9 Runaway wife
After leaving the dining room, Canillas headed to his room which was located on the second floor of his mansion, intending to call it a day.
He left his mother who was still sitting alone in the dining room as she still objected to his intention to go after his wife despite the grounds he had conveyed.
Expecting him to marry an Archessan lady instead of a Terran was the excuse his mother gave to him for why she had no favor for the woman he had married, clearly explaining her cold attitude when she mentioned his wife.
He first thought that his wife might have offended his mother when he was away on a battlefield which caused his mother to turn a cold shoulder towards her. But now he knew that it was not as simple as he had assumed.
It was actually the same reason his mother had brought up when he first informed her about the royal decree of the marriage arrangement between him and a Terran noble lady.
He thought that his mother had come to a reality to accept the lady who had become his wife as she had no power to object to the decree. But it turned out that he was wrong. His mother still stood her ground with her unyielding manner.
However, he was in a position where he couldn't do much to change the mind of his mother to warmly accept his wife. He could only hope that time would play its role in letting his mother open her arms to fully welcome his wife.
Canillas didn't proceed to bed to sleep after finishing his bath despite his weary body. Instead, he went to the next-door room where his wife was supposed to occupy during her life in the von Rodega mansion.
Approaching the door that connected his and the lady's room, he turned the knob of the door and slowly pushed it open, only to find a dark, cold, and empty room which was enough to indicate that there was no sign of life in there for a long time.
Holding a candle that was lit on a candlestick, Canillas slowly stepped inside the room and lit the candles that were available there.
With the brightness engulfing the previous darkness, he placed the candle that he brought from his room on a table in the lady's room. He then made his way around the room, taking step after step at a slow pace as if he wanted to find and feel any trace that was left by the lady.
He slowly traced the dressing table with his fingertips before his gaze fell on a wardrobe across the bed.
Striding toward where the wardrobe was, he took some time to place his palm on the cold surface of the wardrobe door before pulling it open. Once it was opened, his entire being stiff in a daze at the sight that was discovered before his eyes.
The wardrobe was found to be empty, following the emptiness of the room.
He then moved in a rush, subsequently opening all the furniture in the room that could be used to keep stuff, and found the same condition as the wardrobe he opened before, empty. Not a single stuff was left behind by his wife.
Canillas tilted his head with his brows knitted as he was absorbed in deep thought.
If his wife just wanted to take some time for recuperation, why did she pack all of her stuff from this room? Wasn't it enough to at least leave some stuff like clothes behind? Unless… she intended to not return to Archess anymore.
With his jaw clenched, he stood there for a moment before leaving the empty room with decisive steps. His deep, green eyes looked darker now.
He should indeed go to Terra as soon as possible to find the answer directly from the seemingly running away wife of his and take her back no matter what the answer would be.
---
After surpassing a long, grueling journey for almost a month, Joanna could take a breath of relief once Sir Sylvester informed her that they would arrive at the de Lara mansion in one more hour.
She couldn't wait to free herself from the carriage that had made her sick of it and set in her mind to keep herself away from sitting in the carriage for the time being. She also felt impatient to stretch her body and take a comfortable sleep in her bedroom which had been vacant for about five months now.
It was also a relief that she and her entourage could pass all the obstacles that had threatened to prolong their journey, making them unable to reach Terra at the predicted time.
It was fine when they passed halfway through the journey as the roads were paved, making the trip less stressful. It was also easier for them to find inns that provided food and beds to rest.
However, when they were about to reach the border between Archess and Terra, approximately one week away from entering Terra, the roads were not in good condition as they were not only rocky but also muddy due to the rain that had poured for quite a long time.
It was also hard for Joanna's entourage to find a proper roof for a night. Therefore, they had to set up camp although it seemed to be dangerous as they might get attacked by outlaws or thieves, making Sir Sylvester and the knights of the Duchy of Barasca divided into two groups to shift for guarding the young lady.
Fortunately, there were no unwanted circumstances that happened during that time, and they could finally relax their defensive posture when they crossed into Terra.
It was at midnight when Joanna's entourage arrived at the de Lara mansion.
The Duke of Barasca, Joanna's father, had waited for the return of his daughter these past few days as it was hard to predict the exact time of their arrival as there might be some factors hindering their journey.
The Duke was quite surprised when he received a letter that was sent by his daughter about two weeks ago, informing him that she was on the way back home due to some health problems. He had turned worried although she said in the letter that it was not a dangerous illness.
When Joanna's carriage halted in front of the main door of the de Lara mansion, the Duke, who had been waiting on the porch since he received a prior announcement from one of the gate guards about the arrival of Joanna's entourage, hurriedly walked down the stairs toward the carriage as if he couldn't wait to see the well-being of his sole daughter.
As the door of the carriage was opened by the footman, without receiving the hand of the footman, which was held out to help her down, Joanna stepped down the carriage and dashed towards one of the two men whom she cherished with her whole heart and she hadn't seen for a long time.
"Father," Joanna whispered when she stood in front of her father, giving him a hug that was returned by her father immediately.
Joanna felt tears burning her eyes but she held it back. It would be hard for her to stop crying if she let a single drop of tears escape from her eyes at the very moment.
A few moments later, the Duke was first to break the hug as if recalling something. Pulling away, he grabbed Joanna's shoulders, looking at the face of his daughter with worry before scanning her from the top of her hair to her shoes as if trying to find the odds but finding nothing.
Focusing his eyes back on Joanna's face, the Duke furrowed his brows and asked, "How are you feeling, Ann? Are you still not feeling well?" There was a strong hint of worry that was apparent in either Duke John's facial expression or his voice.
At his worried father, Joanna offered a soft smile. Taking the warm hand of his father which was on one of her shoulders, she held it in both of hers. She answered, "How if we get inside first, Father? Otherwise, you will have to piggyback me as standing any longer here will make this exhausted daughter of yours unable to walk later." Joanna chuckled, trying to lighten the heavy look on her father's face.
The Duke returned the chuckle before turning it into a warm, soft smile, and made his way toward the mansion, together with the long-gone daughter who walked by his side at the moment.
