Chapter 173 - Safeguards
Scarlett sat in the foyer of the lodgings provided for her and her group at the Golden Griffin Inn, sipping tea from a cup that one of the employees had brought. Their accommodations took up an entire section of the inn, comprising six rooms, a small gathering area, a dining hall, and this small foyer.
The establishment catered exclusively to nobles and other affluent individuals, giving Scarlett the impression of a high-class hotel rather than a typical ‘inn’. She imagined this was the closest thing to staying at a five-star lodging in this world, except perhaps for places like the Dawnlight Palace in Elystead and Grovefort Castle in Windgrove.
On the table before her lay a book about the tenets and histories of the original ten deacons who had made up the Followers of Ittar’s Quorum during the early days of the empire. As she awaited the return of the others, she leisurely perused its pages while savoring her drink.
Fynn had been waiting with her earlier, but he wasn’t one to sit idly by when there wasn’t a specific job to fulfill. At the moment, he had retired to his quarters, where Scarlett presumed he was occupied with his meditation and communing with the ancestors of his tribe.
A knock sounded from the foyer’s entrance as an employee opened the door and peered inside. “How are you, my Lady? Is everything to your satisfaction?”
Scarlett glanced up from her book at the man. “Yes, for now. I will notify you if that changes.”
“Of course, of course. We are at your disposal if there is anything that you need.” The man slightly lowered his head. “I’ve come to inform you, as you requested, that your companions appear to have returned. A party of three, two women and a man, is currently being led here as we speak.”
“I see.”
With that, the man performed a small bow as he left, gently closing the door behind him.
Scarlett’s gaze lingered on the doors even after he disappeared. Eventually, she rose from her seat, returned the book to her [Pouch of Holding], and walked down the hallway connecting to the foyer until she reached the quarters that had been prepared for her.
Inside was a beautifully furnished room with a long bed against one wall and a pair of large windows overlooking what must have been a charming garden during warmer seasons. In one corner stood a round hickory table with two chairs. Moving over to it, she sat down and rested an arm against the table, tapping her finger on the wood.
She wasn’t sure what to expect now that she had sent Rosa off to handle this alone. In the game, you were supposed to be with her, and Scarlett would have preferred that. But she was already pushing the limits of what her pact with Anguish allowed by giving Rosa tasks that involved interacting with important quest points. Anything beyond this, and she wasn’t sure what would happen.