The Failure Marquis Is A Genius [EN]: Chapter 35

It was always like this.

He was the worst kind of scoundrel.

Despite struggling to achieve the honor of being in the Northern Squad and accomplishing the great feat of rooting out the Twilight [a clandestine organization], he was willingly walking into a place where death was certain.

In truth, Zion knew it was pointless to dissuade Henon.

Because the young master she knew never chose the easy path.

He was the type who would deliberately seek out places everyone avoided, endure all sorts of hardships, and ultimately achieve growth that everyone would acknowledge.

“Are you really going? It will be difficult to return if you go.”

“Nevertheless, I must go.”

“Is it to protect the honor and reputation of the family? Or to achieve the feat of defeating demons, not just being in the Northern Squad, to build an even more solid reputation? Or is it because of your personal conscience? Please, tell me.”

In Zion’s memory, Young Master Henon always had calculations behind every word and action.

She was certain he did this time as well.

Just what kind of plan had he prepared…

“No? Karina, my sparring partner, and Campbell, my drinking buddy, are there. I can’t just watch them die. That’s all.”

A very clear answer.

Zion let out a hollow laugh.

That’s right.

This man was a scoundrel.

One moment he was as meticulous as an imperial administrator, and the next he was as impulsive as a neighborhood thug.

If so, her answer was already decided.

“I will follow you.”

“Well, you should stay here…”

“Don’t tell me to stay behind this time. Because I won’t listen even if you do.”

When Henon went missing this time, Zion realized.

That she wanted that scoundrel, that good-for-nothing young master, to become Marquis Lloyd more than anyone else.

There should be at least one person who wholeheartedly supports the path that scoundrel strongly desires and rushes towards.

She would rather die with him than live to hear the news that Henon had died without achieving his dreams.

Fortunately or unfortunately.

The young master seemed to have grasped the firm will in her eyes.

“Alright. Follow me. But don’t overdo it. That’s my role.”

“Of course. I will follow you to the very end.”

“Did you get a job at a funeral company or something?”

“Pardon?”

“Never mind. Forget what I just said.”

He still said a lot of things she couldn’t understand.

But Henon was still Henon.

* * *

Meanwhile.

Karina was leading the entire Black Castle forces towards the place Victor had invited them to.

His invitation came on a piece of paper stuck to an arrow.

[Commander Karina. You must have already heard the news. It’s a pity that the end of our long time together has come to this. If you want to settle things, come to the place marked on the map.

For your information, this place is the habitat of the Owlbears that have been severely tormenting our Black Castle Rangers recently. I wasn’t going to tell you, but I’m giving you this special consideration in light of our past relationship. I look forward to seeing you soon.

-Victor-]

Grind!

Karina’s teeth ground.

That’s how much she trusted Victor.

She still couldn’t believe that the man she had considered her right-hand for seven years had not only betrayed her but was also a member of the Twilight, whom she hated the most.

Even now, she wanted to go and check if he had been brainwashed by someone.

‘I should have left the subordinates behind.’

As she thought to herself, she shook her head. No matter how much she loved her younger comrades, their essence was that of Northern men. She had not raised her subordinates to be weak. She believed they would fulfill their roles sufficiently.

“By the way, I really didn’t expect the Captain to do this.”

It was Campbell who spoke.

He had temporarily taken over the position of Ranger Captain when it was revealed that Captain Victor was a member of the Twilight and Vice-Captain Henon had gone missing.

“We had no idea. We just thought he was a capable and respectable man who had survived for a long time.”

“I know. It would have been impossible for you to suspect a comrade who had entrusted his back to you while searching the Northern Mountains every day, risking death. I understand that feeling.”

“But the Vice-Captain wasn’t. He confronted Victor several times even in front of us. I think he must have noticed it back then.”

Hearing Campbell’s words, Karina briefly saw the face of the missing Henon in her mind.

When everyone was overwhelmed with stress and drank Black Honey [a strong alcoholic beverage] until late at night, passing out, he would drink the same amount of alcohol but still wake up early in the morning to wield his sword.

Even while sparring with her, getting bruised and battered, he never showed any signs of weakness.

He didn’t even groan, silently mastering her teachings.

He absorbed the teachings she gave him and must have been busy patrolling the North, yet in the midst of all that, he even dug up the secrets of an underground organization that could shake the foundations of Black Castle, eventually catching their tail.

“…What’s the point? He’s already dead.”

“Are you talking about the Vice-Captain? I believe in him.”

“Believe in what?”

“The Vice-Captain Henon is not someone who would go down so easily.”

“You’re saying the same thing as Zion.”

“The maid and I were the closest to the Vice-Captain. At least, the man who struggled with all his might to grab my balls and win didn’t seem like he would die before achieving what he wanted.”

Good things are good.

Karina thought that in the current situation, any thought that had a positive impact was fine.

“Since your belief is so strong, I’ll believe it too. If Henon comes back alive, I’ll be his patron.”

“Woah! That’s amazing. The dead Vice-Captain Henon will jump out of his grave and come back.”

“What? You just said Henon would be alive until now.”

“Hehe, I just want to believe that.”

While exchanging trivial chatter with Campbell, they arrived at the entrance of a towering mountain.

This place was outside the area that Black Castle had searched and was scheduled for patrol next month.

Having grasped the location of the Owlbear habitat, which was quite close to the Castle, she was inwardly dumbfounded.

Victor was standing tall on the mountainside.

Since the surroundings were barren, his figure was even more clearly visible against the white snow.

As the distance narrowed, Victor raised his hand and gestured for them not to come any closer.

Thus, both sides confronted each other.

Victor, who was fiddling with the hilt of the sword at his waist, smiled at Karina.

“Long time no see, Karina.”

“…Victor.”

“That’s right. That’s the expression I wanted. That face filled with betrayal. I wanted to see that face. Hahaha!”

Victor spread his arms wide and burst into wild laughter.

Karina gauged the distance between them with her eyes. She was ready to kick off and subdue him in an instant if necessary.

However, it was ambiguous.

Victor was standing exactly one step behind the distance that Karina could reach in an instant.

A position that was too exquisite to be a coincidence.

It was an adjustment that could not be made without accurately grasping Karina’s capabilities, and that made her feel even worse.

“Do you want to die?”

“I would gladly give my life as long as the Demon King can be resurrected.”

“Weren’t the men of the North you killed your family?”

“Family? I have no family. If I had to say, it would be the Demon King and his retinue.”

“What happened to Henon? You said he was chasing you.”

At the mention of Henon’s name, Victor’s expression, which had been relaxed all along, wavered for the first time.

Karina, who was sharp, noticed the agitation.

“Don’t even mention that damn bastard. He’s already dead, having fallen off a cliff anyway.”

Judging from the circumstances, Henon must have landed a blow on Victor even while going down.

If she had known he was such an extraordinary talent, she would have gotten closer to Henon sooner.

If she had formed a relationship beyond just being a sparring instructor?

It was already too late, but Karina swallowed a deep sense of regret.

“Victor, what’s your scheme? Surely you’re not planning to take on all the Black Castle warriors, including me, alone?”

“Who knows?”

“If you’re relying on the fact that this is the Owlbear habitat, I want to tell you that you’re greatly mistaken. I don’t care if hundreds of bears come at me.”

Hearing Karina’s words, Victor smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

“Of course. Of course. I know best how monstrously powerful the Commander is.”

“I can’t stand your snide remarks anymore. I’ll just kill you.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Karina tried to rush forward. As if anticipating this, Victor flicked his fingers quickly.

A crisp sound.

At the same time, the entire mountain began to shake from side to side as if an earthquake had occurred.

“Huh? Uh oh!?”

“What is it! The mountain is shaking.”

“Everyone, get down!”

“Stay calm!”

Even the battle-hardened veterans of the North were experiencing such a massive natural disaster for the first time.

Kneeling down was the first thing they did, but that was exactly what Victor wanted.

The best course of action would have been for Karina to escape that place alone.

However, as she was responsible for her subordinates, she naturally stayed there, and soon, a circle with a radius of 100 meters centered around her was drawn, and the ground collapsed.

Rumble!!

Crash!!

It was a deafening roar.

The Black Castle forces, who had been standing on the ground, all fell as the floor disappeared.

Fortunately, they were skilled warriors, so they grabbed each other while falling and tried to land as safely as possible.

Covered in snow, Karina, Campbell, and the other soldiers stood up and assessed their surroundings.

The inside was like a huge ant cave, with several caves connected.

Karina instinctively realized that this was the heart of the Owlbear habitat.

She looked up at the collapsed ground and shouted at Victor, who was looking down at her from there.

“Is this all you prepared! It’s a good thing. I’ll take care of all the Owlbears right away, go up, and finish you off!”

Karina was confident that she could really do as she said.

If it weren’t for the voice that followed.

“Go ahead and try. You stupid bitch.”

A somewhat cold woman’s voice.

As soon as Karina heard it, she felt chills from the back of her neck to the top of her head.

Because it was a voice she could never forget.

How could she forget the ill-fated relationship she had fought to the death with every day during the chaotic times 20 years ago?

“Niflheim?”

“Yes. It’s me. Glad to see me?”

The Ice Witch riding a Yeti appeared above the pit.

Then Victor, who was next to her, knelt down on one knee and paid his respects to her.

Karina was furious at the sight.

“Was this all your doing?”

“That’s right. Surprised? Your reaction is a bit bland. I thought you’d be more surprised than this.”

Niflheim was above.

Karina was below.

The two women’s cold gazes intertwined fiercely in the air.

The murderous intent emanating from the master-level experts filled the surroundings with a suffocating sense of fear.

“I still don’t like it. Those eyes. I really want to pluck them out.”

“Likewise.”

“It will be decided today. Whose eyes will be plucked out.”

“Are you okay? You don’t have legs. I don’t think Mr. Gordon likes women without legs either, does he?”

Niflheim’s face contorted like a demon when Gordon Lloyd’s name came up.

That’s right.

The two women were not simply opposing factions, but also rivals and enemies who once loved the same man.

This was a terrible relationship.

Moreover, they had long realized that each other liked Gordon.

“Hmph, you didn’t get Gordon either, did you? You and I are both the same losers.”

“No. It’s clearly different. I’ve been exchanging letters with him recently. And above all, if I really need help, he’ll come no matter what. But what about you?”

It was too childish to be a conversation between the Twilight executives who control the continent behind the curtains and the Seven Stars, the guardians of the continent.

But that’s how it is.

No matter how old you get, the conversation eventually goes back to those days.

And the end of the conversation was Karina’s victory after all.

Anyway, she and Gordon Lloyd were on the same side, and Niflheim was the enemy.

When she pointed out the obvious fact and undeniable truth, Niflheim ruffled her hair and exuded jealousy.

“Yes. That’s right. I admit it. You’re closer to Gordon than I am. That’s only until today. Because you’re going to die before today is over.”

Niflheim waved her hand once.

A sinister growling sound was heard from the cave.

Finally, what was coming had arrived.

Karina and the Black Castle soldiers formed a circular formation and prepared for the Owlbears that were appearing from all directions.

The number exceeded hundreds.

The Northern soldiers groaned at the number that easily exceeded expectations.

Above all, their eyes were bloodshot, and they were dripping saliva, revealing a ferocious murderous intent, which seemed to be more than just because their habitat had been invaded.

In Karina’s view, it was clear brainwashing.

‘So Henon made such a report.’

She always missed Henon.

Every word and action of that young man was meaningful.

It’s too late to regret it no matter how much you do.

“You can’t do anything to me with these bears.”

“Of course not. I’ll deal with you separately. In the meantime, enjoy watching your subordinates being massacred by the bears.”

Karina’s face turned pale.

The situation was clearly unfavorable.

Soon, Niflheim’s hand went down.

A great battle that would determine the fate of the North began.

* * *

I left Black Castle with Zion.

I was fiercely chasing Karina and Campbell.

The pursuit was not difficult.

Finding traces and following them every day was the specialty of the Rangers.

But why?

I was getting impatient.

“We need to go faster.”

I don’t know why.

However, my intuition was telling me that it would be too late if I was any later.

[Activating Wind Control.]

[The wind helps you move.]

It’s a great advantage to be able to control the wind even if it’s not Sunbo [a legendary wind deity or technique]. A light breeze wrapped around my ankles pushed me forward.

Zion was breathing heavily, though she didn’t show it, trying to keep up with my speed, which was almost flying. Subtly, I was also matching her speed.

She was one of the best Sword Users and had mastered the Water Lizard Footwork, which was the assassination technique, but it was not enough to keep up with my speed, which had reached the Expert level and used the wind.

“Young Master, you’ve gotten faster.”

She, who had been with me every day, immediately noticed my changed state and clicked her tongue.

Normally, I would have matched Zion’s pace, but now the situation was urgent, and I felt like something big would happen if I continued like this, so I picked up Zion in a princess carry.

“Young Master!?”

She was startled.

Her face seemed to be red.

Perhaps she was embarrassed because she was pushed back in her specialty, speed.

Since she was properly stimulated, Zion would train the Water Lizard Footwork more fiercely if this matter ended safely.

Eventually, I arrived at the battlefield.

It was not difficult to realize whether I had arrived properly.

The noise that pounded my eardrums and the life-and-death sweat and blood were vividly felt from afar.

First, I hid nearby and assessed the situation. As I looked at the situation, I groaned involuntarily.

“Hmm…”

The Druid’s intuition was certain.

Indeed, it would have been too late if I had been any later.

The Ice Witch Niflheim.

Commander Karina.

The two women were fighting like crazy above the deeply dug pit, and below, the warriors of the North, surrounded by Owlbears, were desperately resisting, but the situation was clearly unfavorable.

If this continued, it was clear to anyone that Black Castle would be annihilated. Unless there was a variable that could change the course of the battle. In short, I had to be that variable.

‘I’ve become an Expert and grown greatly as a Druid, but that place is where Sword Masters run wild. I’ll go full power from the start.’

I took out the acorn I had put in the subspace pocket and chewed it without hesitation.

Crunch!!

Along with the hard texture I felt after a long time, the full energy of verdure soared through my body.

[You have consumed an acorn.]

[Passive skills are enhanced.]

[Stamina greatly increases.]

[Mana regeneration greatly increases.]

[This effect only applies to Druids.]

[Time limit: 30 minutes]

As expected, the effect of the acorn was further maximized as I became an Apprentice Druid.

My five senses were sharpened.