How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 52

‘Royal Direct Secret Investigator?’

I don’t know what kind of group they are. There’s no information about them. The story of this fallen kingdom didn’t appear in the novel.

But I can get a sense of it.

Because the characteristics indicated by the name are clear.

“When you say investigator……”

“On the surface, they patrol the kingdom’s direct territories and monitor the actions of officials, preventing them from running rampant in His Majesty the King’s territory.”

“I see.”

“That’s just on the surface.”

“Yes?”

On the surface?

“Are you saying the reality is different?”

“Of course. Because it’s a group that takes on tasks that the Knights cannot handle.”

“Like assassinating key figures?”

“That’s one of the tasks.”

The Marquis grins.

“I’ll grant you that authority. With that, you shouldn’t have much difficulty working.”

“Is that the price? I thought it was a convenience needed to carry out the request.”

“Too much greed can be poisonous, Third Son.”

The Marquis drew a line as if telling me not to talk nonsense.

He’s right. I tested the waters, wondering if I could squeeze out more, but it seemed this was it.

‘A group that takes on the dark side of things.’

I don’t know for sure, but the information coming in will be beyond imagination.

It’s more than enough as a price.

It’s a much better condition than treasures or power. It’s like getting the information network of the Head of the Royal Court.

Of course, I won’t be able to access very valuable information, but this is enough to know the inside story of the kingdom.

“Will you accept?”

The Marquis lifted his teacup.

“I will do my best to investigate.”

I also lifted my teacup and met his gaze.

* * *

The next day, after getting enough sleep.

Dressed in uniform, I called Ruth and waited on the sofa.

Knock, knock!

At the knock that followed, I opened my mouth.

“Come in.”

As expected, Ruth’s face was visible through the opened door.

“You should be preparing soon, as you have to enter the palace shortly.”

“Okay.”

I nodded at Ruth, who reminded me about entering the palace to view the Book of Knights.

“What is that?”

In the meantime, Ruth approached me, looking at me touching the plaque while lying on the sofa.

“There is such a thing.”

The plaque, with a black base and a golden dragon embossed on it, was an item indicating that I was a secret investigator directly under the royal family.

‘If I have this, I’m granted powerful authority in any direct territory?’

With the consultation of the lord of the direct territory, you can receive support for food, clothing, and shelter, as well as military horses, private soldiers, knights, and various information.

In some ways, the position is not much different from that of a secret royal inspector in the Joseon Dynasty [Korean kingdom from 1392-1897].

The decisive difference is that, unlike Joseon, which is a centralized system, it is only effective in the royal direct territories here.

Well, that’s good enough.

“Why are you suddenly wearing so many rings again?”

Ruth’s eyebrows furrowed strangely at the sight of the rings filling all her fingers except her thumb.

“Is it cool?”

“What wind has blown into you? Oh my, did you even put on earrings and a necklace? You were someone who rarely cared about dressing up……”

I laughed lightly at Ruth’s words as she looked at the flashy accessories hanging on my ears and neck.

“Never mind, more than that, Ruth.”

“Yes.”

“When is your return?”

“As the matter that the Young Master experienced is a matter of concern, the Lord told me to return as soon as possible.”

“Is that so?”

I wouldn’t mind staying in Capital a little longer, but the situation is what it is.

Let’s go back for now.

And I have to negotiate with the Count. An unknown group has begun to target me.

This means that there is no more time to spend leisurely.

The planned schedule had to be brought forward a little earlier than expected.

“Call Princess Bashrun. I have something important to share regarding the future schedule.”

“I understand.”

Ruth turned around and left, and a little later, Pleta came with Ruth.

“You were looking for me.”

At Pleta’s words, I nodded and gestured to Ruth.

As expected of the quick-witted Ruth, she quietly slipped out and closed the door.

In the quiet room, I spoke first.

“I’m thinking of returning to the territory.”

“Of course. There is no time to leisurely tour Capital.”

“Did the Duchy send an escort?”

“Yes. While we’re on the subject, I have a request.”

“To escort you to the rendezvous point?”

“Waiting here is a waste of time.”

“There’s no reason not to.”

“I appreciate your kindness.”

“Anyway, what are you going to do in the future?”

She realized that I meant the forces that targeted her and me, and she fell into thought for a moment.

“There’s nothing I can do right now because there is no information.”

“It’s probably not the work of the Rodokius family.”

“They may be arrogant, but they are not war maniacs.”

“So, I have something I want to suggest.”

“What do you mean?”

“After all, we now have a common enemy, don’t we?”

“That’s true.”

“Let’s each look for them.”

“You didn’t call me just to say let’s work hard together.”

“Information sharing, close cooperation.”

“Are you suggesting we cooperate?”

“Yes.”

“I have no reason to refuse.”

“So, the first thing I want to ask for.”

“From me?”

“To be exact, to the Duchy.”

“If it’s within my authority.”

“Let me get straight to the point. I want to go into the Great Forest.”

The Great Forest.

A forbidden area inhabited by the alien race called Elves and under the control of the Duchy.

When I mentioned that place, Pleta’s face hardened.

* * *

When the appointed time came, I headed to the royal castle.

Several people were waiting for me there: Marquis Halin Irfe and the knights.

Judging from the emblems, the knights seemed to belong to the Capital Knights. They were standing still with their eyes slightly raised, giving off the feeling of looking at mannequins.

Passing by them, I stood facing the Marquis and bowed my head with a polite gesture.

“Nice to meet you. I am Cain Lindayer, the third son of the Lindayer County family.”

Although we had a close conversation last night, I acted as if I was seeing him for the first time.

At that, a faint smile appeared on the Marquis’s lips. I don’t know for sure, but he must have liked my thorough attitude.

“Then let’s go.”

The Marquis took the lead, and I followed him.

Every time we walked down the long corridor, the servants we encountered stopped moving, stepped aside to the left and right, and bowed their heads.

As we walked like that, I broke the silence first.

“How much time is allowed?”

“Probably until sunset. The Book of Knights is located deep inside the royal castle, and that place does not allow any outsiders the moment His Majesty the King enters his bedchamber.”

I didn’t expect it, but it might be a bit tight.

“Am I also an outsider?”

“Of course. Don’t feel disappointed. That goes for me too.”

Even the Head of the Royal Court cannot be in the royal palace late at night. I was speechless at the thoroughness.

“I understand.”

After that, what awaited me were numerous procedures. Every door we encountered had a procedure to check our identity after being stopped by light cavalry.

The higher we went, the worse the situation became. At some point, it was not guards but Brilliance Knights who were standing guard.

“Head of the Royal Court and Third Son Cain Lindayer. Identity confirmed.”

The door opened at the permission of the knight with sharp eyes.

‘Whew.’

I set foot in the center of the royal palace, a place for only one family in the world.

“From here, I will guide you.”

And a familiar face, Jescal Highclans, who had come out to greet us, began to guide me and the Marquis.

Saying it’s guidance is no different from surveillance. I think he might stare at me silently even if I go to the bathroom.

Fortunately, the only person allowed to enter the Emperor’s office is me.

“This is the place.”

The Emperor’s study was neither dazzling nor huge.

In front of the plain-looking door that would normally be in any house, I looked at the Marquis.

“Is this the place?”

“The first people who see it all say the same thing as you. Well, when you say the Emperor’s study, you usually think of a huge library. The current palace is a series of expansions and expansions. In the beginning, it was small and cramped. This is where the Great Emperor used to write back then.”

Clearly, the appearance is ordinary. However, I could feel the subtle mana surrounding the outside.

All kinds of protective magic must be in place to prepare for any unforeseen events.

I could feel intense mana fluctuations from within. Ordinary people may not feel it, but I can.

Thanks to that, I was relieved.

The Marquis turned his head and looked at Jescal.

“How much time is allowed?”

“Until sunset.”

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes. I remembered.”

“Then I’ll be on my way first.”

“Please take care.”

The Marquis gave me a light wink at my farewell and left the palace.

Jescal, who had been watching his back, turned his gaze to me.

“The bell will ring once at noon and once in the evening. It will ring repeatedly ten times, so you will be able to distinguish it. Other bell sounds are used for other purposes, so you don’t have to pay attention to them.”

“I understand.”

“The moment the evening bell ends, you will be given a grace period of ten minutes. You can finish your work within that time and come out quickly.”

“What happens if I exceed that time?”

“I will open the door and subdue you. After that, it will be judged that you infiltrated the royal palace with impure intentions, and you will be hanged, and then your family will pay the price.”

It’s brutal.

“Will you be guarding in front of me?”

“Yes.”

“I understand.”

As I nodded, Jescal took a small breath and took out a small glass bottle from his pocket.

Then, he opened the stopper and poured the red liquid inside onto the crystal attached to the doorknob.

I don’t know for sure, but it must be the king’s blood.

It is a definite security system with no way to sneak in.

The crystal containing the blood shone brightly for a moment.

Clang!

Soon, the sound of the lock being released echoed.

“Let’s go in.”

I had been searched dozens of times while coming here. Perhaps that’s why Jescal opened the door without saying anything, and I entered the study.

Thud.

The door closed. Now that I was free from the eyes of others, I quietly looked around the study.

‘It’s really simple.’

It was literally a study, the kind that would naturally be in any house.

However, the 배치된 [arranged] furniture and books felt an unknown antiquity, as if they were objects with a long history.

‘I don’t have much time.’

After that, I quickly scanned the bookshelves to find the Great Emperor’s legacy, which was the fundamental reason for targeting Capital.

Like that, tens of minutes passed.

‘Found it.’

On a bookshelf in a corner, I found the books I was aiming for.

There was no grand title. Also, the material was cheap and far from luxurious.

However, the content contained therein is by no means light.

Training Log (修鍊錄) [Shūliàn lù – a record of cultivation].

The Great Emperor, who liked writing unlike a martial artist, wrote down his experiences every day while training without fail.

After that, it remained as the kingdom’s spiritual asset, but I have the technology to convert other people’s experiences into actual abilities.

In other words, it’s like a bonanza.

That doesn’t mean I’m going to make the Great Emperor my avatar. That’s too risky.

The avatar of Bain Lindayer can be glossed over because I myself am the direct line of the Lindayer family.

But what about the Great Emperor’s?

They remain solely the property of the royal family. To learn them without royal blood, you have no choice but to become the ‘Ten Guardian Knights’ who have devoted their bodies and minds.

In that situation, what if I learn them and show them off? I would face a tremendous backlash. I might be captured as a traitor and interrogated.

It means it’s too early to do it now, let alone later.

‘So.’

That doesn’t mean I can give up entirely.

If it’s something that shouldn’t be shown, then I can learn what can’t be seen.

Tak!

Swordsmanship, spear technique, fist technique, horsemanship, etc…… I pulled out one of the countless training logs.

It is a record of the Great Emperor’s experiences with mana cultivation.

In fact, it is the most notable book since the technique of drawing out abilities with the power of nightmares was created ten years later.

Swordsmanship has been continuously passed down through the people around the Great Emperor, but the mana cultivation method was lost after the Great Emperor’s death.

“Hoo.”

I briefly scanned the book. After that, I took a breath after confirming that it was what I was looking for.

‘Shall we begin?’

Deureuk……. [Sound of chair being pulled]

I pulled out a chair, sat at the desk, put the book on it, and spread out my hands.

I took off all the rings on my hands.

When I took off my earrings and even my necklace and put them on the desk, the amount was not small.

‘Excuses like lunch boxes won’t work here.’

It is a last resort to bring in mana stones.

After taking off the mana stones attached to the accessories like jewels one by one and gathering them in one place, I finally took out a very small glass bottle that I had kept inside the pendant.

It was the essence of the Nightmare.

‘Lastly.’

I took out even the sleeping grass that I had flattened and hidden in my arms and took a stance.

‘Finally.’

The legacy that the Great Emperor left to the world.

Excitement consumed my body at the thought of seizing it.