How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 72

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Chapter 72

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After pinpointing the likely location of Aslahina’s tomb, we meticulously scanned our surroundings and continued our journey through the Great Forest.

I was eager to head straight for the lake, but we needed to prioritize our objectives.

The lake wasn’t going anywhere, so we could explore it after securing the Spirit Stone.

As time wore on, the traces of Lordain’s presence grew stronger. On the seventh day, Mirang finally spoke.

“We’ve narrowed it down to within half a day’s distance.”

Her words brought a collective sigh of relief. Everyone, including me, felt the tension ease.

It had been nearly a month since we left the Elven Forest. We hadn’t had a proper place to rest or a satisfying meal, and the accumulated fatigue was taking its toll. This news was more than welcome.

“Good work.”

“At this rate, we should be able to catch up tomorrow.”

“I suppose so. Good. Let’s get some rest a little earlier today and finish this for good tomorrow.”

“That’s a good idea.”

After that, things progressed smoothly.

Russ, along with Ilia and Fleta, set off to find a suitable campsite. The two elves took the group’s pouches and headed to fetch water, while I went to hunt for game for our meal.

It was a natural division of labor, honed by countless repetitions over the past month.

Before I knew it, I was humming.

Both Lordain’s trail and Aslahina’s tomb were now within reach.

With things falling into place, I couldn’t have been happier. Catching a plump deer only amplified my elation.

“…….”

But that joy was fleeting.

“What’s this?”

I returned to the campsite, but it was deserted.

I dropped the deer and placed my hand on the hilt of my sword.

Then, I assumed a defensive stance and slowly surveyed the surroundings.

‘Where did they go?’

The campsite was undisturbed. Sparks crackled from the campfire, and cooking utensils were laid out, ready for use.

Nothing was broken, and nothing seemed out of place. It was as if the people had simply vanished.

‘Russ isn’t the type to leave without saying anything.’

If that was the case, the answer was clear.

They must have disappeared against their will. The exact cause was unknown, but I had a strong suspicion.

‘There are no humans or monsters in this part of the Great Forest. Even if elves were responsible, Mirang and Kana would have somehow intervened. But the fact that even those two are gone means…….’

How many skilled individuals in the Great Forest could subdue and abduct two mana-wielding knights, a 4th-class mage, and two elves in one fell swoop?

Probably Lordain.

Did he realize we were tracking him? Well, Lordain is an elf. He could have gleaned information from the forest’s memories and easily detected our presence.

“Then why did he leave me behind?”

“Because I have a separate story to hear from you.”

……My heart leaped into my throat.

I didn’t expect an answer to my mutterings, but a reply came from behind. I quickly drew my sword and whirled around.

An elf stood there.

His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Like Glorian, his eyes were completely white, lacking pupils.

His upper body was bare, and he wore only loose white pants. He resembled a martial artist from a movie.

Furthermore, his well-defined muscles and the long sword scar that ran from his chest to his lower abdomen, along with countless other scars, spoke volumes about the battles he had endured.

‘Lordain.’

It was Lordain.

If Glorian embodied the grace an elf could possess, Lordain embodied the *覇道* [Hadō: the way of the overlord/hegemon] that an elf could possess.

Yes. Honestly, I was already intimidated by his presence.

“Nice to meet you, Lor…….”

“Irang.”

“Pardon?”

“Call me Irang.”

Lordain frowned and corrected my form of address.

Elven elders do not have personal names. The inherited name becomes the name by which they are called.

Only when they pass on that name in the future do they regain their forgotten original name.

For Lordain to tell me to call him Irang, there must be a reason. I didn’t know what it was, but something was definitely going on.

Lordain, no, the elf who had now become Irang, began to approach, step by step.

His gait seemed devoid of any particular intention.

A casual step, the kind one might take hundreds or thousands of times a day. An ordinary movement of the feet that lacked a clear purpose.

“Ha.”

But I felt differently.

I felt a sense of pressure, as if a mountain was drawing near.

Lordain felt like a massive giant. Before I knew it, I took a step back.

I bit my lip, belatedly trying to regain my composure. But Lordain was still immense.

So I bit down harder. Blood flowed from my lip, and I tasted a bitter, metallic flavor.

Only then was I able to alleviate that pressure, just a little.

As he approached, Lordain plopped down in front of the campfire.

Then, he sat there nonchalantly, staring blankly at the fire. His demeanor seemed somehow forlorn.

‘Forlorn, my ass.’

He’s an elf who could crush my head with a flick of his finger. Just as I was heightening my vigilance to avoid being careless,

“Do you know how to prepare that?”

Lordain, who was sitting there, suddenly pointed to the deer I had brought. I wondered if there was some hidden meaning, but Lordain’s tone was utterly ordinary.

“Are you talking about the deer?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m hungry.”

His tone suggested that he was wondering why I was asking such a question, and for a moment, I felt like an idiot.

Was this not the time for serious matters? Why was he suddenly talking about meat? Besides, an elf eating meat.

As I stood there dumbfounded, Lordain chuckled.

“Why, is it strange?”

“It’s not that.”

“The night is long, so let’s fill our bellies first.”

At his suggestion to talk later, I reluctantly began to prepare the deer.

Lordain watched my actions with an indifferent gaze and opened his mouth.

“Hundreds of years ago.”

“…….”

“In the midst of a war-torn wasteland, I couldn’t leisurely pick berries. To survive, I had to eat a lot of things.”

Lordain suddenly began to tell his story.

“Is that so?”

“I just hadn’t tried it before, but it wasn’t bad. Deer, rabbits, foxes, and so on. But humans were a bit much. The unique smell was too strong.”

I thought there was something strange mixed in at the end.

Before I knew it, I had to stop the hand that was preparing the meat.

“…….”

“That last one was a joke. I guess it wasn’t very funny.”

When I looked at him with a dumbfounded expression, Lordain shrugged. Then, he began to split the firewood next to the campfire with his hands.

Crack, crack.

As if tearing paper into small pieces, Lordain squeezed the firewood and made skewers, then gestured to me.

“Give me what’s done first.”

When I cut off the prepared portions and tossed them to him, Lordain skillfully skewered the meat and began to grill it.

Thus, the bizarre and uncomfortable meal preparation continued in silence.

After roughly finishing the preparation, I went to the campfire and sat opposite Lordain.

“It’s boring to just eat. Is there anything else?”

“I have a little salt.”

“Salt! It’s been a long time. It’s something you can’t even find in the Great Forest.”

Lordain, who sprinkled the salt on the meat and smiled brightly, was like…… a friendly neighborhood uncle.

Of course, whether his true nature matched his exterior was something I would have to discover from now on.

“Lordain.”

“I said Irang.”

“Yes, Irang. Sorry. Have you seen my companions?”

“Yeah. I kidnapped them.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Lordain tore off a piece of meat and answered.

If there was ever the kindest kidnapper in the world, it would probably be this elf.

“May I ask why you did that?”

“Because I have something to ask of you.”

“A request?”

“It’s nothing much. There are a few things I want to ask.”

“When you say ask…….”

Tear-!

Lordain, who was tearing the meat and chewing, took out a piece of paper from his pocket.

“It says here that the reason you came to find me is because of a spirit.”

The paper had Glorian’s seal on it. It seemed he had already received and read the letter that Mirang was carrying.

If so, there was no point in hiding anything.

“Glorian said that all the elders’ consent is needed to use the power of the Elven Tree. That’s why I came all the way here to find you.”

“Irang.”

“Yes. Irang. I’m sorry.”

“The power of the Elven Tree, huh.”

“A spirit is sealed and dying. They say that power is needed to revive it.”

“If it’s such a problem, I have no reason to disagree.”

Lordain nodded.

I thought the story was unfolding more easily than expected, but I soon changed my mind.

The same explanation as mine was written sufficiently in the letter. Nevertheless, the fact that he had suppressed and kidnapped my companions meant that he had other intentions.

“But I have other business.”

Lordain stuck the empty skewer into the dirt floor and turned to look at me.

“What is it?”

“I heard that Kerwyn is alive.”

Was that story even written in the letter?

Thinking that Glorian was quite talkative, unlike her appearance, I nodded.

“Yes, she is alive.”

“Furthermore, that sword is Belankas’s.”

Lordain’s gaze turned to Aphen.

At that, I tried to conceal my rising anxiety and calmly flipped the meat.

“This is a treasured sword passed down through my Lindayer family, but what are you talking about?”

“You’re not good at lying.”

“Was I caught?”

“Yes.”

From Lordain’s grin, I could tell that he was certain.

How did he know?

The only person who knows that this sword is Aphen is Rahenna. But the letter was sent by Glorian.

Did Rahenna tell Glorian? No, that couldn’t be. Then the conclusion is one. Lordain found out on his own.

“Yes, it is the Emperor’s sword.”

“I knew I’d get it right away.”

“…….”

“You have a look on your face asking how I knew, don’t you?”

“I am curious.”

“I can never forget the mysterious feeling of the black sword with the amber jewel. Especially after experiencing a golden angel popping out of the sword.”

It became clear. Lordain must have met Aphen directly on the battlefield.

Lordain smiled and chewed on the meat.

“Enough with the small talk. Let’s get to the point. Brat, tell me Kerwyn’s location. Then I’ll spare your companions and allow you to use the power of the Elven Tree. It’s a very simple request, so it shouldn’t be difficult, right?”

“What will you do if I tell you?”

“I have to go kill her.”

I knew it would come to this.

“……Why?”

“Because I have a debt to repay.”

Suddenly, a debt.

“A debt?”

“I couldn’t get the price for my wife’s life.”

“What does that…….”

“I don’t want to explain any further. So, what are you going to do? If you don’t want to tell me the woman’s location, I’ll kill your friends one by one.”

“…….”

“If you still keep your mouth shut, it’ll be your turn last. Besides, I’m not a very kind person, so it’ll be quite painful. Now, what are you going to do?”

Kidnapping, confinement, even threats of murder.

He’s a guy whose first impression is crumbling.

“I can hear you racking your brain all the way over here. Brat, please, I beg you, don’t try to deceive me.”

“…….”

He wasn’t someone I could handle.

It seemed like he wasn’t someone I could hide from, even if I tried.

“Alright.”

“Huh? So easily?”

Lordain, who was eating meat, widened his eyes. Really, I can’t even guess what kind of person he is.

“There’s no way to escape anyway, so there’s no reason to resist, is there?”

It didn’t seem like he was someone I could try to outsmart right now. So, I had to pretend to comply with his demands and find an opening.

“Then I’ll feel sorry.”

But the conversation began to flow in the opposite direction of what I had expected.

“Sorry?”

“Yeah. I killed the human man first because I thought you’d resist a little. I thought it would be annoying because he was subtly trying to undo the restraints.”

He killed Russ?

That crazy bastard!

My anger flared up for a moment, but then I noticed Lordain grinning. I belatedly realized that he was joking and frowned.

“Your jokes are too much.”

“Oh, really? Sorry.”

Whether he was a character who liked crude jokes, Lordain smiled and chewed on the meat.

“So, where is Kerwyn?”

“I don’t know.”

“If that’s revenge for my joke earlier, I said I was sorry.”

“It’s not that, I really don’t know.”

“Don’t know? Then where did you get the sword?”

“She gave it to me and went back.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So I don’t know where she is. But there will be a chance to meet her someday. I’ll let you know then. This is my best.”

It was a simple answer, but it was also a perfect answer that left no room for further questioning.

But Lordain was not easy to deal with.

“You’re still lying. I guess I really have to kill someone to make you talk.”

After saying that, Lordain spread his hand and placed it on the ground.

Then the ground began to vibrate.

Drdrdr…….

Soon, a cylindrical prison made of earth rose from the cracked ground. It wasn’t magic. Was it with the help of the spirits of the earth?

I could see the people inside the prison.

Mirang, Kana, Russ, Ilia, Fleta.

The five of them were trapped in the earthen prison, unconscious.

But even if my companions are like that, why are Mirang and Kana there?

“What about those elves?”

“Funnily enough, your friends were stopping me, saying they were Glorian’s guests. I guess they’ve developed some affection for them in the meantime? Well, that doesn’t matter. Who should I kill first to make you tell me willingly?”

Lordain asked with a smile.

At that mad smile, I lightly closed my eyes.

‘Should I tell him?’

I weighed the pros and cons of what would happen if I told him.

If Lordain goes to find Kerwyn? A fight will break out. Will Kerwyn really lose to Lordain? It’s hard to imagine her losing.

But she’s already using a lot of her power to block the North. Her lifespan as a human was also coming to an end.

Even so, can she win?

‘No.’

The answer was already decided the moment I was worried about it. I can’t send Lordain to her!

‘Then how?’

Let’s think back. What was the reason Lordain was looking for Kerwyn?

He said he had a debt to repay. But it’s strange.

No matter how eccentric Kerwyn is, she created the Great Forest for the sake of the different races, and she also dedicated herself to the druids who were marginalized there.

It was hard to understand that Lordain had a grudge to repay to her. In fact, Kerwyn was a very friendly person to the different races.

In other words, if Lordain harbored some kind of grudge, it means that Kerwyn is not the cause.

“You’re racking your brain. Then I’ll help you make a decision.”

Lordain smiled and gestured, and the earthen prison where Russ was trapped began to tighten.

But at the same time, my thoughts were almost complete.

‘Lordain is said to have been wandering the Great Forest for hundreds of years, gone mad. Why? If he really wants revenge and wants to find Kerwyn, shouldn’t he leave the Great Forest and wander the continent?’

Why can’t Lordain leave the Great Forest?

The puzzle pieces began to come together.

Lordain, who wants to avenge his wife’s grudge.

His wife lost her life in the Fortress Defense War, and at that time, Lordain’s enemy was the Sword Demon Aslahina.

‘Ah, so that’s what it was.’

Following that, the settings in the novel came to mind and began to flesh out, and soon the hypothesis began to turn into a certainty.

Yes.

Feeling that the answer was roughly correct, I opened my closed eyes and met Lordain’s gaze.

“There’s no need to go find Kerwyn.”

“What?”

His white eyes were scrutinizing me.

But I calmly met his gaze and opened my mouth.

“I think I can resolve that grudge for you.”

Lordain’s head tilted.

The glib atmosphere vanished. Only suspicion lingered in his eyes.

“You’re going to resolve it?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what I’m doing this for?”

Will I be right or wrong?

There is no certainty. But I had a feeling that my thoughts were correct. I felt like I could bet my entire fortune on this gamble.

I took a deep breath and calmly opened my mouth.

“Isn’t there something like a voice you hear?”

“You…….”

Lordain laughed. But it was different from what he had shown so far. It felt like a laugh that one would make upon meeting an enemy they had been waiting for for a long time.

“You know something?”

Lordain’s eyes began to burn.