How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 174

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Episode 175

Everything was handled with lightning speed.

I chuckled at Marquis Irfe’s statement that the knighthood ceremony would be held immediately after the hearing.

“Why so fast?”

“Because we need to show them.”

“Show them what, exactly?”

“The citizens need to see that Capital suffered losses in this incident, but didn’t gain anything, right?”

“Because of the black-haired man’s absence.”

“Indeed. Who knew the guy who should have taken responsibility for all this would just disappear like that? The royal family is in quite a predicament because of it.”

Marquis Irfe didn’t say the black-haired man was dead, but that he had disappeared.

Unlike ordinary people, Marquis Irfe knew that the black-haired man possessed an unknown, ominous power.

“So, to overcome this situation, we have no choice but to use you as a card.”

“Excuse me? Use me?”

“People need to see something, to gain comfort and hope. A hero who shone even in that terrible situation, and who will save them from future crises. In this case, you fit that role.”

“Are people children? Needing a hero straight out of a fairy tale.”

“Capital has never been attacked in its long history. This incident itself felt like something out of a fairy tale to the people.”

“Still, a hero? What have I done? It was Count Lindayer who actually defeated the black-haired man, wasn’t it? He’d be more suitable than me.”

“Count Lindayer has Windnest to return to, doesn’t he? He’s an outsider. But you’re about to become a free man.”

*Has the rumor of my independence already spread to Marquis Irfe?* Well, Count Lindayer probably told him first, since we’re in the same boat.

“Moreover, the citizens remember you burning mana and running around on the outskirts of Capital in the early stages of the incident.”

“I didn’t do anything great.”

“If saving lives isn’t a great thing, then what is? Besides, I heard you embraced commoners covered in filth and evacuated them without hesitation.”

“…….”

“A knight named Warren has been spreading your story. I wouldn’t be surprised if every minstrel in Capital is singing the same song about it.”

*So Warren was the culprit.*

I made a tired face, thinking this was going to be a hassle.

“In any case, Count Lindayer played the decisive role.”

“Goodness! Don’t you understand what I’m saying yet?”

The Marquis smiled bitterly and patted my shoulder.

“Count Lindayer is not someone who can be admired in the first place. That’s how Masters are. Do you think the citizens will feel hope when they see Count Lindayer? They’ll feel alienated. They might even think he’s a monster. Compared to him, they’re just powerless ignoramuses; they might feel deprived.”

“…….”

“But you’re different from the Count. You ran around until your feet were sore but ultimately failed to solve the problem, and you even faced death. That’s the same as the citizens of Capital. Like you, everyone used their strength and shed blood. They put out fires and took out farm tools to fight ghouls. But did they all succeed?”

“…….”

“Your current state is the state of the citizens of Capital. If you reappear with a healthy face, what will the citizens think when they see you?”

Marquis Irfe’s intention was clear.

He was going to use me as a card to calm the uneasy public sentiment. Of course, the intention itself was clearly good and pure. And if that’s the case, I have no reason not to play along.

“I’ll become the royal family’s mascot, then.”

“It’s not wrong to say that, since we’re actually working together.”

“I’ll just play along this time.”

“I’ll take that as a thank you.”

“So, what do you want me to do?”

“The knighthood ceremony will be held in the plaza. Of course, as modestly as possible, given the current situation. Afterwards, go around the outskirts, show your face, and comfort the people.”

“Is that all?”

“I couldn’t ask for more.”

Marquis Irfe nodded and smiled bitterly.

* * *

“Therefore, Baron Kain Lindayer’s contribution to quelling this heinous situation and capturing the treacherous culprit is evaluated without a shred of doubt, and in the process, Baron Kain Lindayer’s dedication and courage, regardless of status, perfectly align with the chivalric spirit that the kingdom’s founder, Emperor Belankas, valued. Belantes Aransel [likely a high-ranking royal], having thoroughly reviewed and carefully considered, without a hint of negativity in all the series of processes, hereby proclaims to the entire kingdom the conferral of the title of Honorary Count to commend Baron Kain Lindayer’s achievements.”

Marquis Irfe’s words, which were read aloud instead of the King’s edict, were finished.

Capital’s central plaza was silent.

The reaction was delayed. The crowds gathered in the plaza mulled over the contents of the lengthy edict before belatedly understanding its meaning and cheering.

“Waaaah!”

“Long live Count Kain!”

“He’s a hero!”

The lined-up royal guards raised ceremonial swords to salute me, and the flower petals scattered by the citizens adorned the sky.

In such a situation, there wasn’t much I could do. Just turn around and raise my hand.

A bitter feeling washed over me at the enthusiastic cheers sent by those gathered in the central plaza. Frankly, what I did was half-baked. Besides, I even missed the guy I caught while I was sound asleep.

But I couldn’t afford to blame myself and wallow in sentimentality now. So, I smiled as brightly as possible and waved to the citizens.

As all the procedures were roughly finished, I got on a white horse and slowly began to tour Capital.

The procession, which began in the center of Capital, eventually arrived at its final destination: the outskirts of Capital.

As the area most affected by this incident, its appearance was extremely miserable.

The number of houses with only grotesque frames remaining was beyond counting.

However, apart from that, the streets were quite clean. It had been two months, so it must have been tidied up.

I imagined the previous 모습 [state/scene]. The main streets were full of the corpses of the living and the dead amidst the burned-down ruins.

“……Horrible.”

Marquis Irfe, who was beside me, sighed at my words, which were close to a monologue.

“It’s a shame. If it was just a fire, the damage probably wouldn’t have been this great.”

“That’s right.”

“There’s no end to excuses. It was a festival, ghouls appeared, and all the off-duty guards were gathered at the walls… But what’s the point of saying that now?”

“Still, the center is fine, though.”

“The available manpower was limited. I had to give up one of the two, and that was naturally the outskirts. If you want to criticize me, go ahead.”

“I didn’t mean to. I would have done the same as you, Marquis.”

It was natural that the center of Capital, where nobles and wealthy people were concentrated, should be protected first. I wouldn’t have the right to say anything about that decision because I would have done the same.

But still, seeing the 모습 [state] of the foundations of the powerless and weak turned into ruins made my heart ache.

“Look at those faces.”

Marquis Irfe pointed to the citizens who were waving at my procession.

They were constantly cheering at my 모습 [appearance]. But behind the outward appearance, a small but intense anger was engraved.

“They will never forget that night for the rest of their lives. And that goes for me and His Majesty the King as well.”

“…….”

“Do you know what I mean?”

“I will definitely find the root of all this evil.”

“If you do, I will definitely promise you one thing.”

“What is it?”

“Even if it means kicking that heavy ass, I will somehow give you the Royal Sword. I swear on my honor.”

The Royal Sword.

I nodded at the words meaning the Royal Knights, led by Master Graham.

“I understand. By the way, now that I’ve come this far, there’s a place I’d like to stop by. Can I go for a moment?”

“This is the last stop anyway, so it doesn’t matter. As long as you don’t leave Capital, spend your time as you please.”

“I understand.”

After completing all the tours to the outskirts, I left the procession and began heading deeper into the outskirts.

The destination was Rihas’s house. I was curious about the current 모습 [state] of that place, which was located on the outskirts of the outskirts.

The sun was already setting. The bright yellow sunset behind me cast a shadow over the quiet garden, and behind the garden, I saw a familiar mansion.

*Tak! Tak! Tak!*

In the meantime, I heard a sound like something was being knocked. I wondered what it was, so I urged my horse to run, and I saw familiar figures from behind.

It was a familiar face. Rihas, dressed in clothes with dirt on them, was digging deep into the ground, and Ruth was holding a hammer and knocking on something.

As I was about to rush to them with a happy face, I couldn’t help but stop when I saw the face behind them.

“Alisa, I think the preparations are roughly finished.”

“…….”

Alisa, who was holding her mouth with both hands even at Ilia’s call, was just crying silently.

Rihas’s two younger sisters, who were held in Sella’s arms, were the same.

Sella carefully wiped away the tears flowing down the two children’s small cheeks.

Ilia, who was silently 바라보던 [gazing at] the 모습 [scene], carefully urged again.

“I think we should send him off now.”

“It’s, it’s my fault. It’s all my fault.”

“It’s not Alisa’s fault that your husband died.”

“I should have looked for him first. It’s my fault for making him come all the way here to save us without knowing that I had evacuated. It’s like I killed him. I killed him.”

“Everyone was 경황이 없었습니다 [distracted/disoriented] at that time. It’s not Alisa’s fault.”

“No. He died because of me…….”

Eventually, Alisa collapsed powerlessly, and the two daughters, who had escaped from Sella’s arms, clung to their mother and shed tears together.

“Rihas, I made it all.”

Ruth, 바라보던 [gazing at] the 모습 [scene] with a bitter look, approached Rihas with the finished tombstone.

“I’m almost done, too. I think this depth is enough.”

“You worked hard.”

“No. I found the body after giving up after two months, so it’s not hard work. Rather, I’m lucky. I’m so glad I can send it to you like this, even if it’s late.”

“Ilia and I are very wrong. I didn’t even think about your father while evacuating Alisa back then.”

“Not at all!”

Rihas shouted loudly and shook his head.

“If it weren’t for you two, my mother and younger sisters wouldn’t be here now. Never say that. This is no one’s fault. But if someone has to take responsibility, it’s only the guy who caused this.”

“……It’s a shame. The guy who should be held responsible has disappeared.”

“We can just catch him again.”

“Yes. The young master also thinks so. And Ilia and I will do our best to help, so it will be fine.”

Ruth and Rihas, who had comforted each other in that way, soon lifted the coffin together and placed it in the pit.

I couldn’t help but step forward as I 바라보던 [gazed at] the two men silently covering the coffin with dirt and the women crying.

Rihas was right.

What would comfort this terrible and unfortunate event even a little was not me, who was uselessly acting like a hero and roaming around Capital, but the life of that damn black-haired man.

Other than that, no matter what I brought into the world, it wouldn’t be comforting. It was an obvious fact.

*There’s one more reason why I have to catch him and kill him.*’

I turned my horse around with a bitter feeling, firmly determined in my heart.

Then, under the now completely darkened night sky of Capital, I slowly began to retrace the path I had come.