Compared to the ball the night before, Scarlett felt that the noble gathering the morning after was almost underwhelmingly uneventful. She had half-expected another incident to occur, whether it was someone trying to publicly shame her again or another sudden party crasher. But instead, she found herself spending most of her time relatively peacefully with Livvi, as well as meeting up and speaking with some of the other individuals she had encountered during the ball.

To perhaps both their surprise, the two of them had also spent a decent amount of time conversing with Iyana Webb, even if it was mostly a means for the knight to avoid other guests who sought her attention. Scarlett’s initial meeting with Iyana had been cut short because of the Tribe of Sin’s attack, but from this latest interaction, she felt she had gained a better understanding of the woman’s character.

The knight didn’t seem to concern herself much with the posturing of other nobles—presumably she was one herself, considering her presence at this gathering—but she took her role as a Royal Guard seriously enough that she refrained from telling everybody to screw off at least.

That said, Iyana did appear to have an inclination towards misleading with her words, even while sounding entirely sincere. It reminded Scarlett of Fynn, though she suspected that, unlike him, the knight was fully aware of how her words might be misinterpreted. Personally, Scarlett didn’t mind it much, but she wouldn’t be surprised if Iyana lacked many real friends.

At the very least, the woman seemed to have plenty of associates, as she had eventually left Scarlett and Livvi to join a group of other knights later during the gathering.

From there, Scarlett had spent some more time with Livvi, interrupted only by the occasional person approaching her to express their gratitude for her actions the previous day—she hadn’t expected there would be this many people bothering her about it—and a few other new acquaintances. One of them was Master Arthur Windermere, one of Lord Withersworth’s gentlemen friends and sponsor of a merchant group that occasionally conducted business near Freybrook. In the end, she had directed him towards Evelyne for any further business discussions.

As for her interactions with Livvi, Scarlett was honestly surprised by how easy it was to converse with the woman, even when they were alone. Their talks didn’t revolve around a lot of important matters, mostly simple topics such as the identities of other guests and Livvi’s own work, but the conversation flowed smoothly, even when Scarlett herself didn’t really know what to talk about. There was an odd comfort—or perhaps dependability was the word—in chatting with Livvi that felt natural in a way. If she were to guess, it was another quality inherited by the original.

That was not to say there weren’t any awkward moments between them. At times, Scarlett sensed that Livvi avoided certain topics or had something on her mind, but she didn’t press the woman on it. It wasn’t as if she cared much either way.

And so, most of the morning and early afternoon had passed. Disregarding the brief encounter with Marchioness Delmon—the woman really hadn’t done much more than offer weak threats and shoot cold stares—the noble gathering drew to a close without much incident. Scarlett did meet up with Evelyne and the Withersworths one more time to exchange their final farewells, but that was all. Lady Withersworth’s words suggested she had certain expectations for the future, but although Scarlett didn’t know exactly what they were, she knew better than to reject potential allies at this point in time.

One noteworthy aspect of the event was Beldon Tyndall’s absence for most of it. Scarlett had spotted Duke Tyndall as well as what she thought were some of the man’s other children, but not Beldon. It made sense, though, considering the circumstances. Scarlett didn’t have anything more to discuss with him for the time being anyway, and he undoubtedly had more pressing matters to attend to at the moment. He had provided her with a communication artifact for their future partnership, so she would hear from him again eventually.

Finally, as they prepared to take their leave, Scarlett and Evelyne also bid their goodbyes together to Livvi. The short woman had looked a bit uncertain during the farewell, as if there was still something she wished to say, but eventually she also bid them goodbye and expressed her hope that they would get the chance to meet again sometime soon. However, Shields Guild business would probably keep her occupied for the near future.

Afterward, Scarlett and Evelyne boarded their carriage and returned to their temporary guest accommodations to complete their preparations before their departure. The coachman and handmaiden who had accompanied them were already waiting in the courtyard once they finished their tasks. With the help of two servants from the duchy, what little luggage they had was loaded onto the carriage, and soon they were on their way.

As they left the castle grounds, Scarlett glanced over at Evelyne, who sat across from her in the cabin, gazing out the window at the bustling streets of Windgrove.

“What are your plans after we return?” she asked.

Evelyne turned her head towards her. “You mean for the coming weeks?”

“Yes.”

“Well, first of all, I intend to finalize some of the remaining arrangements for relocating my workplace to the mansion. You said that was alright, didn’t you?”

“I did, yes.”

“Then there’s that, at least. I also have some matters related to the fief and our businesses here in Freybrook and Elystead that need to be taken care of. I actually wanted to have them finished before December, but there were too many other things that kept me busy.”

“I see.” That was understandable, considering how much of Scarlett’s work she was letting the younger woman handle while she carried out all of her own things.

“In addition, I’ll have to start looking into all the potential collaborations that have suddenly become available to us,” Evelyne said. “I never thought we would have so many people willing to work with us after everything that’s happened. I was probably rejected by more than not, but even so, there’s enough potential work now that it could keep me busy for at least six months straight. It’s quite unbelievable, really. This ball was both the worst and best one I’ve ever attended.”

“That is good to hear. It is better to have too many options than too few.”

“Well, yes, but that’s easy to say when you’re not the one doing all the work.”

Scarlett paused, studying Evelyne for a moment. That was…an irritating remark, but it also wasn’t wrong.

“…Would you like my assistance?” she asked, keeping a lid on her annoyance.

Evelyne blinked. “Ah, no, actually… I didn’t really mean it like that. Sorry. What you’re doing is the only reason we’re in this position right now, so I’m not going to ask you to stop…”

“…Very well.”

That was for the best. Scarlett had no idea how to handle most of the responsibilities Evelyne was in charge of. She was more likely to make things more difficult if she tried to learn.

“What are your plans from now on?” Evelyne asked after a brief pause.

“That is a good question.” Scarlett shifted her gaze out the window. “I will most likely resume exploring ruins and collecting artifacts for us to auction, although I am uncertain if I will be doing it at the same frequency as before. I also have some matters to attend to with a wizard acquaintance of mine, as well as a promise to assist Miss Hale with a sensitive issue.”

The incident with Count Soames marked the escalation of her conflict with the entity residing within Rosa, so there was no ignoring that any longer. But she also anticipated spending more time in Freymeadow going forward, now that it seemed she could finally make some real progress with Arlene.

As for what the Cabal was up to…

She glanced over at Evelyne again momentarily. “There are also preparations that need to be made within our fief and household for the future.”

Evelyne met her eyes with a curious look. “What do you mean by that?”

“…It is likely that the empire will not remain as peaceful as it is now for much longer.”

The woman’s expression fell. “You’re talking about the Tribe of Sin.”

“Yes, in part.”

A worried expression crossed Evelyne’s face. “Do you have more information about them? Is something going to happen again?”

“I cannot be entirely certain, but I have reason to believe so, yes.”

“What exactly?”

“Unfortunately, there is little I have to share on that front,” Scarlett said. “If my concerns are correct, then the empire will soon become a very chaotic place. We both need to be cautious in the future.”

The previous attacks carried out by the Hallowed Cabal and the Tribe of Sin would pale in comparison to what would unfold once the Cabal executed their next plan. The actual events had been slated to occur later in the game’s timeline, but things had clearly been accelerated. With the [Ring of Depravity] in their possession, the Cabal would be able to unleash havoc throughout the empire. The Shields Guild, knight orders, and the mage towers would all be preoccupied with defending against the impending disaster.

“If that’s the case, can’t we warn someone?” Evelyne asked.

“Not this time,” Scarlett replied.

“Why not?”

“Nothing that we say can prevent what will happen.”

“You said you weren’t even sure if it would happen, so how can you know that?”

“I simply do.”

The Cabal would proceed with their plans, regardless of who Scarlett warned. The best she could do was ensure people were better prepared, but the empire had already been mobilizing its forces and citizens for months in anticipation of an approaching conflict. There was little else they could do at the moment.

Not to mention that she would be breaking her deal with the Cabal if she told anyone.

“Scarlett, you’re talking about something that will affect the entire country.” Evelyne locked eyes with her. “If that’s true, we can’t simply ignore it because we think there’s nothing we can do. Even if you don’t care about them, if this has the potential to cost people their lives…”

Scarlett couldn’t suppress the scowl that formed on her brow. “You are not entirely wrong in emphasizing the gravity of the situation. However, I believe you are overestimating my indifference to it all. If there was more that I could do, I truly would. For now, I have done what is within my power. Freybrook is likely to be safer than most other places in the empire, at least for the time being.”

Evelyne stared at her. “What are you involved with, Scarlett? Exactly how much aren’t you telling me?”

“I have shared as much as I can without jeopardizing your safety or mine.”

The other woman fell silent.

“Do you trust me?” Scarlett asked.

Evelyne didn’t immediately respond.

“Answer me, Evelyne.”

“…I’ve already told you once that I do,” the woman eventually answered. “Even though it doesn’t make sense to,” she added in an almost whisper.

“Then trust me when I say that I am playing a very precarious game here, Evelyne. To answer your previous question, I am involved in matters that might very well be tied to the future of the empire, and I am doing what I can to ensure that future does not end in some of the unpleasant ways I have witnessed.”

Evelyne remained silent, and a brief moment passed as they watched each other. “…So Freybrook might be safe,” she said after a while. “…What about the rest of the empire? How bad will it be?”

“I do not know. Some areas might suffer extensive damage, while others may be able to defend themselves,” Scarlett replied.

“Can’t we at least issue some kind of warning to the places that are most at risk?”

“It would not have much effect. I lack evidence to substantiate my claims, and I cannot disclose more information to anyone else beyond what I have already shared with you. Not even this much, in fact. I will also have to ask you to exercise extreme caution with this knowledge, as it could cost you your life if it reaches the wrong ears.”

Evelyne stared at her for several seconds, her expression revealing more and more defeat. “What can I even do, then?”

“As I said, we can prepare our fief and its people for the challenging times that lie ahead. You can make decisions while taking this information into consideration. And when the time comes, you can do your best to assist those in need.”

“Assist in what way?”

Scarlett leaned a shoulder against the cabin wall, tapping her finger against the windowsill to her right. She turned her head to observe the people moving about on the streets outside.

She hadn’t really given much thought to Evelyne’s role in this whole mess, so she didn’t actually have any concrete plans for the younger woman. Her words were mostly meant to convince Evelyne. But was there perhaps something they could do while still adhering to the deal with the Cabal?

She supposed that, if nothing else, she at least had the obligation to try.

She glanced at Evelyne. “…To what extent does the empire’s current framework allow for relief efforts, such as recovery and reconstruction? I am aware that the Followers of Ittar shoulder some of that burden, but I am uncertain of their capacity.”

If she couldn’t do anything to prevent what would happen, maybe she could at least lessen some of the fallout.

The other woman gawked at her as if she had just sprouted a third eye. “You want to conduct your own…relief efforts?”

“I realize that as a mere baroness, my capabilities are limited, but it is better than doing nothing,” Scarlett said. “We currently possess more wealth than we need, and I can assure you that we will soon have even more. Allocating some of it for a purpose of that nature would not impact us significantly. However, I will confess my ignorance regarding the logistics of carrying out such an endeavour.”

Evelyne stayed quiet for a moment longer before responding. “…I can look into it. I’m not very familiar with that type of stuff either, though. How much time do you think we have?”

Scarlett pressed her lips together in thought. “It is difficult to say. Perhaps a month? Perhaps two. Or it could be much less. I cannot provide a definite answer.”

She wasn’t entirely sure how long it would take for the Cabal to act. Thinking about it logically, she believed they would require some time to complete their preparations if they planned to launch simultaneous attacks across the empire.

“I’m not sure if that will be enough time or not,” Evelyne said. “But it’s something, at least.”

“I have faith in your abilities. If there is anything you require my assistance with, you need only ask.”

The woman nodded, her gaze shifting downward. “I think I’ll need to hire more workers…”