What Did I Miss?

"Has something occurred during my absence?"

Under the light of the morning sun, the city gate was cranked open. The heavy metal grid was slowly slid to the side. 

Out of the gate stepped a man in full plate armor with hints of wear from battle. Each shoulder carried a crowned "W". The chestplate had a downward greatsword emblazoned over his heart. Bowing his head, he dropped to one knee. "Lord Rifton, There is terrible news involving your estate."

With his fire-red sash on, Teward Rifton clenched the reigns of his oversized stallion. "My estate, you say? It's terrible news yet you have the gall to stop me here with your report, captain?" 

The captain stood up immediately and waved to another guard. "I will ride with you while I report, My Lord. There is not much we can do, but I will offer my assistance for whatever you require."

Teward nodded, willing to wait a few seconds as the guards brought their captain a horse. "If you say there is little you can do, then why spit out the news already. I will decide whether there is nothing we can do." 

Hopping onto this horse, the captain kicked his horse into action. He followed the massive stallion as best he could. "First and foremost, your family is fine. However, there were two incidents that occurred last night. One in the late afternoon. And one after nightfall.

"Your renowned assistant, Dr. Daevis made an attempt to kidnap Lady Elenia."

"That fool did what in my absence?!" 

C-Crunch!

The highly-compacted dirt cracked apart in clumps as the stallion picked up speed. Teward rode the stallion hard, steering past carriages without a care for anyone else on the road. 

"My Lord!" The captain gave chase but it was pushing his own horse to the limit just to straggle behind. "Lady Elenia is fine! Dr. Daevis fled the premises unsuccessfully, and we're in pursuit of him now!"

"All the more reason for me to be home, to protect my darling daughter and my dear wife!" 

When a carriage pulled across the upcoming intersection, the captain forced his steed to a harsh halt. 

Lord Rifton, however, cracked down on the reigns again. Without delay, the brawny stallion neighed and leaped over the stagecoach, never losing speed. 

Still, it took almost five minutes of strict riding and ignoring common traffic for Teward to reach his estate gates. 

"My Lord! My Lord has returned!" The guard on duty rushed to clear the path and alert everyone. 

Teward and his stallion bolted through the barely opened gate, clipping the stallion's side on the metal. But Teward didn't care about that. He was already dismounting and running toward the mansion doors. 

"My dear Teward!" The front doors were both thrown open by the lady of the house. "You're finally home!" 

Lord Rifton embraced his wife tightly. A small sigh of relief trickled out of his lungs. "My Dear… You're alright? Is Elenia okay?" 

"Our darling daughter is doing well, despite what she's had to go through," Ceenia answered, whispering into her husband's ear.

Her calm voice helped Teward ease up a bit more. Also whispering, Teward asked, "What happened? Tell me everything, My Dear."

With a nod, Ceenia guided her husband into the house. "Let's continue this talk in our room. Elenia deary is resting for now, so let's chat just the two of us for now."

The noble couple quickly made their way upstairs and into the main bedroom. 

Lord Rifton wasted no time, slamming the door shut while questioning, "Tell me, Ceenia, what did my depraved assistant dare to attempt in my absence?"

Ceenia claimed a seat on her couch and sipped some of her tea. "Right… I'll recount what Elenia says. 

"It started with Elenia going to the workshop for equipment. She wanted to experiment with a few things to guarantee graduating with honors. That's when she ran into Daevis…"

A wrathful vigor was painted over Ceenia's formerly calm expression. "The deplorable fiend convinced your daughter to follow him into the dungeon. There, they fought over her monster familiar, with the fiendish doctor fleeing from our daughter's flames." 

Teward raised a hand to pause her there. "By fiend, you mean to tell me that Daevis lured Elenia into the dungeon to experiment on her familiar? Only he intended to take them both?" 

"Yes, that's what I said," Ceenia replied with another sip of tea. 

"And our daughter fought off Dr. Daevis on her own? That's what you're telling me?" Teward rapped his fingers on the small table in impatience. 

Ceenia nodded again. "That is what Elenia tells me. And the guard on duty was put to sleep by Daevis. Drugged, I believe."

Suddenly, Teward marched straight for the door. 

"Wait, My Dear, that's not all." 

Stiffening his gaze, Lord Rifton gradually turned back toward his wife. "There's more to this story?" 

"Yes, though some might say it's a separate event altogether," Ceenia sighed and refilled her teacup.

"Well, what else did I miss?" Teward clenched his fist till his knuckles popped. "Tell me already!" 

Ceenia blinked. She sipped her tea. "... That fiend escaped." 

"You already said that." 

"Not the fiendish doctor. The fiend familiar," Ceenia corrected, annoyed that she had to clarify.

C-Crack…

The doorknob in Lord Teward's hand crumpled. It was nearly ripped out of the door, snapping the wood and destroying the intricate golden inlays. 

"What do you mean the fiend familiar escaped? How can that be if Dr. Daevis failed to get away?" Teward groaned. "Would this not mean that the treacherous doctor succeeded in the end?"

But Ceenia shook her head resolutely, unaffected by her husband's death glare. "That's not the case, My Dear. Because the fiend familiar escaped after nightfall, riding the Frostcat mother you were weakening."

"Both the familiar and the Frostcat escaped? Together?!" Lord Rifton had to let go of the door before he destroyed it completely. "How could a lv. 1 fiend escape its cell? And how could such a weak fiend proceed to tame a wild beast strong enough to kill both Daevis and our daughter?"

"I have no idea, My Dear. That is not my job nor my expertise." Groaning in displeasure, Ceenia rolled her eyes. "But they did escape. That's a fact. And the only clues they found as to how were these." 

Teward stormed over to the coffee table, instantly snatching the items Ceenia retrieved from her ring. He then marched back to the door and threw it open, cracking it apart in rage. 

"You may have to break her door down," Ceenia called out with a wave.

Lord Rifton nearly snarled as he breathed in and out with fuming fury. His loud stomps echoed through the house till he reached a bedroom door. Then, it was his pounding fist that alerted the entire house.

"Elenia! It's your father, open up!" 

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"NOW, Elenia! Open the door now!" Teward only stayed his hand when he heard someone on the other side. 

"... I don't feel like it." 

"ELENIANORE RIFTON! Open this door before I break it down! … NOW!" 

"... Fine." An annoyed sigh stopped the lord from pounding again. 

Teward waited a few seconds as he heard the lock jostling. As soon as the knob turned, he shoved the door open and stomped into the room. "Tell me, Elenia. What happened between you and my depraved assistant? Then, what happened for your familiar to escape?" 

Her eyes were heavy, unable to stay more than halfway open. Elenia walked with purposelessness till she plopped back onto her bed, face first. "I already told mother everything."

"Tell me as well, Elenia. I can't miss a single detail. Not with your familiar escaping on his own," reasoned Teward. "Unless you believe that fiend's escape was due to the doctor, I need to hear your side of the story in great detail."

"Uhhhgg… I wasn't in the dungeon when he escaped." Elenia rolled with her face buried in pillows. "I don't even know how he broke the familiar curse. Of course, I don't know how he got out, or how that cat got involved."

Squinting, Teward claimed a seat on the bed. "... Who is this 'he' that you're speaking of?"

The young woman shrugged and glanced back at her father. "I mean my familiar. My former familiar… See?"

When she raised her right hand, Teward carefully accepted the gesture. He proceeded to examine the back of her palm with a flash of mana. "... The crest is gone? It just vanished?" 

Elenia nodded. "Believe it or not but that's what happened. The crest vanished and then the guards started shouting soon after that. And the entire time I was in here, with Mother sitting in that chair. She's my witness." 

The tension in Teward's demeanor softened greatly. But the confusion and frustration in Lord Rifton's eyes only grew worse. "So… you say that Dr. Daevis was repelled by you, fleeing instead of kidnapping you and the familiar. Only for your fiend familiar to later escape the same night."

Rolling her eyes, Elenia threw her face back into the pillows. "Uh-huh. And don't forget the Frostcat. I didn't even know we had such a thing at the house until I heard the guards shouting about it nonstop."

By that point, Teward looked down at the few items in his grasp, replaying his daughter's words in his head. 

"... These shackles were broken. But there is corrosion as well. Elenia, do you know where this crystal was recovered?" 

Peeking out of the pillows, Elenia sighed, "Yeah. That's the one they found on the estate wall." 

"On our wall? Then why is it also partly corroded?" Lord Rifton asked, getting nothing but silence as an answer. "... Did your familiar have any skills, My Darling?" 

"I don't know. I didn't see any when we summoned him." Elenia continued to toss and turn. "I don't know anything else, so can I have my room back? I'd like some alone time, Father." 

Teward stood up and nodded to his daughter. "Very well… I'm not sure how to best help you, given the emotions you're likely going through. But I am your father. I love you and will give my all to protect you, Elenia. Please, do not forget this promise of mine." 

Elenia gave him a light wave as he started closing the door. "I know… Thank you. I've just got a lot on my mind right now." 

"Then I'll leave you be for now. But I expect to see your darling smile come dinner time." 

Before she could say no, Lord Rifton closed the door and walked away. He was already brainstorming the fiend's escape plan, all while balancing the broken shackles and damaged crystal in his hands. "When I get my hands on you, Daevis, I'll be sure to flay you caringly. That way I can have you healed time and time again during some much-deserved experiments."

Left alone in her room, Elenia grunted and bit her lip. "... You didn't have to go. My father isn't a bad guy."