Chương 427: Chapter 422 - Melody

Melody turned slowly to face her. Scarlett met her gaze, partly obscured by pale blonde locks and the familiar bandage crossing her face. Still, more of Melody's features were visible than before. In Scarlett's mind, the woman would always remain the Countess in some form. Even so, she was glad that Melody had chosen to take on a new name — one that wasn't bound to ritual, fixation, or imagined obsession. A name she had accepted for herself. It eased some of the guilt Scarlett carried towards her. Not all of it.

But some. Guilt for failing her back then. For using Melody for her own benefit. For what she allowed to happen. Melody's mouth opened, then closed again as she stared at Scarlett. In her hands was an embroidery pillow, needle and thread paused mid-stitch. Since the activity seemed to calm her, Scarlett had asked Molly—the servant who'd assisted the Countess often during her original stay here—to supply her with materials.

Above them, the cushion bearing the embroidered moon wobbled slightly beneath the rafters, its glow pulsing as a soft hush passed through the room.

"B-Baroness," Melody finally said. Scarlett inclined her head.

"Yes. That is me." Melody stared at her for several seconds longer, then glanced down at the work in her hands. As if suddenly worried it might be improper, she tucked the needle and thread away inside her robes and shuffled awkwardly on her knees, trying to arrange herself into something that might have been meant to resemble a proper sitting posture.

"B-Baroness," Melody repeated.

"Yes," Scarlett replied.

"Y-You're…here." Scarlett regarded her in silence, then inclined her head again.

"I am." Melody said nothing for a while. Scarlett didn't press. She didn't want to stress the woman more than necessary. Only hours earlier, Melody had been involved in the attempt to attack the estate and take Slate. She'd confronted Scarlett's people, and she'd witnessed firsthand what happened when Scarlett arrived and dealt with Skyler and the others. At the time, Melody had frozen like a statue, and Scarlett had worried the shock might push her over the edge.

Instead, the woman had calmed surprisingly quickly once it became clear that Skyler and the others had only been incapacitated. Somewhere along the way, Melody seemed to have firmly convinced herself that Scarlett would never truly hurt Skyler. Not even if Skyler trespassed. Not even if she challenged Scarlett directly for the Tribute. Scarlett suspected it was a belief Melody had constructed to reconcile her feelings towards them both. It probably wasn't entirely rational.

But in this case, it happened to be correct.

"A-ah… ah—" Melody tried again, her voice catching as if the sounds refused to arrange themselves.

"Melody—" Scarlett began. Before she could finish, Melody suddenly tipped backwards. Silver tendrils unfurled from within her robes, catching her gently and easing her down until she lay flat on the floor, eyes fixed on the drifting shapes above. Her lips started moving in a silent rhythm, breath slow and steady, as a strange tranquillity settled over the room. Scarlett frowned at first, but then smoothed the expression away.

Nearly a full minute passed with Melody unmoving, lost in whatever internal process this was. Scarlett was just beginning to wonder whether she should intervene when the tendrils shifted again, slowly lifting Melody back into a seated position. She looked at Scarlett. Her half-bandaged hands fidgeted with the wrappings.

"Baroness," she said, this time without stuttering.

"Is Skye…okay?" Scarlett raised a brow, faintly impressed. It wasn't many words, but she couldn't recall hearing Melody speak so…directly before.

"She is unharmed," Scarlett said.

"I spoke with her moments ago. She and the others will be allowed to leave and decide their next steps for themselves, should they wish. Today's events were…unfortunate. But I understand why you acted as you did, and I will not hold your decision to stand with your companions against you." Melody glanced down at her hands, fingers twisting slightly. A small smile appeared.

"You're kind." Scarlett watched her.

"…I am not. Or not as kind as you imagine, I'm afraid."

"No…you are…" Melody shook her head, then stopped. She looked back up.

"I—I tried to keep Skye safe…like you asked…" Scarlett paused, then allowed a faint smile of her own.

"I see. Thank you." The words seemed to ease something in Melody. She relaxed slightly, gaze dropping back to her hands as she adjusted a loose strip of bandage around one knuckle. Scarlett waited. After a moment, she cleared her throat lightly.

"What you did earlier…lying back and looking upward. Does it help you?" Melody was quiet at first before nodding.

"Yes." She tilted her head, eyes drifting towards the shapes above.

"…I count stars."

"Count the stars? Why is that?"

"Skye taught me…" The woman's smile widened, a little unfocused.

"…If it doesn't care if I'm here…it's safe to look at."

"… I see." Scarlett didn't see, really. It didn't sound especially logical to her. But she supposed that was part of why it worked. Still, it surprised her that her sister had come up with something like that — a small, improvised coping mechanism to help the woman ground herself. Maybe Skyler should have been a therapist. It might have suited her better than data science or engineering.

Scarlett would be the first to admit that her sister had always been more naturally gifted with technology and the sciences than she was, but Skyler had also been the sort who hated studying in all its forms. A career in therapy would likely have required plenty of that as well, but with Skyler's instinctive ability to read people, it might at least have worked in her favour. Not that any of that mattered much anymore. Scarlett didn't even know if returning to their old world was possible.

Now that her younger sister was here as well, it was even harder to imagine where any of this was ultimately meant to lead. Honestly, the longer she remained in this world, the more she found herself wondering whether simply thinking about the end wasn't scarier than anything else. She pushed the thought aside and let her gaze drift briefly around the room, settling on a chair near the wall with a sheet lying beside it.

"Would you mind if I took a seat?" she asked, gesturing towards it. Melody looked between the chair and Scarlett. She shook her head vigorously.

"No, no—" Her eyes widened.

"Yes, yes—" She stopped, frowning faintly, tangled in her own answer.

"I will take that as you not minding," Scarlett said. She walked over, pulled the chair closer to the centre of the room, and sat down opposite Melody, resting her hands neatly in her lap. The woman looked both embarrassed and nervous, yet oddly excited at the same time. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Scarlett didn't understand it. She didn't understand what she had ever done for this woman to earn such apparent adulation and trust.

By all rights, Melody should have feared her. Should have resented her. Instead, she seemed to place her on nearly the same level as Skyler. Part of Scarlett wanted to shatter that trust. To show Melody that people like her were not safe to rely on. That it was wiser to keep distance, to doubt, in order to protect herself. But not only would that be strategically foolish, it would also be needlessly cruel. Or was it crueller to let the woman continue trusting someone who hadn't fully earned it?

Scarlett wasn't entirely sure. Nor was she sure it mattered, or that it was actually her problem to solve. Melody shifted slightly beneath her gaze, almost mirroring Scarlett's posture, though it looked awkward seated on the bare floorboards. Everything about her tended to appear slightly out of place. Slightly disordered.

"Melody," Scarlett said evenly, "there is something I would like to ask you." Melody straightened, as if bracing herself.

"In Beld Thylelion," Scarlett continued, "do you recall that I gifted you a certain item?" A flicker of recognition crossed the woman's eyes. She nodded quickly.

"Yes…yes. I still have it." She reached into her robes and carefully drew out a silver hand mirror, dulled with age, its rim etched with curling patterns resembling the phases of the moon. She cradled it with both hands, holding it close.

"Look… see…?" Scarlett studied the mirror. [Adtia's Silent Aspect (Unique)] {When night stretches far and words fail, the moon remembers. This mirror listens where voices cannot reach} It was a relic she'd gone out of her way to locate in Beld Thylelion, knowing it had a connection to Adtia — the goddess Melody served as an avatar for. Unlike Scarlett's Athame, it wasn't a weapon or a conduit of raw divine power. It was weaker. But she had hoped it might help the woman find some peace.

Maybe learn more about herself. She looked back to Melody.

"Have you learned how to use it yet?" The woman blinked at her. Several times. Scarlett felt the corners of her lips stiffen slightly.

"…Are you aware what this is?" Melody hesitated, staring down at the mirror as though it might answer for her.

"… A mirror?" She looked back up at Scarlett, uncertainty colouring her voice. Scarlett was silent for several seconds. … Was this her fault? Should she have explained it when she handed the artifact over? She had assumed the connection to Adtia would be enough — that Melody would somehow intuit its purpose. And if not, Oveth should have noticed it. He was an exceptionally astute wizard. Analysing it should have been trivial. Unless Melody hadn't let anyone else touch it.

Suppressing a small sigh, Scarlett extended her hand.

"Would it be acceptable for me to hold it for a moment? I can show you." If she had been right about Melody keeping it to herself, it didn't show now. The woman handed it over without hesitation. Scarlett took the mirror by its handle, turning it carefully in her hand. The backing was etched with faint sigils, smooth and cool at first touch, then oddly warm, as though it were gradually responding to her presence. She let a thin thread of mana slip into it.

The mirror's surface—moments ago reflecting Scarlett's dark-red hair and composed expression—dimmed like moonlight swallowed by clouds. The phases etched along the rim lit in sequence, a soft argent glow chasing itself around the frame. After a moment, the surface rippled, and an image formed. Scarlett angled the mirror so Melody could see. The parlour came into view, observed from slightly above and outside the windows.

Inside, Skyler sat curled into one of the armchairs, knees drawn to her chest, a steaming cup cradled loosely in her hands. Her gaze drifted absently towards Princess Regina and the others, still unconscious on the sofas. Melody stared.

"It is magical in nature," Scarlett said, handing the mirror back.

"At night, it allows you to observe a place touched by moonlight." As far as clairvoyant artifacts went, it was probably one of the most powerful examples in the game. Even if it was limited to nighttime and had a finite range, it allowed the player to peer into nearly any outdoor location. In gameplay terms, that had been niche. In reality, it was anything but. Scarlett had considered keeping it for herself, especially since she suspected the effective range was far greater here.

But more importantly, it didn't appear to trigger conventional anti-clairvoyance magic. None of the mansion's wards had reacted, and even the Loci took a moment to stir and register that something had passed through its awareness. For someone who knew what to look for, that delay was more than enough time to glean information. Despite that, she had ultimately given the artifact to Melody. The woman cradled it again, turning it slowly in her hands. One finger brushed the surface, hovering over Skyler's image.

A small, breathy laugh slipped from her lips. That caught Scarlett off guard. She didn't recall ever hearing Melody laugh during her stay at the mansion. The woman continued exploring the mirror, tilting it slightly and watching the image shift. Scarlett allowed her a moment, waiting until it felt appropriate to speak again.

"The reason I mention this, Melody," she began, "is because I wanted to know whether Adtia has contacted you in any way." Melody didn't respond, as though the words hadn't quite reached her.

"Melody," Scarlett said again, more firmly.

"Has Adtia communed with you?" Finally, the woman stirred, turning towards her.

"…Adtia?"

"Yes." Scarlett met her gaze, her expression serious.

"The goddess of the night and the moon." Melody stared back, unblinking, her face strangely blank. Scarlett studied her. She didn't believe Melody didn't know what she was talking about. By now, the woman almost certainly knew she was an avatar — and of whom. If Melody herself hadn't realised it, then Skye and the others would have. Several long seconds passed. Melody's eyes moved back down to the mirror, her thumb tracing the surface in a slow, repetitive motion.

"…No," she murmured.

"I don't… I don't know anything about that…" Scarlett's eyes narrowed slightly. Not at the words themselves, but at the way they were spoken. Because it was far too obvious that the woman was lying. Melody did know. But she was avoiding the subject.

"You do not need to feign ignorance with me," Scarlett said.

"I hold neither hostility nor reverence towards Adtia. I will not compel you to speak if you do not wish to — but if you are honest, I may be able to help." Melody stilled, her attention fixed on the mirror.

"She hasn't…"

"Has not what?"

"Hasn't…spoken to me." Scarlett considered her, then inclined her head.

"I see." This time, she believed her. So Adtia hadn't communed with Melody. Whether that meant she could not, would not, or simply had no reason to remained unclear. Scarlett leaned forward slightly, trying to soften her tone.

"If possible, would you be willing to attempt to contact her?" Given everything Scarlett had heard about this world's divinity, she wanted to gather as much information as possible before things changed. There were few sources more direct than a goddess. Unfortunately, all her testing suggested that using the Athame to contact Itris wasn't possible, which was why she'd begun to consider Melody as an alternative.

As an avatar, she represented one of the strongest remaining conduits to the divine within the Material Realm. A faint crease appeared between Melody's brows. Seeing it, Scarlett leaned back again.

"If this does not interest you, I will not press the matter. But I thought you might wish to speak with the being whose power flows through you." Melody fidgeted, rocking slightly where she sat.

"…Maybe," she murmured at last.

"You will consider it?"

"Consider…only."

"That is sufficient," Scarlett said.

"If you choose to question her, I will help you." Melody nodded faintly, her hands tightening around the mirror.

"…ster—" The word barely carried.

"What was that?" Scarlett asked.

"…I want to ask about my sister," Melody whispered. Scarlett was silent for a while.

"Do you wish to meet your sister again?" she eventually asked. Melody's eyes snapped up. Scarlett raised a hand slightly.

"I am only asking whether this is something you desire. At present, I do not possess the means to arrange such a meeting — but I do have connections that might allow it, in time." Anything involving Melody and the Augur carried risk. It threatened to expose Scarlett's role in the heist at the Sanctuary of Ittar. But if that danger could be mitigated, it might not be impossible to approach Raimond discreetly about the matter.

A meeting with the Augur herself could even prove interesting, especially now that Fate was gone. Without it, the foundations of the woman's foresight were likely compromised. How would that affect the Followers? Would they already have adjusted? Melody watched her, lips moving soundlessly. Eventually she lowered her head.

"…I want to save sister."

"You cannot save her if she does not wish to be saved," Scarlett said. Melody's expression faltered.

"But if you wish to meet her, I will look into whether it is possible." After a moment, Melody nodded.

"…I want to. Yes."

"Then I will see what I can do." Melody relaxed slightly, then returned her attention to the mirror.

"With that matter addressed, I was curious whether you—" Scarlett stopped as Melody suddenly froze. Scarlett's brow furrowed.

"Is something wrong?" Melody didn't answer. Slowly, she angled the mirror outward, pointing to the image now displayed. It had changed. The view had pulled back, rising above the estate, the grounds washed in pale moonlight. Scarlett followed the direction of Melody's finger. When she saw what had drawn the woman's attention, her expression hardened.

"…I will have to take my leave for now, Melody," she said, already standing.

"W-Wait!" Melody cried, reaching out before stopping herself short. Panic twisted across her face, then settled into something firmer. Something almost resolute.

"Take…take me with you!" Scarlett looked down at her.

"No." Melody flinched, then scrambled unsteadily to her feet.

"P-Please."

"I cannot."

"Why…?"

"This is not your matter to face."

"But…I want to help…" Scarlett watched her closely, feeling both puzzled and unsettled by where this sudden determination had come from.

"…Do you believe that you owe me a debt, Melody?" Melody lowered her gaze, shoulders drawing inward. Scarlett let out a quiet sigh. She still didn't fully understand why she had such a soft spot for this woman.

"You must promise that you will not speak of this to anyone without my permission," she said.

"Not even Skye. Is that understood?" Melody looked up, then nodded quickly.

"Good." Scarlett extended her hand, the Athame appearing in it.

"Then stay close to me." She drew the blade through the air. Fire tore open reality, forming a rift. Scarlett stepped through, Melody following immediately at her side. They emerged into the clearing just behind the estate, the forest looming ahead, with darkness pooling among the trees. Scarlett's gaze fixed on a tall, dark silhouette standing between the trunks.

"Carnwedain," she said, her tone edged. The figure stepped forward, long sword resting with its tip against the ground, a slitless helm angled towards her.

"Our discussions concluded earlier today." Scarlett met that unseen gaze.

"Tell me — why are you still here?" The knight regarded her in silence for several long seconds. Then, at last, a single word left him.

"Nol'viz."