The Damn Family Is Back Again

The Source of Contamination (9)

As the princess struck the hammer, the audience, previously concealed by magic, began to reveal themselves one by one. Relatives and various key figures gathered to observe the proceedings in the conference hall.

The number of watchful eyes had increased dramatically.

Despite the warmth of this day, the nobles were frozen as if winter had descended upon them.

It was only natural for them to tremble.

If they had produced satisfactory results, they would stand tall; but it was clear that they could not do so.

This scene resembled nothing more than watching students quaking in fear during a school presentation gone awry.

The first individual approached as if performing a rite of passage, trembling uncontrollably.

They shook so violently that I could almost hear the rustle of paper at my position at the front from their quivering fingertips.

Naturally, behind them…

“Is this all we have to show for collecting more taxes from our vassals?”

They were criticized harshly.

“So you’ve squandered your subordinates’ blood and sweat so frivolously?”

They were stripped bare.

“Talking about surpluses when you’ve presented such deficits? You’ve merely covered it up with your family’s wealth.”

They were exposed completely.

From that first person onward, I could see souls draining away one after another.

“This isn’t even worth listening to. Next!”

Cold water was splashed over them as their turn approached once again.

With each passing moment in line, the faces of noble offspring grew increasingly rigid.

Please, let it not be that I am reduced to such a pitiful and disheveled state, praying for a semblance of dignity.

Several scenes like this followed.

With each question posed by Arshien, the nobles undergoing the examination grew increasingly devoid of confidence, their voices rising in reprimand and criticism.

“Phew. It seems we need a break.”

“I declare a recess.”

The main judges, Arshien and Florence, announced the intermission.

Whether it was merely my imagination or not…

It felt as though the break had come a bit too soon.

‘It’s not just my imagination.’

The hands of the clock were positioned slightly differently than I remembered them to be.

This could only mean that both of them were indeed angry.

One could argue it was truly necessary for them to cool off.

Looking at the results thus far made one nod in agreement without hesitation.

‘They have every right to be upset. The so-called nobles are all in this sorry state.’

Though unspoken, there had been moments when frustration boiled over to such an extent that I had thrown down my pen in exasperation and stood up in protest.

Somehow, this scene felt oddly familiar.

Even the student council president and vice-president couldn’t hold back any longer; they gulped down cold water before declaring a break amidst students whose shortcomings had been laid bare during class observations.

In that regard, these noble offspring of our country were hardly different at all.

They sought grades through shortcuts and deceitful means,

Resorting to unjust methods for performance evaluations and academic records was commonplace among them.

They ended up relying on their parents’ influence, and when an unfamiliar problem arose during the observation class, they were too busy stammering to respond, leaving in a disgraceful manner.

So what happened to that disastrous observation class?

It was predictable.

“You foolish child! How could you create a system that undermines the advantages of our territory?!”

“Are you telling me you couldn’t even calculate the profits and losses to avoid this mess?!”

“I wondered why so much money was being siphoned off from the family… Did you really think such an obvious thing would go unnoticed by the imperial side?!”

Just like now.

The people who came to observe the class were instead being scolded.

They called it a break time.

For those fools, it turned out to be more hellish than presentation time itself.

Those lacking in ability were being punished by their parents far beyond what the princess had pointed out, enduring verbal abuse and violence without hesitation throughout that process.

Let alone that there were eyes watching; it wasn’t just them witnessing everything unfold.

Expectations had been high among outsiders, only for them to witness shoddy and meager results laid bare before them. They would have seen Arshien and Florence utterly dismantling their efforts without missing a beat.

At this point, it was as if sparks had fallen at the feet of their heads of families.

But at this moment, I have something else I need to do.

-Ding!

▶ Break time has arrived. You must meet with one of the following individuals for a conversation:

[ 1. Isabella Bagrand ]

[ 2. Arina Bagrand ]

[ 3. Claire Bagrand ]

[4. Flora Bagrande]

It was imperative to meet one of the family members.

The reason was simple: it was a matter of order.

Originally, Karsein was supposed to present before the break, and indeed, the presentation order had been drawn up that way.

However, through a single suggestion, my presentation slot had been pushed to the very back in this symposium.

The news that all presentations would be consolidated into a final showcase might have circulated early on, but this was a regulation proposed by the royal side for fairness—something that remained unknown to anyone else.

In any case, to explain my fixed presentation position, I needed to approach one of them and clarify it.

“Ha. Honestly, there’s no point in meeting anyone.”

At least two people would be eliminated from consideration.

Explaining it to the eldest sibling would be out of the question for me as well.

“As for Flora… well. There’s no meaning in informing her.”

What could that little brat possibly understand?

Number four could also be crossed off by process of elimination.

That left Isabella and Claire—these two individuals were my only options now.

“Still, Isabella is probably better.”

Claire had just made some comment not long ago.

If I touched on that crazy girl now, it might just ruin my mood further and diminish our rapport even more.

I had to choose the lesser evil over the worst option available.

Nodding slightly, I headed toward Isabella’s section in the audience.

“…You’ve come then. Karsein. So tell me… are you hurt anywhere?”

Isabella reached out anxiously, but I lightly evaded her hand.

“Carsein…?”

“I’ll keep it brief.”

There was no need for lengthy explanations anyway.

In summary.

I would convey my message as succinctly as possible and then leave.

“My presentation is last.”

***

This symposium imposed significant constraints on the noble offspring, differing from previous ones.

We could not seek the power or counsel of our guardians.

Even borrowing from family influence required permission or came with academic restrictions.

Moreover, due to various complex factors, many among the vassals anticipated that this meeting would be an exceptionally challenging trial.

Isabella agreed with this assessment but wasn’t overly worried.

Hadn’t my daughters been diligently learning by my side all these years at the annual Eastern Nobility Conference? The eldest, Arina, and the second, Claire—both had done so well.

The youngest, Flora, might be a cause for concern; however, since she wasn’t an official participant, she would merely accompany her sisters and gain new insights along the way. This too didn’t trouble me; she would learn well beside her siblings.

The only source of worry was Carsein.

My son had become a concern now that he was out of reach.

Yet he had surprisingly excelled right from the first week and received the Peselros Privilege; perhaps my worries were unfounded…

But as time went on, anxiety only grew.

The mid-evaluation period extended into Rest Week creating unease among us; now rumors circulated about divisions occurring within the Shatren territory—rumors suggesting that rather than preventing them, the lord was neglecting his duties entirely.

I don’t know what exactly has happened, but the fact that rumors have spread this far cannot be ignored.

And today, the final presentation day.

As the time for her turn approached with no sign of movement, anxiety began to mount gradually.

‘Break time… Yes. I need to find Karsein now.’

Isabella, feeling restless, went in search of Karsein during the break.

However, it was Karsein who came to her first and explained everything.

He methodically laid out stories she had been completely unaware of until now.

The omitted mid-presentation details.

The relationship between postponed weekly reports and the final presentation.

Even why he had become the last presenter instead of following the designated order.

Karsein explained it all without omission.

Isabella waited in silence until he finished his explanation.

But…

He did not finish his story completely.

Just as Karsein bowed his head and turned to leave, Isabella urgently grabbed him by the arm.

“Wait a moment, just wait a moment. Karsein.”

“I won’t do anything that would bring trouble to our family.”

“What… do you mean?”

“This matter will be resolved smoothly; I mean you needn’t worry.”

“Karsein. Just wait a moment. Karsein!”

Karsein replied flatly and turned away without looking back.

His outstretched, wrinkled hand came to a halt, aimlessly suspended in the air.

“…Why on earth aren’t you asking for help?”

Isabella murmured helplessly as she gazed at Karsein’s retreating figure.

– Ding!

▶ Isabella’s intimacy level has increased. ◀

[ Current Level: 75% ]

***

Time passed under the guise of a break, which was nothing short of another hell for some.

The unrestrained examination by Arshien and Florence resumed once more.

“I shall begin.”

The princess nodded slightly.

‘That guy is…?’

That guy was indeed that guy.

The one who had given her some relief by assuring her there would be someone to lay the groundwork beneath them—this schemer.

In the time remaining, she had gradually investigated the situations in other territories and learned that this one was perhaps the worst of all.

As for what lay behind? That too was expected here.

They were going to get thoroughly raked over. If they ignored all of that b*stard’s accusations in-game, it would trigger conditions that could not be avoided.

“Shouting loudly at others while pointing out every little mistake with fervor—was this really all they could manage as a result?”

“Oh, no! If we focus solely on the changes in the facility, then compared to the rumors circulating about the territory…”

“You intend to make a fool of yourself until the very end, is that it?”

Arshien stood up, his voice dropping to an almost chilling tone.

…What’s going on?

The lines seem a bit different.

Isn’t he usually quick to point out when someone is in no position to criticize others?

Moreover, standing up like this isn’t something characters do in-game…

-Ding!

▶The player has satisfied all of the following conditions.◀

[ 1. Does not fall for Bellar’s provocations. ]☑

[ 2. Ignores all conflicts except for family within the conference room. ]☑

[ 3. Arshien’s intimacy level exceeds 40%. ]☑

▶Conditions met; trigger activated.◀

“It seems you thought I hadn’t investigated thoroughly enough, but your territory was examined with particular scrutiny! Are you really considering belittling it after seeing this?”

-Swish!

Arshien rose from his seat and activated a data scroll, revealing a status window before him.

“Bellar’s rights are hereby revoked during another speaker’s defense time.”

“…What?”

As he uttered those foolish words in response to Arshien’s reprimand, other nobles immediately stood up as well.

“Your Highness the Princess! Defense time is a right granted equally to all who attend this symposium!”

“Isn’t it true that pointing out a wrong issue has little to do with grades?”

“You also said that Prince Carsein has the right to make valid criticisms, Your Highness!”

“True. That’s not incorrect. However—”

The princess’s eyes, seemingly filled with indignation, turned toward the nobles.

“Has Carsein ever criticized Bellar’s conduct?”

“…”

“That is…”

“There is no opposing example to establish here, so I question whether there is any reason to adhere strictly to this clause.”

“Even Prince Florence…!”

“The opinion itself was not problematic. However, allowing someone who has utterly destroyed their territory—the very same person who has consistently received top marks—to offer advice is simply unacceptable.”

At those words, the nobles fell silent.

“I too agree with my sister’s judgment. This clause needs revision now. We cannot place on equal footing someone who held the Pesselos Privilege for weeks while receiving top marks and someone currently rated as the worst.”

Even Florence chimed in.

The nobles found themselves in a position where they could voice their discontent but chose not to.

Those two had issued a warning in one clear message:

‘No matter how much defense time you may have come into, consider your grades before you speak.’

That was the meaning behind it all.

■Reward

▶The intimacy between Arshien and Florence greatly increases!◀

[ Arshien Lihern Pesselos ]

[ Current intimacy: 53% ]

[ Florence Curenne Peselos ]

[ Current intimacy: 37% ]

▶ With the protection of the royal family, the influence of the nobility will weaken. ◀

[ The routes and frequency of attacks during defense time will decrease. ]

…I was wondering what on earth was going on.

The two people with bored expressions turned to me, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Wink!

“…”

You two.

Claiming to uphold fairness.

Well, still, my position is advantageous, so I won’t stop it.

“…”

One of them seems quite dissatisfied about that.