"Antiques? Are they worth a lot?"
As Doctor Schneider examined the body, he asked casually. Shade, who was inspecting the bloodstains around them, listened as well. The rain was so loud that the three of them had to raise their voices to speak.
Silver tableware was still a symbol of status in this era. Adventure novels often featured maids eloping with their lovers, taking their master's silverware to exchange for travel expenses and living expenses. If the silverware was also antique, it would be even more valuable.
"Very valuable. Even an earl-level noble could treat two sets of silver tableware like these as family heirlooms."
Miss Louisa once again displayed her grasp of "useless knowledge," most likely learned from Another Princess.
Shade turned and asked:
"Then that's strange. Didn't Doctor Schneider's investigation say that this factory owner was merely an agent holding Tobesk property for Blood of Mercury? He himself shouldn't have been wealthy."
He then looked suspiciously at the boy's corpse and reached a conclusion:
"Could it be—"
"It's too early to say. Let's keep moving."
Doctor Schneider restored the body to its original position. Amid the sound of rain pattering against the windows, he quietly offered a prayer for the boy, then signaled that the other two could leave.
After leaving the kitchen, the blood trail doubled back through the living room before leading toward the stairs.
A particularly brutal sight awaited them on the stairs. The corpses of an old woman and a middle-aged housewife were locked in each other's arms. Thick blood dripped down the carpeted steps, leaving the three of them barely anywhere to place their feet.
After examining them, Mr. Schneider discovered that neither woman had any obvious external wounds. The blood seemed to have flowed from their mouths.
"Looks a little like a