Chapter 62
“Sir, we found him.”
“Lord Allen is currently staying at an inn near the Imperial Palace!”
Eric, who had been resting comfortably in the lodgings arranged for him by the Holy See, lifted his head.
He had been lying on his bed, recovering from the fatigue of travel and contemplating ways to save Gregory at the upcoming trial.
When Leona and Lillian burst through the door with that report, he immediately sat up.
“So he is still in the capital.”
“Are you going to see him now?”
“You know what they say—strike while the iron’s hot. Better to get it done quickly.”
Seeing Eric getting ready to head out right away, Leona glanced uneasily toward the window.
The sun was already setting, the horizon glowing dimly red.
It wasn’t as if the trial would be held tomorrow—was it really necessary to go out this late?
‘Well, I did have a few things I wanted to ask him anyway. Guess this works out.’
Eric noticed Leona’s worried expression and shrugged as if to say, “It’s fine.”
It wasn’t like they were in some remote backwater village—they were in the Imperial capital.
Sure, no city was ever completely safe, but at least here in the central district, things were relatively secure.
Besides, he wouldn’t be alone. With a knight accompanying him, who would be foolish enough to attack a noble escorted by an armed guard?
“Ah! Then I’ll—”
“Sir Lillian, you stay here. You’ve been traveling without rest and probably still feel unwell. Rest while you can.”
As Eric quickly finished preparing to leave, Lillian sat up from where she’d been lying down.
But he simply shook his head firmly and headed out with Leona.
After all, he was just going to talk to his brother—there was no need for an entourage.
…And to be honest, Eric didn’t trust what Lillian might say in front of Allen.
“This is the place.”
A short while later.
Eric blinked in surprise as he looked up at the building Leona had led him to.
It was a shabby little inn—so humble that it was hard to believe the heir of a Grand Duke would be staying there.
No wonder Leona had hesitated earlier, asking if it was really necessary to go out at this hour.
The building wasn’t even in the central district near the Imperial Palace or the Holy See—it was on the outskirts.
He frowned.
He’d heard Allen had gone to the capital to report the strange occurrences from the warfront.
Had the palace really not provided him with proper accommodations?
“…This is really it?”
“I double-checked several times, just in case, but it’s certain. The rumor’s already all over the area.”
Was the Imperial court trying to restrain the Grand Duke’s family?
In the game, too, the royal family had grown wary of the north’s growing influence as the war dragged on.
Eric glanced back toward the distant palace with a skeptical look.
‘No… They wouldn’t stoop to something that petty.’
There must be some kind of reason.
Recalling the less-than-sane look Allen had shown the last time they’d met, Eric reached for the inn door handle.
Ding—
“Sorry, sir, but we’re full at the mo—huh?!”
The inside, though worn, was cleaner than he’d expected.
The middle-aged innkeeper who’d been looking half-asleep glanced toward the door—and froze when he saw Eric.
His fine clothes, the dignified air about him, and the armored female knight at his side—
clearly, these were not the sort of guests who visited rundown inns like this one.
“Allen Ater. Is he here?”
“Uh—yes, yes, he’s in a room on the second floor…”
“Then go call him. Tell him his beloved younger brother has come. He’ll come running.”
The innkeeper stiffened, eyes darting nervously as if one wrong move could get him killed.
“Y-younger brother? If you’re his brother, then—c-could you be…?”
The man, halfway up the stairs, swallowed hard as realization struck.
Allen Ater had only two younger brothers.
One was the young-looking Ivan—so that left only one possibility.
“Are you going to just stand there all day?”
“Eek! M-my apologies! I’ll tell him right away!”
At Eric’s calm but pointed remark, the innkeeper bolted up the stairs in a panic.
The Northern Madman.
Even here in the capital, the name Eric Ater was infamous.
They said he roamed the streets every day, chasing women and causing trouble.
More recently, rumors claimed the Grand Duke had used his influence to make that same troublemaker into a hero of the Church.
If this lunatic got offended, the inn that had survived since the innkeeper’s parents’ days could disappear overnight.
“…My lord.”
“What is it?”
“It’s nothing, just…”
Watching the man’s terrified retreat, Leona lowered her gaze with a faintly bitter look.
Between the issues in the Nibosus Mountains, the anomalies in the Moonfall Forest, and the plague beast incident at the border—
Eric’s achievements alone should have earned him praise, regardless of his reputation.
And yet, people’s opinions changed slowly.
Either the rumors of his good deeds hadn’t spread, or the shadow of his old infamy was too deep.
“Leona.”
“Yes, my lord?”
“You don’t need to worry so much about others’ opinions. Keep doing good work, and in time, public judgment will catch up.”
Sensing her unease, Eric spoke softly.
He’d never expected to change things overnight.
And truthfully, he didn’t care much what others thought.
If anything, his bad reputation occasionally worked in his favor.
“Eric? It is you!”
After a short while, Allen appeared on the stairs, his face lighting up with genuine delight.
“You came all the way to the capital to see your big brother!”
“I didn’t come just to see you. I had other business here, and I thought of you while I was at it.”
“Haha! Still, that’s something! What matters is that my beloved little brother came to find me first!”
When Allen rushed in to hug him, Eric grimaced and gently pushed him away.
Even back at the mansion, the man had been like this—overly friendly, clingy, and exhausting.
Eric finally understood why his body’s previous owner had found Allen so annoying.
In fact, maybe Allen had been one of the reasons the original Eric had turned out so twisted.
“So, my little brother coming all this way at night—means you want something from me, right?”
That was the old Eric’s mindset, at least.
This Eric, however, didn’t particularly dislike his sly half-brother.
At least Allen could hold a reasonable conversation—unlike their other sibling, Ivan.
“Do you know Cardinal Gregorius?”
“Old man Clarus? Of course I do. We weren’t close personally, but he used to visit our house often.”
Allen smiled faintly as he recalled distant memories.
When he was little, the old man would catch him peeking into his father’s office and secretly hand him sweets.
After Gregorius became politically isolated, Allen hadn’t seen him again.
But anyone from the north knew of the Little Giant of the North.
“Cardinal Gregorius has been summoned to a Holy Trial.”
“…What? Old man Clarus? A Holy Trial? Are you serious?”
Allen’s eyes went wide.
The very idea was absurd.
A Holy Trial wasn’t like any normal tribunal—it was reserved for heretics and traitors to humanity.
And yet Gregorius, one of the heroes who’d led their forces to victory in the Great War alongside his father, was being accused?
“Are they all insane? That man’s faith is as pure as it gets!”
BANG!
Unable to contain his outrage, Allen slammed the table, startling the people upstairs into peeking down the stairwell.
“So what—you want me to help him?”
Once he’d calmed down, Allen checked that the table hadn’t cracked and looked back to Eric.
“Nothing too big. Just a public show of support for Cardinal Gregorius would be enough.”
At Eric’s measured response, Allen sighed and scratched his head, glancing at his uneasy companions.
“Ha… this is tricky. I’d help you with anything else, but this one’s tough. You might be fine since you’re the Church’s hero now, but if I step in, it could look like the Grand Duke’s family is interfering in Church affairs.”
“…I see.”
Eric nodded slightly, hiding his disappointment.
He’d expected that persuading Allen would be difficult—after all, Allen had little to gain and much to risk.
Still, he hadn’t expected such an immediate refusal.
“I’m sorry, Eric. Really. But this one’s impossible.”
He looked genuinely apologetic, but firm.
Glancing back at his nervous party members, he sighed again.
“Then… you said you’d help me with any other request, right?”
“Huh? Oh—well, yes, of course.”
Eric lowered his head, muttering to himself for a moment, then raised his eyes decisively.
“In that case, just introduce me to someone.”
If possible, having Allen publicly support Gregorius would have been ideal.
But Eric had prepared for this outcome—he had a plan B.
It might complicate things, but so be it.
“Introduce you to… who?”
Allen tilted his head, both wary and curious.
Whatever this was, it clearly still had to do with the Holy Trial.
And honestly, Eric probably knew the Church’s internal figures better than he did.
Who could he possibly—
“Lucio Draconis.”
Eric’s next words froze Allen in place.
“Introduce me to the Second Princess.”
At that, the smile vanished from Allen’s face, his expression hardening instantly.
