ITVDWBE 67

~Chapter 67~

Ancia mimicked the countess’s condescending tone, raising her chin like a child imitating an adult.

“Are you mocking me while knowing the duke is fighting harder than anyone at the most dangerous front for this land?”

“Of course not. I’m simply saddened that Your Grace misinterprets my sincere advice. Regardless of which guild you visit, none would investigate something that could tarnish the reputation of the absolute ruler of Gwynid.”

“Tarnish his reputation? This isn’t a request about infidelity or a mistress.”

“If it were such a request, I’d have done my best to console your sorrow, Duchess.”

The guild master’s composed response and his feigned sad expression made Ancia consider the possibility that he was telling the truth.

Could Rishar be involved in Bianca’s disappearance? But then what did he mean by “something that could damage the duke”—while denying it was an affair? And more than anything, how did the guild master know that?

The questions made Ancia’s eyes sharpen.

“So you’ve planted spies in the duchy, haven’t you?”

“Spies? Not quite. Just a few curious little birds whispering mundane tidbits if you keep your ears open. I hope there’s no misunderstanding.”

To stand against the Gwynid family in the North was unthinkable.

If it involved the duke, no one would dare speak—especially not about something the duchess herself was investigating.

But Ancia had to know.

Only by finding Bianca could she set things right before Rishar returned from the monster subjugation.

“I think there’s been a misunderstanding.

Bianca is a maid I cherish deeply. The duke promised not to interfere with matters under my authority.”

“Is that so? What a shame the duke broke his promise.”

The guild master responded lightly, completely unfazed by her words.

“Your Grace will find that wielding your title or flashing a few coin pouches won’t easily open my lips.”

His whisper confirmed that the guild was indeed a hub of information. Ancia stood up calmly.

She could tell—this man knew something but had no intention of saying it. Watching his refusal, Ancia turned away with as much dignity as she could muster.

“Oh dear, if the duchess is leaving, allow me to escort you.”

The guild master followed her to the carriage, bowing repeatedly with a painted-on smile, practically groveling.

“Please visit us anytime. Our guild is capable of many things, for we know much.”

“Yes. I hope next time you’ll be willing to answer something.”

With Bianca missing and now having to deal with power games, Ancia’s head throbbed. Her legs trembled as she climbed into the carriage, and a groan escaped her lips the moment her back hit the seat.

Surely, there had to be some other way to find Bianca.

She forced herself to calm down as the carriage rocked gently.

Ancia scoured everywhere for Bianca. Despite Julie and Ellie’s pleas, her anxiety drove her to move personally.

She had even given gold to a maid out of gratitude and nearly collapsed just imagining the worst.

Could Bianca be hurt? And if so—by whom?

The guild master’s reaction strongly hinted at Rishar’s involvement, but no one would confirm it.

What if she lost Bianca for good?

Her growing feelings for Rishar and her concern for Bianca tangled into an unbearable knot that haunted her through the night. She couldn’t sleep and was left feverish.

The next morning, Ancia couldn’t even eat soup before attempting to rise again to search.

“My lady, please, you must rest!”

“We’ll search for her. Let us be your eyes and feet. Just rest for now.”

Her head was spinning from the moment she woke up. Giving in to their care, Ancia lay back down.

“Thank you. Please… I’m counting on you.”

Seeing Ancia so distressed she couldn’t eat, Ellie and Julie sprang into full action.

They searched every inn, shop, and gate until late into the night, tirelessly questioning guards and citizens. But aside from what they’d learned the first day, they found nothing new.

When they returned, bowed in apology, their exhaustion and regret were written all over their faces.

After sending them off, Ancia broke into sobs, a sharp, painful knot in her stomach.

“Where did you go, Bianca…”

The longer Bianca remained missing, the deeper Ancia’s fear grew.

Back when she had the original story as a weapon, her life had felt so manageable—happy, even. Now, everything was falling apart.

She tried hiring other people beyond Julie and Ellie. Gold pouches emptied one after another, but no witnesses emerged.

She even asked the knight trainees and guards, but still came up empty.

No one had seen Bianca leave. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.

If Bianca disappeared from Rishar’s side forever, Ancia’s plan to be cast off as the villainess would fall apart.

But… so what?

At this point, the story didn’t matter anymore. Her prideful assumption that she could control her own heart—and everyone else’s—was a mistake.

If Bianca had gotten hurt, if something had gone wrong…

Ancia would carry the guilt for the rest of her life.

So much had changed already. Her obsession with following the original plot had become dangerous. If it caused someone pain, it was simply unbearable.

Finally, she began erasing the plans she had clung to so tightly.

“I’m sorry, Bianca. This is all because of me. You did nothing wrong.”

Tears welled in Ancia’s eyes. Julie and Ellie, watching her silently, both pulled out handkerchiefs at the same time.

“No—I’m not going to cry. Not yet. I have to find Bianca first.”

Even if Bianca and Rishar never became lovers, Ancia vowed to save her.

Where should I start?

No one had seen Bianca. The last people to see her were likely the head maid or Rishar.

And both sightings had been inside the mansion.

What if… what if she never got to see Bianca running up to her again, eyes sparkling, cheeks puffed with stolen sweets? What if she never saw her again poking around the laundry or calling the storage room a treasure vault?

“The laundry room. The kitchen. The storerooms. We’ll turn over every inch.”

“My lady, we checked all of those places on the first day.”

Even so, they followed without complaint. If it gave Ancia strength, they would gladly do it again.

In the silence, Bianca slowly opened her eyes as the noises nearby faded.

She had heard movement through the wall—someone passing by—but the area had gone still again.

She thought for a moment about crying out for help, but… she couldn’t.

The betrayal by the head maid had left her terrified.

She was hiding in the least-visited part of the large storage area—a room filled with medicinal herbs.

No one in the duchy used those herbs; most injuries were treated with proper medicine. These dried gifts sat forgotten and dusty.

The personal physician might occasionally stop by, but in the past few days, no one had entered. The place reminded Bianca of the “treasure vault” she’d explored with wonder during errands.

She had originally entered here while fleeing the duchy, hoping to stop her bleeding… but then decided to stay and treat herself as best she could.