Chapter 27

27. The New Master (1)

“·······.”

“·······.”

“·······.”

“·······.”

When Oliver returned to the sausage factory, everyone came out to greet him.

However, that was only for a moment. Upon seeing Oliver’s appearance, everyone fell silent.

Perhaps it was only natural?

After all, Oliver’s condition after walking from Randa to Wingham was deplorable.

His face and hands were blackened with dirt and grime, and his clothes, soaked with sweat and dust, were in tatters.

His shoes, sturdy as they were, were only slightly worn, but still, Oliver looked like a half-beggar.

After a long silence, someone finally spoke.

“Oh, Master Oliver? What on earth...?”

“I didn’t know how to get here from Randa, so... I just walked. It was a straight path, so I didn’t get lost.”

His answer was so natural that no one could question it.

For example, no one asked where Joseph and Andrew were or why he came alone.

Everyone instinctively felt that something was amiss, and at that moment, Marie stepped forward and said,

“W-Well, why don’t you take a bath first, Master Oliver?”

“Ah... That would be good, wouldn’t it?”

Oliver, touching his dirty hands and face, said. He had walked day and night for several days, and even he, who was usually slow to notice such things, could see how bad his condition was.

Oliver followed Marie’s lead to the shower room. On the way, he stopped and said to the other senior, intermediate, junior, and temporary disciples,

“Ah, right. I’m sorry, but are you all busy?”

The disciples exchanged glances, and someone finally answered,

“N-No, not really.”

“Then, I’ll be quick. Could everyone gather here? No one should be left out. Is there a good place for everyone to gather quietly?”

“I think the workshop would be good.”

“Ah, then, could everyone gather in the workshop as Marie suggested? Please.”

With those words, Oliver left.

No one could argue with what he said.

***

Following Oliver’s request, all the formal and temporary disciples gathered in the workshop.

While Joseph was away, Oliver had been the master of the family. However, even so, the unease could not be dispelled.

Clearly, he had returned after a long time since he left to meet Joseph.

That was not the issue. The real problem was that he had returned alone.

Thus, while no one made a fuss, the senior and intermediate disciples gathered and whispered among themselves.

“What’s going on? Where did Master go?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he went on another trip? He does like to leave suddenly.”

“Then, what about Master Andrew? Even if he went on a trip, he wouldn’t have let Oliver walk alone, right?”

“T-That’s...”

Although no one knew exactly what had happened, everyone instinctively felt that something was wrong and murmured among themselves.

However, that was only for a moment. When Oliver, who had hurriedly taken a shower, came out, everyone fell silent.

“Thank you all for waiting.”

Oliver, who had a bag on his back, came out.

Upon closer inspection, that bag was the money bag he had taken when he left to meet Joseph.

When he opened it, numerous stacks of banknotes were inside.

Oliver dragged a table over and spilled out the banknotes from the bag.

“·····!!!”

Everyone was stunned by the enormous amount of money, something most people would never see in their lifetimes.

“Marie, could you help me organize this? Neatly, please.”

“Ah... Yes, I understand.”

At Oliver’s request, the frozen Marie awkwardly nodded.

“Sorry, but could a few of you come with me?”

At those words, the people who had been frozen by the sight of the banknotes exchanged glances and one by one followed Oliver.

A short while later, they brought out even more stacks of banknotes than what had been spilled from the bag.

“······!!!!!!”

Everyone was so shocked that they silently screamed, and Marie’s hands moved busily as the stacks of banknotes kept pouring out.

This happened several times. Eventually, the stacks of banknotes overflowed the table.

Oliver looked at everyone. Joseph’s words were true.

When banknotes were gathered, they emitted mana, and everyone was filled with intense greed, fear, and anticipation, unable to take their eyes off the stacks of banknotes.

A senior disciple asked in a trembling voice,

“T-This... What is this...?”

“Ah... This is from the secret safe in Master’s room.”

At that, everyone gasped in shock.

There were many rules in the family, but the most important one was never to touch Joseph’s belongings.

Especially not the books in his study, his tools, or his money.

Those who violated this rule, whether by mistake or on purpose, would disappear without a trace one day.

“No, no!! Are you out of your mind?! Master... Bringing money from the safe!! Are you crazy!”

He shuddered as if he had unknowingly become involved in a crime and stepped back.

The others had similar reactions, though to varying degrees, but the only one who remained calm was Marie.

Oliver raised his hand calmly.

“Everyone, please calm down...”

“Calm down?! You want us to calm down! Master might kill us all when he comes back?! I know!!”

“No, that won’t happen. He’s already gone.”

“What...? What do you mean...? Huh?”

Those who had been trembling in fear suddenly stopped as if they had been doused with cold water.

They stared at Oliver with a dumbfounded look.

Oliver remained silent, giving them time to calm down. After a while, a senior disciple who had regained his composure asked,

“W-What do you mean? Master is dead? By whose hand?”

“By my hand... I killed him.”

Oliver’s calm answer. Everyone took a step back in shock.

Reactions varied.

Some frowned as if they had heard a bad joke, some were terrified, some disbelieved... no, some outright denied it.

Only Marie’s eyes sparkled.

A senior disciple said,

“...Liar.”

“I’m not lying. It’s true.”

“Then, show us proof. Proof that you killed Master.”

“...Do you need proof?”

“O-Of course! How can you make such an outrageous claim without bringing proof?!”

“Ah... Ah! You’re right.”

Oliver scratched the back of his head as if he had just realized his mistake.

His appearance was utterly shocking.

Everyone’s breathing quickened and they broke out in cold sweat, overwhelmed by this unbelievable situation.

Oliver scratched his head and thought for a moment before speaking.

“...But since he helped me, I can’t bring his head to show, can I? It would be strange to carry a severed head around.”

“Then, why did you kill Master!!”

Finally, a senior disciple, overwhelmed by emotion, shouted.

Everyone stepped back in fear. A fight could break out at any moment.

Only Oliver remained calm.

“I regret it. I didn’t want to kill Master. He helped me... I had much to learn from him.”

The hint of regret in his calm tone was more alien than human, sending shivers down the spines of those who heard it.

“But please believe me. I had no choice.”

“Why did you have no choice?”

Marie, who had been observing the situation, spoke. Her eyes held a belief in Oliver.

“He was going to kill me. More precisely, he was going to sacrifice me.”

“S-Sacrifice?”

“Yes, to a demon. Master Andrew had already been sacrificed, and many others I didn’t know had been sacrificed as well. Master’s teacher was also supposed to be sacrificed, as Master said he had already been sacrificed.”

The terrifying truth was delivered with such calmness that the disciples turned pale with fear, beyond shock.

It was like a livestock animal, thinking it was human, looking at itself in a mirror.

Someone weakly denied it.

“...L-Liar. Why would Master...?”

“To become stronger. The stronger the sacrifice, the more power he would receive... That’s why he gathered us—”

“—Then, that’s even more impossible! Master’s teacher came to Wingham alone, ended a family, and established himself here. No matter how talented you are, how could you defeat such a person?”

“As you said, Master was strong, and I almost died... But I was lucky.”

After a moment’s thought, Oliver gave what seemed to be the most appropriate answer.

His consistent attitude was truly remarkable. However, surprisingly, it was precisely because of this attitude that people began to believe him, even without proper proof.

Joseph was dead. By Oliver’s hand.

Overwhelmed by the wave of events, no one could take any action. Oliver clapped his hands.

“Then, can I say a few more words?”

When silence answered, Oliver spoke again.

“I don’t plan to leave here for now. I still have a lot to study.”

Oliver pointed in the direction of the study.

“So, I plan to stay here for a while to study, but I think it might be uncomfortable for you. Some of you might dislike me.”

Some people flinched.

Even Oliver’s ordinary consideration and thoughtfulness felt alien and bizarre, even frightening and chilling.

“This money... It’s Master’s property, but he no longer needs it. If anyone doesn’t want to stay with me, they can take their share and leave.”

“...What?!”

Everyone asked in shock. Oliver, surprised, replied,

“It’s a bit awkward for me to leave... There are too many books in the study. Is that an