Ch. 30

Theobold, who was left alone, immediately woke everyone in the mansion and instructed them to find Eve. "Maybe she tried to go back to the palace by herself. Search outside the mansion thoroughly!"

A high fence surrounded the Ferdinand mansion, and the Ferdinand Knights guarded it so well that not even an ant could get inside.

But it was Astrid's child they were talking about.

At the age of seven, Astrid Ferdinand was able to get past the knights and flee the mansion. 

What if Astrid's child had the skill to get past the guards and escape the mansion just like his mother?

'There's no news about her whereabouts so far, but....'

He couldn't completely rule out the possibility that someone 'really' took her away, as Nial said. 

One should consider every possible scenario when looking for a missing child. So Theobold ordered a search with all possibilities in consideration. 

All lights in the Duke Ferdinand mansion were lit up in the middle of the night.

"Miss Eve!"

"Miss Eve, where are you!"

"Miss Eve? Miss Eve!"

The maids tirelessly call her name as they scour the mansion.

"Eve!"

Nial scoured through the mansion like a madman with Excalibur in his arms. The same was true for Theobold Ferdinand. 

"Eve! Eve! Where are you?!"

It was the first time Duke Ferdinand was looking for someone in person like this. 

After all, he was the only duke of this empire and the lord of the strongest family. 

Why would he look for someone in person? He could just order his knights for that. 

The servants had never seen him look for someone so desperately like this. 

The duke's loyal knights, who had served Theobold for more than thirty years, also feel the same. They had never seen their master look so desperately for someone before. 

Eve Royce. 

Not until that little girl came to the residence. 

A thousand thoughts flashed through Theobold's mind. 

'Did you leave because of me? Was it because I said something carelessly without even knowing your past?'

Theobold really wanted to apologize for what happened at that time. He wanted to ask for her forgiveness. 

He only realized how pointless his 'pride' was after Astrid's death. 

He didn't want to do something he would regret again. 

But Eve disappeared. 

Theobold was still in his pajamas when he joined the maids and servants looking for Eve. 

He was no longer the 'Great Duke' but a grandfather who lost his granddaughter. 

"There's no sign of her going outside!"

"I searched the whole area but I couldn't find Miss Eve."

"There's no sign of her going to the garden..."

Theobold's complexion grew darker as bad news kept coming one after another. 

Nial was on the verge of tears while holding Excalibur. 

Excalibur buzzed several times as if showing his frustration, but Nial couldn't understand what the sword wanted to say. 

Two hours had passed without any clue of Eve's whereabouts. 

"It doesn't seem like she's inside the mansion..."

Charlotte, with a similarly pale face, reported to Theobold. 

"Are you saying she's either flown up into the sky or dug into the ground? Keep looking for her!" Theobold shouted. Charlotte nodded before leaving Theobold's office. 

She was nowhere to be found in the mansion, in the garden, or outside the residence. Where the hell did she go?

At that moment, there was one place that entered his mind.

"...No way." Theobold murmured.

He stormed out of his office with a face filled with uncertainty. He walked down the same hallway that Eve walked down earlier. 

Theobold walked slowly through his mansion and headed for that 'room'. 

It was Ferdinand's secret chamber that only the 'acknowledged' head of the family could enter. 

Eve had only been at the mansion for a day, so it made sense that she wouldn't be allowed in. 

Because the child hadn't been acknowledged yet. 

'But that's the only place I haven't searched.'

If Eve was still in the mansion, that room was the only place left that he could think of.

Theobold hastened his steps. He was practically running now. 

Ferdinand's head butler, Peter, followed closely behind with a troubled expression. 

Theobold headed to Ferdinand's secret chamber at the end of the hallway. On both sides of the hallway stood a row of terrifying dragon statues. 

And at the end of his gaze...

"...The door is open."

A door opened by Eve. Peter sounded perplexed when he saw the door that slightly opened.

"How....Miss Eve shouldn't be able to enter......!"

The dragon statues in this hallway were quite special. These dragon statues were imbued with ancient magic, and they would attack anyone who didn't receive the 'Dragon's acknowledgment' passed by them. 

No servants, maids, or even family members were allowed to enter.

This place was only open to those who received 'acknowledgment'. 

Moreover, the Dragon only chooses one swordmaster in every generation, so it was rare that two people could enter the secret chamber. 

Of course, there was an exception. 

'Astrid Ferdinand.'

His daughter was a great knight who was praised for being the strongest sword master in history. 

She was the only exception!

At the age of ten, she was granted the Dragon's acknowledgment and entered the secret chamber. 

She was acknowledged by the Dragon when Theobold was still in his prime. It was the first in the Ferdinand family's history. 

But now, 

'The door is open.'

It meant that someone just went in there. 

Theobold walked down the hallway. The eyes of the dragon statue glowed briefly before gradually dying down. 

The door of the secret chamber began to move as soon as Theobold arrived in front of it. 

Rumble-!!

Peter waited on the far end of the hallway since he couldn't step further into the hallway with the dragon statues. 

Thump!

Not long after, the door opened completely, showing the dark interior. 

Theobold stepped into it without hesitation. 

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Then a bright light illuminated every space in the room as if to welcome its master...

Theobold slowly turned his head and found 'someone'.

"...G-Grandfather?"

He found his granddaughter squatting in front of Astrid's portrait. 

Eve jumped to his feet with a dazed expression. She quickly opened her mouth to explain her situation.

"G-Grandfather. I didn't come here on purpose..."

But Eve couldn't even finish her words.

Theobold rushed toward Eve and embraced his granddaughter so tightly before she could even say anything.