Chapter 237 - Hearty introductions
The accommodations provided to Scarlett and her party were decent, though they weren’t really comparable to her mansion back in Freybrook. While the Rising Isle boasted plenty of impressive landmarks, it seemed their appreciation for stunning architecture didn’t quite extend to interior design.
Shortly after Bunce had introduced them to their lodgings, food had been delivered to their rooms. Around the same time, however, Magister Penney arrived to greet Scarlett, prompting her to leave her companions to dine without her as she joined him in an adjacent chamber.
Magister Penney didn’t quite fit the stereotypical wizard’s image. Appearing to be somewhere in his fifties, he was completely bald and had more of a robust, plump build, snugly fitting into the armchair he occupied. His demeanour differed markedly from the sterner presence of Grand Wizard Hartford and the polite Principal Wizard Bunce, as he looked at Scarlett with a warm, chummy smile.
“Master Docent Mendenhall has spoken highly of you, Baroness,” he began the conversation earnestly after their greetings. “Moreover, your recent discoveries have sparked a not-so-insignificant number of discussions here on the Isle. Meeting the woman behind the rumors is indeed a pleasure for me. If even a fraction of them hold true, you are an exceptionally talented individual.”
“I can only hope to live up to those expectations,” Scarlett replied. “Miss Mendenhall has spoken equally well of you, Magister. It is good to finally make your acquaintance.”
He dismissed the formality with a wave and a hearty laugh. “Please, don’t stand on ceremony with me. Any friend of a friend is a friend of mine, as they say. Just call me Hugbert!”
Scarlett arched an eyebrow. That name was rather…apt. She wondered if it ever elicited any comments.
Changing the subject, the man continued. “Now, I’ve been informed that the council will convene in the morning to discuss a special request of yours. You’re seeking access to the Astral Sanctum, as I understand it?”
“That is correct,” Scarlett confirmed.
‘Hugbert’ cleared his throat. “Well, as you are likely aware, I happen to be a member of said council, and I’m more than willing to support your request. However, before doing so openly, I would like to understand a bit more about what you hope to find in the Sanctum and your intentions.”
Scarlett considered his question for a moment. “…I suppose I can share some more details. I have already briefed Grand Wizard Hartford, but my recent findings at the Zuverian ruins east of Faybarrow indicate the existence of unexplored sections within the Astral Sanctum.”
“And what makes you so certain of that? Any records you might have found there would predate our presence here, so isn’t it perfectly reasonable that we would already have discovered these sections you are talking about?”