Having slipped away from Crowcairn unnoticed under Raimond’s invisibility spell, Scarlett and Rosa managed to make their way to the encampment. Upon arrival, they discovered that most of Sir Home’s forces had left to search the village after defeating the Tribe members who’d fought them back. Only the injured, a few officers, and their exhausted mages remained.

While searching for a place to rest, Scarlett realized that her carriage was still at Anguish’s citadel. Fortunately, Sir Home and his men soon returned, apparently having been asked by the Dawnbringers to postpone their investigation of Crowcairn. It hadn’t taken too much work to convince the man to lend her a couple of able-bodied soldiers to retrieve the carriage and the horses her group had originally used to reach the citadel.

From there, even though Scarlett had wanted nothing more than to collapse on the nearest empty spot, she left Rosa in one of the tents and spoke with Sir Home about what had happened in the citadel, deliberately omitting certain details for the time being. She would wait to explain things a bit further until after her talks with Raimond were finished.

Allyssa and Shin, accompanied by the knights who had ventured into the citadel with them, also joined Scarlett in the camp. Fynn arrived eventually as well, after apparently having wrapped up things with Raimond. The interstitial space had closed as Scarlett expected, and the deacon himself had instructed Fynn to rejoin her while he attended to other matters.

As for Rosa, the woman instantly fell asleep the moment Scarlett had found an unoccupied resting place for her. Exhausted herself, Scarlett seized the chance to rest after her discussion with Sir Home. Once the carriage was returned, she relocated to its cabin with the others for privacy and shelter against the cold. Fynn carried the sleeping Rosa and placed her in the cabin’s corner, while the rest made themselves comfortable with some blankets and pillows retrieved from the trunk.

Sir Home’s people were still moving about the camp as Scarlett’s group did this, busy preparing for potential attacks and being concerned about the citadel still covering the horizon. Scarlett understood their worries, but she wasn’t going to let that affect her at this point. She had assured Sir Home that the major threat had likely passed, but she doubted that would get him to let down his guard. As was his prerogative. Scarlett’s, however, was to finally get some rest.

Settled into the carriage, she had drifted in and out of sleep as what remained of the night passed. It wasn’t the best sleep she’d had, both because a carriage was far from her preferred sleeping accommodations and because there was too much on her mind. But some rest was better than none.

It was after the first light of dawn had begun to break, with the sun rising slowly in the east, that Scarlett stirred, still tired but at least in marginally better condition than before. Across from her, she met Allyssa’s doe-eyed gaze. Glancing to the side, she found Shin wide awake as well, absorbed in a book. Why he would choose reading over resting right now was a mystery. At least Allyssa looked like she had been sleeping until recently.

Beside Scarlett, Fynn sat with closed eyes—presumably immersed in his meditation—while Rosa was the only individual in the cabin who remained fully asleep.

“Fynn,” Scarlett spoke quietly. “Is there anyone within hearing distance?”

The white-haired youth’s eyes shot open, and he furrowed his brows. After a brief pause, he replied, “No.”

“Good.” Scarlett peered out the carriage window. She had intentionally positioned the carriage at the back of the encampment, facing away from Crowcairn and the citadel. No one would have reason to come here. “I suppose we should have a conversation,” she said, returning her attention to Allyssa and nodding towards Shin. “Have you shared anything with him yet?”

“No, I haven’t.” Allyssa shook her head, her blonde hair swaying. “We did have a short talk that touched on some of it, but I held back on the crucial stuff. Don’t worry, Shin’s given his word to keep quiet even after you tell him.”

“Is that true?” Scarlett asked, turning her focus to the person in question.

Shin looked up from his book, meeting her gaze before giving a deliberate nod. “I’m convinced it’s not something I should keep quiet about, but if Allyssa already agreed to it, so will I.”

Scarlett glanced at Fynn, who remained silent, indicating the young man’s words weren’t a lie.

“I assume whatever we’re going to discuss is related to Rosa’s sudden return and the Vile responsible for all of this,” Shin said, casting a slightly critical look at Allyssa.

The girl’s expression tensed, and she averted her eyes.

Scarlett moved the blanket covering her lap to the space between her and Fynn, retrieving a flask of water from her [Pouch of Holding]. “You are correct. I will be frank. Miss Hale was being possessed by that Vile.”

Shin paused, his eyebrows rising in surprise as he shifted his focus to Scarlett, then to Rosa in the corner, half-hidden by blankets.

“Miss Hale’s momentary absence was to rid herself of the Vile’s influence,” Scarlett continued, taking a sip from the flask. “In the process of doing so, the Vile attempted to use her to manifest within the Material Realm, leading to the citadel’s emergence. I have been aware of the Vile’s presence inside Miss Hale since I first employed her and had prepared for such eventualities, ensuring several precautions so that no harm befell those uninvolved. Many of our recent activities here in Bridgespell have been connected to that.”

Shin stared at Scarlett, several seconds passing in silence. “You’re saying you had plans for dealing with a Vile?”

“Yes.”

“…And that citadel appearing was part of those plans?”

“Yes.”

He turned to Allyssa. “And you agreed to stay silent about this?”

“I might have,” the girl replied, gaze evasive.

“Allyssa,” Shin sighed, closing his book and massaging the bridge of his nose. “We’re Shielders. It goes against Guild code to endanger civilians. Anything that involves a Vile appearing is guaranteed to fall into that category. If your dad or anyone at the Guild learns of this, you know what’ll happen, right?”

“Well, if it’s dad I don’t think there’s much of an issue.” Allyssa shrugged. “Leandro’s another thing, but we just have to make sure no one else hears about it. You’ll stay quiet, and so will I, so that shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Allyssa…”

“We’re supposed to help those in need.” She finally turned to meet Shin’s gaze. “And Rosa was clearly in need. I know that you know that Scarlett knows what she’s doing, and I trust her. I was there when she confronted that Anguish thing, and yeah, sure, it was terrifying, chaotic, and I’m still confused about what happened there towards the end, but we’re alive and everything isn’t on fire. I don’t think Scarlett would risk innocent lives without a way to stop it.”

Shin’s eyes stayed on Allyssa for a bit longer, the disapproving expression remaining on his face, though Scarlett got the feeling that he was doing it more for show than anything else. Eventually, he shifted his attention back to Scarlett, scrutinizing her for a few seconds. “…The ridiculousness of what you did aside, this isn’t too different from what I would expect from you.”

“Hey!” Allyssa protested. “What’s with the difference in treatment? Aren’t you going to question her more as well?”

“She’s still our employer, Allyssa, and I know that you don’t actually want me to question her,” Shin replied, maintaining his focus on Scarlett. “So, the citadel appearing and our ascent were part of your plan. I assume you had some method of expelling the Vile from Rosa, but you didn’t want your involvement in it to get out, which is why you stopped Father Abraham and the others from joining you at the end. How does that connect to our abrupt exit from the citadel and reappearing outside Crowcairn?”

“That’s something I’d like to know as well,” Allyssa said. “What exactly happened with you and Rosa on that throne?”

Scarlett considered the pair for a few moments before responding. “As you both are aware, Crowcairn was an enclave of the Tribe of Sin, meaning its residents were in reality covert agents who had infiltrated the empire.”

Allyssa’s face reflected some discomfort, while Shin’s expression hardened. “Yes.”

“They also played a role in summoning the Abyssal Vilewyrm, the demon we vanquished alongside Sir Home and his troops,” Scarlett continued. “It, in turn, was the perpetrator behind an assassination attempt on Duke Valentino and his son, which is why he sought my assistance in tracking it down. Knowing this, it should come as no surprise that Crowcairn’s inhabitants would be viewed as nothing short of reprehensible criminals by him. However, despite their allegiances and their involvement in plotting against a high noble, many in the village were non-combatants, children included. Therefore, when faced with the revelation from the Vile that Crowcairn and its people were fated for doom by the duke’s forces, Miss Hale opted to harness the Vile’s power to facilitate their escape. Until that point, events had proceeded within my expectations, but her intervention here marked a deviation. I believe our abrupt departure from the citadel was Miss Hale’s way of ensuring no one was left behind while she helped the villagers’ flight, though I cannot say for certain.”

“T-That’s…” Allyssa glanced over at Rosa, her expression conflicted.

“…What happened in the village, then?” Shin asked.

“The details are perhaps best left for when Miss Hale is awake to share them herself. In summary, aside from those who confronted the duke’s forces, most of the villagers managed to escape to their homeland with Miss Hale’s assistance,” Scarlett explained. “And while it proved far more complicated than I had wished for, the Vile’s manifestation was halted, and the situation has since stabilised.”

She studied both of the Shielders. “Any further questions?”

A brief silence followed before Allyssa spoke up. “How long has she had that…thing inside her?”

“For quite some time.”

The girl’s lips formed a tight line. “So the reason it’s always felt like Rosa was hiding something, the reason she sometimes had that sad look in her eyes… It was because of this?”

“It was, yes. Do you blame her for that?”

“What?” Allyssa’s eyes widened, then she shook her head. “No. If I had something like that inside me, I’m not sure I would have told anyone either.”

“And what of her use of the Vile’s power to save members of the Tribe of Sin?” Scarlett asked.

The girl hesitated. “…Honestly, as long as things still worked out in the end, then that doesn’t really matter to me. I felt uneasy about the whole village thing to begin with, and I can’t see Rosa just letting people die because of who they’re affiliated with. Especially not if some of those villagers were kids, and, you know, not actual Tribe members.”

“What if her actions were not solely driven by altruism?”

Allyssa blinked. “What do you mean?”

“…Never mind.” Scarlett waved the question off, dismissing a thought that had crossed her mind regarding something Rosa had said. “As for whether the villagers were truly ‘members’ of the Tribe of Sin, that may not be up to us to decide. Disregarding that, however, can I presume that your silence, Thornthon, implies there are no objections on your part?”

She turned to Shin, who seemed lost in thought.

“…Given my limited insight into the full situation, I can’t say much, but I suppose that is a yes,” he answered after a moment.

Scarlett nodded at that, content with his response. As she contemplated whether there was anything else she needed to disclose immediately, Allyssa spoke up once more.

“What would it have been like?” the girl asked, her gaze fixed on Rosa. “Having a Vile inside you, I mean. I can’t even imagine it.”

“I am certain it would have been a harrowing experience,” Scarlett replied. “However, if you seek specifics, you will need to persuade Miss Hale to share her experiences herself.”

Allyssa observed Rosa for a moment longer before eventually turning away, looking outside. “You mentioned the situation has calmed down. I assume that means the danger has passed. You’re not asking us to go back there, after all.”

Scarlett followed the Shielder’s gaze, her eyes settling on Anguish’s citadel in the distance. “…Indeed, it seems matters have been resolved on that front. Miss Hale’s condition, while not ideal, also appears stable.”

At least if she were to trust the bard’s words and believe that Malachi wouldn’t have left before finishing things. Scarlett was hopeful in that regard, though she couldn’t shake a sense of disappointment as well. She had yet to receive any system notification from the system—when were those things going to show up?—nor any loot since they were transported away from the boss room where it might have been. She’d even had to give up [Ittar’s Genesis], which stung.

In the grand scheme of things, though, she had likely gained considerably more than she lost. The primary objective behind all of this has been achieved, after all — Rosa was still alive, and the woman now possessed the [Astralbane’s Nexus Heartstone]. If Rosa could master its power, any sacrifices on Scarlett’s part would be well worth it.

Still, though…

Her gaze lingered on the imposing obsidian structure on the horizon, stretching towards the sky.

It was strange that the citadel remained. She could think of several possible explanations for it, some with bad implications and some good, but she had no way of discerning the truth at the moment. It would certainly be intriguing if the citadel somehow became a permanent fixture here from now on. That would undoubtedly attract a lot of attention from certain factions within the empire.

Perhaps Scarlett could get her hands on whatever information the Followers of Ittar and other groups gleaned upon investigating the citadel. It could prove useful to see what perspective they would have on this.

With the conversation between Scarlett and the two Shielders tapering off, they all more or less returned to their own matters. Shin delved back into his reading while Allyssa studied Rosa for a while longer before snuggling up under a blanket and drifting back to sleep. Scarlett intended to get more rest later, but for the time being, she simply sat there and pondered all that had happened and all that lay ahead.

Given the current circumstances and the arrival of the Dawnbringers—Sir Home had confirmed that the duke was sending reinforcements as well—she had no intention of leaving until all parties were convinced that the situation had stabilised. Departing too soon might look suspicious in these circumstances, and there would likely be more people curious about what she had encountered in the citadel.

Time passed until a sudden knock interrupted the quiet in the cabin. Peering through the window, Scarlett saw no one, but the carriage door opened by itself. A spectral veil of shifting colors came into view, fading to reveal Raimond as he nimbly climbed inside.

“Greetings, my good friends. I am heartened to see that you all seem relatively hale, considering things.” Dressed in his resplendent deacon robes, he offered a warm smile to them all before looking at Allyssa. “Mind if I take a seat?”

The girl blinked the sleep out of her eyes, staring at him and briefly glancing down at his clothes before eventually shifting closer to Shin.

“My thanks,” Raimond said as he settled opposite Scarlett. Despite his light and composed demeanor, weariness etched his features. He offered a smile to Scarlett. “Please excuse my somewhat haggard appearance. The situation has become rather involved, and I’ve had to brief some of my colleagues on the latest developments to avoid them contemplating sending someone to commit clericide—a word I just came up with and whose meaning I suspect is self-evident—against my humble self. It was not the most pleasant of experiences.”

“Your colleagues…?” Allyssa eyed him closely. “Are you talking about those people we saw earlier in golden armor?”

Raimond chuckled. “No, unfortunately not. Or perhaps fortunately. Time will tell.” Scarlett noticed his gaze briefly flicker to the still-slumbering Rosa before he cleared his throat and adjusted his sleeves. “Now, you’ll have to pardon my forwardness, but there is a matter I must discuss with Baroness Hartford that involves topics of utmost secrecy among the Followers. Would you mind if I ensured some privacy between the good lady and myself?”

That afforded him a quizzical look from Allyssa, while Shin simply nodded, and Fynn remained in his own world.

“Excellent!” Raimond reached into his robes, producing a diminutive object. It resembled a triangular pyramid, with inscriptions running along its grey surface. A faint golden glow traveled from the man’s hand into the object, and suddenly, all ambient noise around Scarlett disappeared. “There we go, that should do it,” he declared.

Scarlett arched a brow. She made a mental note to inquire about obtaining a similar trinket for herself. Beldon probably had an idea where she could acquire one.

Though the warmth of Raimond’s earlier smile still lingered as he met her gaze, it now carried a subtle undercurrent of something else. “Well then, Baroness. Shall we resume our conversation from where we left off?”