Chapter 460 - Progress meeting
The walls and floor of Scarlett’s office in the Elystead mansion were threaded with runes and pale, shifting light as she channelled her mana through the Array Forge set on her desk. At the centre of the room, an evolving lattice of interlocking glyphs shifted from one arrangement to the next as she tested configuration after configuration, following the quiet pulse of a rhythm only she could sense.
Scattered across several shallow ceramic dishes on the floor were the reagents Rosa had brought back earlier that day. Worts, dark-veined herbs, powdered bone, black salts, dried roots, shrivelled glands, and several other substances that might have made even a well-connected wizard pause before asking where they had come from.
They were different from the more orthodox arcane components Scarlett had worked with before. These strayed closer to the thaumaturgic, curse-like branches of magic that weren’t as commonly practised in the empire, but they had their uses, especially when it came to working with the likes of demons and more ethereal beings.
Thainnith’s legacy held only a few fragments of knowledge related to that sort of discipline, but Yamina had lent her plenty of notes to help, and with the Array Forge’s ability to simulate the responses of both materials and arrays, isolating failure points and extrapolating interactions were well within Scarlett’s capabilities without her having to risk working directly with reagents she was seeing for the first time.
“—and then we just barely made it out of the Puddles with our throats intact and our purses still attached, thanks in no small part to my guile and grace,” Rosa drawled from the corner of the room she had claimed as her own, feet propped up on a low stool and ‘The Kept Hours’ resting across her lap.
“Mmm. I am sure,” Scarlett murmured absently.
“For some reason, I feel like you’re not adequately appreciating my story or the very legitimate danger I braved for you and you alone.”
“That is because I sincerely doubt there was any such danger.”
“Gasp.”
Scarlett’s eyes shifted briefly to Rosa as the woman covered her mouth in a very poor pantomime of betrayal.
“Is this the thanks I get?” Rosa asked.
“It is.” Scarlett returned her focus to the Forge. “I never asked you to retrieve the materials yourself.”
She wasn’t even entirely sure how Rosa had managed to pry the necessary information about where to get it all out of Beldon’s contacts. Scarlett had only sent the bard to save time, and the purpose of the meeting had been to establish the exchange and share information. Nothing more. She’d been told that his contacts weren’t inclined to share their supplies, routes, or favours with strangers, but since she had also been assured that the requested reagents would be delivered by morning, she had been satisfied.
Which meant Rosa’s little excursion into the Puddles and what was presumably the less reputable circulatory system of the city had been unnecessary.
Mostly, at least.
It was true that she had secured the materials sooner and in greater quantities than expected. That alone meant Scarlett could begin some of her preparations tonight and clear several tasks from tomorrow’s schedule, which was useful.
But she wouldn’t be admitting that.
“So,” she said as she adjusted the simulated glyphs hovering before her, currently testing different Zuverian techniques for converting reagents into their pure essence, “what did you and Kat do after leaving the Puddles? Is there a reason you abducted Slate other than a flight of fancy?”
“I told Kat I wanted the kids to experience culture.”
“I sincerely doubt that to be the true reason.”
“Funny. The two of you were the same in that regard. Would you buy it if I said I did it because I’m generous and benevolent?”
“No.”
“Huh. It’s starting to occur to me that I may not have cultivated the most sterling impression in the hearts of those around me.”
“Do not pretend as if it surprises you.”
“Fine, fine.”
Rosa tipped her head back against the wall, looking up at the rune-lit ceiling. Her hands settled over the book in her lap, fingers drumming idly against its cover.
“To lend my tale a sliver of fairness, I did show both Slate and Nol’viz around some of the livelier parts of the Coins,” she said after a while. “Introduced them to the manifold delights of honey twists, cake glaze, and several other pillars of civilisation. They enjoyed that.”
“Did either of them say they enjoyed it?”
“Don’t go asking unnecessary questions. Anyhow, after indulging in the Coins, we headed over to Hamet Garden.”
Scarlett paused briefly, glancing at her. “Hamet Garden?”
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“Heard it was beautiful.”
“I would assume not at this time of year.”
“I would have wound time forward by a few weeks if I could, but sadly, that is a charm I am still working on.” Rosa shrugged. “It was still decent enough.”
“Is that so?”
“It is so. Slate and Nol’viz even made a friend.”
“…They did?”
“Yes. We left them to their own devices in one of those hedge mazes while Kat and I had a little girl talk, and wouldn’t you know it, they came back practically brimming with smiles and eager to share the tale of their exciting adventure.”
Scarlett considered the woman more closely, eyes narrowing. Naturally, she knew Rosa was exaggerating the details. But the woman typically didn’t fabricate these sorts of things entirely.
“Did both Slate and Nol’viz speak with this person?”
Nol’viz had been instructed not to show herself too openly unless she hid her mask and more conspicuous features. The thought that she might have wandered into a public garden and made acquaintances was far from reassuring. If so, Scarlett might have to reconsider how she interacted with the Cabal girl.
“From the sounds of it, yeah,” Rosa said. “That person didn’t seem to mind either of them.”
Stolen story; please report.
“Who was it?”
“Hmm.” Rosa tapped the side of her cheek, brow furrowing in exaggerated thought. “I’m trying to remember their name. It was one of those long, overly fancy ones.”
“Rosa—” Scarlett started.
“Ah, that’s right.” Rosa snapped her fingers as if remembering. “Hilde Priscilla Verddun Teronia. That was her name.”
Scarlett stiffened. She stared at Rosa, and that stare soon turned into a glare, which eventually faded into a sigh as she removed her hands from the Array Forge. The artifact’s hum faded as the runes and luminous structures threading the walls dissolved into motes of light.
She turned to face Rosa fully, mouth flattening into a thin line. “You brought Slate and Nol’viz to meet the princess?”
She hadn’t meant for it to sound like an accusation, but it came out that way anyway.
Rosa opened her mouth, paused, then shut it again with a wince. “There’s not much point in me pretending, is there?”
“No.”
“Then yes. I did do that.”
“Why?”
“It’s a bit complicated.”
Scarlett leaned forward over the desk. “Try me.”
“Well…” Rosa watched her for a moment, then let out a small breath. “You know how you’ve been trying to help Slate grow and learn? That’s part of why you’re letting her and Nol’viz get so chummy, right?”
“It is.”
“It’s a bit like that. A bit.”
“…And the other bit?”
“That’s the complicated bit.” Rosa gave her an apologetic smile. “I don’t actually understand it myself, and I can’t really explain it to you. But I think you should keep an eye on that princess. She’s not exactly…normal.”
Scarlett frowned. “I have met with her before. I have not noticed anything out of the ordinary.”
“Then maybe what you should be looking for is the ordinary?”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. That was an actual, genuine suggestion. No bardic flourish. Like I said, you should pay attention to her.”
Scarlett kept her eyes on the woman, considering, before finally leaning back.
“Fine.” She settled into her chair. “But there is still the matter of Slate and Nol’viz meeting her. Did they show their faces? How many people saw them? Did anyone see that you were connected to them?”
It was frankly strange that they had even managed to approach an imperial princess like that to begin with. Scarlett had once encountered the second princess in the very same garden, but that had been during a social gathering, with dozens of nobles and guards nearby.
“Let’s see…” Rosa held up one hand, counting on her fingers. “In order, I’d say: yes, half. Two people, according to Slate. And not really, but kind of.”
“Specify, Rosa.”
“The princess apparently saw Nol’viz’s mask, but didn’t seem too bothered by it, which either says something very positive or very worrying about her. The only ones there were the princess herself and some big, lumpy knight fellow. As for whether anyone saw me and Kat with them, there were a few groundskeepers and the like wandering around the garden who might’ve spotted us with Slate, but not Nol’viz. I also don’t think there’s much risk of that becoming an issue.”
“And why is that?”
Rosa’s smile turned almost roguish. “Come now, Ames.”
Scarlett raised a brow. “Ames?”
The woman’s smile stumbled at the edges. She cleared her throat, looking away. “We’ll workshop that one. Anyhow, do you really think I’d do something that risked making an actual mess for you, Red?”
“I do, yes.”
“I mean, excluding the time with the Vile. And the time I dragged some of your secrets into a song. And all the times I’ve talked your pretty head off. Those don’t count.”
Scarlett stayed silent, then sighed. “I do not believe you would knowingly endanger me, no. Not unless it was only to be annoying. I assume you have reason to believe news of their meeting will not spread?”
Rosa nodded. “It’d honestly surprise me if it did. I don’t think anyone but the princess and her bodyguard actually knew she was there.”
“She is royalty, Rosa, and the empire is currently standing on the edge of several unpleasant forms of chaos. Are you saying they simply lost track of where she was?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time those folk lost track of a princess, would it?”
“The difference is that this princess is not even twelve.”
Rosa spread her hands. “Don’t ask me how it works. I’m just saying the princess seems to have developed her methods.”
Scarlett studied her for a while.
She knew Rosa wasn’t saying that without basis, so it was entirely possible that it was true. Scarlett just didn’t know how the princess could visit a garden outside Dawnlight Palace without anyone noticing. It sounded like Holdger had still been with her, but with how closely he stuck to the girl, Scarlett wasn’t sure he would reveal anything she didn’t want revealed.
“I hope that you are right that this will not become an issue, Rosa,” she finally said.
“Same. It’d be another fine feather in my already dangerously crowded cap to be proven right once more.”
“I could do without your smugness, however.”
Scarlett tapped one finger against the desk as her gaze drifted back to the Array Forge, catching on the dull gleam of its now matte-grey metal.
The glib response she expected didn’t come.
Her eyes returned to Rosa, finding the woman sitting unusually still, her expression quieter than before. Not hurt, exactly, nor guilty. Just unreadable in a way Rosa rarely bothered to be nowadays.
“Do you want me to stop with that?” Rosa asked.
Scarlett’s finger stilled.
“Stop…?”
“Being smug. I’ll stop if you want me to.”
“I was not being serious, Rosa.”
“No, I know. But I’m still asking.”
Scarlett looked at her for a few moments. Then she drew a breath.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “Be whatever version of yourself you like. I’m not a child. For all our games, it doesn’t truly matter to me whether you are being a brat or not. You already know this. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be so brazen about abusing it.”
“Heh.” Rosa gave a quiet chuckle, mouth curving at the corners again. “True enough.”
Scarlett continued watching her.
Then she lowered her voice slightly. “Besides, you have kept your promise.”
She nodded towards the book in Rosa’s lap.
Rosa had promised to let Scarlett read one page from it once they arrived in Elystead, and she had kept that promise. It had been one of the first things Scarlett demanded after they reached the mansion. Rosa had seemed genuinely careful in choosing which page to show her, though. At the time, Scarlett had almost expected to be shown some harmless scrap that technically satisfied the agreement while revealing nothing of substance.
That hadn’t been what happened, though she almost wished it had.
After all, the page had been written in blood.
Rosa had assured her that the entire book was like that. Scarlett believed her. But it was still worrying. Especially since the handwriting hadn’t been what she expected.
As for the contents themselves, they hadn’t been too enlightening, but they had been enough for Scarlett to feel completely confident that she now understood why Rosa had been so against letting her read the rest of the book.
‘The Kept Hours’ described a future that could happen, after all. And much like with Fate, Rosa knew Scarlett wouldn’t like being placed under something like that. More than that, it seemed that this particular future had the additional problem that the very act of learning about it might be part of what tightened its hold. If Scarlett were to guess, Rosa was ensuring that she had as much space as possible to move by not knowing its contents.
In that sense, Scarlett felt bad about letting Rosa shoulder the burden alone without complaint. But she appreciated that the woman could at least speak more openly about it now than before.
Her eyes stayed on the woman for a few seconds longer. Then, deciding there wasn’t much point lingering on the matter any further, she changed the subject.
“I am curious what an interaction between Slate, Nol’viz, and the princess would look like. Did you hear anything?”
Rosa clearly saw through the attempt, but her smile only widened. She ran a hand through her hair, violet eyes glinting with renewed interest. “You and me both. I tried asking. Apparently, there was some sort of kerfuffle where Carnwedain popped up—don’t ask me where he came from—and had a staring contest with the princess’ knight. But things calmed down pretty quickly after that.”
Scarlett frowned.
“After that,” Rosa continued, “the princess apparently gave them an out. But she’d somehow managed to catch both Nol’viz’s and Slate’s interest, so they stayed. Then the three of them ended up watching flowers grow for half an hour.”
“Literally?”
“That’s how I interpreted it. I took it that they asked her a bunch of questions that she didn’t really answer, and then after that they didn’t really have anything to do, so…flowers.” Rosa tilted her head. “That’s not exactly out of character for Slate or Nol’viz, but I am a little surprised the princess didn’t mind sitting around looking at dirt with a pair of strange strangers that long.”
“Perhaps she is lonely.”
“You think?”
Scarlett thought back to the times she had met the princess. Though not in personality, the girl had reminded her somewhat of Skyler not long after they had lost their parents.
“It would not surprise me,” she said. “However, even if that is the case, we will have to exercise care in this matter.”
“If you say so, boss.”
“Are you planning to ‘introduce’ them again at some point?”
Rosa shook her head. “Nothing on the agenda, no. From here, it’s up to you and them.”
“Hmph.”
Scarlett resumed tapping one finger against the desk, her thoughts drifting towards the celebration that was now less than two days away. Tomorrow would be eaten up by rote preparations for her, so she wouldn’t have the time to do anything then. But could she perhaps approach the princess during the celebration?
Even if there wasn’t anything strange going on with her, Scarlett had once made the girl a promise. And there was also the matter of a certain favour that had been asked of her.
It was a bit early, but she supposed this was the best opportunity to handle that.