The Editor

III - The Chase

It was a beautiful morning, such warm rays of sun could reach his bed. He has woken up but refused to get up from the bed. While he was rethinking his choice of life up to this point, he heard a knock from his door that led to the hallway.

"Yes?"

"Excuse me, Duke. I'm here to tell you that the Countess has yet to answer the door. Should we open the door and wake her up or should we wait?" The voice of an elderly woman could be heard from where he was. It was his nanny that also has been his mother's lady-in-waiting from the palace.

"Don't do anything, Martha. Let her sleep for a while. And please prepare me a breakfast in the dining room. I'll be down in a while."

"As you wish, Duke."

He was one of those nobility who felt uncomfortable when he was to be serviced by someone for every small things in his life, hence why he never had any footman in his entire life. Besides, his father also had also done the same. Maybe it was his family tradition or something of sort, he guessed. 

After wearing a new fresh shirt and breeches, he came down to the dining room. There were already various refreshments on the table, such as turkey, salad, and desserts, prepared especially for Edlyn. He and Edlyn were the opposites about eating. While he had the mentality of you eat to live, Edlyn held the principle you live to eat. That's why in some cases, they both argued over the menu for the scheduled meals. Even though in most cases Edlyn gave in to his opinion.

"Are the meals to your taste, Duke?" The maid who waited for him asked.

"All's fine." 

But while he was munching the turkey, he got an interruption.

"Duke! DUKE!" The stable keeper go to the dining room unannounced.

After swallowing, he asked. "What is it?"

"Your horse, Moonmane, it's gone!"

"What do you mean by gone?"

"It's literally gone, Duke!"

He then thought of something. His horse has gone, Edlyn still hadn't woken up. Damnation, that little she-devil! He would drag her to her room and lock her up! Tie her if he must!

"Martha, check the Countess's room! And bring Harlan with you!"

A few minutes later, Martha came back to the dining room, gasping for air, and Harlan was ready as usual.

"So?" 

"She was gone, Duke. We got this." Harlan showed the rope Edlyn used to escape. "It's our carelessness. I never thought that we need to guard the balcony side as well. I will take the punishments as an example for the knights."

"No need for now. Just bring her back here. I'll come with you all."

"NO! Please, Duke. The knights will investigate first. After we get her location, we can think again about whether you would come or not."

"Of course I have to come, Harlan. You and those bloody knights seem to have forgotten about the word 'guard'. I'll teach you later."

In a few hours, Harlan came to his study room. "It's Drid Village, Duke!"

He ran faster than when he was pursued by Reginald Trice, a famous pancy who owned the biggest women boutique in the capital. 

***

Drid Village was one of the village that got a recognition from people all over Mainland because of its hygiene and beauty, despite the people lived there were miners and their families. Maximilian Adelbern worked hard to maintain its status by working on the security and policies. As a result, merchants from various places came to this village and contribute to relatively great amount of taxes.