Chương 401: Chapter 396 - Mornings

Scarlett shaped the current of her mana, coaxing it into fine, curling threads that followed a pattern half-remembered and half-inherited. She listened for the faintest shifts as the strands wound through one another, making small corrections, nudging the flow into place a hair's breadth at a time. A lattice of runes floated around her, discordant strokes of light clashing in jagged hues too fast and tangled for the naked eye to follow. She didn't bother trying.

Her focus stayed on the weave of her own mana, holding it as steady as she could. A sharp glyph flared along the side of the matte-grey cube in front of her when she pressed her thumb to a new recess in the metal. More runes sprang up across the office, their glow washing over every surface. Scarlett dragged her thumb across the groove. The runes guttered out, her mana scattered like smoke. A light frown touched her brow.

She leaned back in her chair, let out a quiet breath, and took a sip of tea while regarding the device in front of her. Thainnith's Array Forge was an… odd fascination. To be entirely honest, she'd never truly cared much for the arcane. Magic was certainly cool, useful, and worth studying, but her interest in it had always been focused on its more practical applications. She'd never wanted to pursue it for its own sake. In fact, there were very few subjects she'd ever felt stir that kind of curiosity in her.

Yet this forge did. She wouldn't quite go so far as to call it a hunger, but it was at least an appetite. A small desire to puzzle out its workings. That was easier said than done. The Forge was one of the crowning creations of Thainnith himself, a mage history still struggled to measure. It wasn't the type of thing you just solved in an afternoon. Though she did have an advantage, considering the man's legacy lived in her bones.

From his words and what she'd inherited, she was fairly confident she could learn to use the Forge eventually. That said, it would probably take some time. There were no direct instructions in the legacy, so she'd have to infer its functions from fragments and experiments. So far, she had only confirmed that some manner of security system made the Forge inert to anyone but its creator, though it seemed to accept her, presumably because of the legacy's imprint. She would keep trying.

Even without knowing its full potential, she could already imagine its uses. Strengthening the Loci, for one. Refining its defences, and maybe more. One only needed to look at Thainnith's accomplishments to get a sense of what was possible. Still, she would need to be patient. As tempting as it was to devote herself entirely, there were too many other demands on her time. She couldn't afford to treat it as anything but one task among many. Her gaze shifted to the dove-grey book resting at the corner of her desk.

She hadn't quite decided what to make of it. Whether accepting it from Aurelian had been a mistake remained unclear, but she'd thought it could be a risk worth taking. After her conversation with Rosa last night, some of her certainty had wavered, but she was still considering it. She had gone back and forth on it several times already. What could be written inside that made Rosa so certain Scarlett shouldn't read it? The woman hadn't even seemed sure whether it was good or bad. Scarlett trusted Rosa. She did.

But trust didn't make it easy to set aside the need to know. Maybe that was part of the problem. She was too used to being the one with the answers. It wouldn't be the first time that not holding the reins scratched at her pride in ways she disliked. Shaking her head, she set down her cup, picked up the book, and slipped it into her [Pouch of Holding]. She wouldn't waste too much time fretting about it. Rosa had been hesitant about it all, yes, but also curious. Interested.

If the woman hadn't fallen asleep so suddenly, Scarlett imagined she would have asked to read more from the book. If she asked, Scarlett intended to let her. That thought left her oddly… proud. As if she'd proved something. What exactly she couldn't say. There were still parts of her that baulked at how much she'd shared yesterday. But there was another part that wished she'd done it sooner. Not that she regretted her choices.

She would never argue that they were flawless, but at the very least, they were deliberate. She was always prepared to accept their consequences, whatever they might be. As for what came next between her and Rosa, now that the woman knew her origin… well, that was left to be decided. There were still lots of things they could discuss. Scarlett pushed her chair back and rose, fastening the [Pouch of Holding] at her side and slipping a stack of prepared papers into it. This story originates from a different website.

Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Her talk with Rosa hadn't actually gone as late as she had thought it would. She'd even managed to get to bed earlier than usual and fallen asleep quickly. But then she'd woken before dawn, restless, her mind unwilling to let her stay still. So she'd worked instead: reading reports, drafting documents, and testing what she could with the Forge. It was a good thing Garside was around. Without him, she might have forgotten to eat.

The butler had noticed her early rising and quietly set out tea and breakfast. She appreciated that. It was nice being able to rely on him in such a fashion. Though it did make her wonder how much sleep he got. She glanced at the clock on her desk, then sent her senses threading through the Loci to perform a quick check across the estate. Satisfied with what she confirmed, she let the house spirit fold space around her, and she appeared before a door in the west wing. Her knuckles rapped against the wood.

For a moment there was only quiet, then faint footsteps approached. The door cracked open to reveal Allyssa, hair a golden tangle of locks, dressed in crumpled sleepwear. She blinked at Scarlett as though it took a few seconds to place her.

"…Did I wake you?" Scarlett asked. She hadn't actually looked into the room itself when checking on the girl. Out of respect for general privacy, she limited her inquiries with the Loci to simple things nowadays. She'd found that the house spirit had reached the point where it could give vague impressions if her questions were clear enough, and it had told her Allyssa was awake, but the sight before her suggested otherwise. The girl rubbed her eyes with a drawn-out yawn.

"No, you didn't. Been awake a while. Just trying to fall back asleep. I promised myself I'd sleep in until sunset—or until someone dragged me out of bed—but apparently my stupid brain doesn't believe in keeping promises." Scarlett arched a brow.

"I see. That is unfortunate." Allyssa's gaze dropped to Scarlett's formal dress, then to her own rumpled clothes, then back again.

"…How long have you been up?"

"A few hours," Scarlett said, stepping into the room. Allyssa moved aside to let her pass. A small lamp by the bed cast a dim light over books, alchemy tools, and pots of herbs and flowers by the window. The whole place carried a warm, lived-in feel that Scarlett was slightly envious of. Neither here nor in her old world had she managed to cultivate anything quite like it.

"A few hours?" Allyssa echoed.

"What time is it?"

"A little past eight."

"Wait, really? Then did you even sleep?"

"I did. For a few hours." Allyssa fell silent. Scarlett turned to her.

"I hope you are not judging me as some manner of workaholic."

"Workaholic…?" Allyssa frowned in slight confusion, then shook her head.

"No, I was thinking that we just got back from running around Beld Thylelion with barely any sleep. You sure you're alright with only a few hours?" Scarlett allowed herself a light shrug.

"No. I almost certainly need far more. Especially with the mana I expended. But as you yourself can attest, it is not always easy to claim that sleep. I prefer using the time productively rather than lying in bed doing nothing."

"That…doesn't sound great." Scarlett chuckled.

"No. Perhaps I should ask Rosa if she has any charms to induce sleep."

"It wouldn't surprise me if she did."

"Nor me. The woman has stranger charms still. Did you know she has one that tastes of strawberries?" Allyssa stared.

"Seriously?" Scarlett inclined her head.

"Yes."

"Okay, I need to try that."

"I am certain she will be happy to oblige once she wakes." Scarlett's gaze drifted around the room again before returning to Allyssa.

"I must ask, did you not receive Slate last night? I sent her to you, did I not?"

"Oh, no, I did." Allyssa tugged a loose sleeve higher on her shoulder.

"But you nearly scared me half to death when she appeared. I'd already turned off the lights — and did you know her eyes glow in the dark? I wasn't ready for that."

"I do recall something of the sort, yes. My apologies for startling you. That was not my intent." Allyssa waved a hand.

"It's fine."

"That aside, where is she now? I believe I asked you to assist her through the night. We do not want the staff learning of her yet."

"She's over there." Allyssa pointed to the bed. A messy spill of blankets and pillows hung over one side, and on the other a distinct lump rose beneath the covers. Scarlett looked at it, then back at Allyssa.

"…Is there a reason she is hidden under the blankets?"

"I don't think so?" Allyssa answered, seeming unsure herself. Scarlett gave her a flat look. The girl raked a hand through her hair.

"I'm not sure, okay? I was supposed to take care of her, but I didn't know what that meant. I asked if she wanted food, and she didn't. I asked if she needed to sleep, and she gave me some answer that didn't make much sense. So I gave up and said she could share the bed if she wanted, because honestly the thought of her standing there watching me all night kinda creeped me out a bit.

Then I got self-conscious, started talking about when I was a kid and used to hide under my covers from monsters when my dad was gone, and… well, I might have made her think that's what you're supposed to do. Maybe. Then I was too embarrassed and tired to tell her to stop." She let out a deep breath. Scarlett regarded her in silence.

"…I see. Perhaps Shin would have been the better choice to entrust her to." Allyssa pulled a face.

"Oi. I'm still better than him. He'd just stick her with a book all night."

"I sincerely doubt it." Scarlett crossed to the bed and drew the covers aside. Slate's small form was revealed beneath, fully dressed in her dark robes, looking straight up at Scarlett with open, unblinking eyes.

"Good morning," Scarlett said. Slate tilted her head to the side.

"'Good morning'. A greeting. Courtesy. But what makes this morning better than other mornings?"

"That depends on your perspective. I would argue it is relatively peaceful." Scarlett released the cover and stepped back, folding her arms.

"Have you rested?"

"I have not." The homunculus remained motionless.

"…Ittar, have mercy on my soul," Allyssa muttered at Scarlett's side. Scarlett glanced at her with the faintest smile. The girl looked slightly guilty now. Not that Scarlett was blaming her.

"In the future, we can discuss how you would prefer to spend the nights," Scarlett said, turning her attention back to Slate.

"For now, I would like your assistance with a matter. Will you lend it?" Slate studied her, a crease forming between her brows.

"Am I deciding?"

"Do you not want to?"

"No."

"…Then you are lending me your aid, I suppose." Scarlett gestured to her.

"Come, get up." Without another word, Slate rose from the bed. Scarlett looked to Allyssa.

"If you wish, you may go back to sleep. Rosa will likely remain out for some time, and I do not intend to gather the others until then. Or afternoon, at the latest."

"What are you going to do now?" Allyssa asked. Scarlett placed one hand on Slate's shoulder.

"I am going to properly welcome our guest."