Reborn into Beast Tamer Clan with Monsters-Only Affinity-Chapter 45: Strange

As soon as Seraphina stepped out of the grand hall, she nearly bumped into Andrius, who was walking briskly alongside Vivienne and the physician. They exchanged nods, a silent acknowledgment of the chaos they had all just faced. Seraphina gave them a slight smile before continuing down the hallway, her footsteps fading away.

Vivienne, Andrius, and the physician entered the hall, making their way to the center with the physician move to the side leaving vivienne and andrius to the middle.

Duke’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied their expressions. "Any reports from the capital?" the Duke asked,

"Yes, Father " Vivienne began, "The situation at the castle has been managed. No one is harmed, and their Majesties, along with the prince and princess, are unharmed thanks to the swift action of the knights."

The Duke’s shoulders seemed to relax slightly, "Good... and the damages?"

"There were some damages, Your Grace," Vivienne replied. "The goblins seemed to be attracted to something within the castle grounds. They targeted specific areas, as if searching for something."

The Duke’s eyes darkened with suspicion, his fingers tapping thoughtfully against his arm. "Attracted? To what?"

"We are still investigating what exactly attracted them, Father," she replied carefully, "There was something that drew them in, but we haven’t identified it yet."

"And what of the wyverns and goblins? How did they die like that?"

Andrius straightened his posture and cleared his throat. "When we examined their bodies earlier..." he began, choosing his words carefully, "it seemed as if their mana had been completely sucked out."

The Duke’s frown deepened, lines creasing his forehead. "Mana... sucked out?"

"Yes, Father," Andrius confirmed. "And it’s only those that fell near the mansion. We received reports from the knights stationed around the perimeter. The wyverns that were circling from other areas retreated as well. It was as if they suddenly sensed danger and fled."

"Danger?" the Duke echoed, "Are you saying something drained their mana so completely that it forced the others to retreat?"

"That is our assumption for now, Father," Andrius replied. "But... we’ve never seen anything like it before."

The room fell silent for a moment, The Duke’s expression hardened. "I want every detail uncovered. Search the grounds. Question the guards. Whatever did this... we need to know," he ordered firmly.

"Yes, Father," both Vivienne and Andrius responded in unison, bowing their heads.

Later on, The grand hall had emptied. Only the fading echoes of hurried footsteps remained as the Duke of Dravenhart moved through the corridors Behind him, the court physician and other servants followed in silence, holding a satchel of supplies and a notebook half-filled with medical observations.

Once inside the Duke’s study, he sat down in the high-backed chair behind his desk.

"Well?" he asked without turning, his voice steady and commanding. "How is he?"

The physician stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Young Master Axelius is currently stable, Duke."

The Duke’s gaze shifted, sharp and attentive. "How long until he fully recovers?"

"With proper care, his minor wounds should close in several days. A week at most," the physician replied. "He needs rest, nourishment, and to avoid straining himself."

The Duke gave a short nod, but the physician lingered, his brows furrowing slightly.

"There’s something else, Duke," the man added after a pause. "When I examined him... I expected worse. From the reports I received, he was said to be in critical condition, with severe internal bleeding and dangerous levels of blood loss. But the wounds I treated, while serious, were not fatal. In fact... it was almost as if someone had already begun the healing process."

"Then, Have you seen some traces?"

"There... were no visible signs of healing magic. No lingering traces of spellwork, But it felt really strange Duke." The physician said.

"I appreciate your concern, However, if no spell was found then perhaps the boy’s constitution is stronger than we believed."

The physician hesitated, unsure. "Yes, Duke. Of course."

The man bowed again. "Of course, Duke."

"Good. You may go."

As the physician turned and quietly exited the room, the Duke stood and walked to the window, pulling the curtain back just enough to peer through the narrow gap.

The Duke remained standing by the window, silent and unmoving, watching as the physician’s carriage rolled away from the estate. The horses’ hooves clattered rhythmically against the stone path, echoing through the quiet courtyard. Only when the carriage passed beyond the gate and out of sight did he release a slow breath, his gaze thoughtful.

A soft knock came from the door.

"Enter," he said, his tone even.

The door opened slightly, and his butler stepped inside with a low bow. "Duke, the physician has departed safely."

The Duke turned away from the window and nodded once. "Good. Now, call Millie Cartwright. Bring her to me—along with Vivienne and Andrius."

"At once, Duke."

The butler bowed again and exited with quiet efficiency.

The study fell into silence once more, save for the crackle of the fire. The Duke walked back to his desk and sat down, folding his hands as he waited. Time passed slowly, but he remained patient, knowing full well the weight of the discussion to come.

Minutes later, the door opened again—this time with the sound of hurried footsteps.

Vivienne entered first, her posture composed but her eyes curious. Andrius followed closely behind, brows slightly furrowed. Then came Millie, walking a step behind them, her head lowered respectfully. She had changed out of her bloodstained apron, though she still looked pale and tired from earlier.

They stopped at the center of the room, standing in a neat line before the Duke’s desk.

"You called for us, Father?" Vivienne asked gently.

The Duke didn’t answer immediately. His gaze swept across the three of them—lingering for a moment on Millie, whose hands were clasped tightly in front of her, her shoulders tense.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low but commanding. "Yes. I did."

He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the desk. "There are things we must speak of—things that must remain within this room."

Millie’s fingers curled tightly, her green eyes flickering with unease.

Vivienne straightened. "We understand."