Chapter 127

Chapter 127

Natalie exclaimed—practically cheered—after hearing the lady’s words and bowed. Then she quickly scurried out of the room.

Watching her leave, Deatrice superimposed on the maid’s back a hazy image of her past self. The time when she excitedly ran outside the room to meet someone dear too.

She had heard that Lucius was waiting for her and, from that moment on, she felt as if everything was moving at an unbearably slow pace. The hands that served her appeared sluggish and her heart became even more impatient.

He wasn’t that heartless enough to go away just because he was made to wait a little while longer. But Deatrice kept falling into the illusion that if she came any second later, he would disappear.

There was nothing else in the world that made her feel that way. Even now, Lucius had not completely dissipated. Although he didn’t excite her and made her impatient as he used to, Lucius affects her in a different way.

Like this moment for example, how she’s still thinking about him until now.

To be exact, after seeing Lucius’ body becoming rigid after those shots, thoughts of him rarely ever left her mind.

The war hero, the brave knight who saved the emperor’s life, stiffened at the sound of a single gunfire.

As many young people lived in the shadow of war with shame and despair, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to her that Lucius might have lingering trauma from it. But Deatrice couldn’t forget it because of how Lucius concealed it for a long time and quite skillfully at that.

It felt like he was hiding a very painful memory within those gestures.

As the sun went down, it started to rain.

Deatrice fell asleep while looking out the window to the sound pouring rain but was woken up by the noise during the night.

The thunder was deafening.

She put on her robe and went outside at the sound of people’s footsteps who were audibly moving in haste. When she grabbed one of the servants who was carrying a bundle of cloth and a basket and asked a question, an urgent answer came back.

“What’s happening?”

“It’s raining so heavily, m’lady, and it’s caused a mess outside. What’s more, the barn was burnt down by lightning, and the cattle even escaped to the streets.”

After the brief explanation, the servant moved busily as if he could not delay any longer. Deatrice did not stop the servant who only shook his head and walked away. Lightning ruined the barn. Isn’t that a big deal? Whenever thunder is present, it’s only natural that there would be lightning too, but it felt strange that it struck so close.

There must still be a fire.

Deatrice looked out of her window, expecting to see everyone busily moving. But outside, she saw only a large garden. There were no cattle that had escaped from their pens and roaming the streets.

Is this why Lucius didn’t come back to the room?

When she awoke, she had been alone. It’s been over a fortnight since they shared the same bed and their relationship was still as good as it had been for a week or so, but she slept all the time in the same bed, and sometimes woke up without him.

Where was Lucius and what is he doing?

As she quietly watched the people bustling down the steps, one familiar knight approached and greeted her.

“M’lady, were you outside all this time?”

“Sir Spencer,” she greeted in a startled voice. “Are you coming inside?”

“Ah, yes. But it isn’t something for you to be concerned about, m’lady. Go back and sleep.” The knight responded calmly. But it was rare for him, the deputy commander, to be in the manor when he is definitely more useful elsewhere.

Deatrice looked around and asked.

“Where has Lucius gone?”

“He… He went to the library saying he has work to do and that he’ll probably be back tomorrow morning. So don’t worry and go back to sleep, m’lady.”

Sir Spencer spoke in a rushed tone, with a hint of being flustered. Deatrice furrowed her brows at the strange atmosphere, but the deputy commander stood tall and stared at her. As if he he wouldn’t move her until she returned to her room.

“Alright, I’ll go in and sleep.”

In the end, Deatrice had no choice but to turn around and break her stubbornness. Unsurprisingly, Sir Spencer bowed his head and backed away only after she turned the doorknob with her hand. But Deatrice had no intention of going back like this.

Obviously, she instinctively knew that something happened.

She waited a moment for Sir Spencer to leave before creeping down the stairs. Everyone else either went out to check the garden or to make sure that the pouring rain didn’t ruin the manor, so there was no one in the hallway downstairs where the study was.

Only the faint sound of rain and occasional thunderstorms could be heard in the dark hallway.

Deatrice quietly knocked on the door of the study where she heard he was staying.

“Lucius?”

Calling his name briefly, she twisted the handle, but the door was locked and it sounded quiet inside. Deatrice pondered for a moment at the doorknob that only made a rattling sound and did not unlock. Then she pulled out a small decorative dagger adorning the wall and used it to make a small gap between the wood and the door frame.

Soon, a piece of wood fell off and the door opened. The gap was narrow, but thankfully she was still able to get in, albeit with much difficulty.

The room was completely immersed in darkness. There seemed to be no traces of people on the orderly desks and tucked-in chairs. If the door hadn’t been locked, Deatrice would have gone upstairs without discovering anything strange.

She stood by the door for a moment and looked around the room. Her gaze focused on a certain area for a long time, as if she was trying to find traces of Lucius on the sofa, clear desks, bookshelves, and open curtains,

But there was no response.