Chương 456: Chapter 451 - Sage advice

The carriage rolled up in front of the mansion just as the afternoon light began to soften over the grounds, a cool breeze sweeping in across the estate. Most of the snow that had still clung in thin patches before they left was gone by now, leaving the gravel path bare again, along with the clipped hedges, the low stone walls, and the broad stretch of the front lawn. Across from Scarlett in the carriage cabin, Allyssa let out a small breath and leaned forward to peer out the window.

"It's already been ages since we left, hasn't it?" She took in the view for another moment, then straightened and glanced at the pale girl beside her.

"Not literally ages," she added.

"Obviously. I just mean it feels that way." Slate's eerie green eyes rested on her from beneath the dark hood.

"Hyperbole," she said.

"The deliberate use of exaggerated, idiomatic expression to convey emphasis rather than literal fact. I was aware that, although your statement was factually incorrect, you did not intend to assert that 'ages' had passed. Your clarification was unnecessary." Allyssa cleared her throat.

"Right. Sorry."

"I was not offended. Your apology was also unnecessary." Next to Slate, where the shadows pooled a little deeper than they should have inside an ordinary carriage, Nol'viz's voice drifted out in a low whisper.

"We understood as well."

"That's…good," Allyssa said, offering a small smile. Part of the darkness shifted, just enough for a sliver of Nol'viz's white mask to show. Her three lavender eyes settled with mild curiosity on the seat opposite her.

"Did you understand?" she asked. Scarlett looked to the two young teens pressed in beside her, Velryrth and Themyar. Fynn's sister and brother had stayed quiet for most of the ride through the city, though whether that was because they were still taking everything in or because Scarlett herself was sitting right there was harder to say.

Velryrth, the eldest, had been absent-mindedly fiddling with the end of her hair—currently arranged into a simple braid—and appeared slightly startled at being addressed so suddenly. She glanced at Allyssa, and the two shared a brief, awkward look before Velryrth gave a small nod.

"I did," she said. Themyar, who reminded Scarlett more of Fynn, frowned at Nol'viz.

"It was pretty obvious." Nol'viz's three eyes blinked in unison as she studied him. She didn't say anything after that, but she seemed satisfied with the answer. Scarlett let the conversation pass without joining in, turning her attention back to the window as the carriage came to a halt. The coachman had barely opened it before she stepped down onto the gravel. Cool air brushed her face as she looked up at the mansion, taking in the familiar sight of the courtyard and the place she'd come to think of as home.

Then she turned to the coachman.

"Thank Baron Fulton for his generosity on my behalf." The man bowed his head.

"Of course, my lady." After Scarlett had handled the little… display near the Kilnstone, Baron Fulton had approached her, asking about what had happened and whether it would be inappropriate to offer some assistance. She couldn't say what about the sight of a local baroness standing in the middle of a public square, having just magically strung up a pair of unruly children and an escaped fairy-creature, had struck him as a situation worth getting involved in.

But he'd been polite enough about it, and since being watched while losing control of the situation like that had already been mortifying enough that there wasn't much dignity left to protect, Scarlett had swallowed her pride and accepted. Fulton had offered one of his carriages for the ride back to the estate, and he'd also known where nearby she could arrange further transport.

There was a decent chance the man had at least in part been trying to edge a little closer to her good graces, but honestly, Scarlett didn't mind this once. It was a small favour, and if the chance ever came up, she'd repay it properly. The others climbed out after her, with Allyssa stepping down first, stretching as she tugged her bandolier back into place. Velryrth and Themyar came next, both blinking up at the mansion with different mixtures of awe and caution, while Slate followed a moment later.

Nol'viz didn't appear at all, which wasn't surprising. When they were out in Freybrook, the Cabal girl stayed hidden in Slate's shadow to avoid attracting attention. The coachman climbed back up onto the front of the carriage, gathered the reins, and soon had the horses moving again. The carriage rolled away down the gravel path, passing two broad wagons on their way up towards the mansion, each pulled by bulkier, sturdier draft beasts.

Those wagons had ended up being the easiest solution for transporting the rest of the group. Baron Fulton had at first looked into arranging more carriages, but he'd realised fairly quickly that finding one big enough for Carnwedain wasn't going to be simple, and Scarlett had told him wagons were fine. One of the wagons rattled to a halt directly in front of her. Rosa was the first to climb down, doing so with exaggerated care, like she was twice her age, while she rubbed at her backside. Kat followed after her.

"That," Rosa announced the moment her boots touched the ground, "was evil. Pure, unadulterated evil. You can't let a lady get used to the exquisite comforts of proper carriage travel—all that padding, all that space, all that lovely satin—and then snatch it away and cast her onto a wooden wagon bench like an unwanted sack of turnips. That's cruelty. That's villainy. That's an assault on basic human decency." Scarlett gave her a flat look.

"Those are privileges. Privileges I am not afraid to revoke." Rosa pressed a hand to her chest.

"And now you're even reminding me of the fragility of earthly pleasures?" Scarlett shook her head.

"Also, none of my carriages have ever had satin in them."

"Well, maybe they ought to."

"And perhaps you ought to become more familiar with the experience of travelling by wagon from now on." Rosa's expression froze, and Kat very carefully looked away. If she had wanted to, Scarlett probably could have managed to arrange at least one more carriage for Rosa and the others. She just hadn't felt like bothering.

That would only have given those two an excuse to ride in it, and she hadn't forgotten who'd looked closest to laughing when she'd been forced to retrieve one escaping sprite and two unnaturally agile children in the middle of a public square.

Behind Rosa and Kat, the rest of the wagon's passengers started climbing down, with Shin hopping off first, followed by Fynn— Or rather, followed by Fynn's two youngest siblings, who were promptly hauled out by the scruffs of their clothes and dumped off the wagon like a pair of troublesome pups. Two cries rang out as Kelnorin and Inayra dropped towards the gravel, only for a powerful gust of wind to catch them just before they could faceplant.

It left them dangling upside down for a moment, clothes and hair flailing wildly in the air. Fynn landed beside them, and a second later, both siblings were lowered onto the ground, now restrained by bands of ethereal wind around their waists and wrists. Neither seemed especially upset by the treatment. If anything, they were both too busy staring past Fynn at the mansion and the broad estate grounds with wide eyes.

But at least Fynn had managed to teach them enough of a lesson on the way here that they didn't instantly bolt towards the nearest possible source of trouble. After Scarlett had caught the two little terrors in the city, they really had looked properly guilty—and more than a little frightened—for a while. But since that had somehow faded during the ride here, Scarlett supposed she would have to be content with this much. She just hoped they didn't break anything.

The second wagon rolled up behind the first, with Carnwedain's massive figure sitting on it. Still wrapped in heavy cloaks, with the dark armour and tattered robes beneath mostly hidden, he was carrying one new addition to his usual appearance. A birdcage. Inside it, the sprite hovered in a tiny storm of blue light and what Scarlett imagined was indignation. She'd bought the cage on the way through the city after deciding that simply trusting the creature not to cause more problems wasn't an option.

Its escape had already earned her far more attention than she would have liked, and she did not even want to think about the rumours that were probably going to make their way around Freybrook after that. She wasn't especially fond of keeping things captive if it could be avoided—especially not something that was so obviously harmless and, in its own way, almost childlike—but if the sprite intended to stay with them for the time being, then it could do with being reined in a little.

At least until Scarlett had figured out what to do with it. With the whole party assembled and the wagons taking their leave, Scarlett started towards the mansion. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! The others followed as they crossed the courtyard, moving past the flowerbeds that, to Scarlett's mild surprise, were already showing the first signs of life again even though the frost had only just begun to withdraw.

As she walked, she let a fraction of her focus drift out through the estate, brushing lightly against the ambient currents of awareness carried by the Loci. It was welcoming them back, but there was also a distinct thread of curiosity running through it, directed mostly at the sprite. The Loci seemed to recognise the creature as another being touched by the Wandering Realm.

"This place…" Velryrth said, slowing a little as she took in the wings of the mansion enclosing the courtyard and stared up at the tall windows and stonework.

"It feels special somehow. Why is that?"

"That's probably the Loci," Allyssa said, moving up beside her. Velryrth looked at her.

"The way?"

"The Loci," Allyssa repeated.

"It's like a…house spirit, kind of. Scarlett's sort of been cultivating it here. It's really cool. There's a garden in the back where it's always summer and everything, with lots of unique flora." Velryrth's eyes widened.

"That's possible?"

"Apparently. I'll show it to you later, if you want."

"I'd love that." By the time their group reached the foyer doors, one of the female servants had already opened them from within, curtsying as Scarlett led the others inside. The familiar entrance hall opened up before them, and both the sprite and the Grehaldrael siblings were still busy taking in the decor and furnishings by the time footsteps sounded from the staircase to the second floor and Evelyne appeared, accompanied by Garside and Lady Withersworth.

All three stopped when they saw the full composition of Scarlett's returning group. Evelyne's gaze moved from Fynn and his cluster of siblings to Carnwedain—whom she had never actually met in person before—then to the half-translucent sprite in the cage, and finally back to Scarlett. As she started down the stairs with Garside and Lady Withersworth beside her, there was already a question forming on her face. Lady Withersworth, by contrast, looked openly amused, as though this was more or less what she'd expected.

"Well," the older woman said, her attention lingering on Carnwedain and the sprite, "you always do know how to return from an outing properly, don't you, dear?" Scarlett considered her, weighing whether there was any real point in trying to dress things up as anything other than what they were. Eventually, she gave up on the idea. As long as Carnwedain's and Nol'viz's actual identities stayed hidden, it should be fine.

"How did things go?" Evelyne asked, and her eyes returned to Fynn and the white-haired children, focusing particularly on the two youngest, who still had their wrists bound.

"I…assume these are Fynn's family?" Before Scarlett could answer, Kelnorin had already wandered close enough to stare straight up at Evelyne. The woman blinked and looked down at him. He studied her for a long second, apparently focusing on the auburn hair that fell just past her shoulders and swept partly over one eye, framing the freckles on her face.

"You're pretty," he declared. Evelyne's eyes widened. Then she actually blushed.

"You're much less scary than the angry fire witch. Are you her sister?" Scarlett's expression darkened. Evelyne blinked again, and Scarlett caught the hint of laughter threatening to pull at her mouth. Suddenly, a compact gust of wind wrapped around Kelnorin's middle and lifted him half a metre off the ground before turning him upside down.

"Ah, what did I do—!" he managed, right before another twist of wind cut him off and muffled his mouth. Fynn simply stood with his arms folded by his other siblings. Lady Withersworth chuckled softly, lifting a hand to her mouth as she looked at Scarlett.

"Might I ask what you did to earn that title from one so young?"

"They caused a scene upon our arrival through the Kilnstone. I took the opportunity to teach them a lesson, but it appears my lenience on account of their youth may have been a mistake."

"Ah." The woman's amusement only deepened.

"Yes, some children are rather like that. My own daughter was a terror at that age." Her gaze drifted towards Kelnorin as he hung there in the air. The boy seemed to eventually realise that struggling against his brother's punishment was pointless, because he instead started slowly twisting back and forth, looking more and more as if he was enjoying himself.

"Though my son was always considerably more proper," Lady Withersworth continued.

"A little like this one, perhaps." She gestured towards Velryrth, who had been nervously glancing at Garside and the servant by the entrance, as well as the various paintings and vases in the foyer. She straightened as the attention moved to her, her cheeks colouring faintly. Lady Withersworth hummed.

"Some people simply have a natural way with the young. For others, it's something experience teaches. And then there are those who never quite learn at all, like my excuse for a husband."

"I am afraid that I belong to the third category," Scarlett said.

"I have never been especially good with children."

"Oh, it's far too early to say that. You've plenty of time to learn yet, dear."

"Perhaps." Scarlett turned back to Evelyne.

"To answer your question, things went well. We achieved all that we set out to do, and more." She pulled a small metal token from her [Pouch of Holding] and motioned in Carnwedain's direction. The moment she fed a thin strand of mana into the token, it flashed with sharp white light and the space behind the knight rippled. The masking spell that had been following him fell away, and suspended by the entrance was Olgolzkreh's heart, its presence immediately distorting the room around it.

Light bent strangely across its surface as the outer crystalline shell revolved in a slow, chaotic motion around a core of fierce white-blue radiance. Veins of power pulsed through it like frozen lightning, carrying the distilled essence of a blizzard at its most merciless. Curled atop it lay the half-formed shape of Olgolzkreh's remnant Will, wings of pale light unfurled and moving slightly in its steady slumber.

Compared to a stray sprite and a pair of escaped children, bringing this thing out in the middle of Freybrook would have caused enough of a stir that the local Brook Tower's wizards probably would have shown up within the hour. Followed by just about every other city's tower within a day. Yamina had known that as well, which was why she'd helped Scarlett set up an array to conceal the heart's presence in the first place and spare her at least one headache on the trip back.

Evelyne went completely still at the sight of the heart. For several seconds, she simply stared. Even Garside looked caught off guard behind her, one hand rising to his moustache as he regarded the heart.

"That—" Evelyne started, then her eyes narrowed as the heart throbbed once and a pulse of mana and thin fractures of frost crept across the floor beneath it.

"…What is that?" she eventually asked.

"It can't be…?"

"It is the heart of a dragon," Scarlett said. Evelyne turned to her.

"Scarlett, that's not just the heart of a dragon."

"You are correct. It is the heart of an ancient dragon." This time, the woman stared at her. Then both hands came up to her face, dragging slowly down over it as she drew in a deep breath and muttered something under it about Scarlett somehow always managing to do this. A few seconds later, she seemed to pull herself back together. She exhaled, nodded once to herself, and looked back at the heart.

"Okay," she said.

"You neglected to mention that you would apparently be fighting against an ancient dragon while you were gone, but that's fine. This is fine, too. I'm fine. It's only an ancient dragon."

"You don't sound especially fine," Rosa pointed out.

"Rosa, I would really appreciate it if you said nothing right now." The bard grinned, but mimed stitching her mouth shut. Lady Withersworth looked between Evelyne, Scarlett, and the dragon heart. Some of the earlier light-heartedness had left her face.

"Baroness, is that truly the heart of an ancient dragon?"

"It is," Scarlett said.

"And were you responsible for slaying it?"

"I was, along with the rest of my party." For a few moments, the older woman said nothing. Her gaze stayed on the heart, something quieter and heavier settling behind her eyes.

"If I'm not mistaken," she finally said, "your trip this time was to a settlement near the Whitdown Mountains?"

"It was."

"The only ancient dragon I have ever heard of appearing in the western Empire is the Dragon of Devastation."

"His name was Olgolzkreh, which translates roughly as Lord of the White." Lady Withersworth turned to her, her expression serious.

"Baroness, can you swear under oath that the Dragon of Devastation is truly dead?" A faint crease touched Scarlett's brow, but she nodded.

"I can. However, I have no intention of revealing that fact to the world at large just yet." A flicker of surprise crossed the woman's face.

"Why not?"

"Because if word spreads that I played a part in slaying an ancient dragon, it will invite far too much attention and scrutiny. More than that, people will come demanding the heart and whatever other materials I recovered if they learn I possess them. I have no intention of surrendering any of it, even to the imperial family."

"With all due respect, Baroness, I ask that you reconsider."

"Why is that?"

"Because whatever else you may accomplish, and whatever standing or connections I might help you secure, all of it pales beside what being known as the one who slew that dragon could offer you." Lady Withersworth's voice grew more sober.

"I am not speaking only of titles, distinction, or recognition among the nobility, but of what it would mean to ordinary people as well. Thousands upon thousands died eight years ago. Many more were driven from their homes and left with nothing. I had distant family in Millstone — family of whom only a few remain, and who long ago abandoned any hope that there would ever be any reckoning for what they lost. Yet you have apparently brought precisely that."

Scarlett paused, studying the woman's expression and seeing the traces of emotion there. She had heard the name Millstone. It had once been the largest town in the region now known as the Blasted Lands, and while she didn't know exactly how large it had been, towns usually held populations in the tens of thousands. Of course, she was aware that Olgolzkreh's maddened rampage through the Empire had left ruin on a massive scale.

But aside from its connection to Fynn and the destruction of his tribe, she hadn't thought much about how the people of the empire actually remembered that disaster. It hadn't truly occurred to her to consider how they might view the person who killed the 'Dragon of Devastation'.

"I understand that, for you, there is value in anonymity, Baroness," Lady Withersworth said.

"That you make good use of certain groups not understanding the full extent of your capabilities. But on this matter, I must tell you plainly that it is not something you should conceal. You stand to gain far, far more by revealing it and seeing that it's presented properly. Especially with the gathering in Elystead so near at hand."

"…You genuinely believe that to be best?" Scarlett asked.

"As far as I am aware, there is no reward offered for slaying Olgolzkreh." With regard to her current plans, there wasn't much the empire had that she needed. At least not that she wanted to gain through the imperial family or other nobles. Not when there was the possibility of them deciding they had a claim to Olgolzkreh's heart. Besides, publicly announcing the full extent of her strength rubbed her the wrong way. Lady Withersworth nodded.

"There has never been a reward because no one believed the dragon would be killed by any force that didn't include the Imperial Army and the Shield's Guild. If you were to ask for one now, however, I am certain you would receive it. That would likely include this heart, if you wish to keep it. But the greatest thing to be gained here is not material." A faint frown touched her brow as she trailed off. Her eyes slipped briefly to Evelyne before returning to Scarlett.

"To be perfectly frank, I would rather have known this much sooner. The gathering is too close now for us to do more than make a few hurried preparations. Even so, if you are willing, I can contact my husband and make sure word reaches His Majesty. I believe that would be in your best interest." Scarlett held her eyes, then she glanced at the woman beside her.

"Evelyne. What do you think?" Evelyne looked caught off guard by the question, and her gaze shifted between Scarlett and Lady Withersworth. For a few seconds, she said nothing. She pressed her lips together in thought, then finally turned fully to Scarlett, her expression settling.

"Unless you have some reason to avoid it that I don't know about yet, I think this is a good time to reveal your strength," she said.

"You have already earned a great deal of goodwill, and while I know you are dealing with things that status can't always help with, I also feel that you deserve to be recognised for what you've actually accomplished."

"Is that so?" Scarlett stayed quiet for a moment. That Evelyne was saying this was what made her pause. Evelyne wasn't careless with her opinions, and while she often only gave advice on matters related to the management of the barony, if she thought Lady Withersworth was right, then it was worth considering. Finally, Scarlett gave a small nod.

"Then it seems our stay in the capital is about to become even more eventful than it already was."