I Reincarnated As the Third Son of a Count’s Family, Only To Find a Series of Funerals

1 – Becoming the Third Son of a Viscount

Summer at the age of fifteen. Born as a noble in the Silverwood Viscount family, while playing the game of stickball with friends from the neighborhood, an unexpected force sent me crashing into a tree, hitting my head.

“Lord Edric! Are you awake?!”

“Oh, look at your nose bleeding. Are you alright?”

I remembered that I am a ‘reincarnated’ individual.

“Sigh… Allan, didn’t I tell you not to stand on tiptoes while running?”

But that doesn’t seem important.

Because many memories from my past life have already been forgotten.

To be precise, although I know that I was born in a country called South Korea, where there were automobiles, smartphones, and games, I couldn’t remember my phone number or the name of my best friend.

“Well, I did stand on tiptoes, but Lord Edric crashed into the tree because he leaped up with all his might.”

“Oh, come on! Where are you directing your backtalk?”

“You really are too much…”

“If you think so, then you must have been born in a noble family, too.”

I dusted off my dirty pants and stood up. Since I am quite close to this annoying Allan and worried about him, as well as the anxious Marx, we can say that this conversation is just a joke. It is amusing how someone who is about to become a young lord would make fun of commoners just because of their own mistake, after crashing their face into a tree.

Anyway, going back to the story of my past life, I don’t remember my lifelong phone number, and even if I did, I don’t have any intention of making remarkable inventions in this world, which would make people go ‘Wow!! Amazing~~!!!!’

Due to the nature of this era (according to this world), creating something that surpasses or cannot be understood by what a modern person can think of would either be considered a ‘miracle of God’ or a ‘devilish prank.’ And usually, unless they are someone working in the clergy or people with great power, it would be the latter.

For example, if I were to tell people, “If you collect soil near the old house’s wooden pillar and mix it with charcoal and sulfur in a certain ratio, it will create magical powder that explodes when ignited,” they would probably think I was possessed by a demon. And they would place me on a table, tie my hands, and ask the priest to perform an exorcism.

However, I’m just a noble. If a peasant child did such a thing, they would end up using their own body as fuel to manufacture gunpowder.

And well, even though I don’t have to work right away, it’s quite clear that I can live off being in this position.

“Ailen coming to see me isn’t a good sign.”

Ailen is the daughter of Baron Baren, a devoted follower of our Silverwood Marquis. Currently, she works as an apprentice maid in our Marquis’s estate.

Since Ailen looks down on me, who lives as a wanderer most of the time, she often interferes with my affairs. That’s why I don’t welcome her visits.

“Lord Edric, did you skip knight training again and spend your time here?”

“How can someone train every single day?”

“If you didn’t want to become a knight, you should have studied theology as I suggested.”

“But Latin is difficult.”

“What do you plan to do when you become an adult… You’re the third son, so you won’t inherit anything from your father.”

Sigh. Damn it. Suddenly attacking with practical talk.

By the way, let me digress for a moment. In this era, the ‘country’ refers to the ‘property’ of the king, duke, marquis, and other noble titles that form that particular nation.

In other words, not only the land and buildings of the country but also the people who live and toil on that land are all considered properties owned by their ruling masters.

And when the owner dies, the property is ‘inherited’ as a legacy to their children.

Until recently, in this world, when a king or high-ranking noble who owned a country died, their property was divided among their children.

And considering that even in the past life, frequent extreme situations such as disputes among siblings over inheritance caused chaos, it is needless to say how much this inheritance system has disrupted the world.

So, as this inheritance system continued to descend through the generations, the noble families realized together that instead of developing their families, it only ate away at their own lives… resulting in their heads coming together to propose a solution.

It was called the ‘Eldest Son Inheritance Law’.

Because they were dividing too equally among their children, causing all sorts of problems, they decided to give everything to the eldest son.

Naturally, this produced countless victims, and one of those victims is me, Edric, the third son of the Silverwood Marquis.

At least until the second son, there was some conscience, so they allocated a small estate or a minor title. But the third sons couldn’t even receive that.

If the third son could receive just one suit of armor and a couple of horses, it would be a pretty privileged and harmonious household. They made sure I had a way to survive.

Unfortunately, in order for the third sons to survive, they had to rely on support while their father was still alive and enter the service of renowned knights or study theology to become clergy.

That’s why Ailen asks me, “What do you plan to do from now on?” It reminds me of the career counseling sessions with my homeroom teacher in my previous life, which I tried to forget.

But wouldn’t it be too much to tell me to study an ancient language like Luten? I can’t even understand what the priest says during Mass these days. (They only preach in Luten.)

Although my father, who judged that I was hopeless in studying, forcibly made me a squire under a somewhat reputable wandering knight…

Just by seeing me let the stake slip and hit my face against a tree, isn’t it clear that I have no talent for physical activities?

“So, what’s the matter? I assume you didn’t come here just to chit-chat.”

“…The Lady of the Marquis wants to see you. She received word that a messenger will arrive soon.”

“A messenger?”

Ah, is it finally news about my father?

My father, Leon Silverwood, is on the battlefield with my older brothers, Kendrik and Bendrik.

It was because of the feud between Count Westberne and my father that he had an uneasy feeling towards the rapidly growing Westberne, which recently hired mercenaries in large numbers from foreign lands to invade other territories.

Then an incident occurred where the peasants of Westberne did not return the borrowed bucket they received from our Silverwood’s peasants. My father, who cherished the people of his domain like his own children, declared in the name of God that he would ‘punish’ the wicked Westberne clan for the sake of his people and return the bucket to its rightful owner.

And so, with my brothers and soldiers, he bravely marched into Westberne like a tiger.

…A flimsy excuse, but it seemed like enough justification for knights who lived by pride and power alone.

By the way, my father was going to take me along too, but after confirming my wretched state, he just told me to rest at home. I’m glad I didn’t receive intense training after all. I won’t get dragged into the war, a sweet deal.

“Yes, we should go right away. Marx, Allen. Let’s go.”

“Yes, Your Highness. We’ll keep a watchful eye!”

“Couldn’t you bring me one piece of white bread tomorrow?”

“Damn that guy!”

**

Step by step,

While passing through the golden wheat fields following Eilen to the castle, she stared at my face intently.

“Your Highness, in the future, it’s best not to associate with peasants.”

“Why are you being cunning again?”

“…It’s not cunning. I’m saying this for your sake. You keep skipping training because you hang out with those lowly people, and you keep getting hurt like this.”

“Mind your own business. It was my mistake that got me injured.”

Ignoring Eilen’s words, when I tried to walk ahead, she grabbed my arm.

“Please stay still. I don’t believe you’re going to see the countess in this state.”

Eilen took out a piece of cloth from her pocket and wiped the dirt off my chin.

“You should look presentable even in front of the countess, so you can receive an extra sword if possible.”

“…Thank you.”

Feeling crestfallen, I walked briskly to get out of this situation quickly. Eilen quietly followed me from behind. Somehow, today, the wind was blowing strongly through the wheat fields, creating a turbulent dance, making me even more uneasy.

Before long, Eilen and I arrived at the castle.

As we entered the receiving room, there were my mother, Countess Laila, and my father’s trusted advisor, Robert Kyeong.

“Oh, Ed, you’ve come?”

“Yes, I have arrived, Mother. Is our advisor well?”

“hahahaha… Whenever I wake up in the morning these days, my lower back isn’t as sturdy as before.”

“Oh no. I will pray to Chang Sung to strengthen the advisor’s back.”

(Note: Some names have been adjusted to fit English conventions.)

“Even just the words will do, thank you.”

As Robert smiled foolishly, his mother stared at my nose. Eileen wiped away the blood but because the wound couldn’t be hidden, it seemed inevitable that mother noticed I had been hurt while playing with those boys again.

“Ed, did you hurt yourself again playing with those kids?”

“Well…it’s, you see…”

Mother clutched her head and wriggled with her face for a moment.

“I’m not saying don’t associate with commoners. I enjoy chatting with the common people of our estate and your father used to play war games with them when he was young. What I mean is keep up the dignity of a noble. As I said earlier, your father also hung out with commoners, but he managed to lead them without getting seriously injured and gained the respect of the commoners as a noble gentleman. How do you manage to get hurt in some way after hanging out with those children?’

“It’s just that I can’t control my strength and I got hurt. It has nothing to do with those guys.”

“That’s why I asked you to listen to Gerald’s lessons carefully, who was once your tutor. Come to think of it, you missed Gerald’s class today too, didn’t you?”

“hahahaha please don’t scold me so much, Lady. Isn’t it more exciting to play than to learn or train at our age? You’ll also study hard when you’re my age.”

“Robert is worrying too much about Ed. Now it’s fine since both his dad and I are here, but what are we going to do later?”

This wouldn’t end well. Robert took the chance given to him and quickly changed the subject.

“By the way mother, they say messenger will arrive soon.”

Mother frowned for a moment, but thankfully she followed my lead.

“Yes. The sentries at the border checkpoint of the Viscount’s territory have contacted us.”

“Why aren’t they coming right now and just staying there?”

“Um… according to the sentry, they were in a very tired state. They seemed to have come in a hurry after resting a little.”

“…Why did they come in such a hurry? Is it possible that they lost in battle…?”

Mother bent down for a moment, then said,

“I don’t know…I hope it’s not being caught as prisoners. If we sell everything in this castle, it won’t be enough to pay for the three lives”

“Is such a thing possible? Even though Westvern is strong these days, Lord Leon isn’t an ordinary person…”

Robert spoke next.

Among the nobles of the rank of Earl or above, it was generally more profitable to take prisoners than simply kill the enemy in this era. Because it is much more advantageous to profit from money and slaves than to make enemies by killing them.

“Anyway, three days ago, the wife of Hans, the troublesome shoemaker who frequently attended the meeting of literati was curious asking when her husband and Ad would return. We can at least forward some news to her.”

But at this point, I felt like I should think carefully about what the word ‘general’ meant.

“Madam! The messenger has arrived!”

“Hurry in.”

Because the meaning of the word ‘general’ includes cases where it is not typical.

“Everyone… has fallen in battle…”

July 24, 1137. It was a day when shadows hung over the Silverwood family.