Memoirs 154 - Worrying futures (Patreon)

Compared to the ball the night before, Scarlett felt like the noble gathering the morning after was almost underwhelmingly uneventful. She had half-expected another incident to occur, either with someone trying to publicly shame her again or someone crashing the party. But instead, she ended up spending most of her time relatively peacefully with Livvi, meeting up and talking with some of the other people she had encountered during the ball.

The two of them had also spent a decent amount of time with Iyana Webb, mostly as an excuse for the knight to avoid other guests who wanted to speak with her. Scarlett’s first conversation with the woman had been cut short, but from this latest interaction, she felt like she had gotten a decent sense of what kind of person Iyana was. The knight didn’t seem to care much about the posturing of other nobles—presumably, she was one herself, considering her presence at this gathering—but she took her role as a Royal Guard seriously enough that she didn’t just go around telling everybody to screw off.

That said, Iyana appeared to have a tendency to say misleading things in the most sincere ways, which reminded Scarlett of Fynn. But unlike him, she suspected the knight was entirely aware of how her words might be misinterpreted. She personally didn’t mind that too much, but it wouldn’t surprise her if the woman lacked many real friends.

She did appear to have plenty of associates at least, though, since the woman had eventually left them after a while to join a group of other knights. From there, Scarlett and Livvi had spent some more time by themselves, discounting the occasional approach by people who wanted to thank Scarlett for her actions yesterday—she hadn’t expected there would be this many people bothering her about it—and a few other new acquaintances. One of them was Master Arthur Windermere, one of Lord Withersworth’s gentleman friends, and a sponsor of a merchant group that sometimes did business near Freybrook. In the end, she had directed him towards her sister for any further business talks.

As for her interactions with Livvi, Scarlett was honestly surprised at how easy it was to converse with her, even when it was just the two of them. They didn’t discuss a lot of important matters, mostly simple things like the identities of some of the other guests and Livvi’s work, but the conversation flowed smoothly, even when Scarlett herself didn’t really know what to talk about. There was an odd reliability in chatting with Livvi like this that made it feel natural in a way. If she were to guess, it was another quality left behind by the original.

That was not to say there weren’t any awkward moments between the two of them. At times, she felt like Livvi was avoiding certain topics or had something she wanted to ask, but it never amounted to anything. However, Scarlett didn’t care much either way.

And so, most of the morning and early afternoon had passed. Disregarding the brief encounter with Marchioness Delmon—the woman really hadn’t done much more than offer weak threats and shoot her cold glances—the noble gathering drew to a close without much incident. Scarlett did meet up with Evelyne and the Withersworths one more time to exchange their final farewells, but nothing of importance was said. Lady Withersworth seemed to have expectations for the future, and though Scarlett didn’t know exactly what they were, she knew better than to decline potential allies.

One thing that was noteworthy was Beldon Tyndall’s absence for most of the event, but it made sense considering the circumstances. Scarlett didn’t have anything more to say to him for now anyway, and he was undoubtedly much busier than her at the moment. He had given her a communication artifact for their future partnership, so she would hear from him eventually at least.

Finally, as they had prepared to take their leave, Scarlett and Evelyne had also bid their goodbyes to Livvi, who was the last person they said farewell to. The short woman had looked a bit uncertain, but after a while, she had also bid them goodbye and expressed her hope they would get the opportunity to meet again sometime soon. She would probably be occupied with Shields Guild matters for the near future, though.

Afterward, Scarlett and Evelyne took the carriage and returned to their temporary guest accommodations to make the final preparations before their departure. The coachman and handmaiden who had accompanied them for the trip were already waiting in the courtyard once they finished everything. A pair of servants from the duchy helped carry what little luggage they had, and soon they were on their way.

As they had left the castle grounds, Scarlett glanced over at Evelyne, who sat across from her in the carriage cabin and looked out the window at the bustling streets of Windgrove.

“What are your plans after we return?” she asked.

Evelyne turned her head towards her. “You mean for the coming weeks?”

“Yes.”

“Well, first of all, I intend to finish some of the last arrangements for moving some of my workplace to the mansion. You said that was alright, didn’t you?”

“I did, yes.”

“Then there’s that, at least. I also have some matters related to the fief and our businesses here in Freybrook and Elystead that need to be taken care of. I actually wanted to have them finished before December, but there were too many other things that kept me busy.”

“I see.” That was understandable, considering how much of Scarlett’s work she was letting the younger woman handle while she was occupied with all her own escapades.

“In addition, I’ll have to start looking into all the possible collaborations that have suddenly become available to us,” Evelyne said. “I never thought we would have so many people willing to work with us after everything that’s happened. I was probably rejected by more than not, but even so, there’s enough potential work in that area to keep me busy for at least six months straight. It’s quite unbelievable, really. This ball was both the worst and best one I’ve ever attended.”

“That is good. It is better to have too many options than too few.”

“Well, yes, but that’s easy to say when you’re not the one doing all the work.”

Scarlett paused, studying the woman for a moment. That was…annoying, but it also wasn’t wrong.

“…Would you like my assistance with it?” she asked.

Evelyne blinked. “Ah, no, actually… I didn’t really mean it like that. Sorry. What you’re doing is the only reason we’re in this position right now, so I’m not going to ask you to stop…”

“…Very well.”

That was for the best. Scarlett had no idea how to handle most of the things Evelyne took care of. She was more likely to make things harder if she tried to learn.

“What are your plans from now on?” Evelyne asked after a brief pause.

“That is a good question.” Scarlett shifted her gaze out the window. “I will most likely return to exploring ruins and collecting artifacts that we can auction off. Although I am not certain if I will be doing it with the same frequency as before. Additionally, I have some matters to attend to with a wizard acquaintance of mine, as well as a promise to help Miss Hale with a sensitive topic.”

The incident with Count Soames marked the escalation of her conflict with the entity residing within Rosa, so there was no ignoring that issue anymore. It also seemed like she could finally make some real progress with Arlene from now on, so she would likely be spending more time in Freymeadow going forward.

As for what the Cabal was up to…

She glanced over at Evelyne. “There are also preparations within our fief and household that need to be made for the future.”

Evelyne met her eyes with a curious look. “What do you mean by that?”

“…It is likely that the empire will not remain as peaceful as it is now for much longer.”

The woman’s expression fell. “You’re talking about the Tribe of Sin.”

“Yes, in part.”

Evelyne suddenly looked worried. “Do you know something more? Is something going to happen again?”

“I cannot be entirely certain, but I have reason to believe so, yes.”

“What?”

“Unfortunately, there is little I have to share on that front,” Scarlett said. “If my concerns are correct, then the empire will soon become a very chaotic place. We both need to be cautious in the future.”

The previous attacks carried out by the Hallowed Cabal and the Tribe of Sin would pale in comparison to what would unfold once the Cabal executed their next plan. The actual events had been slated to occur later in the game timeline, but things had been pushed forward. With the [Ring of Depravity] in their possession, the Cabal would be able to sow chaos throughout the empire. The Shields Guild, the knight orders, the mage towers — everyone would be busy defending when the time came.

“If that’s the case, can’t we warn someone?” Evelyne asked.

“Not this time,” Scarlett replied.

“Why not?”

“Nothing that we say can prevent what will happen.”

“You said you weren’t even sure if it would happen, so how can you know that?”

“I simply do.”

The Cabal would proceed with their plans regardless of who Scarlett informed. The best she could do was ensure people were better prepared, but the empire had already been mobilizing its forces and citizens for months in anticipation of an impending conflict. There was little else they could do at the moment. Not to mention that she would be breaking her deal with the Cabal if she told anyone.

“Scarlett, you’re talking about something that will affect the entire country.” Evelyne locked eyes with her. “If that’s true, we can’t simply ignore it because we think there’s nothing we can do. Even if you don’t care about them, if this has the potential to cost people their lives…”

Scarlett couldn’t stop the scowl that appeared on her brow. “…You are not wrong in that this is a grave matter. However, I believe you are overestimating my callousness. If there was more that I could do, I truly would. For now, I have done what is within my power. Freybrook is likely to be safer than most other places in the empire, at least for the time being.”

The other woman stared at her. “What are you involved with, Scarlett? Exactly how much aren’t you telling me?”

“I have shared as much as I can without putting you or myself in danger.”

Evelyne fell silent.

“Do you trust me?” Scarlett asked.

Evelyne didn’t immediately answer.

“Answer me, Evelyne.”

“…I’ve already told you once that I do,” the woman eventually answered. “Even though it doesn’t make sense to,” she added in almost a whisper.

“Then trust me when I say that I am playing a very precarious game here, Evelyne. To answer your previous question, I am involved in matters that might very well be tied to the future of the empire, and I am doing what I can to ensure that future does not end in some of the ways I have witnessed.”

Evelyne stayed quiet again, and a short while passed as they looked at each other.

“So Freybrook might be safe,” the woman said after a while. “…What about the rest of the empire? How bad will it be?”

“I do not know. Some areas might face extensive damage, while others may be able to defend themselves,” Scarlett replied.

“Can’t we at least issue some kind of warning to the places where people might be most at risk?”

“It would not have much effect. I lack proof to substantiate my words, and I cannot share more information with anyone else than I already have with you. Not even this much, in fact. I will also have to ask you to show extreme caution with this knowledge, as it could cost you your life if it reaches the wrong ears.”

“What can I even do, then?” Evelyne’s face showed a defeated expression.

“As I said, we can prepare our fief and its people for the challenging times ahead. You can make decisions while taking this information into consideration. And you can do your best to assist people when the time comes.”

“Assist in what way?”

Scarlett leaned against the cabin wall, tapping her finger against the windowsill. She observed the people moving about on the streets outside. She hadn’t really given much thought to Evelyne’s role in this whole mess, so she didn’t actually have any concrete plans for her. Her words were mostly meant to convince the younger woman. But was there perhaps something they could do while still adhering to her deal with the Cabal?

She supposed that, if nothing else, she at least had the obligation to try.

“…To what extent does the empire’s current framework allow for relief efforts, such as recovery and reconstruction? I am aware that the Followers of Ittar shoulder some of that burden, but I am uncertain of their capacity.”

If she couldn’t do anything to stop what would happen, perhaps she could at least mitigate some of the consequences.

Evelyne gawked at her as if she had just grown a third eye. “You want to perform your own relief efforts?”

“I realize that as a mere baroness, my capabilities are limited, but it is better than doing nothing,” Scarlett said. “We currently possess more wealth than we need, and I can assure you that we will soon have even more. Using some of it for such a purpose would not affect us significantly. However, I will confess my ignorance regarding the logistics of carrying out such an endeavour.”

Evelyne remained quiet for a moment longer before responding. “…I can look into it. I’m not very familiar with that type of stuff either, though. How much time do you think we have?”

Scarlett pressed her lips together in thought. “It is difficult to tell. Perhaps a month? Perhaps two. Or it could be much less. I cannot say for certain.”

She wasn’t entirely sure how long it would take for the Cabal to act. Thinking about it logically, she believed they would require some time to complete their preparations if they planned to launch simultaneous attacks across the empire.

“I’m not sure if that will be enough time or not,” Evelyne said. “But it’s something, at least.”

“I have faith in your abilities. If there is anything you require my assistance with, you need only ask.”

The woman nodded, her gaze shifting downward. “I think I’ll need to hire more workers…”