The Damn Family Is Back Again

369. Yggdrasil Project (9)

Gone back. It was a meaningful word in many ways.

Contrary to his confident smile, the words he uttered were nothing but nonsense.

Veneris. How many people in the empire would not know that man?

The name of that man, called the Prophet Veneris, still held its prestige.

But to mock that Veneris?

To say it’s obvious what actions he would have taken?

It was an outrageous statement that would have been reprimanded if there were ears to hear it.

To say that Karsein, who had no place to return to, would have gone back, and to accurately refer to the subject of Veneris that came after.

But.

Aksyus did not particularly take issue with it.

To say there was no chance of being caught?

It was not an empty sound.

To say he would bring down Bagrand?

It was not a bluff.

Even the ambition to conquer the empire.

All of it is being achieved step by step.

Who would know? That a genius with a brain beyond imagination, who never lets a plan go awry, was pretending to be a fool.

That’s right.

What’s in that head is vast knowledge.

The person in front of me possessed unbelievable abilities.

“May I ask you something?”

“Yes. What is it?”

“How do you know? That they will disappear at that time.”

“What? Were you secretly curious? I thought you weren’t interested.”

“…It’s because the same thing keeps happening, so I want to know.”

“You’re making excuses. In short, you can’t understand how I knew this, so you want me to explain it to you.”

With a smirk, Velian, who had been teasing Akshas, began to pour wine into the glass right next to him and started explaining.

“Well, you see, if you thoroughly analyze people, you can find out a lot. For example, someone like Hemnon is the epitome of arrogance.”

“You’re talking about that idiot from the Modrich Count family.”

“Yes. That guy, he has a lot, but because there are no outstanding people around him, he grew up thinking he was a king, right? So, when someone comes along who can beat him, he tries to get back at them no matter what. He held a grudge against Karsein for beating him on his coming-of-age day.”

-Glug glug glug.

“Anyway, people can be analyzed too, you know? If you try to figure out what their true intentions are, you can. Fundamental aspects like their environment, the life they’ve lived, and their experiences don’t change easily.”

“…”

“But, you see. Can you understand if I say that this fundamental aspect can change?”

“Has the essence changed?”

“Yes. Veneris has changed. As if the person inside the body has been replaced.”

It’s an unrealistic story.

How is it possible for the spirit inside the body to change?

…One might think so.

But it doesn’t feel like Belian is talking nonsense.

A wine glass filled to the brim.

Belian savored the wine and swallowed it down.

“Veneris was never a particularly notable person. Just a noble from a very humble family who sacrificed everything for the path to success. You know that, right?”

“Yes. I’ve seen that type often.”

Literally, Veneris was not from a very wealthy family. It wasn’t a family with a distinguished name, and he always struggled, having only a wife and a daughter.

“A person obsessed with success. Climbing up from scarcity, trying to reach the upper class through any means.”

It’s not for any particular purpose.

Simply to live the life of the upper class. To enjoy the empire while breathing the air above.

That’s the inner nature of Veneris.

The driving force of a person living with such values.

This belief is what symbolizes Veneris, the purpose of his life.

“That’s right. But at some point, that purpose changed drastically.”

“Changed?”

“Even though Veneris was a guy who only looked at the path to success. At night, he would always return to the mansion. Even when he had a big opportunity in his grasp, he would return home when the time came.”

“Come to think of it… Veneris stopped going home altogether from a certain day onwards.”

“Do you know what’s different now?”

-Glug glug glug.

Wine starts to pour into the glass again.

“I see. The point was his family.”

Veneris was a married man.

He had a wife and a daughter.

No matter how much he was obsessed with work, wealth, honor, rank, reputation, and status, there was always a line he wouldn’t cross.

As a pillar for his family.

As a husband with a wife.

As a father with a daughter.

There was always a line he had to keep.

“No matter how hard the work was, he always tried to take care of his family, and even if he wanted to climb the ladder of success, he never turned his back on them. So, he would always go home to see his family when the time came. But the fact that this pattern disappeared means…”

A sly smile.

Belian nods as he raises his glass.

The disappearance of such a pattern meant that there was a significant change within Veneris, who always met his family.

This isn’t something that changes overnight.

“No matter what happened, he would always go back home by dawn the next day to see his family who were sleeping. He never lost his affection for his family. This isn’t just a change in personality or values. The man himself has changed. You know what happened next, right?”

“Yes. He became the prophet Veneris.”

Since that day, Veneris had completely changed.

One day. Two days. A week. A month.

During that long time, he never once returned to the mansion.

Beyond that, he was not seen even in the empire, and his family tried to find him after his sudden disappearance, but they couldn’t.

Then he was found.

The man who had disappeared for years and changed beyond recognition…

Had become the current prophet, Beneris.

“After undergoing a great change, Beneris focused on his activities as a prophet. He gained countless things as a prophet. With his ability, which was no different from foresight, he became a praised figure in the empire and obtained everything he hadn’t before. But, even so, that wasn’t his goal. He was always impatient, always seemed to be craving something. Does he look like the same person to you?”

“…”

“Right. He’s not. The core is different, that’s exactly what it means.”

He gained countless things. He grasped everything he hadn’t been able to before.

The ability, no different from foresight, brought Beneris everything he hadn’t had until now.

There was a time when he clearly crossed the line, even though it was for success.

He’s a different person.

The core is different.

That’s how it had to be seen.

“Then now this question arises. What purpose does the mind that only wore Beneris’s shell have?”

Regarding that, Belian says.

Beneris always seemed impatient.

He would often look into the void and utter things no one understood.

“From exactly that time, he started saying things we didn’t understand or acting outside our common sense. And then he would say with his own mouth? That he had to return to reality.”

Reality. As if implying that this place is not reality.

Belian focused on that and found the answer.

“For Veneris, this world was not his own. No matter how much he breathed, no matter how much blood flowed and he felt the heat and cold, his world was elsewhere. That’s how it can be interpreted.”

“So that’s why you said it was obvious.”

“Of course. Akshus, you’re on the verge of achieving your goal, could you turn back and give up, retreating to a place that’s like hell?”

“Does that make sense?”

“Yes. That’s it. You know well, don’t you? How much effort I put into the Bagland Duchy because of him.”

It was undeniable.

Another world exists.

Living here with just a shell.

The goal is to return to the place where one lived.

I don’t know what kind of power makes it possible, but it must exist.

If the goal is right in front of them.

If their ‘reality’ is right in front of them.

It’s unimaginable to resist that temptation and stay.

So during the empty time, Veneris disappeared and stayed in another world during this time, it wasn’t wrong.

“Well, I think we’ve solved this. So, why did you come?”

“I came to deliver something.”

“Hm? What is it?”

When he handed over the root of Yggdrasil, Belian roughly understood.

“It’s a bit early, but it’s time to eliminate Isabella.”

“Hmm. Isabella is in the hospital. Is that right?”

Bellian, who quickly grasped the information, wore a sly smile.

Arkshus Felskraim.

Known as the family exterminator, he had been eagerly waiting for this moment.

Isabella had fallen ill.

Karsein was being pursued.

The time had come to put an end to the deteriorating family relations.

“Heh. A murderer who enjoys watching those with broken family ties stab and kill each other. You are quite a unique fellow.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Yes. This is within the margin of error, so it doesn’t matter. Make Bagrand’s end as spectacular as possible.”

Arkshus bowed his head and went off to do his job.

“He’s a truly fascinating fellow. Not even controlled by Yggdrasil, yet how can human desires be so peculiar?”

Of course, that made him an even more useful talent.

Looking down at the wine, he muttered as he gazed out the window.

“Sigh. This b*stard is really making things difficult. Difficult.”

He had tried to create a gap from within by inserting a commoner, but all his plans had gone awry.

No matter how much he thought about it, it was strange. If one had ambition, they should have harbored a true ambition and sharpened the blade of revenge due to oppression. The pressure was enough to break him, so he should have given up and collapsed.

Yet Karsein stubbornly endured.

Bellian’s calculations, which had never been wrong, were all thrown off by Karsein.

“What kind of person could endure that? Well… maybe this is the end?”

Every time the formula was off, it created an error, but in the end, it could be seen as fitting.

“Yeah. You won’t be any different in the end. There’s no way you can resist the temptation to return to your reality, right?”

That too.

Especially if you’ve experienced the same thing twice.

*

-Ding!

▶You have cleared Episode III. Escort Target II.◀

▶You successfully escorted the target without a scratch.◀

▶The security of the conference hall has become lax!◀

▶The danger level of the conference hall has been downgraded to ＜Caution＞.◀

“Karsein. The layout of the guards…”

“…Yes. I have a rough idea.”

Meeting Claire directly to deliver the message was too risky. Not only were the retainers all over the place, but we also had to assume that the tree monster inside wasn’t alone.

So, while looking for someone suitable to recognize, I sent Marquis Magnuel. I didn’t expect it to come back like this.

Just as I had conveyed everything, the guards began to withdraw.

Probably, it was Claire who took this measure.

Thanks to that, a way out opened up.

Isabella wouldn’t be in much danger either. Since I had already conveyed it to Claire, she would take appropriate measures.

“…”

Isabella is now safe, so the escort episodes will no longer appear.

However.

We cannot be at ease.

▶EX Episode. The true enemy is approaching.◀

▶You must obstruct the Yggdrasil Project of Velian Theresia.◀

▶Only by completing all conditions can you stop the Yggdrasil Project!◀

[ 1. To protect the Duke of Vagrande─── ]

[ 2. To uncover the identity of the Tree Monster──── ]

[ 3. To increase Claire’s support─── ]

[ 4. To extend the time of Flora’s death disguise─── ]

…

…

▶All UI and information up to now will be provided.◀

▶Always be cautious of the chase events.◀

This is just the beginning.

“First… is it this one?”

[ 5. You must trigger a battle event with a specific enemy and defeat them. ]

▶Currently heading to a specific location based on false information.

[ Remaining Time ]

[ 2 hours 16 minutes ]