Placing his hands warmly on Sieghart's shoulders, he drew him in closer, his voice gentle yet firm.
"Sieghart, my son, you're an adult. A man," Greldine smiled proudl. "You possess the knowledge of Grand magic, and I have faith that you are more than capable of protecting our family."
He nodded, understanding the weight of Greldine's words.
"You can count on me, Father," Sieghart replied solemnly. "I'll return to the mansion with the Duke's wife and our mothers, and ensure our guards keeps everyone safe."
...I doubt the captors give a damn about the Duke's family though. From the looks of it, they only care about the girl...
Vel... Veloa... Verla... Velice...
Still, the Duke has poor planning or maybe he's just on edge... I mean, he left himself and this mansion barely protected. Then again, his guards are protecting his family and searching for Velice. So, I can't really fault him for his poor decision making.
"Greldine, what do you plan to do?" Elena implored, her eyes pleading for reassurance.
Greldine let out a heavy sigh, the weight of his duty seriously pressing down on him.
He looked into Elena's eyes.
"There's a likelihood that the murderer has fled, but I can't take any chances," he explained. "I must search the entire mansion with the remaining guards left."
Sieghart sighed, And yet here you are making the longest dialogue possible. They've been saying murder since, I hope they don't think she's dead. Hmm, maybe she is...?
Then, he suddenly had a strong hunch that Nune was dead.
Hmm, how tragic.
Worry etched across her face, Elena voiced her concern. "But that could be dangerous!" she exclaimed; there was fear in her voice.
Greldine nodded, accepting the risks involved, but knowing he had a duty to fulfill.
"Indeed, my love, it will be perilous," he admitted with a steady voice. "But as the head of the Zegion house, I cannot turn tail and run."
Elena's eyes welled up with tears as she embraced Greldine tightly, her voice choked with emotion. "Okay."
To ease his father's mind, Sieghart threw in some deception.
"Father, what if the captor came back to kidnap more of the Duke's children but got caught by the maid?"
Greldine paused for a moment, his hand gently resting on his son's shoulder.
His face turned serious as he considered the possibility, but then shook his head.
"That may be a possibility, Sieghart, but it's not important for us to focus on that now. We must first ensure the safety of our family and find a way to send word to the royal capital about the events that have transpired." [Greldine]
Sieghart nodded.
"I understand, Father. I'll make haste and leave for the mansion," he declared, his voice firm.
Greldine smiled at his son.
Sieghart, Martha, Stella and Elena made their way towards the waiting coachman. As he climbed into the carriage, he glanced back at his father, their eyes exchanging a silent understanding before the door closed.
...
After bidding farewell to Sieghart and the coachman, Greldine was left alone with his troubled thoughts.
He ran back up to join Sonova and Hermann.
The way her body was positioned and the sight of blood, particularly from her vagina, indicated a horrific violation that disturbed Greldine.
The brutal nature of the crime was undeniable.
Sieghart's theory lingered in Greldine's mind, although he couldn't fully embrace it.
There were too many unanswered questions, too many variables that didn't quite fit. The possibility that the captor had returned to kidnap more of the Duke's children seemed plausible, yet there was no concrete evidence to support it.
The Duke's lack of preparation worried Greldine's thoughts.
He found it incredulous that the Duke, as the most valuable person in the Goldcrest family, had left himself barely protected. It was a grave miscalculation on the Duke's part, and one that Greldine couldn't fully comprehend.
The deployment of almost all the guards, leaving the Duke vulnerable, was a clear sign of his inexperience and lack of strategic thinking.
This lack of expertise stemmed from the Duke's unexpected rise to power.
Originally, it was meant to be his older brother, the more experienced and capable one, who was destined to lead the Goldcrest family.
However, the Duke had seized control through a display of military might, resorting to what could be called "bigger army diplomacy." It was a political maneuver that lacked finesse and left the Goldcrest family with a leader ill-equipped for the challenges that lay ahead.
The Duke's incompetence and lack of foresight had not only endangered his own family but had also inadvertently alerted Velice's captors to the ongoing search efforts.
The public announcement of the Duke's daughter's disappearance had placed the captors on high alert, making the task of locating and rescuing Velice even more challenging.
...
Greldine made his way back to Sonova and a visibly shaken Hermann.
As he approached, Sonova turned to him, concern etching his features.
"Greldine, how's everything going?" he asked.
Greldine gave a reassuring smile, though there was a hint of exhaustion in his eyes.
"It's fine, Sonova. Just fine," he replied, his grip tightening around the hilt of a longsword he held firmly in his hand.
Sonova's eyes flickered to the weapon, curiosity overcoming his fear.
"What's that for?" he asked, pointing at the blade.
Greldine glanced at the mansion's grand entrance, his expression turning grim.
"I was searching the mansion. I had to be prepared, to protect myself," he stated.
Sonova nodded, understanding the severity of the situation.
He turned back to Hermann, who was still trembling with fear.
A concerned frown creased his forehead.
"Hermann, you need to pull yourself together," Sonova urged, trying his best to comfort his shaken friend.
Greldine, growing frustrated with Hermann's panicked state, reached out and slapped him on the shoulder.
"Enough of this nonsense, Hermann! You need to focus," he snapped, his voice stern.
Greldine neglected using honorifics to refer to the Duke.
The sudden jolt seemed to snap Hermann out of his daze, his eyes widening with realization.
He took a moment to steady himself, his trembling hands gripping the edges of his clothing.
"You're right, Greldine, Sonova," he managed to say, gratitude carrying his words. "I have a duty as the Duke of Goldcrest, and I must fulfill it."
Greldine nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips, proud of Hermann's resolve.
"That's the spirit, Your Grace. The first step is to think straight," he affirmed, genuine encouragement protruded his voice.
Hermann nodded. "You're right. I can do this."
Sonova's smile widened, relieved to see Hermann regain his composure.
"We're here for you, Hermann. We'll support you every step of the way," he assured him, loyalty in every tone of his voice.
"Greldine... what do we do now?" Hermann asked.
"We'll use the information from the servants you interrogated to see what we can do.." [Greldine]
"I didn't interrogate any of them... was I meant to?" [Hermann]
Greldine slapped his forehead, frustration building up.
"You honestly didn't do the first thing anyone would've done in this kind of situation?" [Sonova]
Hermann felt foolish. Not even knowing how to respond.
"Your Grace, think carefully. Who was the last person with Velice after the party?" he inquired.
Hermann furrowed his brows, his mind racing as he dug deep into his memory.
After a moment of contemplation, he finally recalled, "It... it was Nune, our loyal maid. She was the one who saw her last."
Greldine let out a heavy sigh, his shoulder sagging with the weight of the revelation.
"Nune... if she were still alive, she'd be our prime suspect," he stated gravely.
Hermann's eyes widened in disbelief, a protest ringing in his voice.
"No, that can't be true! Nune would never do such a thing. She's been my most trusted servant for years," he argued.
Sonova, his expression somber, interjected wisely.
"Hermann, you must understand that everyone has their price. No one is exempt from that rule, not even Nune," he stated.
Greldine's voice hardened, his eyes locking onto Hermann's.
"Right now, discussing Nune is not our priority. We need to act swiftly. We must make our way to the royal capital and seek aid from the Holy Knights. They might have the resources needed to find Velice," said Greldine.
Sonova nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, they might also have mages with the ability to use [Search] spells, enabling them to track down Velice faster," he added.
Hermann, his face pale but determined, nodded as well.
"You're right. We'll head to the royal capital immediately. But I can't leave my servants unprotected. I'll leave a few guards here to ensure their safety, and they can carry out the interrogation even if it's too late." [Hermann]
"Okay then, I'll stay behind and monitor the interrogation.." [Sonova]
Greldine's expression softened, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Honestly... Sieghart just caused a lot of confusion.