The Camellia Tattoo - Chapter 150
“Where is the mistress?”
In the end, Igmeyer stopped a passing maid and asked. The maid flinched and trembled as soon as she saw her master’s twisted expression. But Igmeyer was in no state to be considerate of such things.
“I… I handle the cleaning in the hallway, so I wouldn’t know. Please ask Nora…”
“Oh.”
That reminded him. Amber had divided the staff into ranks to maintain order within the castle.
Releasing the maid, he stumbled slightly and resumed his walk toward the bedroom.
His vision faded to white before darkening. It was strange, but he felt a sense of certainty.
It was a certainty he couldn’t articulate, didn’t want to, and would never voice aloud.
“Where is Amber?”
“Eek!”
“I’m asking where your mistress is.”
Igmeyer didn’t raise his voice. The angrier he became, the more he settled into a cold, eerie calm.
Nevertheless, everyone still feared him.
“She… she said she wanted to be alone and dismissed us all.”
“She mentioned having a headache…”
The maids, whom he had seen a few times before, responded, but their words passed through one ear and out the other, although they brushed against his eardrum.
Amber had dismissed the maids.
‘Why?’
Thud!
Thud thud thud thud.
His chest felt tight. It was as if someone was pounding his heart with a fist, and he wanted to retch.
His breathing quickened, and he found himself frozen, simply standing there, gasping for air, when the butler, noticing his distress, called for the knights.
“What’s wrong? Why are you acting like this?”
The first to arrive was Gallard.
His attempt to lighten the mood with a joke was commendable, but Igmeyer was not in a state to share a laugh.
His breath came in gasps, fluctuating rapidly.
It felt like he was sinking into a swamp, or someone was grabbing his hair and forcing his head underwater.
Or perhaps it was like being trapped in a glass tank with only his face just above the surface, rising and sinking repeatedly.
Bowing his head deeply, he eventually shouted.
“AMBER!”
The thunderous shout echoed throughout the castle, causing everyone to cover their ears simultaneously. The trembling window frames testified to just how loud Igmeyer’s voice had been.
Startled, the people exchanged worried glances, unsure of what to do, and began to back away hesitantly.
If they had any sense at all, they would realize the seriousness of the situation.
Madam has vanished.
Whether by choice or not, this was a monumental event.
“Everyone, move quickly! Madam hasn’t been well lately. She might have collapsed somewhere out of sight.”
The butler, Huvern, calmly gave orders.
There was no room for the notion that the Madam had left the North of her own volition. Moreover, they had no way of knowing if she had truly departed or not.
So, as the butler, Huvern had only one task: to uphold the dignity of the mistress, suppress any rumors and prevent unrest among the staff.
“Open the doors to all the rooms. If you find Madam unconscious, shout loudly to alert everyone.”
“Yes!”
While those watching hurriedly disappeared, Igmeyer remained motionless.
Gallard watched Igmeyer with a deeply worried expression before speaking softly.
“She’ll be safe, I’m sure.”
“……”
“She wouldn’t leave of her own accord. There’s a high probability she’s been kidnapped. It must have been…. orchestrated by the imperial family.”
Gallard genuinely believed that Amber could not have left the North on her own.
She would never do such a thing.
She was someone who had worked tirelessly for this land. How deeply she loved the North and its people!
Gallard firmly believed that Amber’s actions up to this point were genuine.
“…So, you think they deceived Raphael and kidnapped her?”
“Well…”
Of course, there were aspects that didn’t add up.
Raphael was an exceptional knight.
But that wasn’t all; he possessed abilities that were beyond Gallard’s understanding.
In a way, it resembled Igmeyer’s own power, but it couldn’t be explained as merely having sharp instincts.
But could a group have moved without Raphael noticing?
If someone with ill intent approached the castle, Raphael would sense it immediately. That was why Igmeyer entrusted the castle’s safety to him.
“Go… check the bedroom again. There might be some clues.”
Only certain people could search through the couple’s bedroom. While the maids would make a round, Igmeyer knew that Gallard’s suggestion meant more than just a simple ‘look’.
They needed a thorough investigation.
If Amber’s last known location was the bedroom, it was there that the most evidence would likely be found.
“Everyone, step back.”
At his command, the maids quickly retreated to stand aside.
Closing the door behind him, Igmeyer stood alone in the room and blinked, taking in the silence.
‘It feels like I’ve entered a place I shouldn’t be.’
Amber’s absence created such a stark contrast that it was almost overwhelming.
