God-Tier Extraction Talent: Reincarnated in a Game-like World! Chapter 517: Brothers

Scarlet exited first, pulling the door shut behind her.

In the silent room, the lock's faint click resonated far louder than expected. Gabriel lingered by the window for a few moments, his gaze fixed on the door she had just closed.

He released a gradual breath. Making his way back to the bed, he sank down onto it with force before collapsing fully. One hand rose to sweep his hair back from his forehead while his eyes remained glued to the ceiling.

Scarlet was aware now. Not merely of his presence in the castle, but that Darius Aston had fallen by his hand. Her intentions with this revelation posed the immediate dilemma, and for the first time, Gabriel lacked a straightforward solution.

He tilted his head faintly and breathed out through his nostrils.

"She didn’t react the way most people would."

This troubled him more than the interrogation. Scarlet hadn't issued threats. No guards had been summoned. Her voice hadn't even sharpened.

"Well, let’s see how things unfold from now," he muttered.

Deep within the castle, the atmosphere was far grimmer.

In a secluded office filled with bookshelves and hefty tomes, General Aston strode back and forth, face etched with severity. Though the space was heated, those present shivered from the aura emanating from him.

Every footfall heightened their tension. No one risked much movement, their breaths growing faint under the intense stare of one of the realm's mightiest figures.

Darius’s companions occupied the room alongside him.

These were the identical young aristocrats from the banquet hall. Pride and haughtiness had vanished from their faces. Perspiration beaded at their temples, spines rigid in that fearful stance meant to avoid any error.

General Aston ceased his pacing at last.

He pivoted toward them deliberately, causing the group to tense further. One nearly bowed his head reflexively but halted midway.

"Where could he have gone?" General Aston inquired.

Though his tone stayed low, it intensified the dread. His eyes scanned each face in turn.

"You were his friends," he continued. "If my son left midway through my banquet, you ought to know the reason."

The initial noble gulped, glancing at the floor briefly before compelling words out.

"General... after the princess turned him down, Darius grew sullen."

A second fellow nodded eagerly and picked up the thread.

"He kept glancing at the dance floor. Initially, we figured it was over Her Highness, yet soon it was clear he tracked the man she selected too."

General Aston's gaze sharpened as he absorbed this, hooked completely by the inaugural solid clue since the vanishing.

A hush descended over the chamber. The lead noble moistened his lips and pressed on.

"Once the dance concluded, the hatted man slipped from the hall unnoticed. Shortly thereafter, Darius followed. We figured he sought fresh air or a challenge, yet... he didn't return."

The other nodded once more, even more rigidly.

"That's why we suspect his vanishing links to that visitor."

General Aston's stare lingered on them.

Fidgeting was now unthinkable. The office's oppressive weight buckled one's knees, forcing him to brace them rigid.

Their honesty was evident to him.

Individuals of their caliber couldn't deceive under his influence. They might omit a minor fact from terror, but the core events stood revealed.

As he uttered it, Aston faced away from the group.

"You may leave."

They offered swift bows and departed, restraining any haste yet obviously eager to escape. Once the door clicked shut, silence reclaimed the office.

General Aston remained motionless briefly.

His gaze drifted to a framed image on a nearby shelf. Darius appeared more youthful there, posture erect, bearing that persistent defiant assurance which had both annoyed and gratified him.

Aston clenched his jaw. Darius possessed shortcomings. Excessive arrogance. Insufficient restraint. A tendency to internalize slights. Nevertheless, talent, lineage, and status promised greater prospects ahead. Under strict guidance, he might have served the kingdom well.

Just then, a rap echoed at the door.

General Aston held position at first. A beat later, his voice rang out sternly.

"Come in."

The door swung open, admitting a lofty figure.

General Aston's brow furrowed instantly upon sighting him.

It was none other than Torin Black Star who entered.

He bore his usual serene demeanor, attire spotless and somber, features so steady it bordered on insolence amid such tension.

"What are you doing here?" Aston demanded, irritation plain in his voice.

A sly smirk tugged at the corners of Torin’s mouth. "That is no way to greet family... especially not your stepbrother."

General Aston’s face stayed utterly impassive.

"Do not test my patience tonight, Torin."

"I am not here to test anything," Torin answered with composure while advancing deeper into the room. "I am here because I may know who is involved in your son’s disappearance."

As soon as those words escaped his lips, Aston’s eyes turned razor-sharp, and a heavy pressure thickened the surrounding air.

"Speak clearly," he demanded, his voice now tinged with obvious intrigue.

Torin came to a halt a few paces distant and placed one hand behind his back.

"I have reason to believe the one you are looking for is the same man who has been causing trouble in the city recently," he declared. "A man your banquet happened to host tonight."

General Aston locked eyes with him and swiftly pieced the clues together.

"The masked one?"

Torin offered a subtle nod, his faint smile persisting on his features.

"Yes. White Phantom. If we cooperate, we may be able to get rid of him."