The Failure Marquis Is A Genius [EN]: Chapter 19

3. The Bastard Who Passed

I traveled with Victor, a stranger.

Victor is the leader of a Ranger unit under Karina, the commander of Black Castle.

He said he’s a veteran who has been serving for over seven years.

He was on his way back after a mission down south and ran into me.

“What a coincidence! You’re heading to Black Castle too!”

He reacted strongly when I said I was going to Black Castle with Sion to serve in the military.

“You look like a noble; why go through such hardship? Most people pay to avoid military service.”

“I’m a bastard.”

“Ah.”

‘Bastard’ is a very convenient word.

Victor understood right away.

“So, you’re a discarded child. Still, you’re a noble, so it’s a pity you’re coming to such a harsh place. And…”

Victor glanced at Sion.

“Are you here to assist the noble? It’s hard for a young woman to have a good time here. Shouldn’t you send her back now?”

“I can take care of myself. Mind your own business.”

“Woah~ Your spirit is impressive.”

He seemed to like it even more when Sion responded with her unique cold tone.

Turns out, Victor was a chatterbox.

He kept talking non-stop even when we reacted tepidly.

The main topic of his speech was praise for Commander Karina.

“Black Castle’s Commander Karina is truly a great person who will be recorded in history.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course! Except for the retired Marquis Lloyd, she is the only active Sword Master in the Elden Kingdom.”

I had heard that information before.

The reason why the tiny Elden Kingdom hasn’t been conquered by the Calon Empire yet was definitely due to the influence of Sword Master Karina.

“And that’s not all! She is one of the Seven Stars who protected the continent against the Demon King, and even after the war, she is the guardian who protects the northern mountains, the final battleground between the Demon King and the hero Kyle.”

“Above all, she has achieved great things as a woman, so Karina is like a queen to the northerners.”

After that, he emphasized how dangerous the north was.

“We sometimes joke among ourselves: if there is a demon world on the Arnia continent, it would be right here.”

“Is it that barren?”

“The unspeakable cold is basic. There are countless guys who are missing one or two toes due to frostbite. One day, I forgot to light a fire and fell asleep, and the guy next to me froze to death.”

“That’s serious.”

“This is nothing. Monsters appear every other day. If you’re here, you become more familiar with the faces of monsters than humans.”

Victor spoke plainly without embellishment.

Maybe that’s why.

I could feel that he was sincere, not just exaggerating to scare us.

We headed north for a few more days after meeting Victor.

The rattling carriage finally arrived at Black Castle, the hub and outpost of the north.

“Welcome to Black Castle.”

*Is this what the Demon King’s castle is like?*

The first impression of Black Castle was that all its structures were black, giving it a solid and bleak atmosphere.

Sharp iron towers soared as if to pierce the sky.

The height of the castle walls was incomparable to other castles, so I had to crane my neck so far back that it hurt to see the end.

The colors were starkly contrasted in black and white because of the heavy snowfall.

“The gate is open.”

“This is the south gate. The gate facing south is always open. On the other hand, the north gate is not. Every time it opens, several people die and return, so we call it Hell Gate.”

Victor, who was reciting these gruesome details, took me and Sion to the innermost building in Black Castle.

“This is the commander’s office. I have something to report, so let’s go in together.”

Knock knock. He knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

The office of the Northern Commander.

Various types of swords were hanging on the wall.

Firewood crackled and burst into flames in the fireplace.

It had a cozy atmosphere that contrasted with the sound of blizzards whistling outside the window.

Commander Karina had one leg propped on the desk and was fiddling with a short dagger with a short blade in her hands.

The dagger dancing precariously between her fingers hinted at danger.

She was a beauty.

Rich red hair that cascaded down to her shoulders. Red eyebrows and lips. Snow-white skin.

She was said to be a teenager at the time of the Demon King’s invasion, so she must be in her mid to late thirties now.

She looked very young.

Only on the outside.

The scar across her right eye and the years etched in her eyes created a strangely mature atmosphere.

“Victor, you’re late.”

“Greetings to the Commander of the North.”

“Enough with the greetings. Who’s behind you?”

“I met them on the way. He is the son of the famous Marquis Lloyd.”

“…Lloyd?”

Now it’s my turn.

I took a step forward.

“I’m Henon Lloyd. I came to the North to serve in the military.”

“No. Go back.”

This is an unexpected answer.

“Pardon?”

“Go back. This is not a place to play noble games.”

“I’m a bastard. I was originally Henon Tris, but I changed my name to Henon Lloyd to bring honor to the family.”

*Do I have to use the bastard card again?*

Still, it’s a relief I didn’t use the Scoundrel card.

Karina, who had been fixing her gaze only on the blade, finally raised her head and made eye contact with me.

After looking at me from head to toe, she opened her mouth.

“You don’t look like your father at all.”

“I take after my mother.”

“You don’t have a face that suits the North. You’re too pretty. You’re handsome.”

“Excuse me? Karina, is this delicate face your type?”

Victor gaped from the side.

*Whatever.*

I handed Karina the letter from Marquis Lloyd that I had brought from the Marquis estate.

She received the letter, read it lightly in 10 seconds, and threw it into the fireplace.

The letter turned to ashes in an instant.

“Your father wants you to be assigned to the rear. I don’t think he wanted to send you. Is your family that messed up?”

“If I’m assigned to the rear, can’t I go north?”

“There will be a difference in the number of times. All soldiers in the North have to go on patrol.”

I came to the North to find the Golden Branch.

According to the words of the Heavenly Demon, the Golden Branch is further north from Black Castle.

Then, instead of the rear, I should be assigned to the front line where I can go on patrol often to increase my chances of finding it.

“Where is the place where you go on patrol the most?”

“Why are you asking that?”

“I’m curious.”

Victor answered from the side.

“The Ranger unit, where I am the leader, goes out the most. We go on patrol to the north every day except for our days off.”

It seems like the place I have to go has been decided.

“I want to become a Ranger with Sion. Please send me there.”

For a brief moment, Karina’s eyes narrowed and Victor closed his mouth.

“Why?”

“Since I’m serving in the military, I want to do it properly.”

“The Ranger unit is not a place where just anyone can enter. You must meet the minimum level of force to be eligible.”

“I haven’t been beaten anywhere I’ve gone.”

I didn’t bother to add the words, ‘Because I was a Scoundrel, I was mostly the one doing the beating.’

A faint smile appeared on Karina’s face.

“Your guts are good. But that won’t save your life. Anyway, I like you, so shall we do a little test?”

Karina threw the dagger she was holding.

For a moment, I was surprised because I thought she was throwing it at me, but the dagger was stuck exactly in the middle of me and Karina.

“The test is simple. Pull out the sword stuck in the floor. Then I’ll put you in the search party. Let the maid behind you try it too. If you fail, both of you should quietly go back to your father.”

The distance to the sword stuck in the ground is only five steps.

You can just walk over and pull out the sword.

But if it were that easy, would Karina have bothered to use the word ‘test’?

As soon as she finished speaking, the air became heavy.

My skin tingled and my heart tightened.

It became difficult to breathe.

My vision was spinning.

I had felt this feeling before.

It was when I met Marquis Lloyd after awakening as a druid in the Marquis estate’s garden.

At that time, the Marquis was furious at the withering oak tree and shot killing intent at me.

The situation itself was similar to that time, but the level of pressure was on a different level.

It was much more severe.

Perhaps it was the difference between a retired Sword Master and an active Sword Master.

It feels like a heavy stone is pressing down on me.

I raised my head and looked at Karina.

Then I saw it.

*That was the essence of Karina, the star of the North.*

Behind her, with her red hair standing on end, floated the figure of a black jaguar with sharp teeth exposed.

Red eyes glowed like will-o’-the-wisps in the jaguar’s eyes.

The key to Karina’s test was simple.

Can you overcome the killing intent that the Sword Master deliberately emits and pull out that sword?

Now that I see it, the difficulty of the test is extreme.

She didn’t seem to want me and Sion to stay in the North.

I glanced at Sion.

Cold sweat was beading on her face.

She was convulsing slightly, trying desperately to take a step.

Her lips were bursting because she bit her teeth so hard, and red blood was flowing down her chin.

Originally, I should have reacted similarly to Sion.

However, the familiar status window was already visible in front of me.

[Skill Self-Purification is activated.]

[Immune to all status abnormalities.]

[Harmful effects are removed.]

Rather, my condition is getting better.

The dizziness in my head cleared.

The intangible weight that was dragging me down like a lead weight all disappeared.

My heart was beating strongly and my breathing became comfortable.

“Give up. It’s easier to give up.”

Meanwhile, Karina looked relaxed.

She seemed confident that we could never do it.

“Keuheuk!”

At some point, Sion had taken a step forward.

Her bloodshot eyes were full of blood.

She’s going to pop her eyeballs.

Knowing that Sion has a foolish personality that rushes in without taking care of her body, I decided to start moving slowly at this point.

“Karina, if I really pull out the sword stuck in the floor, will you put me in the search party?”

“Of course. I’m the type to keep my word once I’ve said it.”

“Good.”

I got confirmation and moved.

One step. Another step.

Very lightly. As if going for a walk.

Step. Step. Step. Step. Step.

After taking exactly five steps, my toes touched the dagger that Karina had stuck in.

“H-How!”

Karina, who had been half-sitting on the desk, was surprised and jumped up.

Victor’s eyes also widened.

Sion… I don’t know why she’s crying, but her eyes were filled with tears.

Was she overwhelmed with emotion?

It doesn’t really matter.

I bent down and grabbed the sword handle and felt a tingling sensation.

It’s a dagger that was not just stuck in, but also embedded with mana [magical energy].

The point is that you have to be at least a mana user to be selected as a qualified candidate because you can’t just pull it out with strength.

And mana is still surging in my dantian [energy center in the body, according to Eastern traditions].

*Still, she’s amazing. To keep the desired amount of mana in a weapon that has been separated from her body for so long.*

I was impressed by Karina’s mana control for a moment, but I wrapped mana around my hand and pulled the sword up with all my might.

Ppong!

With a cheerful sound like opening a beer bottle with a bottle opener, the dagger came out of the floor.

It’s so easy that I wonder if this is a test.

It was quiet around.

Everyone seemed too surprised to say anything.

So I told them first.

“I pulled out the sword.”

I shrugged my shoulders and said.

After a while.

Karina’s laughter echoed through the office.

“Puhahaha! Is that really your father’s son? I have no idea what tricks you used.”

“It’s a family secret technique.”

“Liar. Your father didn’t have any special techniques to resist killing intent. Even if he did, there’s no way he would have taught such a technique to a bastard.”

Tsk, I got caught right away.

Anyway, I passed the test.

I approached Karina and handed her the dagger.

She smiled as she received the sword.

“Welcome to the North. Bastard Henon.”