How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 189

Late in the afternoon, as darkness began to creep into the mountains, a metallic clanging echoed from afar.

The source was clear: a group ascending the mountain, clad in crimson. It was the Red Knights, led by Redran.

Ilia, watching from a distant ridge, nodded.

“They’re coming.”

“Yes. They’ll likely spread out to search afterward. Let’s start then.”

Rahenna, who had been standing behind us with a bored expression, glanced at the Red Knights as Ilia and I spoke.

“Are those them?”

“Yes.”

“They exude a fierce aura.”

“An apt description. They’re little more than hunting dogs.”

“Tsk, tsk.”

Meanwhile, Kalandart, standing beside Rahenna, fidgeted and began to bite his nails.

“W-what if they burn down the mountain?”

Kalandart’s anxiety was as palpable as ever. His characteristic mannerisms and gestures stirred a sudden sense of familiarity, and I placed a hand on his shoulder.

“That won’t happen.”

“Y-you never know.”

“You remember our promise.”

“P-promise?”

“This mountain is like a home to you. Remember when we borrowed it, I promised you’d come to no harm?”

Kalandart nodded hesitantly, recalling the promise made during the inscription of the spell.

“I-I remember.”

“That promise will be kept.”

As I finished speaking and began to walk, Ilia fell into step beside me.

“Are you starting?”

Rahenna called out as she saw me leave, and I slowly nodded.

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Rahenna.”

* * *

The leather armor was stained dark red with dried blood. The tattered cloak hung limply, and the unkempt hair was matted and dirty.

Ilia’s appearance was that of a mere straggler. Leaving her alone, I watched the situation unfold from a distance, leaning against a tree.

“Ilia Frost.”

A Red Knight, encountering Ilia, grinned, revealing his teeth.

“You treacherous bitch. I didn’t expect to find you so soon. But no matter. So, where are the rest of the rabble?”

“…….”

“Don’t want to answer? Fine. You were the only target from the start.”

The Red Knight tapped his sword hilt. The clanging sound echoed through the quiet mountain.

“First, be grateful that our lord has placed a value on your paltry life. Surrender now, and I won’t draw my sword.”

Despite the harsh insult, Ilia’s expression remained blank. As if simply doing what needed to be done, she looked around to see if anyone else was present.

“Are you alone?”

The Red Knight’s eyebrows twitched at Ilia’s question.

“Do you think you can win if I am alone?”

“That’s not the issue.”

Ilia shook her head and slowly began to draw her sword.

“If you’re alone, I need to call them.”

“Call them?”

“Yes. I need to call them.”

The Red Knight chuckled at Ilia’s confident words.

“How?”

“You’ll have to call them with your own mouth.”

“With my mouth?”

The Red Knight tilted his head and began to draw his sword.

“Has your long life on the run finally driven you mad?”

“…….”

“Well, no matter. Our lord will forgive me for taking down a crazy bitch, even if it costs me an arm.”

Once a knight draws his sword, the matter can only be settled with blades.

Knowing this, Ilia and the Red Knight silently began to gather mana.

“The Frozen Wraith, huh… Then today, I become a ghost hunter?”

“…….”

The Red Knight moved first. He unleashed his mana and charged at Ilia.

Reaching her, the Red Knight swung his sword upward, scraping the ground.

Clang!

Stone fragments, pulverized by mana, scattered in all directions. Ilia stepped back slightly, avoiding the sweeping blade.

A lock of her hair was singed by the mana, and smoke rose from it.

Ilia blew away the smoke that momentarily obscured her vision and swung her sword.

The fight ended there. Barely dodging the attack, she had gained a favorable position to counter.

Ilia’s sword sliced through the Red Knight’s arm, and the severed limb spun through the air, scattering red blood.

“You…”

The Red Knight, momentarily speechless at the surreal sight, chuckled.

“You’re strong, aren’t you?”

“I never said I was weak.”

“But the fight’s not over yet.”

With those words, the Red Knight’s eyes began to glow red. It was the power of the spell-inscribed mark [a magical crest that grants special abilities] that Redran had obtained.

However, Ilia, unfazed by the sight, calmly spoke.

“I think I said it before.”

Screech…….

At the same time, Ilia’s sword slowly began to wail.

“You’ll be calling your comrades with your own mouth.”

Faint lines were emerging from the stump of the knight’s severed arm.

The lines, resembling hazy heat haze, stretched out and connected to Ilia’s sword. Surprisingly, the red glow in the knight’s eyes began to fade.

“What is this?”

The Red Knight, bewildered, turned to look at Ilia.

“What have you done?”

“What have I done?”

The Ilia who had always hidden her emotions behind a blank face was gone.

All that remained was the figure of a predator facing a delicious meal.

Screech- Screech…….

The white lines, continuing to grow, transformed into chains and firmly bound to Ilia’s sword.

“N-no… What is this?”

The Red Knight’s eyes began to turn milky white.

As if experiencing extreme pain, the Red Knight began to scream.

“Kuaa, Kuaaa!”

As if desperately trying to hold onto something slipping away, the knight frantically covered his shoulder with his good hand.

However, the white chains remained connected to Ilia’s sword, like light passing through water.

“What is it? What is it? What are you doing!”

“Weep.”

“No, don’t! Stop taking it! Stop taking it!”

“Scream louder. So all your comrades can hear you.”

“Kuaaaak!”

Finally, the Red Knight knelt on the ground, his head thrown back as he screamed.

The indescribable, harsh wails pierced the sunset sky.

Wooong! Woooong!

At the same time, the sword in Ilia’s hand began to vibrate. It seemed to writhe with joy, hearing the Red Knight’s screams.

Watching the gruesome scene, I clicked my tongue with a bitter smile.

‘The power of Redran and the Red Knights is also a type of spell-inscribed mark.’

Spells require the power of Qi [life force or spiritual energy], and that power originates from the vessel embodied by the human spirit.

On the other hand, the sword Ilia wields is the demon sword Samael, once used by Aslahina.

Aslahina was known as the Bloodless Swordswoman, but also as the Demon Swordswoman, because the souls of those defeated by her were torn to shreds.

And as with Lordain’s wife, the torn souls were fragmented, with some bound to the demon sword and the rest becoming wandering spirits in the afterlife.

From that, I came up with a hypothesis.

Those struck by the demon sword have their souls shattered and scattered. Then, can a being whose spirit, the source of Qi, is broken still use the power of the mark?

‘The answer is as I expected.’

My hypothesis was proven by the Red Knight before my eyes, which meant the success of the plan with Ilia as the protagonist.

The power of the mark he had been drawing up was long gone. All that remained was a one-armed knight of insignificant skill.

Just then, a group of figures came rushing from afar, having heard the fallen Red Knight’s screams.

“What’s that sound?”

“Who is it! Whose scream is that!”

The five figures who appeared on the scene were also Red Knights.

Clad in crimson armor, they glared at the withered figure of their comrade before them.

“Jake!”

“You fool! You were forbidden from acting alone!”

Clang!

As if drawn by a single hand, they simultaneously drew their swords and glared at Ilia.

“You bitch!”

Beeeeeep-!

Starting with a signal flare shot into the sky, the Red Knights charged at Ilia.

‘Five, huh.’

Even including the dead knight named Jake, that’s six. That meant there were still over twenty Red Knights and Redran left.

So, the finale had to be postponed. And Ilia knew that well, so she conserved her strength as she faced them.

Clang! Clang!

The harsh metallic sounds echoed. Ilia maintained her distance as much as possible, responding defensively.

Nevertheless, she lashed out with her sword whenever she had the chance. Even a small scratch was enough. Once wounded, the person was finished.

“Kugh!”

“Hey! Are you okay?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s just a scratch.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the knight’s words, dismissing the wound on his thigh.

‘How could he be okay?’

Screech…….

As Ilia’s sword wailed, white lines began to stretch from the wounded knight’s thigh.

“What is this?”

The knight’s bewildered words were a testament to the terror of Ilia’s power.

It wasn’t just the neutralization of the mark that was the problem. Even if they were ordinary humans who didn’t use marks, the aftereffects would inevitably come after their souls were damaged.

There was no need to inflict a fatal blow. Just a slight graze was enough. Like being bitten by a viper, their souls would slowly begin to be corrupted.

“You slippery eel!”

Despite being outnumbered, Ilia effortlessly blocked all attacks, and the Red Knights became increasingly anxious.

Of course. Knowing what kind of training Ilia had undergone, it felt like a predetermined course of events.

“Fall back for now. Just maintain the encirclement!”

At one knight’s words, the remaining Red Knights retreated, keeping their distance from Ilia.

But retreating wasn’t the end.

The complexions of the three knights who had been slightly cut became pale, and the unscathed knight asked in a low voice.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. Why am I so tired? My vision is blurry too. Damn it, I think that bitch did something. Is it because of this?”

Of course, not knowing the cause, they could only look warily at the elusive white lines.

“Something’s wrong. Something’s wrong. We’re so exhausted, but she’s fine. What is it?”

The knight who had first been cut on the thigh glared at Ilia with half-glazed eyes, gritting his teeth.

“Could it be that she’s really a ghost?”

“Are you crazy? Is that something a knight should say?”

“But look. Lord Redran clearly said she wasn’t an Expert. But how is she holding out against us like this?”

He was right. Ilia’s expression was perfectly calm. No matter how different their skills were, she hadn’t even broken a sweat despite fighting five knights who wielded mana.

Of course, I knew the reason.

It was the demon sword that absorbed the souls, the source of life. And Ilia was bound to that demon sword.

‘Now, here’s the question.’

Then, where did the power left behind by the souls absorbed by Samael go?