Aster Veren
Episode 202's

- Carel

"So, can you explain it to me, sir?"

"There's no particular reason, you know son, too." He answered as he grabbed the teacup in front of him and took a sip.

"What?" I really don't understand what he said.

"Your family is closer to the police unit than my family is closer to the media, right? Of course I need the help of Alterio's family who are more professional in the investigation than my family. Besides, I'm sure I told your father that Rigel has entered my territory. Didn't he tell you?" Obviously it makes me turn my back, it's true that my family is closer to the police unit especially since the incident a few months ago.

But, still, the support cannot be accepted. Because this region is not the responsibility of the Alterio family, and again why are my father and grandfather so stubborn as to provide assistance to Albert? Even my sister too.

"Well, I saw it. But he managed to escape." I said after a long sigh, trying to calm myself down for unintentionally letting that person escape.

"Isn't that bad?" The question made me frown, what does it mean badly? No matter where he is, he won't be able to do much to touch the Veren family or my family.

"You haven't got this information?" Ask again while giving a blue file in front of me. I lazily grabbed the file to confirm what he was talking about.

My eyes were again made to widen in surprise when I read the information written in them, then I turned my gaze to the old man before me. I saw that he was looking at me with a flat expression that I couldn't understand.

"What does this mean?" I asked to sharpen my vision, even without realizing my hand had squeezed the file in my hand while the other hand was pounding the table in front of me.

How could information of this magnitude be late for my family? And what does that mean with the Veren family ring written there? Who got it? Why did he sell it? Kapan— Batinku wondered and stopped when he saw the photo of the ring attached in the file.

"This?"

"really. That's Ansel's wedding ring." His words made my eyes diverted back to him.

"How come? Did the old man sell it? No. .. It says here a young woman sold it?" I asked to pay attention to the writing in the file I was holding.

Young lady? My mind suddenly remembered the figure of Aster. If you don't remember wrong, I've seen him wearing a necklace with a ring that's similar?

"Hey old man. Can you tell me why you just came in with a piece of burnt cloth that day?" I asked when I found the awkwardness in my head, didn't I? If he wanted to he could carry more powerful evidence than just a burnt piece of cloth. Because after all this ring lasted longer in the flames, it should still be in the ruins of the burning building even though the fire was extinguished.

Not to mention that this person said that only this cloth was left, I who was thinking about it now just felt astonished that no body was found in the building after the blaze was successfully extinguished. If the cloth can survive, why isn't the body there? Where did the body go? That was the question that had been haunting me all this time and made me secretly dig up information about the events of that day without anyone knowing.

"Because that's all I can save." His answer further strengthened my suspicions.

It seems like my guess has been right all along. This Albert has something to do with the disappearance of Aster's body. Or ... lest Aster be alive all this time? And he hid it from everyone? But kena—pa? My mind stopped thinking as the shadow of a skinny man in the bakery flashed swiftly in my head.

"It can't be, right?" I muttered again trying to stop my stupid thoughts, but when I remembered his expression that seemed so familiar to me, a familiar feeling that feels strange from the person I first met and the intent of his tears that day—what does that mean?

***

My foot in the Veren residence made Hans and Eric surprised by my sudden arrival.

"Young master?" Eric didn't stop me.

"Where is the old man?" I asked to find Mr. Ansel's whereabouts. I actually came to confirm the ring in the photo I was carrying with me along with the file I had forcibly requested from Albert.

"Old man!" Shouted me as I opened the door of the Veren family's study room and found Uncle Arsel there.

"Carel? Why are you coming all night like this?" Her question made me glance at the wall clock that already showed at 02:30 am. I didn't even realize time had passed so quickly since I left Albert's residence.

"You don't deserve to ask me that question while you're still working at this late hour yourself. It's almost morning." My grunts were followed by Eric and Hans.

"I'm sorry for not being able to stop Mr. Carel sir." Eric seemed to regret that Hans had not said anything since my arrival.

"Forget it and get the old man for me. I'll wait here." I immediately threw my body on the sofa beside me.

"Old man?" Uncle Arsel's mumbling looked confused.

"Mr Ansel is still sleeping in his room." Eric tested my patience.

"Just wake up."

"But—"

"Do I have to repeat my words again?" I immediately cut off his words. I'm really impatient right now, though, I wanted to make sure I was clear by asking the person in question so I could digest my situation more deeply and take the next step in the decision I was going to make. But why are they so slow?

"Go and wake up." Uncle Arsel's words after a long sigh made Hans rush over as Eric turned his head towards him.

"But Carel, why are you in such a hurry? Come this early and make a fuss? I guess you've changed a lot, it's still the same as you used to." Then sit on the sofa facing me.

"Please take it that way." My grunts don't want to argue any further with him.

Long enough I waited in silence, Hans finally returned together with the pitiful-looking master. I see he's been looking at me sharply, is he angry because I interrupted his sleep?

"Why would this troublemaker want to see me at this hour?" He asked after taking a seat next to Uncle Arsel.

"You still look pathetic, don't you?" My insinuation made her sharpen her gaze even more, but strangely it did not scare me in the least. Whereas in the past, I would have immediately avoided his gaze like a fool.

"I came because ...," I continued back to a standstill when I saw the ring that was coiled on the old man's ring finger, the ring that looked the same as the one I saw from the photo.

"That! Is that your wedding ring, old man?" My question then got everyone's attention fixed on the ring worn by him.

"really. Why are you interested in this?" The answer asked back and immediately leaned his body on the back of the sofa chair he was sitting on.

"Hah~ haha—hahahaha, crazy! Hahaha, this is crazy." My words could not stop my laughter when all my suspicions began to prove. It was like finding a speck of light in the darkness I was staring at.

I, who had been feeling crazy myself for not being able to accept Aster's death, secretly mobilized several people to investigate the case that day and look for clues about the disappearance of Aster's body. And think Aster was still alive when everyone started accepting his death. Finally, I finally found a clue about him—Aster.

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Thanks for reading...