After a tense silence, the baron conceded, though he grimaced. "I can give you fifty mana stones and five hundred gold. That's the best I can do. You'll have to be content with that."
Michael didn't respond, his silence a clear refusal.
Grinding his teeth, the baron raised his offer. "Seventy mana stones, but I can't give you more gold. Do you want the barony to collapse?"
Michael's eyes narrowed dangerously. Collapse? Did the baron really expect him to believe that after being cast aside twice, he should return for a paltry five hundred gold?
Realizing his misstep, the baron hastily continued. "Fine! One hundred mana stones and seven hundred gold. That's all I can spare. The barony's reserves are already strained."
Michael doubted that. For a man who had ruled for over forty years, the baron surely had hidden funds. Still, he allowed the baron to sweat as he mulled over the offer.
Seeing Michael turn slightly away, the baron's voice became more urgent. "What about your sisters? Should they be married off with nothing? Fine—one thousand gold, plus a five-hundred-gold mana beast core. It's a manticore's core, fifth-tier. Consuming it will increase your mana reserves, or you can refine it into a detoxifying artifact."
That caught Michael's attention. A smile crept onto his face.
"Very well. That will do. Go fetch the payment, and while you're at it, bring Lincoln's body. We'll host his funeral here, free of charge. It's only right to see him off personally."
The baron exhaled in relief. It was a steep price, but far better than losing the barony entirely. The negotiation concluded, they parted ways. Any pretense of familial harmony was overshadowed by the gulf of mistrust between them.
The baron delivered on his promise. Ronald personally brought a wagon to Michael's home, laden with the agreed items. Handing over the goods, Ronald hesitated before speaking.
"Michael," he began awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "Don't hate the baron too much. He's been through a lot."
Michael barely acknowledged him, focused instead on counting the gold, mana stones, and securing the manticore core.
Turning to the wagon, Michael retrieved Lincoln's body, now sealed in an icy preservation spell. Placing it into a temporary coffin, Michael addressed Ronald without looking at him.
"The funeral will be held in two days. Tell my father to be ready and prepare accordingly. It will be a family affair."
Ronald faltered but nodded. Michael sighed and continued.
Michael's response to Ronald was calm, though his tone carried a touch of warmth.
"I don't blame my father. Everyone has their burdens. After the funeral, I'll head to the castle. Please look out for me then, Uncle Ronald."
Hearing the familiar childhood title, Ronald's eyes glistened with tears. "Ah, young master Michael, you haven't forgotten. Please, always call me that."
Michael, uneasy at the sight of Ronald's tearful face, quickly turned away and began moving Lincoln's body into the workshop. Ronald's booming promise to return soon echoed as Michael disappeared inside.
Inside the workshop, Henry and Clara were tending to the five bodies brought in earlier. When Clara noticed Michael, she looked up, her face lined with concern.
"So, you're going to the castle?" she asked softly.
"Yes," Michael replied. "I don't have much choice. I can't let the barony fall into the wrong hands. Don't worry, Aunt Clara. It's mostly for appearances. I'll find a way to balance being an executioner and managing the estate."
"I just don't want you to overwork yourself," Clara said, her voice tinged with worry. "Can you really do both? Where will you stay?"
"I'll stay here," Michael assured her. "Being the heir doesn't mean I need to hover around the castle all day. I can train with the knights in the mornings, return here in the afternoons, and learn the administrative work as I go. You know how quick I am at picking things up."
Clara smiled faintly and resumed her work. "I do know. But still, don't push yourself too hard. No matter what, we're always here to support you."
Michael joined them in their work, preparing the bodies for burial. As night fell, he planned to test the mana stones provided by the baron. His thoughts briefly drifted to Alfred, who hadn't returned that evening.
"Grandfather isn't back yet, I see," Michael remarked.
"He's overseeing a funeral for the Korsik family," Clara explained. "He won't return until tomorrow at the earliest."
By the time they finished dressing the five bodies in clothing provided by the bereaved families, it was late into the night. Michael's stomach growled, reminding him he hadn't eaten properly. Over a hastily prepared meal, he listened to Henry and Clara talk before retreating to his room.
Alone in his room, Michael took out the mana stones from the chest. The polished stones shimmered under the lamplight, their beauty belying their staggering cost.
"One stone costs 30 gold, and it takes three just to fuel a single ability?" Michael muttered to himself, his shoulders sagging at the thought of the ever-increasing power requirements. The 100 stones he'd secured from the baron would barely last three uses before they were depleted.
"Penelope," he called. "Absorb the mana."
[Activation conditions met. Absorbing mana. Mana fully absorbed. Ability activation conditions not met. Function terminated.]
Warm energy coursed through Michael's body as the mana flowed inward. Satisfied for now, he decided to test his newfound power in the morning, focusing on the body of the eldest lumberjack among the corpses.
Morning brought frustration. Michael had tried everything with the lumberjack's corpse—touching it, lifting it, even inspecting it thoroughly—but nothing worked.
[Ability activation conditions not met.]
What was the missing condition? Growling in annoyance, Michael's eyes landed on another lumberjack's decapitated body. Perhaps… he would need to sever a head?
He hesitated before untying the stitches on the severed head, but even that yielded nothing.
[Ability activation conditions not met.]
More confused than ever, Michael sighed heavily and began re-stitching the lumberjack's head, apologizing silently to the deceased. Afterward, he went through the other corpses in the workshop, touching and lifting them, but the result was always the same.