How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 228

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Family – Chapter 229

As soon as I made my decision, Redran unleashed a mana-filled roar across the battlefield.

“Everyone, retreat!”

Following pre-arranged training, Redran and the Dark Elves began to fall back towards the castle first.

Meanwhile, the Beastmen and I held off the monsters a little longer to buy time.

After confirming that the Dark Elves had safely retreated to the castle, I signaled the Beastmen to retreat and turned around.

Whoosh-!

Numerous arrows flew over the heads of the retreating Beastmen and me. It was covering fire from the Dark Elves who had retreated to the castle and taken their positions.

“Kain!”

A giant wolf came up beside me as I ran towards the castle. It was Kun.

Seeing him, I kicked off the ground, grabbed Kun’s mane, and climbed on his back.

Thump, thump, thump!

Riding a wolf instead of a horse was not pleasant, even as a joke. I could feel the rough shaking of his jaw and the rattling of his joints.

I spat out the dust that filled my mouth and asked Kun,

“How are your people doing?”

“Many have died. Many are injured. Frankly, I don’t think we can continue fighting like this.”

Kun spoke calmly, but there was bitterness in his voice.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t mention it. We were just repaying a debt.”

Creak…….

The castle gate opened to welcome us as we retreated. It was only wide enough for two or three horses to pass through.

As soon as all the Beastmen entered, the gate closed. Those who remained inside the castle quickly ran over and began to heal the injured with potions.

“Where’s Illia?”

At my question, a Dark Elf who was healing the Beastmen pointed to one side.

“She kept panicking, so we put her to sleep with herbs that have a calming effect.”

I saw Illia lying there, unconscious.

After checking on her, I immediately headed to the inner castle’s hall.

Aphen was still stuck in the center of the hall, and mana was constantly being emitted around it.

I quickly approached Aphen and placed my hand on the hilt.

[Ugh…… Huh? You’re here? Is it over already?]

“No. It’s far from over; we’re on the verge of annihilation.”

[Annihilation? Why?]

“A Drake has appeared. It must have sensed Kerwyn’s power and come looking for it, even though it was supposed to be in hibernation.”

[A Drake? Good heavens!]

“I don’t have time to tell you the whole story, so let me ask quickly. How much time is left until the enhancement?”

[About an hour?]

Damn it, still an hour?

I had hoped the enhancement would be completed sooner than expected. It was a futile hope.

In the end, the moment of choice that I had put off for a while has come again.

Should I defend or escape?

If I defend?

Let’s say I somehow endure and enhance the barrier. What happens after that? Even if I kill all the monsters, what about the Drake?

If I fight, what will happen?

Once all the monsters are gone, the Drake will come forward without hesitation.

Then, can we, who are battered from repeated battles, fight and win against the Drake?

There is a slight chance. If Illia and Redran, and the Beastmen and Dark Elves, sacrifice their lives to create an opening.

Then I might be able to inflict a fatal wound. Maybe, with a very slim chance, I could become a Dragon Slayer.

But the price to pay is too high. If that happens, it won’t be a victory, even if we win.

So, should I run away as I thought before? Is there a way to complete the mission without running away and reducing the damage?

“Trying to catch two rabbits… It’s difficult.”

[What are you talking about?]

“Just one question. How is the preparation for the space-time magic circle going?”

[The preparation is complete. It can be activated at any time. But…]

“But?”

[To activate it, I need to finish enhancing the barrier, right?]

“I know that.”

I nodded and stood up.

“Okay. Let’s continue enhancing the barrier.”

[What? Are you going to face the Drake? Are you sure? Wouldn’t it be better to just give up?]

“When did you start urging me to do it no matter what?”

[I did, but the situation is like this…]

“Why are you suddenly so soft?”

[I’m worried about you!]

I chuckled and stood up.

“Even if it’s impossible to win, I can hold out for about an hour.”

[What’s the point of enhancing the barrier if you die!]

“I don’t intend to die here either.”

Ignoring Aphen’s warning, I slowly walked out of the hall.

* * *

The brief respite was over.

The roars of the monsters clinging to the castle walls were deafening, and the firmly closed gate was shaking incessantly.

The Beastmen were desperately holding onto the shaking gate. However, the cracks that had formed in various parts of the gate indicated that it would not last long.

Redran was on the castle wall with Bleau. Seeing him, I quickly climbed the stairs to the castle wall.

“Redran.”

“Where have you been?”

As if he didn’t even have time to be annoyed, Redran continued to speak.

“There’s a difficult but passable path behind the castle. There aren’t many monsters gathered there yet, so we should be able to break through. Besides, their main target is the inner castle where mana is being emitted. The pursuit probably won’t be intense.”

After speaking quickly, Redran pointed to the sky.

“If that Drake chases us, we’ll scatter the forces into squads, mixing Beastmen and Dark Elves. After scattering, we plan to regroup at a point half a day away. All the monsters in the vicinity have gathered here, so there’s nothing to worry about. The organization is just finished, and everyone has memorized the regrouping point, so all that’s left is to give the order.”

It wasn’t a bad plan for something hastily put together.

I have to admit it. Aside from his unique sarcasm and pessimistic personality, Redran’s command ability was excellent.

I can trust him to take care of the rear.

“Why aren’t you answering? Don’t you like the plan?”

At Redran’s irritable reaction, I shook my head.

“No, it’s a good plan. So, take the Beastmen and Dark Elves and get out of the castle right now.”

“You were slow to act, but now you’re making decisions quickly.”

Just as Redran was about to command Kun and Bleau, I continued.

“And lead them to the eastern part of the kingdom.”

“…….”

Redran, who had his back to me, stopped moving for a moment. Then he slowly turned around and glared at me.

“As long as we can get out, it doesn’t matter whether it’s east or west, but it seems like someone is missing there.”

“I’m going to stay.”

Redran tilted his head.

“Why?”

“I have to enhance the barrier.”

“But you’re telling us to leave?”

“Because the damage will be irreversible if we face the Drake.”

Redran was silent for a moment. It was more like he was speechless with absurdity than lost in thought.

After twitching his eyebrows a few times, Redran raised his sword and pointed to the battlefield.

“There are still hundreds of monsters left.”

“I know.”

Next, he pointed to the sky.

“That monster above is waiting for us to run out of strength, and.”

“I know that too.”

“But you’re telling us to leave?”

“Yes.”

“If we leave, what about you?”

Kaaah!

A few harpies swooped down on the castle wall, targeting Redran and me. Kun quickly stepped forward and crushed them as if to say, ‘Don’t interrupt the conversation.’

I chuckled at the sight.

“I have to finish what I started.”

“Finish?”

“Enhancing the barrier.”

“That failed.”

“Not yet.”

“Let’s say you somehow enhance it. What are you going to do next? Even if you somehow deal with the swarming monsters, what about that guy watching from the sky?”

“I have to disappear without a trace.”

“Disappear? What are you talking about…”

Ignoring Redran’s words, I tore off the Sky Fortress Lord’s Seal that was attached to my chest and threw it.

Redran, who had reflexively opened his palm and caught the seal, looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Take this and leave. And head to Mount Akryeong, where you were defeated, beyond the mountains.”

“Mount Akryeong?”

“And when Illia wakes up, tell her that I asked Kalandart and Rahenna to take care of the other races.”

“Rahenna? Kalandart? Who are they?”

“No time to explain. Leave.”

Perhaps it was because he had heard too much in a short time, but Redran’s eyes blurred for a moment.

[Kyahhhhh!]

However, the second Fear that the Drake emitted erased even the slightest doubt.

Redran, who was barely able to withstand the Fear while kneeling on one knee, gritted his teeth.

“Kain Arphen! This is really no time for jokes!”

“I know.”

“You’re not planning to play the hero with some crazy idea of buying us time, are you?”

“Of course not.”

At my answer, Redran examined my eyes. Then he sighed briefly.

“Damn it.”

Did Redran have the ability to discern the eyes of someone who had decided to die? I don’t know, but Redran seemed to agree with my words.

“…Thinking about the reaction that woman will have when she wakes up already gives me a headache.”

Redran glanced at Illia, who was lying far away, then clenched the seal I had given him in his hand and turned around.

Then, without any hesitation, he told Kun and Bleau to gather the troops behind the castle and retreat.

Kun, who had been watching me for a moment, raised his claws and scratched his head.

“I’m sorry things have turned out this way.”

“It’s enough. You guys have done enough. Take good care of Illia on the way.”

Kun nodded solemnly at my words and turned around.

“Kain.”

Following him, Bleau called out to me and approached.

“Not everything is over yet, but I think I should let you know first.”

“Let me know? Ah, that?”

“Yes.”

Bleau approached and whispered in my ear, saying that he would tell me the signal that the selected Dark Elves had decided to stay behind, as promised before.

Contrary to expectations, the signal was a series of words with an incomprehensible meaning. I tilted my head at the bizarre content.

“I can’t understand it. Is this correct?”

“It’s in runes [ancient alphabet with magical associations].”

“Well, if that’s the case. Then go now.”

“I hope to see you again.”

Bleau bowed slightly and turned to the Dark Elves who were waiting for him.

“Everyone, retreat!”

As Redran’s shout echoed, the Beastmen who were supporting the castle gate and the Dark Elves who were shooting arrows until the very end retreated to the rear of the castle.

Afterward, they began to break through and escape, killing the monsters that had gathered behind them.

As expected, the monsters did not chase after them. They were only blindly chasing the inner castle, which was emitting a huge amount of mana.

After finishing off all the monsters that occasionally rushed in, they quickly began to move away from the castle.

‘It’s quiet.’

Clearly, the surroundings were filled with the panting and growling of monsters, and their mad roars.

But for some reason, I felt a sense of tranquility. The feeling of being left alone in this space was very clear.

‘…….’

In that tranquility that only he could feel, I raised my hand. Then, I felt the majestic mana of Kerwyn, which continued to flow in through the castle’s basement.

This was one of the reasons why I decided to stay here. If this wasn’t here, I would have given up and ran away in the first place.

Kerwyn’s mana filled my body through the mana tunnel. There was no trace of the impurity that raw mana had. It was a sensation that I couldn’t feel when fighting far outside because it was diluted.

It was like enjoying fine dining after only tasting fast food.

I turned my head and looked at the back of the castle. Redran and the others were slowly turning into black dots.

And at the same time, the castle gate collapsed.

Kugugung!

All kinds of monsters poured in like a tide through the collapsed castle wall. Among them, a troll in the lead drooled voraciously and ran towards the inner castle.

Seeing him, I kicked off the castle wall. Then, I rushed in like a shooting star cutting through the air.

The crude steel sword, which had initially felt foreign, had become familiar. Adding speed to that familiarity, I lightly swung the sword.

The troll, who was climbing the stairs leading to the inner castle, was split in two from head to groin.

The sprayed blood burned in the mana, forming a red mist. I landed in the middle of that mist and slowly stood up.

Kaaah!

Kueeehk!

I stood tall on the stairs leading to the inner castle where Aphen was stuck. The monsters that had squeezed through the castle gate and rushed in began to run towards me.

But I didn’t look at them.

I raised my gaze. The Drake was circling while maintaining altitude, looking down at me.

‘It’s like a scene from a movie.’

The only thing I regret is that the audience watching is a monster with no artistic soul.

I sighed softly and strongly gripped the sword again, which I had momentarily lowered.