How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 154

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Chapter 155

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The atmosphere of the Red Castle was unchanged—still imposing, but not unpleasantly so. That was the overall feeling.

After being assigned a room, I took a shower and ate a meal. Then, as if sensing my arrival, Redran summoned me.

Judging by the atmosphere, it didn’t seem to be an official meeting. Was it because he hadn’t yet received my answer?

Well, if I were to declare my opposition to Redran in an official setting, it would create quite a headache for him.

‘How long has it been?’

Had it been about two months since I first arrived at the Red Castle?

I wondered if Redran’s feelings had changed during that time. Maybe he had given up on the war and altered his plans.

‘Of course, that’s unlikely.’

I chuckled and fastened the last button of my coat before leaving the room.

“I will guide you, Baron.”

The maid standing outside the door bowed her head and began to walk ahead.

Following her, I soon saw a familiar sight: the private office where I had once learned the secret of the crest from Redran.

Seeing me arrive, Redran’s knight turned and knocked on the door.

“Baron Cain Lindayer has arrived.”

“Come in.”

A familiar voice came from inside.

Feeling a bit nervous, I opened the door and stepped inside.

“Oh, how long has it been?”

His eyes seemingly closed, with the corners of his lips turned up in a perpetual smile.

It was Redran, as ever.

“About two months?”

“Already! Time flies. Why don’t you sit down?”

Redran, welcoming me with exaggeratedly open arms, gestured toward the sofa.

As I slowly walked over and sat down, Redran took out a luxurious liquor bottle and two glasses from the cabinet.

“What have you been doing all this time? Didn’t you say you’d only be gone for fifteen days? I thought you’d be back soon, but you disappeared without a word, so I was worried.”

“Worried?”

“Yes. There are many barbaric fellows in the Northeast.”

Redran shrugged as he poured liquor into the glasses.

The Northeast…

He subtly revealed that he knew my destination.

How cunning. Even while acting gentle, he wants to seize the initiative.

“It was my first time in the East, so I did some sightseeing. You recommended it, didn’t you?”

“Did I?”

“You did.”

“I see!”

Redran laughed heartily and held out a glass. As I accepted it, he extended his glass, and we lightly clinked them together in a toast.

“So, what are your impressions of the sightseeing?”

“There wasn’t much to see.”

“Right? I think so too. It’s a bland and boring land. That’s why I feel the need to change it even more.”

“Are you planning to create a tourist attraction?”

“That wouldn’t be bad either! Just look at the nobles who go all the way to the distant South for vacation. What a waste of money! The nearby East is right next door.”

Redran shrugged after downing his drink in one gulp.

“But development can only happen when the area is stable, right? Who would come to visit a place where everyone pulls out a knife at the slightest disagreement?”

Redran sighed as if complaining.

“There are too many things to clear away. Honestly, you must have felt it this time too, right?”

“Felt what?”

“The difference between my territory and other places.”

Certainly, Redran’s territory is well-developed, comparable to the thriving territories in the Central region.

On the other hand, the other territories in the East are as Redran says: fierce and barbaric.

But that doesn’t make conquest a justifiable reason, especially in the current complex political situation.

“So, let’s get down to business.”

Redran leaned back into the sofa and smiled at me.

“What are you planning to do, Cain Lindayer?”

He deliberately added my last name to his question, a clear indication that he was asking not me, but the will of Lindayer [the family name, representing their influence and stance].

He’s surprisingly direct.

Well, my answer is already decided.

Lindayer has the power to stop Basarac. But to do so, we would have to shed a lot of blood.

Then the answer is obvious.

In the face of the Second Race War, we should avoid unnecessary loss of power as much as possible.

So, Lindayer will not fight.

Especially if it’s a war that only ends when one side dies.

“Lindayer will…”

Redran’s lips twitched. He must be nervous, waiting for my next words.

“Not intervene.”

Redran nodded slightly at the revealed conclusion.

“Why?”

“As you said, there’s more to lose than to gain by fighting.”

“Does that mean you acknowledge Basarac’s power?”

“If you really want to hear it, I can’t refuse. Yes, Basarac is stronger than I thought. So, I decided it’s better not to fight.”

“So?”

“Even if you start a war, Lindayer won’t particularly intervene. Of course, we’ll issue a statement of condemnation on the surface. It’s our position, after all.”

At my words, Redran showed a rare satisfied expression.

Indeed, the recognition of Lindayer, a prestigious family, must sound sweet to him, who has always been somewhat disregarded for his lack of legitimacy.

But remember: blinded by that sweetness, you will eventually fall.

“You’ve made the right choice. We will be good partners. We can do many things together in the future.”

“Partners?”

“Yes, partners.”

Redran was subtly placing Basarac and Lindayer on the same level.

It was a somewhat overstepping action, but I just chuckled.

Because I pitied him. His pathetic dreaming reached me. Perhaps his mind is filled with a bright future.

But that’s just a pipe dream, and his end is already determined.

“Good. Let’s talk about the details now.”

*Snap!*

Redran snapped his fingers. Then, the door opened, and maids began to bring in all sorts of delicacies.

“A good time should be accompanied by good liquor.”

Redran smiled as he looked at the setting table. He seemed quite pleased that things were going his way.

“Now, shall we hear what you have to say?”

“Hear what?”

“Don’t play innocent. You’re not going to listen to my demands for nothing, are you? What do you want?”

Yes, I do like that honesty of his, at least.

Anyway, what I wanted was simple.

“Ships.”

“Ships?”

“Yes. Specifically, ships.”

Something that I needed and could also become Redran’s Achilles’ heel.

“By ships, you mean merchant ships, right?”

“Yes.”

“I think I said I’d lend them to you.”

“No. I’m not asking to borrow them; I’m asking for them.”

“Asking for them?”

“Yes. In exchange for Lindayer not intervening, hand over your merchant fleet.”

At my request, Redran’s face slowly contorted.

It’s understandable. For Redran, the merchant fleet is a goose that lays golden eggs [a valuable asset]. Asking for such a goose would naturally elicit that kind of reaction.

“My fleet?”

“Yes.”

“How about compensating with gold coins?”

“Redran, do you think Lindayer is some mercenary that can be swayed with a few gold coins?”

“…”

“Think about what you want to gain and pay the corresponding price. You said we’d be good partners, right?”

What he wants to gain.

Redran, reminded of the East, eventually shut his mouth.

He’s probably calculating fiercely in his head, weighing the benefits of taking the East against giving up the merchant fleet.

Of course, the result is obvious. The benefits of seizing the East are endless. No one but a fool would give it up.

But that’s only if Redran succeeds in swallowing the East.

What if Redran fails in his conquest?

‘All that’s left is ruin.’

It is said that the conditions for a prestigious family are swords and gold [military strength and economic power].

In such a situation, what would be the fate of Basarac, whose knights have been broken and whose merchant fleet has been lost?

It would be miserable. Post-war recovery? Perhaps even ten years wouldn’t be enough. Of course, the Second Race War would break out before that.

‘Then Redran is finished there.’

In the novel’s flow, Redran plays the role of raising an army and causing great chaos, taking advantage of the Race War.

This is an opportunity to depose such a thorn in my side early on. There’s no reason to refuse.

Besides, if he’s weakened enough, I might be able to coax him and use him as a pawn in the future.

He’s ambitious enough to bow his head for the sake of recovery.

“…So Lindayer is Lindayer after all? The price is quite high.”

Redran sighed and grumbled, as if he had come to a conclusion.

“Are you accepting?”

“The merchant fleet… It stings quite a bit, but I can just rebuild it. But such an opportunity doesn’t come often.”

He’s planning to rebuild the fleet with the foundation gained by swallowing the East.

But keep dreaming, you bastard. That will never happen, even if you die and come back to life.

Of course, Redran, unaware of my thoughts, nodded readily.

“Good. I accept. As long as you put what you said earlier in writing.”

“In writing?”

“A certificate proving the non-aggression pact between Lindayer and Basarac. I don’t need anything else.”

Redran didn’t make any excessive demands, considering that the other party was the prestigious Lindayer family.

“Of course, the certificate must have the Lindayer Count’s seal on it. Is that possible?”

“Of course.”

“Then can I hand over the fleet as soon as the certificate arrives?”

“No. I need the ships right away, so I’ll take ownership later and borrow them for now.”

“You’re meticulous! Understood.”

“Good. Then is the deal made?”

“Yes. The deal is made.”

The deal is done.

Now, all that’s left is to persuade the Lindayer Count?

Hmm, considering the Count’s staunch royalist nature, it won’t be easy.

But eventually, the Count will understand when he sees the reality of Redran’s power. Numbers don’t lie.

Besides, if I tell him a little about my plan, there will be even less reason to fight.

“So, are you leaving now?”

I nodded at Redran’s question.

“I should. I’ve enjoyed enough rest. I’m planning to leave as soon as it’s light tomorrow.”

Though it wasn’t much of a rest.

I was putting a grape in my mouth, thinking that.

“That will be difficult. There’s still something you need to take care of.”

“Something to take care of?”

“Yes. A problem arose while you were away. It’s about your knight.”

“My knight…?”

“Yes. Knight Ruth Meyer.”

A problem with Ruth?

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, it’s better to hear it directly from him, don’t you think? He’s currently imprisoned in the Red Castle.”

Red Castle? Imprisoned?

For a moment, I wondered if I had misheard.

“Imprisoned here?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“Because it was before I heard your answer.”

Redran gave a bitter smile.

And because it was clear what that smile meant, I couldn’t stay still.

“What would you have done if Lindayer had said it would stand against Basarac?”

“Then… Sir Ruth would have become an enemy, so there would have been no choice.”

I sighed softly at Redran’s words that he would have killed Ruth if I had opposed him.

“Redran.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m going to check something from now on.”

“Check? What?”

“The basis for imprisoning my knight and the process involved.”

“You make it sound like we forcibly dragged him in and locked him up.”

“I hope that’s not the case.”

At my serious reaction, Redran belatedly erased his playfulness and held out his hand.

“I think there’s some misunderstanding, so calm down. No matter how reckless I am, I wouldn’t cross that line. You’ll understand if you know the circumstances.”

“That’s something I’ll find out after checking.”

I got up from the sofa, immediately opened the door, and gestured to the knight standing outside.

“Escort me to Ruth.”

“…”

At my words, the knight glanced at Redran inside the office.

“Escort him. You must treat him with respect.”

“Understood.”

With permission given, the knight began to walk ahead, and I slowly followed behind him.