How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 58

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Chapter 58

* * *

On one of those unproductive days,

Ilia brought information that promised to advance the investigation.

“You’re certain this is the place?”

Looking at the information Ilia provided, Ruth smoothed his disheveled hair.

“It’s definitely the most ideal location based on the conditions you outlined, Master.”

“Ilia went there herself?”

“Yes.”

Ilia nodded and presented a piece of paper she had kept in her pocket.

“I’ve roughly sketched the terrain.”

Whether she had a talent for drawing or not, the sketch was remarkably detailed. To put it mildly, it looked as if she had traced a photograph.

“If you had pursued painting instead of swordsmanship, you would have found success.”

“I need nothing but a sword.”

“Good spirit.”

I examined the drawing closely.

A moderately wide basin with no obstructing bushes. Most notably, a wide rock stood tall in the center of the basin, immediately catching the eye.

I had a strong feeling. This was definitely the place.

“I’m sure. This is it.”

“Is that so.”

Ruth leaned back in his chair and sighed, as if relieved that this ordeal was finally coming to an end.

“Ilia, what’s the route to this place like?”

“It’s not that far, but it’s not an easy climb.”

“Do we need a guide?”

“It’s not that difficult. I can guide you since I’ve been there once.”

“Were there any particular incidents along the way?”

“…There wasn’t anything that could be called an incident, but…”

“Really?”

I could tell from her hesitant demeanor.

Ilia must have sensed it too – that the mountain felt somehow unsettling. But as a knight, she couldn’t easily admit to such feelings, so she was trying to downplay it.

‘Ruth must have felt it too.’

Ruth, who would usually be cracking jokes, was simply staring intently at the map without saying a word.

It was clear that there was something more than just a feeling at play.

Tap!

I put down the pen to break the tension, then pointed to the calendar hanging on the wall.

“We’ll depart for this place exactly two weeks from now.”

“Yes? Is there a reason to wait that long?”

“Just do as I say; there is a reason.”

“Then, what about the remaining time…”

“Rest as you see fit. Ah, Ilia, keep your schedule open from morning to evening.”

“From morning to evening, you say?”

“Yes. We need to continue the training like we did back in the territory.”

Ilia’s face stiffened, as if she vividly remembered the rigorous training she had endured for nearly a month before coming here.

“Then, rest well until then.”

* * *

Two weeks passed, and on the day of our planned expedition, I gave instructions to Ilia and Ruth as the sun began to set.

Afterward, my party and I, dressed in black robes, gathered in front of the inn, ready to depart.

“Let’s get going.”

At my words, Ruth scratched the back of his neck.

“You said we’re hunting, but don’t we need a bow or traps? Maybe even some bait?”

“We don’t need any of that, just follow me.”

Ruth looked dubious, but what could he do? I had made up my mind.

We mounted our horses and rode for a long time, each of us concealing our bodies with black robes.

Eventually, a mountain range came into view.

We dismounted, tied up the horses, and began to climb the mountain through the cold night air.

How much time had passed since we entered the mountain range?

Deep inside, Ruth approached me with a nervous expression.

“…The deeper we go, the quieter it gets. And it’s even worse today. Did you deliberately choose today knowing this would happen?”

As Ruth said.

If there was one thing I noticed while scouting the mountain range, it was that the rumors were not mere exaggerations.

The atmosphere of the mountain was undeniably strange.

If you ventured deep enough, you felt like you were being crushed by an unknown pressure. It was like stepping into a forbidden sanctuary.

Not a single sound of wild animals or birds could be heard, not even the chirping of insects.

Of course, it could be because they sensed the presence of people, but it felt like more than that.

It was as if the mountain itself was silent.

Moreover, as Ruth pointed out, that feeling was even more intense today. Even though we had just set foot inside, only silence permeated everything.

But that feeling was a positive sign for me.

“That’s a relief.”

“A relief, you say?”

“It means we chose the right day.”

Leaving the bewildered Ruth behind, I beckoned Ilia.

“Do you have something to say?”

As expected, Ilia’s face was pale from the oppressive atmosphere, which was on a different level from what she had experienced before.

“Are you nervous?”

“…If it’s this intense, it’s safe to say there’s something here.”

Ruth and Ilia, who had previously dismissed it as a mountain with bad energy, now completely believed the rumors.

“I like that you’re nervous. Good. Now listen carefully.”

At my words, Ruth and Ilia nodded.

“Your job is simple: never doubt my actions.”

“Understood.”

“…Understood.”

Both of them nodded without hesitation, as if their faith in me was unwavering.

“Second: do not draw your swords without my permission.”

Ruth and Ilia nodded again.

“Lastly, never speak of what will happen from now on.”

“I swear on my honor.”

“I feel the same.”

I smiled lightly at their determined affirmations.

“Then let’s continue.”

I didn’t know what we would encounter, but they seemed to have gained confidence from my bold actions.

With a more relaxed demeanor, Ilia and Ruth positioned themselves to guard me on either side.

‘Interesting.’

Discovering a character that wasn’t properly explored in the novel, based solely on reasoning, was quite enjoyable.

It was like finding a hidden Easter egg.

I didn’t sense any immediate danger.

If my reasoning was correct, whatever was here would never be able to harm me.

“It’s there.”

The place we arrived at was indeed as Ilia had drawn it.

A wide basin with a flat rock standing alone, surrounded by bushes in a circular pattern.

Other than that, there were no other particularly noteworthy features.

Except for one thing.

“Hmm? There’s something on that rock.”

Ruth narrowed his eyes and took a few steps forward.

“What is it? That pale thing… Is it a ghost?”

He stared, mouth agape.

At the same time, Ilia instinctively reached for the hilt of her sword.

“Were the rumors true?”

“Good heavens. Are there really ghosts?”

Ruth rubbed his eyes, and Ilia bit her lip.

Hiding my amusement at the sight, I began to move forward.

“M-Master.”

“It’s dangerous!”

Ruth and Ilia tried to draw their swords but stopped, remembering my command.

“Damn it!”

Ruth, as if preparing to fight with his bare hands, rolled up his sleeves and came to my side.

“Master, do you know what that is?”

“Yes.”

“Is it dangerous?”

“It is dangerous. Even if you, no, even if Gillean [The commander of the knights] rushed in, I can’t guarantee anything.”

“…Even the commander?”

“Yes.”

“If it’s that dangerous, why…”

“Because I need it.”

“Still, I don’t think this is right. The atmosphere of the mountain is strange. Let’s just go back.”

As if realizing the heavy atmosphere weighing on his shoulders, Ruth strongly urged me to turn back. But it was already too late.

“Go back to where?”

“Yes?”

“Where are you suggesting we go back to?”

“Why, to Leydin, of course.”

“So, which way?”

“If we go back the way we came…”

Ruth glanced back and abruptly stopped talking.

Ilia, who followed his gaze, was the same. Like stone statues, Ruth and Ilia froze in place. They were petrified.

“It’s already too late, Ruth.”

The path we had taken was gone.

And what had replaced it?

A river of lava, licking with its red tongue.

Kwahhh!

The lava, as if expanding, engulfed the surrounding green bushes and turned them to ashes.

The path we had come from was now a steep cliff, with red lava flowing down it like a waterfall.

Pshhh!

The bushes that touched the lava turned into black ash and scattered. At the same time, the rising heat burned the skin.

This wasn’t an illusion or magic.

If it were on this scale, I should feel the corresponding mana, but there was nothing to be felt.

“…”

Is this what the scenery of hell is like?

The wide basin had disappeared, and before we knew it, the surroundings were just ash-colored land with black ash swirling around.

Looking around at the scene, Ruth and Ilia suddenly gripped their scabbards.

As if possessed, their focus vanished. They were simply staring blankly at the glowing lava river.

‘Is this the end for both of them?’

I glanced down at the scabbard on my waist.

From Afien [Cain’s sword], a bright amber light that hadn’t been there until just now was leaking out.

At the same time, the light enveloped my body and formed a barrier.

‘It won’t work on those two.’

I clicked my tongue and glanced up at the night sky.

Compared to the grim surroundings, the large full moon was still calmly illuminating the basin.

I looked down again at the center of the basin.

A white figure standing on the flat rock was looking at us.

The figure was a beautiful woman.

She was wearing a pure white jeogori-like garment [A traditional Korean upper garment], which contrasted strangely with her black hair that cascaded down to her waist.

The unidentified woman looked at Ruth and Ilia, who were half out of their minds, and then averted her gaze.

Then, she made eye contact with me, who was standing firm.

I felt as if her reddish-brown eyes were binding me.

“Who are you?”

A beautiful voice filled with power emanated from her.

“I am Cain Lindayer, the third son of the Lindayer family.”

I calmly spoke, my hand resting on Afien.

“Cain.”

She repeated my name softly and looked straight at me.

“I ask you, Cain Lindayer: how could a human enter this place?”

How could a human enter this place?

Indeed.

There was a barrier made of magic in this place. And the barrier, which only affected humans, had the power to prevent them from discovering this basin.

Because it was magic, not mana, even Ruth, who was sensitive to mana, wouldn’t have detected it.

If I hadn’t had proper preparation, I probably would have just been wandering around in the same place, trapped by the magic.

But because I had Afien, who was not human, I was able to find this basin.

“I had a guide.”

“A guide?”

At the word “guide,” she glanced at Ruth and Ilia and tilted her head.

“Those two are also human.”

“I had a guide who was not human.”

“Not human?”

“Yes.”

Only then did she nod, as if she understood.

“Then you must have known who I was and came looking for me.”

At her words, I gripped Afien tightly.

Then, I followed Afien’s words that had penetrated my mind and spoke them aloud.

[Rahenna Grantri]

“Rahenna Grantri.”

“…”

Her expression changed when the ancient language left my mouth.

Then, ancient language, not the common tongue, began to flow from her lips.

“There is no one named Cain among humans who knows my identity and ancient languages and can break through magic.”

“Because I am a person of this era.”

“Then how did you know about this place and come here?”

“Isn’t today the day?”

“The day meaning?”

“Hundreds of years after the end of the tribal war, another war broke out in the Great Forest.”

“…”

“I know it as a war between elves and druids, but is that correct?”

“…”

“And the druids who lost to the elves in that war faced the crisis of their race being destroyed.”

“…”

“And every month when the full moon rises, you hold a ceremony here to commemorate the tribe who died in that war. Is that not so?”

Her eyes began to burn at my words, which flowed like water.

Did I touch a nerve?

But there is no other way to explain it. I can’t just cut off the front and back and say, ‘I inferred it from the novel.’

“You know a lot. Yes, what you said is correct.”

It seems like I touched an uncomfortable place.

Her dry tone remained the same, but she waved her hand with a hostile air.

“So I ask.”

Saaaa-!

Then, a blue energy was emitted around her. The energy turned into a fog and enveloped her body.

After the fog cleared, what appeared before my eyes was a huge wolf with a rich mane.

Krrr….

The feeling of being looked down upon by a wolf the size of a house was overwhelming.

It was difficult to even lift my head due to the trembling pressure.

‘It looks fierce.’

I bit my lip and looked up at the wolf.

Saaaa-

Each strand of the mane burned as if it contained blue energy. The size of the fangs protruding from the corners of the mouth was comparable to a long sword.

The legendary wolf that was spoken of in Leydin.

That being appeared before me now and raised its head high into the sky.

Kwowooo-!

The huge roar shook the mountain range. Ilia and Ruth were thrown back by the force and rolled roughly on the ground.

Thud!

Even I, who was sane, could barely withstand the roar, only managing to stay upright by kneeling on one knee.

[Explain.]

Then, as if echoing in my head, her voice was deeply embedded in my mind.

[How did you know that fact?]

The huge wolf, which had already come close to my nose, glared at me with blue eyes and commanded me again.

[If not, you will not be able to return alive.]

If I say something wrong, my head will be crushed in that big mouth.