How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 235

“……What a nasty bunch!”

Taylor’s voice cut through the silence. Fleta visibly flinched at the sudden outburst.

Taylor didn’t try to suppress his anger; instead, he glared at me, fueling it further.

“Is this really true?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“Nasty!”

Taylor’s hands trembled with barely contained rage upon hearing my confirmation.

Jescal, sitting beside him, was lost in silent contemplation. Fleta remained quiet, already aware of the situation.

The next to speak was Lordain. His usual sly grin was absent, replaced by a look of distaste as he clicked his tongue.

“Indeed, as our friend here says, they are a nasty bunch.”

The reasons for their anger differed.

Taylor was likely thinking of the humans sacrificed through black magic, and Lordain, the elves and spirits exploited to create magic stones.

But the specifics didn’t matter. What was important was that everyone present now shared a common enemy.

And that fact, even if it didn’t forge a deep camaraderie, would be enough to instill a sense of shared purpose.

As everyone grappled with their anger, Jescal turned to me.

“I have a question.”

“Go ahead.”

“According to this information, the leader of the Unholy Knights is believed to be the black-haired man, correct?”

“Probably.”

“And he’s the same one Count Lindayer subdued during the Capital raid.”

“Exactly.”

“But wasn’t he reported to have died in the royal prison?”

That’s what it seemed like to the outside world. *To the outside world.*

However, Marquis Irfe and I, along with other high-ranking officials, were secretly speculating, even while keeping our concerns quiet.

That guy is still alive.

There’s no concrete proof. But I have a strong feeling. Considering his withered, mummy-like appearance and his ability to summon ghouls, it seems even more likely.

“For now, Marquis Irfe and I believe he’s still alive.”

Jescal didn’t bother asking about his identity or how he survived.

He probably assumed that if I knew, it would be in the report I gave him. I appreciated his directness.

After a moment of consideration, Jescal slowly nodded.

“So that’s why you brought the elven warrior. A worthy rival to face the black-haired man. Now I understand why you mentioned Commander Graham.”

Taylor silently nodded, understanding Jescal’s reasoning.

The undeniable truth that knights must face knights. If the black-haired man awaited them in enemy territory, a suitable knight was needed to counter him.

So, they seemed to think I brought Lordain for that reason.

Well, that wasn’t the *only* reason I called Lordain, but there was no need to list them all.

“Then what’s the plan going forward? According to this information, the Neviros Order’s base is supposedly located in the Southern Islands, but wouldn’t it be impossible to search that vast sea area with just the people here?”

Jescal was right.

The Southern Islands, a sprawling archipelago of over a thousand islands ranging from tiny, easily visible specks to vast landmasses boasting dense jungles, were the largest lawless territory in the Midland and a haven for pirates.

Searching such a place with only six people to find the Order’s hideout? It would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

But there was a way.

I pointed to Count Adrian’s hunting grounds on the unfolded map.

“We’ll start here. According to my intelligence, there seem to be traces of them here.”

“Traces?”

“Yes, traces.”

“Are you saying we can find their hideout?”

“It probably won’t go that far. The traces are just rough indicators, and that alone won’t be enough. So, the next step will be to use that information to start tracking and narrow down the scope.”

“Narrowing down the scope means…….”

As Jescal trailed off, Fleta, who had been listening intently, nodded.

“You’re going to raid pirate groups in suspicious areas.”

Good start.

I gestured for Fleta to continue, encouraging her to elaborate.

“Why do you think it’s pirate groups?”

“The Neviros Order needs living humans to make magic stones. At the same time, pirates profit by trafficking people.”

Taylor, who was following Fleta’s explanation, raised his hand.

“Are you saying there’s a pirate group connected to the Neviros Order?”

“That’s too naive. It’s too simplistic to think that a large force plotting evil schemes would directly partner with a mere pirate group.”

“Ah, is that so? Then what on earth…….”

Peter, who had been silent until now, answered Taylor’s embarrassed question.

“A group that wouldn’t raise suspicion even if they kidnap people – that’s probably the point Princess Bashrun is making, right?”

Fleta offered a faint smile at Peter’s insight.

“Good start. Keep going.”

“It’s simple. A certain group needs countless humans; that kind of rumor is something they absolutely can’t afford to spread. But pirates are the kind of people who would sell out their own comrades for money. From the start, the two can’t be directly related.”

“So?”

“If I were the head of the Order, I wouldn’t trade with pirates for security reasons. But the *image* of pirates engaging in human trafficking is useful, right? Even if people are kidnapped, everyone will just assume it’s pirates doing what they do, and they won’t suspect a larger plot. Then the remaining choice is obvious, isn’t it?”

At Peter’s question, Fleta looked at me with eyes that seemed to say, ‘The answer is obvious, what are you waiting for?’

That’s how precocious she is.

Clap!

I clapped my hands to regain everyone’s attention, cleared my throat slightly, and began to speak.

“Investigator Peter is correct. Based on their actions so far, the Neviros Order has prioritized security above all else. Therefore, they wouldn’t risk trading with pirates and potentially leaking information.”

As Peter said, the remaining answer was clear.

“But they are in a situation where they absolutely need living humans. Then the conclusion is simple: some members of the Order are kidnapping people while disguised as pirates.”

Taylor nodded, understanding the explanation.

“Rather than risk trading with pirates, they’d rather wear the mask of pirates themselves… is that what you mean?”

“Yes. And if this guess is correct, they are probably a relatively recent emerging force, and we can start our search there.”

As the outline of the plan gradually became clear, Lordain, who had been listening silently, grinned.

“Not a bad start for finding something in the sand, wouldn’t you say?”

* * *

Still shrouded in the pre-dawn darkness, I set out with Lordain.

The destination was Count Adrian’s hunting grounds. We needed to identify any signals left by the captured dark elves.

I wasn’t particularly nervous. In the first place, I possessed the Hashunar crest [a symbol of power and authority], so escaping wouldn’t be a problem. And worrying about Lordain would be an insult to the monster.

Wait, now that I think about it, what would happen if I used the Hashunar crest in front of Lordain?

Lordain definitely fought against Hashunar during the past tribal wars. He might recognize it if I used the crest.

If that happens, how would Lordain react? Would he become hostile?

……I don’t know. For now, I’ll just have to pretend it’s the power of an artifact I luckily obtained during an adventure.

“Is that it over there?”

While I was lost in thought, Lordain asked as the fence surrounding the hunting grounds came into view in the distance.

“Yes.”

“You said it’s a hunting ground.”

“That’s right.”

“Doesn’t seem like there are any guards around.”

“Are you disappointed?”

“Not really.”

“I thought you were crazy about fighting.”

Certainly, Lordain, whom I encountered in the Great Forest, had displayed a strong belligerent tendency.

However, Lordain responded to my probing words with a faint smile. He seemed calmer than in the past.

Of course, a fair amount of time had passed since our meeting in the Great Forest, but in fact, that wasn’t a very long time by elven standards, was it?

As if sensing my unspoken question, Lordain spoke casually.

“I was just caught up in old emotions back then.”

Lordain stopped there, offering no further explanation.

But I could guess what he meant without hearing more. The matter of his wife, which had been tormenting him, had been resolved, and he had relieved his burden, or something like that.

Perhaps sensing that the atmosphere had become heavy, Lordain shrugged.

“Well, Glorian [an elven elder and leader] also gave me strict instructions.”

“Glorian? That elven elder?”

“Yeah. He nagged me endlessly not to cause unnecessary trouble.”

Lordain shook his head as if he was fed up.

Glorian……. He was an elder like Lordain, but in reality, he was the leader who guided the elven race.

Now that I thought about it, I was curious. What did Glorian think of the current situation?

Wait a minute.

I suddenly stopped walking. Naturally, Lordain’s back, who had been walking ahead, came into view.

‘What do the elves think of the current situation?’

It was a sudden question. But that question soon turned into suspicion.

Come to think of it, why did Lordain come?

Certainly, the message I sent to Glorian was just to ask for elven support so that we could track down the traces, not to request a warrior to fight alongside us.

But Lordain came here now.

Why did he send Lordain?

Did he want to give us a sure boost of strength because it was a case involving dark elves? That seemed strange. When you think about it, dark elves and elves were no different from strangers.

Moreover, humans and elves were more often antagonistic, holding grudges rather than cooperating.

In such a situation, giving us their best talent like this…….

‘It’s definitely strange. Lordain is the most powerful warrior the elven race has.’

By all accounts, a trump card is best kept hidden until the very end. That’s common sense that even a child knows.

There’s no way Glorian wouldn’t know that, so there must have been a reason to send Lordain?

……I had an uneasy feeling.

Looking at Lordain’s back walking ahead, I licked my lips.

The elves who were defeated by humans and hid in the Great Forest. But surely, in one corner of their hearts, there was an ambition to rise again as the rulers of the continent.

If sending Lordain was the first step in that ambition, and if Lordain was determined to betray us, could I really stop that monster?

“What are you doing, not coming?”

Lordain, who had been walking ahead, noticed that I wasn’t following and turned around.

Even in the darkness, his reddish-brown eyes were piercing. It was as if a snake was staring at me. I felt like he had seen through my innermost thoughts.

No, no.

I shrugged as if nothing had happened and started walking again.

“I was just thinking about something.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“About the plan after finding the traces of those guys.”

“Wasn’t it all planned out?”

“Still, I’m checking it again. To see if there’s a better way, and if this is really the best approach.”

“You’re just making trouble for yourself.”

Lordain chuckled and kicked off the ground, jumping over the fence. Watching his back, I sighed softly.

‘I can’t just stand by and do nothing.’

With that worry in mind, I crossed the fence and entered the hunting grounds.