened her eyes was not there.

And that was leaving her with a greater emptiness than any lingering attachment to the Imperial Palace.

“…Why didn’t I think of going with him? What a fool.”

But what could she do, grumbling like this?

The night was already late, and she was only now realizing it.

It was too late to go looking for him at this hour, when the sun had already set.

“I miss him.”

It wasn’t as if they were parting forever.

It wasn’t like the past, leaving completely and never seeing each other again.

She could see him tomorrow.

Surely, that would be the case.

She only had to endure a few more hours to see him again.

When the morning sun rose, she could go find him right away.

And yet, this time felt so incredibly long.

At times like this, she should warm her insides a little. Then, even if just for a short while, she could doze off.

But, as soon as she opened the door and stepped out, Mina was standing there.

“Mina? What is it?”

“A letter arrived for you, Lady. Just now.”

“…At this hour?”

“Yes, Lady.”

A letter, at this late hour.

Normally, she would have only thought it strange, but now, with a hopeful feeling, she snatched the letter.

As Harnier hastily tore it open, her heart began to race.

[ Let’s go on a date tomorrow, Harnier. And just so you know, I won’t let you go all day. ]

Because it was from Carsein.

He wouldn’t let her go all day?

“That’s what *I* should be saying, you know?”

This was an opportunity.

An opportunity absolutely not to be missed.

“…This time, I’ll definitely seize it.”

*

The imperial banquet affair concluded somehow.

So preoccupied was I, I’m unsure if the contents entered through my nose or my mouth, but I made a conscious effort not to dwell on it.

Because I had an even more crucial plan looming.

However, this plan was proving far from smooth sailing.

“…This is a predicament.”

I possessed absolutely no clue as to the art of romance.

Expressing affection openly to anyone felt like a distant, alien concept, and I’d simply never been observant of those around me.

But even if I relinquished everything else, the fervent desire to save her alone was deeply ingrained, and Harnia remained someone precious to me, unequivocally.

Hence, the torment.

To that precious person, I couldn’t bear the thought of a shoddy proposal.

Long hours were devoted to agonizing contemplation.

I had but a single day. That was the allotted time.

The date itself had to be meticulously chosen. Was there rain predicted, was the wind strength appropriate, was the discomfort index too high, were there any issues with the route we’d stroll or the scenery itself? I had to investigate and scrutinize every factor.

And the location? Popular tourist spots would be too crowded. Yet, selecting a completely off-season venue risked a desolate and lackluster atmosphere that would be counterproductive. It had to be atmospheric, yet not overrun.

The dating course demanded meticulous dedication. Merely walking would be meaningless. Entertainment had to be ensured. If physical activities were incorporated, I needed to time the rest periods carefully, selecting locations with appropriate respites, ensuring minimal time wasted in transit.

And the grand finale… well, need I even say it?

“This place is too far… the travel time to this one is dreadful. This one had a high chance of rain, didn’t it…? And this activity is no good during this season, too windy…”

A sigh already escapes me.

Difficult.

Utterly difficult.

Attempting to orchestrate this itinerary, something I’d never experienced, never learned, and couldn’t even be taught, without a single flaw… nothing seemed satisfactory.

But… I have to pull it off.

I absolutely must create it.

Because this is a day for the most important person in my life.

And so, I saved every minute, every second, and spent the entire night awake.

The next day.

“Good morning, Calsien.”

At the hour I had indicated in the letter to meet.

Harnia came to find me.

…Right.

It began now.

*

I had formulated a plan more thorough than ever before.

Dividing the itinerary into smaller segments, I meticulously prepared every detail of what to do, where, and how.

In some ways, I had prepared even more rigorously than for my plan to escape from the household.

The allotted time was merely a few hours.

I had to create the most wonderful experience for her, having spent the entire night before awake.

…And then.

Things started to twist in a strange way.

“That gentleman? Ah, he was busy today and left early. Said he was closing up a bit sooner ’cause he’s got little rabbit-like kids waiting for him, y’know?”

“We’re all out of stock, I’m afraid. Sorry, we can’t make it for you…”

“If there was a festival around here, they’d have posted a cancellation notice yesterday, wouldn’t they? Right there, too… Huh? Wait, looks like rats have been at it?”

I’d initially intended to draw Harnié’s interest with something simple.

But then, suddenly, he up and left for his hometown.

Then, they tell me they can’t make something ’cause they’re out of stock.

Then, the festival cancellation notice just *had* to be gnawed off by rats, so we wouldn’t know.

Even the alternatives I’d prepared, just in case, were thwarted at once, making the atmosphere suddenly lackluster.

What’s more, the area feels barren.

No one was enjoying themselves in such an empty place.

“L-Let’s go on to the next one, Harnié.”

“Ah. Yes.”

We had to move quickly.

My first plan, utterly smashed to pieces like this.

Now that the lightness was gone, I had no choice but to tough it out by pacing myself!

…And then.

It seemed today was market day, of all things.

[ *Important items have been stolen from this troupe, and we are searching for the culprit. Therefore, we are unable to perform today and are changing the schedule—* ]

[ *The rabbit performances previously seen at Red Cat and Blue Cat Lake have been confirmed to be in a long hibernation due to the recent cold snap and have not yet awakened. We regret to announce that we must postpone this year’s performance until next time—* ]

[ *This year, the migratory birds have not gathered to perform their military dance. The cause is under investigation, and as the dance will not be performed, we are refunding all tourist fees to our customers—* ]

[ *New species of slime have suddenly appeared and melted through the magic circles, necessitating repairs. We have no other option but to close temporarily—* ]

Everything I’d timed to the minute seemed to be a no-go.

Even the alternatives I’d had lined up were all taking longer.

Then, after waiting for ages, we’d get a ‘no can do’ conclusion, or something would go wrong when it was finally our turn and everything would fall apart.

…Damn it all.

What in the world was going on?

“It’s alright, Karsein. I won’t be disappointed in you for something like this.”

Nevertheless, Harnié soothed me, saying it was alright.

…And that was when the trial began.

A harsh trial that tested my reason and patience.

.

.

.

‘Oh.’

This was bad.

…I’d perhaps taken yesterday too lightly.

Because Harnié… was being very… demonstrative today.

“Just a moment. Your clothes are creased. Let me fix them for you.”

Even as I straightened my clothes before climbing into the carriage,

“I want to feed you, here, say ‘ah’.”

Even during a light snack,

“I thought the weather was getting milder… but it’s not quite so. Can I… hold your hand?”

Even walking casually down the street,

Every gesture of Harnié’s, every movement, every word, began to feel significant.

…It would have been fortunate if it had ended there.

It wasn’t just her words, but her actions and intentions that subtly, little by little, began to show.

When exiting the carriage, she’d brush aside any talk of proper escort etiquette, merely taking my hand, then declare she was cold and hook her arm through mine as we stepped down. And when we shared a long, stick-shaped treat, she’d simply hold it in her mouth, suggesting we each take a bite from either end.

Her actions grew bolder still.

When on horseback, she’d claim to be tired and wanting to lean on me, creating a precarious, vertical closeness that left me nowhere to look. The arm I offered for her to link had seemingly risen until it was positioned somewhere between her breasts.

Harinié’s constant, increasingly aggressive behavior eventually drove me to feign a need to relieve myself that I had no intention of fulfilling.

“…Ah, this is driving me insane.”

-Oops, we touched.

-…Is it alright if we stay closer? I’m rather cold today.

-What’s wrong with touching like this when I’m trying to protect you? Lovers do it all the time. Besides… I told you I was okay with it, didn’t I?

The warm body heat radiating from her, the mysterious fragrance emanating from Harnié, and her appearance, which seemed even more beautiful today than usual.

None of it would leave my mind.

And… I began to have bad thoughts.

Thoughts of taking Harnié.

“No. I can’t let this happen.”

You crazy b*stard.

Is your head filled with nothing but lewd thoughts?

How can you have your mind so filled with the desire to defile someone you love, someone so precious?

I’ve never felt so pathetic.

I’ve been holding back.

I’ve been trying to propose to Harnié first.

I thought that someday we might share a love that intertwined our bodies, but I resolved to offer a proposal before anything else.

Am I going to let that determination go up in smoke now?

“Huff.”

No. I can’t.

I don’t want to inflict such a terrible experience on Ji-eun.

I have to endure. I have to hold back even harder.

Harnié may subject me to endless trials from now on.

I know she’s doing it deliberately, overtly.

It can’t be helped.

Now that things have come to this, I have no choice but to move things along from my side as well.

“I’ve been looking for you. You were here?”

A woman’s voice.

But not the voice of the woman I long to hear.

“Let me give you some sincere advice. Choose me, even now, instead of that woman.”

*

“What nonsense are you spouting, showing up here out of the blue?”

“It was a false engagement, wasn’t it? You two.”

Penerin added confidently to Carsein’s sharp reaction.

“The investigation turned up everything. According to those in the dungeons, you danced often and went on quite a few dates… but strangely, no one ever witnessed you kissing?”

“…”

“I also heard that you were even having secret rendezvous. If it was to that degree, surely a kiss or two would have been witnessed. It’s the kind of thing that would have made the newspapers at least once. And yet, no matter which paper I searched, I couldn’t find one single article showing the two of you being intimate. Is this truly the behavior of lovers?”

Carsein remained silent.

Penerin, certain of her victory in the silence, unfurled her fan.

“A fake romance. A fake engagement. You were trying to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes. I’m getting a sense of it now.”

In truth, there was ample evidence.

If one were to dig, they could dig up more than enough. There was no way to prove a true loving relationship.

She concluded, driving her point home.

“It’s alright. I’ll be the only one who knows this. I’ll take it to my grave if you only choose me. Besides, aren’t I quite the suitable woman?”

Penerin did not doubt for a moment that this time, Carsein would choose her over Harnier.

-Plink. Plink-plink.

“…What? Is it raining…? Never mind. I’ll call someone, let’s move before we get wet.”

But then.

Someone strode forward from directly behind.

“Hey. You look at me.”

“You, you are…!”

“You said earlier? That Carsein and I have never properly kissed.”

And then.

She stole a kiss from Carsein’s lips, as if to show off.

“You, da, you…!”

A very sticky one. A dense one. A kiss displayed right in front of Penerin.

And Carsein did not reject it.

Rather, he gently cupped Harnier’s head and deepened the kiss.

-Smooch. Smack.

A suggestive and sticky sound.

The sound of saliva intertwining, that anyone could recognize as a kiss.

Finally, the two parted, a viscous silver thread stretching between their lips.

Harnier immediately turned her head to Penerin, her eyes raised as if in challenge.

“Does it seem fake even now?”