The gallery around Scarlett buzzed with hushed murmurs as a gavel resounded against the wooden podium at the center stage. An elegant man in a finely tailored suit stood in the spotlight, overlooking the assembled crowd.

“Last call, ladies and gentlemen. The decision rests upon a precipice, and this is your final opportunity. Going once, going twice, sold! To the discerning bidder with the keen eye, this exquisite amphora is now yours for thirty-three hundred solars!”

With a deliberate motion, the auctioneer’s gavel struck the podium once more, signaling the end of the bidding. A round of applause filled the room as two attendants stepped onto the stage to carry away a tall vase with a narrow cylindrical neck and a pair of graceful handles at its mouth.

Scarlett lightly tapped a finger against the armrest beside her as her eyes trailed the vase for a moment. She imagined Garside might have appreciated such an item, given the eclectic collection in his quarters. That wasn’t what she was here for, though.

She was currently an observer at one of the Golden Gavel’s auctions, the very establishment she had visited upon her arrival in Bridgespell and through which she was auctioning her Zuverian artifacts. While there wasn’t anything in particular she wanted to buy here today, she’d had some time over in the afternoon and thought it might be an interesting diversion.

Unfortunately, it had proven somewhat underwhelming, in her opinion.

Not only was it excruciatingly tedious to simply sit here and wait for each item to be unveiled, but the offerings displayed failed to catch her interest for longer than a second. That vase came closest to something you might consider getting, if only as a gift to her butler, but she wasn’t certain he’d even appreciate it. Besides, 3300 solars was a significant sum to just throw away for most people in the empire.

At least she could take some solace in the fact that the items she had put up thus far had fetched decent enough prices. She was already fifteen thousand solars richer, and there were still many more of her items slated to be auctioned off in the coming weeks.

As the auction continued, Scarlett observed the proceedings half-attentively, making some casual mental notes on the bid prices. Her thoughts drifted to other matters more often than not, though.

As a guest who had contributed several notable pieces, the Golden Gavel had arranged a private seat for her, and she appreciated not having people giving her looks all the time. While today’s auction likely didn’t attract an extensive nobility presence, given how none of the featured pieces commanded astronomical sums, and thus it was unlikely many here would recognize her, Scarlett’s presence had a tendency to draw attention with just her general demeanor.

Once the auction came to a close, Scarlett motioned for Fynn, who had been standing behind her the entire time. Together, they made their exit. Since she hadn’t bought anything, there was no need to bother picking any items up, allowing them to smoothly slip out through a side exit, avoiding the main throng of departing attendees leaving the auction house.

Upon arriving at their awaiting carriage, Scarlett found Allyssa, Shin, and Rosa already standing by. The trio had been allowed to spend the last couple of hours however they wanted, and judging from the laden pack Shin was carrying, the two Shielders had busied themselves procuring supplies and books. Rosa was holding her klert, so perhaps the bard had spent the time in a nearby tavern or similar establishment.

They boarded the carriage, which whisked them away to the Golden Griffin Inn, where they were staying. Once there, most of the party split up into their separate lodgings.

Scarlett had decided that they wouldn’t be spending this day exploring any further dungeons, given they had tired themselves out doing exactly that over the past few days, including the Sunfire Shrine the day before. Some extra rest might do them well.

Scarlett remained in the foyer of the accommodations provided to them by the inn for a while after noticing that Rosa was the only one to linger. She could tell from the woman’s expression that she had something on her mind.

They looked at each other for a moment before Scarlett turned and said, “Follow me.”

Rosa wordlessly trailed behind her as they reached her room, where Scarlett walked over to the table in the corner and sat in one of the two seats, signaling for Rosa to do the same.

A moment of silence hung in the air after they had both settled down. Eventually, Scarlett spoke. “Is there something you wish to say?”

Rosa didn’t answer for a while, her gaze focused on the neck of the instrument cradled in her lap. Eventually, she looked up, meeting Scarlett’s eyes. “So… About me taking those days off to visit an acquaintance. That offer still stands, right?”

Scarlett regarded her for a few seconds. “Are you certain you want to address that matter now?”

After another pause, Rosa nodded. “Yeah, I think I am.”

“Very well. Then I see no issue with it.” Scarlett rested one arm on the table’s surface, maintaining her gaze on the bard. She had been waiting for this moment to arrive, so there was no way she would refute it at this point. However, there was one thing that concerned her.

“…Do you intend to go make the trip alone?” she asked.

“That’s the plan, yeah. It’d be a bit silly to bring someone else along just to visit an acquaintance, wouldn’t it?”

Scarlett couldn’t fully suppress the frown that crept onto her face. She discreetly placed her left hand on her lap to shield it from the woman’s view. “I would prefer if you did not venture by yourself to an unfamiliar location, even if it is to see someone you know. You should take Allyssa and the others with you.”

“And leave you by yourself?” Rosa’s amused laughter filled the room. “Considering how paranoid you always are, I’m surprised you’d even suggest that. Unfortunately for you, I feel like leaving you on your own is just another disaster waiting to happen. Before I know it, I’ll be returning to Bridgespell only to find a pack of dead dragons sprawled in the streets, with you standing over their lifeless corpses like the proud dragon slayer you are. Then you’ll nag at me about how tedious the cleanup is going to be.”

Scarlett chose to overlook the minor jab at her personality. She didn’t want this conversation to derail like her talks with Rosa often did. “In that case, Shin will stay with me. However, you should at the very least bring Fynn and Allyssa.”

A faint, searing pain emerged on the top of her left hand as the seal from her pact with Anguish made its presence known. While it clearly wasn’t entirely governed by intent—otherwise, she wouldn’t even have been able to do this much to begin with—it at least had some sense that she was trying to help Rosa.

As for Anguish herself, the Vile would have seen through Scarlett’s actions ages ago. But for the time being, she wouldn’t be able to intervene. At least not directly. Still, it wouldn’t surprise Scarlett if Anguish had done what she could to influence Rosa so that the woman wanted to go alone.

That wasn’t what Scarlett wanted. The place the bard was heading wasn’t safe. Without Scarlett there to ensure things went smoothly, it was hard to predict exactly how things would unfold. It might work out, but leaving that up to chance left Scarlett uneasy. This wasn’t even a case of her being controlling. It was Rosa’s safety they were talking about.

“It’s better if they stay here,” Rosa said.

Irritation welled up within Scarlett at the woman’s stubbornness, and Anguish’s role in all of this. “Fynn and Allyssa are more than capable of assisting you on your trip. They have also proven themselves trustworthy. Do not allow your own pride and anxieties to cloud your judgement on this matter.”

The room fell silent.

Rosa blinked, staring at her.

Scarlett drew her mouth together. That had not come out quite as she intended.

“How about this?” Rosa began, giving her a confident look. “I’ll check and see if Father Abraham might be interested in a brief countryside jaunt. You’ve mentioned that he’s a trustable enough fellow, and I wouldn’t mind spending an extra day or two talking with him.”

Scarlett paused, her jaw set. She hadn’t even been aware that Rosa considered that as an option. The woman would prefer involving a priest she had only met a couple of times over seeking assistance from Allyssa and the others? Was she really that afraid of revealing her condition to them?

“No, I cannot allow that,” Scarlett replied.

Raimond might be a priest, but she didn’t want him getting involved in this. Sure, it was entirely possible that he could provide valuable help in this situation and that he wouldn’t do anything to Rosa even if he realized she was a potential incarnate, but that wasn’t a risk Scarlett was willing to take. Not to mention all the questions it would raise from the man when he considered Scarlett’s connection to it all.

Rosa shrugged. “Then it’s best if I go on my own, isn’t it?”

“On the contrary. I will be asking Fynn to—” Scarlett’s words were cut short as the seal on her left hand burned against her skin and something tugged at her from within. She gritted her teeth, trying not to let the pain show, though Rosa’s brows had already furrowed with concern.

Internally cursing Anguish, Scarlett wished Rosa could have showcased her usual deference for her opinion this time. She sensed the pact actively straining at her being—maybe even her soul, if such a thing existed—and compelling her to keep quiet.

This sensation reminded her of the time she’d forged that pact with the demon outside Ambercrest and how it had tried to enforce the conditions on her. This time, however, it was more potent and felt more malicious in its intent.

After a few seconds, she managed to shrug the effect off as the seal on her hand calmed down, but she could tell that it would return in full force if she were to push things further.

Rosa was watching her closely, lingering worry etched on her face, before the woman finally spoke. “I think it’s best for us all if I go alone.”

Scarlett locked eyes with the bard, wanting to scold her for her irrationality. But when their gazes met, she detected an unusual determination in Rosa’s eyes — a quality she rarely observed to this degree in the woman. Scarlett’s eyes widened as a realization dawned on her.

Rosa wasn’t doing this simply out of a desire to keep her condition concealed from the others. She was worried about their safety. She thought that bringing them along might pose a risk not only to them but possibly even to Scarlett indirectly.

And she might not be entirely wrong.

Quietly, Scarlett watched Rosa, some of the earlier irritation receding under the surface. While she still didn’t want the woman going by herself, trying to convince Rosa otherwise at this point would be difficult.

“…Can I take that as a yes?” Rosa asked, cautiously studying her.

Scarlett stayed silent for a while longer before giving a reluctant nod. “If that is what you wish.”

Following that, the two of them sat there for a few minutes, neither uttering a word. Eventually, Rosa began to rise from her seat. “Suppose there’s no point in worrying for nothing and delaying things for longer than necessary. I’ve already packed what I need, so I’ll be heading out immediately. Be back in a day or two.”

Scarlett hesitated before responding. “…Good luck. Ensure that you do not do anything foolish, and prioritize your safety. Remember to bring all the equipment I have provided you.”

Rosa’s mouth curved into a grin. “Always.”

As the woman left the room, Scarlett’s eyes remained fixed on the door, deep in thought. Last time she had entrusted a matter to chance and delegated responsibility to others, it hadn’t ended well. It had been her mistake that time, her fault, and she wanted to avoid something similar happening again.

Several minutes passed as she sat in contemplation when a soft meow emanated from her right.

She turned her head towards the chair where Rosa had been sitting, finding a jet-black cat with clear amethyst eyes lying there. The cat’s tail swayed through the air as it regarded her with an inscrutable gaze.

A fleeting sense of bewilderment brushed Scarlett’s mind, followed by a certain thought that brought back her earlier frown. Then, an idea formed.

“Empress,” she began, meeting the cat’s eyes. “Could you deliver a message on my behalf?”