“I presume you don’t know what that was?” Iyana asked, the two of them locking gazes.

Scarlett shook her head. “You presume right.”

As far as she was aware, there wasn’t supposed to be anything special happening inside right now.

Another muffled scream echoed, this one carrying a greater sense of panic than the previous.

Scarlett noticed the other woman reaching for her waist but pausing as if realizing there was nothing there. With what might count as a hint of frustration on her face—it was hard to tell—the knight took off.

Scarlett blinked, surprised by how quickly Iyana reached the other end of the balcony and disappeared inside.

Glancing around, she concluded it was probably best for her to find out what was happening and started moving as well. The archway leading to the balcony was enchanted to silence sounds, but once she passed through it, the noises became slightly clearer. Although still muted, it now sounded like people were fighting.

She hurried down the corridor, making a sharp turn into the nearest room. There, she froze. The peaceful, conversational atmosphere that had been present when she passed through earlier was gone, replaced by chaos. Most of the occupants were either fleeing or seeking shelter in the corners behind overturned tables and furniture. The center of the room was taken up by a group of black-clad individuals with painted faces who had already converged on Iyana.

Scarlett scowled.

The Tribe of Sin. What the hell were they doing here?

With a thought, her dress vanished, replaced by most of her gear as she activated the defense from [Sidhe’s Flowing Garbs].

More of the Tribe members were scattered throughout the room—perhaps a few dozen in total—engaged in battles with other guests. However, the bulk of their numbers were focused on Iyana. They seemed to know who she was.

None of the defenders possessed weapons, so Iyana and the others were left fighting with their bare hands, small knives, or even chair legs. Yet that only lasted for a brief moment for Iyana as the woman slid behind one of her opponents, effortlessly seizing their arm. The person was sent hurtling across the room as the knight claimed their axe for herself. With an emotionless expression, she turned toward her remaining foes, launching her offensive.

Scarlett was by no means an expert, but she could tell that the Tribe members were no slouches when it came to their strength. Despite that, they didn’t stand a chance as Iyana moved seamlessly between them, delivering precise and calculated strikes with her stolen weapon.

Soon, however, more black-clad figures entered through one of the room’s entrances. Ignoring the huddled individuals near the walls, they made a beeline for Iyana. Among them were two mages who conjured a pair of fireballs that shot towards the woman.

A clear-blue light emanated from the knight’s axe, forming two barriers of thin, shimmering ice to intercept the incoming attacks. The barriers shattered into shards, striking some of the nearby Tribe members, who soon found their bodies covered and their movements hindered by spreading frost. Iyana lunged forward to engage as many of the newcomers as possible, parrying their weapons while aiming for the mages hiding behind their allies.

Scarlett watched the fight, trying to assess the situation. Why was the Tribe suddenly launching an attack, and how many of them were there? She lacked information about this event from the game, so she had no idea about their motives here.

It couldn’t be that they were here for her?

Just as that thought crossed her mind, a black hole tore the air open at the far end of the room, expanding into a wide arch of swirling grey darkness. More figures with painted faces emerged from the portal. Screams filled the space as some guests tried to distance themselves from the new arrivals, and an elderly woman pressing against a nearby wall fainted at the sight. A pair of men next to her tried carrying her towards one of the exits, but most of the routes were blocked at the moment.

Fortunately, the Tribe members seemed indifferent to the non-combatants, directing their attention solely to keeping Iyana occupied as she tore through their comrades. Some of them exchanged hand gestures before advancing towards the knight, while a few others rushed to their injured allies and started pulling back to the portal that was slowly closing.

Even with these numbers, Scarlett doubted that the Tribe could pose a significant threat to Iyana. Unless someone stronger arrived, it was only a matter of time before the room was cleared.

Her gaze shifted towards one of the exits that had become unguarded during the latest assault against the knight. Other guests were already making their way towards it, and she decided to follow suit. The Tribe of Sin wouldn’t limit their attack to just this room. There had to be more of them, and she needed to get a better grasp of the situation.

None of the Tribe members made any attempt to stop her or the others. Soon, she found herself with a group of about ten people, moving down a hallway away from the room, with her close to the front. Most of those around her looked inexperienced in combat and had worried expressions on their faces. Scarlett herself didn’t know what to feel about the current situation.

The Tribe had to be here for a reason. The question was whether they sought something specific here or if they were simply attacking a place they knew would be host to a lot of influential individuals.

She was just hoping they weren’t here because they knew she had The Angler Man’s heart.

Her fingers brushed against the spatial ring on her left hand. She had brought the heart along just to be safe, but it wasn’t something she wanted to bring out in an environment like this. If the wrong people caught sight of it, it could raise far too many dangerous questions.

Soon, they arrived at the next chamber, only to witness a scene similar to the previous one. Dozens of Tribe members were locked in combat with those of the guests who could fight back, while the rest of the guests hid or took cover. Those behind Scarlett paled at the sight, retreating a few steps into the hallway they’d come from, as if reconsidering their choice of coming here. Some even turned around and started running back.

Perhaps that was the wisest course of action now. Back there, the empire’s Second Sword was almost guaranteed to deal with the threats soon enough. Here, though, there didn’t seem to be anyone nearly as strong on the defending side.

She tried peering across the room, where it connected to the ballroom through a narrow glass corridor, but she could barely see anything with all the people blocking the way.

This entire situation was just one enormous mess. She didn’t really want to get entangled in it even further, but she also had no intention of turning back just yet. She at least wanted to locate Evelyne and ensure the younger woman’s safety. Managing the barony without her in the future would be hard, and as the current head of the house, she had a responsibility to fulfill.

Ignoring the people clamoring behind her, Scarlett stepped into the room and began making her way along the walls toward the opposite end. The Tribe members were too focused on their own opponents to pay attention to those attempting to escape. Or maybe they simply didn’t care. Whatever the reason, she hoped it would continue.

She had to take a step back when an elderly gentleman was pushed and stumbled over a low table nearby. A grunt escaped him as blood trickled from a wound on his shoulder. He had been engaged in combat with one of the Tribe members—a broad-shouldered man with a bald head and three white lines drawn across his face—with nothing but a cane as his weapon. It was an admirable enough feat, but now he was at the mercy of his adversary.

As the Tribe member closed in to deliver the final blow, his gaze passed over Scarlett. He stopped for a moment.

She met his eyes, concerns about her being their intended target resurfacing. She prepared to defend herself. Just then, a yell sounded out as a young man charged forward, wielding a chair in his hands. He collided with the Tribe member, swinging the chair with force. The broad-shouldered man diverted his attention from Scarlett as he took one step back. Seizing one of the chair’s legs, he effortlessly tore it off, along with a portion of the furniture.

To the youth’s credit, he didn’t let that deter him as he used what remained of the chair to defend the elderly gentleman on the floor. Unfortunately for him, his attacks were easily countered by the Tribe member, who swiftly landed a sword strike on the young man’s side.

Scarlett observed the fight, a sense of hesitation in her heart. She glanced at the old man, whose sweat-covered face held a grimace as he struggled to rise using his cane, only to be betrayed by his own legs. Images of an injured Garside with a maimed shoulder flashed in her mind.

She closed her eyes, releasing a long sigh. Then, she raised a hand.

A mass of water materialized around the Tribe member’s sword just as he prepared to strike once again. The blade sliced through the liquid, but it was slowed down just enough for the young man to avoid it, his hand pressed against his bloodied side. Several fireballs appeared in front of the Tribe member, and the man’s eyes widened as he leaped back to evade them.

Conjuring even more flames to keep him in check, Scarlett approached the youth and the elderly man. All three of them were staring at her now, though, as the ring on her left finger glowed and a slender vial appeared in her hand. She briefly examined the youth’s wound—it looked to be mostly superficial—before kneeling beside the older gentleman and extending the vial toward him.

“Use this,” she commanded. “It will heal your injury.”

He looked between her and the vial for a second before glancing at her clothes, which likely deviated from the typical ball attire. He coughed weakly, reaching to accept the potion.

“Thank you, my lady.” He gestured over at the Tribe member—who seemed uncertain about what to do right now—and the disorder that surrounded them. “I am not foolish to reject help, but you needn’t waste any more time on me. There are many others who require assistance far more urgently.”

Scarlett swept her gaze across the room, taking in the multitude of battles, including the numerous guests who were simply too afraid to move from where they were crouched down. She even counted a few children. For some reason, the three men seemed to wait for her response. After staying silent for a while, she clicked her tongue.

She didn’t want to mess with the Tribe of Sin. She didn’t want to do anything that could jeopardise her agreement with the Cabal. But their contract did contain provisions for situations like this. She would have been stupid not to include them. Assuming the Tribe’s objective wasn’t her, there were actions she could take while still abiding by the terms she had agreed upon.

With a thought, the [Tiara of Lost Benediction] materialized on Scarlett’s forehead, enhancing her perception and sharpening her focus. She raised her hand once more. Seeing that, the broad-shouldered man finally made a move against her. But it was too late. She had already sized up all the Tribe members in the room. None were at the level where her [Charms of Apperception] didn’t show her their weak points.

Several dozen Aqua Mines appeared throughout the area, resembling shimmering stars enveloped in water. There were at least two for each Tribe member, and the man approaching Scarlett had over a handful appear right before him. In an instant, all the Mines detonated simultaneously.

Explosions of steam reverberated through the room, accompanied by screams of pain and surprise. Many Tribe members stumbled or fell, and some were even rendered unconscious from just that. While not every Mine hit its mark perfectly, the overall effect provided a momentary advantage to the defenders.

The man in front of Scarlett, his clothes torn apart by the onslaught she had directed at him, fell to his knees with gritted teeth. Seemed like there was actually a pretty significant disparity in strength among the Tribe members present here.

Scarlett conjured another swarm of Aqua Mines around the room and detonated them. Several more black-clad individuals collapsed, while their opponents seized the opportunity to strike. The man before her crumpled into a heap on the ground.

Surveying the room once more, she felt that was almost enough. She didn’t want to waste too much mana, so she only used a little bit more to aid a few more people that looked in need. From there, it didn’t take long for the remaining Tribe members to be ganged up on and dealt with. Any of them who tried to refocus their attention on Scarlett were swiftly dispatched by a barrage of Aqua Mines.

Silence descended upon the room, interrupted only by the distant sounds of fighting emanating from the adjoining chambers. The people present here still seemed to be trying to process the situation, their gazes turning to Scarlett. Many of those who had fought against the Tribe of Sin gave her appreciative looks, while the rest simply appeared relieved that the immediate danger seemed to have passed. At least in here.

With a mental command, Scarlett removed the legendary artifact from her forehead and surveyed the bodies of the fallen Tribe members surrounding her. She wasn’t sure if they were dead or not, but that wasn’t important at the moment.

What mattered was how the Cabal would react to this. Although it might be difficult for them to verify the specifics, if they suspected she had reneged on their deal, it would be problematic. She was allowed to defend herself and others in the event of accidental clashes with the Cabal’s agents, though. As long as she didn’t actively impede or interfere with whatever their objective might be in this situation. Their deal stipulated that whoever acted first held priority, after all.

Still, it might have been easier to just ignore what happened here and let the Tribe pursue whatever they wanted. However, she couldn’t ignore how her actions might be perceived by others. It would look suspicious if she didn’t help at all in staving off the attack.

“Ahem, my lady,” a voice interrupted her thoughts.

She turned to face the elderly gentleman. He had managed to stand and approached her. His black jacket was stained with blood on his shoulder, and his complexion was pale, but he seemed in slightly better condition now. The healing potion should at least keep him going for a while longer.

“May I inquire about your name?” he asked. “I want to know to whom I and my grandson owe our lives. I imagine many here share that sentiment.”

Scarlett regarded him, noting the young man behind him looking at her with admiration. Neither seemed to recognize her, but she suspected that some of the others in the room might.

“I am Baroness Scarlett Hartford,” she stated, sweeping her eyes across the other guests. “…And you owe me nothing.”

She raised her voice. “I suggest that those of you who do not wish to remain here and risk your lives move on to the next chamber. A member of the Royal Guard is stationed there, and she will be able to protect you better than anyone here can.”

Relieved expressions appeared on the faces of some people upon hearing her words.

“And what of you?” the gentleman asked.

Her gaze shifted in the direction of the ballroom. Now she could see parts of it, and fighting was definitely still going on there. “I still have other matters to attend to.”

“I understand. If I were younger and in better condition, I would have joined you, but I am afraid I would only be a hindrance in my current state.” The man leaned on his cane. It held several chip marks on it from the fight but remained in one piece. “I am Deverell Halewell. And while you say we owe you nothing, with that, I disagree. Halewells do not forget easily, my lady. The lives you saved tonight will be remembered.” He cast a look at the fallen Tribe members. “That is, if we survive to see the end of it.”

Scarlett gave him a slight look of surprise, but then nodded curtly as a farewell before she started moving again. Some of the other people in the room expressed their gratitude as she passed by, but she paid little attention to it.

As she exited the room and entered the ballroom, she was confronted with an even larger presence of Tribe members than before. There were so many of them. Countless figures dressed in black were spread about the place, mixed in with those of the guests who were fighting back. The scene looked like one giant battlefield. Anywhere her eyes turned, blows were exchanged as attacks of magic and aura filled the air.

Among the fighters, Scarlett spotted a few familiar faces. One that stood out was Dean Godwin, floating in the air at the opposite end of the room, surrounded by a myriad of runes. His opponent was an old but powerfully built man wearing tattered black rags, with unruly grey hair that flowed down to his lower back and a thick beard like a mane. Behind the man, a mass of murky water surged while lightning sprang forth from the runes around Godwin. Their magics clashed, forcing all those near them to flee from the aftershocks.

Closer to Scarlett stood Raimond, positioned among a group of injured individuals. Golden barriers emerged from him in rapid succession, akin to small fireworks, blocking the attacks of a gathering of Tribe members who had him surrounded. Simultaneously, a radiant circle encompassing him seemed to heal the injuries of those around him.

Even with all that going on, Raimond’s attention seemed aimed at preventing one specific Tribe member from advancing. A lithe woman with dark-blue hair who wielded two short swords and moved like the wind, perpetually inching closer and closer to breaching his barriers with slashes that were only a finger’s breadth away from meeting flesh.

There were dozens of battles taking place simultaneously, but Scarlett only glanced at them as she searched the room. More of the portals that the Tribe members appeared through were scattered around, with new enemies continuously leaving them, but none seemed to be focused on her in particular.

She started moving along the edge of the room, watching for Evelyne amidst the chaos. Occasionally, she paused briefly to help someone out if they looked in dire need, but she preferred not to draw attention to herself. Thankfully, the place was in such disorder that she could move surprisingly unhindered as long as she was careful.

After a while, when she began to wonder if Evelyne was even here, she finally spotted the woman’s auburn hair near one of the glass corridors. The Withersworths were with her, along with a large group of people who seemed to have just escaped from one of the side rooms. Evelyne and a few others focused on defending the group from the Tribe of Sin, as all of them appeared to be making their way towards the ballroom’s main entrance.

Scarlett paused when she saw Evelyne cast a spell that summoned several flaming disks in the air above her. The disks shot out and struck three Tribe members, while two others were shielded by barriers of murky water that seemed to originate from a mage in the center of the attackers. One of Evelyne’s fellow defenders rushed forward with half a table in one hand and an axe in the other, attempting to protect her from more of the approaching enemies. Seizing the opportunity, the young woman cast another spell. A moment later, a storm of tiny burning rocks rained down on those of the Tribe who were nearest. Although half of it was blocked by a hastily erected sphere of water, it still inflicted considerable damage as Tribe members fell to the floor with burning clothes.

Scarlett had never witnessed Evelyne in actual combat before, so it surprised her to see the woman’s skill and experience. It was perhaps comparable to when Kat fought.

She shook her head. No, that wasn’t important now.

Spotting a path that would bring her closer to them without getting too close to any of the Tribe members, she began to move.

Evelyne seemed to notice her as she got closer.

“Scarlett?!” the woman cried out.

Some of the group behind her also looked up, including Lady Withersworth and her husband. Both appeared tired but otherwise unharmed.

A new portal formed a dozen or so meters away from Evelyne and her allies, spitting out more Tribe members with painted faces and weapons raised. Scarlett raised her hand, and the newcomers were met with a swarm of Aqua Mines and fire.

Some immediately crumbled under the sudden attack, and she followed it up by donning the [Tiara of Lost Benediction] once again, unleashing a barrage of attacks against the Tribe members Evelyne had been fighting. She also managed to create an opening for her to focus some of her attacks on the water mage who had been giving Evelyne trouble. In turn, the mage had to divert attention to self-defense.

Evelyne and the others looked on with disbelief at first, but then they recognized the opportunity she had given them.

Scarlett watched as they fought back against the Tribe of Sin, using her magic to support them where possible. It was at times like these, when she was facing a large number of relatively weak opponents—excluding the mage, most were perhaps slightly under Shin and Allyssa’s levels, if she were to guess—that her magic truly shone. With the buffs from her tiara, it was almost laughably easy to keep her opponents in check, allowing her allies to deal with them. However, it did take its toll on her mana stores, which was why she held back when she could.

Soon, most of the Tribe members closest to them had been dealt with. Evelyne and her group continued moving as Scarlett reached them. The younger woman stared at her with wide eyes, an expression shared by many of those around her.

“Scarlett. Was all of that really you?”

“It was, but that is not important now. I presume you are aiding in bringing these people to safety?” Scarlett glanced over the group, giving a brief nod to Lady Withersworth and her family.

“Yes, I was—”

“Then I will assist you. Let us not waste any more time.”

Her eyes immediately returned to scanning the rest of the group, watching for any foes who might target their group again. She stilled, however, when she realized the enemy was suddenly retreating for some reason. Dozens more portals opened to replace those that had closed, but instead of spewing out reinforcements, all the Tribe members around them began disengaging from their fights and collecting their fallen allies.

She doubted she was the reason for this sudden change, but they were now escaping back through the portals. The efficiency with which they did it, even while under attack from those they had just been fighting, was astounding. The old man whom Dean Godwin had been fighting and some other powerful Tribe members covered the retreat, and all Scarlett could do was stare as barely a minute had passed before the majority of them were already gone.

Just as abruptly as the attack had seemingly begun, it was suddenly over.

Scarlett felt even more confused now, as the same question that had arisen when she first saw them remained at the forefront of her mind.

What the hell had they been here for?