Chapter 473 - Preparatory barriers

Scarlett wasn’t given any further opportunity to speak with the emperor.

He and his two guards disappeared down the corridor, while Dame Iyana guided Scarlett out of the office and along another path.

Neither of them spoke as they moved through the palace.

Scarlett’s mind stayed fixed on the emperor. On his words, and what she could actually take from them.

At the same time, she still had the book in her hands. She tried flipping through it again as they walked, but there was nothing inside except empty pages.

She couldn’t tell if that was how it was supposed to be.

Was this another book like the one she’d received at Aurelian’s shop, meant to be read by someone else? Or did it require some specific person, condition, or timing before it revealed anything?

From the emperor’s reaction, though, it had almost seemed like he’d opened the book without fully expecting to find anything inside. So maybe letters like the one from earlier only appeared sometimes.

Which raised the obvious questions.

What were those letters?

And who sent them?

Clearly, the one from earlier had said something about Scarlett herself. Something that had made the emperor see through her, at least partially.

Yet he’d still decided to give the book to her.

Not knowing why was frustrating.

Frankly, all of these books were frustrating.

For now, though, she didn’t have any better option than to wait until more was revealed.

It was a little awkward since she didn’t have anywhere to put the thing. She wasn’t planning on revealing that she still had access to all of her equipment and storage items while standing next to a Royal Guard, so she simply held the book against her side and acted like it was a perfectly ordinary thing to be carrying around.

After a while, Dame Iyana glanced at her.

“I should note that the midday meal has already concluded,” the knight said. “Would you like to pass by the knights’ hall? We should be able to arrange something for you.”

The meal was over?

Then Scarlett’s audience with the emperor must have gone on for longer than she’d thought.

“That is fine,” she replied. “I am not overly hungry.”

She could probably make do with whatever refreshments were provided later. She didn’t want to risk running late.

Dame Iyana accepted the answer without comment.

Eventually, she led Scarlett into a section of the palace Scarlett had never been in before, though she’d caught glimpses of it while using Mistress’ sphere. They arrived through a side passage that was probably reserved for palace attendants, which opened into a large outdoor court filled with people. It sat towards the rear of the palace, tucked between one of its broad inner wings and the tall bronze-red walls guarding the imperial grounds from the outside.

From the open layout and the sheer size of the space, Scarlett guessed it normally served as a training yard for knights or palace soldiers.

Today, though, it had clearly been repurposed.

Several areas had been cordoned off for guests, with clear paths laid between them to keep people from stepping where they shouldn’t.

Which was probably wise, because the rest of the ground was absolutely covered in arcane arrays.

Lines of silver, blue, white, and several other faintly glowing materials spread across the yard in overlapping patterns. Circles intersected with sigils, reagents had been positioned at exact intervals, and more than a few sections were far more intricate than anything Scarlett had ever had the time or space to set up at her own estate.

All of it converged towards the centre of the space, where several marble platforms had been raised.

Some held large crystals or constructs that were obviously part of the magical setup. Others seemed to exist mainly so that important people had somewhere suitably elevated to stand.

Dame Iyana stopped near the edge of the court. She gave the book in Scarlett’s hand one last look, then gave Scarlett a respectful nod and left.

Scarlett followed her with her eyes for a few seconds before turning her attention towards the platforms.

She recognised several of the people standing on them.

Dean Godwin of Elystead Tower was the one she was most familiar with, speaking to a group of robed mages. Mistress was also present under her Blackwood guise, looking perfectly at home as she carried herself with an arrogant authority that set her apart from the rest of the empire’s arcanists.

Beyond those two, there were Ainsworth and another Arch Wizard of the Ustrum Assembly, a few other tower deacons, and a couple of faces Scarlett had met while on the Rising Isle.

So this is where the mages had been all day.

She’d been wondering about that. Aside from Mistress, she had barely seen any during the earlier proceedings. Presumably, they had spent that time handling the final preparations for the barrier.

Looking around, Scarlett also noticed quite a few people bearing the emblem of the Shields Guild, along with representatives from other imperial factions and several merchant guilds.

That made sense.

The establishment of the Empyreal Barrier was one of the most important events in recent memory, and a lot of groups had been involved in developing it. Most of them probably hadn’t attended the earlier ceremony or reception simply because those had been more focused on the nobility.

Scarlett adjusted her grip on the book and followed one of the marked paths along the edge of the court.

There was a faint confusion in the air. Not panic or anything that dramatic, but it carried an underlying tension she couldn’t ignore. She could see it in the way guests shifted and glanced around, and in how the knights stationed throughout the space watched everything with sharp, unblinking focus.

Scarlett had heard that the attacks against certain cities had intensified after work on the barrier began, and if the information Beldon had slipped her was accurate, some of the pylons had even been sabotaged. Not enough to halt the project, but enough to make it clear that the Hallowed Cabal and the Tribe of Sin wanted it stopped.

There probably wasn’t a knight present who wasn’t ready for a sudden attack.

Logically, though, it was incredibly unlikely for anything to happen here. Dawnlight Palace was one of the most defensible locations in the empire, and there were probably more than a dozen of its strongest individuals gathered in this very place.

If anyone intended to interfere with the barrier’s establishment, it wouldn’t be at this stage of the process.

Or at least, it shouldn’t be.

Still, Scarlett couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something was off after her audience.

Not an insignificant number of people glanced at her as she passed.

Several offered respectful nods. Some even greeted her with polite murmurs of ‘Revenant Flame’, which reminded her that she’d missed the chance to ask the emperor about the title.

Not all of those using it were nobles, either.

It seemed word had already spread.

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Once Scarlett reached one of the wider guest sections, she found several tables arranged with light refreshments and drinks. She started towards one of the less crowded ones, hoping to make up for at least part of the lost meal she’d missed before things began.

Unfortunately, it didn’t stay less crowded for long. Her presence drew people in almost immediately.

Within moments, Scarlett found herself surrounded by fellow nobles, officials, guild representatives, and a handful of people she couldn’t place at all. Most were polite. Some were curious. A few were very clearly trying to be among the first to secure a connection with the woman who had killed an ancient dragon.

For almost ten minutes, she was trapped exchanging greetings and answering carefully phrased questions about the Dragon of Devastation, all while barely getting the chance to eat anything.

She was finally saved by Lady Withersworth.

“Now, now,” the older noblewoman said as she approached with a bright, easy smile. “Why don’t we give Baroness Hartford—our newly styled Revenant Flame—a moment to breathe before everything starts up again, shall we?”

Evelyne followed just behind her.

The others greeted Lady Withersworth, and after a short exchange of smiles and polite words that mostly existed to let everyone pretend they weren’t being chased away, they took the hint.

One by one, they offered their farewells and left.

Scarlett finally had space again.

“Thank you, Lila,” she said.

Lady Withersworth stopped beside the refreshment table, picked up a small pastry topped with glazed fruit, and popped it into her mouth.

“Don’t mention it, dear,” she replied with a completely relaxed air. Then her eyes settled on Scarlett, and there was a definite bite behind them. “Although, what you could mention is why you decided to take liberties in front of His Majesty and risk all those plans I went to the trouble of arranging for you. I am ever so curious.”

Scarlett was silent for several seconds.

“I apologise,” she finally said. “I did not intend to disrespect your efforts, or the aid you offered me.”

“Yet you did.”

“I did, yes.”

Scarlett met the woman’s scrutinising gaze.

Lady Withersworth studied her for a moment longer before letting out a light sigh.

“In the end, that choice was yours, dear. We helped present you with the opportunity, but what you did with it was always going to be up to you. I won’t fault you for that.” She lifted one finger in a light, almost playful warning. “What I will fault you for is not telling me beforehand. I would like to think I am owed at least that much respect, even if you are now the ‘Revenant Flame’.”

“You are. And I am genuinely thankful for your help. Once more, I apologise. The thought of requesting that Arlene’s name be restored to our house records did not occur to me until I stood before His Majesty, which is why I did not inform you earlier. I admit that it was reckless. I was, however, willing to accept the consequences.”

“Yes, as you made very clear in front of half the empire’s nobility,” Lady Withersworth said dryly. Then she waved a hand dismissively. “But one apology is quite enough for me, dear. Your sister, on the other hand, might deserve a few more. I imagine it brought back some rather unpleasant memories from the last time you knelt in that same spot.”

Scarlett turned to Evelyne.

The younger woman had stayed quiet beside them, her gaze lowered to the table as she absently picked up a sugared tart.

“Evelyne.”

The woman nearly jolted, blinking as she looked up.

“What? Sorry, what were you saying?”

Scarlett studied her.

“I wanted to apologise,” she eventually said. “For jeopardising our plans and frightening you by bringing up Arlene before His Majesty.”

Evelyne’s eyes widened, then she quickly shook her head. “No, don’t apologise. I know how much Arlene meant to you. It’s understandable that you would want her name recognised.”

Scarlett paused.

“You…are not angry?”

“No.” Evelyne’s smile was small, but it looked genuine. “I won’t deny that it would have been nice if you could have warned us in advance, but I understand. Truly. It’s okay.”

“I…see. Thank you.”

Scarlett was honestly surprised by how much she meant those words. She wouldn’t have expected it to feel quite that gratifying just to have Evelyne understand why she’d done it and accept that without pressing for more.

That said…

Scarlett considered the younger woman for a few moments longer.

“Was there something on your mind? You seemed lost in thought earlier.”

Evelyne’s smile turned slightly fainter, but it didn’t disappear.

“Nothing worth bringing up now.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes. But thank you, Scarlett.”

She turned back to the refreshment table and picked up another small tart, eyeing it with more attention than the thing probably deserved.

Lady Withersworth’s gaze moved between them, the interest clear on her face.

She chuckled softly to herself.

“I do wonder if I’ve ever met a pair of sisters with as many secrets between them as the two of you.”

Scarlett imagined she wanted to ask exactly what it was about Arlene that made her so important. But this was a public setting, and Lady Withersworth was too experienced to press that kind of question here.

Instead, the older woman’s eyes dropped towards Scarlett’s hand.

“That aside,” she said, her tone turning lighter, “if a terribly nosy old woman might pry, what is that you’re carrying?”

She motioned towards the book.

Scarlett held it up slightly, running her thumb along the spine.

“It is…a gift, I believe. From His Majesty.”

“From His Majesty?” Lady Withersworth’s brows rose, and she made no attempt to lower her voice. “Oh my. What is it?”

Several nearby pairs of eyes turned their way.

“I do not know. I have yet to properly examine it, and His Majesty did not offer an explanation.”

“How curious.” Lady Withersworth leaned in slightly, looking at the book with open interest. “Well, whatever it is, take very good care of it. Personal gifts from His Majesty are rare enough that people will start inventing meanings for it before the hour is over.”

Scarlett nodded. “I will.”

“I will say, though,” Lady Withersworth continued, naturally bringing one hand near her mouth as if she were about to share some scandalous piece of gossip, “it seems to me His Majesty has taken quite the liking to you. He granted most of your requests, gave you that new title, held you in private audience for quite some time, and now there’s a gift as well. I could say the winds are blowing your way, but that feels rather like calling a storm a pleasant breeze.”

“Perhaps.”

Scarlett glanced around at some of the people watching them, then returned her attention to Lady Withersworth and lowered her voice just slightly.

“On the subject of titles, I have been wondering. Do you or Lord Withersworth know what form of dignity I might ultimately be granted?”

While Scarlett had been prepared to give up some of the benefits when she pressed the Arlene issue in front of the emperor, that didn’t mean she wasn’t interested in what she might end up receiving.

She had already been awarded the honorary style of Revenant Flame, but as the emperor himself had said, that wasn’t everything. The rest would simply take time to settle.

And even though Scarlett had worked with Lord Withersworth and others to set the groundwork for all of this, she still didn’t actually know what kind of rank or privilege she might be looking at in the end.

“We don’t know, unfortunately,” Lady Withersworth said. “And it’s far too early to say. There’s a frightfully dull and unnecessarily elaborate process behind all of that, as my husband made clear earlier, and what’s left is actually more complicated than he made it sound. Your case isn’t exactly orthodox, either, dear. But you should, at the very least, be afforded the same rights and precedence as an Officer of State and True Lord, placing you in name at the same level as my husband.”

She smiled sweetly.

“Naturally, in practice, I think you have already surpassed him. But we don’t have to tell the old dolt or his gaggle of ageing pedants that.”

Scarlett smiled slightly in return. “If you say so.”

Lady Withersworth patted Scarlett’s shoulder, then reached for a glass of pale fruit wine and turned, gesturing for both Scarlett and Evelyne to follow as she started walking closer to the centre of the court.

“If we are being realistic, though,” she continued, “that much would be too little for what you have accomplished. I would be surprised if you weren’t accorded a dignity that places you at least on similar standing with a count.”

She took a small sip from her glass.

“But ultimately, it will come down to His Majesty’s judgement. I’m sure the Diet and half a dozen other interested parties will try to stick their fingers in and tug things one way or another, but if he is as fond of you as it seems, it should be fine.”

“I…am not certain whether he is,” Scarlett said.

It was hard to tell what the emperor thought of her towards the end there.

At the very least, he’d been disappointed.

Once more, her thoughts went back to his final words.

Why did the emperor think he would be leaving his children too soon?

The obvious answer was that he had foreseen his own death. Considering he’d been assassinated in the game, that seemed like the natural conclusion. But Fate didn’t rule this world any longer. He also wasn’t even supposed to die this early there, and the circumstances surrounding his death had required several specific pieces to fall into place.

Scarlett simply didn’t see the Cabal managing to reproduce that in the current situation.

Unless something had changed.

Which things certainly had.

But how would the emperor know the future, then?

What force was governing those predictions? Was it the same thing that seemed to be tied to the book Rosa had?

She couldn’t stop thinking about it, her eyes drifting down to the book in her hand even as Lady Withersworth continued drawing her into casual conversation. Scarlett answered where appropriate, offering the occasional nod or measured comment as they moved closer to the central platforms and joined a small cluster of the older noblewoman’s acquaintances.

Most of the conversation washed over her from there.

Congratulations, speculation about the barrier, a few remarks about how remarkable the day had been.

Scarlett responded well enough that no one seemed to notice her distraction—or Lady Withersworth simply chose not to call attention to it—but her thoughts kept slipping back to the book.

To the emperor.

To the letter that had burned away before she could even know what it said.

Eventually, a clear trumpet call cut across the court.

The chatter died almost instantly.

Scarlett looked up as movement stirred around the central platforms.

The royal herald stepped forward first, taking his place on one of the lowest platforms. Several robed mages moved into position around the prepared arrays, each standing near one of the larger crystals or engraved constructs. Dean Godwin was among them, along with Ainsworth, Mistress, and several other senior mages.

Then the emperor appeared.

Sir Tavion and Sir Dariel walked behind him, taking their places at either side of the main platform as he ascended.

Whatever weariness Scarlett had seen in his office was gone now. The man standing before the crowd looked every inch the ruler he had been in the Chamber of Elysia.

Everyone’s attention focused on him.

As Scarlett watched, she caught a brief flash of purple hair among the crowd near the base of one of the platforms.

She narrowed her eyes.

Someone in emerald robes stood partly obscured behind a group of wizards.

Yamina?

Before Scarlett could get a proper look, the woman disappeared behind the shifting bodies of the arcanists preparing the arrays.

So she had made it here, then.

Yamina still hadn’t contacted her, but Scarlett knew enough about the woman’s circumstances to understand why that might be. She had warned Scarlett that the Isle’s council might not leave her much room to act freely.

Regardless, Scarlett didn’t have time to go over and speak with her now.

The royal herald raised his staff. Its base struck the marble platform with a sharp crack.

“By His Majesty’s command, the proceedings shall now begin.”