The Damn Family Is Back Again

348. Family (18)

So far, I’ve seen Karn Bagland’s notes and obtained some information through them.

Based on this information, if I interpret the content left by Rossell Bagland, it roughly goes like this.

『That demon is disguised as a human. Pretending to be stupid, but don’t believe it. It deceived not only the nobles of the empire but also the noble society, and furthermore, the entire imperial family and the Peselos Empire, hiding behind an absolutely invisible mask, waiting.』

The first line means that the demon is disguised as a human.

It pretended to be stupid on purpose and deceived everyone, hiding not only its status but also its presence in society and the entire empire. Therefore, it can be assumed that the target is living normally in the empire.

『It had everything one could have in terms of status. It had all the money one could have. It had everything without any lack. But it became a demon. Not satisfied with that, it planned to put the world under its feet. That is the true nature of the Yggdrasil Project, a plan to grow the World Tree that feeds on human souls.』

The second line implies that the person is a noble.

Although other examples are omitted, it means that the family name is somewhat known if Duke Rossell Bagland knows about it. The phrase “without any lack” and “had everything” also means that.

Nevertheless, humans are creatures of desire, so they harbor greater ambitions and crave more.

Thus, the Yggdrasil Project emerged. Despite having enough, it was not satisfied and wanted to swallow more. So, it plans to grow the World Tree, which feeds on human souls, to put the world under its feet.

“The Yggdrasil Project requires five treasures. Therefore, we had to thoroughly spread and hide this. But… that alone will not be enough to stop it.”

The third line needs no interpretation.

So, Rossel and Karn somehow found out that five treasures were needed, and after thoroughly hiding them, they had to spread and hide them throughout the empire.

But there was a certainty that this alone would not be enough to stop it.

“The demon… said that the most important thing was the soul of a human who had turned their back on the world and frozen cold.”

It is said that the most important thing is the soul of a human who has frozen cold.

The more I looked at it, the more unsettling it was.

It was beyond absurd.

In a way, it made me think Karn’s choice was a hundred times right.

Even if they found out about this, it was obvious that everyone would shake their heads, saying it was unrealistic.

The commoners, no matter how much they couldn’t use magic, would criticize it as a shepherd boy’s prank or a novel, saying such things don’t exist. The people in the shadows would just snicker.

The nobles, needless to say, would be delighted to find a flaw in Bagrand. Even the vassals, no matter how much they were direct descendants of the duke’s family, would click their tongues and dismiss it as a delusion.

Even the servants and knights who pledged their loyalty would not be much different. They would quickly dismiss it as a nightmare and focus on taking care of the young master.

At best, if they told the Duke of Bagrand’s family, their relatives, and their mother, they would listen… but even if they heard it, would the Duke of Bagrand’s family accept this absurd story?

The possibility of preparing for it is not high. Rather, this story would have leaked elsewhere.

As a behind-the-scenes story, it felt too verbose.

Anyway, it has nothing to do with me.

No matter what, it’s just a behind-the-scenes story, so it doesn’t matter as long as I can gather the five treasures and escape.

Clearing this game is just about collecting treasures anyway.

I tried to pass it off lightly.

But.

I couldn’t just let this go lightly.

-Ding!

A familiar alarm sound rang in my right ear.

It shouldn’t be ringing in this situation.

Because of Isabella’s magic, I wasn’t even recognized as a dangerous entity here.

But.

Why?

Why is the status window reacting in this situation?

With that question, the last sentence came to mind again.

『That demon… said the most important thing was the soul of a human who had turned their back on the world and frozen cold.』

“…”

I’m anxious.

A chill runs down my spine.

The hair on my body stands on end.

It’s an absurd assumption, but… a certain word blatantly catches my eye.

I forced a hollow laugh.

‘No way.’

Could it be?

No matter how much, there’s no way this could be related.

After all, I just entered the game. There’s no way I, just a player, could be involved…

-Ding!

The alarm of the status window rings once more, and my blood runs dry.

Not once, but twice.

This was a sentence handed down to me.

With fear, I turned my head.

Sweat trickled down as I rolled my eyes, wondering what would be on this status window.

And then.

My eyes flipped over on their own.

“…Ha. Damn it.”

“Karsein? What’s wrong?”

“It doesn’t make sense. This kind of… this kind of…”

“What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

The content was something that would naturally make my eyes flip.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. How could such nonsensical patchwork continue like this?”

“Karsein. What’s more on the note? What on earth do you see…”

Harnie tried to calm me down, but I couldn’t be calmed.

▶ You have obtained information from the tomb of Rossel Bagland. ◀

▶ Rewards are provided according to the achievement and clearance of the hidden episode unlock. ◀

▶ The reward is information related to the bad ending. ◀

Bad End. #44

[ Karsein eventually became a vengeful spirit with a frozen heart, seeking revenge on his family. He thus became a murderer, and soon the Bagrand Duchy was stained with blood. It seemed that the revenge was complete… but the cold human soul was more than qualified to become the World Tree of the demon. ]

Bad End. #444

[ The bloodline of the Bagrand Duchy was the perfect fertilizer for the World Tree of the demon to grow. The primordial seed, which devoured the Duchess and the three sisters, grew to a size that no one in this world could stop. Eventually, the seed, which even devoured the cold soul of the adopted child of the Bagrand Duchy, was reborn as the demon’s tree. ]

…

…

▶Providing achievement information according to the unlocking of the bad ending.◀

[ The soul of a human who turned away from the world and froze cold refers to your soul. Be careful not to turn into the World Tree of the demon. ]

This is impossible.

An impossible development.

It cannot be excused as a behind-the-scenes story.

No matter how much of a game it is. Even in a world where irrational things happen openly.

It can’t be so intricately intertwined like this.

…Yes. Up to that point, it could be.

If the influence of this system forcibly reached this far.

But, this really doesn’t make sense.

Bad End. #4444

[ A dimensional portal connecting the two worlds opened. A society that operates without magic, powered by electricity. Karsein walked into that world. However, when he returned to the original world, it was Karsein, not Kim Min-hyuk, who was there… After realizing everything, he took his own life again within half a day. ]

This is the bad ending of the game.

The bad ending of the protagonist character named Karsein.

In one of those bad endings, there’s no reason my name should be written there instead of Karsein’s.

Why on earth?

Why is my name in there?

Why is there an ending where I die, not Karsein?

There’s also a phrase that stands out clearly.

It says that only Karsein’s body returned to reality, not Kim Minhyuk in that place.

I can’t just think of that as a typo and move on.

It must be referring to me precisely, without any room for excuses.

But… then this sounds like it was certain that I would come into this world.

It’s not Karsein, but me, Kim Minhyuk, who has a bad ending.

And according to that statement… it means I can’t leave here. It was a crazy statement that even if I opened a dimensional portal, I couldn’t return to reality.

What kind of nonsense is that?

Telling me, whose goal is to return to reality, not to return to reality?

‘No. This is… this is just written wrong.’

Something is wrong.

This phrase itself, the damn status window, must be wrong.

-Fwoosh!

At the same time as the denial, one of Roselle Bagland’s notes burned and disappeared.

As if to say my words were wrong.

…Are you telling me to accept that now?

Screw this.

I can never accept something like this.

“Let’s move. Harunie.”

“What? That was…”

“The tomb had a total of four coffins. We should be able to find other notes as well.”

I will prove it somehow.

I will find anything and prove it clearly, and I will return to my original world as if nothing happened.

I will prove it somehow.

I will find anything and clearly deny it.

That this world has nothing to do with me.

-Ding!

‘…Ha. I had forgotten about this.’

Right. There was this too.

Whenever I was about to forget, a bright light would appear.

▶The Hidden Memorial effect is activated.◀

Even so, it will probably show me something nonsensical again.

It will probably show me a scene that I can’t quite remember from my memory.

That’s what I thought.

Until I knew whose memory this memorial belonged to.

*

It has been quite a while since the snow started falling.

But winter is still cold.

This winter feels even colder than usual.

…No. To be precise, it’s my side that feels cold.

Maybe that’s why the time called vacation feels so peculiar.

I can rest as much as I want. I don’t have to go to school, so I don’t get bullied. If I wander outside under the pretense of going to the library, I don’t have to deal with the stress from my half-siblings or father. I can also save money by working part-time. It’s a really good time.

But on the other hand, there are things I don’t like because I don’t go to school.

I can’t see that kid who used to share an umbrella with me in the summer.

The one who approached me first to do group projects together, the one who suggested we study for exams together.

No matter how great the advantages of the former are, they can’t cover up this disadvantage.

So, I end up wishing time would pass a little faster.

It’s not that vacation is hard, but not being able to see that kid is harder.

But then.

One day, while I was working part-time as usual.

“I heard you were looking for a part-timer.”

That kid came to find me.