God-Tier Extraction Talent: Reincarnated in a Game-like World! Chapter 515: Scarlet Wants Answers[1]

Having remained silent for some time, Gabriel accessed the forum.

In the hushed room, a screen materialized before him, immediately capturing his focus with precisely what he had foreseen.

Reports concerning Darius Aston were already circulating everywhere.

A fresh thread dominated the top spot, amassing hundreds of responses.

[Breaking News: Darius Aston missing after General Aston’s banquet]

His gaze glided over the post with composed steadiness.

Comments raced below at a frantic pace.

Player 1: No way. The general’s son just disappeared like that?

Player 2: This city is getting crazier every day.

Player 3: I heard a bounty has already been posted.

Player 4: Confirmed. Anyone who finds him or gives real information gets paid.

He kept scrolling downward.

Player 5: How much?

Player 6: A lot. Enough to make every information broker in Stellar City start sniffing around.

Player 7: He probably went off with some noble lady and the old man is overreacting.

Player 8: You do not put that kind of bounty on a missing rich brat unless people are panicking.

Gabriel observed the posts without a flicker of emotion. All their efforts were pointless. Darius Aston would elude true discovery by anyone.

Nothing remained to uncover. He had slain Darius with his own hands. The corpse was fully consumed. The man had vanished utterly.

Leaning back lightly against the headboard, he scanned more replies until his eyes sharpened faintly. Players hurled wild guesses, yet stayed far from the truth. They still saw it as a mere disappearance rather than the brutal reality. Their theories echoed a familiar chaos, born from scraps of knowledge that sparked involvement without true insight.

He sped past them without pause.

Something else held his real interest.

Any links the castle might have forged so far.

From the night's witnessed events, Gabriel felt assured the king suspected nothing of his role. More likely, the ruler would conclude Darius himself had plunged from the window. The armor, the precise timing, the exact spot—all signs converged there.

Furthermore, drawing from what he'd glimpsed in that stark chamber, he questioned whether the king would ever emerge to explain to the masses. That aura didn't belong to one who justified actions to underlings. A rare detachment defined those indifferent to others' judgments, and the king embodied it completely.

Silence from the palace, then... for the time being.

He shut the thread, switched to his messages, and fired off a brief note to XMan.

[I am fine. I got the key.]

He lingered on the display a moment, appended nothing further, and fully exited the forum.

Gabriel pushed the screen away and fixed his stare on the ceiling. Deep breaths still sent pain through his ribs. His arm had mended somewhat, though the skin near the injury pulled taut. That night's wounds ran deeper than he'd confess, and only Scarlet's flawless treatment kept him operational.

After additional rest that restored vigor to his limbs, he sat up fully and examined his surroundings with care. The chamber spanned generously yet simply. Plain furnishings created a harmonious feel, evoking a contemporary space crafted through restraint over extravagance.

Folded garments occupied one shelf. Books stood neatly spaced on another. Walls stayed unadorned, with hues mainly from warm timber and gentle window light. No item lingered without purpose.

His attention drifted to one wall and halted there.

A rack for weapons leaned against it.

Elegant blades lined it methodically, each spotless and meticulously preserved. They screamed utility, not show. From afar, signs of genuine, repeated handling shone through—grips bearing subtle erosion from prolonged, earnest wielding, beyond mere drills.

"It seems she brought me to her room."

His eyes swept the bed, sparse fixtures, and orderly setup once again. Scarlet hadn't chosen a visitor's quarters for him.

She had carried him to her own space.

This truth struck him harder than anticipated. Icy, aloof, unyielding—she naturally repelled closeness. Yet here he rested in her private domain, bandaged and concealed as the city hunted a vanished elite.

It clashed sharply with the image he'd formed of her.

Uncertain how to process it, he shoved the notion aside.

Gabriel breathed out softly and swung his legs off the bed.

The air's familiar aroma had teased him since awakening, but its source dawned on him now. A delicate freshness lingered—water, crisp linens, faint soap. An understated essence mirroring Scarlet, overlooked in her presence but enveloping vividly without her.

Though his body still ached, the most debilitating weakness had receded enough for him to walk unaided. Cautiously, he approached the window and rested one hand gently on the frame. Outside, the sky was drifting toward dusk.

Below, the city basked in a muted orange glow. Rooftops seized the final sunrays, while distant streets started to dim. From this height, Stellar City seemed far more peaceful than it truly was nearby.

Gabriel observed the waning light without a word.

"How did I ever get fooled into believing this was a game world?" he murmured softly.

Right then, a knock echoed from behind him.

Before he could reply, the door creaked open and Scarlet entered. Her face remained as usual—composed and inscrutable—and her stance stayed upright as she closed the door. She wore her guild outfit still, suggesting she'd come straight from duties elsewhere.

She glanced at him quickly, scanning his posture, his breaths, and that he was no longer bedridden. Her eyes flicked about like one conducting a swift check without seeming to.

"Now that you feel better," Scarlet said at last, "there are things we need to talk about."