A silent tension hung over the air as Scarlett and the others occupied the carriage cabin, traversing the countryside towards Anguish’s citadel. Not many words had been exchanged since leaving the encampment. Across from Scarlett, Allyssa would occasionally lean forward in her seat to peer out the window, gazing at the behemoth of a structure in the distance.

The closer they got to Anguish’s citadel, the more imposing its presence became, bearing down on them like a suffocating shadow. At the same time, the citadel’s unnaturalness grew increasingly pronounced. The eerie aura that enveloped it only served to emphasize how discordant its presence was among the surrounding area, and how it didn’t belong. A clear sign of the citadel’s premature manifestation.

As the journey continued, their carriage flanked by a small group of knights riding alongside the vehicle, Allyssa was the one to finally break the silence. “When we arrive, what will we do?” the girl asked, her tone tinged with slight apprehension.

Scarlett considered her for a few seconds.

“…I have asked this before, but I feel I should pose the question one last time,” she began, trying not to sound too cold. This was one of those times when she disliked the distant quality that always crept into her voice. “I understand that you have always turned down similar offers in the past, but are you truly certain you want to embark on this venture with me? This is one instance where I would genuinely not fault you for not doing so. The situation lies beyond the scope of your contract, and our destination may not be a place suitable for those who harbor any doubts.”

For just a moment, Allyssa’s expression betrayed a hint of those very doubts, yet the look she gave Scarlett was one more of slight surprise mixed with appreciation, as if those words were far from what she had expected but also were what she wanted to hear.

The girl looked at Shin beside her, and the two exchanged a brief exchange of glances before both directing their attention back to Scarlett.

“To be honest,” Allyssa said, “I’d rather avoid going. Just looking at that massive fortress terrifies me, and I’m so confused about everything that’s going on. It feels like things have escalated so quickly, and everything’s flying over my head.” She paused for a bit, meeting Scarlett’s eyes. “But the reason Shin and I joined the Shields Guild to begin with was because we were inspired by the actions of people like my dad and other Shielders — those who protected those unable to protect themselves. Even if I might not be as smart as Shin, it doesn’t take a genius to tell that whatever is happening right now is majorly dangerous, with a capital M. How many people’s lives might be at risk right now?”

The anxiety in her words was clear as she gripped the straps of the bandolier on her chest, but even then, her expression was determined.

“Our Guild contract might say that we don’t have to do everything you command, and yeah, sure, I think there’s something in there about not having to follow you into certain death, but our Guild pledge was always about aiding those in need when we could and shielding them from harm. That includes both you and strangers that might be affected by our actions. So, if there’s any chance that where we’re going right now might be connected to dealing with all of this—” Allyssa raised her arms and motioned outside. “—then I won’t regret standing by your side. Not for one second.”

Scarlett regarded her silently for a bit before offering a simple “I see” in response. She wasn’t quite sure what she had expected, but it was welcome news to see that Allyssa had that much confidence in her.

The girl offered a somewhat awkward laugh, accompanied by a small smile. “I say that, but I’m not sure I would have been as optimistic if I didn’t know you as well as I do.”

Scarlett raised a brow. “And what do you mean by that?”

Allyssa looked half-amused by the question. “You’ve known what to do about this situation all along, haven’t you? Even before that thing appeared.”

A faint furrow creased Scarlett’s brow, but before she could respond, Allyssa continued.

“It’s not exactly a secret that you never do things without a plan, and I’ve yet to see a single occasion where you genuinely seemed at a loss. It’s to the point where Shin and I’ve had more than one talk about whether Ittar or some such is guiding your hand, and we’ve only been half-joking then. I’ll also say that, while I can’t claim to always like the way you do things, it would be a lie to say that I don’t trust you. More than nearly anyone I know, even this doofus here.”

The girl jabbed a fist into Shin’s arm, though the young man simply ignored it.

“What I’m trying to get at here,” Allyssa said, “is that if you were to say that whatever we’re about to do might somehow help stop whatever’s happening from happening, even if I don’t fully understand what that is, you’ll have my support. Because I know you don’t lie about things like that.”

Allyssa’s smile turned a little lopsided, and it was clear she was feeling a bit embarrassed, but Scarlett didn’t mind that as she considered her for a while.

It wasn’t like she had been doing her utmost to conceal her foreknowledge of the current events, but it did surprise her slightly that Allyssa placed such implicit trust in Scarlett’s knowledge, particularly in a situation like this one. Or rather, that the girl trusted Scarlett so implicitly.

Scarlett shifted her gaze to Shin. “Do you share Miss Astrey’s sentiments?”

He shrugged. “I don’t have any dramatic declarations to make, but essentially, yes.”

His response earned him another—noticeably louder—punch on the arm from Allyssa, though it didn’t seem to faze him.

Scarlett remained silent for a brief period before speaking again. “In that case, both of you have my thanks. I will also give you my word that I will do what is within my power to resolve this situation.”

She turned her attention to Fynn, seated beside her. “Do you have anything to add?”

The white-haired young man shook his head. “I’ll follow your lead.”

“Very well. In that case, you have my thanks as well.”

The cabin descended into another brief bout of silence as that was concluded.

“So, with that out of the way…” Allyssa said after a moment, and Scarlett turned back to the girl. “I know you prefer to keep things close to your chest and all, but could you enlighten us a bit more about what’s actually going on now?”

Considering her for a bit, Scarlett soon moved her attention out the window, where one of Sir Home’s knights rode just a couple of meters from the carriage, his attention fixed forward as he held the reins of his horse. There was a pane of glass separating them, and Scarlett didn’t actually think he could overhear them from outside, but given the lack of soundproofing in the cabin, she didn’t want to take any chances.

She should probably arrange something to solve that in the future. There were definitely enchantments that dealt with soundproofing. Maybe Evelyne had even taken that into consideration when the woman commissioned their new carriages.

Scarlett turned her attention back to Allyssa and the others. “I apologize, but I believe it is best not to speak of certain details until later. However, I can share some of my suspicions with you, mainly concerning the nature of where we are going. It is possible that the citadel we are approaching is an indication that a fragment of the Blazes is in the process of manifesting itself within the Material Realm, presumably through an anchor of some kind. As for the citadel itself, there is only one existence that I can think of with the power to sustain such a structure. We are likely dealing with one of the Viles.”

Allyssa’s eyes widened in shock at the revelation, while both Shin and Fynn’s foreheads creased in thought.

“A Vile?” Allyssa asked. “You’re serious?”

“I am,” Scarlett answered.

The girl’s lips tightened. “I…I guess that explains why I practically can’t stop myself from looking at the citadel even when it sends shivers down my spine. Dad always said demons are crafty. Still, a Vile… I can barely wrap my head around how that’s possible.”

“As I mentioned, it likely managed to manifest itself here through a connection to an anchor that solidifies its presence in this realm and bypasses most of the limitations otherwise placed upon it. This would not be the first time an incident like this has occurred, though it is certainly rare.” Scarlett crossed her arms. “Fortunately, it would appear that the manifestation itself is only partial, suggesting that the Vile’s connection to the anchor is incomplete. Nevertheless, its presence poses a substantial threat to the empire and its inhabitants.”

If Rosa had been a fully realized incarnate, Anguish would have been able to perfectly manifest her citadel and everything within it. However, preparing an incarnate took time. There was a reason Anguish had been residing within Rosa for so long, gradually wearing down the bard while tormenting her. What Malachi had done was force Rosa’s incarnation prematurely, rendering Anguish weaker than she could have been.

Such an act demanded considerable power, though, and carried certain risks. Power-wise, Scarlett knew Malachi had a certain artifact that did most of the job for her. But since Malachi had essentially hot-wired Anguish’s manifestation, it also meant that it afforded the Vile a chance to establish herself within the Material Realm much faster than she otherwise would.

By no means was this method a surefire strategy for dealing with the Vile, and that was a fact that both Scarlett and Malachi were well aware of. But they each had their reasons for setting things up as they did.

“We will need to enter the citadel and make our way to its heart, where we are likely to find the cause of all this,” Scarlett continued. “Only by reaching that place can we hope to address the situation.”

“Will it be dangerous?” Allyssa asked, before frowning. “Never mind, scratch that. Of course it will be. My real question, I guess, is how dangerous it’ll be?”

“Though it is but a partial manifestation, a Vile’s citadel is intrinsically linked to their being and contains the essences of many of those who serve the Vile,” Scarlett said. “Even if they may be weakened in their current state, there is no doubt that we will encounter demons within that structure who will pose a genuine threat to us.”

“Do you think we’ll be able to handle it?” Shin asked, his gaze fixed on her.

Scarlett eyed him, considering his question.

In the game, this questline wouldn’t typically be undertaken until reaching the late sixties in terms of levels. She doubted they were there yet. Allyssa and Shin would probably be considered somewhere in their forties by the game’s standards, which was typically too low for an instance like this. However, the duo had demonstrated remarkable teamwork both between themselves and the rest of the group, proving that they could be useful even in places that should be too dangerous for them. With Scarlett in the mix as well, their party punched a lot harder than one would expect.

Not to mention that Fynn was a beast who had traded blows with foes far above his level ever since Scarlett first met him.

Together with Rosa, their group had confronted more than one foe in the sixty-range before, and while they’d often had some outside help, Scarlett did believe it was possible to achieve similar results with their current lineup. Moreover, since the manifestation had happened even earlier than it did in the game, that meant there was a possibility that the demons inside were weaker than she expected as well.

To add on to that, Scarlett possessed knowledge both regarding their enemies’ weaknesses and rough numbers as well as strategies that would help minimize the number of fights needed to get through the citadel.

She wouldn’t have pursued this course if she hadn’t thought it was within her capabilities, after all. While helping Rosa was important, she wasn’t so reckless as to jeopardize the entire empire on one massive gamble.

Well, perhaps she was, technically, but at least it was a calculated gamble. And she had been running out of time.

“Suffice it to say, I have confidence in our chances.” She gestured out the window and at the knights riding there. “We also have these fine men and women to lend us their aid.”

If she had to guess, these knights were probably of a similar strength to Allyssa and Shin, possibly slightly weaker. They weren’t Solar Knights, but they would be useful in their own right.

“If you’re confident, then so am I,” Allyssa said, with Fynn offering an agreeing grunt. Shin, though perhaps not as openly trusting as Allyssa, voiced no objections either.

The conversation came to a close there, and the cabin settled into another period of silence—this time much less looming—as the carriage carried on. The silence persisted until they reached a point where the road diverged westward, away from their citadel. There, Scarlett and her companions disembarked.

Six knights altogether had accompanied them — five mounted on their horses and the sixth serving as the coachman throughout. Scarlett’s original coachman had no experience of fighting and had understandably been unwilling to approach the citadel.

With the structure looming only a few kilometers away, Scarlett and the others mounted up behind the knights for the final leg of the journey.

Compared to the relative comfort of the carriage, horseback riding proved decidedly less enjoyable. Scarlett particularly disliked the need to cling to the person in front of her like some kind of baby throughout the trip. The fact that the knight was a woman only marginally mitigated the discomfort of the arrangement. To distract herself, she fixed her attention on the citadel, whose dangerous and overbearing presence grew increasingly palpable with each passing moment. It wasn’t something she couldn’t endure, but it did serve to fuel her irritation at Anguish even further.

She had been accumulating a store of scorn for the demon for some time.

Her gaze focused on the citadel’s center, where a colossal obsidian tower stood as the bastion’s focal point. That would be where Rosa and Malachi were right now — their final destination. Once they reached it, they could put an end to this chapter of events.

As they drew closer to the citadel, Scarlett directed the knights towards a section at its base, where the inky black obsidian walls yielded to a massive gate. Its mouth hung wide open, extending a foreboding invitation to venture into its depths.

Then, something unexpected caught her eye. A solitary figure dressed in white, blond hair billowing in the wind, gazing toward Scarlett and the others.

She blinked, doubting her eyes for a moment. But even at this distance, with his form dwarfed by the megalithic structure beside him, Scarlett recognized that person. But that only served to confound her even more.

What the hell was Raimond doing here?