How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 4

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Episode 4

* * *

The Wind Knights’ barracks were located on the border between the inner and outer walls of the castle.

It seemed this was so they could quickly respond to any incidents, no matter where they occurred within the castle.

Though the weather was quite chilly, the atmosphere in the barracks was heated. This was thanks to the knights who were constantly sparring and training their bodies in the training grounds.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

I couldn’t help but be drawn to a sword fight unfolding in one corner.

Two long swords were dancing dazzlingly, sparks flying. Experiencing what I had only read about was more impressive than I had imagined.

“Who is that?”

“Judging by his appearance, he seems to be an inner castle guard.”

“How dare he…….”

In the midst of this, the knights noticed me and began to frown, expressing their displeasure.

“Why are they like that?”

“It seems to be because of you and the young master.”

“Because of us? Why?”

“Even if I’m usually overlooked… the young master’s attire is such that the knights don’t seem to recognize him.”

Ah.

Wearing an inner castle guard’s cloak and accompanied by only one servant, it’s understandable that they’d be mistaken.

“Well, then we just need to reveal who we are.”

Even at my carefree words, Leo’s expression remained dark.

As I felt something was amiss and was about to ask him why, a knight approached, brandishing his sword.

“Who are you to be loitering around the Knights’ Order?”

I wondered what their reaction would be.

Hiding my curiosity, I lowered my hood.

The knight’s expression quickly changed. It was because he recognized me as the third son.

The knight quickly sheathed the sword he was holding and bowed his head.

It was truly the bare minimum of etiquette.

Was he always like that, or was he doing it on purpose?

“What brings you here, young master?”

“Why? Is this a place I’m not allowed to come to?”

“Such outrageous words…….”

The knight, wearing a silver breastplate that only covered his chest, scratched the back of his neck. It didn’t seem to be wartime.

The Wind Knights were Count Lindaier’s elite military force.

Perhaps that’s why their reaction was different from the people I had encountered so far. It was as if they didn’t care much even after I revealed that I was a young master.

“So, what is your business here, young master? Unfortunately, the Knights’ Order does not have any alcohol. And even less so, dancing girls.”

At the knight’s words, the other knights who were watching from afar began to snicker.

‘Ah, is that what it is?’

I could immediately understand what kind of image they had of me.

Even though I was a count’s son, I wondered if this was acceptable, but I soon shook my head.

‘The Wind Knights are practically the Count’s limbs.’

The Count’s intentions are the Knights’ intentions.

It was the result of being excluded from the line of succession and falling out of the Count’s favor.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I intend to sit still and be taken advantage of.

It’s too unfair to be ignored for something I didn’t even do.

“I’d like to meet the commander of the Knights’ Order.”

“Our commander? You, young master?”

The knight tilted his head.

His attitude clearly said, ‘How dare a good-for-nothing like you?’

‘Look at this.’

I thought it was a bit much now.

If I let this go, I definitely wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.

“What is your name?”

Maybe 7 or 8 out of 10?

The experience of reading fantasy novels for over a decade was a great help in pretending to be a noble.

“Excuse me? My name, you mean?”

“Yes, your name. Is your ear canal blocked? Why do you make me say the same thing twice?”

“What do you mean…….”

“Are you deaf, is what I’m saying.”

I really wanted to say that line.

Crack!

The knight’s face slowly began to distort.

Well, he probably had never heard such blatant insults in his life.

But what could he do even if he was angry?

No matter how incompetent I may be, I am still a member of the Count’s family. That means a family knight can’t do anything to me.

“……My name is Holn.”

“Good. Knight Holn. By what authority are you blocking my path right now?”

“Blocking your path? I would never do such a thing.”

“Then why are you loitering in front of me?”

“……I am attending to you, young master.”

“Attending? Or turning me away?”

“I would never do that.”

“If that’s not the case, then shut your mouth and bring the commander here right now. Wouldn’t that be true attendance?”

“…….”

Holn’s eyes sank.

“I don’t know if you are aware, but the right to summon the commander of the Knights’ Order belongs only to the lord whom the Knights’ Order serves, the lord of the territory.”

“So.”

“……?”

“So bring him here.”

Flap!

When I unfolded the scroll I was holding and showed it to him, Holn’s face began to turn greenish.

It was understandable.

The seal stamped on the scroll was that of Count Lindaier.

Holn’s face turned pale as he confirmed the seal. He didn’t even read the contents. Holn affirmed without question, just confirming that it was the Count’s seal.

“I will summon the commander right away.”

As if he had seen a ghost in the middle of the night, Holn hurriedly ran into the barracks.

A bitter feeling washed over me at the sight.

Even though it was the Count’s seal, they treated the third son as less important than that seal.

I felt that I couldn’t stay like this.

* * *

“I greet the Third Young Master.”

The commander of the Wind Knights was a man with a sharp, wind-like aura.

‘Guilain Esteban.’

It was a name I remembered.

The one who possessed the epithet [a descriptive title] that only the commander of the Wind Knights could receive, the Knight of the North Wind.

He was also a mid-to-high-level expert in skill, second only to Count Lindaier in the territory.

He was on the verge of becoming a master, a realm of superhuman ability, and was receiving great attention from the Count, as well as being coveted by the Royal Guard Knights.

Such a man was now kneeling before me, bowing his head.

‘But that’s not for me.’

That respect is for the Count’s seal stamped on the scroll.

Since I brought a scroll containing the Count’s intentions, I’m just being treated along with it.

It should be upsetting.

In fact, I am upset with the previous treatment.

“So, you’ve come to find a knight to accompany the young master.”

“Well, that’s about right.”

Even if I was a young master, I had to show at least some respect to the commander of the Knights’ Order, unlike Holn.

He was, strictly speaking, the strongest knight in the territory, excluding the master-level Count.

“All of our Knights’ Order members, from the top to the bottom, are highly skilled. You will be satisfied no matter who you choose.”

Why did I hear that as ‘just take a low-ranking knight’?

I would have dismissed it as paranoia, but the back of my head was still stinging from Holn’s earlier actions.

“Or I can recommend someone to you.”

“No. I will decide after looking at the Knights’ Order roster.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said I would look at the roster.”

Guilain stared at me intently.

“The Knights’ Order roster is top secret.”

“I know.”

“That also means it is not information that the young master is entitled to view.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, either.”

“…….”

“The Knights’ Order belongs to the family. Therefore, shouldn’t anyone with the blood of Lindaier have the right to know the reality of what is theirs?”

Guilain’s mouth was tightly shut. It must be because his plan to roughly take advantage of the clueless third son had gone awry.

I watched his expression with a feeling of satisfaction, leaned back in my chair, and crossed my legs.

“Leo.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Warm tea.”

“Ah, I understand.”

Leo left the reception room at my errand, and at the same time, Guilain let out a low sigh.

“Instead, I will only allow you to view it. I will not tolerate anyone copying the contents or taking the roster away.”

“Of course.”

It’s not like I’m going to take it and boil soup with it.

At my affirmation, Guilain called a subordinate knight to bring the roster.

About a minute later.

Warm, steaming black tea and a neat booklet were placed in front of me.

With Guilain looking at me with a stiff face and Leo bowing his head anxiously beside me, I opened the roster.

‘I hardly know any of the names.’

Even a knight like Guilain would be reduced to a supporting role if the heroes of the continent were highlighted, so there was no way that ordinary Knights’ Order members would have made a name for themselves.

‘Wait a minute.’

It was then.

A familiar name caught my eye in the roster that was passing by.

24 years old. Knights’ Order member. Intermediate mana user.

From the Berg baronet family.

Is this the guy who was rude to me earlier?

I definitely remembered this bastard’s name.

‘That’s not the point right now.’

The important thing is to find the knight I need.

There are about thirty members of the Wind Knights.

Will there be someone inside who meets the conditions I want?

As I was reading the roster with a nervous heart, there was one knight who caught my eye near the end of the roster.

28 years old. Knights’ Order member. Advanced mana user.

Born as a fire field farmer in the Volum Mountains.

If he’s an advanced mana user at 28, he’s incredibly talented.

However, his origins overshadow that talent. Even more so because he is from a fire field farmer family, not even an ordinary commoner.

The image of a commoner knight struggling alone without even a solid connection was drawn in my head.

He was a talent that people around him would dissuade from being a count’s son’s escort. But it was a more than satisfactory condition for my plan.

“I’ve decided.”

Thud!

When I slammed the roster shut, Guilain nodded.

“Who did you choose?”

“Ruth Meyer.”

“Unfortunately…… Excuse me?”

Guilain, who thought I would naturally take the top-tier talent, widened his eyes.

“Sir Meyer? Are you serious?”

“Is it not possible? Didn’t you say that everyone from the top to the bottom of the Knights’ Order is highly skilled?”

“Of course, that’s true, but…….”

“If not, should I take Sir Belon instead?”

Belon was the most skilled after the commander and vice-commander.

“Ah, no. Sir Meyer is also an excellent knight, so I’m sure you’ll be pleased.”

Guilain shook his head and waved his hand.

His expression seemed resentful, but there was definitely room for consideration.

‘Well, his intentions don’t seem bad.’

The Lindaier territory was in charge of the northernmost part of the kingdom anyway.

From early winter to late spring, starving monsters and beasts roamed around at any time, so Guilain would need even slightly stronger knights under his command.

“By the way, is it certain that the knight Ruth Meyer was born in the Volum Mountains?”

“That’s certain. I personally took notice of his talent and brought him to the Knights’ Order.”

“The commander of the Knights’ Order brought him in personally?”

“I first saw him in a fire field farmer village that was attacked while I was out subjugating monsters in the Volum Mountains. He hadn’t received any special training, but he took down two or three orcs on his own. With rusty blades, too.”

“How old was he then?”

“I believe he was seventeen.”

He took down two or three orcs at the age of seventeen without even learning swordsmanship.

He must be a natural fighter.

“If you only look at his skills, he is by no means lacking. However…….”

“However?”

“Because of his origins, he is not very familiar with etiquette, so there is a risk that he may offend the young master.”

“It’s okay. I don’t care about that.”

“Please understand that it is because he has not learned it. He is originally a man of upright character.”

I felt embarrassed for no reason at Guilain’s gaze.

While there are trash like Holn, there seem to be true knights like Guilain.

“Anyway, when are you planning to take Sir Meyer?”

“The sooner the better. If possible, right now.”

“Still, there are things to teach him to assist the Third Young Master…….”

“A sword has a role to play. There is already someone to take on other roles.”

“I understand. If that is the young master’s will, I will send Sir Meyer as quickly as possible.”

As the story slowly came to an end, I bowed my head slightly.

“Thank you for the Knights’ Order’s generous cooperation.”

If it’s a talent like Guilain, it’s necessary to put aside pride for a while and approach him first.

On the other hand, Guilain’s expression changed strangely when I thanked him first.

It must be because I, who was arrogant and didn’t know the fear of the heavens, thanked him first.

After hesitating for a moment, Guilain quickly came to his senses and lightly knelt on one knee.

“The Knights’ Order is Lindaier’s. Please don’t worry about it.”