How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 198

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Episode 199

The atmosphere inside the Red Castle was bleak.

When I had visited this place before, it still had the scent of people living, with employees coming and going, but now it was as silent as if a plague had swept through.

The reason was predictable. It was probably the emotional turmoil that Redran was currently experiencing that had turned the Red Castle into this.

“……”

Knight Busek didn’t utter a single word while guiding me.

Feeling an uncomfortable air about him, I opened my mouth in a casual tone.

“Knight Busek.”

“Do you have something to say?”

“Is the war going well?”

At my question, Busek, who had been walking ahead, stopped. Then, he turned and looked straight at me.

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

“I don’t have the bizarre hobby of asking while knowing.”

“…….”

At my nonchalant answer, Busek turned his body silently. Then, he started walking again, leaving a short remark.

“It would be better for your well-being not to ask such questions to the Lord.”

“Is that a warning?”

“It’s advice.”

“I’ll take it to heart.”

Even if I didn’t know, it was clear that Redran’s condition was unusual.

After walking for quite a while, the room I remembered came into view. It was the room where I had finalized the deal with Redran regarding the trade ship.

“Lord, it’s Busek.”

Busek knocked in front of the door.

No answer was heard from inside. However, Busek slowly opened the door without showing any reaction, as if it were natural.

The inside of the opened door was as dark as pitch, as if not even a single candle had been lit.

Moreover, even from the outside, the pungent smell of alcohol and the smoky smell of tobacco were thickly felt, so I could guess what the internal situation was like without seeing it.

“……”

Busek’s expression, which I glanced at, was dry. It must have been like this for a long time.

Clicking my tongue briefly, I slowly entered the room and activated Dark Vision [a skill that allows the user to see in the dark].

‘It’s a pigsty.’

The inside was exactly as expected.

Alcohol bottles kicking at my feet and stale air that I didn’t know when it had been ventilated.

Feeling those things, I moved my steps and soon found a long sofa and a figure sitting on it with their head bowed.

It was Redran.

At that sight, I felt a moment of pity. At least, Redran in my memory was arrogant, but always confident and full of self-assurance.

“Redran.”

At my call, the head that had been lowered slowly lifted. The face of Redran that I faced was…

‘Is he a wreck?’

I could see dark circles under his eyes as if they had been painted with ink, messy hair, and gaunt cheeks that showed how much he had cut back on food.

The body of a knight who handles mana is strong.

Trivial diseases are rejected from the beginning, and even injuries are naturally healed unless they are fatal.

However, even that steel-like body is ultimately governed by the mind, and the end that a human whose mind has collapsed faces was revealed before my eyes.

“Kain……”

A voice that was so hoarse it seemed to crack leaked out through Redran’s mouth.

“Yes. It’s me.”

“Did you come to kill me?”

Redran gave a faint smile. However, the elegance of the past could not be found in that smile. It just felt like the sigh of a broken human.

“Of course not. I just happened to be passing by.”

“Passing by? What a convenient excuse.”

Reaching out, Redran picked up a bottle of alcohol. Then, without even using a glass, he opened his mouth and began to pour it in greedily.

Of course, half of it flowed down his chin. However, Redran did not wipe away the spilled alcohol and sighed.

“Why don’t you just kill me?”

“If I did that, the knight outside would put a hole in my body.”

“Knight? Outside? Ah, those losers?”

At my words, Redran began to chuckle. That laughter, unlike in the past, was filled with emptiness.

Clicking my tongue briefly at the sight, I brought a chair that was rolling on the floor and sat down at a distance from Redran.

“Losers, you say. That’s harsh for a subordinate knight.”

“If not losers, then what? Heroes who will save me from the abyss? Like the Emperor’s knights?”

“First of all, you’re not the Emperor, so what are you talking about?”

“Right. I’m not the Emperor. That’s right. You’re right.”

Redran chuckled and took another swig from the bottle, exhaling a strong scent. Then, he raised his head and looked straight at me.

“Hey, Kain.”

“What.”

“I thought we had become quite close.”

“We’re not on bad terms.”

“Really? Then can I ask you a few questions?”

“Are you going to ask if I’m the cause of all this?”

“I have no intention of asking such a stupid question. In the first place, there’s no evidence, so you wouldn’t admit it.”

“…Well, if that’s the case. So what are you curious about?”

At my question, Redran took a deep breath. Then, with a bit of the old sharpness, he glared at me.

“Ilia, is that woman even human?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m asking if she’s a demon.”

“…A demon?”

Redran’s hand was trembling slightly. And as if trying to hide that tremor, Redran clasped his hands together and leaned his chin on them.

“A demon, right? And you made a contract with such a demon. Yeah, now that I think about it, it was strange. You’re not a prophet, so how could you have predicted that the Rodkius southern mine would collapse, and how did you reach the Expert level in such a short time?”

“……”

“You made a contract with a demon and received power and information, didn’t you, Kain Lindeyer?”

“What nonsense.”

“If not, then what is it?”

A faint blue aura began to form in Redran’s hollow eyes.

“I don’t know why you think so, but Ilia is human.”

“Are you playing dumb?”

“If you want, you can sprinkle holy water on Ilia after the war is over. I’ll arrange a place for you.”

“Then what did I see that day?”

“What did you see?”

Perhaps recalling the memory of that day at my question, Redran began to tremble even more.

“A demon, I saw a demon. That’s a human? You want me to believe that?”

“That mountain was called the Mountain of Evil Spirits. Didn’t you see something that wasn’t there?”

“Do you think I’d believe such a fairy tale?”

“You can’t believe that, but you easily believe that Ilia is a demon?”

Redran, who was about to get up, slumped back on the sofa at my words.

“That’s……”

Then he raised both hands and covered his face.

“It comes out.”

“Comes out?”

“It flickers even when I close my eyes. It gets worse when night comes. Even if I force myself to sleep while drunk, I’m standing in the middle of that Mountain of Evil Spirits in my dreams. If this isn’t a curse from a demon, then what is it?”

Is he broken?

I felt bitter at the sight of Redran trembling.

Honestly, my purpose was just to lure and defeat the Red Knights. Since he had lost the Knights, Redran’s collapse was a matter of time.

But perhaps the shock was too great, Redran was more broken than I had expected.

“Redran.”

“Why.”

“End the war now.”

“End it?”

“Yes. It’s meaningless to hold on like this. Anyway, defeat was inevitable the moment you lost the Knights.”

“No, the war cannot be stopped.”

“What’s the point of continuing to fight?”

At my question, Redran glared at me with his eyes wide open.

“My Red Knights were created at the cost of my father’s blood.”

At the cost of his father’s blood?

Ah, he’s talking about the previous head of Basarak. The one who experimented with the crest on his body, couldn’t overcome the rampage, and was eventually killed by his own son.

“I lost those guys in an instant. The guys my father created at the cost of his life. In that situation, you want me to surrender with both hands up? Does that even make sense?”

“When did you start blaming your father, calling him a foolish human, and now you’re making that excuse?”

“Then should I have been a naive child crying over my dead father? I inherited Basarak, and I also inherited the responsibility to somehow revive that barbaric family that is envied. Whether I liked it or not, I had a duty to continue refining that person’s legacy!”

“……”

“I condoned the scandal that surrounded my father’s death to create authority through fear. I brainwashed everyone by trampling on my father’s name, saying that I was better, that my method was right. But in the end, I failed to fulfill my duty. In that situation, you want me to surrender and give up the territory as it is? Are you telling me not to raise my head even in hell?”

I closed my mouth at Redran’s roar, which sounded like a beast’s cry. The meaning of surrender that I thought of and the surrender that Redran thought of were different.

But there’s nothing I can do. That’s how war is. Either you lose everything you have, or you seize everything.

“…So you’re sitting here whining and saying you’ll continue the war? Even though most of the nobles under you have either been defeated or are showing signs of surrendering?”

“Even so, it doesn’t matter. I’d rather burn down the Red Castle than hand it over to that damn Flores.”

“Just try to light even a small spark in the Red Castle. I’ll tear you to pieces.”

“Then that would be even better. Why don’t you just do that right now? I’d be happy to die at the hands of Lindeyer, not Flores.”

Is he crazy?

Annoyance surged as I looked at Redran, who was laughing with his arms wide open, and I grabbed him by the collar.

“Stop whining, Redran. Put away the alcohol and pick up the sword. And comfort those who follow you. Then fight the enemy fairly. That’s what you have to do now.”

Even after a burst of scolding, Redran didn’t stop laughing.

I gritted my teeth at the eerie sight and threw Redran back onto the sofa.

“Okay.”

“……”

“I’ll lift that curse.”

“What?”

Redran’s laughter stopped.

“Are you deaf? I said I’ll lift that curse.”

“So that bitch was a demon after all, and you made a contract with a demon?”

“Think what you want.”

“…So it’s true that you can lift the curse?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“I think I just said it. Pick up the sword. And command the army to defend the Red Castle.”

“……”

After that, I turned my body and looked back at Redran one last time before leaving the room.

“I’m telling you to fulfill your duty at least until the end as the lord of the Red Castle and as a child who upholds your father’s legacy. Then I promise. I’ll lift the curse.”

After speaking, I opened the door and left. Outside, Busek was standing motionless. He wouldn’t have heard the conversation I had with Redran. But he would have noticed that there were loud voices.

“The business is over. I have to go now.”

At my words, Busek opened his mouth calmly.

“I don’t know what kind of conversation you had…”

Busek hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“I hope the Lord had a bit of a shock.”

“I agree.”

“I’ll guide you.”

“No, I’ll go back alone. I know the way anyway.”

“Is that so.”

There wasn’t anything special, so Busek readily sent me off, and just as I started walking alone through the silent corridors of the Red Castle, it was then.

[Hey~]

“I’m not in the mood to listen to nonsense.”

[…You won’t let me say anything! I just have something I’m curious about.]

“What is it.”

[If we just leave Redran alone, wouldn’t he self-destruct on his own? That would be much better for the Allied Forces, so why are you provoking him? What if he really changes his mind?]

“Frankly, Redran might actually burn down the Red Castle, and a dramatic victory would look better if Sella’s position is to be complete. Anyway, this war is already decided in favor of the Allied Forces.”

[Is that really the reason?]

“There might be a time when we can use Redran later, and it’s not good to leave him broken like that.”

[Really? Is that reeeeally the reason?]

“……”

To be honest, I felt a sense of responsibility from Redran’s roaring appearance just now.

I wanted to at least ease the burden on his heart a little. Of course, it could be a useless, cheap sympathy.

But even so.

“…How can I just leave him alone when he’s talking about his father like that.”

[Hehe, you said you wouldn’t have blood or tears, but your heart is still warm and fuzzy, isn’t it?]

“Shut up.”