“Could it be that the Grand Duchess is trying to leave us… No, that can’t be, right?”

In a short moment, the vigor that had circulated in Cedric’s face disappeared instantly.

‘…Rebecca? There is still time left in the contract, why on earth?’

In his confused mind, the face of Rebecca, who had coldly rejected him a few days ago, flashed.

‘Did she reject me because she planned to leave the castle in advance? Or maybe… she felt uncomfortable because of my proposal that day?’

Countless conjectures made his mind swirl.

With an anxious gesture, Cedric, who was hastily sweeping back his hair, rushed out of the bedroom.
He ran without a break down that path to the Dark Garden, but the carriage carrying Rebecca had already left the castle abruptly.

Cedric continued to gaze at the path where the carriage had departed, even as he breathed heavily.

‘Whatever the reason is, I can’t let her leave like this.’

Muscles tensed fiercely on Cedric’s angular jaw.

His determined gaze was directed towards the Dark Mansion.

Cedric rushed straight into the Dark Mansion, running towards the lobby, ringing the bell intended for guests.

Soon, a sleepy-looking butler walked out slowly.

“Yawn, who on earth at this hour… Your, Your Grace!”

The butler, who had rushed down the stairs, bowed his waist in front of Cedric.

“What happened to bring Your Grace here at this hour? What command do you have…”

Cedric was not accustomed to looking for the Dark Mansion, and there had never been a need.

That Cedric was searching this place from dawn meant it was undoubtedly an urgent matter.

‘On the day when the butler is absent, I get this chance!’

At that moment, the butler’s complexion, which was gradually becoming clear, was when it happened.

“Where is Adrian now?”

“Ah, Your Grace, if you tell me…”

However, the butler’s words, which were filled with anticipation, were abruptly cut off.

“…Adrian.”

Cedric’s characteristic low tone descended even colder.

“I asked where that person is.”

At the intense anger in Cedric’s chilling voice, the butler shivered with a spine-chilling sensation.

When he timidly raised his head, the Duke’s face was unusually agitated.

It was at that moment when the butler’s complexion was gradually returning.

“Adrian is not here right now, Your Grace, as he has a day off. I heard that his father’s condition has worsened recently, but I’m not sure if it’s related…”

“That means Adrian is not inside this castle right now?”

Cedric didn’t even seem to have the patience to wait for the butler’s answer.

The butler, looking for cues, nodded his head.

“…Yes, Your Grace.”

The answer Cedric wanted seemed not to be the one he received, and Cedric’s face gradually stiffened.

For a while, he stood there like a stone statue.

A faint vitality began to circulate in Cedric’s eyes.

‘Could it be… Did something happen to Adrian, the butler? He’s not that kind of person.’

At the moment when the butler was blinking his eyes in confusion.

Cedric’s lips opened slowly again with a cold tone.

“The Grand Duchess has disappeared.”

As Cedric spoke those words, a fleeting hint of anxiety passed through the butler’s face.

However, he once again composed himself and continued speaking.

“Stand all the knights immediately. Especially those with tracking magic, prepare them all.”

“Now…?”

“I will chase after the Grand Duchess first, and the rest must thoroughly search the area around the Grand Duke’s residence.”

“…”

“And if, by any chance, you lose sight of the Grand Duchess…”

The sharp gaze turned towards the butler once again.
“Everyone in this castle will not escape unharmed,” was the message that spread.

Only then did the butler, realizing the seriousness of the situation, tremble as he patted both cheeks.

“Your Grace…! Ah, understood. I will immediately go find the head of the knights!”

With those words, the butler hastily left the mansion’s main gate.

Cedric, who had been watching his retreating figure, gradually wore an anxious expression.

‘Rebecca left. And with another man.’

As this thought occurred to him, his heart boiled with a mix of anger and anxiety, and the absence of Adrian in the mansion intensified the turmoil.

Rebecca, who left the castle with a suspicious demeanor, and the two of them meeting somewhere, embracing each other – this scene kept disturbing his mind.

Gradually, the thick veins swelled on the back of his clenched fist.

“Rebecca, you can’t leave me yet.”

Even if she were to leave, it couldn’t be like this right now.

At least, for the time that she had promised to stay in this castle…

She should be given some chance to hold onto her in some way.

Meanwhile, entering the Dark Mansion belatedly with her nanny, Bianca could not help but be surprised by the pale expression of her Lord.

‘I knew Your Grace would be surprised, but to this extent…’

The small hand holding the nanny’s hand slowly tightened with tension.

For some reason, Bianca slowly raised her head, looking at the nanny with a feeling of guilt.

‘Nanny, is it really okay for us to… do this?’

Even though she shot an anxious gaze with round eyes, the accomplice nanny just winked as if to say, “Trust only me.”

Feeling the need to erase even a small sense of guilt, Bianca closed her eyes tightly and clenched her fists.

To the surprised young Lord, it was a regrettable matter, but for the happy future of the Twins Duke and Duchess, this was an unavoidable choice.

Moreover, it wasn’t a complete lie that the Grand Duchess had temporarily left for ‘somewhere.’

In that brief moment of rationalization, Cedric urgently began to walk outside the main gate.

It seemed that he was going to search for Rebecca himself.

“Your Grace! I want to go with you!”

Despite Bianca’s desperate shout, Cedric left the Dark Mansion in a hurry, seemingly distracted by something.

For a moment, she stood there watching Cedric’s retreating figure.

In the small hand that was holding the nanny’s hand, strength gradually flowed in.

“…Nanny, I’m really determined this time.”

At the resolute voice that even carried determination, the nanny casually turned her head.

“Yes…?”