Memoirs of Your Local Small-time Villainess-Chapter 399 - Handouts

“I hope that you are all prepared,” Scarlett said, looking over the others seated before her.

“If we’re not, can we take another hour or two of sleep and pick this up after that?” Rosa asked, stifling a yawn behind her hand. “If you really insist, I’ll even take three hours. Flexible might be my middle name, but not Picky.”

“Rosa, you’ve claimed to have about ten different middle names by now,” Allyssa said. “Do you even have a real one?”

“Sure I do. Ten, at least — according to you.”

“Yeah? Name one.”

“No problem. You wouldn’t have happened to keep track, though, would you?”

Allyssa shook her head. “No.”

“Astute and Mendacious were both your middle names,” Fynn added, a faint crease appearing on his brow. “Both were lies.”

Rosa looked at him for a while, impressed. “Alright, you caught me red-handed. My actual ones were ‘Voluble’ and ‘Perfidious’. But the remaining eight were definitely real.”

“They weren’t,” Fynn said.

“No?” Rosa spread her hands. “Well, I must have mixed up which ten we were talking about. Anyway, we’re boring our resident frowner. The floor’s yours, Scarlett.”

Scarlett looked at the woman, who smiled back at her with an entirely unearned air of innocence.

She sighed.

She should have been annoyed, but she wasn’t. She recognised that Rosa was simply lightening the mood — setting the tone, softening the edges of what would follow. Scarlett could even admit, privately, that she appreciated the effort.

“I will take that as confirmation that you are all prepared,” she said, leaning back in her seat.

They were gathered in the mansion’s parlour, arranged around the low central table in armchairs and sofas. ‘All’, in this case, meant Rosa, Kat, Allyssa, Shin, Fynn, Evelyne, Slate, and Scarlett herself.

A rather sizeable gathering, all things considered.

And Scarlett had brought them here for a serious discussion.

Outside, beyond the broad windows overlooking the back of the estate, the sun had already set, moonlight washing over the cold ground. Inside, the parlour glowed in soft gold from the chandelier and scattered lamps. Despite the hour, though, half of those present looked like they’d only just woken. After what they’d endured in Beld Thylelion, that was hardly surprising.

Scarlett hadn’t intended to begin the meeting this late, but waiting for Rosa to wake of her own accord had proven almost entirely fruitless. She supposed she should have known better. She should have learned from the last time the bard pushed herself past her limits on the Rising Isle. In the end, Scarlett had simply forced Rosa awake with a stamina potion and minimal sympathy. The woman had voiced her protests, of course, but Scarlett was of the opinion that a joking Rosa was a Rosa who was awake to function.

“Before we begin, each of you should take one of these.” Scarlett reached into her [Pouch of Holding] nestled beside her leg and drew out a neatly bundled stack of papers. With a careful application of hydrokinesis—mimicking telekinesis—she guided the sheets through the air, placing a packet into each person’s lap.

She very pointedly did not react to the ‘polite’ little clap Rosa offered at the display.

“I prepared these for this discussion. I will not waste time with a preamble. We have to address our plans and priorities moving forward, so it is best that everyone is properly informed.”

Each packet contained well over a dozen pages of tight, elegant handwriting burned directly into the paper through pyrokinesis. Together, they formed a concise compendium of everything Scarlett deemed essential for them to know at this stage: names, events, connections, important figures, and locations.

It wasn’t how she usually preferred to do things, but everyone present possessed uneven knowledge across different subjects, and this was a simpler way to align them.

Her gaze swept the room as the others began reading. Slate was the only one who didn’t touch her copy, merely staring at it as though its meaning might reveal itself unprompted.

“It is meant to be read, Slate,” Scarlett said.

The homunculus looked up at her, then back down. She picked up the pages and flipped through them in a rapid blur—one after another until she reached the end—then placed them neatly back on her lap. She said nothing.

Several of the others glanced at her.

“So she’s the…Tribute of Dominion?” Evelyne asked, eyes shifting between the first page and Slate.

“She is,” Scarlett confirmed. “You will note that she carries Zuver features, but she is a homunculus — an artificial creation, crafted by the divinarch Thainnith.”

Evelyne’s gaze lingered on Slate for several seconds, studying the shadow beneath her hood and the faint green gleam of her eyes. Eventually, she looked away and lowered her attention back to the papers.

Scarlett watched her.

Of those gathered, Evelyne was the only one who hadn’t been in Beld Thylelion. This was her first proper introduction to Slate, and Scarlett hadn’t yet explained everything that had transpired while they were gone.

There were a lot of things she hadn’t told her, in fact. Enough that she’d considered excluding Evelyne from this meeting entirely, given some of what she intended to reveal. But in the end, she thought the woman deserved to know.

A minute passed in silence as they continued reading.

“This Nol’viz person,” Rosa said eventually, tapping a section of her notes with one finger, “was she the three-eyed shadowy girl we ran into near the end there? So she was with the Cabal, then? What happened to her after you tossed her and Ray into that fire portal?”

“She was restrained,” Scarlett replied, “and is presently being held beneath the west wing.”

“What?” Evelyne’s head snapped up. She blinked, then turned sharply towards Fynn. “Is that the ‘guest’ you were taking care of yesterday?”

“It is.” Scarlett nodded. “We can discuss what will be done with her later, once everyone has finished reading.”

She paused, considering, then snapped her fingers. A faint scent of burnt parchment curled through the air. “There. I have added an addendum on that point.”

Kat’s brow furrowed as she scanned the newly formed lines. “She’s…the incarnation of all shadows? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“From my understanding,” Scarlett said, “that she is little different from a deity.”

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Evelyne stared at her. “You’re telling me we have a goddess locked up under the mansion?”

“It sounds far worse than it is,” Scarlett replied. “In her current form, she is merely another member of the Hallowed Cabal. And she is not a literal deity. Only a being that may once have been comparable in scale.”

That didn’t seem to reassure Evelyne too much, but the younger woman didn’t argue. Her gaze dropped back to the page.

“Wait, when did you meet Malachi again?” Allyssa was the next to ask after some time. “She’s that crazy lady who caused a bunch of the Citadel stuff, right?”

“She is,” Scarlett said. “As the notes mention, she is now something akin to a pseudo-Vile. A concerning classification, admittedly, but a preferable outcome to the alternatives — and potentially a necessary factor in Rosa’s continued safety.”

“Huh. Alright…”

The questions and comments continued as the group worked through the packets, interspersed with a good number of frowns, quiet exclamations, and the occasional gasp. Most of the latter came from Evelyne, though Kat contributed a few as well. Those two were the least familiar with Scarlett’s deeper dealings.

“Scarlett,” Rosa said at one point, her tone unusually subdued. Something unreadable passed over her features. “You never mentioned there was another of you walking around. It’s the same one we fought in the Hall of Echoes?”

“It is.” Scarlett inclined her head slightly. “She is…part me, part the Anomalous One. For now, she poses no immediate threat, but it would be wise to remain cautious.” Her gaze shifted to Evelyne, who was already watching her. “And you do not need to dwell on what she said to you at the time you met her.”

Evelyne hesitated, then lowered her eyes and resumed reading.

The air in the room gradually grew heavier, though not quite to the point of discomfort. Scarlett found herself sitting straighter regardless, observing the others as they absorbed her written words.

Even if she wasn’t revealing her deepest secrets—the ones she’d shared with Rosa alone the night before—there was still a part of her that rebelled against exposing so much of the knowledge she’d kept hidden. There was so much in those pages she’d guarded for so long, revealed only in fragments and necessities. It didn’t feel right to just lay it all bare now.

But she’d promised herself and several of the people here that she would come clean about things. So she would. And she had been the one to make a conscious decision to reveal even things she didn’t strictly have to.

Maybe that was her way of compensating for not revealing her greatest secret.

“The Countess…” Evelyne murmured eventually, nearing the end. She looked up at Scarlett. “That was the woman you looked after back then, wasn’t it? The one Sir Leon confronted. So…she was a god’s avatar, and the Augur’s sister?”

“She was.”

“Hmm? Who’s that?” Allyssa asked. “I don’t recognise that name.”

Next to her, Shin leaned over and flipped through a few pages, pointing something out. Allyssa followed his finger, then blinked. “Wait, when was this? How did I miss it?”

“I kept it secret,” Scarlett said. “There were many reasons for that, but ultimately, I did not want any of you entangled in those matters.”

“Why?” Evelyne asked.

Scarlett inclined her head towards the pages. “It is written there.”

Evelyne frowned and looked down again, her lips moving faintly as she read. Then her eyes widened, and her head snapped back up. “You broke into the Sanctuary of Ittar?!”

Every head turned towards Scarlett.

She kept her expression neutral. “I did.”

“Are you insane?” Evelyne stared. “Seriously, Scarlett. What were you thinking?” 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Scarlett met her gaze. She could see the frustration there, mixed in with a trace of fear — and disappointment. She looked to the others. What she saw drew a slow breath from her.

Surprise. Uncertainty. Even a touch of disbelief.

As if some of them, despite everything, had never quite believed she would go that far. Like they’d all carried a picture in their minds of the kind of person Scarlett was, the sort of schemes she might be weaving in the background, and this exceeded it. Seeing the truth laid out like this—the things she’d done without their knowledge—left even them unsure of what to say. It showed most clearly on Allyssa’s and Kat’s faces.

Scarlett would have liked to say she was prepared for that reaction and that it didn’t bother her, but…it did, actually.

Still, that was the least of what she deserved. And even if they felt betrayed by some of the secrets she’d kept, she didn’t think any of them would betray her for it.

She was also quietly grateful that Rosa, subtle as she tried to show it, didn’t look as though she blamed her at all.

“To answer your…question,” Scarlett said, focusing on Evelyne, “yes. I orchestrated a ‘break-in’ at the Sanctuary of Ittar. The reason was partly to give the Countess a chance to meet her sister again, but primarily because I needed this.”

She pulled the [Sphere of Serendipity (1/2) (Unique)] from her pouch and placed it on the table.

“In the end, this is what allowed us to enter Beld Thylelion. Breaking into the Sanctuary for that purpose is not something I regret, and I can assure you that they are not aware of my involvement.” She paused, her gaze drifting downward for just a moment. “However, there are parts of that event I do regret. Some of the people involved, for instance.”

She exhaled quietly and let her eyes move over the others. “Regardless, I believe you all understand that I am not above taking unsavoury actions when I deem them necessary. I do not condone cruelty or needless harm, and I have not abandoned all sense of morality. But I have done what I judged necessary, and I kept that from you — whether it was the Sanctuary, the Hallowed Cabal, or Malachi. For that, you have my apologies. But I will not ask for forgiveness.”

There was a brief silence as they looked at her, glancing between one another.

Evelyne seemed to calm after a while. A conflicted expression crossed her face as she watched Scarlett, then looked down at the papers in her hands. “Scarlett…” She hesitated. “This is…a lot. Like always. But can I ask? What’s the worst thing you’ve done that isn’t written here?”

Scarlett considered her for a moment. “That would depend on your perspective. Are you asking in relation to the potential consequences for the household and the barony?”

Evelyne’s brow knitted slightly. “…Sure.”

“Then perhaps my battle with Her Highness, the First Princess.”

“…What?”

“I had a confrontation with Sir Leon, Her Highness, the Countess, and their companions in Beld Thylelion. I had to prevent them from reaching the Tribute of Dominion, and they refused to withdraw peacefully. I was careful not to cause any lasting injuries, but I did render them unconscious. That alone would likely be sufficient to see our house charged with treason.”

That appeared to be what finally pushed Evelyne past her limit. She fell silent, then slumped forward, elbows resting on her knees, eyes fixed on nothing. “…How do you always manage to come up with new things like this? Every time I think I’ve heard it all, you somehow find another way to shake me to my core.” She was quiet for several seconds longer before looking back up at Scarlett. “Genuinely. I’m asking — how? There has to be a ceiling to all of this.”

“…Does there?” Scarlett asked.

“There does! At least there should be.” Evelyne breathed out, turning to the others. “It’s insane that we’re becoming desensitised to all this. I only hear about it after the fact. I can’t even imagine what it’s like for the rest of you.”

Rosa offered a small, almost sober smile, running a finger along the edge of her notes. “You saw what some of that said about me, didn’t you? In my case, it doesn’t really matter how mad it all gets. Scarlett’s saved me several times over, and I’ve made my peace with this being the price of it.”

“You say ‘price,’ but you’re the one who enjoys it the most,” Shin said. He frowned slightly, glancing at his notes. “For me…based on what’s written about the surrounding circumstances, I agree with most of Scarlett’s choices. Even if I don’t like all of them.”

Allyssa and Kat both looked at him in mild surprise.

“…I just trust her,” Allyssa said eventually. She bit her lip. “Though some of this is scarier than I expected.”

Kat scratched the back of her head. “I think I’m closer to Evelyne on the whole ‘this is insane’ thing, but at this point…I’ve kind of figured Scarlett is doing what’s necessary. I hope.” She fixed Scarlett with a sharp look. “That said, we really need to talk more about the Cabal stuff.”

“We will,” Scarlett replied.

A few eyes turned to Fynn, as if expecting him to speak next, but he didn’t. In fact, he was entirely focused on the papers.

Evelyne shook her head. “You people are impossible.”

Rosa let out a soft laugh. “Well, same goes for you, doesn’t it? You gave in and went all in on Scarlett ages ago. You know, pointing out how insane everything is all the time doesn’t magically make you any saner for tagging along.”

Evelyne shot the smiling bard a small glare.

Scarlett observed the exchange. “If it brings you any comfort,” she finally said, “the First Princess is unlikely to return to Dawnlight Palace anytime soon. That makes it difficult for anyone to pursue formal charges. Sir Leon may attempt something, but it would be his word against mine, and that complicates matters for those inclined to act against me.” She rested an arm along the chair’s armrest. “That said, we must still prepare for the possibility. Which is why I have already arranged the necessary documents and authorisations for you to assume control of the barony, should it ever become required.”

Evelyne froze.

Most of the others turned to Scarlett, looking surprised.

“…You’re serious?” Evelyne asked.

“I am.” Scarlett nodded.

The younger woman studied her carefully, trying to read something in her expression. “You don’t have to do that, Scarlett.”

“You do not want it?”

“No.”

“…I see.” Scarlett tapped a finger lightly against the leather. “Even so, it may become necessary. We will see.”

She gestured towards Evelyne’s notes. “For now, I suggest you finish reading the final pages before we continue. You spoke of how insane much of this appears, and I understand the sentiment. From an outside perspective, it must seem as though I am surrounded by an unreasonable concentration of power and chaos. But there are reasons for that beyond what you already know.”

Her gaze swept over the group, settling. “It is time we discuss Fate, Time, and the Other.”