Timid and Shy - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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12.

Sofia sighed and spoke.
“You know I’ve been caught up in the affair between Robert and Wiscom, don’t you? In a day or two, I’ll be heading back to Ariel. I thought it would be better to know something before I go—for what comes later.”
Phiné said gravely.
“If Ariel cannot sever her ties with House Wiscom entirely, then she cannot be unrelated to the princes. But I am merely a merchant, and I cannot claim to know the affairs of the nobility in any proper detail.”
“I imagine that’s how it must be. Still, the Wiscom household won’t tell me anything, and once I return to Ariel, I’ll have no way to learn more. That’s why I’m asking for your help. Since you conduct business in the Capital, even if you don’t know all the particulars, it seems you must have grasped how things generally work.”
Sofia spoke earnestly.
“One cannot conduct business without understanding how things operate, even in a small territory like Ariel. The Capital would demand far greater caution. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Phiné nodded and spoke.
“It may not be of great help, but if you wish to hear it, I’ll tell you.”
Helen arrived with tea and spoke.
“You’re being evasive. Please, tell us now. Before Wiscom ties Sofia up in something else.”
When Phiné looked as though he didn’t understand what she meant, Helen spoke.
“Sofia’s been receiving quite a lot of invitations. Wiscom won’t try to use Sofia again, will they? While they’re plotting to pair Frederick and Isabel together?”
At Helen’s surprisingly sharp words, Sofia and Phiné exchanged admiring glances, and Helen looked between the two of them.
“Don’t you two think of me as just a scatterbrained young lady who chases gossip?”
Phiné lifted his teacup and spoke.
“Then you’re saying you’re not?”
“True, true enough. But still, when I hear gossip, I do make at least some attempt to guess why such rumors are spreading.”
Phiné smiled and began his account. Both Sofia and Helen listened quietly to his words. Mrs. Phiné soon joined them after seeing Sol to her bedroom. Phiné spoke in an even voice.
“Frederick has always enjoyed the favor of his maternal grandfather, the Earl of Cressida. It is well known that the Earl takes Frederick everywhere he goes, not merely throughout the Cressida Territory but wherever he travels. In that sense, the bond between Frederick and House Cressida is quite secure. In contrast, no one takes any interest in Robert whatsoever.”
Sofia had found this odd when she first heard of the princes—two princes, yet only one seemed to command any attention.
“However, Robert has not been entirely idle. The Emperor, observing how Frederick broadened his experience by following the Cressida household, arranged for Robert to have similar opportunities.”
Sofia wondered whether Frederick had truly broadened his experience in any meaningful way.
“Government administrators and inspectors are sent to other territories on assignment, and Robert went along with them. He was also sent to military garrisons. During Academy holidays, Robert was always off learning practical matters.”
Sofia compared the impressions Frederick and Robert had made on her. No matter how she looked at it, she could not imagine Frederick gaining much knowledge by tagging along after the Cressida household.
‘He was grinning beside Isabel the whole time. What experience was he gaining from that?’
Helen spoke with interest.
“I’ve never heard this before. And I’ve read more than a magazine or two.”
“Well, Frederick’s every move makes it into the papers, but Robert—unless he causes some scandal, there’s no reason for him to be news. Frederick’s constant coverage is actually the unusual thing.”
Sofia agreed. Frederick appeared in journals and newspapers far too frequently.
‘Robert said he wanted to gain popularity by watching Frederick, didn’t he?’
Suddenly, a question occurred to Sofia.
‘But it wouldn’t be for nothing. If making Frederick famous brings him some advantage, what could it be? Popularity? What good would the admiration of young ladies be to Robert, if he scorns such things?’
Sofia could not find an answer. Yet one thing she knew with certainty: House Cressida was keeping Robert in check—with no regard whatsoever for the Emperor’s opinion.
Sofia spoke.
“So House Cressida has no intention of even pretending to welcome Robert.”
“He is of royal blood, yes, but not of Cressida blood—and they’ve made that clear to everyone. It’s understandable. They have no reason to favor a child the Empress did not bear, and they’ve decided it would be improper to do so. There were movements to treat him as Frederick’s rival and eliminate him, after all.”
Helen’s expression showed she had not heard this before. Sofia’s doubts remained unsettled.
Sofia looked at Phiné, her face full of questions.
“Surely such gossip from a debutante’s circle alone wouldn’t be enough to—”
“It’s been a steady undercurrent long before this. Robert’s existence was being quietly erased, as it were. But when they found that insufficient, they changed their approach.”
“Then perhaps House Cressida and the Empress really did come to believe there was a genuine possibility that Wiscom and Robert might form an alliance?”
“Even without any presence, a prince is still a prince. A far better match than most nobility. So it’s not entirely impossible that the Wiscom household might accept Robert as a son-in-law. That would be Frederick’s motive for stepping in directly. As the princes come of marriageable age, finding a spouse is the same as finding political support. That’s sensitive enough for House Cressida and the Empress to react.”
“So Frederick himself was also working against Robert?”
“I cannot know that. I can only conjecture from gossip and news articles. A man like me cannot possibly know Frederick’s personal thoughts or intentions. What is certain is that the Empress and House Cressida are working against Robert.”
Helen spoke.
“Going by what Father says, the discrimination began from very early, and so did the maneuvering. In such circumstances, both princes would naturally learn to hide their true feelings. Don’t you think?”
Phiné nodded.
“That’s precisely why we cannot know how far this will go. We cannot predict what Robert will do. If Robert simply withdraws from Isabel Wiscom, the matter may end there.”
Sofia asked.
“But would House Cressida be satisfied?”
“This is merely my opinion, but if he remains quiet, House Cressida won’t lay another hand on him.”
Sofia spoke.
“The Robert I saw directly didn’t seem cowed at all.”
Helen leaned forward with sudden interest and asked Sofia.
“What was he like?”
“There was an arrogance about him—the kind you’d expect from a prince. I suppose as a mere baron’s daughter, I couldn’t complain. But that was the impression I got. Still, he decided quickly and moved faster than most.”
Phiné said this.
“Given that Prince Robert’s reputation isn’t poor, he’s unlikely to lack talent. If not for this incident, that is. Since the Empress supports Prince Frederick, the other nobles would find it difficult to praise Prince Robert. The fact that they say nothing at all is a good sign, isn’t it?”
“So Prince Frederick, backed by House Cressida and the Empress, will become Crown Prince—but not because Prince Robert is lacking? That’s rather vague.”
Everyone nodded at Sofia’s assessment.
‘Prince Robert isn’t without merit, but he’s not talented enough to surpass Prince Frederick, who has the Empress and House Cressida behind him?’
This was Sofia’s evaluation of Prince Robert. She wanted him to do well. As a fellow victim of the Duke Wiscom’s family, she felt a sense of camaraderie.
After supper and further conversation, the hour had grown quite late. Sofia sent word to Wiscom Mansion that she would stay the night at Phiné House and return tomorrow.
No one in the Duke’s household would care where Sofia was, but it was the minimum courtesy expected of a guest.

***

Sofia spent another day at Phiné House, then returned to Wiscom Mansion late in the afternoon. As her maid attended to her, she spoke.
“The Duchess is having a tea party in the garden with artists. Miss Isabel is there as well. There are quite a few writers, I’m told.”
Sofia nodded at the maid’s words and remained in her room. She had no desire to join them. She’d never been particularly interested in the arts, after all.
‘There’s nothing to gain there anyway.’
The Duchess, upon hearing that Sofia had returned, sent someone to invite her to join the gathering.
‘What’s she up to now?’
Sofia had planned to return to Ariel tomorrow.
‘Should I provoke the Duchess before I leave? A parting gift, of sorts?’
Even so, Ariel couldn’t afford to treat the Duke’s family carelessly. The disparity in power was too great.
‘So I’m reduced to these petty games.’
Sofia exchanged awkward pleasantries with the young artists and found herself a seat in the most remote corner. Many of them whispered or exchanged uncomfortable glances when they saw her.
‘They know who I am.’
Sofia kept her eyes on the tea and dessert before her, avoiding their stares. That was when Isabel approached. Sofia wanted to ignore her—but could she?
Isabel spoke in a soft voice.
“May I sit with you for a moment?”
Isabel sat beside Sofia. Sofia regarded her in silence.
‘Try calling it rude again, why don’t you!’
Sofia had no intention of backing down to Isabel. In a place like this, with people around, Isabel would have a hard time indulging her temperament. As Sofia stared at her intently, Isabel smiled sweetly and spoke.
“You have every right to resent me. A cousin I’d never met before, and then something like this happens… After all, it happened because of me.”
Sofia offered an artificial smile and replied.
“It’s fine. I’ve cleared up all the misunderstandings with Prince Robert. Soon enough, people will forget about it. There are far more interesting things in society, after all. I heard there’s also Miss Garris’s birthday coming up soon? I’m told that will cause quite a stir in its own right?”
Isabel raised her eyebrows, her expression one of surprise.
“Was Prince Robert very angry?”
“No. He apologized to me. He said he was too preoccupied and spent the whole day trying to lift my spirits. He was far more considerate than I expected—it actually pains me that others misunderstand him. As you well know.”
At Sofia and Isabel’s exchange, those around them pricked up their ears. They could hear whispers that Prince Robert had apparently brought Sofia entirely to his side.
Because of the people listening to their conversation, Isabel had to steer it carefully. She spoke.
“You probably haven’t been properly introduced yet. There are many writers here. I heard you bought a great many books at the bookshop—there might be one of these authors among them.”
Sofia spoke with a voice full of amusement.
“Is that so? I bought all one hundred of Jeremy Bookshop’s Romance Novel best sellers.”
Soft laughter rippled around the two of them. Isabel smiled slightly as she spoke.
“You seem to enjoy those novels. Unfortunately, there’s no Romance Novel writer here—what a shame?”
Sofia laughed as if she’d expected as much.
“Rather than enjoy them, I’ve rarely had the chance to read them. I thought I’d indulge myself this time.”
“But why buy Romance Novels specifically? Let me introduce you to some more interesting books. There are many talented writers among those who’ve come today.”
“The truth is, I bought a whole stack of the genre I thought Prince Robert would hate the most. I wanted to get a rise out of him. I thought if I showed him some surface-level kindness, he’d get serious and run away. But he just laughed and paid for everything.”
“Prince Robert has rarely caused anyone discomfort.”
Isabel’s remark implied that Prince Robert had been uncharacteristically rude because of his affection for her and his jealousy of Prince Frederick. Sofia smiled knowingly.
“I thought as much. He’s truly more magnanimous than I expected. His apology felt genuine. And there’s something charming about experiencing Romance Novels now—virtuous heroines beating out selfish women and winning the prince, predictable as it is, but entertaining nonetheless. I’m sure you’d find such childish tales distasteful.”
Isabel gave an awkward laugh and dodged the response. Sofia focused intently on choosing a cake, as though absorbed in the dessert.
‘Which one is sweet? They all look sweet.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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