Scarlett wondered if reaching Beld Thylelion would help her learn more about the system, this whole ‘Anomalous One’ business, and what her role in this world actually signified. Were there things waiting in that place that differed from in the game?

It was a distinct possibility now, it seemed. She was hoping so, at the very least, but she also needed to be ready to be disappointed.

Regardless, she had been set on going there for a while. Even if the main quest hadn’t told her to do so at the threat of death, she didn’t want factions like the Hallowed Cabal getting there first.

Returning her focus to Anguish, Scarlett studied the Vile briefly. Anguish met her gaze.

“…I suppose if that is the extent of what you know, then it will have to suffice,” she eventually said, not hiding the mockery in her voice. “I will simply have to seek out the remaining information myself.”

Anguish sneered at her. “Always the proud one, are we? Though I will admit I’m intrigued by what you’ll do. It would be a shame if your plans were to fail, wouldn’t it?”

“You are overly optimistic if you believe you will be allowed to observe my movements as you have before.”

“Oh, no need to fret.” The demon replied with a cold grin. “Even if Rosalina tries to keep me in the dark, I’ll find out someday. Unlike these fragile mortals, my existence won’t wither away in just a mere few generations. Rosa will draw her last breath eventually, so it’s only a matter of time before I am free to return to my domain once more.”

“That assumes your domain will remain yours for that long.” Scarlett shook her head. “But we both know that there is no such guarantee, is there?”

Anguish’s expression darkened slightly.

“On that note,” Scarlett continued, “now that Malachi possesses part of your Authority, how much control will she have over the Blaze of Anguish? Will that be enough to face the other Viles? From what I know, they have been making moves to encroach on your domain after discovering that you harbored an incarnate.”

Anguish looked at Scarlett for a few seconds with Rosa’s face, then shrugged. “Who knows? That half-blooded thief may have stolen some of my Authority, but even I cannot be certain how much. You shackling me inside this vessel restricts me in more ways than one. But regardless of whether she had taken it all or none of it, she would not have been able to wield it as I can, nor would the denizens of my domain listen as they do to me.” The demon’s smile turned sinister. “I’ve trained my pets well.”

“That does not surprise me, but nor does it answer my question.”

“Then you should have posed a better question.”

Scarlett gave her a pointed stare.

Anguish raised her hands. “Very well. Then what if I tell you that it doesn’t matter? Even if my fellow Viles united against me—which they won’t; they’re likelier to ignite another Chaosforge War—they couldn’t seize my entire domain. Being a Vile means watching your back for the other Viles more than anything else, and I haven’t spent the last millennium twiddling my thumbs.”

“Is that so?” Scarlett considered the demon for a moment.

Anguish seemed to be telling the truth, which meant the demon’s Blaze was less at risk than Scarlett had thought. Nevertheless, it would probably still be a significant blow to Anguish’s power base if the other Viles did lay siege to her domain.

Scarlett was fine with either outcome. If the Blaze of Anguish succumbed entirely to the other Blazes, Scarlett would be rid of yet another enemy. If it survived, she had a potential ally in Malachi.

“And what about the reactions of the other Viles to your attempt at manifesting within the Material Realm?” she asked. “How much would they know about the events?”

“Worried that they’ll go after your precious bard?” Anguish replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“If they were to do so, they would face the repercussions of their actions. I am not concerned that any of you will harm Miss Hale again.” In the game, it had been made clear that once Rosa obtained the Heartstone, the Viles couldn’t touch her as an incarnate anymore. “However, it would be bothersome to deal with yet another conceited Vile, so I will act preemptively where necessary.”

The demon laughed at that. “Now you’re making me excited. I do hope one of my peers tries something now, if only so that I can see the outcome.”

Scarlett’s expression turned icy. “I am not interested in your perverse hopes. I am asking what the other Viles know about Rosa. Now, answer.”

A moment of pain flickered across Anguish’s face, but she recovered quickly enough. “…I pity that Rosalina had to get involved with such a spoilsport. Fine. To answer your question, they should be unaware beyond her mere existence, and even that wouldn’t have been a certainty if not for the meddling of a rigid old prig.”

“You are referring to The Gentleman,” Scarlett stated.

Anguish narrowed her eyes. “…I am not surprised you know of him, but it seems there’s more to it.”

“My connection to him is irrelevant to our current discussion. I will say that you were far from the only one angered by his decision to expose Rosa’s existence to the Blazes. However, since that episode is largely resolved, there is little point in wasting more time worrying about it. Now, am I correct in understanding that, according to you, none of the Viles should have learned more about Rosa’s identity despite the events in the citadel?”

The Vile remained silent for several seconds, staring at Scarlett, before finally shaking her head. “They would only sense that I breached the Veil into this realm, but that’s the extent of it. Oh, certainly, their spies and pawns will be all over this to investigate the incident, but somehow I doubt you have made their task easy.”

Scarlett tapped her finger on the table thoughtfully.

The demon wasn’t wrong there, at least. The fact that Rosa had been involved was still unknown to most, especially since Scarlett had worked with Raimond to keep the Followers ignorant. It would have been bad if Deacon Davenport of the Quorum had learned anything, since he was collaborating with Malevolence, another of the Viles.

That said, Scarlett’s own involvement wasn’t exactly a secret, so she could probably expect a lot more people to look into her activities in the future. But as long as their attention wasn’t directly aimed at Rosa, that was fine. Scarlett might even be able to get Beldon Tyndall’s help to deal with some of this newfound interest.

“There is another matter that still leaves me puzzled,” she began, locking eyes with Anguish. “Despite your manifestation attempt having ceased, your citadel still remains in this realm. Why is this?”

The demon seemed amused by that question. “What led you to think my manifestation has stopped? I am still speaking with you, aren’t I, pet?”

Scarlett frowned. “What are you implying? You have lost your power and your grip over Rosa, and your incarnation was never fully realized. The Astral Soulstone would not have been able to sustain your citadel’s partial manifestation for this long.”

Anguish had technically still lingered inside Rosa after this questline concluded in the game as well, but she hadn’t been able to speak then. There, it was stated that the manifestation and the ritual surrounding it ended the moment you left the citadel.

“Perhaps that would have been the case if you hadn’t bound me to Rosa and filched part of my Authority,” Anguish said. “Thanks to yours and that half-blood’s actions, my manifestation will persist as long as Rosalina draws breath.”

A flash of anger entered Scarlett’s eyes as she glared at the demon, but then she paused, actually considering those words.

After a while, a slight smile appeared on her lips. “…I see.”

While it was somewhat disconcerting that Anguish’s manifestation was still technically ongoing, Rosa had already proven that the Vile was powerless right now. Meanwhile, this meant that Rosa would continue serving as an anchor that connected to the Blaze of Anguish, but now the bard was the one in control.

Not only did that have several implications for what Rosa might be able to do, but Scarlett also suspected that there were ways that she could utilize this in the future.

“I do so love it when you make that expression,” Anguish remarked with a smile. “What wicked schemes are going through your mind, I wonder? How do you intend to use Rosalina now?”

Scarlett’s look turned stern. She regarded the demon silently for several seconds.

“…I tire of seeing Miss Hale’s appearance debased by you. I have already learned what I need for the time being. Now, remove yourself.”

“And I thought we were having a rather pleasant convers—”

“I am not asking this time. Begone, Anguish.”

Rosa’s body recoiled as Anguish’s features contorted in discomfort, and the dark influence quickly faded from her eyes as the Vile’s presence vanished.

[Side-Quest completed: Altercations with a devil]
{Skill points awarded: 6}

[Side-Quest completed: Fettered and Bound — Anguish’s Fate]
{Skill points awarded: 8}

[Companion Quest completed: The Smiling Bard]
{Skill points awarded: 15}

[Quest completed: The Blazing Citadel]
{Skill points awarded: 12}

Scarlett stared at all the system windows that suddenly appeared before her, somewhat surprised by the amount.

She had been expecting more quest completion notifications to pop up sooner or later, but not this many. Just this conversation counted as four different quest completions?

She reviewed the quest titles. Two seemed related to Anguish, which was perhaps understandable, and the final one was the one Scarlett had been waiting for ever since leaving Crowcairn. The companion quest, though…

Her brow furrowed in thought.

She hadn’t even been aware that the game recognized Rosa as a literal companion. While she had completed companion-related quests, such as helping Fynn with his trial, those hadn’t been explicitly labeled as ‘companion quests’ by the system.

Was it because this marked the end of Rosa’s main questline in the game? That would make sense, but Scarlett had skipped much of what would typically have constituted that questline. Although she supposed this wouldn’t be the first time the system only cared about the end results rather than everything that led up to it.

Regardless, this represented a considerable influx of skill points for her. Even more than she had been hoping for.

With a thought, she summoned her status window.

[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: 12084/12084]
[Points: 90]

90 skill points.

More than she’d ever had before. It would almost have been enough to upgrade her pyrokinesis skill once more if that skill hadn’t been locked at the moment. In her current situation, it was enough to upgrade both her hydrokinesis and one more skill.

Elevating her hydrokinesis to match her pyrokinesis—and spending the time to master it—might finally unlock new possibilities for what she could do with the skill other than simply applying it through her Aqua Mines and the occasional waterworks.

The idea excited her, and it made her look forward to returning to Freymeadow, where she could freely practice under Arlene’s guidance. Maybe if she could also—

“Ehm, I know I am ravishingly captivating and terrifyingly enchanting, but it’s a bit much to be struck literally wordless just by looking at me, don’t you think?” a voice interrupted her thoughts.

Scarlett blinked, dismissing the system windows to return her attention to Rosa. The bard was giving her a funny look, studying her with a teasing smirk.

“…Apologies. My mind was elsewhere.” Scarlett mentally chided herself for allowing herself to be distracted. “Do not misunderstand. My brief lapse in attention was unrelated to you.”

“Sure it didn’t.”

She shot the woman a narrowed-eyed glare. “It did not.”

Rosa raised her hands theatrically. “I’m not arguing with you.”

“Your grin suggests otherwise.”

“I can’t be held accountable for my mouth,” Rosa said. “That thing’s got a mind of its own, and not once has it bothered consulting me about its life choices.”

Scarlett set aside her thoughts and musings about the system and her skills for now, releasing a single sigh at the bard’s carefree attitude. Then she relaxed her expression, taking a moment to really look at Rosa. “Setting aside your mouth’s ‘rebellious nature’… How are you?”

Both of the woman’s eyebrows lifted in mild surprise. “We’re revisiting that again?”

“Given you just hosted one of the Six Viles at my behest,” Scarlett said, “I believe the question is warranted.”

The bard eyed her for a moment. Her playful demeanor dimmed as she averted her gaze, idly scratching the back of her head. “It felt weird. I’ll give you that. Always does. It was…uncomfortable. Claustrophobic, even. But this time I was the one in control, so…it wasn’t that bad. It did hurt when you spoke her name, and I’d rather not have to endure that again, but I could if I had to.” She shrugged slightly. “All in all, I’m managing. Not much worse for wear than before.”

Scarlett nodded. “That is reassuring to hear.”

She’d had some slight concerns that it would have been a grueling experience for Rosa. Since all of this was new, Scarlett still wasn’t familiar with what it all meant.

A moment of silence passed between them before Rosa turned back to Scarlett.

“So…,” the woman began. “That was some heavy stuff you talked about with Anguish.”

“Indeed it was.”

“I think I might even have overheard some of the things you didn’t want me knowing about.”

Scarlett eyed her thoughtfully for a couple of seconds. “…Perhaps it is best if you do not dwell on it too much.”

A lighthearted smile graced Rosa’s lips once again, even as her eyes held a hint of unease. “Sure. I’ll just pretend that I didn’t hear talk of literal gods possibly hunting you down, or whatever this ‘god-slayer anomaly’ thing is, or that Anguish somehow considered you and it peers. Why would I waste any time thinking about all that? No sense in inducing any unnecessary stress, right?”

“That is precisely why I suggest not dwelling on it for the time being.”

“Might be just a tad late for that, unfortunately,” Rosa said, her tone becoming more serious. “…Look, I get it, okay? Whatever those secrets of yours are, it’s clear they go far beyond even what I had imagined. I understand why you might hesitate to trust and involve someone like me in…well, I don’t know. But if things are bad, you know I’d help, right?”

“It is not a matter of trust, Rosa—” Scarlett started, then paused, taking a breath before continuing. “…I am aware that I can rely on you. I had already planned to properly utilize your abilities irrespective of what you said here, but knowing that I have your support is reassuring.”

“Okay, I’m starting to have second thoughts when you say it like that, but I suppose it’s too late to go back now.” Rosa let out a light chuckle, then looked away, seeming to get lost in thought briefly. “Still…You’re not going to tell me what all that was about, are you?”

Scarlett watched her for a few seconds. “Will you blame me if I do not?”

For some reason, there really was a reluctance to share those secrets with Rosa, a reluctance that hadn’t been as present with Arlene. Was it a fear of revealing her true identity to someone who could actually remember it, or was it something else?

Rosa took her time before responding. “No, I don’t mind.”

Scarlett studied her, trying to gauge the sincerity of her words. Rosa sounded earnest, and she had pledged to be more transparent with Scarlett, but such promises held no guarantees when it came to things like this — especially considering Scarlett herself was still blatantly keeping secrets.

After a while, Scarlett shifted her focus from Rosa and looked around the room, deciding to let the subject drop for now. Rosa and her relationship had always been built on a certain level of deception, but that didn’t diminish the trust Scarlett placed in the woman.

“It seems you have become more proficient in controlling Anguish with the Heartstone,” she remarked, steering the conversation to a new topic.

“The ‘Heartstone’?” Rosa’s voice echoed beside her.

Scarlett glanced back at the bard. “Yes. That is the name of the artifact now embedded within you — the Astralbane’s Nexus Heartstone.”

“…That name’s a bit excessive, don’t you think? Couldn’t you have gone for something lighter and more charming, like ‘Rosa’s Rollicking Crescendo Crest’?”

“…I did not choose the name,” Scarlett said.

Even if she had, that was a terrible name.

Rosa’s expression knit in confusion. “Didn’t you literally create it on the spot before thrusting it into my chest—thanks for that, by the way—like some kind of drunken tavern-ruffian? You’re telling me it came pre-named?”

Only now did Scarlett realize how odd that must sound. She had grown so used to all items having names provided by the system that she hadn’t even stopped to consider how it would look from Rosa’s perspective.

“…That is how it was referred to in the texts describing its creation,” she explained. “I did not come up with the concept on my own.”

Rosa eyed her, giving her a look that definitely held more than just a hint of suspicion in it. Eventually, though, she seemed to settle with the explanation, leaning back and letting her gaze drift off. “Alright, sure. I suppose I can live with that name, even if it’s a mouthful.”

“So was yours.”

“No, my name had alliteration. It rolls off the tongue. Yours is all serious and boring.”

“Once again, I did not choose the name.”

“Someone’s gotta be held accountable.”

“…Let us drop this subject before I start contemplating reclaiming the Heartstone from you.” Scarlett shook her head. “I am curious about your experience. How does it feel to have an artifact embedded in you?”

“I’m just going to pretend like you didn’t just casually threaten my life. And as for the artifact… Well, I can’t say it’s not strange having a rock stuck in my chest.” Rosa gently touched a hand to where the crystal was situated under the fabric of her blouse. “I can feel it pulsating where my heart should be beating. It’s supposed to do that, right? Actually, don’t answer that. I’m just gonna go with ‘yes’. Not sure I’m mentally prepared to know whether my real heart is still there or not.” A wince crossed her face. “And I definitely won’t forget the pain from when you inserted the blasted thing.”

“I am starting to suspect that you are holding a grudge.”

The bard tilted her head to the side for a moment, wearing a thoughtful expression. “Maybe a teensy weensy one?”

“…That is understandable.”

“Hey, don’t beat yourself up too much. You’ve still got your share of grudges against me, and I’m pretty sure those outweigh this one by a pretty wide margin,” Rosa said. Then she fell silent for a moment, her tone shifting as a somber expression took over. “I just realized something. In a way, this could be considered a gift from you to me.”

Scarlett watched the woman warily, sensing this wouldn’t go anywhere good. “…And?”

Rosa looked at her. “And have you seen this thing?” She pulled down the top of her blouse, revealing the upper half of the Heartstone and the skin around it. “It’s huge! Gargantuan, even. You could ransom princesses with this.”

Scarlett felt another sigh building but resisted, instead pinching the bridge of her nose. “If that bothers you, then simply do not think of it as a gift. There is no need to overcomplicate matters.”

“No, no, you don’t understand. I’m morally obligated to you now. It’s going to be impossible to hold even the smallest grudge without feeling guilty.”

“At the risk of sounding blunt, is that not already the case?” Scarlett asked. “I would have thought me removing Anguish’s hold over you would have already established a significant debt.”

“Yes, but that was a serious thing,” Rosa replied in an aggrieved voice.

Scarlett stared at the woman. “…I do not believe I will ever fully comprehend what goes on in that mind of yours.”

“Ugh, just forget it.” Rosa slumped back in her seat. “Guess I’ll have to live with not teasing you about that anymore.” She exhaled deeply. “At least I got a gem big enough to buy a few castles out of it. If anyone ever asks what you’ve done for me, that’ll be my answer.”

“Please do not flaunt that.”

“You’re asking the impossible.”

Scarlett closed her eyes, suppressing the urge to make certain comments within her heart heard.

Was it too late to reconsider the whole Anguish thing? Maybe a literal demon would have been a preferable companion on certain occasions.

After having taken a few moments to compose herself, she opened her eyes again and looked at Rosa. “Returning to more serious matters. The Heartstone is designed to help you manage Anguish, but its capabilities should extend beyond that. Have you noticed anything else? Any other changes?”

Rosa seemed to ponder the question for a moment. “Kinda? Fairly sure it did something funny to my mana, for one. But there are still things I haven’t figured out. It’s like it’s intuitive and straightforward, yet perplexing all at the same time.”

“Unraveling its intricacies is unfortunately beyond my ability to assist you with,” Scarlett said. “I only knew that it would be a means of freeing you from Anguish’s clutches, but the artifact’s inner workings remain a mystery.”

In the game, Rosa just received all the Heartstone’s effects and buffs instantly. But that was usually how skills and items worked in games. This world often proved more complex in that regard.

Rosa’s laughter echoed out. “We’re lucky that I’m your resident genius bard extraordinaire, then. I’ll have this thing figured out in a jiffy.”

“I am sure. One avenue you might explore is harnessing the Heartstone’s power with your charms. I suspect that might yield results.”

“Really?” Rosa glanced down at the table, where her klert was lying. “Hmm… Suppose I might as well give it a whirl.”

She picked the instrument up and placed it in her lap. When she began playing, the room was filled with a soft melody that seemed to weave through the air, carrying an almost expectant hum to it. The space in front of them soon shimmered with a gentle blue light, as if riding on the coattails of an invisible ghost.

Scarlett didn’t recognize this particular charm, but even as she continued watching it, it didn’t appear to serve any tangible purpose. It was just a not-so-fancy light show, from the looks of it. Maybe it was something Rosa had come up with during a moment of boredom.

Glancing at the bard, Scarlett noted Rosa’s intense concentration as the woman played the klert. Minutes ticked by without any notable change, the mystical display hanging motionless as it was in the air. Then, finally, something happened.

It began with Rosa, the atmosphere around shifting, and the charm’s benign blue glow deepened, turning darker and thickening. It coiled into a dense cloud of dark violet, resembling ethereal spirits in turmoil.

Rosa blinked, stopping her music, and the spectral lights dissipated.

“Okay… That was strange,” the bard said.

Scarlett nodded. “Quite.”

It was much what she had been expecting, though. The Heartstone had unlocked various new abilities for Rosa in the game as well. Scarlett was curious to see how those would manifest here.

Rosa resumed her tune, and a candle at the opposite end of the room beside the bed suddenly flared to life. A few seconds later, its flame morphed into a deep violet with dark undertones, almost doubling in size.

“This is…nifty,” Rosa mused out loud, her music weaving the charm’s shape. “Nifty and creepy. Feels like if I continue with this, we’ll have the door knocked down by priests ready to haul me off for being a witch practicing the darkest of arts.”

“While I believe that concern may be overstated, it is true that certain groups could respond negatively if they learned of this magic’s origins. The prudent choice might be to exercise caution when using this ability.”

In the game, that hadn’t really been a concern, but this world was far more complicated. It wouldn’t hurt to be careful.

“That does remind me,” Scarlett said, shifting her attention fully to Rosa. “Deacon Abram expressed his desire to speak with you when the opportunity arises. I am not certain about the precise nature of the discussion, but ensure that you act with caution when the time comes for that as well.”

Rosa ceased her music once more, giving Scarlett a puzzled look. “Deacon Abram?”

“Also known as Father Abrahm.”

The bard blinked. “Wait, what?”

Scarlett stared at her.

Right. Rosa hadn’t actually personally met with Raimond at any time during their time in the citadel; moreover, she was unconscious when he arrived in Crowcairn. Scarlett also hadn’t filled Rosa in on any of the details about those events yet, so to her, the priest was still just ‘Ray Abraham’.

“There is much that you missed during your absence,” Scarlett said. “Perhaps it is time for me to brief you on the specifics.”