Chapter 39: Chapter 39 – Dealings with a Wizard

"This way, Baroness," the person in a black robe who guided Scarlett said. They were a middle-aged woman with dark brown hair that was pulled up into a bun at the back of their head and had originally come to find Scarlett in the tower's lobby after she'd been waiting there for about half an hour. As Scarlett had expected, Rowley had agreed to meet with her after hearing about what it was that she was offering.

Before coming, she'd spent a decent while considering what would both be something the tower would be incredibly excited about getting and something she personally had no use for. The particular primordial spell that she was planning on offering them the location of fit perfectly with that description. It was probably even a little bit overkill—or rather, it definitely was—but the Elystead Tower was an entity that she trusted to consider their own gain enough not to leak such valuable information to any outsiders, as well as not risk the future relationship with an individual holding that kind of information. She didn't doubt they'd be generous with their payment too.

The woman in the robe—who like most members of the different towers in the empire was most likely a mage of some sort, though Scarlett didn't know her rank or school—led Scarlett down a relatively simple, but long, hallway to a dark set of wooden doors. The two of them were currently somewhere in the upper part of the tower, as far as Scarlett could tell. The inside of the tall structure was a maze unto itself, and even though she had been here many times in the game, she would definitely have gotten lost after just a few minutes here if she didn't have someone leading her. To get here, they'd passed through a dozen similar-looking corridors, as well as using a large magical elevator of sorts—which she assumed was either incredibly expensive or high maintenance, considering how uncommon they were in the Empire—before they arrived at what was ostensibly the office of the Vice-Dean of the imperial tower.

"Vice-Dean Master Docent Grand Wizard Rowley does not have much free time to spare your visit," the woman said before opening the doors. "So make sure not to linger."

Scarlett didn't bother replying as she entered the room all by herself. Shin had been asked to stay behind in the end, and Scarlett hadn't cared enough to argue the matter.

The Vice-Dean's office was a considerable chamber in the shape of a half-sphere, with rows of bookshelves lining the walls and reaching all the way to the domed ceiling. Somehow the books weren't falling out of the uppermost shelves despite being at an angle toward the floor. There was just one large window in the room, set into the wall to Scarlett's right between a pair of marble busts of dragons, offering a beautiful view of Elystead as well as the glimmering waters of Rellaria Lake in the distance. From here, the lake almost had a clear green hue to it. At the back of the room stood a wide desk with some lamps, books, an iron cage, as well as some other contraptions on it. In front of the desk was a low wooden table with a silver tray and a thick leather-bound tome on it. Four leather armchairs surrounded the table.

In one of those chairs sat a man in dark red robes, looking at Scarlett closely after she'd entered the room. He had short white hair that was combed back and started to thin at the temples, as well as a finely trimmed beard that still had some streaks of grey in it. Adding to that, he also had a pair of thick, bushy eyebrows that almost seemed to have a life of their own with the way they moved. Different from what one might expect from an old wizard, though, he had a sharp nose, and his eyes almost made one think of a hawk with the way he was staring at Scarlett.

"You bear a striking resemblance to your father," the man spoke in a raspy voice.

Scarlett paused at the entrance. Those weren't the first words she'd expected to hear from Rowley. "You were acquainted with my father?" she asked.

"I was." He gave a slight nod. "Though I wouldn't say we were close. But he was a respectable enough man. Always more of a mage than a man of the aristocracy. It's only because I heard his name that I even considered accepting this little meeting." He gestured towards the red leather armchair opposite him. "Take a seat."

Scarlett casually strode over to the piece of furniture and settled into it. "That surprises me. I would have imagined it would be my proposition that garnered your interest. Are you claiming that it isn't so?"

"Bagh." His long robe flowed with motion as he waved his hand through the air. "You expect me to believe that drivel? That you know where to find a primordial spell? Don't insult me, girl. I am not that naive."

Scarlett stared at him for a moment without saying anything. She pressed down some of the annoyance that burbled up at his words. There was a reason why she hadn't wanted to meet with him directly "I must say." She lightly tapped her finger against the armchair. "I find this hard to believe."

His brow furrowed. "Excuse me?"

"To me, it would appear somewhat unlikely that someone of your position would not have any interest in the prospect of me knowing the whereabouts of a primordial spell. I do not wish to imply that you are dishonest, but surely you do not mean to say that you only consented to this meeting because of a distant acquaintance with my father?"

"Don't be ungrateful, girl. It is obvious you only mentioned the spell because you were desperate to meet me, and I accepted because I had a small amount of time to waste and due to the remote possibility that whatever it was that you truly wished to speak to me about could be something actually worthwhile." He grunted and moved his head. Suddenly the tray on the table floated up into the air and towards him. He picked up a white porcelain cup from it and brought the cup to his mouth. "But if you're only here to babble on about legends and fairytales of which you have no understanding, then I am disappointed. This truly was an even worse waste of time. I would have expected more of Castor's daughter."

Scarlett flinched at the mention of that name. The urge overcame her to pick up the thick tome that lay on the table and throw it at the stupid old man—

She stopped. Unclasping the tight grip she'd almost unconsciously taken on the chair's armrest she showed Rowley a small smile, fighting against the torrent of emotions that tried to wrest themselves out of her control.

These weren't her issues to deal with. These weren't her issues to deal with.

"I see you do not hold back your words," she said with her mask of calm, garnering his attention as the silver tray floated back to the wooden table. "But would those words still hold true if I were to tell you that it is an aeromancy spell?"

His hand halted for a moment as he was about to take another sip from his cup. Now she saw it. A hint of curiosity in his eyes. Of course there would be. There wasn't an aeromancer in this world that wouldn't salivate over the possibility of getting their hands on a primordial spell belonging to their own school. Rowley was no exception.

"It seems you do not know when to quit," he said haltingly, eyeing her closely.

"And it seems you do a poor job of keeping yourself informed of current events."

He arched one of his bushy eyebrows. "What?"

"It was barely a month ago that a Zuverian ruin was discovered in the region near Freybrook," Scarlett explained. She didn't actually expect him to know about something like that, but it would work as a decent excuse.

Rowley nodded slowly. "I am aware. And?"

Oh? He'd actually heard about it? So Evelyne was right in that this was something the towers were that interested in? Well, whatever. It worked in her favor.

"Then I presume you are also aware of who it was that discovered those ruins?" she asked him.

He looked at her wordlessly for a few seconds, silently bending forward to put the cup held in his hands back on the tray, before leaning back in his chair. "You're saying it was you?"

"Of course." She couldn't stop a small sneer from forming on her lips. "It is truly astonishing, the knowledge the old Zuver had of legends and fairytales."

He sat still for several more seconds, examining her as if he was now studying a subject. "I will have to confirm this with my assistant. But say you're speaking the truth. What is it that you want in return?"

She met his gaze, trying her best not to show too much of the emotions that had boiled up at his previous comments. "First off, I thought it would be fitting to agree on a transactional fee before we begin any true dialogue. I am certain that, with the resources the tower has at its disposal, this is not a matter where you will be overly miserly."

"That would depend on what it is you ask."

"Nothing much," she responded. "It would simply be convenient to me if the tower could grant upon me and the Hartford household some potions and other magical artifacts, in addition to offering a discount on scrolls and other magical items in the future."

"Bagh." Rowley shook his hand. "Is that all? What do you take us for? Some minor mage tower in the backwoods? None of that would be an issue."

Up till now in this world, Scarlett hadn't given much thought to potions and the like. Healing potions were expensive and not even close to as efficient as a healer was. As most of the things she'd done up till now hadn't really been too dangerous—though she had misjudged the Cabal ambush somewhat—she never prioritized the potion matter. After getting injured in that attack though, she had reevaluated that conclusion somewhat and decided to look further into the subject. Unfortunately, that was around the point where she learned about her current financial situation. Some inquiring on her end had also revealed the fact that the Brook Tower in Freybrook—the only place selling potions in that city—didn't have a large supply of the items to begin with.

Now that she had already found Rosa, Scarlett might not actually have any need for such potions, as the chipper woman was a pretty decent healer in her own right. But that didn't mean it wasn't a good idea to get some now that she had the chance to get some free things. And any artifacts and other magical items the Elystead Tower could give her could either be used or sold for a decent amount. Add on a discount to that and she could probably benefit greatly in the future. Scrolls weren't a thing she actually had any real need for at the moment—in the game they were just used to learn new spells, which there were spellbooks for here too—but it could come in handy sometime.

"Of course, that is not all," she declared.

"I would expect so." He shook his head. "Out with it. If your information does indeed turn out to be accurate, I will personally see to it that whatever you want is fulfilled."

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She leaned forward. "I require the tower's assistance in locating a particular person."

He steered his stare toward her. "That is all?"

"That is all."

"Hmph." He turned towards the desk at the head of the room, from which a flat, circular instrument made out of metal started floating towards him.

He put the object down on the table between them. It looked a bit like a sextant. "Then, of course, it would be of no problem. That is certainly within our means. Who is it that you want to find?"

"The Gentleman."

She saw the expression on Rowley's face freeze, the pupils in his eyes dilating as he went completely silent. The aloof air he'd adopted towards the end of their current conversation was completely gone as he narrowed his hawk-like eyes at her.

Scarlett continued on. "You should be awar—"

"I'm afraid we won't be able to do business with you," he interrupted her.

She paused, her forehead furrowing into a frown. "What?"

"As a favor to your father, I will pretend this conversation never happened. I ask that you don't contact me again," he continued and turned away from her.

"What? Why are you—"

He waved his hand, and suddenly the air around Scarlett shimmered. The space around her seemed to shift and bend in on itself, and for just a moment everything turned pitch black. A second later she found herself letting out a painful yelp as she fell tail-first onto solid stone.

She was outside Elystead Tower again, the soaring structure strectching up before her.

What... What the hell just happened?!

Did he just teleport her?

Did that decrepit old man actually just kick her out?! What the hell did he think he was doing?! How dare he just—!

She spun her head to look at the people around her. There were at least a handful of people in robes that were staring at her with surprise plastered across their faces. She wanted to scream at them to mind their own business, but she forced herself off the ground as she patted the dirt off her dress, then immediately started marching back towards the tower's open doors. Entering the building, she strode through the large lobby, her eyes locked onto the center of the hall where the bald man from before sat. He looked up at her as she approached.

"I'm sorry Baroness, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave," he said carefully, putting down a rectangular object with glowing lines on it on the side of the desk in front of him.

Scarlett stopped in front of him. "...What?"

"Vice-Dean Rowley has instructed that you not be allowed on the tower's premises...and that all dealings with you directly are to be restricted for the immediate future." He paused for a moment. "I think it would be best if you left without delaying before we're pushed to, ehem...enforce those orders."

She stared at the black-robed man quietly, processing his words.

Did Rowley just blacklist her?!

That old bastard.

She clenched her teeth as her nails bit into the palm of her hands. It had been a long time since she felt this...humiliated. She knew this wasn't wholly her own emotions, but she still had to mentally hold herself back from lashing out right here and now. If Kat had still been here and they were back at the mansion, the woman might have been able to help Scarlett vent these feelings. But now she was left here not knowing what to do.

The man before her visibly grew more anxious the longer she stayed quiet. Eventually, she turned around without a word and began walking towards the exit. Rosa, Fynn, Allyssa, and Shin had apparently noticed her return and started moving towards her but seemed to slow down when they got a closer look at her. She simply gestured for them to follow and kept on walking.

What the hell was up with Rowley's reaction? Why did he panic as soon as she mentioned she was looking for The Gentleman? In the game, Rowley was one of the people that helped you find him to begin with! Was there something she wasn't aware of behind their backstory? Or had something changed? It was impossible for her to know right now. Whatever it was, why would it cause Rowley to restrict all interactions with her because of just looking for The Gentleman? She was offering him a freaking primordial spell! Literally one of the strongest spells in the game! That was supposed to be a wizard's wet dream in this world. So what if he couldn't help her with finding The Gentleman. He could at least have made a deal with her regarding the other things!

The boiling emotions inside her grew even stronger as she brooded on Rowley's actions. When she reached the carriage that was parked a short distance away from the tower she climbed in without a word and sat down in the seat closest to the window, staring out at the buildings here in the Wise Quarter.

God damn it. She should have waited with contacting the Elystead Tower until Adalicia had returned and tried contacting her instead. Could she still do that? But she wasn't even sure how to, now that the tower had essentially banned her. She also had no idea when the woman would return. It could be months, for all she knew. She should've asked that before.

She would have to find another way of getting in contact with The Gentleman, but that wasn't a matter you could just bring to anyone. She wasn't even sure which factions it was safe to trade valuable information like this safely with. One of the reasons she'd approached the Elystead Tower was because they were one of the factions she was most familiar with, and one of the few she trusted to want to work with her without trying to screw her over too badly. That didn't hold as true for other factions, such as the Ustrum Assembly.

...But could she even trust the Elystead Tower now? Rowley had said that he'd pretend like their conversation never happened, but then he still went ahead and banned her. How could she be sure he wouldn't cause issues for her, now that he knew she might have information on the location of a primordial spell and no real relationship with them?

"Judging by your expression, I'm guessing it didn't go quite as expected?"

Scarlett turned her head around and saw that Rosa and the others had also climbed inside the carriage by now. Fynn had a slightly confused expression on his face, while Alyssa looked uncomfortable. Rosa and Shin managed to hide their thoughts fairly well.

Scarlett looked at Rosa, who had been the one to speak.

"...No, it did not," she said slowly before turning back to the window. "We will return to the mansion for now. I think it best that you all stay quiet until then."

She wasn't sure she would be able to keep her emotions under check if they said anything that triggered her. It was already annoying enough, just being seen in this state.

They all seemed to follow her words well enough, as the cabin sunk into silence, and soon enough it was in motion back towards the Hartford Elystead estate.

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