How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 6

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel 6

Chapter 3. Preparation, and to the Mountains

Like a word carried on the wind, the rumor spread quickly within the lord’s castle.

“What? Ruth and Holn fought a duel?”

And now.

Sir Gilaine, the knight commander, who had rushed to the office at the count’s summons, felt deeply uneasy.

“That is correct.”

“They didn’t break any rules, did they?”

“There were no infractions.”

“The result? No, never mind asking. I know the skills of my knights well.”

After hearing the details, the count’s mind began to race.

Whatever the reason, Holn was in the wrong, and Cain had punished him for it. No one could dispute that.

However, the implications didn’t end there.

Earl Lindayer leaned back in his chair and stroked his chin.

“How badly was Holn hurt? I hope he wasn’t maimed.”

“No. However, he suffered severe injuries and will need time to recuperate.”

“Severe injuries?”

“…His limbs and teeth are broken, and he can’t even drink water properly.”

“This is infuriating. What is Cain thinking?”

The count sighed deeply, as if dumbfounded.

Of course, he wasn’t worried about Baron Berg. Such a weak family wouldn’t dare to challenge the count’s family.

The problem was Dane Lindayer, the publicly acknowledged heir to the count’s title.

The degree to which one can rally the count’s family’s power to their side plays a significant role in the selection of the heir.

In that regard, Dane had already secured the support of most knights and nobles. To have targeted Dane’s right-hand man, from the Berg family….

‘What on earth is he planning?’

At first, he’d thought it was just a reckless act by a naive kid trying to avoid marriage. However, considering his subsequent actions, it was clearly more than that.

Stripped of context, wasn’t it a clear move to initiate a succession battle?

“Chief Butler, what is that boy doing now?”

“If you’re referring to the third young master, he requested some equipment last night.”

“Equipment?”

“Three sets of hard leather armor, three warhorses, and a longsword.”

“What is he doing? Is he planning to become a mercenary?”

“I suspected as much, so I inquired at every guild in the city, but he doesn’t seem to have taken on any commissions.”

“What are his future plans?”

“I don’t know. He has a servant who accompanies him as a personal attendant, though….”

“A personal attendant? What kind of kid is he?”

“His name is Leo. He cares for and raises horses.”

“Huh, a stable boy who doesn’t even know basic etiquette is assisting Cain? Did you ask him anything?”

“I tried to discern the young master’s intentions by speaking with him privately, but Leo said he had already sworn an oath of silence to the third young master.”

“He really does do all sorts of things. An oath of silence to a mere stable boy?”

Cain used to find fault with even the most thoroughly educated servants and punish them.

That such a child would make a pact with a stable boy?

If that child were a girl, one might suspect something was going on, but the situation remained a mystery.

“Come to think of it, Ruth Meyer was also born a commoner, wasn’t he?”

This time, Knight Commander Gilaine answered the count’s question.

“That’s right. His skills are undeniable, but he is still ignorant of noble etiquette, as you said, Lord.”

“A commoner knight and a stable boy. What on earth is he planning with them?”

“Could he be planning to start a business or something?”

“Nonsense. What are the specialties of our territory?”

“Fox fur… Ah!”

Because fur is greatly affected by the external environment, carts and professional handlers are essential to preserve its marketability.

Gilaine, who belatedly recalled that Cain had only requested three warhorses, tilted his head.

He does use a carriage, but only for transportation. If he tries to use it privately, he will be immediately sanctioned.

“If it’s not mercenary work or business, then what on earth is he trying to do?”

“I don’t know. Surely he’s not trying to run away from home.”

“Although Sir Meyer may be of humble origin, his loyalty is second to none compared to other knights. He will serve the young master well.”

“That’s right. That’s why it’s even stranger. Unless he’s a fool, he would choose a knight with connections from a noble family for mercenary work or business, so why Ruth Meyer?”

The silence was broken by the butler.

“Should we continue with the detailed plans for the wedding as scheduled?”

“Of course. I’m ashamed of myself for expecting something. Cain will never earn 1,500 gold coins within a month. Proceed as planned.”

“Understood. Then, do you approve of the third young master’s request?”

“Leather armor, three longswords, and warhorses, you said?”

“Yes.”

“He should at least have the minimum equipment, so he doesn’t die on the street. Give it to him.”

“Understood.”

“And call Dane.”

“The first young master, you mean? Understood.”

There is no finger that doesn’t hurt when bitten [meaning, all family members cause some pain].

Cain will be removed from the line of succession anyway because he couldn’t keep his promise.

The count sighed deeply, thinking that he should at least resolve the conflict between the brothers.

* * *

Clatter, clatter….

In the back seat of the four-wheeled carriage, I looked out at the scenery, basking in the sunlight coming through the window.

The streets of Windnest, the central city where the lord’s castle was located, filled my vision.

Noisy stalls with hawkers, carts full of milk, women carrying food, children running around in groups….

The beauty of the scenery was fleeting.

I was constantly making plans in my head.

‘How do I earn 1,500 gold coins?’

Dig up and sell relics buried deep in the ground?

Rejected.

How can someone like me, who doesn’t know how to do anything, act as a treasure hunter? There isn’t enough time to learn the skills now.

Then, make money by starting a business?

As I said, not just anyone can run a business. You have to have business acumen.

‘All I have is one knight, ten gold coins, and a month.’

To earn 1,500 gold coins with this, there is only one thing I can do.

Use information.

Here, information is naturally the events in the novel that will happen in the future.

At least until the ending of the novel is completely finished, that is, until the final part, I have a thorough understanding of the contents, so I must make good use of this.

‘Then, it’s still Kerwyn, she’s the only one.’

The reason why I hired Ruth Meyer, who is familiar with the Volum Mountains, and not other knights, was because of Kerwyn Aphen.

That was the introduction to the Great Sage Kerwyn in the novel.

Kerwyn is a sage and a great mage.

She was a founding contributor to the kingdom that unified the continent, Emperor Belankas the Great, and the woman who loved him.

As such, she could not stand idly by as the kingdom founded by the Great Emperor collapsed, and she went to the royal family to give advice….

‘They didn’t even know she was the benefactor of the kingdom and treated her like a crazy woman.’

If they had paid a little attention to her story, they could have saved the collapsing kingdom with her help.

‘Well, why should I worry about that?’

What I need to think about now is meeting that woman.

And extorting money from her.

How to extort it?

As I have said many times, I am a setting otaku [a person obsessed with detailed settings]. I have mastered all the trivial settings that others don’t even glance at.

‘No matter how much of a sage she is, she’s still a mage, so she can’t help but be crazy about new knowledge. Especially if it’s that magic….’

I was going to sell her knowledge.

New and special magical knowledge that even a great mage who has been around for a hundred years and has money to burn doesn’t know.

The sun was high and the weather was warm.

As I was half-stretched out in the sun, Leo’s voice came from the driver’s seat.

“We have arrived.”

“Hmm? Is this the right place?”

“Didn’t you say we should go to the largest magic shop in the city?”

“That’s right, but is it here?”

I answered casually and looked at the building outside the window.

The name was simple.

The exterior was even simpler. The plank walls with obvious traces of insect bites and the half-tilted sign indicated that business was not doing well.

‘Even if it’s a knight’s territory….’

It’s not a city with a magic tower, nor is it the capital with the royal family, so it’s understandable.

Still, the exterior is worse than a local mill, and I clicked my tongue.

Leo, who tilted his head at my expression, opened his mouth.

“Young master, what should we do?”

“Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

Squeak-

I shook my head and opened the door, and as expected, the inside was deserted.

Well, it would be strange if the magic shop was crowded with people in the middle of the day.

“Welcome… Gasp!”

The woman who was dusting the display shelves inhaled sharply when she saw me. Then, she glanced at the carriage through the window and opened her mouth wide.

Of course, the carriage had the gray hawk, the symbol of the Lindayer family, emblazoned on it.

Besides, even if I dressed modestly in an overcoat, I couldn’t hide the gray hair that is a characteristic of the Lindayer family, so it’s natural that she recognized that I was a young master.

“I, I see the young master!”

Thud!

Geez, is someone going to eat her? Her knees must hurt a lot.

I scratched the back of my neck at the sight of the woman kneeling as if she were falling over.

I shook my head at the noble life that I couldn’t adapt to and gestured for her to get up.

“Order.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Aren’t you going to take my order?”

“Well, we don’t have any alcohol in our store….”

No, why is there talk of alcohol in a magic shop?

Anyway, I get annoyed because everywhere I go, they see me as a drunken fool.

“I never said I was drinking.”

“Yes? Then what brings you here….”

“What brings me to a magic shop? I came to buy magic items.”

“Ah, I understand! I’ll bring the list of items….”

The woman, who had finally gotten up and was about to move quickly, was stopped by me.

“I don’t need the list.”

“Th, then what kind of….”

“Can you remember everything?”

“I have most of the items memorized.”

Is that so?

“Two pairs of Fairy wings, five Moonlight Essence ampoules, 5 grams of crystal powder, 10 grams of low-grade mana stone fragments, 5 grams of elemental crystals, 10 grams of magic powder, a bottle of purified water….”

“…J, just a moment, please!”

The woman, who had been stunned for a moment, hurriedly brought a quill pen and paper.

Then, she started writing down what I had said earlier, asking again.

“Lastly, one search magic scroll.”

“Ah, I understand!”

“How much is it all together?”

The woman, who had been writing with a flourish of her pen, nodded.

“It’s thirty gold coins, young master.”

“….”

I only have ten gold coins in my possession?

More than that, why is it so expensive? I’m not buying it by the bag, but only a few grams each.

“Why is it so expensive?”

“Even if you don’t buy anything else, one magic scroll is twenty gold coins. As you know, the north is far from the magic tower, so it’s hard to get even low-level magic scrolls….”

It exceeds the budget by far.

Even if I buy this, what money will I use to buy the supplies I need to climb the mountains?

Credit is also impossible.

The Lindayer count’s orders have already been issued throughout the territory: Do not give or lend me any goods without compensation.

I was troubled by that thought for a moment.

‘Wait, why am I worrying about this?’

If I don’t have enough money now, I can get it from other reliable sources.

“Wait a moment.”

I turned around and came out of the store and headed for the carriage.

“Oh, young master. Are you already done with your business?”

Leo, who was sitting in the driver’s seat and dozing off, was startled when I approached and opened his eyes wide.

“Leo.”

“Yes, young master.”

“How old are you this year?”

“I’m twenty-one years old. But why are you asking….”

“You’re at the age to get married soon.”

At my words, Leo twisted his body and scratched the back of his neck.

“W, well, yes. The problem is that I don’t have a suitable bride yet….”

“Still, you’re preparing diligently, right?”

“Yes. I haven’t wasted my salary since I was young and have saved it all diligently.”

Since childhood until now.

He has been a servant of the family since he was six or seven years old, so it has been more than ten years.

Besides, preparing for marriage must require a considerable amount of money.

“How much?”

“…I have about one small bag of gold coins.”

Did he sense something uneasy? Leo’s butt was slowly moving back.

But it’s already too late.

“Very good.”

“Yes?”

“Leo.”

“…Yes?”

I smiled and held out my hand to Leo.

“Would you like to invest in me?”

“Yes?”

“Lend me some money. About twenty gold coins.”

“Wh, what do you mean….”

“I’ll pay you back.”

“Y, young master?”

“I said I’ll pay you back, isn’t that enough?”

When I furrowed my eyebrows, Leo’s shoulders flinched for a moment. I felt a pang of guilt in one corner of my heart at that sight, but what can I do.

“And you. You definitely made a vow of silence, right? Just try to go somewhere and tell people that I borrowed money.”

Power is gangster [meaning, those in power can get away with things].