In the main hall, a profound silence reigned. Seated in the chair of highest honor, directly opposite the grand entrance, Arcanus Starling, well past his sixtieth year, fixed his fiery gaze ahead. His dignified posture exuded an invisible pressure, and the streaks of white in his temples betrayed no hint of frailty but instead conveyed an indomitable spirit.
On either side of the main hall, the second generation of the Bennu family sat upright, their postures rigid. Most had already surpassed their fortieth year, and each was a rarity among men, a dragon among humans. Yet in the presence of Arcanus Starling, they dared not make the slightest misstep.
Behind them stood the third generation of the Bennu family, the new blood, full of youthful vigor and the pride of youth. To stand in the main hall was a testament to their standing as the cream of the Bennu family's main household. Those of lesser stature had long been cast aside by Arcanus Starling to the branch families, left to their own devices. At this moment, Seraphina Starling and Phoenix Starling stood behind a middle-aged man, sneaking glances at Aurora Starling as she entered the room.
In the vast hall, all eyes fell upon the young girl standing before Arcanus Starling. Her unremarkable features, when compared to the striking beauty of the Bennu family's third generation, seemed exceptionally plain, even ugly. Her face bore an expression of innocent ignorance, and her frail, slender frame appeared too fragile to be a child of the Bennu lineage.
Ever since Aurora Starling's birth, the second generation of the Bennu family had been rife with disdain and suspicion for the girl whose appearance so thoroughly defied the family's aesthetic standards. Her father, Westley Starling, the youngest master of the Bennu family, was as handsome as jade and as elegant as the wind, captivating many with his grace and high level of skill in the magical art of Arcanergy. He was a singular talent in the family, highly regarded by Arcanus Starling. Westley Starling's wife was none other than Isabella Starling, the fairest beauty of the Dragon Pavilion Empire, whose beauty was beyond the description of mere mortals. Many a noble and king had vied for her affection, some even willing to spend their entire fortune for a smile from her.
Yet the daughter born to such a golden couple was not only far from breathtakingly beautiful but was, in fact, a plain little duckling that could disappear into a crowd.
The origins of Aurora Starling were a subject of much speculation within the Bennu family, but as Arcanus Starling had never publicly addressed the matter, the others could only murmur their conjectures in private. After all, Arcanus Starling was the true power behind the Bennu family.
At this moment, Arcanus Starling sat高高在上, his sharp gaze locked upon his granddaughter before him, his dignified face revealing not a single ripple of emotion.
His critical eyes, sharp as a blade, scrutinized his granddaughter, whom he had not seen for some time, and his brows furrowed slightly. At the sight of this, the others in the Bennu family couldn't help but smile inwardly.
Clearly, while Arcanus Starling acknowledged Aurora Starling's status, he was not pleased with this stain upon the family name.
All were silent, waiting for him to speak, and the main hall was filled with an oppressive quiet.
Arcanus Starling shifted his gaze from Aurora Starling and spoke, "Aurora Starling, you recently trespassed into forbidden grounds and caused a great scandal. Do you acknowledge your guilt?"
Arcanus Starling's voice was deep and resonant; he was not inquiring but stating a fact.
In the main hall, Aurora Starling blinked her large eyes, looking at this grandfather of hers, devoid of any emotion.
"Garrick Starling," Arcanus Starling called out.
"Your son stands ready," replied a man in his early forties, rising from his seat and bowing respectfully.
"You oversee the dungeon guard. What exactly happened that day? You explain," Arcanus Starling commanded, his stern gaze sweeping over Garrick Starling, his wise eyes showing no warmth of a father for his son, only the authority of a ruler.
Garrick Starling inwardly sighed. As Arcanus Starling's fourth son, and the youngest after the deceased Westley Starling, he felt particularly ordinary in comparison. He rarely received attention from Arcanus Starling, and now, with the incident in the dungeon occurring under his watch, he felt the weight of responsibility.
"Reporting to the head of the family, I was away from the estate on business that day and was not present. The guards on duty in the dungeon were three of my subordinates. Upon my return to the estate, I received their report that someone had infiltrated the dungeon," Garrick Starling said, discreetly wiping the sweat from his brow. The trespass into the dungeon was indeed a serious offense, but what was truly dire was that the creature imprisoned there that day was a rare species that the Bennu family had captured at the cost of hundreds of elite lives!
In fact, apart from Garrick Starling himself, no one else in the Bennu family knew what had truly transpired in the dungeon that day. The reason for this public inquiry into Aurora Starling was not merely about the trespass; it was about something far more shocking than anyone in the Bennu family could have imagined.
"Are the guards from that day present?" Arcanus Starling asked.
This question left everyone in the main hall stunned. The matter had been considered settled—Aurora Starling had been found unconscious in the dungeon, a fact that was beyond dispute. Logically, it should have been a simple matter of issuing a punishment for her. Yet, today's inquiry seemed determined to uncover the full story of that day, which was highly unusual. Everyone sensed that Aurora Starling's transgression might have been more serious than just trespassing into forbidden areas.
At this moment, Seraphina Starling and Phoenix Starling, the siblings, turned deathly pale. They had not anticipated such a thorough investigation into the incident. After all, they had managed to divert the three guards of the dungeon before tricking Aurora Starling into entering it, which had given the "idiot" the opportunity to trespass. Now, the prospect of interrogating those three guards filled them with dread. If the guards were to reveal their involvement, their grandfather's sharp intellect would surely deduce their scheme in no time.
Seraphina Starling and Phoenix Starling felt an overwhelming urge to cry. They had never dreamed that what they thought was a minor infraction of trespassing into the dungeon would be taken so seriously by the high and mighty. They had planned to threaten Aurora Starling into silence and then rest easy, never imagining that such a turn of events would occur.
Now, the arrogance and pride that had once adorned the faces of the two teenagers were gone, replaced only by the terror visible in their eyes.
The middle-aged man sitting in front of Seraphina Starling and Phoenix Starling, their father, Vladimir Starling, sensed the unease in his children. He furrowed his brow slightly but said nothing.
The three guards responsible for the dungeon's security were quickly brought to the main hall. They knelt respectfully before the family head, awaiting his inquiry.