How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 211

“Twenty people, all able to handle mana? Are you serious right now?”

Alphonse Riegl, the strategist of Sky Fortress, who had been on a long-term subjugation mission and rushed back upon hearing my news, met me in the lord’s castle conference room, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“I can’t believe it. How on earth did you manage that?”

To Alphonse’s repeated questioning, I simply shrugged.

“Isn’t it just because they happened to be talented?”

“Are you really asking me to believe that, Lord?”

“But it’s the truth, so what else can I say?”

Alphonse, at a loss for words at my brazen answer, slumped back in his chair.

“Ha….”

He laughed in disbelief, as if dumbfounded, then nodded as if a realization had struck him.

“I understand why Baron Redran lost the war.”

“Understand what?”

“He couldn’t recognize such talent and wasted them as heavy cavalry. How could he possibly win the war? His eye for talent is truly terrible.”

Unable to formulate a direct response, the blame was conveniently shifted to Redran. Well, that’s fine by me. It means I don’t have to come up with excuses.

I chuckled and got up from my seat.

“Anyway, you can think of it that way if it helps.”

“…You actually created a knight order.”

“Didn’t I say I would?”

Creating a knight order.

Alphonse must have been half-doubting my word. Knights aren’t something you can just conjure up overnight. He probably thought I would just recruit a few free knights with money.

But the result is as you see. Here they are.

Although they are only beginner-level mana users, they have been systematically trained, so their foundation is solid. Plus, they are rich in battlefield experience as heavy cavalry.

Moreover, their loyalty is incomparably stronger than that of free knights. Maybe, to exaggerate a bit, they would gladly die if I asked them to.

I secured twenty such knights at once.

Considering that the average number of knights a minor noble in the kingdom has is only two or three mana users, you can get a sense of how much my power has grown.

“Well, even though I’ve created a knight order, there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

“What do you mean?”

To Alphonse’s question, I tapped the brooch on my collar with my finger.

“Aren’t these still outstanding?”

It was a brooch shaped like a hippogriff [a mythical creature with the front half of an eagle and the back half of a horse].

Most families have emblems that represent them, and I, who newly founded the Arfen family, chose the hippogriff as that emblem.

It felt like a natural fit. My family will have the Sky Knights, led by hippogriffs, as its mascot.

“Ah, I see. Are you going to start training them in earnest now?”

I nodded at Alphonse’s question.

“That depends on Sir Loven, who will be the advisor of Sky Fortress and the commander of the Sky Knights.”

Alphonse, hearing my words, nodded firmly as if there was nothing more to say.

“Since the lord has laid the foundation as promised, Commander Loven must also fulfill his duty and raise the knight order.”

“He’ll do well. He has experience.”

“Then will you continue to stay at Sky Fortress?”

I shook my head at Alphonse’s question.

“No. I have somewhere I need to go. I have urgent business.”

“Is there anything I can help you with?”

“There’s not much you can help with directly. But I’d like you to take care of this one thing.”

“What is it?”

Alphonse, who received the letter I handed him, tilted his head.

“Two months. If I don’t return to Sky Fortress within that time, please send this to Flores in the Red Castle of the East.”

“Flores….”

“Sir Ruth is there now.”

“Does the fact that you might not return mean you’re going to a dangerous place?”

It is a dangerous neighborhood. But there’s no need to tell him everything.

“It’s not like that. I just might not be able to make it back on time.”

“Ah, I understand.”

After confirming that Alphonse had accepted the letter with a nod, I got up from my seat.

“Then shall we go together?”

“Go together? Where to?”

“To the knight order. There’s an investiture ceremony today.”

“Investiture ceremony?”

“I’ll tell you the details on the way. Commander Loven is urging me too much.”

* * *

On the spacious training ground, twenty candidates were lined up.

Their attire was quite different from the shabby clothes they wore during training.

Uniform black uniforms with gold embroidery added elegance. In addition, the breastplate designed to be worn over the uniform was made of top-grade steel and plated with silver, emitting a mysterious light.

The long swords at their waists were also new products custom-made to their liking, and the black cloaks that wrapped around the uniforms had the hippogriff, the symbol of the knight order and the family, emblazoned on them.

“It looks very expensive?”

“If you only consider the equipment, it seems better than ours.”

“It would be difficult to prepare such equipment without the support of a wealthy family, but to have all of them equipped like that, not just one or two…”

“Is the lord richer than he looks?”

“He hasn’t really relied on anyone since he became independent, but if it’s to that extent….”

“Yeah. He must have plenty to spare.”

The Wind Knights who had been dispatched to Sky Fortress also clicked their tongues at the sight.

It’s a natural reaction. The gold coins I spent to get that look weren’t just a few pennies.

Moreover, that wasn’t the only thing worth seeing. Those who saw the majestic creatures standing next to the lined-up candidates all exclaimed.

“That’s a hippogriff, right?”

“Wow, it’s been kept under wraps all this time, but now it’s finally showing itself properly.”

The hippogriffs, who had been avoiding contact with people as much as possible until their owners were decided, were now revealing themselves to the world.

Everyone who saw the hippogriffs standing next to their respective owners was filled with admiration.

“Cain.”

Redran approached me, who was watching the scene from afar. His posture was still crooked, but his expression was the same as everyone else’s.

“What on earth did you do?”

“What?”

“How did they learn to handle mana, and what is all that equipment?”

“Mana is the result of training, and equipment is the result of gold.”

“…I guess you don’t intend to tell me properly.”

“Why are you asking when you already know?”

Redran clicked his tongue at my smooth answer.

“The mystery remains. Anyway, congratulations. It’s a wonderful knight order.”

“Is that so?”

“To be honest, it’s the most unconventional knight order I’ve ever seen.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

While I was chatting with Redran, Ilia approached me.

“Lord Cain, all preparations are complete.”

“Oh, okay.”

The preparations for the investiture ceremony were complete.

Hearing those words, I slowly began to walk towards the training ground.

Those who noticed my appearance began to applaud. The Wind Knights, as well as the residents who had temporarily settled in Sky Fortress, even cheered.

It was a modest welcome. It didn’t have the grand scale of a ceremony held in a large city like Capital or Windnest.

But everyone gathered here, including me, knew. The potential of this Sky Knight Order is by no means inferior to those.

“……”

Thus, I came face to face with Commander Loven and the twenty candidates.

There were no formal processes or procedures.

The candidates, holding the reins of their respective hippogriffs in their left hands and keeping their right hands behind their backs, quietly focused their gazes on me.

Commander Loven, standing at the front representing them, looked at me, and I lightly nodded to signal him.

At that, Commander Loven turned to face the twenty knights, took a deep breath, and then let out a loud shout.

“Candidates, kneel!”

Kneel… Kneel… Kneel….

Loven’s thunderous roar spread through the blue mountains and echoed back.

At that, all the candidates drew their swords at the same time, as if they were one being. Then, they knelt down with the tips of their swords pointing towards the ground.

It was a sight that signaled the beginning of the investiture ceremony.

A silence fell. Not only the candidates themselves, but everyone watching held their breath.

In that silence, only my voice echoed softly.

“Serve your lord with courage and loyalty.”

After briefly setting the tone, I continued to speak.

“Respect and protect the weak. Obey just authority. Take up your swords for honor and glory.”

“Speak only the truth. Do good. Pursue justice. For the well-being of the kingdom and its people.”

“Forbid falsehood. Do not overlook wickedness. Do not tolerate injustice. Despise recklessness and deceit.”

I cut out all the unnecessarily lengthy stories. I simply recited the virtues they had to uphold as knights.

I thought that was right. I already knew all of their stories one by one, and I was feeling what they were feeling.

“Never show your back to the enemy.”

With that, I nodded briefly and looked down at the candidates, speaking for the last time.

“That is the duty that I, Cain Arfen, the lord of Sky Fortress and the lord of the Sky Knight Order, bestow upon you.”

After finishing speaking, I slowly moved forward. Loven followed beside me. I stopped in front of Yulker, who was kneeling at the very front. Loven spoke first.

“Raise your head.”

At Loven’s command, Yulker raised his head.

I asked Yulker in a low but heavy voice.

“Will you accept the duty?”

“I will carry it out with my life on the line.”

Hearing the answer, I slapped Yulker’s cheek with my gloved hand. It wasn’t just a simple gesture. It was a sincere slap with all my strength.

“From now on, you are Knight Yulker.”

Blood began to flow down Yulker’s lips and chin, as if the inside of his mouth had burst.

However, as if he didn’t feel the pain, Yulker lowered his head with moist eyes.

“Knight Yulker Bias receives the lord’s command.”

Hearing Yulker’s answer, I moved to the next candidate and asked the same question.

The answer was the same each time. They answered with tearful faces, shedding blood.

“Knight Tyler Lekins receives the lord’s command.”

“Knight Raynald Doyle receives the lord’s command.”

“Knight Derrick Horn receives the lord’s….”

In that way, all twenty newly born knights introduced themselves. Only then did the audience, confirming that the investiture ceremony was over, begin to cheer aloud.

At that time, a strange thing happened.

One black dot was seen in the distant sky. The shadow, approaching at a rapid speed, began to hover over the investiture ceremony.

At the same time, a rough cry echoed as if it was piercing everyone’s ears.

Beeeek-!

“It’s a griffin.”

“A griffin has come!”

The griffin, who had been habitually running away from home, had somehow returned to Sky Fortress and was letting out a cry.

The surprise didn’t stop there. The hippogriffs, who had been quiet until now, recognizing the solemnity of the investiture ceremony, also began to cry.

Like the howling of a pack of wolves, the chorus of hippogriffs and griffins gave everyone goosebumps.

“It’s quite a spectacle.”

“…I can’t help but admit it.”

Ilia, who had been watching the investiture ceremony, smiled at the rare sight, and Redran also nodded in agreement.

Sreung!

It was then. The Wind Knights, lined up with Alphonse Riegl at the head, simultaneously drew their swords and raised them upwards.

The purpose was clear. Alphonse Riegl, aiming his sword at the clear sky, shouted with a vein bulging in his neck.

“The will of Coles Nide, the former lord and a true knight of the wind, has been upheld!”

The will of Coles Nide, who wanted to raise hippogriffs and make the Blue Mountains safe from monsters.

Alphonse shouted with all his soul to commemorate the historical moment when that will was successfully fulfilled, and the Wind Knights also responded.

“Eternal rest to Sir Coles!”

“Praise to Count Cain, who upholds the will!”

“Infinite glory to the Wind Knights and the Sky Knights!”

The griffin flying in the sky and the Sky Knights born below, inheriting the will of Coles Nide.

Tears flowed down the eyes of the Wind Knights, including Alphonse, who were watching him.