How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 31

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Chapter 31

* * *

“I’m tired as hell.”

And it wasn’t just talk; I had been reading books for the past few days, and it felt like my eyes were about to fall out.

No matter how many times I had devoured the novel, living as a noble in person was a different dimension of problems.

I had to memorize the countless lords of the kingdom, their personalities, political leanings, and relationships with surrounding powers, looking at them over and over again.

And that’s not all; it seems there’s so much information to know since I’m attending the anniversary representing the family.

“Annoying.”

The word ‘annoying’ stuck to my lips like a habit.

I’m glad I knew the settings inside and out; if I didn’t, I might have just given up and lived like a thug.

“Young master.”

“Leo, perfect timing.”

Just in time, Leo came with something to drink.

Taking a moment to catch my breath, I took the glass and headed to the window.

“How’s the atmosphere in the castle?”

“Busy. There are so many things to take to the capital.”

“Damn it. It’s not like I’m an envoy, why are we packing so much stuff?”

Since I was attending the anniversary representing the territory, there were quite a few gifts to present to the royal family.

“Still, this trip will be quite comfortable. You can go by carriage.”

Having a lot of luggage to take means the size of the entourage also increases.

I was comforting myself with the thought of a carriage trip after a long time when Leo, who had been hesitating, opened his mouth.

“Um, young master.”

“What?”

“It seems you’ll have to depart ahead of the escort without the carriage.”

“What? Why? There are still a few days left until departure, right?”

“The Lord is looking for you anyway. I think it would be better to hear the explanation directly rather than me telling you….”

That guy?

My butt feels like it’s been squashed from riding horses so much, and now I have to ride again?

“Where is he?”

“He’s in the training grounds.”

Clack!

I put down the glass and put on my cloak. And as I was about to leave, I saw the seal on the table.

It was a ring with the family crest, a gray falcon. A seal symbolizing knighthood. After hesitating for a moment, I put it on and left the room.

* * *

Swish!

The training ground I entered was sweltering. The Count was wielding his sword with his upper body exposed.

It was a sculpted body. The movement of the elastic muscles was vivid. To think that’s the body of someone in their fifties, I have no words.

“You’ve come.”

The Count, who glanced at me, stopped wielding his sword. At the same time, the maids who were standing by approached, wiped his sweat, and handed him water.

The Count, who gulped down the water, gestured.

“You guys, go out.”

“Yes, sir.”

When the maids left, only the Count and I remained in the training ground. After a moment of awkwardness, the Count pointed to a sword stuck in one side of the training ground.

“You’ve been using my training ground for a while. Let’s see your skills.”

“How could I….”

“It’s an order, Knight Lindayer.”

The Count said, looking at the seal on my hand. It’s an order, what can I do? I should mingle appropriately and ask why he called me.

“Come in.”

But when I actually held the sword and faced him, the thought of mingling appropriately disappeared.

What an overwhelming atmosphere.

The Count’s dark eyes locked onto me.

His sword felt several times longer than mine. Is that why I couldn’t figure out how to approach him?

I admit it. Honestly, I’m a little scared.

Indeed, a master. He was a transcendent being several levels above Gilaine.

‘Hoo. Let’s just do it moderately, moderately.’

I took a deep breath and extended my sword.

Clang!

And my sword flew into the air.

“…….”

What?

When did he parry it?

I picked up the sword again. I caught my breath. This time, I dug in with a serious attitude. No, I didn’t dig in, I pushed in. Because there was still no opening.

Clang!

And my sword flew into the air again.

Still, it’s better than before.

I could roughly feel how the Count had deflected it.

“Was it a throwing star instead of a longsword? Seeing it flying through the air.”

“…….”

Look at him being sarcastic.

At this point, a competitive spirit is bound to arise. I picked up the sword again and took a proper stance. Until just now, I was using the Lindayer family swordsmanship that I learned from Ruth.

But this time it’s different.

I put strength in my legs and pushed out. At the same time, I twisted my waist, gave strength, and pushed my arm muscles to the limit.

Clang!

It still didn’t work.

But there was a change. My sword didn’t fly away, and the Count, who had been standing still until now, took a step back.

The Count’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“What is that?”

Tap!

The Count pushed away the sword that had been overlapping diagonally.

With the distance widened, the Count narrowed his brows.

“Where did you learn that swordsmanship?”

My skills will be revealed soon anyway. There’s no need to hide swordsmanship here either. It’s enough to keep hiding mana.

“I created it.”

The Count narrowed his eyes. He must be looking for someone in the Knights who uses the same thing as my swordsmanship.

Of course, there can’t be.

“Ruth Meyer wouldn’t have taught it to you, and it’s not Gilaine’s either.”

“Of course.”

“Are you serious that you created it?”

“Yes.”

The Count burst into laughter.

Actually, all I showed was that one sword strike just now, but did he roughly see through my level with just that one strike?

“You’re saying you just made it up after only a few months of going in and out of the training ground?”

“That’s right.”

“You’re a funny guy.”

He’s taken aback by just showing him this one thing. If I had summoned Lindayer’s Avatar, he would have fainted.

“Swordsmanship created directly…….”

As the Count was lost in thought for a while, I spoke first.

“I heard I have to depart earlier than scheduled.”

“That’s right.”

“Why?”

“You have something to do.”

Something to do.

“Is it something that can be finished before the founding anniversary?”

“Of course.”

“What is it?”

“There was a request to dispatch a guard knight.”

“A guard knight? What does that have to do with me… Don’t tell me they’re pointing at me?”

“That’s right.”

No, a guard knight.

Outwardly, I still can’t even handle mana.

Besides, to designate the Third Son, who is clearly a noble, and request it?

Could it be…….

“Who is it?”

“It’s a request from the Vashrun Dukedom.”

Yeah. That hunch is right.

“If it can be finished before the anniversary and it’s a request from the Dukedom, it must be a journey to the capital.”

“That’s right.”

“The person to be guarded is the Duchess.”

“You know well.”

“They’re going to use me to regain their prestige.”

“Well, I don’t know about that.”

It’s almost a certain story, even though I haven’t heard it from the person involved.

The Dukedom’s Duchess was beaten by the Third Son.

Moreover, she was dumped and returned empty-handed.

They tried to prevent the story from spreading as much as possible, but there are many knights who watched it.

A rumor is a rumor because it can’t be suppressed. People who know, know.

Therefore, the Duke must have needed a way to restore his diminished prestige, and the request for protection was clearly the first step.

The fact that an heir of one family was guarding the daughter of another family was a form of conceding a step.

“Isn’t it obvious? The reason you accepted that request must be because you have to repay the debt to the Duke.”

The Duke, who said he would get the price for unilaterally breaking off the engagement later, came to mind.

“You’re quick to catch on. There’s no need to explain any further. It’s a good opportunity. You can get rid of the debt with such a trivial matter.”

The Count gave a faint smile.

But it’s too early to be happy.

“I refuse.”

The Count’s eyebrows twitched.

“What did you say?”

“I said I refuse.”

“Didn’t I say you could erase the debt with a small matter?”

“It’s not my debt.”

That’s obvious. The responsibility for that debt lies with the Count, who bet the breakup on the line.

The Count, not unaware of that, tried to persuade me with a gentle voice.

“Okay. As you said, it’s my debt. But I am the family. And you are a member of the family. That means it’s your debt too.”

Oh, dear. I’m not a foolish idiot, what kind of wordplay is this?

“I’ll say it again, it’s not my debt. If it’s for simple protection, you can send Esteban or Varanka.”

Of course, the effect won’t work if it’s not me, so the Dukedom won’t accept it.

“They want you, don’t they?”

“I have the right to refuse. If you tell a member of the family to protect, I will follow. But I have no obligation to the Vashrun Dukedom.”

“Even if it’s an order?”

“If you order me, you can force me, but you won’t get my will.”

I don’t want to go. But if you insist on telling me to go, I will go.

It was a question of whether he would manipulate people with power for his own selfish desires.

As expected, the Count probably won’t do that. It’s not a political arena, and he’s not the kind of person who would ruin his pride even in front of his own children.

“What can I do to make you accept?”

My prediction was correct. The Count offered a negotiation.

Accept? Or not?

The deliberation didn’t last long. The Count is the Count. If I leave a debt, I can get it back someday.

Showing a lot of deliberation, I slowly opened my mouth.

“There are conditions.”

“Conditions, you say.”

“First. It must be an equal partnership, not a relationship between a superior and a subordinate.”

“Hmm.”

“Second. I must have the overall authority to command the group heading to the capital. Unifying the command is important to prepare for unexpected accidents, so it’s a natural request as a guard knight.”

“Also.”

“Third. All expenses for the protection must be supported by the family.”

I dragged out the story for a long time, but in the end, what I wanted was one thing.

I was going to prevent them from making me a puppet clown to build their family’s prestige.

To do that, I had to guarantee my authority and power.

I glanced at the Count.

The Count, who was stroking his chin, quietly opened his mouth.

“Are you worried?”

“What do you mean?”

“That you might be made a clown.”

The Count is not stupid enough not to know my intentions.

“In other words, yes. That’s right.”

“Then what are the conditions you mentioned earlier?”

“It’s a will not to be easily taken advantage of.”

“What if the Dukedom doesn’t accept the conditions?”

“Well. Would the Duke, who wants to drag me in somehow, break it off?”

“You seem to know your own position better than I thought.”

“Do you think I don’t know myself?”

“There are many. There are countless stupid guys who don’t know themselves and head for self-destruction.”

The Count nodded.

“Okay. I’ll take responsibility and protect what you said earlier.”

Then there’s nothing I can’t accept. Of course, on the premise that I take care of what I need to take care of.

“By the way, since I’m clearing my father’s debt instead…….”

“I know what you’re trying to say. I will compensate you in some way at a level commensurate with what you have done to clear my debt.”

“I understand.”

“Anything else you need?”

“When and where did they tell you to come?”

“The Dukedom is in the western part of the continent. Coordinate the departure dates with each other and join at a suitable point.”

If the Lindayer family is blocking monsters in the north, the Vashrun Dukedom was holding the Daesu Forest in the western part of the continent.

“I have to stop by the west and then go to the capital.”

“You can prepare well on your own, right?”

“Can I take a few members of the Wind Knights with me?”

“The Wind Knights are out of the question. They only asked for you.”

I knew it wouldn’t work.

But I can’t just trudge along the long road alone.

“Then I’ll take a squire.”

“A squire?”

At the Count’s words, I held out the seal I was wearing.

“Even if it’s not the Wind Knights, I have the position of Banneret [a knight entitled to lead his own banner]. I think I have the right to have a squire.”

“So, you’re going to make one of the Wind Knights your squire?”

“I don’t think a proud knight would serve as a squire, so I’ll take one of the training knights.”

“Okay. I’ll issue a permit.”

“Give me one scout squad too. Even if it’s only until I join the Dukedom’s group.”

“You’re greedy.”

“It’s just up to the rendezvous point.”

“Okay. I’ll give it to you.”

I felt that the story was slowly coming to an end.

In the midst of the silence, the Count and I briefly met each other’s eyes. The Count was the first to speak.

“Cain.”

“Yes.”

“A falcon cannot be caught by a fox.”