Chapter 126: Another Victim

Elias reached the building and took the pouch of Riftstone out of his Inventory before folding his arms behind his back.

He had only just settled into waiting when the sound of approaching carriages reached his ears.

A few moments later, six carriages appeared on the garden’s cobbled path, moving steadily toward the building. Benjamin and Olide walked at the front, while the merchant’s workers and guards followed behind them.

However, the moment Elias saw Benjamin, his brows furrowed.

The old butler’s expression was unusually dark, and his hand was tightly wrapped around the pouch he carried.

’What is going on?’

Elias narrowed his eyes before shifting his attention toward Olide, who was also frowning.

’Did something happen?’

The moment Olide noticed him, however, the merchant forced a smile onto his face, while Benjamin’s expression hardened further. The old butler did not say anything and instead simply moved to Elias’s side.

Elias glanced at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Lord Elias," Olide called out, his voice carrying a noticeable hint of worry.

"Lord Olide... is something wrong?" Elias asked.

Olide briefly glanced toward Benjamin before answering, "I believe you can talk to your butler about that afterward. It is a little difficult for me to stay here much longer."

’So something did happen... Is that wretch involved again?’

Elias nodded.

"I understand."

Olide nodded as well before waving his hand.

Two workers immediately began unloading the wooden boxes from the carriages.

One after another, they carried the supplies inside, including vegetables, fruits, condiments, bathing supplies, cleaning supplies, and various other daily necessities.

At the same time, the slender black-clad woman who had accompanied Olide gave a few quiet commands, and two heavily armored guards began loading the Dark Thorn corpses onto the three larger carriages waiting behind them.

The corpses were handled carefully before being placed inside, and once they had been loaded, the guards covered them with black fabric.

While the workers continued unloading the supplies, Elias filled a pouch with three hundred gold coins and turned toward Olide.

"Do you also sell carriages?" he asked.

Benjamin blinked.

’Is my master really about to waste the remaining gold on a carriage?’

The old butler did not even know how to control one.

Olide, who had been watching his people work, turned back toward Elias and shook his head.

"We do not."

Elias nodded calmly.

"I really need one."

Olide smiled wryly.

"Even so, I do not sell carriages."

Elias smiled at the merchant.

"Someone else would."

Olide’s smile faltered.

For a moment, he simply stared at Elias before asking, "How large of a carriage do you want, Lord Elias?"

"Hmm..."

Elias rubbed his chin as he considered the matter.

"It should at least be comfortable for five people."

"I can get you a carriage that would fit all of your requirements." Olide smiled, and a greedy glint appeared in his eyes as he added, "But it will cost you quite a fortune, Lord Elias."

"Price does not matter," Elias replied.

Benjamin’s eyes became as wide as saucers.

His mouth opened so dramatically that he nearly looked as though his tongue might fall onto the ground.

’Price does not matter?’

’When did my master become shameless enough to say such bullshit with a straight face?’

’Price was all that mattered! We do not even need a carriage. We can simply walk. The gods gave us legs for a reason, after all.’

However, Benjamin wisely kept those thoughts to himself.

The memory of Elias chopping off Trons’s arm with a single sweep of his sword remained carved deeply into his mind.

Olide, meanwhile, seemed quite pleased.

"That is great, then," he said before adding, "I will prepare the carriage on the day I return with your refined Riftstone."

"Good."

Elias handed him the pouch containing the Riftstone, and at nearly the same moment, the workers finished unloading the supplies.

The wooden boxes now occupied almost half of the room, while the guards had already finished loading the monster corpses onto the larger carriages and covering them with black fabric.

Olide looked around once before extending his hand.

"It was good doing business with you, Lord Elias," he said.

Elias shook his hand.

"The feeling is mutual, Lord Olide."

Olide smiled before turning around and raising his hand.

The drivers immediately urged the horses forward, and the six carriages began moving away from the building.

Elias and Benjamin followed them until the carriages passed through the gates and gradually disappeared into the city.

Only then did Elias turn toward the old butler.

A frown had settled across his face.

"What happened?" he asked. "Why do you look so worried?"

Benjamin remained silent for a moment, seemingly choosing his words carefully. Then he finally answered.

"That unknown killer murdered one more person last night..."

Elias’s expression darkened.

The unknown killer had not struck anyone for several days, and because of that, many people had begun believing that the murderer had either left Kilmir or finally stopped.

But apparently, the killer had merely been waiting for another opportunity.

"This time, the victim was a commoner named Jessie."

Elias’s heart sank, and he mumbled darkly, "Fuck... Why now?"

Benjamin nodded darkly before continuing in a somber voice.

"He was one of the rangers..."

He paused, and his expression became even heavier.

"Berlic now has a justification to question you, My Lord."

Elias rubbed his face; just when things had started to get better, something like this occurred.

’I have to think calmly,’ he mumbled inwardly before he took a deep breath and nodded, "That is true..."

A somber expression appeared on his face, and he added, "He was waiting for such an opportunity, and now that he has it... It would not be long before his desperation takes over his reason."

The old butler nodded grimly. "That is true."

Elias turned toward the manor and said, "There is no point in brooding over this; I simply have to deal with whatever trouble comes my way."

Benjamin blinked in surprise before a smile creased his lips. "Absolutely correct, My Lord."