If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 123
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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He had hoped it wouldn’t come to this. The bedroom was completely empty.
The neatly made bed looked as if no one had ever lain in it, not even a stray hair left behind.
Only the tapestry hung to block the sunlight that disturbed her deep slumber and the cold breeze of the night fluttered slightly from the aftermath of the intrusion.
Aside from that, it was a quiet and cold bedroom with no signs of movement.
There were no traces of her on the floor or by the bedside table.
Only the chilling air filled the room.
She had disappeared, quite literally.
Agatha Kristin had truly vanished.
He felt the blood drain from his fingertips, and Cain clenched his jaw.
The maid who followed him into the bedroom could only repeat uselessly, “Oh dear, where could the Madam have gone? Oh dear.”
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
All three maids serving the Marchioness and five lower maids were brought in. Head maid Teschen stood alongside the eight employees, bowing her head. It was an uncomfortable situation, as if they were standing on a bed of thorns.
What on earth was happening this early in the morning? The servants busily exchanged glances.
There hadn’t been anything unusual about the Marchioness the night before. If there had been, surely someone among them would have noticed.
“It’s all my fault. I thought Madam asked not to be disturbed when she instructed us not to enter her bedroom. I never thought she would just… vanish.”
As she spoke, Teschen cautiously glanced at Cain and was startled by the fierce expression on his face, quickly lowering her head again.
Cain, seated with one knee raised and his chin resting on his hand, appeared lost in thought. But Teschen knew well that he was struggling to contain his anger.
She had spent her entire life serving others. With just a glance, Teschen could read her master’s emotions to a certain extent. Moreover, Cain’s forehead was visibly tense with bulging veins, a remarkable display of agitation from someone who usually had a stoic expression when dealing with others.
As she realized the intensity of Cain’s fury, Teschen’s voice began to tremble.
Whatever the reasons or circumstances leading to this situation, it was clearly a failure on her part as head maid.
Even though the butler was in charge of administrative tasks, Teschen was responsible for managing everything that occurred within the mansion.
After all, a significant incident like the Marchioness’ disappearance overnight should have been impossible for her to miss; this was a clear sign of her incompetence as a maid.
“It sounds as if you didn’t even consider why the Madam wanted to avoid being disturbed.”
A chill ran down her spine. Perhaps it was because he had worked hard to rise to his position, but Cain had never spoken harshly to his servants, not even the maids.
Yet now, his eyes were filled with such lethal intent that it felt as though he could kill them all with just a glance.
It was a moment that reminded her of the terrifying titles that had accompanied his name, which had gradually faded from memory since Cain had left the capital.
The Ice Knight, the Bloody War Hero, Cain Vernat.
Teschen felt the weight of his fearsome reputation in that piercing gaze and began to tremble. The eight servants around her looked as if they were about to cry at the sight.
“From morning to night, you were supposed to observe everything: what Madam did upon waking, what she ate, where she went, and when she returned to bed. You were to monitor her health each day and note any changes in her circumstances. It was your duty to know and assist her in every way.”
“I’m sorry, Marquis.”
Nobles often affirmed their status through the attitudes and dedication of their servants.
However, the behavior of these servants was tantamount to disrespecting the wife of a power second only to the Emperor.
Teschen had regarded Agatha as a pitiful woman unworthy of love, which allowed her to treat Agatha with subtle disdain. She often ignored Agatha’s calls and reserved the best food and fine linens solely for Cain.
Despite this, Agatha never once complained or reprimanded her, leading Teschen to view Agatha Kristin as a mere shadow of a Marchioness—an impotent noble who would soon vanish.
After her secret as a spy for the Grand Duchess was discovered, Teschen had been more cautious in her actions, but that vigilance didn’t last long.
She had even considered fleeing to the Grand Duchess’s residence for safety, but she also thought that with Cain seeing Agatha as nothing more than a stone, he would easily dismiss anything Agatha said.
In the face of her master’s ominous questioning, Teschen ironically felt both fear and resentment. It was Cain, Marquis Vernate, who had caused the servants to look down on Agatha. Teschen thought to herself.
