How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 80

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Chapter 80

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The battle was over.

Tired, Lordain leaned on Ruth’s shoulder beside him, and Ruth didn’t shrug him off.

Even though he was the one who kidnapped her, she probably didn’t have the energy to argue about right and wrong at that moment. They had fought side-by-side, briefly on the same side.

“What do we do with these guys now?”

Ruth pointed to the Phantom Knights, still kneeling and motionless.

“I wonder.”

The Phantom Knights were already being consumed by Afien’s golden energy. Could I control them with my will?

Hoping for the best, I gestured, and the Phantom Knights rose to their feet in unison, then returned to their original positions with precise movements.

Then, as if they had never moved, they fell into an eternal slumber in their original positions.

Ruth watched the whole scene and gave a wry smile.

“It seems like there are a lot of stories to hear.”

Ilia and Fleta nodded at Ruth’s words.

Indeed, the way the three of them looked at me was very different from before. This incident must have made them realize that I was hiding something.

If I tried to gloss over their questions as I had done so far, the trust we had built would be broken.

‘It’s time to tell them now.’

I never thought I could hide it forever, but the moment came sooner than expected.

But what could I do? The die had already been cast.

“You must have a lot of questions.”

“…….”

“But we have things to do right now, so let’s talk about it later.”

Aslahina was still kneeling, waiting.

Her thoughts continued to echo in my mind.

[My lord…….]

She was looking for me.

The emotions contained in her thoughts were complex.

It was a desperate plea mixed with fierce anger and despair. At the same time, I felt a burning loyalty, a desire to serve even in death.

Perhaps that’s why.

I felt like Aslahina was like a blood relative I had been with for a long time.

‘She was also a victim of the Demon Sword.’

I remembered that Aslahina, who had suffered fatal wounds in the fortress siege, died just before the Emperor arrived.

Thinking about her thoughts dwelling in the sword made my nose tingle.

‘Then why couldn’t Kerwyn fulfill Aslahina’s wishes sooner? Even though she was a precious friend?’

[Because the Emperor wasn’t there.]

‘You’re the Emperor now.’

[That’s right. I am the Emperor. But at the same time, I’m also an incomplete fragment of a soul. Because I don’t have a body.]

‘A body? Then it wouldn’t have been enough to just bring any human and make them an agent……’

It would have been impossible to create an agent of the Emperor just to fulfill the wishes of the dead. Its status was clearly significant.

Nodding at Afien’s words, I stood in front of Aslahina.

Aslahina was still motionless. As I stared at her, a wave of pity washed over me. I knew it was because I was influenced by her thoughts, but right now, my emotions were telling me that I wanted to bring her peace.

‘Then…’

To give Aslahina eternal rest, I would have to free her from this Demon Sword. Simply separating them wouldn’t solve the problem.

But how do I separate them?

Aslahina’s soul was already almost completely consumed by this sword.

I lightly licked my lips and summoned Afien.

‘You and this sword are different, right?’

[Me? Seriously? How can you compare me to something like that?]

‘I didn’t ask you to brag about yourself.’

[Unbelievable! I chose myself! But that sword doesn’t have that choice! It just slowly consumes whoever holds it!]

‘Then the answer is clear.’

If the sword didn’t choose its owner, then the solution is simple: just change the owner.

Should I take it?

After a brief moment of consideration, I shook my head. I didn’t think it was necessary. Afien and the power of this Demon Sword had conflicting aspects. It could lead to a negative effect rather than synergy.

‘Then…’

I turned my head and looked at my companions.

Lordain is out of the question. An elf with a Demon Sword? That would be ridiculous. Mirang and Kana are also exceptions for the same reason. Fleta is a mage, so naturally, she’s out. That leaves Ruth and Ilia.

‘I already have something in mind for Ruth.’

I had already decided what to use on Ruth. So that leaves Ilia.

I turned my head and met the eyes of Ilia, who had her small lips tightly shut. She tilted her head slightly, noticing my gaze.

‘To wield this sword…’

The qualifications are, first and foremost, mental strength, and second, mental strength. Like the noble Aslahina, she had to be able to control this overbearing power with integrity.

Ilia passes in terms of mental strength.

If I think about our journey together when we were attacked on the way to Capital, there’s no need for further verification.

Conversely, what are the chances of her using that power for evil?

I remembered her resolutely nodding her head at the test to become bait and die. Her noble beliefs would not be easily broken.

I made my decision and stood up.

“Fleta.”

“Yes?”

“I know you have a lot of questions, but for now, find a way out of here with Lordain. I’ll explain everything later.”

Fleta, who was about to say something, closed her mouth.

After a moment, she slowly nodded and looked at Aslahina.

“What are you going to do with Aslahina?”

“I’ll finish things up and leave.”

“Will you explain that later too?”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not the first time, so I’m used to it. Anyway, I understand.”

Lordain stepped forward next to Fleta, who nodded lightly.

“What are you going to do alone?”

“I have something to finish.”

“Finish?”

“It’s a personal matter. Leave it to me.”

A personal matter.

Lordain clicked his tongue at the line he drew.

“Fine, do as you please.”

“I would appreciate your understanding.”

“Don’t forget what you promised me, okay?”

I nodded at his words, remembering my promise to help him with his wife’s condition.

“I will keep it. I will, without fail.”

“We’ll see.”

Just as Lordain, who reluctantly agreed, was about to head out of the tomb, I called out to Ilia.

“Ilia.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“You stay for a moment.”

She was momentarily puzzled, but soon nodded silently.

I gestured for Ilia to come closer and lightly pointed to the sarcophagus.

“Do you know who this woman is?”

“I’ve heard a little about her. Aslahina.”

“Really? Then you must know about her too.”

“Of course. She’s a noble knight at the pinnacle of knighthood, so how could I not know her?”

“Do you admire her?”

“I do.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I really do.”

“Good. Then I’ll ask you directly.”

“What……”

“If there was a way to become a knight comparable to her, would you accept it?”

Her eyes widened.

Aslahina, a war hero proudly decorated in history. The question of whether she wanted to have skills comparable to such a knight…

What knight in the world wouldn’t welcome it?

But Ilia soon realized the reality and hesitated.

“But I’ve only just learned to handle mana. I’m starting far behind compared to Aslahina’s outstanding talent, so how……”

“Don’t think about the means or methods, just answer. If there was a way to gain Aslahina’s immense power, do you have the confidence to seize that opportunity?”

Ilia paused, lost in thought. Regardless of the true meaning of my words, she seemed to be imagining her future if such an opportunity were given.

Soon, Ilia raised her head after finishing her thoughts. Her eyes were burning with desire.

“Yes. If such an opportunity is given, and if I am qualified, then I will seize it. If you give me the teachings to make that happen, I will work with the determination to die.”

“That’s a good attitude.”

As expected, Ilia accepted.

But she didn’t just jump at it. Her words about gaining qualifications based on effort were also excellent.

“Then, there’s no need to learn step by step from the very beginning, right? In my opinion, your basics are so good that there’s nothing more to learn.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s quickly finish the basics and go straight to the advanced course.”

“What do you mean……”

“You must have heard rumors about me before, right? About the good-for-nothing third son of the Lindayer County family.”

“H, how could I……”

“I’m just stating the facts. I was definitely like that according to the rumors. But I’ve changed. Of course, it doesn’t matter *how* my personality itself has changed. What you need is the method I used to become stronger.”

“Are you saying……”

I smiled and opened the small pocket on my thigh.

What I took out from there was an earring decorated with a mana stone, an ampoule containing the essence of a nightmare, sleeping grass, and finally, a paper bag containing magic powder.

‘I don’t know if it will work, but it’s worth a try.’

It was a kind of application.

Until now, I had been using the Book of Merits to directly experience and embody the anecdotes of heroes, turning them into power.

Then, could I apply that method to this Demon Sword?

There is a reason for this. The Book of Merits contains the strong will of the corresponding hero. In that sense, the Demon Sword is the same. Even though it’s a thought, it contains Aslahina’s strong will.

Snap!

I snapped my fingers and gestured to Ilia.

“Lie down next to the sarcophagus.”

“Yes?”

“Do I have to say it twice?”

“Ah, no.”

At my words, Ilia rushed to the sarcophagus and awkwardly lay down next to it.

“Lie down comfortably. Relax. Well, you’ll have to relax even if you don’t want to anyway.”

“What on earth is going to happen……”

“All you have to remember is one thing: Aslahina’s greatest achievement recorded in history.”

“Are you talking about the fortress siege where she stopped the alien races?”

“Yes. Remember that achievement, and yearn for it endlessly.”

“Yearn……”

“Close your eyes and imagine, with the feeling that you are becoming Aslahina.”

Ilia furrowed her brow as if wondering what kind of pie-in-the-sky story this was.

But what could she do? She had to do what I told her.

Eventually, Ilia closed her eyes tightly.

Immediately, I broke the mana stone and sprinkled the magic powder inside the sarcophagus onto the sword that Aslahina was holding tightly.

Crackle-!

Surprisingly, the magic powder stuck to the sword and seeped in as if it were burning.

Following that, I slowly poured the essence of the nightmare onto the sword.

Creak-!

“Don’t open your eyes.”

Ilia flinched at the chilling scream of the nightmare, but immediately closed her eyes again at my words.

‘Lastly.’

Sizzle-!

Smoke rose from the burning sleeping grass. I could see the rising smoke penetrating Ilia’s nose.

“Imagine, remember, yearn. And become Aslahina.”

The preparation is complete.

Now, it was up to Ilia.

I also had something left to do. I had to keep my promise to Lordain. After taking a moment to catch my breath, I also inhaled the smoke rising from the sleeping grass with all my might.

Feeling the strength leaving my body, I leaned against the sarcophagus.

My eyes slowly closed, and soon the world changed.