Chapter 287 - Payback
Scarlett stared at the girl before her, struggling to process what she saw. This was Arlene, but younger — a teenage version of the woman she knew.
Her gaze shifted to the two youths seated beside Arlene as she took them in. To Arlene’s left was an older girl, perhaps in her late teens, with sharp features and long black hair spilling down her back. She wore a simple yet elegant dress, strangely out of place in the forest, though Scarlett herself wouldn’t have hesitated to wear it. The girl’s dark eyes met Scarlett’s with a slight frown.
To Arlene’s right sat a boy, a few years younger, with tousled auburn hair and bright green eyes that sparkled with curiosity as he watched Scarlett, an almost innocent wonder in his expression.
If this was really Arlene, then these two had to be her siblings — Liane and Delmont.
A polite cough drew Scarlett’s focus back to the elderly priest in front of her, who offered a warm smile. “I don’t mean to rush you, but I did ask a question,” he said gently.
Scarlett assessed him for a moment longer, the realisation dawning. This had to be Deacon Emberwood — Arlene’s master and the priest who had created the dungeon beneath the Sunfire Shrine outside Bridgespell.
But how could these people, who had lived more than two centuries ago, be standing here before her like this? The idea of time travel crossed her mind, but that felt unlikely. She had absolutely no recollection of any such ability existing in this world from the game. Since this was somehow related to the stele she’d interacted with—which had been connected to Delmont—the more plausible explanation was that this was a memory of some kind.
Still, the situation felt unnervingly surreal. This couldn’t really be how the steles were supposed to work, right?
Out of the corner of her eye, Scarlett thought she caught a flicker of white. She turned quickly, but there was nothing. Her brow creased slightly.
“Are you choosing not to answer, or are you simply willfully dense?” A sharp, irritated voice cut into her thoughts. Scarlett looked over at Liane, who was regarding her with the same impatience one might a particularly ill-mannered guest. “If you are asked a question, the least you can do is extend the courtesy of answering it. Are you some sort of Shielder? If so, you should know your place.”
Scarlett studied the girl, suddenly understanding why Arlene had once remarked they were similar. “I am fully aware of my ‘place’,” she replied calmly. “Though I often find others who are not.”
She glanced briefly at Arlene again, who seemed to be eyeing her with both interest and puzzlement, as if examining a rare wild beast. Scarlett wasn’t entirely sure what had brought her here or what this situation truly entailed, but for now, it was probably best to play along until she learned more.