This was annoying.
I was rubbing my neck as I entered the dining room reserved for lunch - it had an excellent full window view out into the south garden.
The dining room reserved for evening meals on the other hand had an alcove complete with a grand piano reserved for a small music quartet.
My half-memory was nagging at my brain similar to remembering the melody of a song, but neither the words nor even the title.
Both my mother and Katiana were already seated, and had been drinking tea while they waited for the food to be served from the kitchens.
"Ah, dear husband, today I decided to spoil big-sister with a specialty that you can also eat on a southern island nation - it is called pizza!" [Katiana]
My wife spoke as servants brought in several steaming very flat pies cut into slices and placed them on the table.
"Oh! This looks extravagant - and curios! And smells enticing! I think... yes! I've decide to have a slice of each!" [Mother Duchess, Wudemia]
Nozomi, Katiana's pet slime, appeared on her arm before sliding onto the table between her and mother.
For a moment it retained the same dark red skin as Katiana's dress, then slowly reverted back into its night-silk light-trapping black.
Its single eye gazed in my direction, and a thin tendril appeared and waved at me.
I unthinkingly waved back.
Oh?
A rare camouflage skill?
Not only Katiana, but this slime seems to harbor some secrets, too, it seems.
After lunch while we were finishing our coffee, Katiana looked up.
"Oh! I have to go fit the dresses I ordered, today! I almost forgot! I'm not going to ask dear husband, but does big-sister want to come along?" [Katiana]
"Why not? We can use my carriage... I have something I need to take care of in the capital anyway." [Mother Duchess, Wudemia]
"I need to go to Gina la Rose... is that convenient?" [Katiana]
"Oh, so do I!" [Mother Duchess, Wudemia]
And off these two went to the heart of the noble's shopping district - meanwhile I decided to go finish the pile of paperwork that is a big part of my duties.
It was around mid-afternoon when I felt a presence.
"Report."
"Sorry Dukey, we suspect your wife to have been kidnapped. But she doesn't seem to be in immediate danger - otherwise we would have acted." [Shadow]
Well, that is unexpected, who would dare mess with me or one of my people?
"How many agents can you gather?"
"There are three near where she was taken to making sure she is safe, and I have four bee-lining to the location right now - if we go now, we will all meet around the same time." [Shadow]
I grabbed Bear-Grim and strode outside - it seems someone has decided to commit suicide by angering me.
Three stable-hands had already prepared a half-dragon - on such a mount we will be at the kidnappers' location in less than 20 minutes.
We arrived in the warehouse district near the river port, at what looked to be a four floored office building.
Several agents arrived a few heartbeats later.
"I will enter in the front. Enter wherever you can."
With that I strode to the door.
It was locked.
For about a second.
As I entered what was obviously the foyer now littered with wood splinters from what used to be a heavy duty front door, I noticed broken and overturned furniture.
Random bodies in various twisted states were strewn around.
A few moments later a door at the back became splinters.
My mother strode out, with possibly the same expression on her face as was on mine - pure fury.
Behind her followed several maids - each armed with a short sword or long daggers.
Two of them also carried a mage staff in their off weapon hand.
"Found her yet? Nothing in the cellar." [Mother Duchess, Wudemia]
"Just got here. Up?"
Mother nodded and we rushed up the stairs - my mother's maid agents followed.
As we ran along the second-floor corridor, my agents popped in from rooms as we passed them, giving me the sign for "all clear".
We reached the next stairwell to the third floor - on this floor my agents and the maids swarmed the various rooms, and quickly regrouped.
All clear here, too.
On both the second and third floor, more bodies littered the corridor.
Parts of the corridor walls were caved in, as if hit by a giant fist.
Just as I put my foot on the stairs up to the forth floor, a figure popped in from a window.
"Hey Dukey, something is weird - none of these mugs are dead - which is unexpected given the damage they received... also signs of acid damage everywhere." [Shadow]
I nodded, and we all rushed up to the forth floor.
Here there was no corridor, just a large open space with many desks - many of them just splintered memories of their original forms.
More un-moving bodies were thrown around as if a child had rampaged in a doll collection.
A maid close to me looked over.
"Fifty-six bodies up to now - someone has been busy... I'm your mother's head-maid Gina, by the way, my Lordship." [Gina the Combat Maid]
I nodded at Gina, and my brain became itchy again at the mention of her name... that "melody" I was trying to remember this morning was getting some words added to it - Gina was certainly part of the puzzle, but how?
No time for this...
At the far end was a fancy carved double door - one panel was slightly ajar, and a familiar voice could be heard.
My mother and I each swung a panel of the double door open.
"... don't care if you have a beef with that good-for-nothing dead scum-bag who claimed to be my father - why you are picking on me, who grew up serving as a penniless, hard slaving maid for a good-for-nothing money grabbing mother-in-law who didn't waste even a half-penny on me, I just d..." [Katiana]
In the middle of an opulent office stood my wife.
In her left fist, dangling a foot off the ground with a face full of terror was a shortish fat well dressed balding man.
Her right fist was on her hip.
In one part of the room Katiana's slime Nozomi was perched on top of a small pile of goons, keeping a watch on its mistress with its one eye.
Between her words, as if to emphasize them, Katiana gave the hapless criminal a good shake.
I almost had a moment of respect for the fat man being shaken as if he was a rag doll - he had not yet fainted!
"Ah... Viscount Bannergain, I see. Figures that mafia moron would be involved. Are you all right dear? Looks like you had a bit of exercise." [Mother Duchess, Wudemia]
"Oh hi big-sis! And dear husband of mine! Um... Nitram, I can explain!" [Katiana]
I can tell whatever my wife comes up with now will be... entertaining.
tounokenja· Nov 28, 2021
Ah yes, Dear Husband Nitram would surely love to hear the explanation as to how his charming wife has apparently laid waste to an entire small army of goons.
