“My Lady.” Garside lay on his bed, back propped up against the wall behind him. “This servant is humbled that you would take time out of your day to come visit.”

“Think nothing of it,” Scarlett said after having entered the room, eyeing him for a moment. She’d been somewhat worried about his condition, which is why she decided to pay a brief visit just to check things. The aged butler’s face appeared pale as he looked back at her, the upper half of his left shoulder supported by a thick layer of bandaging.

At Scarlett’s request, Rosa had visited the man a few times since the assault by the Cabal to see what she could help with, but the bard said there wasn’t much more healing magic could do for his recovery at the moment. Apparently, there was a limit to how much healing one’s body could handle all at once, and the longer you waited, the less you could do with magic alone. Age was also a factor, it seemed. And while Scarlett would consider Garside to be quite vigorous for his age—considering he had less issue than her climbing a freaking mountain—it appeared stamina didn’t equate to better recovery in this context.

Rosa had done what she could, so it was all left up to Garside himself to recover the last bit. Scarlett had also had what was supposedly the family physician pay a visit from the city, but the man had said much the same. He hadn’t even been entirely certain whether Garside would regain the use of his arm.

When she’d first heard that, it had surprised her how livid it made her. It was to the point where she’d ended up using a practice session as an excuse to let out some of the anger. She still occasionally found her mind wandering back to the matter. And to the Hallowed Cabal. Especially Riya. Unbidden thoughts of anger directed at the woman had popped up more than once.

In general, she tried ignoring the matter as much as possible. Letting her irritation slip around others was almost as annoying as the irritation itself.

It was astounding this was what it took for her to realize she was this attached to the old butler. Of course, that affinity was bound to be a vestige left by the original Scarlett. But up till now, it had been a lot subtler than many of the other emotions left behind by the woman. It made one wonder if Scarlett herself had even been aware of how much she seemed to have cared about Garside.

To her, to Amy, it was a new sensation. Feeling this strongly about another person’s well-being. She couldn’t recall feeling this strongly even about her own parents or sister. Should she laugh or cry at the fact that even a twisted person like Scarlett seemed to have stronger emotional attachments to others than herself?

Her eyes passed to the bed table next to Garside’s bed, and the papers filled with text that lay there.

“I see you have deemed it fit not to abandon your duties while you convalesce.”

“I am this household’s sole butler, my Lady,” the man said with a look of certainty that belied his pale appearance. “It is only right that I maintain those duties that I can still, as long as I draw breath.”

She frowned. The way he put that didn’t sit well with her. “I am sure there are other people in this household who are capable enough to assume those responsibilities for the time being,” she said. “Yet Marlon informed me you left your quarters this morning to oversee the efforts of the masons clearing the courtyard.” She met his eyes. “You have served this family faithfully for a long time. Do not forget that your continued well-being is necessary if you are to continue to do so in the future.”

Garside gave her a long look, an undecipherable expression on his face. She was uncertain what he was thinking behind those wizened eyes. Eventually, he lowered his head. “You are correct, my Lady. I have been imprudent in my actions and shown disrespect towards both you and the barony. Henceforth, I will be more heedful of my condition.”

“See that you are.” Scarlett nodded her head before glancing around the room.

This wasn’t the first time she’d visited this place, but she was always somewhat shocked by the decor. From his character, one would expect Garside’s room to be spartan in its furbishing. Yet instead, it was filled to the brim with vases and different ceramics, some of which looked like they had been made by true masters. Considering he was just a mere butler, it made one wonder how he could afford all this. He must have been saving for a long time. Or maybe he’d gotten some as a gift.

Whatever the reason, it was curious to see that the old man held such an interest.

Her eyes stopped on a vase that had strange floral patterns surrounding several intricate murals on its side. The murals seemed to tell the tale of a fisherman, fighting against a large, three-headed beaver-like creature.

A curious sight indeed.

She turned back to Garside. “I came here because I wished to inform you that I and the others will be venturing out once more tomorrow morning. We will be travelling northeast of Freybrook.”

“Again, my Lady?” The butler’s expression turned troubled. “What if something were to happen?”

“We will be fine. For the time being, there are none who have reason to cause me issue, nor any whom I would allow the opportunity.”

The Hallowed Cabal would have already done something if they were planning on reneging on their end of the deal this early. She doubted they would. Not until she had either handed them the third part of the Seal of Thainnith or The Angler Man had woken up.

And considering they were the only real threat to her at the moment, she wasn’t afraid of leaving the mansion. They’d left to clear the last dungeon in the Freybrook area a few days earlier without issue, for example. Though Garside and the others had been against that as well.

“How long will you be gone?”

“I do not know. It is unlikely to take longer than a day. Even if it were to take longer, there is no need for excessive worry,” Scarlett said.

This wouldn’t be the only such trip in the coming weeks. With no other dungeons remaining near Freybrook, they would have to start traveling more and more, booking more trips through the Kilnstone network.

“I see…” Garside muttered. “Then I pray you will return in good health, my Lady.”

“I will.”

Scarlett exchanged a few more words with the butler, extracting a promise that he wouldn’t leave his quarters to go out and work himself to death or something stupid like that, before eventually leaving the room behind.

Her mind shifted to tomorrow’s trip as she made her way towards the library in the mansion’s central section. Like she’d told Garside, she wasn’t expecting this trip to take more than a day — as long as everything lined up with her game knowledge. But it could take far longer if things differed for some reason. That’s why she had delayed leaving until now, so that she could receive Gaven and the Countess when they’d visited the day before.

The two of them hadn’t stayed for long after their visit, leaving during the night, after Scarlett had spoken further with Gaven about his tasks and forced herself to interact a bit more with the Countess. It might be up to a week before they returned. Scarlett couldn’t say she was particularly excited about it. Both the next meeting itself, and the news it’d bring. Either good or bad.

Still, she couldn’t complain too much. Everything had gone almost exactly as planned yesterday. The Countess had been alarmingly easy to persuade to her side. The woman had essentially asked for nothing at all in return for working with Scarlett. Of course, she had also accidentally destroyed a table. It wasn’t completely perfect.

Scarlett would have to come up with an explanation for that. She hadn’t had the servants enter the room yet, but someone would have to clean up the mess there. After finishing in the library, she would need to find Marlon and instruct her to send some servants to clean things up.

Upon reaching the library, Scarlett paused as she saw both Shin and Allyssa exiting the place together. The two young Shielders stopped and greeted her.

She glanced at the door behind them. “Were the two of you perusing the library together?”

“Well, Shin was,” Allyssa answered. “I mostly just tagged along.”

“I see.” Scarlett turned to the young man in question. “I hope you found something that caught your interest.”

“I did.” He held up a thick, leather-bound book in his hands.

“What are you doing right now?” Allyssa asked.

Scarlett looked at her. “I am preparing for our excursion tomorrow.”

“Oh…” The young woman’s expression grew hesitant. “Where are we going this time?”

“To a small village northeast of Freybrook. The trip itself is not overly long, so most of our time will be occupied with what we will be doing there. I recommend you bring enough material so that you are ready for any unforeseen circumstances.”

Shin raised both eyebrows. “Will we be gone for long?”

“Not necessarily,” Scarlett said. “But it is best if you prepare as if we will.”

He simply nodded at her words. “Alright.”

Allyssa gave her a hesitant look, though.

“Is there something you wish to say?”

The girl cringed. “No, it’s just… Should we really be leaving again, considering things?”

Scarlett studied her for a moment. Although it wasn’t serious, she felt like Allyssa had been acting somewhat awkward around her ever since the Hallowed Cabal’s attack. When they left to clear the dungeon, she seemed against the idea as well.

“Are you perhaps afraid that we will be attacked once more during our excursion?” she asked.

Allyssa’s face suggested she’d hit the nail on the head.

“I’m not…afraid,” the girl said. “It’s just that… It doesn’t seem like the best idea, if people are out to kill you, right?”

She turned to Shin, hitting him on the back. “He thinks so as well, even if he’s too afraid to say it.”

He just gave her a cool look. “I never said it’s a bad idea.”

“But you were thinking it! Don’t pretend you weren’t!”

Scarlett observed the two of them.

She had been pretty vague when she’d described the events of the Cabal attack, chalking it up to a criminal organization having it out for her. And while she felt these two usually accepted most of her words without too much issue, Allyssa in particular had seemed uncomfortable with not knowing more about what happened this time. Especially after the attackers had both been allowed to leave without more of a fight and pick up all their dead.

Still, both Shielders had agreed to only report the part about a criminal attack to the Shields Guild, which Scarlett was thankful for.

She supposed she couldn’t really fault them for wondering about some of her actions at this point.

“Where we are going, you will not have to worry about any further attacks,” she said. “It is also unlikely that any fighting will occur, so if you wish to stay here at the estate, you may do so.”

That might actually be better, considering the circumstances at this place.

“W-What?” Allyssa’s eyes widened. “No, no, I’m not saying I won’t go. I was just wondering if what we’re doing is really necessary right now.”

“Being cautious is good when one can afford to be so. Unfortunately, I lack the freedom to postpone these matters to a later time, so excessive wariness would not serve me well.”

“Oh…” Allyssa pulled lightly at the blonde locks that hung over her shoulders. “So, I guess we’re going then?”

“We are.”

“When are we leaving?” Shin asked.

“As early as possible. Ensure that you do not forget anything.”

“We’ll prepare everything tonight, then.” Allyssa grabbed hold of Shin’s arm and began pulling him along. “We’ll stop holding you up. See you later.”

Scarlett bid a brief goodbye as she watched the two disappear down the corridor, then turned to the library door.

It was time to see if she couldn’t find a really old map.