“Regina…?” The young princess’ voice sounded out, soft and confused, as she blinked sleepily in the dim light. Her face was still slack with drowsiness, the fog of sleep slow to clear, but gradually, she seed to register that the figure before her wasn’t who she had expected.
A stretched silence fell over the room, and Scarlett found herself rooted to the spot, caught between conflicting instincts. One part of her urged to bow, to show the reverence expected when facing a mber of the imperial family. Another part scread to activate the spell that had brought her here and vanish before it was too late. She knew neither option was particularly wise at this point, though. Fleeing now would only ensure a witness to her actions without resolving the situation, and supplicating herself wasn’t much better.
What was the second princess even doing here, of all places? And buried beneath a mountain of quilts and pillows, no less. Had she been hiding on purpose?
Scarlett’s eyes flicked around the room, half-expecting a Royal Guard to step out from the shadows. That felt unlikely, though. Holdger ‘The Mammoth’ was the one who typically guarded the princess, and he was a man whose imposing stature lived up to his moniker. She would definitely have noticed him earlier when scouting the area through the armillary sphere.
“Who are you?” the princess eventually spoke, her confusion growing. She adjusted her position on the bed, pulling a pillow embroidered with delicate gold thread into her lap like a shield. Though her movents were slow, they betrayed her effort to make sense of the unexpected situation.
Scarlett studied the girl briefly, weighing her options. Was it safe to bet that the princess wouldn’t recognise her if she vanished now? No, even if that was the case, the princess would tell others, and a vague description of Scarlett would be enough to raise suspicions.
…After several seconds, she finally let out a quiet sigh. She extended her hand towards the fla she had been using as a reading light, causing it to bloom into a warm, steady glow that illuminated more of the room.
“Greetings, Your Imperial Highness, the second star of the Empire,” she said, dipping into a graceful curtsy. “I am Baroness Scarlett Hartford.”
The princess stared at her, silent and unblinking. “…You’re that lady,” she replied after a while, almost matter-of-factly.
Scarlett paused, montarily taken aback. “‘That lady’?”
“You were in the garden that ti,” the girl continued.
Scarlett eyed her for a couple more seconds, recalling the event. The princess was referring to their brief encounter during the Proclamation Ceremony nearly half a year ago, when Scarlett had stumbled upon the girl and Allyssa in one of Hat Garden’s hidden nooks.
It was surprising that the princess rembered sothing like that.
“I am honored that Your Highness recalls our eting,” Scarlett said, inclining her head.
A quiet mont passed as the princess regarded her, any sense of caution—what there had been of it, at least—gone as her gaze swept across the room. “…This is sister’s room.”
Scarlett’s eyes narrowed slightly. She assud the princess was asking about why she was here, rather than making an observation. If so, her composure was impressive. Most would be alard to wake and find a stranger rummaging through their sibling’s chambers, but the princess’ reaction was…
Well, minimal.
Still, Scarlett knew she couldn’t simply ignore the question. She needed an explanation, sothing plausible that wouldn’t ignite suspicion. But what could she say that wouldn’t lead to drastic consequences? While she could easily overpower the young girl, leaving no witnesses, the very thought was abhorrent. Violence was not an option here.
“Your Highness, I presu you are aware of the first princess’ disappearance?” she asked carefully.
The girl t Scarlett’s gaze before offering a wordless nod.
“My presence here is related to that issue,” Scarlett continued. “His Highness, the crown prince, sought my assistance a few weeks ago due to my expertise in the field of Zuverian research that the first princess has been involved with. My investigation has led here.”
It was the best excuse Scarlett could muster here on the spot, and it wasn’t too far from the truth.
The second princess remained silent, simply watching her for several long seconds, her face now completely unreadable. Scarlett didn’t know what thoughts were going on behind that mask. After what felt like an eternity, she spoke. “Do you know where sister is?”
“…I do not,” Scarlett replied, sowhat unsure whether the girl had just accepted her explanation or not.
The princess’ gaze dropped back to the pillow in her arms. Her fingers traced the ornate embroidery. “Why did she leave?”
The question caught Scarlett off guard. She studied the princess, and for a fleeting mont, she felt a pang of familiarity. Despite their obvious differences, the girl reminded her of her own sister at that age. It had been the sa last ti they t as well. Perhaps it was the air of concealed isolation that seed to cling to them both, surrounded by a world far too preoccupied with its own complexities to care about them.
“Regrettably, Your Highness, I cannot answer that,” Scarlett said.
The reminder of that part of her past left a bitter taste in her mouth, frankly. Those hadn’t been the best of days.
Her attention fell to the erald-green, leather-bound cover of the book in her hand, adorned with fanciful script and illustrations.
Even if she had an inkling of why the first princess had left, it wasn’t sothing she could—or should—share under the current circumstances.
The princess glanced up again, her eyes searching. Did she suspect Scarlett or not? Anyone would find a stranger in their sister’s room suspicious, even more so within the palace walls. Yet the girl’s reaction remained unsettlingly neutral.
“…You have a sister, don’t you?” the princess asked suddenly.
Scarlett’s brow furrowed slightly. How did she know that? While the Hartford family wasn’t unknown, it wasn’t to the extent that everyone was familiar with all its mbers. Why would a princess bother learning about a minor house like theirs? Was it simply part of her education, perhaps? If so, the girl’s mory could be more impressive than Scarlett had thought.
“I do, Your Highness,” Scarlett answered. “She is close in age to the first princess.”
The princess studied her for a mont longer. “Would you leave her?”
Scarlett stilled, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the book. Why was the girl asking these questions of soone she’d barely t?
“…It would depend on the circumstances, Your Highness,” Scarlett said slowly. “We cannot always control the hand that we are dealt. Sotis, we are forced to make difficult choices, even if it ans hurting those close to us. Or, at the very least, we believe we must do so.” She hesitated briefly, then added, “In my case… I believe I would, yes.”
The admission seed to hang heavy in the air, though Scarlett wasn’t certain why. She didn’t think it was the wrong answer. Hadn’t she already left her sister from her own world behind, in a way? And she wouldn’t be surprised if circumstances pushed her to do the sa or worse with Evelyne.
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“…You’re very honest,” the second princess responded, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I see no reason to be dishonest with you.”
“My sister would have lied.”
Scarlett arched an eyebrow. “…I see. However, I am not the first princess.”
The girl’s head dipped in a nod as her eyes once more fell to the pillow in her arms, her small arms running along its edges. “Mmm,” she murmured. The rustle of silk filled the silence as she shifted under the weight of the covers. After a pause, she lifted the pillow slightly. “Mother made this for sister. Before I was born.”
Scarlett watched her, uncertain what to make of the comnt. This conversation overall was very strange. “It seems Her Majesty was quite talented in needlework,” she observed, in lack of a better response. “I imagine it ant a great deal to the first princess.”
The second princess nodded again, her fingers lingering over a delicate flower stitched into the fabric. “Sister said mother loved us most. That’s why she died. Because of .” She looked up, eting Scarlett’s gaze with an expression that was eerily calm, though it couldn’t quite hide the shadow of sorrow in her eyes. “Is that normal?”
Scarlett hesitated briefly before answering, her voice asured. “I do not know the specifics of Her Majesty’s situation, Your Highness… However, I believe many mothers would give everything for their children without regrets. Love often drives people to great sacrifices.”
She thought back to what little she knew about the late empress. The woman had died a few years back due to so rare illness, if she recalled correctly. The first princess had ntioned it in passing in the ga, but never in detail.
“Would your mother have done the sa?” the princess asked quietly.
Scarlett stiffened, her lips forming a thin line. “She would not,” she replied, the words leaving her mouth before she could stop them. Despite knowing very little about the original’s mother, she felt instinctively that these words were true.
As for her own mother, the one from her original world… Perhaps it might have been different—it likely was—but she had long since stopped dwelling on such thoughts.
The room fell into a tense quiet, broken only by the dull crackle of the magical fla illuminating the space. The princess’ eyes remained on her, as if trying to read sothing deeper in her expression, and Scarlett found herself wondering why this had almost beco an impromptu counseling session. Could she be truly sure this wasn’t just the girl playing her in so way?
Seeking to change the subject, she shifted her focus to the book in her hands, raising it for the princess to see. “Your Highness, if I may ask, are you familiar with this?”
The girl’s eyes moved to the book. “That is sister’s.”
“Do you know what it contains?”
“Stories about heroes.” A faint note of warmth crept into the princess’ voice. “Sister used to read it to .”
Scarlett’s brows creased sowhat. “How long has Her Highness possessed this book? Do you recall how she acquired it?”
The princess tilted her head, as if considering the question. “As long as I rember. I don’t know where it’s from.”
That suggested the book had been in the first princess’ possession for years — long before Scarlett’s arrival, and likely before any other players appeared.
“Is there nothing else you can recall? Even the smallest detail could be important. I believe this book may be connected to Her Highness’ disappearance.”
A faint frown crossed the young girl’s face. She glanced down, and after a long pause, she shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“I see. That is…unfortunate,” Scarlett said, masking her disappointnt.
Then was Beldon her best shot at uncovering more about it?
Alternatively, if she could study it further and figure out its purpose from its contents, that might give her an idea as well. But she was a bit at a loss as to where to begin. The fact that the book appeared to depict scenes featuring the ‘good’ companions from the ga couldn’t be a coincidence. Was it ant to serve as so hint? A cryptic directive to gather them? Or maybe the book itself was so sort of vestige of a ‘good’ playthrough of the ga. That seed doubtful, considering the party size limits prevented you from having all of them together.
Scarlett’s mind worked through so of the different possibilities. In her case, assembling all the good companions wasn’t really feasible in the short term. There was a reason why Fynn and Rosa were the only ones she’d recruited so far. The first princess had never been a viable option, and locating and enlisting the knight companion would be difficult for soone like her. As for the sage, he was all the way in the Unresting Steppes, and his background was possibly even more problematic than Rosa, with all her baggage.
“…Do you think my sister is safe?” the princess’ quiet question broke into Scarlett’s thoughts.
Scarlett returned her attention to the girl, nodding. “I am certain that she is,” she replied. “Though Her Highness’ precise whereabouts remain unknown, my investigations suggest she is not alone. Whoever she is with, they are likely quite capable of protecting her.”
If the first princess was indeed involved with another player or soone with similar abilities, her chances of survival and growing stronger were high. Of course, this world’s divergence from the ga’s narrative introduced nurous variables, so she couldn’t entirely dismiss the possibility of sothing unforeseen having befallen the woman, but Scarlett didn’t see the point in burdening the young girl before her with that info.
The princess’ shoulders seed to relax, if only slightly. “I’m glad,” she said quietly. Her eyes moved briefly towards the glowing fla lighting up the room, then returned to Scarlett. “Were you here for tonight’s conclave?”
“I was, Your Highness,” Scarlett answered. “Recent events have demanded much of my attention, but I attended the conclave in part to further my investigation into your sister’s situation.”
“If you find her…would you tell ?”
Scarlett inclined her head. “If that is Your Highness’ wish.” She paused, then added, “In return, may I request a favor?”
The girl watched her in silence for several monts before nodding.
Scarlett carefully chose her next words. “I would be grateful if Your Highness could keep my presence here tonight between us. While the crown prince did enlist my help, few are aware of my involvent. There are those who might use knowledge of my role—and any details related to the first princess’ disappearance—for their own nefarious purposes.” She stopped briefly before continuing. “So of the thods I have employed to conduct this investigation are also ones that I cannot reveal freely, even to those who would be considered an ally. That is why I have taken great care to avoid drawing attention to my visit. Your discretion would be most invaluable, Your Highness.”
In the end, as long as the second princess remained quiet, her encountering Scarlett tonight wouldn’t beco a problem. The girl seed to have plenty of things to worry about on her own, and from what Scarlett had observed, the imperial household wasn’t the closest of families. Maybe it was entirely possible to secure the princess’ complete silence.
However, if the girl did speak, it would present a serious problem. How would her word weigh against Scarlett’s? Without concrete evidence, there was a chance that her claims would be dismissed as childish imagination. But even then, it would just bring far too much attention to Scarlett.
For a brief, passing mont, the thought of simply eliminating all risk by ensuring the princess couldn’t speak while she had the opportunity resurfaced in Scarlett’s mind. The thought lingered for just a second before she crushed it. She wasn’t that much of a monster.
As she considered all of these things, the second princess continued watching her in silence, and Scarlett wondered if she understood the gravity of the request.
“Okay,” the girl finally agreed.
Scarlett stared at her. She had to admit that she hadn’t expected it to be that easy. She’d thought it possible to convince her, but the girl’s unhesitating agreent was surprising. Could she be dissembling out of fear, planning to report Scarlett’s presence as soon as she was gone?
She didn’t get the feeling that was the case. In both this interaction and their previous one, the princess struck her as soone who didn’t hide her thoughts, even if she seed the type to try to suppress them.
Scarlett watched her for a while longer before speaking again. “You have my thanks, Your Highness.” She glanced at the book in her hand, then back to the princess. “Might I keep this for the ti being? You have my word that I will return it. Until then, it may prove critical in locating your sister.”
“Mmm. It’s fine,” the princess replied.
Scarlett carefully placed the book in her [Pouch of Holding], then looked towards the window, where the moon hung high in the star-filled sky. “I believe the conclave will reconvene shortly. I must take my leave, Your Highness.”
The young royal kept her eyes on Scarlett, her expression neutral, though a flicker of curiosity showed through. “Farewell,” she said, almost too softly to hear.
Scarlett reached out to the formless tether that connected her to the teleportation artifact in Mistress’ office, but then stalled. Her gaze lingered on the princess, who sat alone on her sister’s bed, looking smaller and more fragile than her years would suggest.
“Your Highness,” Scarlett began, then stopped herself when the princess’ head cocked slightly, her gaze on Scarlett seeming to carry a question along with quiet expectation. What was it about this girl that made her pause? “…No, forgive . It would be presumptuous of to offer counsel at this point. Simply know that, should I uncover any insights regarding your sister, I will find a way to inform you. Until then, may you find strength in these trying tis.”
With a final, respectful nod, Scarlett turned and walked to the door. She found it unlocked and exited the room, closing the door gently behind her before standing for a mont in the quiet hallway outside.
She would like to think she could trust her instincts that this wouldn’t cause a problem, but there was still a seed of doubt.
Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the connection to the armillary sphere. In a ripple of arcane energies, she disappeared from the palace corridors and reappeared in Mistress’ office, where she prepared to rejoin the conclave and then put this night behind her.
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