Reborn into Beast Tamer Clan with Monsters-Only Affinity-Chapter 43: How could this happen?!

The grand hall was filled with tension. Every guard, maid, and butler stood in line, heads bowed, faces pale. The heavy wooden doors slammed shut behind the Duke as he strode to the center of the room, his boots echoing off the marble floors. His expression was dark, eyes sharp with fury.

"How could this happen?" the Duke’s voice boomed, sending a shiver through everyone present. "Ellory, Cyruz, and Axelius—all injured! Where were you?" He glared at the guards, their heads bowed even lower.

"I trusted you to protect them, and you failed."

No one dared to answer. The silence stretched painfully long until the Duke’s eyes narrowed. "Elias!"

From the line, Elias stepped forward, kneeling down on one knee. His left arm was bandaged, and a thin line of blood stained his cheek. "I am here, My Lord," he said, voice steady but strained.

The Duke took a step closer, his eyes blazing with anger. "You were supposed to be with Axelius. Where were you?"

Elias kept his head low, his fists clenched at his sides. "I... I was caught up with the wyverns in the west wing, My Lord. I tried to—"

"Tried?" the Duke’s voice grew louder. "Trying is not enough! My son was nearly taken by those filthy goblins, and you weren’t there! You were supposed to protect him with your life!"

Elias did not flinch, even as the Duke’s voice thundered above him. "I accept full responsibility, My Lord. I deserve punishment," he said, heavy with regret.

The grand hall fell into silence as the heavy doors creaked open once again. Everyone turned to look, their eyes widening in shock. Ellory, bandaged in the head and pale, was being carried by a maid, her small arms wrapped around the maid’s neck for support. Beside the Duke, the Duchess rose from her seat, her eyes full of worry.

"Ellory!" the Duchess cried out, her voice trembling. "Why are you here? You should be resting! Go back to your room, darling."

But Ellory shook her head firmly, her eyes locked on Elias, who was still kneeling before the Duke. "No, Mother... I need to be here." Her voice, though weak, echoed through the hall with surprising strength.

The maid hesitated, but Ellory squirmed in her hold. "Put me down, please," she whispered. The maid looked uncertainly at the Duchess, who reluctantly nodded.

Gently, the maid set Ellory on her feet, and the young girl stumbled slightly before finding her balance. Her hands gripped her dress tightly as she walked forward, her footsteps slow but determined, until she reached Elias’s side.

"Ellory, what are you doing here?" the Duke asked, his tone firm but with a hint of softness.

Ellory took a shaky breath and bowed her head. "I’m here to apologize for Sir Elias," she began, her voice wavering slightly. "It wasn’t his fault... It was mine... Cyruz and I wanted to stay with Sir Elias. He told us he needed to go to Axelius, but we insisted... We wouldn’t let him leave..."

The hall went dead silent. Even the guards exchanged glances of surprise. Elias raised his head slightly, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Young Lady..." he whispered, but Ellory continued.

"If anyone should be punished, it should be me..." she said, her voice cracking. "I’m the reason he wasn’t there to protect Brother..." Her eyes shone with tears, and she looked up at her father, pleadingly. "Please don’t punish him, Father. Punish me instead..."

The Duke’s expression softened, the hardness in his eyes melting away as he looked at his daughter. "My Ellory..." he whispered, his voice barely above a breath. "Don’t say that..."

But Ellory didn’t stop. She dropped to her knees beside Elias, ignoring the gasps of shock from the maids and guards. "Please, Father... I’m begging you..." Tears spilled down her cheeks, her small hands gripping the edge of her dress tightly. "It was my fault. If you want to punish someone, punish me..."

Elias’s eyes glistened, and he reached out to steady her, his hand gentle on her shoulder. "Lady Ellory... please..." he murmured,

The Duchess hurried to her daughter’s side, kneeling beside her and wrapping her arms around her shoulders. "Ellory, sweetheart... you shouldn’t be out of bed..." she whispered, wiping the tears from her daughter’s cheeks.

The Duke stood still, his eyes locked on the sight of his young daughter kneeling and pleading before him. "What happened out there?"

A ripple of tension spread through the room, and the guards exchanged nervous glances. Finally, one of the senior guards stepped forward, bowing his head deeply before speaking.

"My Lord," he began, voice steady but respectful. "Young Lady Ellory and Young Master Cyruz were in the garden, along with Sir Elias. They were playing, It happened too quickly, My Lord," the guard continued, straightening his posture. "The wyverns came down, There were... too many. They attacked the garden directly, overwhelming the area."

A murmur spread through the hall, whispers of disbelief and shock.

"It’s thanks to Sir Elias that Young Lady Ellory and Young Master Cyruz’s lives were not in grave danger," the guard added, his tone filled with respect. "He fought them off long enough for us to intervene. If it were not for his efforts..." He didn’t need to finish the sentence. The silence that followed spoke volumes.

The Duke jaw clenched, and he took a deep breath before turning his gaze back to Elias. "You are lucky my daughter cares so deeply for you," he said, his voice stern but not as sharp as before. "But know this, Elias... I will not tolerate another mistake like this. Do you understand?"

Elias bowed his head lower, his voice firm. "I understand, My Lord."

The Duke’s gaze returned to Ellory, his eyes softening. "Get her back to her room," he ordered gently, nodding to the Duchess. "And make sure she rests."

The Duchess nodded, helping Ellory to her feet, but the young girl turned back to Elias one last time, her eyes red "Thank you, Sir Elias..." she whispered, before being led away by her mother.