Chương 283: Chapter 279 - Catching up with the Hartfords

Scarlett crossed her arms, studying Kat intently.

"Is that so? And what, exactly, do we need to talk about?" she asked, her tone now measured.

"Well, I'm sure you've got some idea," Kat said.

"I never knew you to be the type to get caught with your pants down." A slight frown creased Scarlett's brow.

"I would appreciate if you refrained from such…crude colloquialisms." She leaned her head to the side, a strand of hair falling across her face.

"And while I may have some suspicions, the possibilities are likely broader than you realise. Be more specific." Kat leaned forward, elbows on her knees, fingers interlaced.

"Alright, I'll cut to the chase then. The Shields Guild has been keeping an eye on you for a while, Scarlett."

"I am well aware." Scarlett knew that would be a thing since first hiring Kat all those months ago.

"Then did you also know that some of the higher-ups in the Guild suspect you of working with the Tribe of Sin?" Kat said, her voice grave as she seemed to search Scarlett's face. Scarlett paused, considering the woman's almost uncharacteristically stern expression.

"…That, I was not aware of, no," she admitted.

"For how long have they harbored these suspicions?" She had considered the possibility, but she hadn't thought her actions had drawn such direct scrutiny from them — at least, not unless they were listening to some of the wild rumors that had circulated during the conclave. Kat regarded her for a while longer, then the woman's eyes softened as her shoulders rose and fell in a fluid motion.

"I can't say. I don't even know which of the top brass has these suspicions. The information only came to me recently, but if I had to guess, they've been stewing on it for a while." Scarlett's frown deepened. Had her interactions with the Tribe and the Cabal leaked? Even Beldon seemed unaware of that, so how could such information have reached the Guild? It couldn't be that Allyssa or Shin had somehow discovered the truth and divulged it to the Guild, could it?

She didn't think they would betray her trust so easily, even if they had somehow learned of her dealings. Besides, with Fynn's abilities, she'd been able to confirm multiple times that they weren't hiding anything serious from her.

"For what it's worth," Kat said, pulling Scarlett out of her thoughts, "I don't believe it's true." Scarlett's attention returned to the woman.

"…I appreciate your faith." Kat's lips quirked into a half-smile.

"It's less about faith and more about logic. I can't see what you'd gain by working with the Tribe. If anything, it seems more likely you'd be using. Or tricking them." She released a light laugh, though her expression hardened slightly again.

"Not that the Tribe's good for much beyond being wiped out, if you ask me." Scarlett considered the woman for a long moment before speaking again, her tone more careful now.

"I have wondered this before, but might you have some history with the Tribe?" Kat blinked, surprise briefly flitting across her face before she shrugged.

"Sort of, yeah. But that's not worth digging into now." She waved a hand dismissively.

"Anyways, like I was saying, the Guild's been watching you for a while. I'm guessing the fact that you had intimate knowledge of their organisation and movements played into that suspicion, and your overall strangeness probably didn't help matters." Scarlett tapped one finger against her arm.

"I am not 'strange'." Kat just shot her a skeptical look.

"I'm still not sure if you were serious about that dragon 'incident' in the courtyard earlier, but I have read the Empyreal Chronicle, you know? Name one other noblewoman in the empire who's rumored to be a dragon slayer and wouldn't go around bragging about it, and I'll take back my words."

"Marchioness Sahra Thackeray," Scarlett said. The Marchioness of Wildscar was well known to be one of the most formidable fighters the empire had to offer. Kat's eyebrows shot up.

"Comparing yourself to the Untamed Marchioness isn't really helping your case."

"Regardless, she meets the criteria." Scarlett was fairly certain the woman had killed a dragon at some point. Kat sighed, shaking her head.

"Fine. You're as 'normal' as they come, then. Happy?" She shifted in her seat.

"But let's get back to the point. Some in the Guild are suspicious of you, and I wanted to give you a heads-up. Beyond that, though, there are others there who think you could be more of an asset. I guess you could say I'm kinda here representing them, in a way."

"Do you perhaps have specific names for these individuals?" Scarlett asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. Kat's expression turned apologetic.

"I'm not exactly in the upper echelons myself, so no, sorry. This is mostly second-hand info, passed along by a friend — Leandro from the Elystead branch. I don't know who said what among the people at the top."

"That is…unfortunate." Scarlett kept her tone neutral. The woman in front of her eyed her for a while.

"…Can't say I always agree with the higher-ups, but I hope you're not planning anything drastic here. They're still my superiors, you know."

"I had no such intentions." In truth, Scarlett was more interested in identifying the Guild members who might have a reason to suspect her, since that knowledge could reveal the basis of their suspicions. Still, determining who wanted to work with her could also be valuable. She briefly wondered if Livvi might somehow be involved in all this, though she wasn't entirely sure of the woman's current role within the Guild.

"Moving on," she said, "you have made it clear you are here as a representative. Am I to understand the Guild has a proposal for me?" Kat scratched her cheek.

"Sort of? I wasn't given official orders, to be honest. It's just that, with the empire being the right mess it is at the moment, the Guild is grasping at all the straws it can. And you're…well, one of the bigger straws. Given our past work together, and your track record of knowing what the Tribe might be up to, they probably figured sending me here would lead to something." You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"I see," Scarlett said thoughtfully. Kat showed a sheepish smile.

"Sorry about approaching you like this, with ulterior motives and all. But the situation is pretty bad, and we Shielders are stretched thinner than ever. The Guild needs any help it can get. I should also mention that, officially, I do actually have other assignments around Freybrook, so this isn't just about you. Only mostly."

"Your position is understandable." Scarlett unfolded her arms, resting one hand on the couch's edge.

"The Shields Guild is playing a pivotal role in protecting the citizenry and maintaining stability. In the face of escalating monster attacks, it is only natural that they would seek aid from someone they believe may possess relevant information. Unfortunately, I must confess that my knowledge of the current attacks is limited." A flicker of disappointment crossed Kat's face.

"I was afraid you might say that."

"I am not saying I cannot offer any help whatsoever," Scarlett added.

"But considering the current political climate, my aid may not even prove necessary to stem the Tribe's attacks."

"What do you mean?" Kat asked. Scarlett tapped her finger lightly against the armrest.

"Have you heard of the 'Empyreal Barrier'?"

"Uh, no. Should I have?"

"No, perhaps not. It might be overly presumptuous of me to expect you to be aware of every recent development in the empire."

"Oi," Kat protested, though there was no real heat in her response. Scarlett allowed herself a small smile before her expression turned serious once more.

"Your superiors are likely already aware, but the emperor recently declared a project to establish an empire-wide array called the Empyreal Barrier. It will nullify the teleportation capabilities of both the Hallowed Cabal and the Tribe of Sin, severely limiting their movement and reducing the immediate threat." Kat's eyes widened.

"Yeah, no, this is the first I'm hearing of it. I had to travel to Freybrook by ship since the Guild's been rationing what Kilnstone rights we have, and the people at the Freybrook branch never mentioned it."

"Now you know," Scarlett said simply. Kat nodded, her gaze contemplative.

"When is this barrier thing supposed to be finished?"

"Within a month," Scarlett replied.

"The costs will be substantial, though I am not certain if the Shields Guild will be expected to contribute."

"That's, ehm… The Guild isn't exactly flush with funds at the moment, so hopefully they don't expect too much from us." A slight frown creased Kat's brow for a moment, but then she shrugged it off.

"Whatever. I'm not the one who has to worry about budgets."

"Returning to our earlier topic," Scarlett guided the conversation back on track.

"Let us say that I could extend my help to the Guild. Despite certain recent rumours suggesting the opposite, I seldom act out of sheer altruism. So tell me — what would the Shields Guild offer in exchange?"

"You mean beyond basically placing two C-ranked Shielders at your beck and call for the better part of half a year?" Kat asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Beyond that, yes," Scarlett replied unabashedly.

"Well, I'd need to have a talk with the Guild to actually hammer out the specifics, but I wouldn't be surprised if we could offer some help in exploring that seemingly endless supply of ruins and whatnot that you somehow always got tucked away," Kat said.

"I can't make any promises, but it might be possible to arrange for a few A-ranked Shielders, or maybe even an S-ranked—though that's less likely—once things have calmed down enough for the Guild to spare them."

"Oh?" Scarlett's finger paused mid-tap as she mulled over the possibility. That possibility did actually sound somewhat intriguing. Normally, A and S-ranked Shielders weren't really available for individual contracts. They were usually tied up with more high-priority tasks, but if Scarlett could secure their aid at the right time, it could open opportunities to tackle dungeons and events that would normally require her to be far stronger… She studied Kat for a while before placing her hands on her lap.

"As I believe you are already aware, I have no inherent objection to working with the Guild. However, as I mentioned, there is little I can offer them directly at present." She wouldn't mind expanding her network of collaborators to include the Shields Guild proper, but she had to tread carefully. The Guild wasn't as centralised as other organisations, and she knew the Cabal had spies and agents among their ranks.

Any major involvement with the Guild would quickly reach the Cabal, and she wasn't ready to provoke them just yet.

"However," she continued, fixing her gaze on Kat, "that is not to say there are no potential avenues for cooperation available in the near future." Kat gave her a questioning look.

"Like…?"

"I will need to verify a few matters before discussing the details," Scarlett said.

"But that works out well, does it not? Considering you will need to seek confirmation from the Guild as well." One possibility Scarlett was considering was leveraging Beldon's network to feed the Guild valuable information, though she would first need to consult with the man to determine if that was a viable approach. She knew he was already selling some intel to groups like the Guild. Of course, Scarlett herself also had a wealth of information on Cabal and Tribe bases that she'd been holding onto.

That intel would be incredibly valuable to the Guild, and when her ceasefire with the Cabal inevitably crumbled, she wouldn't hesitate to trade it. Her possession of The Angler Man's heart was the only thing keeping her safe from them, and she imagined that protection wouldn't last forever once the man himself became active again — if he hadn't already. He was probably insane enough to risk his own life without a second thought, if necessary.

Beyond that, though, she was also contemplating sharing information about Beld Thylelion with the Guild, just as she had with Raimond and people from Elystead Tower. If she could get those groups to collaborate, with her as the common link, she might be able to turn the situation to her advantage when the time came.

"Fair enough," Kat said with a nod.

"That aside, how long will you be staying in Freybrook?" Scarlett asked. Kat leaned back, her posture relaxing.

"Well, like I said, I've got a couple of other jobs in the area that need a higher-ranked Shielder. So I'll be here at least until those are wrapped up. The local branch has been bombarding headquarters with requests for ages. Not sure myself if it's the right time to focus on anything that isn't directly combating the monster incursions, but I'm not the one calling the shots.

That means I'll be tied up for a bit, but the Guild still wants me to act all liaison-y with you, so there's a chance I might stick around for a bit even after those assignments are done, helping out with odds and ends in the region."

"I see." A slightly mischievous grin spread across Kat's face.

"What, thinking of putting my skills to use while I'm here? Two Shielders aren't enough for you already?" Scarlett regarded the woman with a mix of amusement and consideration. Honestly, she could probably use Kat's help in the not-too-far-off future.

"I am sure that I could find some use for your talents if the opportunity arises," she said. Kat's grin widened, then softened into a more genuine smile.

"Sure, I wouldn't mind lending a hand if I'm available and the circumstances allow. I've missed the strange—I mean normal— adventures that come when working with you." Her expression shifted to curiosity as she glanced towards the entrance.

"By the by, how have Allyssa and Shin been holding up?" Scarlett's gaze remained on the woman for another moment, then she extended her senses through the Loci to locate the duo's location. Her eyebrows lifted slightly as she found them in one of the mansion's many rooms, accompanied by an unexpected visitor. A spark of what might have been her own sense of mischief ignited within her as she returned her attention to Kat.

"Why not see for yourself?" she suggested as she mentally prodded at the Loci to gather its energy for one last feat this morning. Confusion flickered across Kat's face.

"What do you mea—" In the blink of an eye, the woman vanished from sight, leaving the couch empty. Through the Loci's senses, Scarlett witnessed Kat materialise in the room with Allyssa and Shin, both of the former two of the trio letting out startled yelps in surprise. Meanwhile, Shin looked up from a book with an impassive expression. Scarlett allowed herself a light chuckle, savoring the moment. That was actually rather entertaining.

She might have just discovered a very potent tool for dealing with those who annoyed or vexed her in this household.