Timid and Shy - Chapter 29

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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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29.

Baron Ariel and Alex were taking tea in Ellie’s sitting room. Administrator John was there as well, moving about the space with obvious discomfort. It was his first invitation to Ellie’s quarters, and his bearing betrayed it—awkward, overly careful.
When Helen and Fine and his wife had all gathered together, Sophia set the stone in question down on the sitting room table.
Everyone’s eyes fell upon it. Administrator John studied the stone and spoke.
“It’s not high grade. Far too many impurities. You’ll need to be careful in any transaction. Even if they offer a low price, it won’t be fit for consumption. It might drive off a few insects, perhaps.”
At Administrator John’s words, Sophia drew a deep breath before answering.
“This came from the Temple. It was lying there before we even entered the other cave system inside. I brought it back as a memento.”
Baron Ariel and Alex seized the stone at once, their eyes wide with shock. Alex yielded, allowing the Baron to examine it first.
Alex spoke.
“Because of you, I’ve been to that cave they call the Temple, but I never saw any rock salt.”
“I told you—there’s a long tunnel-like passage that connects all the way down into the depths. I was late back last time because I went all the way to the bottom and returned.”
Alex nodded. Baron Ariel handed the stone to Administrator John and asked,
“You weren’t disappointed to find nothing beneath it?”
Sophia felt embarrassed to be caught in her disappointment. She said,
“Yes, I… The humidity was there, but no insects, no moss, and water pooled on the floor, yet nothing lived. I thought perhaps there was poison or foul air instead.”
“A salt mine……”
Fine’s murmur hung in the air as everyone turned the words over in their minds. If there was a salt mine, Ariel would be poor no longer.
Sophia continued,
“I thought it was naturally a temple—a place of thanksgiving to the goddess Titania. The lack of a proper altar seemed only because it was so ancient, and… I supposed, because of poverty. But if a salt mine lies there and they regarded it as the goddess’s gift, then naturally gratitude is due. It truly is a place worthy of devotion.”
Administrator John passed the stone to Fine. Fine held the rock salt once more, then passed it on. Administrator John kept his gaze fixed upon the stone as he spoke.
“We must be cautious. If this becomes known, whether we can protect it……”
Sophia said,
“That’s why I asked you to come here. I thought it wasn’t yet time to reveal it. But I felt you ought to know. First, we need to seal off the Temple entrance.”
Administrator John nodded.
“Measures are already in place. From what Jack told us, you’d discovered harmful fungus in the cave, so we’ve restricted access. Using that reason to keep it sealed should suffice for now.”
Everyone nodded in relief, though their expressions betrayed unmistakable excitement even as they voiced concern about how to manage the secret.
Baron Ariel spoke.
“Since it must eventually be extracted, we ought to send down one or two experts under the pretext of investigating the fungus. We need to know how much is actually there, whether the reserves are sufficient to truly open a mine.”
Fine said,
“I’ll quietly arrange to find someone in the Capital.”
Sophia said,
“Gunter is the problem.”
Helen raised her hand quietly and said,
“I’ll keep him distracted for a while.”
Ellie glanced at her sideways and said,
“You’ve taken a liking to him, then. I said as much—he’s your type.”
Helen laughed and replied,
“It’s good for Ariel and good for Fine’s family. An academy graduate, an elite, and an inspector with the Emperor’s trust. There’s no harm in growing close.”
Sophia said,
“Helen, while you’re here in Ariel, you can chase after him under the excuse of helping with school matters. I have more than one thing to ask Gunter for anyway. He won’t have a dull moment.”
Baron Ariel and Fine exchanged glances, both shaking their heads. Alex spoke with a sympathetic expression.
“Poor Gunter.”
All those gathered agreed to keep the discovery of the salt mine to themselves. They would proceed quietly, carefully.
If anyone learned that a salt mine existed in Ariel, it could be seized. Ariel was still too weak to resist.
Now that circumstances had changed, the Baron, Alex, and Administrator John redoubled their efforts to build the Knight Order. They had to prepare for any contingency.
The Baron said,
“There will be those who covet it from within and without. We don’t yet know the quantity, but we must be ready.”
“Understood. I will reorganize the training and duties of the border garrison.”
As the group left the sitting room, they spoke of tasks needed to resolve one concern after another, yet all of them brimmed with energy.
Fine and his wife had reluctantly sent their daughter to an Ariel that seemed nothing but poor. Now that regret could be swept away in an instant. With a salt mine, it was only a matter of time before Ariel became one of the richest domains in the Empire.
Ellie and Alex, patting their bellies contentedly, had smiles written across their faces.
Sophia linked her arm through Baron Ariel’s as she said,
“We finally found the treasure.”
Baron Ariel, rather than answer, touched the corner of his eye.

***

Isabel had to face the Duchess the moment she returned from the party. It was always the same. She had to report to the Wiscount Duchess what had happened at the party, how Frederick had reacted.
The Wiscount Duchess had not attended the party Isabel participated in. Her reputation for seduction was too well-known—the Wiscount Duchess’s romantic history was famous enough that people assumed she was skilled at temptation.
The Duchess removed Isabel’s hair ornament herself and let down her hair as she spoke.
“You worked hard today. It seems this is all we need to do going forward.”
Isabel looked at the Duchess with suspicious eyes and spoke.
“But how do we know if Frederick will continue to attend balls and parties? Won’t the Empress stop him?”
“Of course he’ll attend. Because you’re attending. If you show up, Frederick will find some excuse to come no matter what. Besides, Robert has been attending parties frequently for some reason, so the Empress can’t very well send Frederick away to Cresida Territory. Robert is finally proving useful to us.”
“So I should keep ignoring Frederick’s gaze?”
“Yes. For now, focus on experiencing society. You don’t need to win everyone’s favor. Just observe how the social circle operates, comfortably. And be kind to people. If anyone becomes troublesome, you have Philip, so don’t worry.”
“How long must I do this?”
“Not long. It depends on Parma’s patience.”
“Given Parma’s nature, I’d say less than two months before she picks a fight with me. Will the Creol Countess really keep cooperating?”
“Grandmother took this matter up personally. Would she do anything half-heartedly?”
Isabel trusted Grandmother’s skill. She pushed the Duchess’s hand away and spoke.
“I’m exhausted. If you have more to say, I’ll hear it tomorrow.”
“Very well.”
The Duchess let Isabel go without resistance. Isabel was performing her role perfectly. It didn’t matter that she was rejecting her touch.
‘Such a petty protest…….’
The Duchess glanced at Isabel’s door once and then went to the Wiscount Duke. She entered his reception room and spoke.
“If you can handle the Creol Countess so easily, why hasn’t Mother said anything about leaving her alone all this time?”
The Wiscount Duke spoke.
“Mother had a message for you, my dear. She said that Isabel and you are different—you must handle your own affairs. I apologize.”
The Wiscount Duchess let out a hollow laugh and spoke.
“It seems Mother will never acknowledge me as family.”
The Wiscount Duke looked at the Duchess with sympathy and spoke.
“She said that since you obtained your position through your own efforts, you must build your standing by yourself as well. I’m sorry I cannot be of more help.”
“That’s not entirely wrong, but…… What did you use to blackmail the Creol Countess? Can’t you at least tell me that? It seems we could drive her out of society entirely.”
The Wiscount Duke sighed and spoke.
“That was the Creol Countess’s condition, they say. That you not be told. She warned that if you learned the truth, you would certainly try to eliminate her completely once the matter was finished. Mother accepted that condition. The Creol Countess knows Mother has never helped you and has no intention of doing so—she trusts Mother. And Mother intends to keep her word.”
It seemed using the Former Duchess to eliminate the Creol Countess entirely would not be possible.
‘And yet…….’
The Wiscount Duchess spoke.
“That widow is practically the Empress’s instrument. It would be better if the Creol Countess were gone, to remove Cresida’s influence going forward.”
“Don’t you think I haven’t said as much? Mother entrusted that task to you. She said we must manage cutting the Creol Countess away from the Empress on our own.”
“Really…… Mother is too much. On me especially.”
The Duke embraced the Duchess and spoke.
“Try first, and if it doesn’t work, I’ll speak to Mother again. A woman like the Creol Countess should disappear. If Mother thinks she threatens Wiscount’s interests, she won’t sit idle. And now Isabel has entered society.”
“I can’t just wait passively then. I understand. I’ll try on my own first.”
The Creol Countess needed to exist so the Empress would believe there was nothing between Frederick and Isabel. But once Frederick was completely enamored with Isabel, the cooperation of a woman like the Creol Countess would no longer be necessary.
‘Personal revenge as well.’
Hope gleamed. Frederick would surely fall into Isabel’s hands. The novel the Duchess had prepared was already causing a sensation.
She had confirmed that Frederick’s hands now held the novel. According to Philip’s report, he had definitely read it. Frederick’s gaze lingered on Isabel more frequently and for longer than before. The prince’s feelings were ripening by degrees.
‘The engagement will break soon.’
The Wiscount Duchess was certain of Wiscount’s success.

***

Sophia discovered that writing a novel was not as simple as she had thought. She had assumed it would be easy enough to string together events that happened. Like the numerous romance novels Sophia had read. But the story was not at all engaging, and the novel was merely a listing of plot points.
Yet Sophia did not give up and continued writing.
After the treasure hunt ended, she moved on to writing a romance novel. The ancient documents and maps were all carefully organized and stored away.
Baron Ariel watched Sophia several times as she scratched out lines and crumpled them before starting again, smiling to himself.
Around Sophia were stacked romance novels she had read and thought enjoyable, along with the most popular novels currently in circulation.
Before writing the romance novel, Sophia had handed Gunter a book of compiled Titania mythology. Gunter, suspecting that Sophia’s fixation on mythology and temples had ulterior motives, began reading as soon as he received it.
Finding it a better book than expected, Gunter looked at Sophia anew. And when Gunter praised the book, Sophia revealed her true colors.
Sophia met Gunter’s eyes and spoke.
“Out of loyalty to the Emperor and the Empire, I made sure to balance the length carefully, not just with Titania’s mythology but with Uranos’s as well.”
Gunter nodded. Sophia continued without taking her gaze from him.
“The Emperor will be pleased, don’t you think?”
Gunter saw Sophia, daughter of Ariel, in an entirely new light.
‘Bypassing the inspector entirely and flattering the Emperor directly…….’

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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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