Chapter – 78
“I don’t want to drive my soldiers to their deaths.”
“I do.”
“You’re the exception.”
Archduke Guntram gave a faint, displeased smile.
“It’s only natural for Sigmund to be thrown into deadly situations.”
“……”
“Anyway, what I’m feeling isn’t just anger. Anger toward the royal family is something our house has carried for generations.”
“Then what are you feeling?”
“Guilt, first and foremost—toward the soldiers who lost their lives because of the orders I gave.”
“……!”
“When writing letters of condolence to the bereaved, I feel grief… and also a great sense of helplessness that we cannot resist the royal family.”
“Hm.”
Carlisle thought for a moment, then spoke.
“You don’t look like it at all.”
“That just means I’m good at controlling my emotions. That is only proper for a ruler. I can’t very well break down in tears when I’m the one sending soldiers to die, can I?”
“Well… that’s true.”
“Don’t bother trying. It’s beyond you.”
“What is?”
“The reason behind their deaths.”
The Archduke set down the death notification and took a drink of the whiskey on his desk.
“If you try to dwell on every single death, your mind will eventually collapse. You are still a Sigmund, so you’ll handle it better than most—but the moment you let yourself be swallowed by those thoughts, you’ll go insane someday.”
“How do you ignore it when you see it, hear it, and feel it yourself?”
“Then you climb higher.”
The Archduke pointed upward with his finger.
“Rise to a position where you can prevent your soldiers from dying meaningless deaths.”
“That’s impossible.”
Carlisle cut him off.
“I don’t have the capability for that.”
“Are you not underestimating your own potential a bit too much?”
“Even the Chaos King failed, and every previous head of house failed as well. How am I supposed to accomplish something they couldn’t? I struggle just to keep myself alive.”
“……”
“Tell me I’m wrong.”
“I won’t deny it.”
Archduke Guntram admitted his misstep without resistance.
He had hoped Carlisle would turn his life around and at least fulfill his duty as a member of House Sigmund—but expecting anything beyond that was asking for too much.
Just staying out of trouble and quiet would already be a blessing. How could he ask for more?
“Alright, I understand. I’ll get going.”
“Wait.”
“What now?”
“Let me warn you in advance—don’t do anything foolish.”
“What foolish thing?”
“I mean don’t start plotting some scheme to screw over the royal family out of petty revenge.”
“As if.”
Carlisle gave a pale smile.
“I don’t have nine lives. You think I’d dare to mess with the royal family? I can think, you know.”
“That’s… somewhat reassuring.”
“Don’t worry about me. Get back to your work.”
“Very well.”
After Carlisle left—
“He can think, he says…”
Archduke Guntram still felt uneasy.
He had a strong suspicion that Carlisle’s so-called “thinking” was more likely a plan to retaliate against the royal family.
Not that Carlisle could possibly harm the royal family in any meaningful way… but still.
‘Buying up mana stones… huh.’
Leaving the Archduke’s office, Carlisle racked his brain, trying to deduce the royal family’s intentions.
It wasn’t as if Carlisle knew everything.
This was roughly nine years before the beginning of the game Overlord…
However, throughout the game, there were occasional segments of backstory. So he knew bits and pieces of what was going to happen.
But only those who played with extreme attention to detail—without skipping dialogue—would know such things.
‘Why are they buying mana stones? Market manipulation for profit? Or do they actually need them for something?’
Mana stones were the core material for magic, a source of energy, and a key ingredient in powerful weapons.
Their value in this world was immense, and they had countless uses—so it was hard to guess why the royal family was stockpiling them now.
‘Could it be retaliation for the Evangeline incident?’
Carlisle couldn’t jump to conclusions.
Whether it was for profit or revenge—uncovering the royal family’s true intentions was not easy.
Even though they had lost their clairvoyance ability, their information network and military power were still the strongest among the 13 houses of the United Kingdom of the Alliance.
‘What’s their game?’
As Carlisle pondered the royal family’s motives—
Ssshhhhh…
A chilly breeze brushed past him, making him shiver.
It was early October.
It shouldn’t be cold enough in daytime to feel a chill yet.
‘Why is it so cold…? Wait.’
Carlisle suddenly stopped walking.
‘Don’t tell me this is the year the Winter of the End arrives?’
The Winter of the End.
A major calamity in this world—an unimaginably frigid season with catastrophic blizzards.
It had been so brutally cold and snowy that even the barbarians gave up on invading the continent that year.
Moreover, the death toll from freezing alone within the United Kingdom exceeded several hundred thousand.
It wasn’t called the Winter of the End for nothing.
‘If the Winter of the End is coming… then the royal family stockpiling mana stones makes perfect sense.’
While countless people froze to death that year, the royal family’s own territories had almost zero casualties.
Because for several years leading up to the Winter of the End, they had quietly stockpiled mana stones and food.
‘The royal family lost their clairvoyance around 30 years ago. So if they’re preparing, it must be through weather prediction magic or something written in the prophecy book.’
The royal family kept a prophetic tome—containing prophecies left by successive kings.
Most of those prophecies covered events only up to the start of the Overlord game.
After that point, only three prophecies remained—and one of them was highly likely to mention the Winter of the End.
Though, the royal family could also make predictions through historical climate patterns, records, or magic.
‘I might need to prepare as well.’
If the Winter of the End struck this year, Decaron would suffer tremendously.
Located in the northern region, Decaron would face harsher cold and heavier snow than any other territory…
‘Disgusting royal snakes. Stockpiling mana stones in secret to save themselves and letting the rest die.’
The royal family was always like that.
Selfish and scheming.
Their real goal was to destroy the other 12 houses and unify the kingdom under their own dynasty.
Weakening the other houses was only natural, from their perspective.
Understandable in theory—infuriating in reality.
“Young master.”
“Oh.”
Seeing Maranello approaching, Carlisle momentarily put aside his thoughts.
Alicia and her attendants were with him—they appeared to be on their way to meet Archduke Guntram.
“Did your conversation with His Grace go well?”
“Well enough.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“What about you, Maranello?”
“I am escorting Lady Alicia to be introduced to His Grace.”
“Right. Good work.”
Alicia frowned slightly at Carlisle coldly ignoring her again, but she had already整理(ed: resolved) her feelings. From Carlisle’s point of view, the Lorren family was the enemy who falsely accused him and tried to kill him.
‘Is he really just going to ignore me like that?’
Still, she couldn’t help feeling offended.
She understood his position… but as a woman, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she somehow lost to him—at least in terms of appearance.
Regardless, Carlisle didn’t spare her a glance and went on his way.
‘If House Sigmund is in danger, my comfortable life ends too… unless I take a hefty sum and run away somewhere.’
Right now, Carlisle’s mind was focused solely on the looming threat.
‘Perhaps you really could achieve the great feat the Chaos King and former heads failed to accomplish. If I help you just a little… it might not be impossible.’
Carlisle had decided to assist Archduke Guntram.
From behind the scenes, of course.
He would never stand at the front.
Being visible only meant getting dragged into troublesome matters.
So he would let Archduke Guntram be the figurehead.
“Young master! You’re back!”
Evangeline greeted Carlisle with a bright smile.
As a maid, she had been tidying his bedsheets.
“You, sit down for a second.”
“Yes.”
“Do you have time?”
“If you call me, I’ll make time even if I don’t.”
“Starting tomorrow, clear a day or two. We’re going somewhere.”
“Alright.”
Evangeline nodded without questioning him at all.
‘Good thing we have an Earth Spirit Mage.’
Earth spirit mages were highly valuable.
Especially a naturally talented one like Evangeline—her strategic value was immeasurable.
Carlisle intended to teach her exactly why he insisted on keeping her in Decaron.
The next day—
Carlisle left the inner citadel in a carriage with Maranello and Evangeline.
“Where are we heading, young master?”
“Just out for some fresh air.”
“You’ve had plenty of fresh air out there already…”
Maranello said with disbelief.
There were few places with fresher air than the Blood-Soaked Lands—expansive mountain wilderness covered in forest. The only problem: a step outside could get you killed, people died there daily, and everything was dangerous.
“You step outside there and die. People die every day. It’s dangerous.”
“That… is true.”
“Sometimes you need to look at scenery without having to fear for your life.”
“……”
“Why are you staring?”
“You usually prefer locking yourself in your room.”
“That’s only fun for a day or two.”
“Heh.”
Maranello let out a baffled laugh.
He never thought he’d hear Carlisle say he was tired of being cooped up.
Clatter, clatter.
The carriage moved slowly.
They hadn’t yet left the busy center of Decaron—if they went fast like Alicia’s carriage, an accident was almost guaranteed.
Clang!
Crash!
Smash!
Noise erupted from the street.
It looked like a brawl had broken out in broad daylight in front of a tavern.
“Oh? Young master.”
Looking out the window, Evangeline turned to Carlisle.
“Aren’t those the men who serve with you?”
“Where?”
“There.”
Carlisle followed the direction she pointed.
“…What the hell are they doing here.”
Kudo, Marder, and Wilson were brawling with a group of men.
“Of all things to do on leave… they’re wasting it on a street fight.”
What were they thinking?
Carlisle shook his head.
“Huh? Private Carlisle!”
Kudo spotted him and shouted.
Flinch!
Carlisle instinctively closed the curtain.
“Private Carliiile!”
Kudo chased the carriage, and soon Marder and Wilson followed.
“Private Carlisle! Where are you going?!”
Knock knock!
Kudo ran alongside the carriage, knocking on the door.
“Hey, newbie! Where you going!”
“Rookie!”
Marder and Wilson chased too.
“You brats!”
“Where do you think you’re running!”
“Get them!”
The men who had been brawling with Kudo’s group also came after them.
“Young master, I believe we should stop the carriage.”
“No.”
“…Pardon?”
“Just keep going.”
“But ignoring comrades in danger is—”
“How are they in danger? They were the ones winning.”
Carlisle gave him an exasperated look.
“Getting involved will only cause headaches. Just ignore—”
Clack—!
The carriage door swung open and Kudo stuck his face inside.
“Private Carlisle, where are you going?”
