How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 143

Living as the Third Son of a Wasted Family 144

Chapter 39. Necromancer

“Lord, is it really necessary to hide this so thoroughly?”

“It is necessary.”

“When you say it’s necessary…”

“Because I’m afraid.”

Gillein Esteban, commander of the Wind Knights, bit his lip, holding back his retort.

Who stood before him? None other than Count Lindaier, the dominant force in the North and one of the kingdom’s most influential figures.

And this count was admitting fear.

Of whom?

His own son.

“They say worries increase with age.”

In the dim glow of a single candle late at night, Count Lindaier sighed softly.

“That’s because your perspective broadens. You gain experience from living. That’s why you become more calculating as you age. You lack the strength of youth, so you try to control everything to feel secure.”

“……”

“And that applies to me as well.”

“Are you saying…”

“It explains how I’ve maintained this position. Predicting every situation and preparing for all possibilities.”

“……”

“But the very method that protected me for so long has ultimately failed spectacularly.”

“Are you referring to the Third Young Master?”

“That’s right. To be honest, I haven’t been able to predict his actions even once. Of course, I could laugh it off until now. The birth of a new hero… such things happen in unpredictable, dramatic ways.”

The Count paused, taking a sip from his glass.

“But now it’s a little different.”

Gillein belatedly understood why the Count was confiding such things.

He must be referring to the Third Young Master’s actions that ended the recent civil war in Baschrun.

And with that, he could understand the Count’s apprehension.

It’s one thing to subdue an opponent with brute force or superior strategy. People usually call such individuals heroes.

But the Third Young Master’s actions had long surpassed that.

“You’re referring to the incident where the southern mines of Rodkius collapsed.”

“……”

Silence confirmed it.

The Count was explaining that the incident had completely changed his view of Cain.

And Gillein felt the same.

To willingly bet one’s life on something that seems impossible to everyone else…

It made one wonder if he was some supernatural being, far beyond a mere hero.

“Even though I look at him with pride and laugh heartily, my heart is burning black inside.”

“I understand.”

Gillein nodded at the Count’s candid confession.

The name Cain Lindaier was already widely known throughout the kingdom.

Even children in remote villages wanted to play his role when playing soldiers. Young men and women felt excitement and competitiveness towards Cain’s heroic tales, and prominent nobles paid close attention to his actions.

If one’s own son became such a figure, one should be overjoyed, but the Count harbored fear and doubt in his heart.

And that was a natural emotion for someone who had risen to the position of Count Lindaier.

“So… what are you planning to do?”

“I’ll assign a knight to Cain.”

Gillein blinked, wondering if the man before him was the same Count he had always known.

But the reality remained. The Count was openly stating that he would use his knight as a spy.

And that decision would probably shatter the principles he had held for so long.

Sensing the Count’s resolve, Gillein nodded without further questioning.

“…What should I have them investigate?”

Gillein considered the possibilities. What aspects should they focus on? Cain’s purpose? His methods? His intentions?

But the Count’s answer differed from what he expected.

“I need to know who he is.”

*I* need to know *who he is*.

Gillein nodded at the words that encompassed everything, both as a father and as the lord of the North.

“If that’s the case, I have the right person.”

* * *

“Sir Rihas?”

“Yes?”

“Is something wrong? You don’t look well.”

Turning at Ilia’s words, Rihas looked startled.

“No, it’s just that I suddenly feel a little carsick…”

Carsick?

“Carsick, you say?”

Ilia tilted her head, mirroring my own confusion.

For a knight to get carsick while riding a horse? It’s as illogical as a sailor getting seasick.

Rihas seemed to realize his slip-up and quickly waved his hand.

“I think I just have a bit of indigestion from what I ate this morning. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“Is that so?”

As Ilia remained unconvinced, Rihas quickly changed the subject.

“By the way, Sir Ilia.”

“Yes.”

“Do you happen to know where we’re going right now?”

“Well, I’m not entirely sure.”

“Do you have any idea?”

“Yes.”

“…To a mountain where these evil spirits appear, without even knowing the purpose, it’s a bit creepy. Ah, of course, I don’t believe such rumors.”

“So, is there a problem?”

“Ah, it’s nothing like that.”

With that, the conversation ended.

It was a simple exchange without much meaning, and nothing seemed particularly noteworthy. Ilia simply tilted her head, finding it unremarkable.

But it sounded different to me. I could sense the subtle unease emanating from Rihas.

‘Rihas.’

Rihas Rody.

24 years old. Friendly and cheerful personality. Skill level: intermediate mana user. Haunted by a dark past: he killed the lord he served with his own hands.

As Rihas’s profile flashed through my mind, the hypothesis I had been considering from the beginning resurfaced.

‘Is he trustworthy?’

The answer was yes. It was a conclusion I had reached after spending considerable time with him in the Sky Fortress.

His loyalty was unquestionable, and his character was upright. He would be a perfect subordinate.

But the problem lay elsewhere. Rihas’s loyalty wasn’t directed at *me*.

Rihas was currently affiliated with the Wind Knights and served Count Lindaier. In other words, he had no obligation to be loyal to me.

Therefore, Rihas, having fulfilled his original purpose of teaching me the Mana Spear Technique, had no reason to continue following me.

Yet, Rihas readily made a unilateral decision to help me, an action that seemed out of character.

And that’s where my suspicion began.

‘If he has other intentions…’

If Rihas had ulterior motives, the source would likely be Count Lindaier.

Assuming that, for what reason would the Count have assigned Rihas to me?

The answer was obvious.

He must have begun to question my unbelievable actions.

My tail was long; even *I* thought I’d done a lot of ridiculous things.

If that was the case, I understood the reason, but what was the purpose? Was it simply to keep me under surveillance?

‘That level would be reasonable for now.’

Because Rihas was the one who sought me out.

Rihas was a Wind Knight, but not a close confidant of the Count. Meaning he was unlikely to be entrusted with independent missions.

If the Count viewed me negatively and was considering coercive tactics, he would have sent a trusted agent, not Rihas.

‘Surveillance…’

I knew what he was worried about, but I had no intention of revealing my true abilities so easily.

But I couldn’t simply send Rihas back. That risked unnecessarily provoking suspicion, and there was no guarantee the Count wouldn’t resort to other methods.

Besides, I was already struggling with a shortage of manpower since being separated from Ruth.

‘Thinking about it makes me angry again. Stupid Ruth.’

After muttering a curse at Ruth, who was probably off doing something useless, I resumed my train of thought.

I had no intention of letting the Count know everything about me. But I couldn’t send Rihas back either.

Then there was only one answer.

I’d keep him with me for now, but I’d thoroughly exclude him from the core of any incidents.

Of course, it was a risky idea. Rihas might seem easygoing on the surface, but I didn’t know what he was truly like inside.

So, I had to devise a foolproof plan, and the method I came up with was worth trying.

After traveling for a long time, I realized the moment was right and stopped my horse.

“Rihas, Ilia.”

“Yes.”

“It’s getting dark. We have a busy day tomorrow, so let’s rest for today.”

“Understood.”

“Rihas, scout the area. Ilia, gather some food. I’ll set up camp.”

“Understood.”

At my command, Rihas spurred his horse and rode off to scout, while Ilia dismounted to prepare for hunting.

After confirming that Rihas was moving away, I subtly approached Ilia and called her over.

“Ilia.”

“Yes.”

“Rihas is a little suspicious.”

“Yes?”

Ilia’s eyes widened briefly at my words, then narrowed like a snake’s.

“Is he an enemy?”

Seeing her eagerness to cut him down if I confirmed he was an enemy, I waved my hand.

“It’s not that serious. It’s just a guess, but it seems like the Count assigned him to monitor me.”

“Count Lindaier, you mean?”

“Yeah.”

“I can’t believe he would secretly do such a thing…”

Ilia trailed off.

Considering the Count’s reputation, it was hard to believe he would resort to espionage with the Wind Knights.

But the Count was also human. He could abandon his principles if he felt it was necessary.

“Well, I’d like to think so too, but it’s never bad to be careful.”

“Understood. Then what should we do?”

“It’s simple. I’ll control what Rihas sees and hears from now on, so you just have to be a little careful about what you say.”

“Careful about what I say…”

“Why are you asking when you already know? You and I share a lot of secrets, right?”

“……”

When I winked playfully, a look of contempt flashed in Ilia’s eyes for a moment.

Umm, I felt awkward.

“First of all, it’s not good for my inner thoughts to be widely spread, so let’s keep our mouths shut.”

“Isn’t that obvious? Did you think I didn’t know that?”

“Yeah, you’re great. Anyway.”

Looking around slightly, I nodded.

“We’ve dropped the nuisance, so let’s get down to business.”

“Yes? Dropped, you say?”

At Ilia’s question, I tapped the Afien [a magical artifact] I was wearing on my waist.

“Ilia, do you remember when we first met Rahenna?”

“You mean that druid?”

Ilia narrowed her eyes, pondering. She must be recalling her first meeting with Rahenna.

The barrier she had erected in the mountain contained a powerful magical power different from mana.

But Afien’s special ability allowed us to break through the barrier and enter. Of course, in return, Ruth and Ilia were incapacitated by a hellish illusion.

As if the memory had been revived, Ilia asked softly.

“…Could it be that there’s one here too?”

I nodded slightly.

“Yeah. There’s a druid here too. And I’ve come to see that druid on business.”

“Then the rumor that evil spirits are coming out of this mountain must have been caused by the druid.”

“That’s right. And we’re already inside his barrier.”

As I slightly pulled Afien from its scabbard, golden energy flowed out.

Only then did Ilia, realizing the situation, widen her eyes.

“Then Sir Rihas?”

“The direction he went to scout is outside the barrier. Now that he’s separated from me, he won’t be able to come back here.”

“Then…”

Ilia slowly rose to her feet, grabbing her scabbard, and I also surveyed the surrounding forest, which had become eerie as darkness fell.