How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 36

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Chapter 36

* * *

The journey afterward proceeded smoothly enough.

For now, things were unfolding as if I were taking orders from Lices.

The assigned task was simple.

To guard the rear in preparation for any possible attacks.

Following behind the warhorses, stepping on their droppings, was certainly not a pleasant experience.

But what could I do? Lices clearly held all authority over the current escort.

I couldn’t just start a conflict right away. There’s a process to everything in this world.

“It’s a fortress.”

At Ilia’s words, I moved aside and looked ahead, where a massive citadel came into view.

West Fortress.

One of the outposts divided into north, south, east, and west, guarding the capital.

Perhaps because a messenger had been sent in advance, the fortress gates opened as soon as we came into sight, and troops emerged from within.

The man at the very front was a middle-aged man of imposing stature.

“I am Lord Fellon Verdiir. You are welcome to stay as long as you wish.”

After being assigned a bedroom, I took a quick wash and came out alone.

It was as I expected. The Princess’s party was gathered together for a meal.

With my hand on the hilt of my sword, I headed toward where they were.

Their gazes focused on me as they were lightly chatting, waiting for the meal to be prepared.

I saw Fleta leisurely drinking water in the middle, and I stood before her.

“Princess Bashrune.”

“What is it, Third Son?”

“I would like to take this opportunity to once again request the transfer of command.”

In an instant, everyone in the hall was watching.

Regardless, as if yesterday’s conversation had never happened, Fleta and I looked at each other with extremely businesslike attitudes.

“If you are truly qualified, why wouldn’t I give it to you?”

“What do you mean by qualified?”

“You must possess martial prowess befitting the head of the escort, the leadership to command the escort, and the proper character befitting the position.”

“Leadership, you say?”

“At the very least, shouldn’t you have achievements and a position that my escort knights can accept?”

These were the words I had been waiting for.

Clack!

Taking off my glove, I held out the signet ring on my finger, drawing everyone’s attention.

“This ring was bestowed upon me by Count Rein Lindaier, the head of the family and my father.”

“…A banneret’s [a knight entitled to display his own banner] insignia?”

The knights, including Lices, recognized the ring.

“It is proof that my leadership was acknowledged in the process of subjugating the Northern Blade Song Tribe. To deny this is no different from denying the will of Count Lindaier. Keep that in mind.”

Fleta nodded after seeing the banneret’s insignia.

“Who would dare disregard Count Lindaier’s insight? I certainly agree with the Third Son. But…”

Fleta’s eyes were filled with interest.

“How will you prove the other qualifications I mentioned earlier?”

At Fleta’s words, I turned to look at Lord Fellon.

“Lord Verdiir.”

“What is it, Third Son?”

“I wish to hold a duel to determine the depth of our swordsmanship, and I request that you be the overseer of the duel.”

“Huh, who exactly are you talking about dueling?”

“Myself and all of the Wisdom Knights.”

I turned back to look at Fleta.

“Will you cooperate?”

Fleta smiled faintly at my words and nodded.

“Of course. Everyone, including myself, will faithfully assist the Third Son in proving his qualifications without any falsehoods.”

* * *

“Are you sure about this?”

Ilia approached me as I was warming up in the training grounds prepared on one side of the castle.

“About what?”

“A duel against all of the Wisdom Knights.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s a duel without using mana [magical energy].”

“Even if it’s purely swordsmanship, I think it’s too much to take on all of them.”

“Then what? Should I just shut my mouth and follow their tail, stepping on horse dung all the way to the capital?”

“….”

“Ilia, this isn’t just about personal pride.”

To be honest, personal feelings account for more than half of it.

“If I, representing the territory at the founding anniversary, arrive in the capital as a mere escort soldier, not as the head of the escort, what will become of the family’s honor?”

It was a rough excuse, but Ilia’s eyes burned with determination.

“That must never happen.”

Ilia, filled with enthusiasm, began to help me prepare for the duel.

Soon after.

As I stepped onto the training grounds where all preparations were complete, I saw a knight walking out from the opposite side.

‘This should be interesting.’

I wondered what the Wisdom Knights’ swordsmanship was like.

The swordsmanship of the Wind Knights, considered the best military force on the continent, resembled the wind as much as their name suggested.

Their point was a sharp, sensual swordsmanship full of keenness, like a biting winter wind.

On the other hand, the Wisdom Knights’ swordsmanship was?

“Begin.”

Lord Verdiir, who was in charge, announced the start of the duel.

Clang!

At the same time, my sword and my opponent’s collided loudly.

‘Hmm.’

How should I describe my opponent’s swordsmanship?

When I crossed swords with Ruth, it felt like facing a ferocious wolf. It felt like I would have my throat torn out in an instant if I showed even the slightest opening.

If I had to compare it, it was like a textbook. You could say it was orthodox. The beginning and end were clear. It didn’t produce great gains, but it didn’t cause great losses either.

But the Wisdom Knights’ swordsmanship was like a complex math problem. You had to take the time to find the answer and then use it as a basis to break through.

‘In other words, it’s boring.’

A boring, repetitive task.

That meant that it was extremely physically demanding to deal with.

“I yield.”

After several fierce attacks, my sword aimed at his chin, and my opponent raised his hand and declared defeat.

As I stepped back, Ilia approached me and handed me water.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“What do you mean, worked hard? I still have a long way to go.”

I glanced at the opposing knights lined up and waiting.

“Do your best. I’ll be cheering for you.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Afterward, I went back onto the training grounds and started the duel again.

Like that, one, two, three.

After defeating the fourth, my stamina was almost exhausted, and sweat poured down like rain.

“How many are left?”

“Five, excluding Sir Livern.”

“That’s a lot.”

Tsk, I clicked my tongue and looked at Lices.

His face, watching his subordinates being defeated one after another, was quite a sight to behold.

It was understandable. In a duel that distinguished the superiority of different roots, I was winning in rapid succession.

Of course, it was a duel fought with swordsmanship alone, without mana, but that didn’t mean it was something to be taken lightly.

‘Should I throw it out there at this point?’

Hoo-

I took a deep breath and turned to look at Lices.

“Sir Livern.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t you think I’m qualified enough to challenge you at this point? What do you think?”

Lices, who had been pondering with a stiff face, finally nodded.

He must have judged that there would be more to lose than gain if he beat me, who was exhausted after fighting nine people.

“Very well.”

Just as Lices nodded and was about to grab his sword and come out to the training grounds.

“Knight Lices Livern.”

It was Fleta’s call.

As Lices turned to face her, Fleta continued in a low voice.

“Do your best. I will not tolerate defeat.”

“I will do my best, with my honor on the line.”

The knight had put his honor on the line.

In that case, there was no way he could slack off in the duel.

‘Did you really have to say it like that?’

Fleta lightly smiled and brushed off my resentful gaze.

In the meantime, Lices, who had come forward, drew his sword.

It was a long sword with a narrower width and reduced weight than usual. From that, I could roughly predict that he valued quick swordsmanship.

Like that, Lices and I stood facing each other.

“Oh ho.”

Lord Verdiir, who was watching from the side, exclaimed in admiration.

He was also a seasoned swordsman. He felt that this was different from the previous lackluster duels.

I was feeling it too.

This duel was different. Lices’ heavy atmosphere came as a pressure.

‘So he’s the real deal.’

In fact, the knights I had fought so far were not enough to be called the elite of the Wisdom Knights.

On the other hand, Lices was the real deal, having served as the head of the escort. I had a feeling it wouldn’t be easy.

“Hmph!”

Lices lightly swung his sword.

The start was light, as if testing me. It was as if to say that if I couldn’t even block this, I wouldn’t be qualified to see the next move.

Clang!

I easily deflected it. I didn’t stop there. I immediately went all out. There was no time to exchange blows and reorganize, breaking away from the pattern so far.

Clang! Clang!

What followed was a speed battle that sparked.

“Fast.”

“It’ll be over soon.”

As the spectators commented, the atmosphere gradually overheated.

Clack! Clang!

Steel and steel collided on the training grounds, and sparks flew.

Like me, Lices must have guessed that the moment one of us fell behind in this speed battle, it would be over.

‘This is the limit.’

How many exchanges had we made?

Eventually, I began to feel like I was gradually being pushed back.

It was a delusion that I thought I could handle it at first. After the probing was over, Lices, who had roughly grasped my sword path, began to increase his speed in earnest.

Clang! Clang!

In the end, I began to chase Lices’ sword with instinct rather than sight. It was proof that I had reached the end of the line.

But at the same time, a strange sensation came over me.

Time seemed to be flowing slowly. I couldn’t see anything around me except for Lices. The only things I felt were my sword and my opponent’s sword. It meant that I was completely immersed.

For some reason, I felt like I could use it now, no, now was the time to use it.

That one flash-like strike I had unleashed in the family’s secret library, the sword path that had made me cough up red blood after unleashing it.

Claaang!

The moment my hand went numb from a large collision of swords, I glanced at Lices’ face.

It was a confident expression.

You can’t beat me.

It was also a face that ruthlessly concluded.

I decided. To summon the Avatar. To summon it and shatter that confidence.

Following that, I imagined.

The sword that Bain Lindaier had unleashed.

Then I recited.

The poem that Bain Lindaier had chanted.

“My sword is the wind.”

The moment Lices heard the small murmur, a question arose in his eyes. It meant, what was with the random words in this urgent situation?

Of course, even if he heard it, nothing would change.

Because I’m the only one in the world who can use this technique at this time.

「 My sword is the wind. 」

The incantation rang in my head, and I felt like my vision cleared in an instant.

At the same time, I felt something heavy settle in my soul. It was the Avatar of Bain Lindaier.

“What is this….”

Perhaps he instinctively felt that something had changed.

Lices tried to pull out his sword and step back.

But it was too late.

Feeling an unknown pleasure, I reached out my hand.

Then, an unknown sensation, not the one I was used to, was felt through my fingertips.

Flash!

A single blue flash was fired.

Like a momentary flash, my sword became a light aiming for Lices’s neck. Lices belatedly raised his sword to block it, but it seemed too late.

‘Death.’

Sensing the aura of death, Lices urgently gathered mana in an instant.

Saaaaaa-

Following that, a blue aura burst out in an instant.

Kagagak!

At the same time, a rough impact sound echoed over the training grounds.

Clang!

My sword was knocked into the air.

“….”

“….”

Only silence flowed through the training grounds.

At the same time, red blood began to flow down my nose and mouth. It was the aftermath of summoning the Avatar, as well as the price of colliding head-on with mana.

But the pain was only temporary, and I felt satisfied with the power of the Avatar that I had tasted in actual combat.

At this point, it meant that I had digested the first verse of Bain Lindaier’s epic.

What should I name the first verse?

Since it was a flash-like strike, I thought it would be appropriate to call it Flash (一閃) [Issen, meaning “one flash” or “single strike” in Japanese martial arts].

“L, Lord!”

Ilia screamed and ran to me when she saw me bleeding.

“Are you alright?”

I gestured to her as she grabbed my shoulder and supported me.

“I’m alright.”

The aftermath of the Avatar leaving is great.

My light body became limp, my light sword became as heavy as a lump of iron. In addition, my vision blurred and dizziness came.

But I can’t fall here.

Barely maintaining my balance in the middle of the silent training grounds, I looked at Lices.

“How is it?”

Was there anything more to say?

He had raised mana in a duel that was only supposed to be swordsmanship.

“…I lost.”

As Lices declared defeat, the already quiet training grounds fell into an even deeper silence.

* * *

Afterward, the transfer of command proceeded smoothly.

I had proven my leadership as well as my martial arts.

My character?

When Ilia stepped forward and told the story of how I had given the bounty given to me to the rangers, it was neatly settled.

Five hundred gold coins was a considerable amount of money for any aristocrat. To hand it over to the royal direct unit, not even his own private soldiers, was unprecedented.

After all that was over.

The reaction to the duel was greater than I thought.

“Lord, if you’re alright with it, can we have another one later….”

“How did you train to achieve such rapid progress?”

“I’m curious if I had any bad habits or tendencies.”

It was more positive than negative. I was surrounded by knights and received attention throughout the meal.

The atmosphere was quite different from the Wind Knights. Perhaps because it was a magic prestigious ducal family, the knights also inherited the inquisitive nature.

“You must be tired, you should stop there.”

In the midst of that, Lices appeared, pushed the knights away, and sat in the empty seat in front of me.

Lices’ expression was calm. He didn’t seem to care at all that I had taken away his command.

“Lord, are you feeling any better?”

Even his voice had softened.

What’s with this guy?

“Yes, I’m fine.”

In fact, there were still slight aftereffects, but they would disappear after a good night’s sleep.

What’s important now is not that.

Why was this guy, who had been acting like he was going to eat me alive, suddenly acting so kindly?

Was it because he was afraid that I would harass him using my command?

“I’m glad to hear that. More than that, there’s one thing I’m curious about.”

Curious?

“What is it?”

“That last strike. How did you do it?”

“….”

He seemed to be talking about Flash, but I couldn’t honestly tell him.

“I just unleashed it instinctively.”

“…Instinctively, you say?”

“Yes. Instinct.”

I guess I’ve been lying so much that I don’t even blink an eye anymore.

Lices laughed as if he was dumbfounded when he heard that.

“I once experienced Count Lindaier’s martial prowess just once in the past.”

Count Lindaier’s martial prowess?

“I didn’t experience it directly. It was a friendly duel with the Royal Knights Commander.”

“Is that so.”

“What I felt at that time was a thrill. I tasted the essence of the Lindaier swordsmanship family.”

“….”

“I felt a similar feeling in the Lord’s last strike just now.”

Bain Lindaier was the founder of the Lindaier family, so he must have felt the similarity.

“Should I say that blood can’t be deceived? Bloodlines are scary. If you have time later, would you like to duel again?”

“If the opportunity arises.”

“Thank you. By the way.”

Lices, who had been sparing his words for a moment, pointed out the window.

“The Princess is waiting for you.”

“The Princess is?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“It would be better to hear the reason directly from the Princess.”

Fleta is looking for me.

Why?