How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 103

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Chapter 103

Ruth came to me early in the morning as I was packing to leave for Sky Fortress.

Ruth seemed to have finished preparing to leave for the South as well, and he had a bright smile on his face as he looked at me, seemingly excited.

“Young Master.”

“What.”

“You know that guy, Rias or Rihas or whatever.”

“Rihas.”

“Yes, Rihas. Anyway, do you know what that guy did at the Knights last night?”

“What did he do?”

“He made a big splash at the welcoming ceremony for the new recruits.”

“Ah, was last night the welcoming ceremony?”

The welcoming ceremony of the Wind Knights was no different from any other. They just get them drunk and make them show their ugly sides.

I skipped it because of my status and because I had a lot to prepare, but Rihas didn’t have the background to pull that off, so he must have been tormented.

“So what did he do?”

“When everyone was drunk, the Vice-Commander asked a question.”

“The Vice-Commander?”

Unlike Gilaine, Vice-Commander Beylne Barangka couldn’t resist alcohol.

He must have been leading the atmosphere of the drinking party.

“What mischievous question did he ask?”

“What would you do if the same thing happened in the Lindaier family as it did back then?”

I couldn’t believe it.

“What is that, some childish prank? The Vice-Commander must have been really drunk.”

“Well, yeah. Everyone was so drunk they couldn’t even stand properly.”

“So what did Rihas answer?”

As if holding an important secret, Ruth leaned in slightly and opened his mouth slightly.

“He said that even if it was Count Lindaier, he would still cut off his head. He said it clearly without changing his expression, and I think he’s the most passionate guy I’ve seen lately.”

“He’s got a lot of guts.”

“The moment he said that, the atmosphere was something else… Everyone’s drunkenness disappeared and they glared at him with fierce eyes.”

“That’s understandable. Where would the Wind Knights’ loyalty to the Count go?”

“But what’s even funnier is that he didn’t flinch at all, and he kept glaring at everyone.”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I imagined the scene.

“So where is Rihas now?”

“He must be groaning and getting ready because of all the alcohol he drank.”

“They should have given him just enough to drink.”

I shrugged and handed Ruth a pouch.

“What is this?”

“Use it for expenses.”

When Ruth carefully opened the pouch, the golden light of gold coins poured out.

“This much?”

“You have to make sure you eat and sleep well while you’re rolling around. Don’t be stingy and use it.”

“I won’t refuse!”

“And this.”

This time, I handed him a piece of paper with various things written on it overnight.

“These are the things you have to do. Complete them without missing anything and then send me a letter.”

“I understand.”

Ruth, who had tucked it into his arms as if receiving something precious, smiled.

“We’ll be apart again for a while.”

“It’s not like it’s the first time.”

“I understand. Then, Young Master.”

Ruth straightened his clothes and bowed to me.

“You must be careful.”

“Ruth, you too.”

After a brief greeting, Ruth turned and left, and I hurried to prepare, trying to hide my mixed feelings.

Noon on the same day.

After a simple lunch, I set off for the Sky Fortress.

The members were simple. In fact, it was just Rihas and me.

If I had visited the Sky Fortress as the Third Son, not as a knight in training, the story would have been different. There would have been a comfortable carriage, an appropriate number of guards, and servants to take care of my needs.

But now I am a member of the Wind Knights who is leaving for training to acquire the proper qualifications. That’s what it is in name.

“Shall we go?”

At Rihas’s words, I nodded and started the horse.

Rihas, who followed me, gave an awkward smile with a pale face.

“The weather is nice. I feel good because it seems like a good day to go on a knight’s training.”

“Don’t lie. I can smell the alcohol from here every time you talk.”

“Oh, can you smell it?”

“It smells like my nose is going to fall off.”

“Cough!”

I shook my head at Rihas, who was hurriedly covering his mouth, and unfolded the map.

“There’s a village a day away. Let’s get a carriage there if we can and load up on food.”

Rihas’s eyes widened at my words.

“Are we allowed to enjoy such luxury while on training?”

“Normally, we wouldn’t be.”

“Yes?”

“Normally, we wouldn’t be, but I am.”

“What does that mean…”

The Count gave me the title of knight training to give me a handicap to compete with Dane in the first place.

Therefore, there was no need to make Rihas train as well. Strictly speaking, he didn’t do anything that wrong. But the reason why he sent Rihas with me was probably because he needed someone to serve as my attendant.

‘In the first place, the talk about knight training is just a word game.’

If I really lacked the qualities of a knight, the Count would not have accepted me in the first place.

He’s that fond of the Wind Knights.

“Still, I feel good to find a new home like this.”

Rihas took out the insignia from his arms and admired it, shining it in the sunlight.

The insignia proving that he was a member of the Wind Knights was made of platinum, with a gray falcon engraved in the center.

Of course, I received the same thing. It’s probably buried deep in my bag right now.

“Are you happy?”

“Yes, I’m happy. I’m even happier to be able to join the Knights and be with the Third Young Master.”

That’s a serious case.

No, should I suspect his sexual orientation? He doesn’t have feelings for me, does he?

A chill ran down my spine for a moment, and I changed the subject.

“By the way, how is the North? The climate must be a bit different from the Capital.”

“Yes. I didn’t adapt well at first. The weather is chilly, the land is barren… Ah! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to speak ill of it.”

“It’s okay. It’s true. There’s always a cold wind blowing, and the land is not fertile. Monsters come down and wreak havoc all the time, and there are more cold days than warm days.”

“…Yes.”

“But it’s not all bad. If I were to talk about the advantages of the North… um, uh…”

I can’t think of any advantages when I try to think of them. What good is there, really? Monsters run rampant above, and local clans have to be kept in check below, so there are a lot of politicians.

Still, I reluctantly opened my mouth at Rihas’s eyes, which kept looking for something good.

“People are good.”

“Yes?”

“It’s cold, hard, and barren, so it’s hard to survive unless you help each other. Besides, unlike the inland, the North has a common enemy called monsters. So the atmosphere is very harmonious.”

What kind of advantages are there to say that it’s harmonious because it’s cold and hungry?

Tsk tsk, I clicked my tongue and shrugged.

“Besides, Count Lindaier, who is also my father, knows the hardships of those people well, so he tries to provide as much convenience as possible. I haven’t met many nobles, but there are many nobles in the kingdom who suck the blood of the people and only fatten themselves. Considering that, the Count is definitely close to being a wise ruler.”

“…….”

“In other words, the things you are worried about will never happen.”

Rihas’s eyes wavered for a moment at my words.

He must have realized that I knew all about his past.

“So you do your duty here. As long as the Count is here, no one can oppress or drive you out.”

Rihas, who was about to say something at my words, closed his mouth tightly.

Then he turned his head and started looking at the distant mountains. I couldn’t help but tease him at the sight.

“Hey, are you crying?”

“…….”

* * *

The journey to the Blue Mountains felt long and short.

I bought a carriage and filled it with supplies without holding back. I bought a few more packhorses than necessary to pull the carriage to reduce stamina consumption.

The trip, which didn’t spare money, was generally comfortable.

I took turns with Rihas to play the role of coachman, and I kept gathering mana all day long and pouring it into Ebony, the spirit of darkness.

And the result came a week after heading to the Blue Mountains.

‘What is this?’

A dark aura rose from the hand wearing the ring.

This black aura, which looked like a mirage, began to move around following my chair.

So where can I use this?

I rummaged through my backpack and took out a book. It was a journal about spiritism.

[The power of spirits is endless, and their potential cannot be easily predicted. It depends on the spirit’s ability. The spirit of the earth can create a castle made of earth if there is only land, but it may only be able to create a sandcastle. The spirit of water can bring rainstorms, but it may only be able to make a little dew. The spirit of fire? It can create a hellfire-like crimson flame, but it may only be able to create a small spark. Like this…….]

The power of spirits has no highs and lows. If there is, it is how much the spiritist can handle the potential.

‘The spirit of darkness is…….’

Following the bookmark I had marked in advance, I opened it and found the content I was looking for.

[The abilities of the spirit of darkness are very little known. It is a rare spirit, and its abilities are very abstract compared to spirits with the power of other elements. The most popular abilities are to hide in the dark or to make the dark look as bright as day, which is more of a support tendency. Regardless of its usefulness, it is true that it lacks impact compared to other spirits that turn the ground over, create flames, and cause storms.]

Certainly, Glorian, who was an elder of the elves, handled Ent, a giant tree spirit. Lordain is skilled at creating natural prisons with the spirit of the earth.

[There is also the problem of harmony. For example, if a spiritist handles the power of the spirit of earth and the spirit of fire to the extreme, they will have the power to turn a dormant volcano into an active volcano. However, the spirit of darkness is the reason why its tendency not to harmonize easily with anything creates its rarity.]

‘Wake up a dormant volcano?’

One such spiritist would be better than ten magicians.

I grumbled and took my eyes off the journal and looked at Ebony’s aura, which was floating like a mirage.

‘With my hand.’

As I willed it, the aura permeated my outstretched right hand.

After that, my hand disappeared as much as it was invaded.

To be exact, it’s not that it disappeared, but that the invaded part belonged to the dimension to which the spirit of darkness belongs.

Perhaps because I lacked power, the invaded part was only from my fingertips to my forearms right now. I stretched out my right hand, which had turned black, towards the carriage wall.

Then, strangely enough, the invaded part passed through the inner wall of the carriage and went outside as if passing through water.

‘I can feel it.’

After that, I felt the cold air from outside. I was able to touch the outside of the carriage from inside the carriage.

It’s a crazy ability.

It wasn’t the power to turn over mountains, create flames, and cause storms as described in the journal, but it was at least an ability that could be very useful to me.

‘Where once.’

With that in mind, I decided to touch the back of Rihas’s head, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, but only my fingers were released from the invasion and belonged to the present world, except for the part of my wrist that overlapped with the carriage wall.

Ta-ack!

My flick hit Rihas’s head.

“Oh!”

I quickly maintained the invasion again and retracted my hand into the carriage.

“What, what was that?”

Rihas’s bewildered voice was heard from outside.

‘Good?’

I laughed silently at the sight and pulled out Ebony’s aura again with satisfaction.

This time, I led the aura, which had flowed out again as a dark aura, towards my eyes.

There was no special feeling. I only felt a slight darkening of my vision…….

‘I can see it.’

Soon my vision turned bright.

It wasn’t daytime. It was still dark outside because it was late evening. But I could see everything. I could see the owls hovering in the distant sky and the leaves swaying in the wind.

I immediately got up, opened the door, and went outside.

“Young Master, why did you come out?”

“Just because. Is everything okay?”

“Yes. It’s dark, but I’m still following the road.”

“Really?”

“If all goes as expected, we’ll arrive at the last supply village before midnight.”

“Really. I can see it.”

“Yes? You can see it?”

At my words, Rihas tilted his head and started looking around. But the direction Rihas was looking at was completely wrong.

‘Only I can see it.’

Unlike Rihas, I could see a small village emitting a faint light in the distance.

The distance was about 1km. It was a distance that Rihas could have seen well enough if it had been daytime.