How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 35

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Chapter 35

Chapter 13. Fleta Baschren

A wide open plain.

I arrived at the meeting place that the messenger from the Duke’s family had told me about.

Soon, a flag came into view in the distance, and what was drawn on it caught my eye.

Shiny silver fur stood out. A rich tail encircled a crown, and a silver fox haughtily looked down upon the crown.

It was the Baschren Duke’s family crest.

Soon, a knight from the other side came forward.

I also stepped forward, with Scout and Illia behind me.

Clatter, clatter…

We met in the middle of the plain at a canter. It was an unfamiliar face. Well, how would I know all the Duke’s knights?

“I am Rices Livern, the head of the guard belonging to the Wisdom Knights.”

Wisdom Knight.

The name of the knight order under the Duke’s command. Knights of Wisdom, or something like that.

“I am Cain Lindayer, the third son of the Lindayer family.”

“You’ve had a long journey. The Princess is waiting, so let’s go.”

The knight, who identified himself as Rices, nodded and turned his horse around.

‘He’s overbearing. Is he trying to overwhelm me with his momentum from the start?’

I wasn’t expecting a lavish welcome, but I couldn’t help but feel a bit put out.

Moreover, the thought of the upcoming battle of wills made my head throb.

‘Well, what can I do?’

I have to face it. It’s not like I didn’t expect it.

I smacked my lips and turned to Scout.

“Thank you for your hard work in coming this far. I express my gratitude for your kindness.”

The captain leading the Scouts smiled and bowed his head at my farewell.

“It was an honor to serve you, even for a short time.”

After the Scouts disappeared into the distance, I approached the Duke’s carriage procession with Illia.

‘So this is what it means to be a Duke’s family.’

The scale was enormous.

There were only a dozen knights attached to the three or four baggage wagons. There seemed to be about thirty lancers and soldiers.

The highlight was the six-horse carriage in the center.

Six pure white horses, with no other color mixed in, proudly showed off their figures.

That must be the carriage the Princess is riding in.

It was more than enough escort for just one person. Besides, wasn’t the Princess herself a 4th circle mage [a mage with significant magical power]?

“I feel like I’m shrinking. I’m all alone, after all.”

“…I am here, am I not?”

It was Illia who comforted me, but her voice was also subdued by the atmosphere. I chuckled and nodded.

“Right. There’s no need to be intimidated.”

“I will serve you with all my heart.”

“Thank you. Then, shall we go?”

As I spurred my horse forward, the Duke’s knights and soldiers lined up in perfect order.

Then, Rices, who was guiding me, stood in front of the six-horse carriage.

“Princess, this is the third son of the Lindayer family.”

At Rices’ words, the door of the carriage opened and a figure appeared.

It was Fleta Baschren.

Her skin was so white it was almost transparent, and her long silver hair was the same as before.

The only difference was her attire.

She was wearing a plain robe back then, but today she was wearing a luxurious formal dress and a white fox fur around her neck.

“It’s been a while, Third Son.”

Fleta spoke first.

“Have you been well?”

“Thanks to you, I was able to rest well for a while.”

She was referring to the fact that she had been seriously injured by my fist massage and had been recuperating.

But unlike her words, her expression was calm. It felt like she was making a dry joke.

‘That’s unexpected.’

I thought she would be sharpening her knives to get revenge.

Well, I don’t know yet. She might be biding her time and plotting something later.

“Let’s go to the temporary camp to discuss our future plans. Lord Livern.”

At Fleta’s words, Rices, who was beside her, nodded and looked at me.

“Follow me.”

After leaving the six-horse carriage, we headed to a tent set up on one side.

Several maids sitting inside stood up and bowed.

Then, at Rices’ gesture, a seat was quickly prepared, and warm tea was placed on the table.

After sitting down for a moment, Rices looked at Illia, who had followed me in, and his face hardened.

“Who are you?”

“I am the Third Son’s attendant.”

“Step back. This is not a place for a mere attendant.”

Illia’s expression also turned cold at the clear order to leave.

“My duty is to protect the Third Son.”

“Protect? Are you saying this is enemy territory?”

“It could be, or it could not be.”

It depends on how you guys act.

Rices’ face stiffened at Illia’s retort.

At that moment, the entrance to the tent was pulled back and Fleta appeared.

Rices, who was about to say something at her appearance, closed his mouth and straightened his posture.

“Leave.”

At Fleta’s words, the maids bowed their heads and left the camp.

The atmosphere inside the camp became quiet in an instant.

‘It’s fierce.’

Then, Fleta, who was seated at the head of the table, lightly lifted her teacup and took a sip.

Then, she slowly put the cup down and looked up at me.

“I heard you solved the Northern nuisance, Third Son.”

Is she talking about the subjugation of the Caliban tribe?

Actually, it’s not something that would spread so widely. Unless it’s in the North, no one would pay much attention to it.

So, she looked into it privately? I’m honored.

“That’s right. Anyway.”

Let’s get straight to the point without dwelling on the recent events.

“I heard that you would transfer the command of the escort during the journey to Capital [the kingdom’s capital city].”

Fleta nodded at my words.

“That’s right.”

That’s right? Something feels ominous.

“What do you mean by ‘that’s right’?”

“The situation has changed a bit.”

“Situation?”

It was not Fleta, but Rices, who had been silent, who answered my question.

“At first, we were going to do that, but recently an unexpected event occurred in the territory, so the plan has changed.”

“Unexpected event?”

“Such a thing has happened. Anyway, please consider the transfer of command as canceled and faithfully carry out the escort mission during the journey. By the way, the Third Son will be in charge of…”

“Wait a minute.”

Where are you trying to go, passing over it like a snake slithering over a wall?

“Are you going to break the promise that Count Lindayer made as you please?”

“Didn’t I say it was an unexpected situation?”

“Stop beating around the bush and answer me directly. Are you unilaterally breaking the promise now?”

“If you put it that way, I am also authorized by the Duke to make judgments according to the local situation.”

“…Does that mean it’s okay to formally protest this matter?”

“That’s up to the Third Son. I’m just doing what I think is right under my judgment.”

Rices still showed no signs of backing down.

The source of that confidence was obvious.

If I formally protested, whether I won or Rices won, a conclusion would be reached.

But by the time I sent letters to both families, coordinated the differences, and reached a legitimate conclusion…

‘I’ll probably be almost to Capital by then.’

With Rices holding the command during that journey.

The more I thought about it, the more absurd it was.

What kind of game is this?

Is it okay to ignore the agreement between the two families like this? Could it be because of that petty desire for revenge?

Was the Baschren Duke such a narrow-minded person?

Anyway, apart from that, there seemed to be no need to talk to Rices any further.

No matter how much we argued, it would only be a childish fight over whose background was stronger.

‘Should I just turn around and go back, regardless of the deal with the Count?’

In fact, as long as the Duke’s group doesn’t do anything funny, it doesn’t matter if I don’t have command.

Rather, it would be easier to get to Capital since there would be less to worry about.

But Rices’s action of trying to give me a mission a while ago bothered me. He clearly didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving me alone.

‘But I can’t walk into a trap that has such obvious intentions.’

In the end, the best option is to somehow get the command transferred.

I’m giving up on persuading Rices.

It’s just a waste of breath to keep arguing.

Then, what I need to target now is…

“Please excuse us for a moment.”

Rices narrowed his eyes at my words that came out after a period of silence.

“The conversation is not over yet.”

“It wasn’t a conversation, it was a notification.”

“What did you say just now…”

“Anyway, I understand your intentions well enough, so please excuse us for a moment. There is something the parties of both families need to discuss urgently.”

“…”

Rices had nothing to say since the families were going to have a conversation.

Rices got up from his seat and headed out of the camp, and then I called Illia.

“Illia, wait outside too.”

“Understood.”

After Illia left, only Fleta and I remained inside the camp.

Creak-

I pulled the chair back slightly, crossed my legs, and folded my arms.

Then, I looked directly at Fleta and opened my mouth.

“What’s your intention?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m asking what’s the real reason for overturning the story that was already agreed upon between the two families.”

There were no prying eyes and I was getting annoyed, so I lowered my voice, but Fleta didn’t seem to care.

“Well, it’s true that the Duke told Lord Livern to respond according to the local situation, as Lord Livern said. There are also issues that have recently occurred in the territory.”

“You mean the few lords who have rebelled?”

“…Do you know?”

Fleta’s expression, which had been calm all along, changed slightly for the first time.

“I know.”

“Your information is fast.”

“Fast? You guys knew about it a long time ago.”

“That’s right. There were signs early on. However, we only expected the rebellion to occur after the founding anniversary [a major national holiday].”

“But it broke out sooner than that, and rumors started to spread?”

“It’s only in the mid-west so far. But it’s only a matter of time before it spreads to the entire continent.”

Indeed, it seemed that the rumors had not yet spread throughout the northern region that I had passed through so far.

I also heard it from Ruth, who had previously passed through the mid-western region.

“So, the lords who rebelled decided to join the South?”

“Probably.”

“Is there a possibility of it turning into a full-scale war?”

“We have the sacred day of the founding anniversary ahead of us. Even if that’s the case, we’ll postpone it until after that.”

“So it’s going to happen.”

“My father is willing to go to war. In fact, it’s been too peaceful for too long. We’re going to prepare step by step.”

“The first plan is this escort request. No matter how big they are, they can’t touch two powerful families at the same time.”

“Do you know why you came here?”

“To widely publicize the solidity of the alliance using this founding anniversary, and also to regain the authority that has waned due to the annulment of the engagement. Am I right?”

Fleta’s eyes widened at my words that flowed out without hesitation.

“…That’s unexpected. You know more than I thought.”

Who do you think I am, a fool?

“So, you’re going to screw over the person who came to help you with that? What are you going to do?”

“Well, whether you get the command or not, we can achieve all the goals I mentioned earlier. And this dispatch is not a matter of request or cooperation, and as I said, the transfer of command that was initially promised was deemed inappropriate as a result of considering the current situation. Who knew they would start acting so quickly?”

It doesn’t matter if you have command or not. Isn’t it because you responded to this dispatch as compensation for the annulment of the engagement in the first place?

If you take away the outer packaging, that’s what it means.

It’s an unfair situation for me, but objectively speaking, it’s not exactly wrong.

Because the incident didn’t happen until the time we made the promise.

To a third party, it’s clearly the right decision.

In the end, the remaining choices are to accept it or leave.

‘This is getting a headache.’

It seems like my free will, but the situation is not like that.

I can’t just quit because I feel bad here, and there’s a possibility that a war will break out.

In that situation, abandon the Baschren Duke’s family, who is in an alliance relationship? Even though it was a dispatch request in return for the annulment of the engagement?

‘If I quit, the Baschren Duke will probably never forget this.’

There are separate enemies to make, and it is not desirable for the Baschren Duke to harbor resentment towards me.

‘Is there no other way?’

In the end, it seems that I can’t quit regardless of my will.

Of course, I have no intention of sitting still and playing the role of Rices’ subordinate.

I was wondering if there was any way, and then Fleta lifted her teacup and opened her mouth slightly.

“Just accept it. What can we do if Lord Livern’s conditions are more in line with the current situation than yours?”

“Is that what you call comfort…”

Wait a minute.

I glanced at Fleta.

Her face was calm. There was no intention of ridicule or comfort.

“What did you say just now?”

“I said the conditions are like that, Third Son.”

Conditions.

Yes, all the conditions are smiling at Rices right now. Then…

“Let me ask you a few questions.”

“What?”

“Lord Livern said that he can’t transfer the command to me because the current situation is unstable, so what qualifications do you need to have command in the current situation?”

It was a frontal attack.

Completely destroying the basis for Rices’ denial of me.

“Well, a commander of the escort should have the martial power befitting that position, the leadership to lead the group, and the integrity not to be shaken by any difficulties.”

“What about martial power?”

“It can be said to be swordsmanship.”

“What is the level?”

“At least it should be the deepest among the escorts.”

“What about leadership?”

“It refers to a position that is worthy of leading someone. Not just a noble status as a son born with good luck.”

“What about the last integrity?”

“As the leader of a group, you must have the character to earn everyone’s trust and faith.”

I tasted bitterness in my mouth, worried that my past as a rogue might hold me back.

“Okay. What’s the next destination?”

Fleta tilted her head at the sudden question about the destination.

“It’s the river that borders the west and the middle. There’s a fortress next to it.”