Chương 432: Chapter 427 - Old knights

"I saw that you spoke with Her Highness and one of her companions," Scarlett said absently as she worked at the Array Forge on her desk, feeding her mana through its channels and making minute adjustments to the runic lattice hovering above it. Lines of light shifted and realigned in response, the construct's output subtly rebalancing with each change.

"Did you speak about anything in particular?" Evelyne, standing opposite her, gave her a long, almost guarded look. She held a neat stack of papers against her chest.

"Did you listen in on our conversation?"

"I did not," Scarlett replied.

"As I have said many times, I do not make a habit of intruding upon the privacy of those who reside within this estate."

"You have said that, yes." Scarlett paused in her work and glanced up. Evelyne offered a faint, polite smile. Scarlett returned her attention to the Forge without comment. From the corner of the room, Rosa's voice drifted over.

"And what did you think of them?" The bard was sprawled across her chair, legs hooked over one armrest. She'd come in with Evelyne and, as usual, had made herself comfortable immediately. Scarlett knew the question wasn't really meant for Evelyne. Rosa was perfectly aware of the tangle of identities involved here. She knew Scarlett had been holding herself back around Skyler. And she probably knew that Scarlett herself had been genuinely curious about how a meeting between Skyler and Evelyne had gone.

To be perfectly honest, it was only barely—through sheer stubbornness—that Scarlett had stopped her from eavesdropping.

"They were…" Evelyne started, glancing towards Rosa.

"Unique, I suppose. I never imagined I'd be speaking so casually with a member of the imperial family. And Skye was…a bit odd, you might say."

"Oh?" Rosa murmured, eyes brightening.

"Odd how? Fun odd? Inconveniently odd? Knife-behind-the-back odd? Some other fourth category?"

"She just had a strange presence," Evelyne said.

"Like she didn't quite belong."

"She did have that peculiar air to her, didn't she?" Rosa's eyes flicked briefly towards Scarlett. Scarlett didn't look up.

"Her Highness' party consists almost entirely of 'unique' individuals," she said, keeping any trace of interest from her voice.

"They would not be where they are now otherwise."

"You mean corralled, intimidated, and 'gently' encouraged into accepting a life-threatening task for the betterment of a tremendously generous local noblewoman?" Rosa asked.

"Precisely," Scarlett replied. Rosa snorted. Evelyne's gaze drifted between them, then settled on Scarlett. It lingered there, thoughtful. Scarlett noticed.

"Is there something you wish to say?" Evelyne hesitated, fingers tightening on the papers. Then she breathed in.

"That Skye woman…what is your relationship to her?" Scarlett arched a brow.

"There is none."

"Really? When I spoke with the princess, she implied you had a particular interest in her."

"Did she, now?" Scarlett kept her tone mild, regarding Evelyne for a moment before returning to her work.

"There is an argument to be made that Skye is the most significant member of that party, for reasons that are difficult to articulate concisely. She is unique in that, unlike Her Highness and the others, she is not present in the futures I have seen." Evelyne's eyes widened slightly.

"Do you mean that she wasn't affected by Fate?"

"It is a possibility." The woman studied Scarlett for a few seconds.

"Then she might be similar to you?" Scarlett paused only briefly before inclining her head.

"In a sense. At least, that is what I suspect."

"But she doesn't seem to know things the way you do."

"No. In that respect, I am clearly superior."

"Humbler, also," Rosa added. That earned a small, reluctant laugh from Evelyne.

"I do not need to be humble," Scarlett said.

"Humility is a tool, not a virtue. And it serves little purpose for those who are demonstrably correct."

"I feel like you said something similar about narcissism once. It's not narcissism if it's true, right?"

"I said no such thing."

"I'm fairly sure you did."

"You are mistaken."

"Yeah? Well," Rosa shrugged, "maybe I dreamt it. Or I'm embellishing for dramatic effect. Still, it sounds like something you'd say. Don't you agree, Evelyne?" Rosa turned expectantly. Evelyne stiffened, seemingly unprepared to be recruited. She shot Rosa a mildly irritated look, then glanced back at Scarlett. Though she said nothing, her expression suggested she didn't entirely disagree. Scarlett suppressed a sigh.

"Setting my alleged past statements aside," she said, "I assume there was another reason you wished to speak with me." Evelyne nodded, her tone turning serious again.

"I wanted to ask about your plans regarding Her Highness, but Rosa filled me in on the way. I'm not entirely comfortable with it, but since the princess herself has accepted the arrangement, I won't interfere. I only hope that you will inform me if we somehow manage to offend the imperial family. Again."

"I will."

"Thank you." Evelyne set the papers she was holding down on the desk.

"Then these are the latest reports. I've already sorted them and flagged everything important."

"Is there anything of particular note?"

"One thing. We received a reply from the Kilnstone official you spoke with. They've conferred internally and agreed to grant us expanded access to the network — for as long as that remains possible." Scarlett looked up.

"That is good news."

"It is. Your travel through Kilnstone to Dimfrost was also approved for tomorrow."

"So soon?"

"I was surprised as well. Someone there appears to like you more than expected." Scarlett frowned slightly, thinking. She had promised Fynn they would travel to the Whitdown Mountains soon to complete his second trial. Doing so before travelling to the capital had always been the plan, so the tight schedule wasn't necessarily a problem. But Skyler, and everything surrounding her, had taken more of Scarlett's attention than expected lately.

"And our request regarding unregistered Kilnstones?" she asked.

"They tentatively agreed to let you use those," Evelyne said.

"But I get the sense they expect you to disclose their locations eventually. They had already taken note of your use of one outside the network. If things weren't as chaotic as they are right now, I doubt they would have let it slide."

"That does not surprise me." Scarlett had used the Kilnstone in the Forgotten Tower to return to Freybrook after their excursion in Beld Thylelion. The looks the Kilnstone officials had given them at the time had been surprised, suspicious, and very attentive. Given how tightly regulated the Kilnstone network was within the empire, it made sense that they would want to know about any undiscovered nodes she had access to. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

If, in exchange, she was permitted some private use of those Kilnstones—such as the ones near the Whitdown Mountains, not far from Fynn's former tribe—she wouldn't necessarily complain. Using them would make the return from this trip significantly faster. If she wished, they could even travel directly to that Kilnstone to shorten the journey further. But Fynn's siblings were currently living in Dimfrost, so Scarlett thought it best to pass through there before entering the Whitdown Mountains.

Even if the small settlement wasn't supposed to have been heavily affected by the recent monster attacks, she still wanted to give him the chance to see his family again. Especially if they were going to carry out his trial. She didn't want him distracted by lingering concerns or unresolved worries when the time came. If they had only been heading to the Whitdown Mountains to complete the second trial, as it had been done in the game, Scarlett wouldn't have had any real concerns.

Compared to what they had already faced, the second trial of the Grehaldrael tribe was laughably trivial. Its importance lay less in its difficulty than in the risk Fynn faced if he delayed it too long. However, he had already demonstrated the ability to suppress that risk, pushing back against the influence of his ancestors whenever it surfaced. According to him, he could continue doing so indefinitely. Scarlett wasn't entirely sure that was true, but even if it was, her true concern wasn't the second trial.

It was the third. Under normal circumstances, Fynn could only attempt each trial with a considerable stretch of time between them. Scarlett had never intended to deviate from that structure. That was how it worked in the game, and the jump in difficulty between the second and third trials was substantial. The final trial had always been something meant for the distant future. Something to be undertaken only once her party was fully prepared and equipped.

Even now, with how strong she'd grown, Scarlett doubted they could clear it on their own. But recently, an opportunity had presented itself. And with it, the rather crazy idea that they might be able to force all of the trials during a single expedition. Doing so would grant her access to several powerful items far earlier than she had anticipated — items that would be extremely useful given her current position. It would also allow Fynn to make a significant leap in strength.

That sort of opportunity wasn't something Scarlett was inclined to ignore. As Evelyne finished delivering her final updates, she excused herself and left the room, leaving Scarlett alone with Rosa. As Scarlett kept contemplating her plans for the upcoming trip, she returned most of her attention to the Array Forge and guided her mana through its channels.

She had made more progress with the artifact lately, and she suspected that she was close to unlocking functions that would make it genuinely useful rather than merely an elaborate light show. But even as she focused on her work, she didn't miss Rosa watching her from nearby.

"So, what do you make of Skyler?" she eventually asked, allowing more of Amy to bleed through than usual. It was easier—and more comfortable—to remain in Scarlett mode most of the time, but she also considered it a kind of practice to switch when she could.

"Oh, she's fun," Rosa answered.

"Fun as in interesting, or fun to make fun of?"

"Both."

"Of course." Rosa chuckled softly.

"Call me crazy, though, but I don't think she likes me very much."

"That does not surprise me. From what I understand, you did not make the best first impression. Nor do I imagine your behaviour earlier today improved matters."

"Oh, don't underestimate my persistence," Rosa said lightly.

"I'm like an ulcer. I grow on people whether they want me to or not. You can attest to that." Scarlett shook her head.

"I think it would do you good to be proven wrong for once."

"Almost certainly."

"Unfortunately," Scarlett continued, "I wouldn't be shocked if Skyler did warm up to you."

"Yeah?" Rosa smiled.

"That'd be nice. Then I'd have all three sisters wrapped around my finger." Scarlett turned away from the Array Forge and fixed Rosa with a sharp look.

"Excuse me?" Rosa's smile turned innocent.

"Hmm?"

"Say that again."

"…I don't think I will."

"Yes. You had better not." Scarlett turned back to the Forge, silent for several seconds before speaking again, more quietly.

"Also, I would prefer if you didn't refer to us all as sisters. It becomes weird." Rosa watched her for a moment.

"You still unsure about Evelyne, in that sense?" Scarlett frowned slightly.

"I simply do not think it would be right for me to call her that. And Skyler…" She trailed off.

"I don't think Evelyne would mind," Rosa said.

"No," Scarlett replied.

"Because she does not know better."

"But is that true?" Rosa asked. Scarlett didn't answer. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she manipulated her mana. She was aware that Evelyne didn't truly see her and the original Scarlett as the same person — at least not entirely. They both knew there were aspects of that truth they had never fully explored, and Scarlett preferred to leave it that way. Frankly, she liked her current relationship with Evelyne. It was easier, quieter, and carried far less tension than before.

Even the old disgust she had once felt towards the woman had become far more manageable, particularly after their return from Beld Thylelion. But that also meant there was a line she didn't cross. One that felt increasingly awkward with Skyler now in the picture. She almost felt as though she was being unfair to Evelyne now that so much of her attention had shifted towards Skyler. She wasn't certain whether that was even something she should feel guilty about. One was her actual sister.

The other was someone whose 'sister' she had merely stepped in as. She drew in a slow breath. Rosa was of the opinion that she and Evelyne weren't so different from real sisters, and while the bard could be careless, Scarlett knew she would ultimately respect whatever boundaries Scarlett chose to maintain. Her goal was simply to help define those boundaries. That said, what Scarlett questioned was whether there was any real point in changing things as they currently were.

For today, though, she pushed those thoughts aside and continued working on the Forge, letting the conversation fade naturally. Rosa seemed to recognise the end of it as well, turning her attention elsewhere. She selected a book from the nearby shelf and settled back into her chair, idly flipping through its pages. Time passed that way, each of them occupied with their own tasks, until Scarlett received a quiet notice from the Loci.

She stopped immediately, severing the flow of mana and having the house spirit teleport the Array Forge away. Rosa glanced up as Scarlett stood, lowering the book to her chest.

"Something up?"

"We have a guest," Scarlett said.

"The one I told you about."

"Oh." Rosa straightened.

"Want me to join you?" Scarlett shook her head.

"That will not be necessary." With a short command to the Loci, space folded around her, and she was transported through the mansion to the underground chamber where Nol'viz was being kept. The masked Cabal girl stood motionless before the bars of her cell. Slate stood opposite her, just outside, the two of them watching one another in silence. Three violet eyes shifted as Nol'viz noticed Scarlett's arrival. Slate turned as well, her emerald gaze fixing on Scarlett. Scarlett studied them both for a moment.

They did this sometimes. Slate had asked to be allowed to visit Nol'viz. Scarlett had been hesitant at first—granting a Cabal member access to the Tribute without anyone else present wasn't a decision to make lightly—but she had ultimately allowed it under certain conditions. She thought it might be good for Slate. And since the two girls shared a strange sort of kindled understanding, she'd also been curious what kind of conversations they might have.

What she hadn't expected was that they would not really have conversations at all. Most of the time, they simply stood like this, watching one another in silence. It was a bit unsettling, but Scarlett didn't want to interfere more than necessary.

"Nol'viz," Scarlett said.

"Baroness," Nol'viz replied in her layered voice, whispers echoing from behind the mask.

"Are you still willing to adhere to the agreement we discussed?"

"We are."

"Good. Then I will allow your champion to enter." Scarlett issued another silent command to the Loci. When she had first confined Nol'viz here, she had weighed several options for what to do with her. Naturally, one of those had been to use the girl's strength for her own purposes, perhaps even bring her along for Fynn's trial. At the time, though, Scarlett had assumed that would be difficult in practice, given Nol'viz's ties to the Cabal. She hadn't expected that assumption to be proven so completely wrong.

Nor had she expected someone else to arrive and bargain in Nol'viz's place. The space before her distorted as a towering figure was pulled in by the Loci. A knight clad in blackened armour appeared, tattered cloth hanging from his frame. A tall sword rested edge-down against the stone floor, slit-less helm looking down at Scarlett, an old, almost withering presence radiating from him. Scarlett met his gaze calmly, then gestured towards Nol'viz.

"As you can see, your ward is unharmed." His head turned slowly towards the girl. Nol'viz's eyes fixed on him in return.

"Carnwedain," the whispering voices said simply. The knight watched her for several seconds without speaking, glancing only briefly at Slate before returning his attention to Scarlett. One gauntleted hand shifted on the sword's hilt. Part of Scarlett wanted to tense at the movement. She knew how strong he was. She had seen him beat Fynn bloody. But she also knew he would not harm her. He couldn't. He had given his word.

Cabal member or not, that meant that, for the time being, she was safer around him than in almost any other place. From within his robes and the armour visible beneath, he produced a hand-sized object shaped like a rounded triangle, its surface etched with fine lines and Zuverian glyphs. A power that was incredibly familiar to Scarlett emanated from it. [Seal of Thainnith (1/3) (Unique)] {A third of a whole. A seal upon that which cowered} He extended it towards her.

Scarlett studied it only briefly before taking it, feeling its unnatural weight settle into her palm. Then she looked up at Carnwedain again. He waited. When he had first appeared outside the estate, she had almost assumed the Cabal had come to fight again. Maybe that assumption had been part of why she had allowed Melody to accompany her then. She hadn't expected him to come seeking negotiation. With a small gesture, Scarlett issued another command.

Nol'viz was drawn out of the cell and placed beside Slate, free of the bars for the first time since arriving at the mansion. The masked girl's eyes blinked in delayed unison, looking back into the cell, then at Slate and Carnwedain. Scarlett held the seal in her hand, feeling its presence, before putting it away inside her [Pouch of Holding]. The seal was valuable, but it was unrelated to this arrangement. Carnwedain had merely been the courier for it.

Now that he was here, though, she intended to make full use of the opportunity he'd presented.

"I hope you are prepared," she said.

"We leave tomorrow."