It was during Scarlett’s journey back from Duke Valentino’s residence that another system window appeared before her.

[Side-Quest completed: Ducal favors and manipulations]
{Skill points awarded: 5}

As the carriage gently navigated Bridgespell’s cobblestone streets, she sat in the cabin, considering the floating message. She was relieved that the system seemed to have regained most of its functionality, but she hadn’t expected her dealings with the duke to be classified as a side-quest. Nonetheless, she wasn’t about to object.

[Name: Scarlett Hartford]
[Skills:
[Greater Mana Control]
[Greater Pyromancy]
[Major Pyrokinesis]
[Greater Hydromancy]
[Superior Hydrokinesis]
[̼̭̬̋̈́̒͜ ̧̘̜́ͣ͛͛ͅ ͚̜̓͜ͅ ̢̰͚̾̏ͅ�͆�̈ ̮̿͆̒͠ ̢̾̏ͅ ̢̰̾̏ͅ]]
[Traits:
[Dignified August]
[Supercilious]
[Cavalier]
[Callous]
[Overbearing]
[Conceited]
[Third-rate Mana Veins]]
[Mana: 10346/12084]
[Points: 49]

Looking over her character window, her eyes briefly paused on the bugged skill before dismissing it for now and summoning yet another window.

[Skills Menu:
Upgrades
[Superior Pyromancy] (25 points)
[Argent Pyrokinesis] (100 points) (LOCKED)
[Superior Hydromancy] (25 points)
[Major Hydrokinesis] (50 points)
[Superior Mana Control] (25 points)
New skills
[LOCKED]]

This left her tantalizingly close to being able to upgrade her hydrokinesis, if that was what she wanted. [Superior Mana Control] was also quite tempting, and she had considered simply selecting it on more than one occasion. However, impulsively spending skill points after saving them up for all this time would be somewhat of a waste.

Perhaps she wouldn’t even have to make that decision in the end, though. The system seemed to be dispensing these quest rewards more actively now, and she strongly suspected this wouldn’t be the last notification she got. Before making any final decisions regarding her upgrades, she could at least wait and see how many points she had by the end of all this.

That train of thought brought back some other memories. She had been so caught up in events around Crowcairn and Anguish that she’d nearly forgotten about one of the first things she’d done when she arrived in Bridgespell initially. Maybe it was time to see how things were progressing on that front before rejoining the others at the inn.

After considering it for a moment, Scarlett leaned forward and tapped the wooden latch on the cabin’s front wall, which soon opened to where the coachman sat. She gave him new directions, then settled back into her seat, watching the city life unfold through the window. A brief change of pace would be nice after the recent tumultuous days.

 

 

The sun had already set by the time Scarlett returned to the Golden Griffin Inn, enveloping Bridgespell’s streets in a glum darkness. Although it wasn’t particularly late, the approach of winter made the days increasingly shorter. In some regions of the empire, winter had probably already arrived, considering December was well underway, but Bridgespell at the very least still clung to the vestiges of autumn’s warmth.

Most of the establishments Scarlett had visited just now were in the process of closing their doors, but her status as a noble afforded her some leeway in that regard. Several of the shopkeepers she’d spoken to had even offered to have her orders delivered rather than forcing her to pick them up, but Scarlett had declined. The [Bag of Juham] was kept in the carriage, so it hadn’t been particularly inconvenient for her to just use that for transportation.

Arriving at the Golden Griffin Inn, she was welcomed by the staff who showed her to her accommodations, and offered further assistance, which she declined.

Inside the foyer of their lodgings, Scarlett was greeted by the sight of all her companions, excluding Rosa, lounging in the room. Shin was nestled in a secluded corner, his attention fully captured by the pages of a thick tome. Meanwhile, Allyssa and Fynn were huddled around a compact table, deeply immersed in a board game. Fynn’s face was a mask of concentration as he contemplated his strategy, contrasted by Allyssa’s mild look of exasperation awaiting his decision.

Scarlett briefly observed them. They had all cleaned up while she was gone, now dressed in plain clothes.

“I see that you all appear to have seamlessly transitioned back into a semblance of normalcy,” her voice echoed lightly across the room as she headed towards a larger table at the center.

Shin lifted his gaze from his book, offering a short nod in acknowledgment, while Allyssa momentarily diverted her attention from the game to meet Scarlett’s gaze.

“Not much else to do here,” the girl explained with a sigh. “Restocking with my alchemy’s out of the question until we’re back in Freybrook, and there’s no point in trying to coax Shin into doing anything other than read at times like these.”

Across from her, Fynn finally made his move on the board.

Scarlett eyed the game with slight curiosity. She wasn’t familiar with the rules, but she knew that it bore similarities to chess.

Allyssa blinked, staring at Fynn’s play. “Why’d you do that?”

“It prevents you from sacrificing your pikeman,” he calmly explained.

“But you just forfeited your Shielder for barely any benefit. Am I supposed to be offended?”

“You intended to trick me into compromising my fort, didn’t you? This counters that.”

Allyssa remained silent for a few seconds, then threw her hands up in the air, her voice a mix of shock and frustration. “Aagghh! This is impossible. Why are you good at this?! It’s supposed to be your first time!” Her head swiveled towards Shin, shooting him an accusatory glare. “Confess. You’ve been coaching him behind my back just to mess with me, haven’t you?”

Shin, unfazed, shook his head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Allyssa’s glare shifted back to Fynn. “He did, didn’t he?”

Fynn nodded. “Yes.”

“I knew it!”

“It’s your turn,” he reminded the girl.

“I know! Don’t rush me!” Allyssa’s expression transformed into one of intense concentration as she peered over the board, carefully analysing her options.

“Where is Rosa?” Scarlett asked, turning her attention away from the unfolding drama. She placed the [Bag of Juham] on the central table. She caught Shin’s prolonged look and raised an eyebrow. “Something on your mind?”

His gaze lingered on her for a few seconds before shifting to the bag. “No, it was nothing. And Rosa has been recuperating in her room since you left. She mentioned still being tired, but she’s likely awake now. We heard music from her quarters earlier.”

“I see.” Scarlett’s eyes drifted towards the hallway leading to each of their chambers. “Then I will see to her after sharing what I have brought for the rest of you.”

Now Fynn turned away from the board game and to her. “Share what?”

“Do you recall that, upon our arrival in Bridgespell, I arranged for each of us to be measured by the local craftsman in order to commission tailored equipment?”

“Yes.”

“It is time to present some of those.” Scarlett dipped her hand into the [Bag of Juham] and retrieved a pair of steel bracers. Their silvery steel surface was finely polished and had intricate patterns carved into it, shimmering with a mesmerising glow under the room’s light, with ash-colored scales seamlessly embedded in the metal through some unknown technique.

[Draconic Embrace (Epic)]
{Forged from high-quality steel and the shadowed scales of an ashenwraith dragon, these bracers bestow upon their wearer the elusive strength and agility of one who hunts dragons, weaving their protection through the scales that are part of it}

Fynn’s gaze narrowed as he saw the items, and Allyssa’s eyes widened as she turned to look.

“Are those for me?” Fynn asked as he rose to approach Scarlett.

“Yes,” Scarlett answered. “I understand that you prefer to be unburdened in combat, but these were designed with your fighting style in mind. They offer protection without hindering your mobility.”

The bracers covered the top of the hand, but there were tiny slits near the knuckles to allow for Fynn to summon his claws.

The white-haired young, intrigued, inspected the craftsmanship. Then he lifted the bracers up and put them on, before finally nodding with an expression of approval. “I like them.”

“Then they serve their purpose,” Scarlett said.

She would have been disappointed if he didn’t like them. Just those bracers alone were exorbitantly expensive. She had intentionally splurged on all this, so they were talking about sums she was pretty sure exceeded the entire yearly financial output of some baronies for just one item.

If she wasn’t anticipating significant profits from the ashenwraith dragon that Empress had killed, she wasn’t sure she would have afforded to spend this much.

“Now then, shall I present the rest?” She turned her attention to Shin and Allyssa.

“Erm…” Allyssa suddenly looked hesitant, but Shin approached with a composed demeanor.

“Alright,” the young man said.

Scarlett pulled out the next article.

[Ashenforged Battlemail (Epic)]
{Born of ashenwraith dragon scales and enchanted iceweaver silk, this mail embraces the wearer in a dance of ash and steel, spinning protection that blurs the lines between armor and elemental force}

It was a folded piece of banded armor, composed of steel bands hidden beneath layers of blue-ish grey fabric and dark, ash-colored scales that blended perfectly into the design. Scarlett offered the item to Shin, who received it with slight surprise.

Scarlett then revealed the next piece for Allyssa.

[Umbral Veil (Epic)]
{Woven from shadowspider silk and nightwind moth threads, this veil intertwines its wearer with the silent dance of shadows, granting the power to merge into obscurity. The ashen scales concealed within also provide protection from those who would do harm}

Outwardly, it looked like a simple grey cloak, but on closer inspection, it seemed to glow slightly with a disguised energy. Scarlett placed it on the table. “This is for you, Miss Astrey. As I am aware that you are somewhat uncomfortable with the price of these items, you can consider it a loan, for now, to ease your mind.”

Without waiting for a response, Scarlett pulled out the next item.

[Ashenwraith Elegance (Epic)]
{Born of the hides of elusive dragons, this piece of clothing serves as a silent ally to its wearer, protecting its master and harnessing the inherent magic of its draconic heritage to amplify their power}

It was a refined ensemble tailored specifically for Scarlett, blending both the practical essence of a seasoned adventurer’s clothes with the imposed dignity of a noblewoman’s attire. Crafted from the resilient hide of the ashenwraith dragon, it also incorporated materials harvested from various other creatures they had encountered, all complemented by fine materials provided by the artisan. The outfit featured a lightweight design that wouldn’t restrict Scarlett’s movements, boasting a rich ebony color accentuated by discreetly woven dragon scale, creating an interplay of shadows and light when viewed from certain angles.

Following the [Ashenwraith Elegance] were a pair of delicate white gloves.

[Emberflow Gloves (Rare)]
{Woven from fireflowers and graced by enchanted river pearls, these gloves fit for a noble lady’s hands cradle within them a touch of elemental finesse, each gesture unveiling a hint of the mystical synergy of two opposing forces}

Scarlett considered both of the items for a moment. The gloves had been more of an afterthought when she originally placed her orders, with her asking the workshop if they could create something useful for a mage who employed both pyromancy and hydromancy. They’d expressed some hesitance at first and warned her not to expect any particularly powerful enchantments, but what they had produced was still impressive in her opinion. She was curious about how practical they would prove to be.

The same went for the [Ashenwraith Elegance], of course. She had commissioned it solely to have another layer of defense beyond her [Garments of Form (Epic)], not expecting anything else. However, it seemed the draconic aspect of the material had more of an effect on the end product than expected.

Picking up both items in her hands, she activated the effect of her [Charm of Expeditious Change]. They vanished into whatever spatial storage the artifact utilized, then reappeared moments later on her body.

She immediately noticed the difference. The connection she had to her magic, the slight supernatural sense which she’d never quite able to fully describe with simple words, suddenly felt slightly more potent, and there was a latent power now enveloping her, as if waiting for her to unleash her magic, wishing to join it.

After spending a short time acclimating to the sensation, she eventually dismissed the items and donned her original attire.

“The more I see you do that, the more jealous I get,” Allyssa said, the young Shielder holding her new cloak in her hands. “I’d trade Shin in a heartbeat if it meant I didn’t have to bother with changing my clothes manually ever again. Just ‘poof’, and it’s done.”

“I’m not an object,” Shin replied, not looking up from his inspection of his new armor.

“I’m sorry. I can’t hear you over the agony of betrayal I’m feeling from my closest friend stabbing me in the back.”

“The magic at work is indeed quite convenient,” Scarlett said, lifting the [Bag of Juham] once more. “Perhaps were we to decipher the nature of the enchantment responsible, I might inquire into obtaining more items of its type.” She cast a glance at Fynn, who was experimenting with his new bracers, the air around him swirling as he conjured his spectral claws.

“Some of the commisions remain unfinished,” she added. “Most likely, we will not see those until after our return to Freybrook.”

She had placed orders for some minor enchanted tools that she thought might be useful as well, along with some other pieces of equipment that were taking longer to craft. Fynn certainly deserved more than just a pair of bracers, for example.

Admittedly, she was impressed by the efficiency already showcased by the workshops; less than two weeks had elapsed since they arrived in Bridgespell, yet this much had already been accomplished. She had paid for them to prioritise her orders, but the craftsmanship and speed still exceeded her expectations.

“Now, take this time to acquaint yourself with your new gear,” Scarlett instructed, moving towards the edge of the foyer. “Meanwhile, I will seek out Miss Hale to present her with these items as well.”

And have certain other discussions.