Scarlett and Dean Godwin strolled back from the hedge garden to the mansion, making their way to the front courtyard, which was still under renovation. Scarlett, through the Loci’s senses, knew this was where Rosa was.

Upon reaching the courtyard, they spotted Rosa perched on a simple stone bench, clad in a snug fur coat. With klert in hand, the bard was playing an upbeat tune as a fiery fox danced before her. Around them, unlit candles were arranged in a wide circle, the snow around their metal holders partially melted.

Rosa chuckled heartily as she played away on her instrument, causing one of the candles to ignite with a dark red flame. The fox, standing at the center of the circle, darted towards the flickering light, which snuffed itself out only for another candle to light up, drawing the fox’s attention in a new direction.

“Just you wait, my fiery little friend. In time, we’ll be an unstoppable duo, feared by the purses of crowds all across the empire!” the woman exclaimed in a playfully sinister voice.

Suppressing a sigh, Scarlett paused along with Godwin at the courtyard’s edge. Lending Rosa the [Foxfire Charm] might have been a mistake.

“That’s a fascinating creature,” Godwin remarked, watching the fox as it chased the elusive candlelights in vain. The critter, made of living flames, moved with an almost ethereal grace, but curiously, its presence didn’t seem to affect the snow beneath it.

Noticing their arrival, Rosa ceased her music, the brown-haired woman’s face breaking into a smile. “Oh? If it isn’t the classy old magic man. It’s been too long.”

A soft laugh left Godwin as they began to approach the woman. To stay warm, Scarlett subtly used her pyrokinesis to maintain a comfortable temperature around them, which earned her an acknowledging glance from the wizened wizard.

“So, what brings you both to my modest performance?” Rosa asked, setting her klert aside. The fox had gone completely still as the last of the candles extinguished, its attention seeming not to focus on anything.

“The Dean wished to meet with you,” Scarlett answered.

“Yeah? Well, alright. Consider me at your disposal, then. Don’t have much else going on for me right now.” Rosa nodded towards the fox. “I’ve been trying to teach this little rascal some tricks, but it’s slow going. I’ve only just got him moving, and now I’m working on more complex commands. ‘Fetch’ will be a tricky one.”

“It is not a pet, Miss Hale,” Scarlett said, motioning with her hand to conjure a fist-sized flame at eye level. The fox’s attention snapped to the flame, and it eagerly bounded towards it. As it paused beneath the fire, looking up as if mesmerized, the flame itself swelled in size.

“I don’t know about that,” Rosa replied, an impish glint in her eye. “It looks like a pet to me, and I’m sticking with that. Besides, I refuse to accept any other type of logic from someone who keeps a stone for company.”

Scarlett simply shook her head, directing the flame—and by extension, the fox—to her side.

“While I don’t speak for Baroness Harford, training an Emberling of all things in specific tasks might present a challenge,” Godwin said, looking somewhat amused. “That is assuming this is indeed what I believe it is. It is my first time seeing an Emberling for myself, though I have encountered Zephyrians before. They are both variations of the elemental Etherialias, if I am not mistaken.”

Scarlett regarded him for a moment. “My understanding of this subject is limited, so I will defer to your knowledge. What is evident, at least, is that the creature is no true spirit, nor does it possess any genuine intelligence.”

The man nodded, stroking his beard thoughtfully while examining the fox. “That is consistent with the nature of the Etherialias. Pseudo-spirits, I have heard them referred to. Rare, undoubtedly, and more akin to facsimiles and half-representations of their elements than sentient beings. To encounter one today is quite intriguing. You seem to always stumble upon the most unusual of phenomena, Baroness.”

Scarlett observed the fox, which was transfixed by her flame.

Godwin’s description sounded about right.

The creature was a temporary summon from the [Foxfire Charm] Arlene had given her. Although not the endearing pet that Rosa and Allyssa had hoped for when they first saw it, it was nonetheless a practical ally for someone like Scarlett. The fox was instinctively drawn to fire, and its presence enhanced any flames in its immediate vicinity.

In the game, it had appeared as a small critter that followed the player around, making it a very good fit for any build that employed close-range pyromancy spells. In this world, it was slightly more flexible since it followed flames instead, and Scarlett already had several ideas for how she could use something like that.

As did Rosa, apparently.

“Where did you come across it?” Godwin asked.

“It was a gift from my mentor,” Scarlett replied.

“Mentor?” a hint of surprise entered the man’s voice.

“Yes, my mentor.” Scarlett glanced at him, then turned her attention back to Rosa. “Miss Hale, Dean Godwin came concerning the events in Bridgespell. He is aware of the Anguish incident and believes he can assist you with adjusting to the Heartstone. However, he wants to examine you more closely first, and I have informed him that your opinion comes first.”

Rosa blinked, her gaze shifting between Scarlett and Godwin for a couple of seconds before eventually settling on the wizard. “You really think you could help me out?”

The woman didn’t even seem to mind that Scarlett might have shared some of her secrets with Godwin.

“I have extensive knowledge of Zuverian artifacts, such as the Astral Soulstone used to create your Heartstone, so it would not be an exaggeration to say that I am at the very least qualified to try,” Godwin explained. “Apart from experts in demonology or a demon themselves, I may very well be your best option within the empire.”

“Huh. Alright, let’s do it,” Rosa agreed readily.

“Rosa,” Scarlett interjected. “Please do consider your decision with some caution. You are under no obligation to accept his offer.”

The bard just shrugged. “I don’t see any reason to. Sure, I’m getting the hang of this thing myself, but there’s still a bunch about the Heartstone I don’t understand. I wouldn’t mind having someone more knowledgeable than me take a gander at it. Frankly, I feel like I should be grateful he doesn’t see fit to fireball me all the way to the Everdust Barrier and back for having it stuck inside me.”

Scarlett bit back the reprimand she wanted to give Rosa for her casual attitude towards this. She couldn’t exactly say much when she was the one who brought Godwin here intending to use him.

The wizard in question cleared his throat. “By ‘inside you’, I presume I am to take that literally. Where exactly is this ‘Heartstone’ situated?”

Rosa smiled slyly. “Well, it’s in the name, isn’t it?”

“I see.”

Scarlett fixed him with a sharp gaze. “I expect you to not forget your commitment to discretion in this matter, Dean.”

Despite his age, he had the looks of someone who had been a real heartbreaker in his youth.

“I assure you, I am quite capable of respecting a woman’s decency when necessary,” the man replied.

“Hear that, Red? Sounds like my virtue is in safe hands.”

Scarlett cast a disapproving look Rosa’s way, only to be met with a feigned ‘innocent’ smile.

“…Very well. It is not my place to interfere any further than this.” Scarlett turned back to Godwin. “You can inquire with my butler about a suitable room for your examination. Will you be needing anything else?”

He shook his head. “I am equipped with the necessary tools. If Miss Hale finds it agreeable, I’d like to start immediately. I have other engagements in the evening.”

“Sure.” Rosa stood, retrieving a fox-shaped charm from her coat, handing it over to Scarlett. Scarlett accepted it, mentally dismissing the fiery fox.

“I trust that you will manage on your own with the Dean, Miss Hale,” she said, storing the [Foxfire Charm] in her [Pouch of Holding]. “Or, at least, I hope that you will refrain from causing any trouble that I will need to address. I will return to check on you later.”

“What, you’re not joining in on our little demon seance? It’ll be fun,” Rosa teased.

“I highly doubt that. Besides, I have other matters to attend to, now that Dean Godwin is here.” Scarlett focused on the man. “I would like to utilize your magic to teleport to a certain location. You can consider this part of our arrangement for granting you access to Miss Hale.”

“Hey, hold on,” Rosa cut in. “I thought this was supposed to be my choice? When did I become a bargaining chip?”

“When it suited my needs,” Scarlett replied matter-of-factly, her gaze still on Godwin. “Your thoughts, Dean?”

Warley Godwin wasn’t only a renowned archmage, but he was also very experienced in almost all teleportation magic. His abilities, while not on par with powerful artifacts like the Kilnstone that could transport hundreds of people every day, were more than sufficient to teleport a single person over large distances.

Raising both eyebrows, the wizard considered her. “Hmm. Not an unreasonable ask, I suppose, though it will consume a considerable portion of my mana. Where do you wish to go?”

“Are you familiar with Thalindor Outpost?”

“On the Resting Eye?”

“Yes.”

“I have been there before.”

“Excellent. Then I would like for you to bring me there.”

It was a location from the game that Scarlett had been considering visiting for a while now, and now was as good a time as any to do so. The visit itself wasn’t a must for her, but with an archmage’s help, she could bypass the tedious journey to Darkshore, avoiding the need to find transportation across a vast lake to an active volcano. Furthermore, there were no pressing crises looming over her head quite yet, and most of her ongoing projects required more time to bear fruit.

“That is a rather unusual destination for a noble, especially on such short notice,” Godwin remarked. “Is it the Zuverian ruins or the Resting Eye itself that interests you?”

“Both and neither,” Scarlett replied. “Can you bring me there or not?”

“I can.”

“Then please do so. I presume you can cast Aetheric Repatriate? It would be preferable if I could return without needing your assistance.”

She’d done her research and knew some of the powerful spells that were available to the more experienced mages. [Aetheric Repatriate] was an aeromancy spell that facilitated round-trip teleportation, allowing the user to return to their original location after a predetermined time or at will. It was exactly the type of magic Scarlett could only envy Godwin for.

“Wait, are you planning to leave now?” Rosa asked. “You’re not going by yourself, right?”

Scarlett turned to the woman, regarding her quietly for a moment before answering. “Yes, on this occasion, I will be going alone. There is no need to be worried, however. Nothing dangerous dwells on that isle, as the Dean here can affirm.”

Rosa looked to Godwin, who nodded. “The isle itself poses no threat, at least not to someone of Baroness Hartford’s ability. I would be more concerned if she intended to explore the Resting Eye itself, but I trust she won’t venture there rashly.”

“I will not,” Scarlett said. “Now, let us not delay any further. Dean Godwin, please proceed with the spell. I have no need to prepare anything beyond what I currently have.”

Rosa tried to interject. “But this still sounds a bit—”

“I will be fine, Rosa,” Scarlett cut her off. “You should concentrate on your own tasks.”

The bard’s initial joviality had faded as she looked at her with a slightly concerned face, but eventually, she seemed to resignedly accept Scarlett’s decision. “Fine. Not like I can change your mind. But you’re gonna have to explain things to Fynn later. He won’t be thrilled about being left behind.”

“I believe that he will understand.”

While Scarlett could take Fynn along if she wanted, it would probably be easier if she didn’t this time. Besides, she wasn’t even sure Godwin had the mana to cast [Aetheric Repatriate] on an additional person.

With no further objections, Godwin started casting the spell, his hands tracing intricate patterns in the air, summoning glowing arcane symbols.

“You may experience some brief disorientation following the teleportation, Baroness, but this is normal,” he said.

Scarlett steeled herself. “Understood.”

“Then I wish you a safe journey.”

As he uttered those words, energy crackled from his fingertips. The world around Scarlett twisted and blurred, and suddenly she was plunged into darkness. When her vision cleared, she stood on a desolate, volcanic shoreline, feeling like she had just been flung through a twelve-hour intercontinental flight in less than a second.

Regaining her bearings, she peered out at the vast, dark lake before her, with the distant city of Darkshore visible across the water, its buildings lightly dusted with snow.

It had been months since her last visit to the place, but she doubted much had changed other than the weather. The lake did have fewer boats on it, making it appear cold and uninviting, but Darkshore had never really been a maritime city.

Her eyes lingered on the icy fragments bobbing along the shore, wondering if the lake ever froze over entirely here. She assumed it didn’t.

She turned to examine her surroundings more closely, waiting for the nausea to subside. Ahead of her was the Resting Eye, a massive grey mountain whose peak, although not quite piercing the clouds, belched out thick, dark smoke that smeared the sky with shadow.

The landscape was stark — a sea of dark, jagged rocks and uneven rock formations. The snow was conspicuously absent, apparently unable to find a foothold in this barren terrain. Despite the chill, it was warmer here than Scarlett had expected, though not to the point where it was comfortable.

At least there weren’t any strong odors.

Her attention soon landed on what seemed to be the ruins of a settlement a few hundred meters away, nestled into the base of the volcano. Broken pillars of stone, familiar in design, protruded from the ground in abundance.

That had to be Thalindor Outpost. An old Zuverian outpost that had long since been scoured by imperial scholars.

Having located her first destination, Scarlett scanned her immediate area. Soon, she spotted a slender, translucent crystal on the ground, seeming to sparkle with contained energy.

That should be her ticket back to Freybrook.

After having picked it up, she set off towards the desolate outpost. Using the [Charms of Expeditious Exchange], she swapped the dress she’d been wearing for her usual exploration gear, which included her new [Ashenwraith Elegance] attire and the [Emberwood Gloves].

Upon reaching the outpost, she passed under a thick stone gateway adorned with ancient Zuverian symbols. She paused to study them briefly before moving forward, navigating her way through the ruins while keeping her eyes peeled.

She’d heard there was a lot of speculation among scholars regarding why the Zuver seemed to favor simple stone so much in their architecture despite their advanced technology. While white marble featured in some of their structures, stone remained the principal material in ruins like this one. The reason for this was largely a mystery, even to Scarlett.

One possibility was that stone was the only material to have endured the downfall of the Zuverian during The Severance. Considering that the Rising Isle had also been a Zuverian outpost and the architecture there was vastly different, she doubted that was the correct explanation.

Maybe the game designers had just decided to be lazy when creating their dungeons. It was a bit of a chicken-or-the-egg question as far as Scarlett was concerned.

Amidst the ruins, her attention was caught by one particular section. Encircled by a ring of displaced stone rubble, a solitary obelisk hovered, its surface a polished grey with a metallic luster.

This was the outpost’s Kilnstone.

Approaching the artifact, Scarlett gently touched her palm against its surface. A ripple of light traveled up the Kilnstone, and she felt an internal connection form.

And that was it. Another point added to the personal network of Kilnstones she could reach.

Not that she’d had any use for that ‘network’ yet. It wasn’t as though she had access to a Kilnstone that wasn’t already in use by the empire. Direct use of the empire’s Kilnstones was a privilege reserved for the Imperial Family and select institutions, not a mere baroness.

Still, it didn’t hurt to save up on these Kilnstones when she could. If she wanted, she could instantly travel to Fynn’s ancestral home in the Whitdown Mountains from here, for example.

Actually, she would have to do that in the future. That might be somewhat difficult. She’d have to think of the easiest way of achieving it when the time came.

Filing away that thought for later, she returned her attention to her surroundings, eyeing the volcano looming over the settlement for a couple of seconds.

Eventually, she decided to get moving again.

Just then, a noise from behind one of the nearby stones caught her attention.

She frowned. This site had little left to offer most people, so there shouldn’t be anyone here. Equipping the [Tiara of Benediction], she cautiously approached the stone.

Suddenly, one of the shadows around the stone morphed, coalescing into a figure cloaked in a crimson robe.

As Scarlett recognized them, she immediately retrieved a dagger and the [Essence of Enthas] from her [Pouch of Holding], positioning the blade’s edge against The Angler Man’s heart.

The figure before her wore a white mask peeking from under a crimson hood, strands of pale blonde hair framing it. The mask bore an unusual design, with three lavender eyes — two with large, semi-transparent irises and small black pupils, and a third vertical eye on the forehead.

Facing the girl, Scarlett’s mind raced.

What the hell was one of the Hallowed Cabal’s agents doing here?