How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 57

Living as the Third Son of a Wasted Novel – Chapter 57

20. Rahenna Grantree

I and Ilia slipped out of the lord’s castle late at night, unnoticed by anyone.

I told the Count that I would be away for a while to learn.

Even that ironclad Count showed signs of unease when I said I was going outside Windnest.

“Do you really have to leave the territory in times like these?”

“Will you hand over the position of the young lord if I stay put?”

“…Ilia Frost has left the Knights Order.”

“Is that so?”

“You sly dog. Are you already trying to build your own power?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re a complete swindler. Take her or leave her, do whatever you want.”

Leaving behind the Count’s grumbling, which sounded like a complaint, we drove for several days straight and arrived in the southern part of the County.

It was starting to get dark. I was debating whether to push on, but I didn’t think it was necessary, so I took out the map and looked around.

After confirming that there was a scout’s shelter nearby, I looked at Ilia.

“There’s a shelter half an hour away. Let’s camp there.”

“Understood.”

After arriving at the shelter, I quickly gave orders.

“Ilia, take care of the warhorses and scout the area. And fetch some drinking water while you’re at it.”

Despite the many tasks, Ilia nodded without batting an eye.

“Understood.”

After seeing Ilia off, I went into the shelter and started tidying up the inside.

I lit the stove and filled a kettle with water to boil. Then, I wiped the dust off the table and sat down in front of it.

I took out a notepad from my bag. It contained the memories I had scraped together before leaving.

‘Raydeen.’

I was a hardcore reader of Midland Saga, having reread it dozens of times and even creating a timeline, but there were bound to be gaps in my memory.

So, I had to fill those gaps with information I could get in this world.

And here’s the result.

<…In Raydeen, the city of silent hunters, there is a ghost story that has become a legend over time. It is the story of a giant white wolf with a white mane. The wolf, nicknamed White Fang by enthusiasts, has been the subject of debate among many hunters for a long time, arguing whether it actually exists or not.>

‘White Fang.’

A giant wolf with a house-sized body and prominent white fangs.

Some said it was a monster, a werewolf. Others suggested it was a chimera [a creature made of mixed animal parts] created by an evil black magician.

But no one had ever discovered its true identity. There were only eyewitness accounts of seeing it from afar, and no one had ever survived an encounter with it.

Its identity was not revealed in the novel either. However, that meant it hadn’t been explicitly stated yet. There were enough clues and foreshadowing to make a guess.

‘I’m not 100% sure, but…’

I could feel the author’s intention to reveal it intentionally, so the chances were high that I was right.

If I was wrong?

I could find another way. It would be incredibly difficult, though.

“I’ve finished everything.”

How long had I been lost in thought?

Ilia opened the door and entered. In her hands were two rabbits, held by their ears. They were skinned clean.

“Good job.”

“I’ll grill them right away.”

She skillfully skewered the meat, poured the boiled water, and brewed tea.

Ilia brought a teacup to me, sat across from me, and took a breath.

“The weather is chilly.”

“It’s autumn. And this is the north.”

“So, where are we going?”

“Huh? Didn’t I tell you?”

When I tilted my head, Ilia’s eyes narrowed.

“Yes. You suddenly told me to prepare to leave early this morning. You wrote it down at the guild as a simple escort.”

“Alright, I’ll tell you, so stop frowning.”

Clang.

After putting down the teacup, I met her gaze.

“We’re going hunting.”

“Hunting, you say?”

“Yes.”

“Is that a metaphor, or do you mean it literally?”

She’s asking if we’re going to kill someone without changing her expression.

Scary, scary.

“If there’s someone I need to kill, I won’t do it myself. There are plenty of ways.”

“So, you really mean hunting?”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

Ilia nodded without complaint and turned the skewers.

“That’s it? No more questions?”

“There must be a reason why you’re not explaining it in detail.”

“That’s true.”

“If I don’t need to hear it, it’s best not to, right?”

Ilia finished speaking calmly.

That’s a very pleasing attitude.

“Anyway, there’s something we need to catch, so I’m thinking of going to Raydeen.”

“Raydeen, the city of hunters?”

“You know it?”

“Yes, I’ve been there once on Knights Order business. I remember it being quite crowded, even though it’s in a remote area.”

“That’s good. Do you know a quick way to get there?”

“I know a detour.”

“Great. Then you can guide us.”

“Understood.”

After a brief conversation, I picked up a piece of well-cooked rabbit meat and took a bite.

“Let’s eat and rest early. We have to drive tomorrow too.”

“Yes.”

* * *

Raydeen, the city of hunters.

The reason why it was named the city of hunters was that it was the only royal territory directly bordering the northern mountain range.

Due to the nature of royal territories, Raydeen had lower tax rates than other territories adjacent to the mountain range, and it was natural for many hunters and merchants to gather there.

Raydeen, which had prospered in this way, was a strangely shaped city with a significant floating population despite being a small town.

“Young Master!”

And there, I met Roos.

Roos, who had meticulously rented an entire small inn in advance, looked back and forth between me and Ilia, unable to hide his delight.

“I was so bored! Nothing to do by myself.”

“You’ve gathered all the information and you’re still complaining?”

“Who do you think I am? It’ll be over in a day or two.”

“I hope it’s nutritious [useful].”

“Don’t worry and follow me. The inn isn’t far.”

After entering the cozy inn, Roos called the owner and ordered a simple meal.

In the meantime, Ilia and I unpacked our luggage in our respective rooms and came down to join Roos at the table.

As they raised their beer glasses and exchanged brief updates, Roos’s eyes widened when he heard Ilia’s story.

“You left the Knights Order?”

“That’s what happened.”

“But how did you end up with the Young Master?”

“I started a mercenary group. But the only mercenary in it is me.”

Roos rolled his eyes as if asking why, then clapped his hands.

“Ah! Is that because you didn’t get permission to be drafted [into his service]?”

“Yes.”

“You must really like Ilia. To go to such lengths to get her.”

“Well, I thought she’d be useful.”

At my words, Roos chuckled and offered Ilia a glass.

“Excellent choice. You won’t regret it.”

“Save the socializing for later. Tell me what you’ve investigated.”

At my words, Roos nodded and opened his mouth.

“Well, as soon as I got here, I investigated the strange rumors of Raydeen, as you ordered.”

“So?”

“There were rumors. Strange rumors.”

“Stop stalling and get to the point.”

At my urging, Roos started giggling.

“I thought, how strange could a strange rumor be, but oh my, wouldn’t you know it, there’s a house-sized wolf in the mountains near Raydeen.”

“…….”

“To make matters worse, the locals here all revere that wolf as sacred. They say it’s a divine creature protecting Raydeen. I mean, isn’t that ridiculous? How can they treat a mere beast like that…”

Roos, who had been explaining non-stop while giggling, trailed off when he saw me and Ilia, who were calm and unresponsive.

“…Anyway, that’s the rumor.”

“That’s not all, is it?”

I’d be a little disappointed if that was it.

“Yes. Of course not.”

Perhaps thinking that this wasn’t a time to joke around, Roos straightened his posture and spread the documents he had brought on the table.

“I thought there must be a reason why you sent me, not just to collect useless ghost stories, so I did some research on my own.”

“Tell me.”

“First, I looked into whether the rumored wolf actually exists. I tried to narrow down the rumors of sightings, and based on the appearance, size, and habits of the rumors, it’s definitely not a werewolf. But on the other hand, you can’t think of it as a wolf either. I’d rather believe it’s a chimera [a creature made of mixed animal parts] created by a crazy black magician.”

Roos took a sip of his beer, turned the paper over, and opened his mouth again.

“Second, if such a wolf exists, I investigated whether it is really protecting Raydeen.”

“How is it?”

“As a result of questioning the guards, hunters, and residents, Raydeen has never been attacked by monsters. Not for a day or two, but for decades.”

“Really?”

“But this is also not very reliable, as the rangers who oversee the mountains near Raydeen are a unit that boasts the best security. Perhaps thanks to them, monsters have not easily set foot in Raydeen.”

Perhaps the opposite is true.

Perhaps it was thanks to the rumored wolf that the rangers were so vigilant.

“Finally, here are the statements of some hunters and mercenaries. They said they went into the mountains to look for the wolf, just in case. If they caught it, it would be a fortune.”

“And?”

“They say the mountain is haunted.”

“……Heup.”

Ilia, who had been listening quietly, quickly inhaled, as if she was about to burst out laughing.

“Haunted?”

At my question, Roos smacked his lips and shuffled through the papers.

“They say will-o’-the-wisps [ghostly lights] or pale things float around at night. They also said that birds stare at them intently in broad daylight. They just said that the energy of the mountain was eerie.”

“…….”

“There’s more, should I continue?”

Roos asked, flipping through the thick paper.

“That’s enough.”

“There’s still a lot left, though.”

“No. I’m sure now.”

“…….”

At my words, Roos nodded.

“Then what should we do with this strange rumor now? Should we ask for guidance so that it doesn’t spread to the surrounding counties, or something like that?”

It seemed that Roos thought I had come to get rid of this strange rumor.

Of course, that’s not true.

On the contrary, my guess at Windnest was exactly right.

White Fang exists. Even in the form I guessed. And that being resides in the mountains near Raydeen.

Clang!

I took out the map I had brought from my pocket and placed it on the table.

“No. We’re going to find that wolf.”

“……Yes?”

“…….”

Roos and Ilia had bewildered expressions. Regardless, I cleared the data on the table and spread out the map of the terrain around Raydeen.

“Everyone will start investigating tomorrow. Whether you split up and ask around, get information from hunters, or whatever, try to narrow down as many places as possible that meet the conditions.”

“……What conditions are you referring to?”

“A wide basin without bushes. A place where the sky is fully visible without anything blocking the view, and that doesn’t overlap with the rangers’ territory.”

“That’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”

I gave Roos a smile at his sigh.

“It’s okay. I’ll give you plenty of time.”

“……That sounds very scary.”

Ilia, who had been hanging her robe on the chair, picked it up again and opened her mouth.

“Does it matter if there are some expenses?”

“I’ll support everything. Find it by any means possible.”

“Understood.”

Ilia bowed lightly and went out the door. Roos stared alternately at the beer glass and the door for a moment, then sighed deeply.

“I thought I was finally going to get some rest.”

“Don’t be too upset. I’ll be looking for it too.”

“But I’m really curious, can I ask you one more question?”