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

Chapter 516: Scarlet Wants Answers [2]

Gabriel had expected this from the moment he opened his eyes in her room.

There was no way Scarlet would pull him out of that situation, treat his wounds, hide him here, and simply leave everything alone. She was too sharp for that. More importantly, she was too closely tied to the Valerian Kingdom to ignore what happened inside that castle.

He gave a small nod and turned fully toward her. "Sure."

Scarlet closed the door softly behind her and remained near it for a second. The fading sunset from the window cast a dim orange light across the room, while the lamp near the wall added a softer glow to the other side of her face.

"The first question is simple," she said. "What did you go to do in the castle?"

Gabriel kept his face neutral.

That question was expected. Lying carelessly here would be stupid. Scarlet might not call Alice, but she could if she wanted to. That meant he had to answer in a way that was true enough to survive the question without giving away more than necessary.

"I went there to get something," he replied.

Scarlet did not react much, but her gaze narrowed slightly.

"What thing?"

Gabriel held her eyes for a moment before answering.

"I would rather not disclose that."

Silence followed. Scarlet stood still with both hands at her sides. Most people would have pressed harder after hearing that answer. She did not. She simply accepted that line and moved on.

"Fine," she said. Her voice was flat, but the next question carried more weight.

"What happened to Darius?"

Gabriel’s posture did not change.

Scarlet took a slow breath and stepped away from the door. She stopped near the chair, one hand resting lightly on its back.

"You were wearing his armor when I found you," she said. "I also saw the way he looked at you in the banquet hall. He was angry before both of you left."

She paused for a second. "Did he attack you out of anger?"

Gabriel looked at her quietly.

That was the question that truly mattered. Not the castle. Not the key. Darius Aston was the son of General Aston. His disappearance was already causing movement outside, and Scarlet clearly knew enough to piece things together.

"You already figured it out," Gabriel said without much emotion.

Scarlet did not reply immediately. Her eyes remained on him. The room grew quiet again, and the soft sound of the evening wind outside the window became clearer. After a few seconds, she drew in a slow breath through her nose.

That answer was enough. She no longer needed him to confirm what kind of encounter it had been. The way he said it, the lack of denial, and the calm on his face all pointed in the same direction. Darius had confronted him, and it had escalated.

What exactly happened to him was now her main concern.

Scarlet’s fingers tightened once on the back of the chair before relaxing again.

"Where is he now?" she asked.

Gabriel did not answer right away.

For the first time since she entered, a small pause appeared on his face. It was not panic. It was not guilt. It was only hesitation, brief and controlled, but real enough that Scarlet noticed it immediately.

"That..." he said, then stopped. His voice did not continue.

The room seemed to hold its breath with him. Scarlet stood still by the chair, her eyes fixed on his face, while the last of the sunset light faded across the window behind him. Gabriel remained near the frame, one hand still resting lightly on it, his posture steady even with the bandages around his torso.

He could answer in several ways.

None of them would make the situation easier.

Scarlet did not rush him either. She simply waited, her expression unchanged, but the silence between them had grown heavier, and the tension in the air had risen sharply. Far below, faint city noise drifted up through the open window, but inside the room there was only silence.

One might ask why Gabriel, who was usually unbothered by the consequences of his actions, was hesitating. Anyone who came after him, no matter their position or influence, had always been dealt with without mercy.

He believed in acting first and dealing with the consequences later.

So why hesitate now?

The answer was simple. It was not because he was afraid of Scarlet. With his current strength, he could crush her with a few moves.

It was because this information, depending on how he presented it, could cost him a valuable ally.

Darius was not just missing. He was the point where this entire matter could spiral into something much worse, and both of them knew it.

Gabriel lowered his gaze briefly, then lifted it back to hers.

Scarlet’s face remained cold and still, yet the pressure in the room shifted. She already knew enough. She only needed to hear how much he was willing to say.

Gabriel exhaled quietly through his nose. His fingers eased off the window frame, but his body remained where it was, neither stepping forward nor backing away. There was no use pretending he did not understand what this question truly meant.

The fading light outside finally gave way to dusk. The room dimmed further, and the lamp near the wall became the main source of light. Scarlet’s shadow stretched faintly across the floor, while Gabriel remained half-lit by the window.

"He’s dead," Gabriel finally said. "I killed him."

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