The Failure Marquis Is A Genius [EN]: Chapter 24

4. Discovery: The Suspicious Thug

“So, there I was, right? Hit by a poisoned needle, couldn’t move a muscle. I thought I was done for. Figured I’d be joining my buddies soon enough. Even told the purple-haired maid to run.”

“So, what happened?”

“Suddenly, the Vice Captain pulls out his sword and shouts, ‘For the North!’ with all his might…”

The story of the first patrol spread like wildfire among the Rangers.

The scouting party nearly ambushed by goblins, and Vice Captain Henon single-handedly taking down a hundred goblins to overcome the crisis.

In reality, he’d only taken down a little over thirty goblins, but Campbell spiced up the episode with his unique storytelling skills.

“The Vice Captain was trying to train us rookies, but we ended up getting trained instead.”

“I thought he had guts since the duel. He’s really something. The Vice Captain.”

“I want to team up with the Vice Captain next time.”

“What are you talking about! From now on, the Vice Captain will be doing exclusive searches with yours truly, Campbell!”

The number of volunteers wanting to search with me increased.

Sion wore a proud smile, as if pleased that I, whom she served, had become so popular.

However, I was more concerned about something else.

I went to see Captain Victor.

While everyone surrounded me, he was alone in the corner, poking at the bonfire.

“Captain, have you heard the story?”

“Yes. Gave me the scare of my life. I’m glad you’re alive.”

“The goblins that attacked us weren’t ordinary goblins.”

“Were they Hobgoblins or something?”

“That’s not the issue. They were intelligent enough to use ambush tactics, and more than that, they used a poison that could put a giant like Campbell into a stupor instantly.”

“All sorts of things happen in the North.”

“Is the North a place where goblins can manufacture that level of poison?”

Victor shrugged.

“What are you trying to say?”

“You authorized our team to patrol this area, Captain.”

“That’s right.”

“You said you checked it thoroughly last night. And we almost died. Did you really check properly?”

There was a moment of silence.

The team members, sensing the atmosphere, also wore troubled expressions.

Campbell came over and put his arm around my shoulder.

“Come on, even the Captain can make mistakes. The result was good, so that’s all that matters. No need to make enemies.”

“No. Henon has every right to be upset. This is clearly my mistake. I formally apologize, Vice Captain.”

Victor coolly bowed his head.

If he comes out like this, it’s strange to push him any further.

“Alright. Just be careful next time.”

“I will.”

* * *

The eventful first patrol ended.

The gatekeepers guarding the North Gate cheered and applauded us as we returned, saying we had worked hard.

Apparently, this enthusiastic welcome is a unique tradition in the North for Rangers returning from patrol.

I felt a sense of pride.

Looking to the side, Sion’s face was slightly flushed, and the other Rangers were walking proudly with their shoulders squared and chests out.

“Vice Captain! I owe you for the patrol, so let me pay you back properly! Let’s go to Black Honey right now! It’s on me!”

“Woahhh!!!”

It seems going to Black Honey after a patrol is also a tradition.

“Welcome!”

As we entered Black Honey, Erica greeted us with a smile.

As if prepared in advance, bread, soup, and well-cooked lamb were on the table, and frothy beer in large oak mugs stimulated our appetites.

“Judging by your bright expressions, no one died today. That’s a relief.”

“Kuhahaha! No one died, but we almost did. I’ll tell you the story today, so Erica, come and listen.”

“If the story is interesting, I’ll give you a free beer.”

“How much do we spend on drinks here? And you’re only offering one beer? Be generous and give us a whole oak barrel for free.”

“Shall I add your name to the banned list?”

“I’m sorry.”

After that, it was a continuous drinking party.

The three of us almost died today, so we were given the day off tomorrow.

Perhaps that’s why Campbell was drinking like he was going to the end of the universe, and Sion, swept up in the cheerful atmosphere, also drank a few glasses of beer.

As for me, I kept pace with Campbell and showed off my ability to empty an entire oak barrel.

Everyone around me praised me for being a good drinker, but I was actually fine.

[Skill Self-Purification is activated.]

[Immune to all abnormal conditions.]

[Detoxifying alcohol.]

Thanks to the Druid’s abilities, I didn’t get drunk no matter how much I drank.

Eventually, Campbell collapsed.

Everyone else was also passed out, completely drunk.

The cleanup was entirely my responsibility.

Now that I see it, drinking parties are the same in both the real world and this world.

I moved all the drunks to their lodgings and sat down in front of the door, gazing at the night sky.

It was the perfect time for a cigarette, but unfortunately, there were no cigarettes in the North.

I heard that even street beggars smoke cigarettes in the Calron Empire, but in the Elden Kingdom, they are still a luxury only nobles can afford.

I was staring blankly at the sky when I felt someone behind me.

“Sion?”

“Yes.”

She really appears without a sound.

Like father, like daughter, I guess.

Sion is starting to resemble her father, Sebastian.

“What are you doing here? The night air is cold. Please go inside.”

“Is the lodging uncomfortable? It must be hard for you, a woman, to live with men in a place without even a screen.”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m not fine. I’ll talk to Victor tomorrow and say that you and I will live separately. Captain Victor also uses a separate lodging, so I, as the Vice Captain, should have that right.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

She didn’t show it, but Sion’s face brightened, as if she had been quite uncomfortable.

“Sion, I want to ask for your opinion regarding today’s patrol.”

“What is it?”

“What do you think of Victor?”

“The Captain? He seems to be the only normal person in this place full of abnormal people.”

“Is that so? My opinion is a little different.”

A disturbing question that had been lingering in my mind since the goblin attack had been swirling around all day.

Goblins that even Campbell, who had worked here for years, had never seen before appeared in an area that Victor had checked in advance last night.

The goblins were lying in ambush as if they knew we were coming.

Moreover,

they used a poison that could instantly incapacitate a giant over 2m tall and an expert-level master.

Only a handful of humans can manufacture such poison, so how did the goblins get their hands on it?

‘Could it be that Victor was trying to trap and kill me and Sion?’

Victor and I have no grudges.

In other words, he has no motive to use a borrowed knife to kill someone [to use someone else to do the dirty work].

However, there is someone in the South who desperately wants my death more than anyone else.

My stepmother, Rosalyn Lloyd, and my half-brother, Phillip.

What if, just what if, Victor was in communication with those two?

‘Moreover, the first place I met Victor was in the southern region, not the North.’

Suspicion led to suspicion.

An absurd assumption.

Paranoia.

…I could dismiss it as such, but my unique intuition made the back of my neck stiff.

Sion’s face also hardened as she listened to me.

“I agree with you, Master. But if Victor received a contract to kill us, why would he make things so difficult in this way? If he had just dealt with us discreetly on the day we first met, we would have been finished.”

Sion’s words made sense.

Campbell is an expert-level master.

If Campbell had drawn his sword in the carriage to the North, the chances of me and Sion surviving would have been slim.

Was I being too sensitive?

“However, considering the circumstances, it is suspicious enough. Shall I monitor him?”

“No. You have to go out on patrol with me all day, and if you also do surveillance, your body will be exhausted. Rest when you can.”

“No. There is a way.”

My ears perked up at her confident tone.

“How?”

“Actually, I made a good friend in the North today.”

“A friend? That’s surprising. Don’t tell me it’s Campbell?”

“I wouldn’t be friends with that beast.”

Sion’s rejection was fierce.

I was also curious.

What kind of person would make Sion want to be friends with them?

“It’s not a man. I became friends with Erica today and had a pretty long girl talk.”

Ah.

During the drinking party today, Sion excused herself to go to the bathroom for a long time.

I thought she was trying to sober up, but she was building a friendship with Erica at that time.

In a remote area full of dark men, Erica and Sion, who were of similar age, must have liked each other.

“While chatting with Erica, I unintentionally learned an interesting fact.”

“What is it?”

“It turns out that Erica is in a romantic relationship with Victor.”

“Really?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m telling you this. Please keep it a secret.”

It was quite unexpected news, but when I thought about it carefully, it wasn’t that surprising.

In American dramas, the football team captain and the cheerleading captain are always a couple. [A common trope in media].

This neighborhood is different in form, but the Ranger Captain, who is the most elite, and Erica, who is like an idol, are in a relationship that is understandable enough.

“I will visit Black Honey often in the future, and each time, I will try to find out about Victor through Erica. She can’t help but talk about her boyfriend, so there will be no difficulty in obtaining information.”

That’s good.

Once again, I thought it was a good idea to bring Sion to the North.

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

* * *

Early the next morning.

I drank so much yesterday, and today is my day off from patrol, but I have to invest even this spare time in training.

Before the sun rose, I wielded the Heavenly Demon Sword and swung it, sweating profusely in an empty field.

While training, I recalled what happened yesterday.

‘What was that feeling?’

Should I call it intuition?

I definitely felt that something was wrong before Campbell attacked the goblins.

So I stopped Campbell, and he ignored my words and was actually ambushed by the goblins and almost died.

It was ambiguous to call it a simple ability like foresight or prophecy.

I’m not talented in that area in the first place.

My guess is that as the Druid’s abilities developed, my connection with nature increased.

As my connection increased, I became more sensitive to the surrounding environment.

So, even though I didn’t know that the goblins were lying in ambush, I seemed to have noticed their vague presence.

‘As Druidic power grows, will the intuition based on detection also improve?’

After obtaining the Golden Branch, I could predict in which direction it would grow.

Perhaps I will communicate with trees, insects, animals, land, spirits, etc., and obtain information.

If that happens, my vision and detection abilities will be truly overpowered.

Imagine.

Others are gathering information using their five senses, but the land they are stepping on, the birds passing by, and the trees they are leaning against are reporting all situations to me.

Based on this, intuition was already stirring beneath the surface.

I didn’t create a separate curriculum for intuition training.

To be exact, I couldn’t.

Even the Heavenly Demon, who generously advised me on martial arts training, expressed his reluctance in this area.

-I am a martial artist, not a Druid. I can tell you what I guess, but I can’t give you a detailed diagnosis. You have to find your own way.

First, I decided to go on patrols repeatedly and listen to my surroundings.

The patrol process is a series of crises, and you can’t let your guard down for a moment.

If I am continuously exposed to such an environment, the Druid’s unique intuition will also improve.

After drawing a conclusion, I was about to swing my sword again,

“Henon.”

A woman’s voice was heard right next to me.

I didn’t notice until she was so close.

I was startled and my spine chilled, but I recognized who it was and understood.

“Commander.”

Karina, the commander of Black Castle.

The guardian of the North and Seven Star [One of the strongest warriors in the kingdom].

Her red hair was fluttering in the morning breeze.

“You’re working hard. It’s good to see you training from early in the morning.”

“Thank you. But what brings you here?”

“I was taking a walk. I like to go around Black Castle before dawn.”

“I see.”

“I won’t disturb you. Then, good work.”

Even while talking, information about her was spinning in my head.

I don’t know how she compares to Marquis Lloyd in his prime, but at this point in time, she is the strongest swordsman in the Elden Kingdom.

How much of a gain would it be to cross swords with such a master?

In a situation where I have to use any means to become stronger, it would be foolish to miss a good opportunity walking in front of me.

“Wait a minute! I have something to say.”

I grabbed Karina.

She had been passing me with her hands behind her back, but she stopped abruptly in that position.

“What is it?”

“Are you busy?”

“Sorry, but I prefer older men.”

A unique sense of humor.

Is it a mischievous northern joke?

I decided to play along.

“Tastes can change at any time. I would like to spend some quality time with you, Commander.”

“There are many new recruits like you in the North. Since there are no women, they flirt with Erica and then lose their minds and try to hit on me.”

“Then do you accept them?”

After hearing my words, she touched the hilt of the sword stuck in her waist and smiled.

“Of course. I like men.”

I could guess what happened to the new recruits who hit on Karina.

They must have been beaten to a pulp.

And at this moment, I am also trying to become one of those new recruits.

The tip of the Heavenly Demon Sword I was holding was pointed at Karina.

“I want to experience some intense love.”

“If you want it that much… don’t regret it.”

Karina disappeared in a flash.

And I had to regret stopping her in just one minute.