Chapter 28: At The Westfall Residence
Morning then came. Edna rested near the river, closing her eyes for a moment to sleep. She only woke up when she heard some people making noises. Afterwards, she continued her journey again, leaving the men who were fishing in the river.
She passed the church where she witnessed Maximillian kill a priest. She also passed across the bridge where she saw her master for the first time.
Edna stopped at the end of the bridge. The bustling atmosphere of the city in the morning could be heard. She remembered that in the tranquility and serenity of the night, a very handsome man stood alone on the edge of the bridge.
Her master was the most handsome man Edna had ever met. His red hair was blazing like flames, while his high cheekbones made him look even more stunning.
Honestly, Edna would have fallen for the man if he didn't have such a terrible temper. She hardly ever looked him in the eye. Edna could only look at three hanging gold earrings attached to his right ear.
Somehow, those accessories always hypnotized her. Every time her master had breakfast or dinner, Edna, who was standing behind, only focused on looking at those earrings. The earrings felt quite familiar but also foreign for her.
No, Edna had to stop thinking about the man. She pulled down her hood over again and headed down the road to the Westfall residence.
***
When she arrived at the Westfall residence, Edna went around the iron fences that surrounded the residence. She frowned upon seeing some of the guards she didn't recognize. Moreover, most of them wore different uniforms.
Edna stopped at the back of the house. The fence and wall in that area was broken, and it hadn't been repaired yet. She often used this place to escape.
It seemed Edna could use it one more time to infiltrate the Westfall residence tonight.
Yup, Edna would carry out her mission after midnight when the guards rested and changed shifts. They wouldn't be patrolling around the mansion, only guarding the front gate.
Before that, Edna went to a tavern to fill her stomach using the money she had.
"The residence of Marquess Westfall has been pretty busy lately, huh?"
"Oh, didn't you hear? They say that one of their prisoners escaped yesterday, and several guards were injured. The King sent some Royal Knights to guard the Westfall residence."
"Wow, is their relationship with the King very close?"
"I think so. They seem closed. The Westfall family only does business with noble families. I don't know what business they do. Even my brother who works there doesn't speak a word about it."
"Hadn't they lost their first daughter?"
"Yeah, they've had a lot of bad luck lately. Being looted up to losing their beloved daughter"
Edna listened carefully. The girl lowered her hood as the men talked about the attempted murder Jonathan had been through.
"The culprit is the Marquess' trusted maid. That's why Marquess Westfall is devastated by all the misfortunes that have happened to them."
Edna felt guilty when they explained her father's condition. All of this was because of her. However, she did not regret her decision. If Edna stayed at the Westfall residence, she would have been made a wife by Jonathan.
Marrying Jonathan meant that she would become a living corpse. Just imagining it terrified her. It was much scarier than burying a corpse.
Edna spent her time waiting for the night at the tavern.
From all the news she had heard about the Westfall family, Edna had not once heard her name mentioned. She was only referred to as a nameless maid. The maid who was helped by Marquess Westfall on his expeditions in the sea.
It made Edna feel relieved.
***
Evening came.
Edna took out her pocket watch to check the time. At half-past three, she approached the desolate walls of the Westfall residence. The streets and city were very quiet. Not a single person was seen.
The girl was used to this kind of quietness. The mansion she shared with Luca and her master was much quieter than this.
Edna was ready to break into her old residence. Her hands gripped her robe tightly. From what she had observed, the Westfall residence looked like its usual night.
Dark, quiet, and unguarded. Edna climbed onto the lowest part of the wall and jumped quietly. She looked at her surroundings once more. She didn't hear any sound other than the sound of the crickets and her light footsteps.
After a few moments, Edna arrived at the west warehouse where Luca claimed he left his stuff. It was so quiet that she suddenly became nervous. The residence was strangely too quiet, and Edna didn't like it.
The girl ventured deeper to squeeze through the warehouse door. She almost groaned upon seeing the giant padlock on the door.
All in all, Edna never ran out of ideas. She knew the structure of the Westfall residence very well. The girl walked to the side where the air vent was.
Everything went so smoothly. Edna should be grateful for that, but something was bothering her. She tried to think of it, but nothing crossed her mind. Everything looked as usual.
Although it was said that the Royal Troops were sent to help guard the Westfall residence, it felt the same as the last time Edna was there. Moreover, not every knight wanted to stand guard on a cold night like this, especially at three in the morning when most people were sleeping.
Edna squeezed through the window vent easily. The warehouse was very dark. The girl deliberately opened the window from the inside to let the moonlight stream through. She then tried to find a candle and found it quickly.
After the candle was lit, Edna began to find an object left by Luca. That object was very important for her life, as well as Luca's life. It was her ticket to leave this kingdom. And it might be the only way for her to be free from her master.
Edna tried to remember what Luca had said. A long table with lots of bottles … Yup, she found the table! She needed to go downstairs where a barrel was, and behind the barrel was a small cloth bag. Edna found it right away.
The girl took another look at that thing. From what she heard from people's conversations in the tavern, she knew that Lucas had tried to sneak in and steal the object. The man, however, was caught and held captive for several days.
Edna became curious. How could a dragon like Luca be caught? What's more, Maximillian had to help Luca escape from this place.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone