How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 139

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Chapter 140

Chapter 38: Behind-the-Scenes Maneuvering

This region, known as the Land of Savages, along with the eastern and southern archipelagos, has been a battleground where countless factions have vied for dominance since ancient times.

Redran declared his intention to unify this chaotic land, vowing to crush anyone who stood in his way.

Where did that arrogant confidence come from? I needed to understand its source.

So, I traveled extensively throughout the eastern region, and after a week, I began to form some conclusions.

The last place I visited was the northeast.

The northeast serves as a crucial midpoint connecting the Basarak Territory and the Lindayer Territory. Any conflict between the two families would inevitably ignite here, making it a potential powder keg.

Given its strategic importance, I planned a thorough investigation, taking my time to observe the situation.

I suspected that the prevailing trends here would significantly influence any future war.

As evening approached, after a preliminary survey, I returned to the city I had established as my base, where an unexpected face awaited me.

It was Illia.

Still impeccably composed, yet radiating the aura of a honed blade, she bowed deeply.

“I greet you, Young Master.”

“Wow, I didn’t expect this.”

“Is that so?”

“I was feeling worn out from traveling alone, so this is a welcome surprise.”

Overjoyed, I instinctively reached out for a hug, but quickly corrected myself and offered a handshake instead.

Illia mirrored my initial gesture, then swiftly switched to a handshake.

…This isn’t some kind of awkward comedy sketch, is it? What am I doing?

I awkwardly pumped Illia’s hand up and down, my expression strained.

Ugh, is there a hole I can crawl into?

“Ahem, it’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Yes. How about you, Young Master…?”

“I’ve been good. What about your lodging?”

“I’ve settled in at the inn you mentioned in your letter.”

“Really? Good job. Let’s head there right away. My butt feels like it’s going to fall off from riding the horse so much.”

At my lighthearted joke, Illia offered a quiet smile and fell into step beside me, matching my pace.

Then, Illia glanced around and tilted her head.

“But did you come alone?”

“Yeah.”

“Where is Ruth?”

“Ah, she’s a bit busy with the homework I gave her, so she’s staying elsewhere.”

“Homework, you say?”

“Yeah. You’ve received it before, too.”

“Me? Perhaps…”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

The power to summon the authority of forgotten heroes.

At those words, Illia nodded.

“You’re going to have a hard time.”

“Really? Was it that difficult?”

“It’s a bit of an understatement to simply call it homework.”

“Well, Ruth seemed to be enjoying it to death.”

“Enjoying it to death, you say?”

“She was bleeding from her nose due to the strain on her body, but seeing her enjoy it made me feel like I was watching a pervert.”

“…She might be a pervert.”

I barely suppressed the laughter that bubbled up at Illia’s serious expression.

Sorry, Ruth.

“More than that, you arrived earlier than I expected. I thought you wouldn’t be able to come at all, or that it would take a few more days even if you did.”

Illia had gone to Bashurno with Fleta.

So, I had contacted her expecting a late arrival, but she had arrived sooner than anticipated, perhaps because she was closer than I thought.

“Actually, I was planning to go to Bashurno with the Princess, but… after a few days, I changed my mind and immediately came after you, Young Master.”

“Really? Why?”

“The person I serve is not Princess Bashurn, but you, Young Master.”

“Suddenly a confession? Sorry, but I’m not ready yet…”

“That’s not it!”

“Or not.”

“I just felt like I was neglecting my primary duty too much.”

“This is touching? I feel like I’m going to cry.”

I shrugged at Illia’s glare.

“Just kidding.”

“Well, that’s not the main reason.”

“Huh? Then there’s another reason? As I said before, I’m not ready yet…”

“…Please stop. Anyway, someone came to the Duchy of Bashurn looking for you, Young Master. I decided to guide him as well.”

“Hmm? Someone came to find me?”

“Yes.”

“Who is it?”

“You’ll know when you meet him.”

Perhaps we had already reached our destination, as Illia gestured towards a building that resembled an inn.

“See for yourself.”

At Illia’s prompting, I turned my head and saw a young man standing at the entrance.

Brown curly hair and smiling eyes. Even the familiar gesture of stroking the scabbard at his waist.

It was a face I remembered.

“Rihas?”

“It’s nice to see you, Young Master.”

Rihas Rody.

The guy who passed the knight exam with me and went to the Sky Fortress for knight training together.

I hadn’t seen him since we parted ways after our assignment there concluded.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“It’s been over three months since we returned from the Sky Fortress, so this is the first time.”

“Good to see you.”

“I’m also happy to see you again.”

When I extended my hand, Rihas eagerly grasped it with both of his.

He’s still as easygoing as ever. So much happened at the Sky Fortress that I didn’t get to spend much time with him, but it’s nice to see him like this.

But why did he come looking for me?

“But why are you coming out of here?”

“Let’s unpack first and talk at our leisure.”

* * *

After washing up in warm water and emerging feeling refreshed, delicious food and drinks awaited me.

Yeah, this is the kind of reward that makes all the wandering worthwhile.

As I smacked my lips and settled into a chair, Rihas promptly handed me a glass of beer.

After some small talk about our recent activities, I steered the conversation towards the purpose of his visit.

“…So, my father sent you to assist me?”

“Yes.”

“And the reason is because of this year’s Founding Day?”

“Yes.”

Rihas beamed as he answered.

I felt a headache brewing. Had the time already arrived? I had lost track of the annual event amidst my busy schedule. It felt like time was flying by, but I also had some questions.

“Isn’t that something that Dane, my older brother and the official successor, should be attending? I think you’ve got the wrong person?”

“The attendance is indeed for the First Young Master Dane, but aren’t you, Cain, the champion of last year’s tournament?”

“Ah…”

I had forgotten.

The opening match of the tournament is traditionally held by the previous year’s champion, who directly challenges a new contender. In other words, I’m obligated to attend this anniversary.

‘Do I have to go through that clown show again?’

Annoyance welled up, but I had no one to blame. I composed myself and sighed.

“But the Founding Day is held in the summer. There’s still some time left, so why are you urging me already?”

“The Lord hopes that you will once again bring glory to the family in this opening match and in the tournament itself.”

In short, he wants me to win again this time. It’s absurd. Who does he think I am, a propaganda tool? My body is my own.

Well, to be exact, it’s Cain’s, but… I’m currently inhabiting it anyway.

I shrugged and leaned back in my chair, raising my beer glass.

“But isn’t it my prerogative whether or not to attend? I don’t really want to this time…”

“If you say that, the Lord instructed me to give you this.”

“Hmm?”

Rihas handed me a letter.

There was no need to ask who it was from. The wax seal bore the insignia of Count Lindayer.

I tore it open roughly and extracted the contents, a neatly folded letter.

The message inside was simple.

‘When you assumed the role of Lord of the Sky Fortress, you pledged to uphold the name of Lindayer. You also vowed to take responsibility for that name. Are you now going to break that promise?’

That petty old man is resorting to pettiness. Look at how stubbornly he’s clinging to my past words.

“…”

“You will attend, won’t you?”

“You seem to have become quite close to the Lord? How long have you been serving him, and you’ve already become a snitch?”

“A snitch? I am a member of the Wind Knights. The Wind Knights are loyal to the Lord.”

I felt a prickling sensation on the back of my neck at Rihas’s smiling face.

“Still, isn’t it excessive to send a member of the Wind Knights directly for such a trivial matter? Is there nothing else for you to do?”

“It seems the Lord is deeply concerned because he can’t monitor your activities outside the duchy.”

“Why, is he afraid I’ll lose?”

“Rather than that… he was worried that your spearmanship might have grown rusty, so he sent me.”

“You?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“In my humble opinion, I have a proven track record of reaching the semi-finals in the tournament several years ago. I am qualified to serve as a sparring partner to help you hone your spearmanship.”

“You?”

“…Yes.”

Rihas pouted slightly, as if a little offended.

“Ah, I didn’t mean to belittle you, but I apologize if it came across that way.”

“It’s okay.”

“Anyway, I understand. So, all I have to do is attend the Founding Day on time, right?”

“It’s not just a matter of attending or not. Countless skilled warriors will be sharpening their swords, aiming to defeat you in this tournament.”

“So?”

“That means you need to thoroughly learn countermeasures for various spearmanship techniques. Besides, you employ an outdated style with many weaknesses. I can assist you in that regard. I used to be a magic spear instructor.”

To call Hans Rodgun, the renowned God of Magic Spears, outdated…

I need to give him a taste of my fiery skills.

“Okay. Then let’s do this. Let’s go to the Lord’s Castle of Baron Trot, the local lord, tomorrow. Let’s have a magic spear match there. That place will provide a sufficient training environment. It’s also convenient since I wanted to investigate Baron Trot anyway.”

“Yes? A magic spear match?”

“We’ll have a total of ten rounds. If you win even one round, I will completely defer to your judgment.”

“…”

“But if I win all the rounds, you will do whatever I tell you to do until the Founding Day without complaint. Got it?”

“Do you really think I can’t win even one round?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s impossible.”

“We’ll see when we fight.”

“…Okay.”

Good, Slave No. 3 confirmed. Stupid Rihas.

I smiled mockingly at Rihas, who was burning with competitive spirit, oblivious to his impending fate, and took a swig of my beer.

“By the way, what have you been doing, Young Master? In our initial conversation, you mentioned heading to the Capital. But why are you here…?”

Illia, who had been silently observing the exchange between me and Rihas, finally brought up the central question.

Clap!

I clapped my hands to shift the atmosphere, drawing everyone’s attention, and began to speak.

“Okay, let’s get down to business. In any case, many things have transpired, but it would take too long to explain everything now. To put it simply, there are three things I want to accomplish.”

I lightly raised my index finger.

“First, a potential enemy of Lindayer has emerged.”

Enemy of Lindayer.

At those words, Rihas’s eyes, which had been smiling until now, sharpened considerably.

“Who is it?”

“Redran Basarak.”

“Redran, are you referring to the young lord of the East?”

“You know him?”

“Yes. But why is he considered an enemy of Lindayer? He’s well-known in the East, but on the continent…”

I shrugged and retrieved a stack of papers that had been piled on one side of the bedroom, tossing them in front of Rihas.

“These are my firsthand observations from traveling in the East for a week. Read them carefully.”

Illia and Rihas quickly picked up the documents I had compiled and began to read.

Both are experts with military training as knights. They will be able to discern the significance of the data I’ve gathered without further explanation.

After a significant amount of time had passed, and I had finished two glasses of beer, Illia and Rihas wore serious expressions as they turned the last page.

“…”

“Is this accurate?”

I nodded in response to Rihas’s question.

“It’s accurate.”

At my confirmation, Rihas let out a hollow laugh.

“There are many aspects that require further detailed examination due to the comprehensive nature of the data, but if all of this is true…”

“Then?”

“Until now, we have been severely underestimating Basarak. Just the strength of the knight order described here is vastly different from the previously available information.”

“We were careless. The East is the Land of Savages. We thought, ‘How strong could they possibly be, even if those barbaric people increase their power?'”

Illia and Rihas nodded in agreement with my words.

“But why do you consider this Redran a potential enemy…?”

“Here’s the second point.”

I raised my middle finger after my index finger and shrugged.

“Redran is attempting to conquer the entire eastern region.”

Ah, yes.

I wanted this kind of reaction. It’s too unfair to suffer alone. I feel like the indigestion I’ve been experiencing has completely vanished.

Observing the hardening expressions of Rihas and Illia, I happily raised my third ring finger.

“Finally, the third point. We need to devise a plan to screw over that Redran.”

After finishing my statement, I grabbed my beer glass with a satisfied expression and shrugged.

“Simple, right?”