Compliments to the Chef (Part 2)

"You think Gwen and Arte are dead?" Olpi gasped.

Owen nodded. For someone who had lost two people, nearly lost his job, and had no one left, the pain in his voice was too distant. He was a good actor, but Olpi had seen her fair share of despair within the academy.

Owen continued to lie to her face. "I'm afraid so. I tried to explain this Frey but you know how he gets when it's someone he cares about; like a raging bull. I tried to calm him down. I even fed him a few bowls of, what should have been, the young master's oatmeal."

"You thought oatmeal would stop him?" Olpi chuckled. "Why would food stop him?"

"Y-yeah, I don't know what I was thinking," Owen shared in her joyless laughter. "Here we are anyway. On his behalf, I apologize for getting you involved. I don't blame you if you hate him for his selfishness."