Scarlett observed Dame Leandra as the knight circled the armchair behind which she had stood guard and settled into the seat where the crown prince had previously sat. She placed her sword’s sheath against the chair with a casual yet unmistakably focused movement, and her brilliant white armor allowed for a surprising range of movement while producing barely any noise.

The woman rested her helmet—crowned by a miniature golden dragon—on the table between them. She briefly met Scarlett’s gaze before glancing back at the door. “You and Dame Iyana seemed to know each other. Are you acquainted from before?”

Scarlett arched an eyebrow. They were starting with that? “I crossed paths with her during the Tyndall Ball in Windgrove. We had the opportunity to become familiar with each other at that time, though I will not claim to be particularly close to her.”

A flicker of surprise showed on the knight’s expression. “Dame Iyana tends to attract plenty of attention as a Royal Guard member. Can’t say I’ve ever seen her bother extending much courtesy to others while on duty, though. You must have made an impression.”

“Perhaps. In my opinion, she left a more lasting impression, but I suppose that is to be expected from one of the empire’s most skilled swordswomen.”

Dame Leandra returned her focus to Scarlett, studying her with keen eyes for a moment. “If you say so.”

“Shall we proceed to the matter at hand?” Scarlett asked.

The knight’s demeanor shifted slightly, growing more serious as she nodded. “His Highness has already briefed you on the crucial details. Her Highness Princess Regina is missing, and I have been entrusted with overseeing the efforts to find her. I need the location of these nearby ruins you spoke of so that I can determine whether Her Highness has been there or not.”

“And if she has?” Scarlett folded her hands in her lap. “What do you intend to do from there? As I mentioned, it is unlikely that Her Highness still remains in those ruins, so ascertaining traces of her presence will not necessarily aid your efforts.”

“It’s the best lead we have. Whether it’s likely to yield results or not is secondary. From what I’ve heard, Zuverian ruins often harbor undead and other dangers, so if the princess has been to that location, I at least have to make sure she wasn’t injured.”

“…Do you believe the princess could have overcome such obstacles alone?”

“I don’t know. If she tried and couldn’t, that’s even more reason for me to reach the ruins quickly.”

“And what if she was not alone?”

The knight simply met her gaze, her expression calm.

“If the Princess was accompanied by someone else, you could presumably glean some information about their identity if they left traces,” Scarlett said.

“Probably.”

They eyed each other for a while.

Scarlett really wanted to request being kept up to date with the woman’s investigation, despite knowing she would likely be denied. Nevertheless, she couldn’t simply let this situation slip from her grasp. The princess’ disappearance marked the first player-related event from the game that she had observed which she herself wasn’t immediately involved in.

She had to know what that meant.

“You mentioned that Her Highness vanished after visiting an acquaintance in Kilsfell, correct?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Might I inquire as to who this acquaintance was?”

“You can, but I won’t tell you.”

“It would be pertinent information for me to be aware of if the person had ties to Zuverian research or could be connected to Her Highness’ disappearance.”

“They were not.” Dame Leandra’s response was firm.

Scarlett drew her lips together. “Very well. But could you at the very least enlighten me about the circumstances surrounding her escape? Since you regularly escort the princess, it stands to reason that you would be aware if she had contact with anyone who might aid her in such an endeavour, or why she chose this moment to act.”

“There were no signs of any of that,” the knight stated.

“None?”

“None at all.”

Scarlett furrowed her brows.

In the game, the player’s first encounter with the princess could happen in various locations, but almost every instance involved the young woman assuming the role of a disguised merchant or wealthy commoner seeking assistance with some minor request or other. In her duties within the Imperial Family, she frequently traveled around the empire. Scarlett was familiar enough with the princess’ backstory to know that the woman often seized any opportunity she could to engage in her own personal hobbies and interests during those outings.

Yet, even in the game, Leandra had almost always been present in some capacity as an escort for the undercover princess. The knight should be aware if Princess Regina encountered any particularly notable individuals whom she formed connections with.

So, was Leandra lying, or was there really nothing of the sort?

The frustrating thing was that Scarlett couldn’t exactly question the woman about these matters without risking arousing suspicion about her own source of information.

“How did she disappear?” she asked. “You are renowned for your swiftness and remarkable perception, Dame Leandra. I find it hard to believe that you would not notice if someone entered Her Highness’ chambers or if she herself left them.”

A hint of irritation crossed the knight’s features as her forehead subtly creased. “I don’t know.”

“Truly? Then could she have employed an artifact of some sort?”

“It’s a possibility, but she did not have any such artifact that I’m aware of.”

Scarlett’s brows furrowed even further. The game had never delved into the specifics of how the princess managed to escape, so she lacked many of the details there. If Regina had possessed an ability or artifact that would let her elude Leandra’s watchful gaze so effortlessly, one would think it would have come up at some point.

Many aspects of this whole situation were strange, but what was the underlying reason behind it all?

A knock sounded from the door, and a pair of servants entered, carrying an assortment of maps and papers in their arms that they placed on the table between Scarlett and Dame Leandra before exiting. The knight shot a brief, assessing glance at Scarlett, then selected several maps and spread them out. “Let’s not squander time. You seem busy enough, and I have to find the princess. Show me where I might find those ruins you mentioned.”

Scarlett watched the woman for a moment longer before leaning forward in her seat, picking up one of the writing implements that had been provided, and examining the map. It seemed she wouldn’t be getting an answer to this mystery anytime soon, but she would have to keep her ears peeled.

Scarlett spent some time with Dame Leandra, discussing the locations to search for the Zuverian ruins and the steps the knight might have to take to unlock the entrances. Scarlett had to sprinkle in some lies and half-truths related to her ‘research’ to appear credible, but Dame Leandra didn’t question her beyond a comment showing her surprise at the level of knowledge Scarlett held. She even mentioned that Princess Regina had expressed interest in Scarlett’s exploits more than once recently and that the young woman seemed to respect her expertise.

Internally, Scarlett couldn’t help but cringe slightly at that, even though it was gratifying to know that a member of the imperial family held her in such regard. She just wished it could have been anyone else.

Once their discussions were finished, Leandra left to start preparing for the search, leaving Scarlett waiting in the parlour as one of the servants brought some refreshments for her.

Eventually, Duke Valentino returned from whatever business he’d been on and sat down in the armchair opposite her. “It appears your conversation with Dame Leandra has concluded. I presume it went well.”

“About as well as one might expect, considering the circumstances,” Scarlett replied. “I regret my limited ability to aid in the search for Her Highness, but I hope the information I did provide will prove helpful.”

“Time will tell.” The duke shifted his rather large frame in his seat, resting one hand on his cane. A small scowl appeared on his face as he moved his injured leg. “I have done my part to assist His Highness in the matter, and that is that. What I want to discuss with you, however, is entirely unrelated.”

“I suspected as much,” Scarlett said, eyeing him. “Although I have yet to surmise what it could be about.”

The man finally settled into his seat, his gaze fixed on Scarlett. “I don’t want to waste either of our time, Baroness. So I will be frank. Your name has been circulating in many contexts lately, far more than any other minor noble in the empire, and much of it has not been favorable. However, a recent event in which you were involved has caught my attention, since it holds relevance to what I wished to discuss today.”

“And what might that be?”

“News has spread of a deceased dragon appearing at your estate in Freybrook.”

“…Is that so?” Scarlett observed him closely. “I was not the one who defeated it, in case you are under that impression.”

“I did not even entertain that notion for a minute,” the man replied with a huff. “But from your response, I gather the rumors are true, though presumably heavily embellished as all tales related to dragons tend to be. Could you provide a detailed account of what transpired?”

“Is there a reason I should, Your Grace? While I do not mean to be disrespectful, these matters concern my household alone. I fail to see their relevance to you or your lands.”

His slightly plump forehead knitted together in a frown. “You forget your place, Baroness Hartford. Then again, such behaviour is hardly surprising from you.” While he seemed irritated by her reluctance to elaborate, he said nothing beyond that for a while, maintaining the silence as he ran his thumb over the top of his cane. Eventually, he spoke again. “I ask because I have been facing troubles with a dragon in my domain in recent months.”

“I was not aware of this.”

Scarlett felt like she would have heard if there were any major dragon issues occurring in the empire right now. The Empyreal Chronicle had covered some minor dragon run-ins in the Steepmond area a couple of months back—which had been an event in the game as well—and Leon had supposedly dealt with a dragon near Chillburg last year, but that was all.

That said, it wasn’t as if she wasn’t aware of some dragon-related quests in this region from the game. If he was referring to what she suspected…

“That is because I have not publicized the matter,” the duke said. “The dragon rarely shows itself, remaining hidden like the foul lizard it is. Neither the Shields Guild nor any of the knight's orders can act without information about its whereabouts. One of the few instances where it was sighted was when it ambushed me and my son, causing me this injury and confining my son to bed.” Venom laced his words as he gestured to his leg with his cane and shook his head. “My son is still not fully recovered, and Ittar knows when he will be. You may have heard rumors of his absence, but I’ve chosen to keep the news under wraps, and I expect you to do the same.”

“I have no reason to do otherwise,” Scarlett replied. She recalled Evelyne mentioning once that Duke Valentino’s son hadn’t been seen for some time and was believed to be ill, but she had never paid much attention to it herself. That the father and son had been attacked by a dragon, though, was a surprise. “So, the reason you wished to speak with me is that you suspect a link between the dragon at my estate and the one that attacked you and your son? Or because you believe I might possess knowledge about dragons that could be of value to you?”

“The latter,” the duke spoke in a grim voice. “That dragon is a blight upon my lands. Each day that it still draws breath is another day for it to potentially wreak more havoc, just as it did to Devyn and me. I intend to end its wretched existence before it can do so.”

“As I mentioned, I did not slay the dragon in Freybrook. I will not be able to assist in dispatching this dragon, either.”

“I am not expecting you to do so personally. I have my own people for that task. What I seek from you is simply to know how you located and captured that dragon and brought it to your estate, and whether the method can be replicated. If it can, I am prepared to offer substantial compensation.”

Scarlett stayed quiet for a while as she regarded the man.

When she received his invitation earlier this morning, various possibilities had crossed her mind regarding his intentions. She had also considered what she might gain from him if an opportunity arose to request something. One scenario she had considered was seeking his help to remove one of the threats currently endangering Rosa’s current endeavour. If Scarlett shared the right information with the duke, telling him what she knew about Crowcairn, he was almost certain to take action.

However, ultimately, she had decided against that course of action. Not only was the outcome not guaranteed to end up as she wanted, it would be needlessly cruel in more ways than one. While Scarlett wasn’t sure if she would truly regret the consequences that choice would have brought, she was confident Rosa wouldn’t thank her for it if the bard ever learned of her involvement.

Yet, the duke’s request just now opened up a new avenue for her, one she hadn’t even considered as an option before. It wouldn’t eliminate the same threat in Rosa’s path, but it would remove another equally—if not more—dangerous obstacle for her.

It was the perfect way for Scarlett to intervene without necessarily violating her pact with Anguish. She had already been aware of the ‘dragon’ in this area, but she would never have tried going after it herself. It was simply too dangerous, and without an unrelated motive for pursuing it, she was pretty sure it would have been a challenge to do so while under the pact.

“I might possess a means to locate the dragon for you,” she eventually said.

The duke looked at her. “How?”

“While I cannot divulge the exact method, I can offer you the assistance you require. In exchange, I want the dragon’s remains.”

His eyes narrowed, and he let out a scoff. “You already possess the body of one dragon, do you not? You know how valuable it is, yet you ask for that much simply in return for helping me locate it?”

“I am, yes.” It was precisely because she was aware of the value of a dragon’s body that she was making this request. From the estimations Warley Godwin had given her, the Ashenwraith Dragon that Empress had slain and left at her doorstep would have been worth several million solars if all of its parts—core included—were harvested and sold off.

Scarlett had chosen to keep some of those materials for herself, and it would take time to sell the rest, but her barony was still poised to have over one million solars entering its coffers in the coming months. This was a sum that almost rivaled what she had earned from all her other activities since arriving in this world, and a truly obscene amount to nobles at her level.

“That’s preposterous,” the duke said.

“You wish to rid yourself of this dragon, do you not? At the moment, it would seem you are incapable of accomplishing that without my assistance. If you are so dedicated to this endeavour, what does the cost matter?”

“I acknowledge the value of the ‘assistance’ you claim you can provide, and that I am the one requesting your help. Nonetheless, your demand, Baroness, is excessive. I am not so blinded by my desire for revenge that I have lost all my acumen. While I am prepared to compensate you generously if you can reliably locate the dragon, that requires your demand to be reasonable.”

Scarlett suppressed the smile that threatened to surface on her lips. It would have been great if he had been that blinded by vengeance, but she supposed she couldn’t always be that lucky. Her asking for that much had been more of a shot in the dark than anything, while also serving the purpose of facilitating negotiations for what she truly wanted.

“In that case, I will only ask for one part of the dragon. However, the specific part must be of my choosing.”

The duke’s scowl deepened. “Then you will simply ask for the most prized part.”

“I will,” she said. “To be precise, I will request the part that holds the most value for me in my current circumstances.”

“Which are?”

“None of your concern.”

That made the man’s scowl even worse, but he remained silent for several moments before finally nodding slowly. “Very well.”

This time, Scarlett allowed the small smile to grace her lips. “I am pleased that you see reason, Your Grace. Then, shall we discuss the strategy for how we will eliminate this dragon?”