How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 249

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Chapter 250

When we arrived at the Golden Honor, Taylor, who had been pacing anxiously, nearly lost his mind at the sight of the injured.

“Those sons of bitches! I’ll tear them apart right now!”

Jeskal waved a hand at the enraged Taylor.

“Put your anger aside for a moment. Getting back to Capital [the kingdom’s capital city] as soon as possible is our priority.”

Taylor, having roughly grasped the situation, groaned and reluctantly nodded.

Soon after, skilled sailors set a course for Capital, and with Fleta adding her magic, the Golden Honor began to cut through the water at a rapid pace.

After confirming everyone’s condition, I called them to the cabin that served as a temporary conference room.

A short while later, everyone, including Peter, who had barely regained consciousness, gathered in the cabin.

Everyone looked exhausted, but given the situation, they focused on me.

I nodded slightly and looked at Lordain.

“First, Lordain, let’s head to Capital together as we are.”

The bodies of those listening stiffened. Fleta and Jeskal, who had been forewarned, were less affected, but Taylor nearly jumped out of his chair.

Watching their reactions, Lordain chuckled and looked at me.

“Are you crazy?”

“No.”

“I guess crazy people don’t know they’re crazy.”

“We’re not here to joke around. If we return to Capital like this, it’s war right away.”

“So what?”

“It’s not ‘so what.’ Lordain, stop pretending you don’t know. Even the stray dogs know that the elves’ Great Forest is situated in the western part of the kingdom.”

“The way you talk…”

Lordain clicked his tongue, but he couldn’t deny it.

In the current situation, with war imminent—and if that war is the largest civil war in the kingdom’s history—securing the rear is common sense.

And as mentioned earlier, the Great Forest, the territory of the elves, was positioned perfectly to stab us in the back.

“Of course, the Vaschuren family controls the Great Forest, but the Vaschuren family will also be the royal family’s largest force in this war. Fleta, you know what this means, right?”

Fleta frowned as if my question made her uncomfortable, but she didn’t deny the fact.

“Our Vaschuren family has the capacity to fight a war with Rodkius [a rival family] while controlling the Great Forest. But we can’t deny that we have to leave a significant number of troops behind. In war, the most important thing is which side has the stronger force. Strategy and tactics come next. In that respect, Count Cain’s words make sense. If we don’t have to deploy troops to the rear, it would be the natural course.”

I immediately continued Fleta’s words.

“And the elves can’t possibly not know this. If they’re dreaming of something sinister, wouldn’t now be the perfect time?”

Lordain chuckled at my unexpected question.

“So, you’re going to take me as a prisoner to Capital to prevent us from stabbing you in the back?”

“You? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Then what are you going to do with me? Give me a tour of Capital?”

“We’re going to renegotiate the treaty between humans and elves.”

Lordain’s eyebrows twitched.

“The current treaty is too outdated. Perhaps because it was signed at the end of the race war, it’s full of anger towards the elves. We need to redefine the relationship.”

“Go on.”

“Not much will change. Not in the big picture. To be precise, I don’t have the authority to change that framework.”

“Then what are you going to redefine?”

“I want an alliance, not just non-aggression.”

The reaction to my words was greater than expected.

First, Taylor glared at me with eyes so wide they seemed to pop out. Even Jeskal, who was always calm, squeezed his eyes shut.

Watching these people, Lordain silently nodded.

“You’re definitely crazy. I was joking earlier, but I’m serious now.”

“I guess an alliance is difficult?”

Lordain was beyond dumbfounded and let out a laugh.

Fleta, now at a loss, sighed and opened her mouth.

“…Renegotiating the non-aggression treaty is understandable. It’s been a long time. But an alliance? You’re not joking. You could really lose your position.”

It was then. Amid the current of opposition, Peter, who was coughing, slowly raised his one remaining hand.

“It’s not entirely impossible. Of course, it would have to be in a different form, but the important thing is that there must be a justification for doing so.”

How perceptive.

As the heated atmosphere cooled down a bit, Peter adjusted the blanket around his shoulders and nodded.

“Without that, an alliance is absurd. We humans are, if not exactly ruling over the elves, at least in a position of dominance. Trying to overturn that from the root is close to political suicide.”

“Thanks for lording over us.”

Peter, expressing his apology with a raised hand at Lordain’s sarcasm, continued.

“I’m not trying to brag, but I’m a secret investigator. I know better than anyone how conservative Capital is and how cruel it can be to those who try to change it. So…”

“Stop beating around the bush and get to the point?”

“Yes. The reason you’ve gathered us here and brought up this issue is because you want opinions and help from various perspectives, isn’t it?”

I smiled at Peter’s pointed words.

“That’s right. The people gathered here are not just anyone.”

The heir to one of the kingdom’s most influential families, Vaschuren, two elite knights known as the Swords of the Royal Family, a royal secret investigator who dominates the shadows of the kingdom, and an elven elder who has been forgotten for a long time but hides great power.

Their power is essential for the plan I have in mind.

“To be precise, I want to form a joint front with the elves.”

A joint front.

If an alliance is when two groups share transnational values and maintain a close relationship, a joint front is a more straightforward relationship where even those with bad blood are willing to work together if they share a purpose and benefit.

Like the relationship between the Soviet Union and the United States during World War II.

They temporarily formed a joint front under the name of the Allied Powers to oppose fascism, but as soon as the war ended, they turned against each other in a Cold War that prioritized ideology.

Those who heard my words didn’t show the same resistance as before, perhaps because they understood the meaning.

But a more fundamental question remains.

So why?

Lordain was the first to move to resolve that question.

“I roughly understand the purpose, but why is it necessary?”

The slick attitude was gone. His reddish-brown eyes were digging into me. The current Lordain was not the carefree man he usually showed, but an elven elder.

“Why should we elves form such a relationship with you? The Rodkius family is also human. They are your enemies, not ours. It’s not a good enough excuse to form a joint front.”

“The Neviros Order is behind Rodkius.”

“Ha! Didn’t I tell you? They are also human.”

Lordain’s meaning was still clear. In short, why should he take sides in a human family feud?

But that’s the problem.

“I repeat, I’m not saying we should form a grand joint front just because of them. It’s just… it may be just a small fragment of what’s on the surface. We need to look further.”

“There’s something else behind them?”

“If my prediction is correct.”

“What’s the basis?”

“The Neviros Order.”

Lordain, who was about to get annoyed as if it was that damn Order again, paused. Then, after thinking for a moment, he asked cautiously.

“You don’t think…?”

“It’s just a guess, but…”

“You think those crazy fanatics are summoning demons?”

Demon.

Fleta flinched at the unholy name.

“I’m not sure, but we can’t rule out the possibility. They worship Neviros, a demon by name.”

That’s right. It’s not certain. Even I, who roughly know the future, am unsure.

But the possibility is there. They are the ones who created the Death Knight with unprecedented power like that black-haired man. There’s no reason why they can’t summon demons.

If so, the predicted race war is just a prelude to weaken the kingdom’s power ahead of that plan.

On the other hand, Lordain still had a dumbfounded expression.

“You’re pushing this forward without being sure?”

“Well, they’re the ones who created Death Knights and knights who don’t die even when their hearts are pierced. Can’t they summon demons?”

“Even if the Neviros Order has such a plan, would Rodkius let it happen? He’s also human. He wouldn’t want to live with demons, would he?”

“It’s not an alliance.”

“Not an alliance?”

Then Fleta, who had been listening quietly, opened her mouth.

“They just formed a joint front?”

“Probably.”

“Different dreams under the same blanket. The enemy is the same, but the goals are different. In the end, they are acting together only because they have a common enemy, the royal family and the royalists, but betrayal awaits them at the end. That makes sense.”

“Can you see the picture a little?”

“Roughly. So you’re aiming for their discord?”

“Yes. We’ve got a powerful card this time.”

“Alione Rodkius, you mean.”

“Yes. One way or another, he’s the direct line of the Rodkius family. We’ll use him to change the head of the Rodkius family. And after stabilizing the south, we’ll eradicate the Neviros Order.”

“Will Alione cooperate?”

“From what I’ve gathered, he doesn’t know the hidden truth of the family and the Neviros Order yet. He’ll change his mind when he finds out. Of course, it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t change his mind. We can just use him as a puppet. The important thing is the justification of the blood flowing in his body.”

Fleta sighed softly at the endlessly cold words.

“In the end, the issue is how quickly we can subjugate Rodkius and eradicate the Neviros Order…”

“That’s why we need a joint front with the elves, as I said earlier. The stronger the royalist’s internal affairs, the easier it will be to break their will to resist. Of course, it won’t be as easy as it sounds. As Peter said, there will be strong internal opposition.”

“Not all royalists are righteous. The important thing is whether we can control those who deviate from our plan without problems in the future.”

“That’s why I created this place.”

I nodded, having finished the explanation.

“Where is Duke Vaschuren?”

“He’s probably at the main estate in the territory, preparing for war.”

“Then Fleta, you go straight to the Vaschuren territory and meet the Duke. I don’t need to explain what you need to persuade, do I?”

“Yes.”

As Fleta nodded, Jeskal, who had been listening silently, opened his mouth.

“Count Cain, I don’t know if you know, but we can’t have personal political opinions.”

“I know. Don’t worry, just tell the truth as you saw it, without lying.”

“The truth as we saw it… will that be enough?”

“Yes. That’s enough.”