After Karlstadt left, Fiel and Viktor seemed quite curious, but I couldn’t tell them the whole truth, so I left out the part about the queen entirely. And not one of us could pin down a specific suspect.

In the end, the only way might be to meet the queen directly, gauge her disposition, draw her out, and verify with the Scouter. The problem was that the queen was harder to meet than the king himself. I’d have to play the crown prince card after all.

"It’s been a while, Lord of Feuzen. Or should I call you ’my lord’ now?"

"I don’t want formal speech from you, sir. Even if we’re nominally equals, aren’t you my senior?"

"That’s only in rank. In substance, isn’t your status higher?"

"Sir Eisenach, I’m here too."

"Hahaha, Steinhof! Have you been well?"

The next day, I met with Eisenach, the captain of the crown prince’s guard, for the first time in a long while. The reason I could call him out from the palace was that I’d slipped some bribe money to the palace guards. Three silver coins was enough to make them jump.

We caught up briefly on each other’s situations.

Eisenach still seemed to be working tirelessly to raise the standards of the guard.

After half the guards were killed by Klugen, he had only four men under his command. Compared to my seventy-plus, that was a truly modest number, but his pride in protecting the crown prince remained as strong as ever.

"It’s wonderful to see you both after so long, but it’s a shame I can’t spare much time."

"I understand. How is His Highness the crown prince these days?"

"He’s become much more composed since the war. He’s learned the art of patience. Though I am worried that Vermeer has grown aggressive lately and frequently quarrels with the guard members."

Vermeer? Ever since the war, things had been somewhat awkward between us. What had happened to make him so on edge? Hilda had treated Vermeer like an immature little brother, but he’d clearly changed since the war.

"How long would it take to get an audience with His Highness?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"At least two weeks, I’d say. Why? Do you want an audience?"

"I have a troublesome matter I’d like to consult him about."

Eisenach looked around and whispered to me.

"Then come to Beien Boulevard around noon."

"Beien Boulevard? Understood."

With that, Eisenach departed.

There was nothing more to ask, really. He had told me where and when the crown prince would be making his incognito outing. Rather than make me wait two weeks, his consideration was that I should "happen to" run into the prince. As expected of a brother in arms.

"I would have liked to introduce Vice Commander Falkenheim to Sir Eisenach. It’s a shame."

"Sorry, but I have no interest in getting to know anyone connected to the royal family."

Fiel looked embarrassed by Viktor’s sharp reply.

When you think about it, Fiel and I are also connected to the royal family.

We were heading back in the awkward atmosphere when, among the beggars who were a common sight on the streets, a filthy boy approached me. As the knights moved to block him, I recognized the boy’s face and waved him closer.

"Wait, you’re Bodo’s friend, aren’t you?"

"Yes, sir. Spare me some alms if you wish to go to heaven."

"Alright, come closer."

He was one of Bodo’s street contacts.

The word "friend" was just an implicit code. They weren’t really friends. Normally he would have passed information to me through Bodo, but Bodo was currently working as the manager of the cheese workshop in Feuzen.

The almsgiving was just a pretext to approach me, but I handed him a silver coin anyway. The boy’s eyes went wide with surprise at unexpectedly receiving silver. Worried someone might have seen, he scanned his surroundings frantically.

Sorry, I didn’t have any copper on me.

"Sir, there’s a strange rumor going around the streets."

"A strange rumor? What kind?"

"They say you’re the grand duke’s illegitimate son, sir."

...?

"Who is whose illegitimate son?"

"You, sir."

I’m the grand duke’s illegitimate son?

What kind of absurd rumor is that?

I was so dumbfounded I couldn’t continue speaking. Fiel and Viktor beside me also wore looks of complete disbelief. I’m definitely not of Altringen blood; I’m Aseldorf’s son, without question.

Above all, the System verified my identity.

I’d been blindsided, but I calmly asked again.

"...Is that rumor really going around the streets?"

"Yes. I couldn’t tell you because Brother Bodo wasn’t around, but you happened to show up, so I’m telling you now."

The boy added that the rumor was circulating mainly in the southwest district, centered on the slums. He also said he’d seen several nobles hear the rumor and apparently nod along.

Fiel spoke with a serious expression.

"It seems someone who envies you is intentionally spreading this. The problem is that it sounds plausible. You’ve had an unprecedented rise through the ranks and clearly enjoy royal protection."

"Don’t talk nonsense. It’s true I’ve received help, but it’s all thanks to my own military merits."

"I know that because I’ve seen it up close, but the problem is that others don’t see it that way."

The thing is, being branded an illegitimate son is a stigma that can completely undermine the foundation of one’s legitimacy and authority as a noble. Someone was trying to drag me down with the label of bastard and destroy my honor.

But rumors were rumors, and there were almost no people who could pick a fight with me by calling me a bastard. Not unless they wanted to be besieged in their mansions by the duchy army and the Gale Knights and starved into submission.

The only person who might openly speak about it was the Finance Minister, but he was currently under house arrest. Who would benefit from spreading such rumors? The problem was that too many people envied me.

To think Bodo’s absence would prove this costly.

Old Man Bertheim had warned me—

That there would be those targeting me from below.

But I never imagined they’d strike while taking advantage of his absence like this.

"And there’s one more rumor."

"There’s another?"

I was almost afraid to hear it.

The boy looked around and spoke very softly.

"This one’s even more secretive. They say the crown prince is illegitimate."

This really keeps getting worse.

If the rumor about me was like a SCUD missile detonating, the one about the crown prince was nuclear-grade. It was a massive scandal capable of shaking the Altringen royal family to its very foundation.

This was a direct challenge to the royal family and an enormously insulting act.

The kind of rumor that, if you carelessly let it slip from your lips, could get you killed without anyone ever knowing.

...Wait, could it be?

In that moment, the puzzle pieces clicked together in my head.

The relationship between Baron Constance and the queen, and the crown prince.

It couldn’t be what I was thinking, could it?

I was so shaken I unconsciously checked my surroundings.

"Could you investigate the source of that rumor?"

"If you pay me, I’ll look into it thoroughly."

"Good. You’re Bodo’s friend, so I trust you."

The boy, having received ten silver coins, beamed broadly and said he’d start investigating right away before disappearing into the alleys. Suddenly I felt drained. The rumor that the crown prince was illegitimate was hard for Fiel and Viktor to believe as well.

"This is no ordinary problem. Commander, may I briefly visit my family home?"

"You want to look into this through the Steinhof family? Wouldn’t that cause too much commotion?"

"We have our own intelligence networks. Please grant me permission."

The more well-connected allies, the better.

After sending Fiel off, I let out the sigh I’d been holding back.

Viktor, beside me, spoke cynically.

"For the sinister Altringens, isn’t this exactly the sort of thing they’d do?"

"I understand how you feel, but this isn’t something to discuss openly here."

"Even though there are eyes on us?"

"Eyes on us?"

"Take a quick glance at that alley."

When I subtly turned my head in the direction Viktor indicated, I spotted two men watching us from the shadows. Their gazes were different from those of ordinary passersby.

So I checked them with the Manager Scouter.

They belonged to the Grand Duke’s Guard.