While You're In Love

The servants gathered together with one heart and mind. They meticulously searched even the places where their colleagues had already searched and looked for the Duchess.

“Madam!”

“Where are you?”

However, despite their efforts, they couldn’t find the missing Duchess even until the sun set and the moon rose.

The knights, who had been investigating the city thoroughly, at least found some clues, but it was not enough.

“Some witnesses reported that they saw her heading towards the train station. I’m sorry, but we haven’t determined her destination yet.”

Aslan’s hand clenched tightly, and his short nails dug into his palm, causing blood to trickle down.

“…Find her at all costs.”

“Yes!”

After the knights left, Aslan clenched his jaw tightly and swallowed a sigh.

He felt a helplessness he had never experienced before since becoming a Duke.

Centra, the imperial capital, was a vast city full of people, but there was no place where the influence of Duke Tordell couldn’t reach.

For the powerful Duke Tordell, finding a needle in a haystack or a single person was an easy task.

It was only a matter of time.

She was just an ordinary person, and there was no way his wife could completely erase her tracks. Given enough time, they would be able to find the traces she left behind and trace her whereabouts.

He knew that, but waiting for that was agonizing.

With each passing second, his anxiety and restlessness grew, making his heart race.

For Aslan, who needed to know every detail about his wife to feel relieved, her complete disappearance was a disaster in itself.

“Sigh.”

A helpless sigh escaped Aslan’s dry lips.

It was painful for him to remove the bodyguard knights recently, who had always been by her side.

“Of all times…”

After getting Glock’s whereabouts, who had been running like a mouse just last week, Aslan temporarily removed the knights guarding his wife.

He needed someone who could move secretly, but he couldn’t take the spies from elsewhere, so he decided to remove the knights who were relatively free and near his wife.

Even so, he thought it would be fine.

The Count Larestine, who had threatened her, had died a long time ago, this place was a city with a strong influence of Aslan, and she was by his side.

So nothing would happen, and even if it did, he thought it would be fine.

Never in his wildest dreams did he think she would leave on her own like this…

His complacency was his downfall. It had been three years without any incidents, but that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be any in the future. He knew that well, but he still made the foolish choice.

Aslan suppressed the words that felt like burning coals in his head.

It was difficult to make rational decisions when he was boiling with anger. He could vent his frustration later; now was not the time. He had to find Lyla and ensure her safety.

Where could she have gone? If he could guess that, he might have some idea of where she might be.

Then suddenly, a thought crossed Aslan’s mind.

“Maybe…”

He opened a drawer and unfolded a report on the Violet family that he had been tracking.

<Eres Territory, Ellwood Village>

A small village on the outskirts of the northwest region.

It was a place where his wife had never been, but Aslan was certain.

She would be there.

He was sure of it.

There was only one place she could be.

In an almost prophetic intuition, Aslan called for his aide immediately.

“Book a train to Eres. Prepare two seats for the return journey, first-class.”

“Yes.”

Despite the sudden order, the aide responded calmly. However, as the aide was about to turn to leave…

“No.”

Aslan changed his mind.

“…”

The aide, who had come right in front of Aslan, approached him again and patiently waited for new orders.

Aslan wasn’t paying attention to the aide, but instead, he was staring at the desk, more precisely, at the map on the unfolded report, with narrowed eyes.

Eres, a small coastal town in the east, was nothing special until three years ago.

Three years ago, it was just a rural village until Aslan’s railway company laid tracks through the area and built a large station.

After the trains started running, Eres began to flourish. The already beautiful scenery became popular as a resort, and the town gradually developed.

With the construction of Tordell family’s hotel and casino near the station, the development accelerated further.

As a result, the small fishing village where only fishermen gathered became a bustling city

Full of people during the peak season in just three years.

The beginning and the process of this change were all influenced by Aslan Tordell.

People were curious about why Aslan was interested in such an unremarkable village, but he never revealed the reason.

As a result, people came up with their own assumptions. They speculated that Aslan Tordell had visited Eres by chance, was impressed by its scenery, and decided to invest in businesses there.

However, that was all just speculation.

The real reason Aslan poured money into Eres was…

After a short time, Aslan, who was lost in thought, spoke in a low voice, like a sigh.

“Prepare only for a trip to Eres for now.”

“Understood.”

The aide didn’t complain about the change of orders from the superior. He was only faithfully fulfilling the task given to him.

The aide headed to the train station immediately, and not long after, he completed the task and returned.

---

The large train station was empty, unlike during the day.

Only a few footsteps echoed in the deserted station.

Duke Tordell, who owned the largest railway company in the empire, could do whatever he wanted, even operate a train that was not scheduled.

Late at night, a train bound for Eres departed.

There were only five passengers inside.

Duke Tordell and his attendants.

Wooosh!

The train swiftly moved through the dawn.

Aslan stared outside the window with a fixed gaze. The rapidly changing scenery outside captured his attention.

Perhaps because there were no documents to handle in his hands, or maybe because he needed something trivial to distract his mind that was clouded with worries.

Whatever the reason might be, he didn’t need to dig into it now. Aslan kept his eyes fixed on the window.

There was only one railway route from Centra to Eres, and it was the same scenery his wife must have seen.

Although she must have seen it during a bright day, and he was seeing it in the darkness of night, the difference didn’t matter.

However, it was difficult to tear his gaze away from the window when he thought about what expression she must have made and what she had been thinking when she left him.

…What did she feel when she left him?

Was she happy? Was she delighted to leave the Tordell mansion where they lived together?

She must have left swiftly, without any regrets. She was able to leave this city without being held back by anyone.

At the end of his thoughts, Aslan’s face distorted.

“Lyla.”

Aslan muttered a name that felt awkward to himself.

His wife had been Helena from the moment they first met, and she had never revealed her real name until the very end.

Even back then when he was twenty-eight and even now when he is twenty-five.  

 

 

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