Later on, after exiting the room and leaving Lord Harrison and his wife Haley alone, Butler Geoffrey assembled a small group of men in the mansion’s courtyard to retrieve the lifeless forms for identification.
‘I hope the bodies don’t turn out to be that of the Young Lord…’ The butler’s inner thoughts reflected his deep concern.
Confusion spread among the gathered men as to why Butler Geoffrey had hastily summoned them. Hushed conversations ensued among the group.
“Do any of you know why we’re called here?”
“I’m completely in the dark; no idea what’s going on.”
“Something’s definitely up. Why else would we be gathered so abruptly?”
“I overheard Joe looking quite troubled earlier. Seems like a serious matter might be at hand.”
Murmurs and whispers filled the yard, the crowd’s curiosity piqued by the unexpected assembly.
Moments later, Butler Geoffrey turned his gaze upon the assembled men, perturbed by the buzzing chatter that felt like an incessant, grating noise in his ears.
“Silence!!” His bellow reverberated, accompanied by a slight release of his mana pressure, effectively quelling the commotion. The crowd fell silent, each individual feeling the weight of the pressure.
“Listen closely. Accompany Mr. Dylan here. He will lead you to two deceased individuals found within the village. Your task is to transport the bodies here for identification.” Butler Geoffrey’s commands cut through the silence, his finger pointing toward Dylan standing beside him. ｏｖ𝚕．ｃｏ𝚖
The gathered men were rendered speechless by this revelation. Dead bodies? Why would the Lord wish to inspect the corpses of others?
‘Rich folks really have some peculiar tastes and interests compared to us commoners…’ such thoughts murmured inwardly.
“Sir, is this truly all you require of us? Retrieving and bringing back the dead bodies?” One of the men inquired, a perplexed expression on his face.
“Is that all? Are you doubting your ears?” Butler Geoffrey retorted, a frown crossing his features.
“No, sir, of course not. We will promptly retrieve the bodies and return them here,” one of the men responded anxiously.
“Good that you’ve understood. Waste no time; gather the bodies and return swiftly,” Butler Geoffrey replied with a seemingly icy tone.
He then shifted his attention to Dylan, addressing him, “Mr. Dylan, kindly guide them to the location of the bodies. Your assistance will certainly be appreciated by the Lord.”
“Of course,” Dylan replied before addressing the group, “Follow me, and I’ll lead you to where the bodies were found.”
“Understood!” The few men nodded in unison, readily following Dylan to the location of the grim discovery.
After a while, Dylan led the group arranged by Butler Geoffrey to the spot where he had stumbled upon the lifeless forms of Henry and Peter.
“Here is the place. Look, these are the bodies I spoke of,” Dylan gestured toward the two corpses, their heads brutally severed from their necks.
“Hey Ralph, take a look at the unfortunate face that met such an end,” one of the men suggested to Ralph, singling him out from the group.
“Sure, let me see… I bet he must have crossed the wrong person’s path, leading to his gruesome fate. Hahaha!” Ralph approached the bodies, nodding in agreement.
“Absolutely, I’d probably react the same way if someone messed with my spouse. Hahaha!” Another man chimed in, laughter filling the air as they shared their morbid humor.
Witnessing the servant’s laughter at their own young master’s tragic demise, Dylan fought to stifle his own amusement, his lips twitching with the urge to join in.
‘Sigh. It’s not my concern anymore. My part is done. I should return home; my wife must be waiting, and I hope she’s not upset with me for being late…’ Dylan thought to himself, shaking his head slightly.
“Alright, now that I’ve shown you the bodies, I’ll take my leave,” Dylan informed them before departing the scene.
With Dylan gone, Ralph swiftly lifted one of the severed heads from the ground. Instantly, his expression turned ashen.
Staring at what he held, Ralph was overcome with shock. The head he held casually in his hand was none other than Young Master Henry’s.
‘What is this? Is this really… Young Master?’ Ralph’s inner turmoil contrasted with the casual manner in which he held the head. It had turned out to be Henry’s severed head.
“Hey, Ralph, what’s wrong? Recognize these two unfortunate fools?” One of the men inquired, puzzled by Ralph’s sudden silence.
Without a word, Ralph turned and displayed the severed head he held to the others, their faces mirroring his stunned expression.
Stunned into silence, they grappled with the realization. Could this really be the young master? How was this possible? The young master was dead?
“S-Someone murdered the young master? How is that even possible? He can’t be dead,” one of them muttered, his disbelief evident.
“I-Is this really the young master’s severed head? It’s impossible, right? Who would dare to end the young master’s life?” Another spoke, his wide eyes reflecting shock.
“To think someone would have the audacity to kill the young master within the village, knowing the extent of our Lord’s influence… It’s beyond belief,” another voice chimed in, laden with shock.
A moment later, Ralph composed himself, addressing the group, “Enough lamenting. Let’s do what we came here for, gather the bodies, and return to the Lord’s manor. This has nothing to do with us.”
“Agreed. Let’s retrieve the bodies and leave as swiftly as possible,” the others concurred, swiftly collecting the remains and cleaning the bloodstained road.
“Now, let’s return to the manor. I wonder what Lord Turner’s reaction will be when he sees his son’s lifeless body,” one of them muttered, speculating about the Lord’s response upon their arrival.
“We shouldn’t concern ourselves with that. It’s not our business. Let’s just head back,” Ralph responded, dismissing the topic.
True, it truly wasn’t their concern. Even if the entire Turner family were to fall, it wouldn’t impact them. In fact, the news of an arrogant figure like Henry’s demise might secretly please them, even though they concealed their satisfaction.
With that, they lifted the bodies and departed from the scene.
Meanwhile, back at the Turner family manor, Lord Harrison Turner and his wife Haley, along with their youngest son, Richard, and Butler Geoffrey, were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the retrieved bodies.
Their expressions betrayed their unease, their worry centered on Henry. Deep down, they clung to the hope that the news was a fabrication and that Henry was still safe.
“Mother, why do you look so worried? Is big brother Henry really dead?” Richard inquired, his curiosity piqued by his mother’s demeanor.
Haley gazed at her younger son, her expression conflicted as she grappled with what to reveal. She remained uncertain about Henry’s current state.
“Your mother is just concerned about your brother, nothing more. We’ve dispatched some people to bring the bodies. Once they arrive, we will ascertain whether it’s your brother or not,” Harrison responded, his tone slightly awkward, reflecting his own uncertainty.
Observing this, Haley mustered a smile and reassured her youngest, “Your father is right. I’m simply worried about your brother.”
“I understand. There’s no need to worry about big brother. He’s strong and can handle those ordinary folks. Don’t be concerned,” Richard comforted his parents.
‘My elder brother is powerful, and he’s yet to marry big sister Rose. He can’t possibly be gone!’ Richard’s inner conviction refused to believe Henry could be dead.
Yet, in the back of Butler Geoffrey’s mind, doubts lingered. He pondered the situation, considering the possibility that Henry was indeed deceased, as Dylan had reported.
‘A commoner wouldn’t dare to fabricate a story in front of us, aware of the consequences for deceiving us. If we evaluate it that way, then Young Lord Henry’s passing might indeed be true. I hope it’s not the case,’ Butler Geoffrey reflected inwardly, his heart weighed down by the implications.
A few moments later, they could discern several men approaching, carrying something concealed in cloth that seemed to be lifeless bodies. Their expressions were somber and tense as they neared.
‘I have an ominous premonition…’ Lord Harrison’s mind raced as he examined Ralph and the others, noting their grave expressions as they bore the bodies toward them.
“Place the bodies here and uncover them. We need a clear view to identify whether one of them is truly my son,” Lord Harrison instructed, his tone firm.
“Of course, My Lord,” Ralph and his companions nodded in unison. They gingerly laid the bodies on the ground and, with careful movements, uncovered them, revealing the lifeless forms and their severed heads.
As soon as the shrouds were removed, the faces of the Turner family contorted with distress, and a heavy silence enveloped the scene.
Thud!
Madam Haley crumbled to the ground on her knees, her anguished wail splitting the air as she locked eyes on the lifeless figure of her firstborn.
“N-NOOOOO!! HENRYYY! WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU?! WUAHHHHHH!!”
“NO NO NO! IT CAN’T BE, IT CAN’T BE, MY DEAR CHILD! YOU CAN’T DIE, MY SON….”
Lord Harrison too crumbled to the ground beside his wife who was consumed by inconsolable grief.
“No, it’s a lie, it’s a lie! Big brother can’t die! My big brother is strong! It’s an illusion, it’s fake…!” Richard’s voice trembled as he desperately tried to deny the reality before his eyes, unable to accept that his older brother was no more.