Chapter 7

### How to Live as the Third Young Master of a Failed Work - Chapter 7 (7/278)

How to Live as the Third Young Master of a Failed Work Chapter 7

* * *

It was still early in the morning, before the roosters had even crowed.

Luth, Leo, and I had finished our preparations and mounted our horses.

Leo, who was carrying a large bag, kept fidgeting, as if his shoulders were aching.

In contrast, I felt light and almost guilty, as I wasn't carrying anything.

But what could I do? Even if I offered to share the load, he stubbornly refused.

Just as we were about to set off, Luth suddenly looked at me intently and nodded.

"Your posture on the horse is surprisingly stable, Young Master."

"Huh?"

"I heard that you didn't know how to ride, but it seems that was just a rumor."

It seemed that the original Cain didn't know how to ride, but I had learned during my time at the military academy.

"Well, we had a carriage, so there was no need to show off."

"Is that so? In any case, let's get going now that we're ready."

"Alright."

I turned my body, feeling the uncomfortable sword scabbard at my waist, and started my horse. Luth and Leo followed behind.

Just then, as we were leaving the castle grounds, a figure appeared through the mist.

"Are you leaving?"

It was Lord Lindair, flanked by his butler and the knight captain, Gilein.

We had roughly informed him of our departure date, so it seemed he had come to see us off.

"Lord, we greet you!"

"Lord, we greet you."

Luth gracefully dismounted and knelt. In contrast, Leo, burdened by his bag, looked rather awkward.

As for me?

I didn't dismount.

I had a feeling that Lord Lindair had come to see me not as a lord, but as a father.

Also, I didn't have the confidence to dismount as elegantly as Luth.

"Shouldn't you have had breakfast before braving the cold morning air?"

"I apologize."

It seemed my guess was correct, as Lord Lindair didn't seem too concerned.

"Your apology is quite bold. I wonder who you take after."

"I take after Father."

"Me? Not a chance. You take after your mother. Her determination to face a stronger opponent head-on is even more pronounced."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. If I had your attitude, I would have been poisoned or stabbed in my bed before I could achieve this much power."

Lord Lindair, who had fought countless wars and survived the political arena to become the lord of the north, saw me as nothing more than a fearless puppy.

"Since we have a pact, I won't ask about other matters. However, you must keep to the deadline."

"I will remember that."

"Luth Meyer."

"Yes, Lord."

Lord Lindair, turning his head, called out, and Luth, still kneeling, responded without moving.

"Ensure that Cain Lindair arrives on time."

"I will do so with my life."

"Of course. If you fail, I will take your and your family's lives myself. Bring the Young Master back within the deadline."

Luth's body trembled.

"If the Young Master shows any signs of rebellion, you may cut off his ankles. I will not hold you responsible."

"I understand."

What a ruthless man. He had no hesitation in ordering Luth to chain my ankles.

Forget the fatherly visit. Even if he was, ordering the cutting of his son's ankles was too much.

I glared at him, and Lord Lindair shrugged with a smirk.

"Do you need your legs to plant seeds?"

"I will return."

"Of course you will."

"I will return with a full load."

"I hope so."

With that, Lord Lindair turned his horse and headed back to the castle, followed by the butler.

Gilein hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and speaking to Luth in a low voice.

"Luth, Lord Lindair is a man of his word. Do not act rashly."

Luth, understanding the warning not to harbor any ulterior motives, nodded with a tight-lipped expression.

"May the Young Master return safely. I will take my leave now. Let's go!"

Gilein gave a light salute and spurred his horse to follow Lord Lindair.

"......"

The three of them were soon gone, leaving me, Luth, and a half-stone Leo in the mist.

"Let's go."

"Yes."

At my words, Leo and Luth weakly got up and mounted their horses.

Honestly.

I was certain there couldn't be a more unpleasant and humiliating send-off.

* * *

After riding for a full day toward the Ballroom Mountains, it was late at night.

Stopping in a quiet basin, I lay down on my back and opened my mouth, which tasted of blood.

"Damn."

My short exclamation hung in the air.

Was riding a horse really this difficult?

During my cadet days, the slow, steady rides on a set course didn't even qualify as horseback riding.

The bumpy ride on the unpaved road had left my buttocks half-numb, and I had bitten my tongue several times, filling my mouth with the taste of blood.

The muscle pain radiating from my entire body was beyond description.

"Are you alright, Young Master?"

"Do I look alright to you?"

"If you plan to ride tomorrow, you need to loosen your muscles in advance."

"How?"

"May I help you, if you allow it?"

"Of course, I allow it."

Leo approached with a worried look and began to massage my body, which was sprawled out on the ground.

"Ah, ah, hmm."

While I couldn't suppress the involuntary groans, Luth skillfully built a fire and started making stew with dried rations.

"Luth."

"Yes, Young Master."

"At this rate, how long will it take to reach the Ballroom Mountains?"

"About five days."

"Five days? And to climb the mountain?"

"I need to know the specific destination first."

"The highest peak of the Ballroom Mountains' seven summits."

Luth's expression became quite serious.

"The highest peak is Manelop, and the weather is the biggest obstacle."

"What if it's good?"

"We should allow at least a week for the round trip."

"What if it's bad?"

"It will take two weeks."

We had 26 days left until the deadline set by Lord Lindair.

Assuming bad weather, a simple calculation shows it will take 25 days.

"It's tight."

"There's another issue."

"What is it?"

"If it rains or snows, we won't be able to climb at all."

"That can't happen. We must climb, Luth."

"You could lose your life."

For a moment, I considered just giving up and getting married.

No. Absolutely not. I'd rather die than be caught by that psychopath Fletha.

It would be impossible to build strength after getting married. She would probably keep me locked in the mansion and treat me like a doll.

"In any case, considering the weather, it would be advantageous to gain as much time as possible, right?"

"Yes."

"Then let's try to reduce the travel time. How much can we cut down?"

"To be honest, it won't take five days. We can reduce it if we try."

"But?"

"Young Master……"

Ah, I'm the problem.

Indeed, even when we rode all day from morning, I kept falling behind, slowing down the overall speed.

Is there any good solution?

"Wait, what if we do this?"

"What……"

"Leo and I will ride together. If I'm being led, I can just hold on. Meanwhile, the horse following behind will have time to rest, and we can switch to it the next day."

What?

As I finished speaking, Luth and Leo started looking at me with strange expressions.

"Are you serious?"

"What? Is it an impossible method?"

"Not that, but…… perhaps you should ride with me."

"If I ride with you, the horse's back will break."

"Even so, how can Young Master……"

"Sir, I don't think that's a good idea."

With Leo's hesitant look, I finally understood.

They were concerned that a noble like me riding with a commoner was inappropriate.

The more I thought about it, the more frustrating this world became.

The class system, which prevented me from doing what was natural, made my eyebrows furrow.

"Shut up. If I say I'll do it, I will."

"Even so……"

"From now on, if you contradict or argue with me even once, I will take it as a challenge."

Finally, the two men reluctantly closed their mouths, and a hollow laugh escaped me.

"So, Luth, how do you plan to climb?"

"The climb itself isn't a problem. We can use the well-trodden paths and temporary shelters from the regular monster hunts in the mountains. The route is well-organized, so there's nothing more to add."

"Good. Then let's get some rest early. We need to start early tomorrow."

"Understood. Leo and I will take turns keeping watch."

"Watch?"

"Even though we're still near the territory, there could be monsters."

Right. This is a fantasy world where monsters roam.

I've had plenty of field experience in the military, but monsters are an unpredictable variable.

"Damn. Then let's take turns keeping watch."

"Young Master, you can just rest……"

"I just said, no arguing."

Luth, who had closed his mouth, scratched the back of his neck.

"Instead, I'll take the last watch, so you two figure out the rest."

I'm too tired to take the first or middle watch.

"Understood."

Meanwhile, Leo brought over the finished stew.

I had no appetite, but I had to force it down for the sake of my strength.

As I chewed the tough meat, I noticed Luth, who hadn't eaten, was focused on something.

"What are you doing? You haven't eaten."

The answer came from Leo, not Luth.

"Young Master, Sir Luth seems to be practicing mana cultivation……"

"Oh, that?"

Mana cultivation.

I couldn't be unfamiliar with it. It's the act of gathering raw mana from the air and storing it in the mana heart according to its nature.

Seeing it in real life, after only reading about it in novels, was so fascinating that I almost forgot to eat the stew.

'I remember Luth Meyer was an advanced mana user.'

An advanced mana user could easily slice through most monsters with a single strike.

Reaffirming Luth's strength, I was about to put a spoonful of stew in my mouth when I noticed something.

'Hmm?'

Something was entering and exiting through Luth's nose and mouth.

It was faint, but I could see something.

A faint blue mist-like aura.

'Could it be?'

Luth was practicing mana cultivation.

Then, what was entering and exiting through his nose and mouth?

'The setting, the setting in the novel is clear……'

<Mana is a talent bestowed by the heavens. While effort often surpasses talent, this doesn't apply to mana. Even a hundred years of effort won't allow you to sense mana if you lack the sensitivity. Conversely, if you have enough sensitivity, you can sense mana even if you've never held a sword. It's a truly unfair talent that can't be overcome by a hundred years of effort.>

"Luth."

"Yes, Young Master."

"Can you see that?"

"What do you mean?"

"The thing entering and exiting Sir Meyer's mouth. Can't you see it?"

"Huh?"

Leo tilted his head.

He didn't seem to be lying.

Yes, that must be the normal reaction.

Definitely.

But why is it becoming clearer to me?