CHAPTER 215: THE EMPTY HOUSE

He closed his eyes and focused, picturing in his mind the familiar home in Rosaria and their warm and safe bedroom.

...

At seven in the morning, Jude arrived on time, as he always did, and unlocked the front door of one of the three connected houses.

This was the residence of Lord Dominic.

The air outside was fresh with the scent of early summer, the leaves a deeper shade of green and the birds singing cheerfully in the morning light.

A cool breeze followed him as he stepped into the small entrance hall.

He closed the door behind him carefully and quietly before opening the next door that led into the living room.

As he did, he greeted the house with his usual words.

"Good morning."

But the spotless living room was silent without a single sign of life.

The stillness pressed down on him and Jude couldn’t help but let out a small sigh.

It had already been three weeks since Lord Dominic and Lord Shiao Yi had disappeared into the dark hole.

Looking at the site of that explosion, no one could possibly believe the two of them were still alive.

They had vanished along with that terrifying magic circle and the demon world that had tried to emerge into this world.

To protect the capital, the kingdom, and the world itself, they had given their lives.

The master and mistress of the house were still in mourning. They’re deeply crushed by the loss.

The lady of the house, in particular, had broken down in tears and crying that she wanted to see Lord Dominic just once more.

Jude remembered how, at the scene of the disaster, she had stood firm and calmed her husband when he had nearly lost his mind. Yet once they returned to the estate, she had collapsed into despair herself. She wept endlessly, blaming herself for everything and for letting her son die without ever knowing his mother.

Her grief had been heartbreaking to witness.

But what remained in Jude’s memory even more strongly was the way the master of the house had gently cared for her, despite his own pain.

Even the Second Division were overcome with sorrow. Louis had told Jude that most of them were so shaken by the loss of Lord Dominic and Shiao Yi that they couldn’t focus on their duties.

Some of the. had thrown themselves into their work to escape the pain, increasing arrests and venturing into the beast-infested forests for dangerous hunts.

Even His Majesty had lost his usual strength.

The royal palace still flew its flags at half-mast, mourning the two who had fallen.

Lord Dominic had not only been a member of the Beaumont family, but also the current king’s cousin.

It wasn’t just the royal palace, the entire capital seemed to be covered in sorrow for some time.

Lord Dominic had been loved by everyone, young and old, men and women. And that was only natural.

Among all those people, only Lord Aaron refused to believe that Lord Dominic and Shiao Yi were dead.

He worked day and night with a desperate determination in his eyes.

Rumor had it that his drive even inspired Mr. Vundo, the president of the Central Magic Association, to throw himself into work as well.

Mr. Vundo had been visiting the Dominic estate once or twice a week ever since Lord Dominic was a small child, guiding him through magical training.

Normally, someone of Vundo’s status would never serve as a personal tutor, but Lord Dominic’s magical power had been so far beyond normal limits that the old master had made a special exception.

Thinking back on those days filled Jude with a deep, aching nostalgia.

Ah... no, he couldn’t allow himself to grow sentimental now. Lately, he had found it harder and harder to hold back tears. Perhaps it was simply age catching up with him.

A week after the incident passed. Then ten days. Then two weeks. One by one, people began to recover from their grief and return to their daily lives.

The magic stone factory began operating smoothly and everyone’s attention turned toward the new hopes and possibilities it promised.

The capital slowly regained its energy and the air once again buzzed with excitement over the rise of this new industry.

And yet, even now, Jude continued his routine. He walking each day to the empty home of his missing master. He was the butler of this house; it was his duty. But more than that, he was afraid.

Afraid that if he stopped coming, if he treated the house as truly empty, it would mean admitting that Lord Dominic would never return.

So long as he continued his work, Jude believed, his master might still come home. It was more than a hope, more than a prayer, it was a quiet faith that guided his every day.

As always, he began by preparing Lord Dominic’s favorite tea. The morning, after all, should always begin with a cup of fine fragrant tea.

The sound of the back door opening told Jude that Eline had arrived. She, too, came every day without fail.

She would clean the rooms, restock the pantry and make sure everything was perfectly in order, ready for Lord Dominic’s return.

Soon, she would begin preparing breakfast.

Even if the food went untouched, she never stopped her work.

For both of them, this ritual was more than duty it was a promise that hope still lived within the quiet walls of an empty house.

Through the open back door, Jude could hear the familiar neigh of Lord Dominic’s beloved horse, Marengo.

It seemed that Lambard had arrived as well.

He was probably feeding Marengo at that very moment.

Every day without fail, Lambard cared for the horse, drew water from the well for the kitchen’s barrel and the bath and made sure the stables were clean.

Now, the tea leaves had fully opened.

The soft rich fragrance of the brew filled the living room.

Jude carefully warmed the teapot to keep it from cooling too quickly.

Then—

Bang!

A sound came from upstairs.

Jude froze while the teapot still in his hands.

Footsteps?

From the second floor?