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Chapter – 04
News of Carlisle’s impending trial spread throughout the Sigmund household and among its retainers in less than a day.
Most of them reacted as though the inevitable had finally come.
Considering everything Carlisle had done up to now, it was a miracle his head was still attached to his shoulders.
Even so, few were pleased at the thought of a direct heir of House Sigmund receiving such a severe punishment.
No matter how much of a scoundrel or murderer he might be, it wasn’t easy to stand by and watch one’s own blood be led to the gallows.
So it was only natural that the members of House Sigmund came before their lord, Grand Duke Guntram, to plead for mercy.
“Father—no, Papa. Please, show Carlisle mercy. Please?”
“Elder brother has done terrible things… but at least, please, don’t sentence him to death.”
Selena and Frey begged the Grand Duke to spare their brother.
It wasn’t only out of concern for Carlisle himself.
More than anything, they didn’t want their father’s hands to be stained with his own child’s blood.
They couldn’t bear to see a tragedy where a father killed his son.
But Guntram didn’t so much as flinch at their pleas.
“The punishment of a criminal shall be determined strictly according to the law. Now leave me.”
“P–Papa.”
“But…”
Despite Selena and Frey’s desperate words, Guntram’s mind seemed already made up.
“There can be no room for personal sentiment in the judgment of a criminal. If either of you bring up this matter again, I will consider it an attempt to defend a criminal—and punish you accordingly.”
In the end, Selena and Frey failed to sway their father’s heart and had to leave.
But they weren’t the only ones pleading for Carlisle’s life.
“Please, at least spare him from execution.”
“May Your Grace’s hands remain free of your own kin’s blood.”
Many others came to beg the same.
Among them was Carlisle’s aunt.
“Brother-in-law… are you truly going to sentence Carlisle to death?”
Hestia de Hilder.
A skilled knight, she was the younger sister of Adelia—the late wife of Grand Duke Guntram and mother of Carlisle.
“Carlisle is the one who most resembles my sister. Do you truly intend to take the life of such a child?”
“……”
Guntram said nothing in response to Hestia’s words.
“Impose any punishment you wish, but please, just spare his life. I beg you, brother-in-law.”
“…Leave me.”
Even to his sister-in-law’s heartfelt plea, Guntram’s reply was cold and final.
It seemed nothing could shake his resolve to see Carlisle punished.
That night, Grand Duke Guntram stood silently before the portrait of his late wife, Adelia.
Though fifteen years had passed since her death, her portrait still hung in his bedchamber.
“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault,” he said softly, gazing at her painted face.
Her gentle smile and the deep violet of her eyes—eyes that Carlisle alone had inherited—looked back at him.
Among their three children, only Carlisle had received that vivid shade of purple from his mother.
“I failed to raise our children properly. I failed to fill your absence, and that’s why Carlisle fell apart like this. I must be a miserable father indeed. If only you were still alive… he would never have turned out this way. I miss you always… but tonight, I miss you even more.”
Guntram’s eyes reddened slightly.
But no tears came.
His tears had long since dried up—ever since the day Adelia died.
“As a father, I could forgive Carlisle a hundred, a thousand times over. But as the lord of Decaron, I cannot. I have the duty to mete out fitting punishment to those who commit grave sins. My beloved Adelia, do not forgive me. I am nothing but a worthless husband and a wretched father.”
But no matter his words, the woman in the portrait did not stir.
She simply kept smiling gently, watching her husband with those same violet eyes…
At the same hour—
Carlisle left his home with Evangeline after a brief conversation.
“Where’s the crime scene?”
“This way.”
Guided by Maranello, Carlisle and Evangeline headed toward the site of the incident.
“Hm.”
Carlisle’s gaze swept across the area.
But after three long months, there was no sign or clue left to be found.
Even the last of the bloodstains had long been washed away by rain.
“Milord, I doubt there’s anything left here to discover…”
“Of course not,” Carlisle agreed.
“Then why come here at all?”
“Because even if I can’t find anything—she might.”
“Huh?”
Maranello turned toward Evangeline, doubt filling his eyes. That girl?
“So this is the place. All right, let’s see for ourselves… if I really killed Alberto that night.”
Carlisle muttered under his breath, then turned to the girl.
“Your turn.”
“I… I’m not sure if it’ll work.”
“It should. It’s not that complicated.”
“O-okay, I’ll try.”
Evangeline nodded, took Carlisle’s hand, and began to focus.
Carlisle, too, closed his eyes and concentrated while holding hers.
Time passed in silence.
“……”
“……”
Nothing happened.
“It’s not working?”
“L–let me try again!”
They waited again.
“……”
“……”
Still nothing.
Even after several more attempts, the result was the same.
“What, you really can’t do it?”
“I–I’m sorry. I’ve never tried something like this before.”
“Hmm. Maybe you’re just too inexperienced.”
Carlisle frowned slightly. Maranello couldn’t help but ask:
“Milord, may I ask… what exactly are you trying to do?”
“I’m having her read the earth’s memory of me. She’s a spirit summoner.”
“……!”
“She made a contract with an earth spirit not long ago.”
“W–what?!”
Maranello’s eyes widened in shock.
Spirit summoners were exceedingly rare in a world ruled by sword and sorcery.
Some legendary summoners were said to have single-handedly laid waste to entire cities.
And those who contracted with earth spirits were especially formidable—their powers could even sway the fate of nations.
But that wasn’t what mattered now.
Uncovering the truth of that night was the priority.
“Is that true?”
“Yeah.”
“And how do you know this, milord?”
Maranello clearly found it hard to believe.
How do I know? Because I recruited her in Frey’s campaign, obviously.
Evangeline was one of the characters who appeared in the protagonist Frey’s story arc in Overlord.
Of course, Frey wouldn’t actually recruit her until much later.
Good thing I met her now. It would’ve been troublesome otherwise if she hadn’t yet formed the contract.
From what Evangeline told him, she’d bonded with the earth spirit only six months ago.
Of course, Carlisle couldn’t tell Maranello that, so he came up with a story.
“About four months ago, I saw her in the forest—talking to an earth spirit.”
“And you… just let that pass? You didn’t report it to His Grace?”
“I forgot.”
“……”
Maranello was at a loss for words.
How could anyone forget something so monumental?
A contract with an earth spirit was an affair that could draw the attention of the royal court itself!
“Well, I remember now, so no harm done. Better late than never.”
“……”
“But it’s not working. Probably because she’s still new at this. We need her to read the earth’s memory connected to me if we’re to learn what truly happened that night.”
Evangeline lowered her head.
“I’m sorry… I couldn’t help.”
“That’s not good.”
Carlisle frowned again.
“I need that information.”
“But I just can’t…”
“There’s still time. Keep practicing.”
There was one week left before the trial.
By then, Carlisle needed to uncover the truth of that night—to prove his innocence.
Whether he was truly innocent or not didn’t matter for now; he needed Evangeline to succeed.
“Do you think… I can really do it?” she asked hesitantly.
“You can,” he said firmly.
You’re the one who’ll one day form a contract with the Earth Spirit King. Of course you can handle this much.
In the Overlord story, Evangeline would later become one of Frey’s most powerful allies after contracting the Earth Spirit King himself.
For Carlisle, it was impossible to imagine that someone of such potential couldn’t even read a simple earth memory.
“It’s just a matter of practice. You’ll manage.”
“You really think so?”
“I do. I believe in you. So keep trying—you’ve got talent.”
“O-okay! I’ll do my best!”
Encouraged by his words, Evangeline clenched her fists, determination blazing in her eyes.
