So the Duchess Disappeared

16. The Disappearance of the Duchess

The Duke had received a peculiar report and was on his way back to the Duchy much earlier than planned. Originally, he had intended to spend around three days away, leaving Rachel behind, but he returned within a single day.

“Is that true?” 

The Duke asked, leaning against the carriage, his arms crossed.

“Yes. It’s reported that bandits invaded the vicinity of the Duchy,” his assistant replied.

“Is that even possible?” 

The Duke’s fortress had been intricately designed to prevent any intrusion.

The Duke touched his chin and continued, “It wouldn’t be easy for anyone to get inside without any insider help.”

Aleksandro was hesitant to speak but finally continued, “Perhaps it has to do with the disappearance of the Duchess.”

“That can’t be ruled out,” the Duke said.

The Duke couldn’t help but keep an eye on Psyche, who had been left behind at the Duchy by him. Lately, her mood had been subtly different. He had tried to figure out how to lighten her spirits, but he wasn’t experienced in accommodating someone else’s feelings, and he didn’t know how to go about it.

He didn’t want to pretend they were a loving couple, but he didn’t want to get caught up in any unnecessary rumors or trouble.

“Is it because of Rachel?” The Duke asked.

“It’s not something I can rule out,” his assistant replied.

The assistant offered a piece of advice, “Regardless, wouldn’t it be more comfortable for you if you made an effort to ease your wife’s mood”

“….”

Upon hearing this, the Duke raised an eyebrow and finally responded, “Perhaps you’re right.”

He then spoke again.

“No. Would an empty-handed arrival please her? Buy some flowers and present them.”

He heard his own words again. Good things were good after all. 

He had never personally bought such things before, so he nonchalantly chose the most expensive flowers.

Psyche used to like even the smallest things.

Imagining her delighted face, he headed to the Duchy.

He wasn’t overly concerned about the bandits. Skilled knights were guarding the place.

But lately, he couldn’t help but notice Psyche’s strange behavior.

Furthermore, Rachel’s behavior had become peculiar, causing him some discomfort.

Suddenly, their conversation came back to him.

“Why on earth would my wife go as far as to drive you away?”

“I have no idea.”

“My wife’s temper is usually so gentle. If she got angry, it must have been your fault.”

Inside the carriage, Rachel sat across from him, her arms tightly crossed. The corners of her mouth oddly lifted.

“You’ll find out later. When you do, you’ll thank me, won’t you?”

“Don’t say ridiculous things. And don’t come to me so impolitely again.”

“Disappointed?”

When Clint drew a firm line, Rachel’s expression hardened.

“Well, aren’t you obsessed with a woman now? You’ll regret it.”

She chuckled.

“You’ll be the one to regret it.”

Her tone was very cold. It was a warning. But Rachel didn’t care and retorted.

“Oh, are you trying to be intimidating? That’s why I suggested we just have a strategic marriage. You brought a weird girl into this.”

“Don’t speak ill of my wife. She’s much better than you.”

“Oh, really? Do you truly believe that?”

The two of them had a bickering argument throughout the journey.

Clint couldn’t count how many times he suppressed his rising anger in front of her. He found himself admiring her patience.

The reason he continued to engage in conversation with her, even though she acted so tiresome, was that he wanted to find out what Rachel had told Psyche.

She must have said something completely unreasonable. Otherwise, Psyche would never have left like this.

Clint was thinking that he should check on his wife when they arrived. Still, something continued to trouble him.

He kept pushing away his recurring suspicions and asked Alejandro.

“So, with this speed, when will we arrive?”

“Well, at this rate, we should arrive late at night.”

“Hmm. So my wife will be asleep, I suppose.”

“Yes, that’s right. How much the Duchess must loathe the sight of you.”

“Alejandro.”

Clint’s low voice made Alejandro shudder, and he avoided eye contact.

“I’m sorry.”

With that said, silence fell inside the carriage.

Clint felt strangely uneasy.

There shouldn’t be any problems. Even if bandits came, the knights would protect Psyche. She should be safe. Yet, he couldn’t help feeling so anxious.

Unable to contain the feeling of unease any longer, Clint broke the silence.

“But who informed us about the bandits’ presence? And so quickly?”

“Oh, after we set off, it seems one of the knights felt something was amiss and followed us closely. Fortunately, isn’t it?”

“Hmm.”

It was strange.

As if they wanted to inform us on purpose. Clint couldn’t shake this peculiar sensation.

Alejandro glanced at him and asked, “Why are you like this? Are you worried?”

“Simply, isn’t it strange?”

“Well, even if it were a trap, I’m sure everything has been handled. You don’t need to worry. As a joke, they say that the knights of the Duke’s estate can even defeat the Imperial Guard.”

“I see…”

Clint nodded vaguely and returned to his thoughts. It wasn’t that kind of concern… it was something different, and he couldn’t put his finger on it.

Today, of all days, the carriage’s speed felt unusually slow.

The road to the Duke’s estate seemed excessively long.

“Tell the driver to go even faster,” Clint instructed.

This made Alejandro widen his eyes. “We’re already running at maximum speed… Alright.”

He quickly sensed Clint’s unease and urged the driver to pick up the pace.

An unidentifiable feeling of unease overwhelmed Clint. And as they approached the Duke’s estate, it grew stronger.

The atmosphere around the Duke’s estate was different from usual, feeling ominous. It was well past midnight, yet the lamps were brightly lit, and fires roared in the hearths. It didn’t make sense to illuminate the area just to catch bandits.

Normally, they’d safely handle any issues at the Duke’s estate without Psyche knowing.

So, it was a different kind of issue, and Clint had an intuitive sense that something was wrong.

He hurried into the Duke’s estate as soon as he disembarked from the carriage.

While walking towards the mansion, Clint had seen the household staff bustling about, carrying lamps. Something was strange.

Once they reached the mansion, the steward appeared in a disarray. Sweating and disheveled, he didn’t fit his usual dignified appearance.

The household staff who had been hurriedly passing by Clint were acting busier than usual.

Clint decided he had to see Psyche first, given the situation with Rachel.

As he rushed inside, the steward was the first to greet him.

“Where is my wife now?” Clint asked urgently.

“That… that’s…”

The steward paled in response to Clint’s question.

“Is she in the bedroom?”

Clint asked once again. The steward’s anxious gaze appeared to be searching the air for an answer.

Impatient, Clint quickened his pace as if in response to the non-verbal answer.

How had Psyche’s room become so far away?

He was under the illusion that he had been walking for an eternity. While walking, Clint regretted that it felt as if it took an entire day to reach the destination.

As he walked hastily, the steward and the servants who followed had no choice but to keep up.

When they finally reached Psyche’s bedroom, Clint rushed to the door, threw it open, and stepped inside.

It was strange.

Quiet…

And silent.

The room had an atmosphere Psyche wouldn’t feel; it was filled with an eerie feeling, as if no one had ever been there, like a lake frozen over after a snowfall.

The room didn’t feel cold, like a lake frozen after a snowfall, but there was no trace of her.

No matter how he searched the room, he couldn’t find her. The mounting unease began to press on him, growing so immense that it almost engulfed him.

“It’s my fault! My lord!”

The first to speak was Marie. Her eyes grew wide as she noticed Clint and she quickly bowed.

“Goodness…”

Words were hard to come by.

“What in the world…”

Psyche was nowhere to be found.

No matter how much he searched, she was not there. The growing unease that had been haunting him suddenly consumed him, weighing him down.

“My lord, forgive me!”

Marie was the first to speak. Trembling, she knelt on the ground and pressed her forehead to the floor.

“Your Grace…”

The overwhelmed steward spoke up.

“This evening, the Duchess…”

But he couldn’t finish his sentence. After closing his eyes tightly, he continued.

“The Duchess is… gone.”

“What did you say?”

Clint’s chilling voice shook, causing him to lower his body with fear.

“Your Grace… the Duchess left the Duke’s estate.”

The steward lowered his head, unable to meet Clint’s gaze.

Clint’s frigid tone descended to a whisper. “When…? How long ago?”

“About three hours ago.”

Upon hearing this, Clint, without even looking back, issued a command as he left the room.

“Chase her immediately.”