Scarlett and the others were still waiting in the drawing room when the butler returned, stopping by the room’s entrance.

“Baroness Hartford,” he said in a mild tone. “Milord still finds himself preoccupied with the duties of his office; however…it would appear milady has returned from her previous ventures and has expressed an interest in meeting with the guests that saw fit to visit her abode.”

Scarlett put down the book she’d been reading and looked up at Leon. “Shall we?” she asked, rising from the couch.

He stood up as well.

Grabbing her [Pouch of Holding], she pushed it into the man’s hands and turned to the others. “I think it best if the rest of you remain here for now. We will return when the talks are concluded.”

“Sounds good to me,” Rosa said. The woman patted the instrument on her lap. “I’m sure we’ll survive by ourselves for a bit, at least. What’s the worst that can happen?”

The butler cleared his throat. “I hope the Miss has not forgotten my earlier words regarding music, and the prohibition of said act. While it is all well and good for those of the common masses to have something to distract them while they squander away their time in their backstreet taverns and the likes, this is a distinguished and respectable household belonging to esteemed members of the city’s nobility. We cannot allow just any minstrel from the street to ply their ‘trade’ here, so to speak. Of course, I do not mean to imply you are one such minstrel. As an associate of Baroness Hartford, I’m sure that you’re a well-experienced lyricist who only employs the most poignant of balladry, but understand that we can only be so careful.”

“But of course,” Rosa replied in a wholly serious tone. The fact that the woman had been playing away on her klert up till a minute earlier—when Fynn had noted the butler’s approach—wasn’t apparent in her expression at all. “What sort of butler would you be if you did not work to ensure that none but the most fantabalous of serenades reach your noble masters’ ears? A humble bard such as I could only dream of performing in a room as exquisite as this. A drawing room, no less.” She shook her head dramatically. “Perhaps, one day. For now, I will have to satisfy with merely having had the exhilarating opportunity of having witnessed this place.”

“Yes… Quite.” The butler looked back at Scarlett. “Come with me, my Lady. Sir Leon.”

Scarlett and Leon followed him out of the room. Neither of them spoke as they moved through the mansion’s carpeted hallways, eventually reaching one of the outer wings, where they stopped in front of a door. The butler turned back to them. “Milady is waiting inside the parlor”.

He opened the door and gestured for them to enter. Scarlett passed him by.

The parlor was furnished in a similar style to the drawing room, with fine leather couches and animal pelts spread on the floor. Next to one of the walls was a lit fireplace, with two windows on either side overlooking a small garden. A long oak table stood at the center of the room, with an older lady in a dark dress sitting next to it with a steaming cup of tea in her hands. Her greying hair was arranged in a neat bun at the back, and her eyes held a cool bearing as she looked over at Scarlett.

“Good afternoon, Lady Withersworth,” Scarlett said. “I am Baroness Scarlett Hartford.”

“A pleasure meeting you, Baroness,” the woman answered. Her gaze turned towards Leon behind Scarlett. “And I presume you are Sir Leon Delmon?”

He stepped up next to Scarlett and gave a polite nod. “That’s right. I’ve heard a lot about you, my Lady.”

“Only goods things, I hope.” Lady Withersworth gave a gentle smile and gestured towards the couch opposite her. “Please, have a seat. Make yourselves at home.”

They walked over to sit down. Scarlett picked up a cup that had been prepared, while Leon left his alone.

Lady Withersworth looked at the butler at the door. “Henley, will you be a dear and close the door?”

“Of course, milady.” The man stepped out and pulled the door shut behind him.

The old woman shook her head for a brief moment. “I’ll have to speak with him later. That man is such a rapscallion, yet it is also what I like about him. I’m afraid I’m becoming more and more like my husband the older I get.” She turned her attention back to Scarlett and Leon. “Now, it’s been a while since my husband and I retired from the capital and all of its doings, but that doesn’t mean I am entirely ignorant of the latest gossip. To think I would have the young new Vice-Captain of the Solar Knights and his notorious fiancee visit personally.”

Scarlett raised a brow. “Notorious?”

The woman smirked. “Dear, one doesn’t cause a ruckus at the Elysian Proclamation in front of all the nobles in the empire without ruffling a few feathers. If anything, I find it impressive that ‘notorious’ is the worst description I have for you.”

“…I suppose there is truth in your words.” Scarlett didn’t really have any reliable way of knowing what others said about her, though she didn’t doubt the woman’s words. Fortunately, the rumors surrounding her didn’t matter that much, as long as they weren’t taken too far.

“Baroness Hartford’s reputation notwithstanding, I have been Vice-Captain for over two years now, my Lady,” Leon said from beside her. “I am unsure whether ‘new’ is an apt way of describing me at this point.”

Scarlett turned to look at him. The man sure knew how to change his tune in front of other nobles, it seemed. Wasn’t he the one that said he didn’t care about things like that?

“The previous Vice-Captain served for more than ten years, if I’m not mistaken.” Lady Withersworth glanced up at him from her tea. “I was acquainted with her personally, in fact. I think that, in honor of her service, the least you can do is accept an inconvenient descriptor or two, don’t you think?”

The polite smile on Leon’s face grew a bit stiffer. “…Of course. I did not mean to make light of Dame Rosanna’s achievements.”

“I’m sure you didn’t.”

Scarlett wasn’t sure if Leon noticed the small smile that was hidden behind the woman’s teacup.

“So, what was it you two wanted to discuss with my husband?” Lady Withersworth expression turned more serious, and she seemed to study Scarlett closer.

“As I explained to your butler, I am here regarding that which Abelard Withersworth left behind.”

“He did tell me that, yes. But I am afraid you will have to be a bit more specific as to what exactly you mean by that. Abelard Withersworth was the head of this house generations ago. Listing everything that he might have left behind would prove a formidable task indeed.”

Scarlett raised her cup to take a sip of the tea. It was lavender, and the taste suggested whoever had steeped it was relatively proficient at what they did. Better than she herself had ever managed to get, at least. It was slightly too hot for her taste, though, so she used her pyrokinesis to lower the temperature to a more comfortable level.

“From what I have heard, your husband’s family has been enduring adversities caused by Abelard’s old estate for some time. It has gone on for long enough that it would almost appear to be a tradition for the head of the Withersworth house to deal with it, albeit an unwanted one. I have also come to be aware that the conditions in the regions near the mansion have worsened considerably lately, and that Lord Withersworth is currently in the process of trying to locate measures with which to mitigate these issues.”

Lady Withersworth’s countenance darkened slightly at her words, but the woman nodded her head slowly. “It would seem my husband’s efforts at stopping news from spreading haven’t gone quite as well as he hoped. Yes, what you say is true.”

“I am here to provide you with aid on the matter.”

“And how, exactly, would you do that?”

“By removing the root of the issue that is within the mansion.”

Lady Withersworth gave her a doubting look.

Scarlett gestured towards Leon. “It is not for nothing that I have brought a Solar Knight with me. I can assure you that it is well within my power to handle this task.”

The woman gave Leon an estimating look. “Does this mean that the Imperial Solar Knights are endorsing this endeavour?”

The man shook his head. “No. I’m doing this as a favor to the Baroness. I’m not entirely sure what sort of threats we would be facing, but you have my word that I will give my all into taking care of things.”

She studied him for a few seconds more, then turned her eyes back to Scarlett. “The reputation ascribed to members of the Solar Knights is not something I can argue against, so who am I to say anything regarding the qualifications of their current Vice-Captain? Unfortunately, however, this is not a problem that can be solved through pure strength alone. Otherwise it would have been dealt with ages ago.”

“I am aware,” Scarlett said. She settled her teacup on the table and reached for the pouch of holding Leon had placed next to him, bringing out two items. She placed both on the table between them.

[Abelard’s Doll Mansion Key (1/2) (Unique)]

{Half of a pair of keys leading to Abelard the Doll Maker’s home}

[Abelard’s Doll Mansion Key (1/2) (Unique)]

{Half of a pair of keys leading to Abelard the Doll Maker’s Home}

Lady Withersworth stared at the two keys.

After some time, she leaned forward, picking up one and inspecting it close. Eventually, she returned it to the table.

“Henley,” she called out.

The door to the room opened and the butler stepped inside. “Yes, milady?”

“Fetch my husband right this moment.”

The man’s brows furrowed, his mustache wobbling as he seemed to process her words. “But, milady, milord is still in the middle of his work. I’m sure that whatever business Baroness Hartford is here for can wait until a more opportune time.”

“I’m sure it can,” the woman said. “But this is something I am asking you to do. This is not something that can be verified by my eyes, so that husband of mine will have to get his head out of that stuffy study of his and do it himself. Now, go.” She waved her hand at him.

The butler sent an uncertain look Scarlett’s way before turning around and exiting the room.

Lady Withersworth turned back to them. “If you do not mind me asking, Baroness, where exactly did you find these?”

“That is not something I am at liberty to share,” Scarlett said. “What matters is that I am currently in possession of them, and that I intend to use them in contribution to your household, no?”

The woman gave her a long look, then showed another small smile. “Right you are. I will just have be satisfied with that much, won’t I? Judging from that perplexed look of his, there doesn’t appear to be any point in inquiring with your companion for further information.”

Scarlett glanced at Leon, who was staring at the keys as if he was trying to decipher exactly what they were. “I only had need of him for his strength, so it was unnecessary to share any other details with him,” she said.

The man blinked, turning to look at her.

“Hmm…” Lady Withersworth picked up her teacup again, tapping a finger against its side as she observed the two of them. “Yes, I know what you mean. Sometimes it’s best to leave the men ignorant, isn’t it? Leaves less of a mess to clean up and makes things easier for everyone involved.”

Leon’s frown was met by another smile from the woman.

They waited in the parlor for a while longer until the door opened once again and an older man in a black suit entered, with thinning silvery hair and a thin mustache on his upper lip. He only looked over at Scarlett and Leon for a moment before turning to Lady Withersworth. “What was this about something urgent, woman? I was in the middle of something important, dagnabbit!”

The woman clicked her tongue. “You’re always ‘in the middle of something important’, you daft old man. Do you think I would have called you if this wasn’t more important? Can’t you see what this is?” She motioned at the table, then gave him a disapproving look. “Where are your glasses? You didn’t leave them behind, did you? Is that memory of yours already starting to go?”

Lord Withersworth’s focus shifted to the keys lying on the table. He paused, his eyes narrowing as he took a step closer. “If I needed my glasses, you should have said so…” he muttered as he stopped and picked up the closest of the keys. Holding it in front of his face, he squinted as he scrutinized the object. “Ittar’s light…”

“You will have to excuse my fool of a husband,” Lady Withersworth looked at Scarlett and Leon. “Ever since he retired from his previous office, he’s grown more and more lax in his hospitality. A fact I’m saddened to say he appears to relish in.”

“Why don’t you wait until I’m in the grave before you start smearing my name in front of me,” her husband grumbled. Eventually, he placed the key back on the table, turning his attention to Scarlett and Leon with furrowed brows. “Baroness Hartford and Sir Leon, was it? You brought these items?”

Scarlett nodded. “That is correct.”

“Where did you find them?”

“I have already discussed this with her, dear,” Lady Withersworth said.

“Does that mean I can’t discuss it with her again? The girl still has a mouth, doesn’t she?”

“The ‘girl’ is perfectly able to speak on her own behalf, yes.” Scarlett met the older man’s eyes. “If you wish for me to repeat myself, I can inform you that the location from which I procured these items is not something I can share. That fact will not change, no matter what opinion you might have on the matter.”

“See?” Lady Withersworth said. “Now calm down and listen to what she has to say. She claims to be here to deal with that wretched curse of a mansion your ancestor left us.”

“Deal with it?” Lord Withersworth looked between his wife and Scarlett. “You mean she’s here to help us?”

“I am, yes,” Scarlett said. “To be more precise, I am here to discuss the terms of my help.”

The man eyed her for a moment, his expression quickly turning more calculative. “What is it you ask?”

She leaned forward to pick the two keys up and returned them to the pouch of holding. “First and foremost, I ask that you renounce all claims to any items or artifacts found within the mansion and relinquish the rights to me.”

He raised a hand up the end of his mustache, twining it as he seemed to think it over. “That’s not a problem. I have no idea what would be in there to begin with, in truth. I just want to be rid of the place.”

“I am glad to hear that there will be no contention there, then,” Scarlett said. “The second term is related to monetary recompense. In dealing with this matter, I am placing that of my own safety and of my people at risk, and as such, it would only be expected that proper compensation is paid. I am sure that you agree?”

The older man narrowed his eyes at her. “If I had the keys, I could pay to have it dealt with myself.”

“I have no doubt that you could; however, I have no intention of parting ways with them, considering the effort that went into procuring the items.”

“Hmph.” The man rubbed at his mustache. “Putting it straight and getting to the point, I see. Fitting for a Hartford.”

“You are familiar with my family?”

“I am familiar with all the houses of the empire,” he answered with a huff. “I served His Majesty and the Imperial Court as Lord Marshal for over two decades.”

Scarlett arched an eyebrow. While she had been reading up a lot on the nobility and hierarchal structure of the empire, she wasn’t too familiar with all the different offices of state yet. She knew that the Lord Marshal was a chivalric title, as well as an office that oversaw the tasks and duties related to the Heraldic Council. The Heraldic Council itself was a bit more of a mystery to her. Other than that they held jurisdiction over heraldic matter—which was obvious enough—and the granting of Coats of Arms, she wasn’t too sure about what they actually did.

“I see…” She just nodded along slowly, not wanting to sound disinterested in what clearly was something he held great pride in. “Returning to the matter at hand, however, what say you of the proposal?”

“Are the Hartfords in such dire straits that they need to deal with the lesser plights of others to make do?” Lord Withersworth asked.

“Not as of now, no. But I would be remiss if I did not take advantage of the opportunities presented before me. And I think we are both aware that this is no longer a mere ‘lesser plight’ to your territory, is that not so?”

“Hmph.” He crossed his arms. “How much are you asking for?”

“What value would you personally accredit to the task?”

The man went quiet for a moment, looking to his wife. The woman in question appeared to have decided to leave the discussion to her husband, however, as she drank her tea with a refined expression. He turned back to Scarlett. “We can do forty—”

“Ahem.” Porcelain clinked against wood as Lady Withersworth put her cup down on the table. She looked up at Scarlett with a smile. “We wouldn’t want to cause offense by extending an offer that doesn’t accurately represent our vested interest in the matter. Would it be okay if we gave you a reply after we have looked over the specifics and determined the effects it would have on our fief?”

Scarlett met the woman’s eyes for a moment, then gave a short nod. “That is acceptable, yes. However, I will be proceeding with the task forthwith, so your decision will have to be reached after I am finished.”

Getting paid for this wasn’t her priority, so it didn’t really matter to her whether they decided now or later. As a noble house with an image to maintain, she doubted they would outright try to scam her just because she gave them a chance to decide on the pay retroactively.

Besides, to her, it sounded like Lady Withersworth had just stopped her husband from proposing an offer the woman thought was too small. Scarlett was all for giving them more time if it also meant she might get more out of it without trying.

“You will be doing it immediately?” Lord Withersworth creased his forehead.

“Correct.” Scarlett turned her gaze to him. “In fact, that brings us on to the third condition. I will be requiring access to your basement.”