Chương 473: Chapter 468 - Keeping to schedule

"What book are you referring to, Princess?" Amy asked. Did the emperor have a book like Yamina's or Arlene's? Had he met with The Other at some point? If so, what did that book contain?

"I don't know its name," the princess said.

"It's in his office."

"Do you know where he got it from?" The girl shook her head.

"Have you seen what is inside?" She shook her head again.

"Do you know anything about it?"

"…No."

"But you know that the emperor listens to what it says?"

"Mm." Amy couldn't help frowning this time. She wasn't sure why, but of all people, it had never really occurred to her that the emperor himself might possess one of those books. Not because he was unimportant. He was the empire's ruler, and there was no doubt that he held enormous power. But he had always felt oddly removed from the deeper things moving beneath the surface of this world. Part of that was because he hadn't had much of an impact in the game she remembered.

More than that, though, Mistress seemed to be leading him around to some degree, while the factions Amy had actually dealt with were the ones taking a more direct role in the important matters. Most of those weren't directly tied to the crown. At best, she had expected him to be aware of some of the deeper matters that fell within his purview as ruler. But she wouldn't have thought of him as another player on the same board as Yamina or herself. Amy considered the princess for a few seconds.

The girl only watched her back.

"Princess," she eventually said, "do you know if your sister was aware that your father had that book?" Regina had possessed one of those things as well. Could they have been connected? The princess shook her head once more.

"Sister didn't know."

"Are you sure?"

"Mm."

"Why?"

"Father doesn't let others see it. He did not want me to see it."

"Is that so…" Amy's gaze drifted slightly to the side. It was a bit strange how the princess could sound so certain about some things while knowing so little about others. Then again, a lot about her ability and perception seemed strange right now. Regardless, Amy needed to look into this. It wasn't part of her plans, but she might have to approach the emperor himself and see what she could learn that way. With today's proceedings, arranging something like that might not be impossible.

She looked back at the princess.

"You said he only listens to that book. Do you mean it guides his decisions? That there is something in it that would make him ignore you if you told him about your abilities or concerns?" The girl was quiet for several seconds. One of her hands lifted to the braid of gold hair hanging over her shoulder, twisting it loosely between her fingers.

"There is," she finally said.

"I don't know what. But there is."

"I see." Amy crossed her arms, turning that over. The princess continued watching her, quiet enough that it took Amy a moment to realise she was waiting to say something.

"What is it?" she asked. The girl hesitated.

"Can you make that book disappear?" Amy paused.

"You want me to steal it?"

"Mm."

"Why?"

"I don't like it." That wasn't much of an explanation.

"…I don't know if I can do that," Amy said.

"It depends. Do you have any idea how long he's had it?" She wasn't about to steal from the emperor just because the princess asked her to. But if this really was another of the books The Other had let loose in the world, then it might benefit Amy to know what was written in it. Or it might not. There really was no telling. Depending on the circumstances, though, stealing it without drawing attention wasn't necessarily impossible.

"Mother says he has had it for years," the princess said.

"Years?" Amy repeated. If it were another book that revealed parts of the future, then the emperor should have known about the Tribe's invasion, Beld Thylelion, and the rest for long enough to prepare. But that didn't match what Amy had seen. She was also fairly certain part of the reason Regina had left her station as Princess was because she'd had trouble convincing her father that something was coming. Then was his book another type? She went over the princess' words again in her head. Maybe it was— Amy stopped.

The frown returned to her brow as something the girl had said snagged in her thoughts. … She must have misspoken, right? Amy studied the princess, taking in the almost blank expression on her face.

"Princess, when you say that your mother says this, you mean that she once told you this, correct?" The princess looked at her. Amy waited. She had said that her mother 'says'. Present tense. While that could simply have been a slip, thinking back, Amy recalled the girl using the same kind of phrasing earlier when she said her mother had one of those music boxes. Once was easy to dismiss. Twice was less so. The princess didn't say anything, but there was something in her eyes that made Amy's attention sharpen.

It hadn't been a mistake.

"Princess," Amy said slowly, "you're aware that the empress is…" She didn't finish. Maybe this was simply how the girl coped. Maybe she was confused. Or maybe this was something else entirely. Whatever the answer, Amy found herself hesitating at the idea of telling her that her mother was dead. It didn't feel like simple empathy. Not quite. It was more like some unpleasant echo of old regrets. She couldn't help thinking back to when her own parents had died, and how that had hit Skyler.

The loss of Amy's parents had been a sad and unfortunate event. There was no doubt about that. But all the same, it had been one event among many, and when it passed, she'd had a hard time treating it as anything else, even when she wanted to. Which had played a part in her never quite figuring out how she was supposed to treat those people like her sister, who saw it as the world coming apart around them. Funnily enough, she thought she had gotten better at that since becoming Scarlett.

Maybe losing Arlene had played a part in that. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! She liked to think so. There was still always that distance, though. That slight gap between seeing someone grieve and knowing what shape her own response was supposed to take. At times like this, it left her unsure whether saying anything was safe at all. But… She couldn't just leave this untouched.

"Princess," she said, keeping her voice as natural as she could.

"Your mother, the empress. Do you know where she is?" The girl's gaze moved to the shelf of music boxes. She didn't answer. Amy was honestly a little surprised by that. The princess had been so open up until now.

"Let me rephrase that. When was the last time you spoke to your mother?" The girl remained quiet. Amy started to think she wouldn't respond at all, but then the princess spoke in a low voice.

"Recently."

"Recently?" Amy watched her more closely.

"And your father. Do you know if he's spoken to her recently as well?"

"Mm." Amy drew in a breath. Maybe the girl really was just coping, but… Ittar's words had implied Eidolon might have some connection to Memories and the princess, hadn't he? If the girl herself didn't understand the specifics of what was happening, then perhaps what Amy should be looking into wasn't her directly. Maybe it should be whatever was abnormal around her. And whatever version of the late empress the girl was talking about could very well fit into that mould.

It wasn't impossible that Amy had identified at least part of Eidolon's 'identity'. One that, apparently, the emperor was somehow involved with.

"Princess," Amy said, "do you think I could meet your mother?" What might have been surprise crossed the girl's face. It was small. Just a small shift around the eyes. Then her lips pressed together, and she fell quiet again.

"If I meet her," Amy continued, "perhaps we can discuss that door you were curious about earlier." The princess watched her for a few seconds before turning away. Her gaze moved towards a small cabinet in the corner. She walked over to it, pulled open the top drawer, and looked at whatever was inside. Then she closed it and turned back.

"Maybe you can meet her. Later."

"When?" Amy asked. The girl tilted her head, seeming unsure herself.

"After," she finally said.

"After…?" She gave a small shrug. Amy let out a quiet sigh.

"Alright. I will try to find you again later, then, Princess."

"Mm." The girl nodded, then hesitated. Her eyes flicked back to the cabinet before settling on Amy again.

"…Promise not to hurt her." Amy's eyes widened slightly. Then her expression softened.

"I promise." A knock came from the door. The princess looked towards it.

"…I need to prepare," she said.

"For the ceremony?" She nodded. Amy glanced out the window, towards the sun climbing higher over the lake. It was nearing noon. There might be close to an hour left of the reception in the garden, where the nobles and various dignitaries were still mingling, but it made sense that the princess needed to prepare early. It was odd enough that the girl could move about this freely on a day like this.

"Then I will take my leave for now." It was probably about time she switched back with her doppelganger anyway. She had learned what she needed to know for now, and she had a better idea of what had to be done before the day was over. Amy gestured towards the concealed door set into the wall.

"Princess, would you be able to connect that to somewhere without people again?" The girl looked at the door, then motioned for Amy to approach it. Amy did, pressing the same ornament she had seen the princess use earlier. The door clicked open a fraction. When she pulled it wider, she found herself looking into a dimly lit hallway that stood completely empty.

"Thank you," she said, glancing back. The princess' attention had already shifted to the other door as another knock sounded. Amy's eyes lingered on her for a moment. Then she stepped through and let the concealed door close behind her. She pulled out Mistress' sphere and activated it, extending her senses through its magic to check the situation in Rosalind's Garden. It didn't take long to locate her counterpart.

The woman was standing on a terrace near the edge of the gathering, speaking to no one and looking about as approachable as Amy had expected. A small breath of relief left her. Thankfully, nothing too chaotic seemed to have happened. Despite the restrictions she had placed on the other Scarlett, she'd been somewhat worried. Keeping track of the woman through the sphere, Amy let it carry her back to the restroom they had used earlier.

She waited there, watching as her counterpart eventually started towards one of the garden exits. They didn't have a direct way to communicate, but Amy currently held the [Memory of the Covenant], which had been used as the core to shape the other Scarlett's body. The woman was connected to it and would be able to feel when Amy brought it nearby. If Amy held on to it for too long, the body formed around it would also eventually start to unravel. Frankly, Amy had considered letting that happen.

But she still had uses for the woman. And she supposed they also had a deal. She waited in the restroom for several minutes before the door opened and the other Scarlett stepped inside. It was strange, seeing someone wearing your face enter a room and immediately scowl at you like you had personally offended them simply by existing. It was stranger still when that person spoke in your voice and cadence, if a bit harsher.

"Did you have your fun?" the woman asked.

"That's one way of putting it," Amy replied, bringing out the Covenant and extending it. The other Scarlett arched a brow, and Amy could tell she didn't care for the more casual mannerisms. After trying this for almost an hour, as little as she liked to admit it, Amy was inclined to agree. This side of her felt easier to keep hold of in the privacy of her office, when she was only speaking with Rosa or letting herself relax.

Here, in Dawnlight Palace, surrounded by nobles and old rules and all the expectations that came with Scarlett Hartford's name, it felt more out of place than anything else. That didn't mean she regretted letting it out. The other Scarlett took the dagger, and the disguise fell away from Amy in an instant. She looked into the mirror and found Scarlett Hartford staring back at her, amber eyes sharp and a faint frown already settling across her features.

Scarlett took a moment to smooth the expression away before turning back to her counterpart.

"Were there any complications?"

"None worth mentioning," the woman said as her appearance shifted into that of 'Ilona Hartford'.

"According to you."

"Yes. According to me." Scarlett scrutinised her for a few seconds, then shook her head.

"Can I expect you to find your way out on your own without causing a disturbance?"

"Naturally."

"Then we are done here. We can discuss payment for your assistance the next time we meet, along with any other matters you wish to raise." The woman's eyes stayed on her. Scarlett met them.

"Is there something you would like to say?"

"No." The other Scarlett smiled, but it wasn't exactly a pleasant smile.

"Good luck, I suppose. I suspect you will need it." She moved past Scarlett towards one of the private chambers to change, and Scarlett waited long enough to take back her own gown and return the servant uniform she had used. Then she made her way back to the proceedings in Rosalind's Garden. She didn't want her change in behaviour to stand out too much, so she kept to a similar pattern to what she had seen from her counterpart. Staying near the edges. Avoiding larger groups.

Making herself present without inviting too much attention as the reception drew closer to its end. At one point, she spotted Evelyne across one of the terraces. Their eyes met, and Evelyne gave her a look Scarlett couldn't quite identify, but it sent a faint sense of foreboding through her. Somehow, she just knew the other Scarlett had left her something troublesome to deal with. Now wasn't the time, though.

Leaving that concern for later, Scarlett found herself a quiet terrace overlooking one of the small musical ensembles that had been arranged. A table of refreshments stood nearby, giving her an excuse to remain there without seeming too deliberately withdrawn. A few people approached her over the next half hour or so, but none of the conversations demanded much of her. Soon enough, movement began spreading through the garden as palace attendants announced that people could now proceed to the Chamber of Elysia.

Lady Withersworth found her not long after, accompanied by Evelyne and a couple of other nobles Scarlett was faintly familiar with. They made their way towards the throne room together while maintaining light conversation. Scarlett could tell it hadn't only been her imagination. There was definitely something going on with Evelyne. The continued looks the younger woman gave her made that clear enough. For some reason, though, they stopped almost immediately after Scarlett asked if something was wrong.

Evelyne went mostly back to normal after that, which only made it more suspicious. Scarlett wanted to dig deeper, but she couldn't. They moved through the palace halls, guided by attendants and surrounded by other groups of nobles, many of whom exchanged passing greetings with Lady Withersworth. Neither Evelyne nor Scarlett involved themselves too much, contributing just enough to remain polite. In Scarlett's case, she was already growing tired of talking.

Between the morning's socialising, her meeting with the Augur, the princess, and the time spent letting Amy stand nearer the surface than usual, her thoughts felt stretched thinner than she would have preferred. She could endure the rest of the day, but she would conserve energy where she could. As for Evelyne, this time it might actually have been Scarlett's imagination, but the younger woman seemed a bit tired as well.

It wasn't obvious in her expression or posture, but Scarlett thought she had grown familiar enough with her to notice the signs. Had Evelyne been skipping sleep to work on all the barony-related affairs? Scarlett had told her that she should delegate more of the matters that didn't specifically require her attention.

Inwardly sighing at the fact that she was somehow the one those around her treated as the workaholic when people like Evelyne existed, Scarlett returned her focus to the matter at hand as they reached their destination. The Chamber of Elysia opened before them in all its familiar grandeur. The vaulted golden ceiling still caught the sunlight in that strange, translucent way Scarlett remembered, spreading a warm glow over the white marble walls and the immense tapestries lining them.

A red carpet stretched from the towering bronze-red doors at the far end of the chamber to the raised platform where the emperor's throne waited beneath its vermillion baldachin. Solar Knights stood along the walls in black armour and white capes. The chamber was already filling with nobles, most gathered in small clusters along the sides as attendants directed the flow of arrivals. Scarlett exchanged a few brief words with Lady Withersworth before their group separated.

The older woman gave her a meaningful look, offered a quiet wish of fortune, then moved towards the side where the untitled family members and accompanying guests were being gathered. Evelyne followed after her, eyes lingering on Scarlett. Scarlett pretended not to notice for now. Instead, she turned and made her way towards the opposite side of the chamber, where the titled nobles had begun arranging themselves. Several of them watched her approach.

Last time she had been here, many of those same people had worn looks of derision. Now there was very little of that. That, at least, sparked a faint smile on her lips. She took her place near the others and waited. More guests entered. The low murmur of conversation rose and fell, never quite breaking the chamber's solemn atmosphere.

Scarlett let her gaze sweep across the hall, noting familiar faces where she could, though her thoughts kept returning to the princess, the emperor's book, the Augur's revelation, and Mistress' half-finished ballroom hidden somewhere in the palace's depths. Eventually, a tall man in black-and-red ceremonial garb—the royal herald—slammed a staff against the floor.

"His Majesty, Gartelnas Articius Verddun Teronia!" The chamber quieted instantly, and the doors behind the throne opened.

"Kneel before Ittar's chosen light!" Everyone except the Solar Knights dropped to one knee. Two Royal Guards entered first, white-and-gold armour gleaming beneath the golden light. Then came the emperor, wearing robes of crimson and gold as he descended the curved stairs towards the throne. Behind him followed the crown prince, the second princess, Mistress in her role as imperial advisor, and the rest of the Royal Guard. Scarlett's eyes tracked the latter two at first. The emperor took his seat.

The herald raised his staff again.

"All those gathered beneath His Majesty's light shall now bear witness." Everyone rose. Scarlett focused on the man now sitting on the throne. She could have sworn she saw his gaze briefly settle on her. She straightened. It was time for her to act the main character.