How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 96

Living as the Third Son of a Failed Novel – Chapter 96

Chapter 28. Punishment

The forced march continued even after leaving Leydin.

How long did we run with only minimal rest? As the day darkened considerably, Windnest, just as I remembered it, began to appear in the distance.

I felt a slight tingling in my nose at the sight of it standing firm, enduring the northern cold with its whole body.

‘Even though this is another world, home is still home, I guess.’

Brushing aside the obvious sentiment, I sped up and approached Windnest’s gate in one go.

“Halt! Halt!”

Is it this bad?

Even the shouts of the guards yelling to stop felt welcome.

“Who is it?”

“I am Ruth Meyer, a knight of the Wind Knights and escort to the Third Son of Cain Lindayer! Open the gate immediately!”

When Ruth, holding a torch, revealed his face and shouted, the top of the wall became noisy for a moment.

“Do you really have to announce your identity so embarrassingly?”

Ruth shrugged at my question.

“We didn’t send word in advance. This kind of procedure is normal.”

While even the waiting time felt welcome, the massive gate of Windnest slowly began to open.

As the gate opened, the gate guards lined up in a row.

A guard who appeared to be a veteran came forward first and bowed his head.

“Welcome back, Third Son.”

“Thanks for your hard work.”

As we passed through the gate, Meir, who was nearby, exclaimed in admiration.

“It’s an honor to see the famous Windnest like this.”

“Really? What’s the reputation of Windnest like?”

“Isn’t it the forefront of defending the North? Besides, Count Lindayer, one of the masters of the continent, is here. Its fame is well known even in Leydin.”

“Thank you for seeing it so favorably. Take your time to rest and then go back.”

“Well, there are things to do first.”

Right. It’s good to be back home, but there were still things to do.

“Ruth, let’s go to the Lord’s Castle right away.”

“Yes. I’ll send word ahead.”

At Ruth’s gesture, a soldier on horseback hurried towards the Lord’s Castle. It was to announce my arrival.

I slowly moved my horse towards the Lord’s Castle.

The Lord’s Castle, which I arrived at, was bustling with energy despite the late hour due to my sudden visit.

They were heating bathwater, preparing meals, and trying to hide that it had been empty for a long time, dusting places that hadn’t been touched while stoking the fireplace in my room.

“Third Son.”

The butler approached me as I finished my bath and was putting on my formal attire with the help of the maids after a long time.

Seeing his still kind-looking face, I raised my hand in welcome.

“It’s been a while.”

“You should have sent word in advance. If you had, there wouldn’t have been any unnecessary commotion.”

“Isn’t this part of the fun?”

The butler smiled with his wrinkled face at my words.

“Dinner will be ready soon.”

“Really? I’ll go right away.”

“By the way, the master said he would have dinner with you, Third Son.”

“The Count? At this hour, hasn’t he eaten yet?”

“He already had dinner a few hours ago, but…”

The butler paused for a moment and covered his mouth.

“Oh, he told me to keep it a secret, but I made a mistake.”

I smiled at the butler’s sly words.

“I’ll gladly keep it a secret.”

“Thank you.”

The butler, who smiled, dismissed the maids and came over to help me put on my formal attire himself.

“Has there been anything unusual in Windnest?”

“No. Nothing for you to worry about.”

“Really? Oh, how are my brothers?”

When I asked as if I was just asking about their well-being, the butler nodded.

“Young Master Dane is out on a mission to solve a case that recently occurred in the Count’s territory.”

“Really? What about the Second Brother?”

“Young Master Seine is in Windnest. He seems to have gone out to the city.”

“That’s good.”

A private meeting with the Count.

Since there were things to discuss anyway, it’s not a bad thing.

The butler, who gave me a final touch while looking at my reflection in the mirror, gave me a kind smile.

“Did you go somewhere to train?”

“Huh?”

“Your aura has changed significantly from before.”

I felt a pang at the butler’s words.

This old man, I knew he had a good eye from the old days, but he noticed it right away?

“I didn’t just play around.”

“You must have gone through a lot.”

“I guess so.”

“I have high expectations for this knight exam.”

Before I knew it, my head turned sharply.

But the butler still only showed a kind smile.

“Sometimes I wonder about the butler’s past.”

“It’s nothing special. I’ve been serving the master, past and present.”

“……Has the schedule for the knight exam been set?”

“Yes. If you are ready, we can move it up.”

“I’ll discuss that with the Count.”

“Understood.”

Nodding, I finished preparing to go to the dining room and looked at the butler.

“Is Ruth Meyer still waiting at the Lord’s Castle?”

“Yes.”

“Tell Sir Ruth to begin.”

At my words, the butler tilted his head as if asking what I meant.

“Just tell him to begin?”

“Yes. Tell him to begin.”

“Understood.”

After confirming that the butler had left, I slowly moved my steps towards the dining room.

It felt like everything I saw along the way was bringing back memories one by one.

Walking like that, I arrived at the dining room and moved my steps through the door that the maids opened.

* * *

In the silent dining room, there were maids standing still and a middle-aged man sitting.

“You’ve come.”

Thus, Rain Lindayer, the head of the Lindayer family, greeted me as he sat at the head of the table.

He still possessed a strong physique and restrained energy. At his stiffness, as if he wouldn’t even flinch if pricked with a needle, I recalled what the butler had said earlier.

‘That kind of person asked to keep it a secret that he had eaten?’

Barely holding back a laugh, I cleared my throat and greeted him according to etiquette.

“Yes. I have returned.”

“You’re old enough, where have you been wandering for so long?”

“Many things happened.”

“Sit down first.”

At the Count’s words, maids approached me, who was sitting next to him, and prepared the tableware and poured wine.

“You’re not thinking of leaving somewhere again as soon as you arrive, are you?”

“No. I plan to stay in Windnest for the time being.”

“You should.”

The Count raised his glass, and I also politely raised my glass.

“Tell me.”

“Yes? What are you talking about?”

“What you did outside for nearly half a year. You weren’t indulging in women and gambling again like in the old days, were you?”

It was the Count with a seemingly scolding tone, but I could see the worry hidden in his stern expression.

So he is a father after all.

I nodded at the sight of him worrying if something had happened to his son.

“I was just training to keep the promise I made with you.”

“If it was just training, you could have done it inside Windnest. That’s not a satisfactory answer for spending time outside.”

“If it was just training, that’s right. I wanted to see the world while training. Experience is important.”

“Are you saying you traveled?”

“You could see it that way.”

“Yes. As you said, the world is wide, so you have to have a broad view. So what did you see?”

What kind of reaction would I get if I said I met the druids and elves who were active during the tribal wars, and Aslahi Nah?

“I…….”

The words that came out of my mouth were a story with appropriate embellishments.

Since it was a journey to the Great Forest, it’s true that I looked around the eastern region.

As I told the story of that place, the Count, who was listening quietly, occasionally savored the wine and slowly nodded.

“The East, ruled by the Bashrun family, is a region that is well developed not only in terms of security but also economically. There must have been many trials and errors to get there, and we must reflect on the process and learn the beneficial points. You must have felt a lot.”

“That’s right.”

The story continued except for the times when the Count interjected, and just before I was about to bring up the important highlight, what happened in Leydin, I looked at the Count.

“Dismiss the people.”

“Hmm? Why?”

“I have something important to tell you.”

While wondering at my sudden change of attitude, the Count eventually nodded.

Thus, the story began again in a space where only the Count and I remained.

The Count, who couldn’t hide his interest at first, gradually hardened his expression as the story progressed.

Well, what father could maintain his composure when his son might be the cause of a series of events?

Anyway, the accusation that was unraveled through the story continued. And by the time it reached the end, the Count had already emptied a bottle of wine.

“Hoo.”

The Count, who unusually bowed his head and sighed deeply, slowly raised his head.

“I’ll ask you a few things.”

“Yes.”

“The Royal Direct Secret Investigator is a very secretive and dangerous position. The Head of the Palace Affairs Department gave you such a position?”

“That’s right.”

“For what reason?”

“I can’t tell you because I made a secret oath.”

There’s no such thing, but if I say so, it must be so.

“Marquis Halin Irfe is a sinister man. His loyalty to the royal family is beyond doubt, but the methods he chooses are usually extremely heretical [deviating from accepted beliefs or standards].”

“I felt it.”

“You shouldn’t take it lightly that you’ve been placed under the surveillance of such a person.”

“I thought about the advantage that I could get his information network.”

“You thought about the pros and cons. If that’s your judgment.”

The Count, who was about to raise his hand as if to call a maid, realized that only I and he were there, so he got up himself, took another bottle of wine, and came back.

It seemed like the first time I saw the Count drinking so much.

Of course, there’s no need to worry about him getting drunk. At the Count’s level, he wouldn’t be distracted by alcohol.

The only problem is that the toast to welcome the youngest son, who had returned after a long time, had turned into a way to soothe his worries.

“What evidence do you have to prove your words?”

“I brought it. If you want, I can have someone bring it to your office.”

“……Is that why Meir came to Windnest with you this time?”

“Yes. Sir Meir is a knight of the Leydin direct territory. He accompanied me to confirm the follow-up and report on this case.”

“…….”

A moment of silence flowed.

The Count, who had been lost in thought for a long time with his eyes closed, opened his eyes and called the butler.

“Butler.”

The door opened and the butler with a still kind face entered the dining room.

“Did you call?”

“Send a messenger right now to close all the gates of Windnest and not let anyone out.”

“I’ve already told them.”

The Count turned his gaze to me at my words.

“Sir Ruth Meyer must have already sent word to all the gates in advance. If you light a beacon proving your will, the order will be carried out immediately.”

“Did you even guess how I would move?”

“I just believed that you wouldn’t take it lightly because you know justice.”

“Ha!”

The Count, who let out a small laugh at my words, hardened his expression.

“Then you know the next order I’ll give.”

“I told Ruth Meyer to find out the whereabouts of all the suspects in advance. Likewise, he will start acting at the same time as lighting the beacon.”

“You sly fox.”

The Count, who smiled for a moment, raised his head and looked at the butler.

“Butler.”

“Yes.”

“Light the beacon containing my will and summon the Wind Knights right now.”

Summon the Knights.

The butler, who knew that the Count was not a person who would say such things carelessly, straightened his posture.

“This is a serious matter. You personally lead the Knights and join Ruth Meyer, who is currently dispatched to the city.”

Tell that old man to lead the Knights?

Regardless of my surprise, the butler nodded without hesitation and asked the Count.

“What is the mission of the Knights?”

At the butler’s question, the Count slowly opened his mouth with a cold expression.