How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 210

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Episode 211

It took only three weeks for those trainees, who had seemed so eager to become knights, to lose their camaraderie and sink to rock bottom.

“I… I give up.”

Yulker, battered and bruised, declared his surrender while lying face down on the dirt floor.

In response, I stopped gathering mana and nodded impassively.

“Medic!”

At my call, a medic rushed over and dragged Yulker away. Commander Loven, who had been watching from a distance, approached me.

“All of them eliminated in just three weeks.”

“Indeed.”

The three weeks had been enough to completely change the trainees’ perceptions.

Initially, they had seen me as their lord, to whom they would pledge allegiance, and as a role model. Now, they trembled whenever I merely emitted mana.

Seeing my satisfied expression, Commander Loven clicked his tongue, as if wondering what kind of person I was.

“I still don’t understand. What’s the point of this training anyway? Is it simply to test perseverance? If so, Yulker showed a level of dedication that would be among the best on the continent, wouldn’t he? Yet he’s eliminated. Ha, really.”

Indeed, even I was tired of Yulker’s stubbornness. Even though nineteen others had dropped out, leaving him to face me alone, he endured for two more days.

Perhaps, from Loven’s perspective, this sparring session was an opportunity to identify those with true leadership potential.

However, the problem was that my goal wasn’t to test perseverance in the first place.

“Well, it took a bit of time, but I’d say things are proceeding as expected.”

“As expected?”

“Yes, as expected.”

Nodding at Loven’s words, I strode towards the dormitory where the trainees who had given up were gathered.

Following me, Loven frowned.

“You’re not planning to tell them to pack their bags and leave right away, are you? I would be very disappointed if you did.”

“I have no intention of doing that. But it’s a bit strange. Wasn’t it Commander Loven who first said they weren’t qualified to be knights?”

“…Didn’t they show enthusiasm?”

“Commander, you know that enthusiasm alone can’t control mana.”

“That’s why it’s strange! Why would you, who knows that best, do something like this!”

“Are you curious?”

“Are you even asking?”

Seeing Loven pat his chest in frustration, I chuckled.

“Then, why don’t you emit some mana in front of the trainees? You’ll understand why I did this.”

“Emit mana?”

“Yes.”

“What does that have to do with…”

“Didn’t you say you were curious?”

With Loven wearing a bewildered expression, I entered the knights’ quarters and found the trainees, heads bowed in a despairing atmosphere.

“Were you all resting well?”

“…”

Belatedly realizing my visit, the trainees began to stand and line up.

I nudged Loven’s side, and he emitted mana with a look that seemed to ask what I was doing.

“…”

The result was as expected.

Even though they were somewhat familiar with Loven, unlike me, the trainees began to show fear upon seeing the mana, like Pavlov’s dogs [a classical conditioning reference, where a conditioned stimulus (mana) elicits a conditioned response (fear)].

The perfectly aligned ranks of trainees began to crumble.

Some stepped back, and others even placed their hands on their sword hilts. Enough said.

This eliminated the variable of whether they were afraid of me as a person, not just the mana itself.

On the other hand, Loven’s face hardened as he watched the trainees’ reactions.

“What kind of disgraceful behavior is this!”

The trainees, belatedly snapping to attention at the stern rebuke, straightened their postures again.

However, their faces remained gloomy, likely due to the self-reproach of failing the test.

But that thought was wrong.

“Congratulations. Everyone has passed the first test.”

The trainees’ eyes widened at my bland words. Loven, who was listening, also turned to me with a bewildered expression.

“What are you saying…”

“The second test will be held tonight. About three hours from now. After completing your personal preparations, gather at the training grounds on time.”

Perhaps due to the unexpected announcement.

The trainees, who had been momentarily stunned, quickly recognized the reality and began to move swiftly.

They unpacked the luggage they had packed in anticipation of failing, and some threw off their sweat-soaked clothes and hurried to the bathhouse.

Watching them, Loven chuckled in disbelief.

“What on earth are you thinking…”

I simply shrugged at Loven’s question.

“If you’re still curious, follow me afterward.”

“Follow you again?”

“The second test will take place outside the Sky Fortress.”

* * *

The twenty trainees, dressed in clean clothes and armed with swords, headed outside the Sky Fortress under the escort of myself, Ilia, and Loven.

Ilia had just returned from completing the mission I had given her a few days ago. As the mission had taken three weeks, Ilia’s face was etched with fatigue.

“You’ve worked hard. I saw the map you recorded. You scouted it very meticulously, didn’t you?”

“…It wasn’t a particularly difficult task.”

Not difficult? The dark circles under her eyes reached down to her cheeks.

“Aren’t you tired? You can just rest at the Sky Fortress.”

“I can’t do that. Aren’t they the ones who will fight alongside us in the future? I must observe as well.”

“Ah, I see.”

Ilia would be active as a member of the Sky Knights in the future. In that sense, the current trainees were all Ilia’s juniors.

No wonder she had been looking at the trainees with a fond gaze since earlier.

I chuckled and approached Loven.

“Commander Loven.”

“What is it?”

“When we arrive at our destination, there will be individual interviews with the trainees. In the meantime, would you mind setting up camp and guarding the perimeter?”

“…Individual interviews?”

Now beyond astonishment, Loven sighed as if he was dumbfounded.

“Do as you please. I promised to entrust everything to you for a month anyway.”

“Thank you.”

After several hours, upon arriving at the destination, the trainees looked around with bewildered expressions.

“Did a meteorite fall here or something?”

“Judging by the cave, it seems like monsters lived here…”

The place we arrived at was where I had trained with Rahenna, Ruth, and Ilia for three months before.

I chuckled at the sight of the trainees mistaking the craters left by the sparring sessions back then for meteorite marks.

“Everyone, attention.”

In the midst of the silent Blue Mountains, which were gradually darkening, the trainees all closed their mouths and looked at me.

“Today is the day the results of the training that has taken place over the past three weeks will be determined.”

Tension rose on the faces of the trainees at the mention of sparring results.

“You’re probably full of questions. What was the purpose of the training, and was the sparring perhaps a test that determined acceptance into the Order?”

“…”

“To put it simply, half of that is correct, and half is wrong. It’s true that the training was to determine who would be accepted into the Order, but I’m not the one who decides the results.”

The trainees began to murmur at my words.

“If you’re not the one deciding the results, Lord Kain…”

“Is it Commander Loven?”

Leaving behind their countless guesses, I opened my mouth dryly.

“You yourselves will determine the results.”

“…”

At the word ‘yourselves,’ the trainees’ expressions hardened as if wondering what was coming next.

“You probably can’t understand what that means yet. But the situation will come soon enough, and I’ll give you some advice for that time.”

*I’ll give you some advice.*

Upon hearing those words, the trainees all closed their mouths and perked up their ears.

“Mana is different from a sword.”

*Mana is different from a sword.*

Ilia and Loven nodded slightly at those words. However, the trainees tilted their heads, seemingly not understanding properly.

“It’s a simple principle. A sword is a tool that can be controlled at the will of a human. It can be wielded if desired, and thrust out if desired. But mana is different.”

“…”

“Mana is like a fighting dog on a leash. As long as it’s controlled, it’s an excellent weapon, but it’s an uncomfortable companion that will bite into your neck without hesitation if any opening is shown.”

“…”

“Remember. Mana is an existence that will gladly lead you to ruin if it gets the chance. In other words, you have to handle it with your life on the line.”

The atmosphere was silent.

Everyone was probably recalling the harshness they suffered from mana over the past three weeks.

Of course, that alone is not enough. It’s hard to realize the danger without handling it directly.

But they had directly experienced and imprinted it on their bodies over the past three weeks. The power that mana possesses, and the fear of that power.

“I will call out numbers in order, starting from number one. When your number is called, enter the cave immediately.”

At my words, the trainees wore tense expressions, fearing what was to come.

Regardless, I raised my hand and pointed to Yulker first.

“Yulker, you were number one, right?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Follow me. You’re the first.”

After finishing speaking, I entered the cave ahead of them and lit the candle I had brought, securing only the minimum amount of light, and had Yulker sit down.

Afterward, relying only on the dim candlelight, Yulker, sitting upright, looked up at me with anxious eyes.

At that sight, like a mouse cornered, the light of fear began to settle in Yulker’s eyes once again.

It was certain. Yulker was now afraid of mana.

Confirming that all preparations were complete, I slowly opened my mouth.

“Yulker.”

“…Yes, Lord Kain.”

“Always remember.”

Yulker’s shoulders flinched at my voice, which echoed softly in the cave.

“Mana is not your close friend. Be wary and suspicious. Don’t let your guard down until you can control it. That means you need restraint. If you can only do that…”

“…”

“That fear you have will soon become your strength.”

“I understand.”

It was Yulker, who didn’t know what would happen in the future. But he nodded firmly, as if he wouldn’t miss a single word I said.

Confirming him, I slowly raised my hand and touched his shoulder.

* * *

Time passed quickly.

Before they knew it, the sun had set and it was deep dawn. Loven, who had been waiting endlessly with the trainees outside the cave, exhaled white breath into the chilly dawn air.

Then, a black shadow appeared in the distance. Loven, who had briefly placed his hand on his sword hilt, soon recognized the familiar face and relaxed his guard.

“Sir Ilia?”

“Yes, I’m back.”

“How is the surrounding area?”

“I don’t think there’s anything to worry about with monsters. I didn’t see any traces. It seems the large-scale subjugation recently was effective.”

“I see. It’s chilly since it’s dawn. Come and sit down.”

“Understood.”

Loven poured boiled tea for Ilia, who sat by the campfire, and opened his mouth.

“By the way, it’s taking a long time.”

“It is.”

“Do you happen to know what Count Kain is trying to do?”

Ilia, who had been sipping her tea at Loven’s question, slowly nodded.

“I know vaguely.”

“Oh, then can you explain it to me?”

“I don’t know the details, so I can’t explain it. But…”

“But?”

“Count Kain is the one who allowed me to be in this position. That much is certain.”

“…Count Kain?”

Commander Loven clicked his tongue.

Loven himself knew well that Ilia was a knight with excellent skills.

For such a knight to say that Count Kain had raised her, showing tremendous trust.

‘Could it be that he can really make them knights?’

Loven was briefly tempted, but soon shook his head. He had seen countless people who lacked talent and ultimately failed to become knights.

He had never heard of such people becoming desperate and learning to handle mana in the distant future.

Mana was such an unfair power that relied entirely on talent.

‘It can’t be.’

It was then that Commander Loven was shaking his head as if casting a spell on himself.

“He’s coming out!”

At the shout of a trainee, the eyes of everyone, including Commander Loven, turned to the cave entrance.

Yulker, who had entered first with Count Kain, was walking out.

Contrary to expectations, it seemed that nothing had happened in the cave. His clothes were still clean, and there were no obvious injuries.

‘Did they really just have a personal interview? Are they kidding me…’

It was then that Loven was frowning.

Something came into Loven’s view.

“Good heavens.”

A blue aura shining through the dark night.

Even Loven, who had been handling mana for decades, could not deny that clear aura, and it was now flowing from Yulker’s two eyes.