How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 252

Living as the Third Son of a Wasted Novel – Chapter 253

The Capital’s palace just before sunset.

Standing on the ramparts, I looked up at the sky. Rain clouds were gathering. Soon, a drizzle began to tap my shoulder.

A slightly chilly rain, signaling the end of summer and the arrival of autumn.

As I stood there watching the rain, I sensed someone approaching from behind.

A familiar footstep.

I struggled to suppress a smile, continuing to gaze at the brightly lit cityscape of the Capital.

“Lord Count?”

A low but earnest voice.

I slowly turned around, and soon a figure appeared, tilting their head slightly.

Ruth Meyer. Ah, now it’s Flores, not Meyer, isn’t it? The Eastern Lady, married to Cella Flores.

“Ruth.”

At my call, Ruth’s face looked as if tears were about to spill at any moment.

“Where have you been all this time!”

Ruth rushed over and grabbed my hands tightly, shaking them up and down relentlessly. My body swayed along with them.

This is making me dizzy.

“……Have you been well, Ruth?”

“How could I be well! With you gone without a word! Do you know how shocked I was when I received the letter!”

“Still, you should have been doing well, being newly married.”

Ruth’s face flushed at my words. But soon, her face contorted again, grinding her teeth.

“When I heard the news from Ilia, I thought my heart would drop. What on earth happened?”

Ilia?

Ah, I’ve had an inexplicable sense of unease in my heart since earlier, and I’ve finally found the cause.

I cautiously asked.

“Don’t tell me Ilia too?”

Ruth gave a wicked smile.

“Even if you are our lord, you still have some explaining to do, don’t you think?”

When I headed north at Kerwyn’s request, in a desperate situation where I met Drake, I sent Ilia away and remained alone.

Of course, I had a proper plan. And I eventually succeeded in teleporting to the south.

But from Ilia’s perspective, she might have misunderstood that I sacrificed my life to save her.

This isn’t good. Considering Ilia’s tendencies so far, wouldn’t she be really angry?

And that prediction seemed to be accurate.

A chilling aura was felt through the stairs leading up to the ramparts. At the same time, Ruth firmly gripped my shoulder to prevent me from escaping.

This bastard?

“Don’t tell me you brought her?”

“She’s the type who would skin me alive if I came alone.”

“Damn it. I raised a tiger.”

Simultaneous with my lament, a figure appeared on the stairs. It was a woman with eerie blue energy flowing from both eyes.

There’s no need to say who it is. It must be Ilia.

She stopped abruptly when she saw me held by Ruth. Then, she bit her lip tightly.

What is she going to say? Honestly, I wouldn’t blame her if she cursed at me.

Ilia started running towards me.

At the same time, Ruth released my shoulder and gently pushed my back. It looked as if she was throwing prey to a beast.

“…….”

But what followed wasn’t the beast’s teeth. Ilia’s head collided strongly with my defenseless chest.

Following that, her hands wrapped around my waist. Her hands, gripping my waist as if not letting me escape anywhere, were full of strength.

Soon, Ilia’s shoulders began to tremble. It wasn’t because she was cold from the rain. She is a knight who manipulates mana [magical energy].

I turned my lost gaze to Ruth.

Ruth, who received my gaze, smiled and mouthed.

‘Why don’t you comfort her?’

Damn it. What do you want me to do?

……What else can I do?

I lightly sighed and raised my hand to stroke Ilia’s back. Then, I said quietly.

“I’m sorry.”

At my words, Ilia’s trembling intensified. It felt like what was falling on my toes wasn’t just raindrops.

I continued to stroke Ilia’s back and continued speaking.

“I had a mission. But that doesn’t mean I could put you in danger with me.”

“……You’re cowardly.”

The end of Ilia’s voice was cracked, and my guilt grew endlessly.

“Yeah, I was cowardly. But I couldn’t help it.”

“Don’t ever do that again.”

“Okay. I won’t.”

“Swear it.”

“I swear on my honor.”

“…….”

After I swore on my honor, Ilia didn’t pursue it any further and shut her mouth.

But I’m sorry, Ilia. I’ll send you away again even if the same situation occurs. Because I’m a liar.

Honor? What’s the point of having it? It’s not like I can exchange it for candy.

Ruth, who was grinning beside me, snapped her fingers, whether she knew my inner thoughts or not.

“Ah, by the way, I have to give you a report.”

“Okay. Tell me about it.”

After patting Ilia’s back lightly, she moved away from me and wiped her eyes.

How much more are you going to make me feel sorry?

Ruth patted Ilia’s shoulder and chuckled.

“First of all, the other races you sent have been entrusted to Kalandart. He said he would take care of them in the Evil Spirit Mountain for the time being. In addition, Lady Rahenna said she would try her best to break the shackles of the pentagram that the Neviros Order planted.”

“Did she say she could break them?”

“She said they were terribly nasty and shook her head.”

“That’s true.”

“She said it would take some time, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

“What about Redran?”

When I asked about Redran’s whereabouts, Ruth scratched her head.

“Actually, his whereabouts were a bit ambiguous. If we sent him back to the Sky Fortress, Ilia insisted that she would stay in the Red Castle until you contacted her… And it would be ridiculous to send Redran to the Sky Fortress alone. Isn’t he a national criminal anyway?”

“That’s true.”

“So, I just gave him a job at the Red Castle, telling him to use his head to reorganize the East.”

“You gave him a job?”

“Still, he’s the guy who once tried to swallow the East and waged war, isn’t he?”

That’s true. In the end, I intervened and Redran was defeated, but before that, he had consistently pushed the Allied Forces and swallowed more than half of the East.

“Is he doing well?”

“Well, Cella, who was furious at the idea of using Redran at first, eventually admitted it, so there’s no need to say more, right?”

Even Cella, who hated Redran, closed her mouth at his talent.

I chuckled.

“Is it that good?”

“Yes. I was having a hard time because of the work you entrusted to me, but thanks to him, the reorganization of the Eastern Army was almost perfectly completed.”

“It’s over, you mean.”

“We can deploy at any time you want.”

At Ruth’s confirmation, I nodded.

“Anyway, why did you call me all the way here, if not for Ilia? If it’s just a report, you could have delivered it through Ilia.”

“I was trying to keep Ilia away for a while because I had committed a sin.”

“Lord Count!”

Ilia, who heard my words, made a tearful face and grabbed my waist again.

Clap-clap-clap-

It was then. The sound of clapping came from the stairs leading up to the ramparts. When I turned my head, a man with a neat appearance was standing there.

“It’s good to see you have such a close relationship with your subordinates, Count Cain.”

“Ah, Sir Jescal.”

It was Jescal. Ilia, who saw him, hurriedly let go of my waist and stood far away.

At that sight, Jescal gave a faint smile and bowed.

“It’s nice to meet the other two as well. Sir Ruth, Sir Ilia. I am Jescal Highclans, a Royal Guard Knight.”

Ruth and Ilia’s eyes widened slightly at the words Royal Guard Knight, which anyone who wields a sword would dream of at least once.

After a brief greeting, Jescal looked straight at me.

“All preparations are complete. Shall we go?”

At Jescal’s words, I nodded and gestured to Ilia and Ruth as well.

“I’ll explain the details later, so let’s go for now.”

We came down from the ramparts and walked along the long corridor of the palace. The sound of light rain and the faint harmony of instruments could be heard in the distance. How poetic.

When we reached the end of the corridor, two guards in splendid breastplates were visible. They sensed our presence and took a disciplined stance.

Clang!

A pleasant metallic sound echoed through the corridor.

When I nodded, the guard turned around and opened the back door. It was a small door, but the interior that opened up was, on the contrary, a vast space.

“Hya…….”

A short exclamation from Ruth was heard.

All around was gold, gold, gold.

The walls were filled with tapestries embroidered with gold. At every step people took, white flowers were decorated at their feet, and below that, a carpet of pure white and gold was laid out without gaps.

At the same time, excited exclamations and the cries of beautiful stringed instruments pierced the ears.

I guarantee it. At this moment, the most luxurious place in the Midlands is right here.

“Hahaha!”

“Good!”

In the flood of luxury, handsome men and beautiful women were dancing social dances. They all had a richly decorated white flower pinned to their chests.

A beautiful maid approached our party, who had entered the hall, with hurried steps. After bowing her head, she carefully decorated our chests with white flowers as well.

“It’s wonderful. But why did we come in through the back door?”

“It was Count Cain’s strong request.”

At Ruth’s question, Jescal smiled and emphasized ‘strong’ in his answer. At that, I chuckled and scolded Ruth.

“Why? Did you want to put the nobles gathered here under your feet and receive applause with magnificent music?”

“Goodness, now that I hear it, that’s true. I wouldn’t have been able to move a step if that had happened.”

Ruth giggled and waved her hand.

After that, we slowly moved along the outskirts of the hall. Then, we found a table that was moderately secluded and wouldn’t attract attention and sat down.

Soon, maids who approached silently placed food and wine and disappeared again.

“It’s good to be a noble.”

I chuckled and picked up a wine glass. Then, I swirled the glass around and took a sip. It’s pretty good.

Nodding, I slowly looked around the banquet hall.

I saw quite a few familiar faces. Some nobles recognized me and bowed. And some young noble ladies glanced at me.

Are they going to ask me to dance? That’s troublesome.

Fortunately, Ilia, who was sitting next to me like a leech, had a cold expression on her face, so the young ladies only showed disappointment.

“Marquis Hallin Irphe is entering.”

A disciplined voice was heard from the stage of the banquet hall. At the same time, the splendid and huge door, not the back door I had entered, slowly opened.

Soon, Marquis Hallin Irphe, dressed in formal attire, appeared. He gave a moderately conventional smile and entered, receiving applause from the people.

After that, dignitaries from the palace continued to enter. Each time, people applauded, and the atmosphere was heated up.

Before long, an invited minstrel came up to the stage and began to sing. At the same time, the music also changed to something lyrical, and the dance of men and women also changed from passion to gentleness accordingly.

“How is it, do you like the wine?”

A voice was heard from behind me as I watched the scene. It was a familiar voice.

I nodded.

“It’s good.”

“The grapes used in that wine are a variety that only grows in the Perrin region of the West. It’s especially refined.”

“It must be expensive.”

“Yes. Damn expensive.”

Marquis Hallin chuckled and sat down at our table. Many eyes were focused on his joining, as he could be said to have great power as the king’s closest aide.

“I wanted to be alone. Especially considering the party that will be held soon.”

“I’m sorry to bother you. But there’s a reason why I have to.”

“A reason?”

At my words, the Marquis whispered in my ear.

“Don’t react, just listen. Marquis Rodkius will be entering the palace soon.”