Timid and Shy - Chapter 30

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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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30.

Gunter reopened the book and spoke without much interest.
“That’s certainly possible.”
Sophia nodded and continued.
“I’m also thinking about publishing through charitable means. But if His Majesty approves—and doesn’t the Imperial House have a textbook publisher? One established to send books to schools throughout the empire. If the publication were to happen there, students across the realm would learn about Uranos Mythology.”
When Gunter looked at her with understanding eyes, Sophia added:
“Of course, they would also learn of Titania and House of Ariel. But I hope that instead of being known as a parasite of the empire, Ariel might be recognized as the guardian house of Titania Mythology.”
Gunter found Sophia’s reasoning appealing. The Emperor could make the judgment without Gunter needing to decide.
“So you wish to establish House of Ariel’s standing as the guardian house of Titania.”
Sophia spoke with care.
“That’s perhaps too ambitious. What I’d like is for people to know that ‘House of Ariel is an ancient and venerable family that protects Titania Mountain, the mountain ranges, and the empire itself.’ Baron Ariel is prepared to relinquish his fiefdom if circumstances demand it, but I don’t wish to give up Ariel. I want to make it so that no one can ever tear House of Ariel away from Titania Mountain. Please tell His Majesty this above all: House of Ariel has always been loyal to the Emperor, and we believe that Ariel’s enemies have always come from without.”
Gunter looked down at the book with a complicated expression. The book itself was not poor work. But if he revealed such an intent, would the Emperor truly grant approval? Yes—he would. If it meant keeping House of Ariel firmly in place.
Certainly, no one else who came to Ariel would manage the fiefdom better than Baron Ariel.
“I shall bring Lady Ariel’s proposal before His Majesty.”
Gunter spoke with a lighter expression.
“Now I understand why you’ve been so devoted to mythology and temples. I suspected all along you must have had another purpose—you were too absorbed to be merely pursuing a hobby. You were trying to make House of Ariel known to people.”
Gunter felt relief at having solved the mystery.
Sophia was smiling, but her heart had lurched. She’d never considered that Gunter might be suspicious of her. Helen’s visit had been a blessing to Ariel in more ways than one.
‘Now let me try to earn some money. Writing might actually suit me better than I expected.’

***

Yet when Sophia set about writing her novel with such ambition, progress eluded her. She was only wasting precious paper.
John the administrator and Baron Ariel watched Sophia write and smiled. Gunter sent the book Sophia had written even to the Capital, and read it aloud to the children he taught.
When Gunter returned to the Baron’s office after finishing classes at the school, Sophia was in the midst of struggling to write a romance novel.
Gunter spoke to her:
“The children respond very well to it. Learning mythology while living on Titania Mountain and in Ariel makes them naturally more attentive, and they come to class having heard old stories from their grandparents at home, which they share with me.”
Sophia signaled Jack with her eyes. Jack rose quietly and slipped out of the office.
“Did you know we’ve decided to set aside time in the afternoons to read books to the children?”
Seeing Gunter’s blank expression, Sophia explained:
“You’ve met Helen before, haven’t you? She visited the school a few times and said she wanted to help with something while in Ariel. So I asked her to read books to the children.”
On cue, Helen entered the office. Gunter’s face showed sudden confusion as he glanced toward her and then back to Sophia. Jack watched the situation from the doorway.
Helen spoke to Gunter:
“Seeing how hard you work at the school, I couldn’t just sit idle. I hope to be of help going forward.”
Gunter rose from his seat. As Helen left and Gunter followed her, she spoke:
“Please teach me the books Sophia has written first. I want to learn them myself so I can teach the children.”
Gunter looked back at Sophia with an uncomfortable expression, but she had already returned to her seat and was staring at a blank page. Gunter moved along with Helen, his face tense. Helen turned back and nodded to Sophia.
Jack followed the two of them, watching.
Helen moved between the school and the office without a moment’s boredom. Gunter, by contrast, tried to avoid the office and the manor as much as possible, keeping to the school whenever he could.
‘How fortunate that Helen is here.’
Sophia was able to concentrate on writing her novel without worrying about Gunter. If she wrote well enough, money might start flowing in.

〈The Language of White Roses〉

Helen lent Sophia the collected serialized installments she had gathered. Despite poor printing quality, they were being sold at a low price in substantial volumes—the newspaper bundled its serialized fiction separately for sale.
Sophia read through 〈The Language of White Roses〉 once, then looked back down at the blank page. She felt herself vanishing, bit by bit.

***

While Sophia was absorbed in writing her novel, Ariel bustled with activity. With sufficient budget, work proceeded smoothly in ways it never had before.
Baron Ariel, despite declaring he could relinquish Ariel at any moment, was throwing himself into his labor. John spoke to the Baron in a teasing tone:
“My lord, does it not trouble you to invest so heavily in a fiefdom that might soon pass to another’s hands?”
The Baron smiled broadly and replied:
“I meant I could do that only as a last resort. How long has it been since work has progressed without obstruction? Haven’t we accomplished in a heartbeat what we’ve been wanting to do all this time? Isn’t it exhilarating for you?”
John smiled and answered:
“It is indeed. Everyone’s energy has returned after so long. The mood of the fiefdom has improved. Ariel will only grow better, my lord.”
“Yes. That’s as it should be. Do you think Sophia’s new hobby will last long?”
“Your work isn’t going well, I take it. You said the study felt too dreary, so you’ve retreated to your room to concentrate. Jack mentioned he hasn’t seen you in days either. Once you set your mind to something, you dive in completely—I expect you’ll be at this for two months or more. You’ll surprise everyone again, I’m sure.”
“Yes. Sophia ought to immerse herself in work she loves. Better yet, I should make sure she does.”
Neither of them suspected that Sophia’s novel-writing was anything more than a new hobby. Since they’d discovered the salt mines, they assumed she was simply enjoying another pastime.
For Sophia, writing novels was both a means of profit and a weapon. The more she wrote, the more her ambitions grew.
Just as “The Language of White Roses” had harbored ulterior motives, couldn’t her own novels serve a political purpose as well?
If only she could hide the fact that she’d written them, Sophia wanted to target Wiscom far more openly.
She wanted to repay him using the exact same methods he wielded. But without certainty that she could conceal the source, attempting it rashly was dangerous.
Sophia had been confined to her room for days now, wrestling with a troubling thought: was her work suffering because she was writing not merely a novel, but one with a hidden agenda?
She revised her plan. Rather than targeting Wiscom directly, she decided to focus on embellishing Robert, the one protagonist among the three who actually favored Ariel.
Ariel would need Umbrial’s help considerably.
‘I’ve flattered the Emperor. Now I must flatter Prince Robert.’

***

While Sophia was busily trying to paint Robert in a flattering light, the prince himself was in the Capital meeting people at a frantic pace. He attended gatherings and parties with renewed vigor, all to draw Frederick out of his shell.
The Empress would never simply allow Robert to network with the nobility and build his connections. Though she disliked sending Frederick to parties where Isabelle would be present, she couldn’t prevent it if Robert’s movements made it necessary.
‘The Empress can’t bear to see me step into the public eye and receive attention.’
Building connections was important, as was ensuring Frederick saw Isabelle regularly, but Umbrial’s affairs were equally pressing. Thus Robert began every morning by handling his fiefdom’s business without fail.
He first reviewed the reports and correspondence from Mab, who sent dispatches from Umbrial. Mab displayed a cunning art—she wove her complaints not at the beginning but throughout the administrative reports, interspersing them so deftly that understanding the work itself became nearly impossible without parsing her grievances.
Robert sighed and spoke.
“Mab has her talents, I’ll grant her that. I still can’t fathom how such a woman came to serve me.”
Bian, Robert’s chief secretary, was also reviewing Mab’s report. He smiled as he spoke.
“Does Mab trouble you, Your Highness?”
“Not at all. Her moaning wears one’s ears raw, but she handles Umbrial’s affairs competently. It was only to say she’s too valuable for my service—she could have gone to the administrative ministry or Frederick’s office. Appearances aside, she possesses considerable ability.”
“From what I understand, Mab volunteered for the post.”
“Did she? She told me it was because of poor fortune.”
“Ah! She said a fortune-teller advised her that to dispel bad luck, she should apply not for her first choice but for the position she least wanted to go to. Only then would she pass the examination.”
“Ha, ha, ha. I’d like to meet this fortune-teller. She seems to have some ability.”
“She has a good eye for people. How did she know Mab would follow her advice?”
“Mab must have seemed desperate. Desperate people are easiest to deceive. Yes, that’s it—desperation makes one suggestible.”
Robert trailed off, lost in thought. Bian made no attempt to intrude, stepping back a pace instead. Each time Robert fell into contemplation like this, Bian withdrew respectfully, careful not to disturb him.
After handling Umbrial’s morning business, Robert’s schedule filled with meetings across various circles.
He didn’t hope for their support. He merely wanted them to know him as he truly was, not as magazines and rumors portrayed him.

***

Isabelle Wiscom, despite her reserved nature, threw herself into society with deliberate intensity.
Parma, dragged about by Frederick at every turn, hadn’t yet noticed—though she soon would. Frederick was using Robert as his excuse, but the real reason for his newfound diligence would become clear.
Summer in the Capital was sweltering, yet the nobility postponed their holidays and attended every gathering where the two princes and two young duchesses participated.
Cressida monitored exactly which families and people Robert met. Even under her watchful eye, should Robert receive the Emperor’s support, he might secure a match with a respectable house. In that case, there would be many families eager to take his hand.
“The Language of White Roses” was gradually spreading even among the nobility. They dismissed it as a cheap serial while devouring it word by word. They condemned it as a work of propaganda even as they scrambled to obtain the latest installment.
Parma was the last among those involved to learn of the novel’s existence.
Everyone around Parma avoided discussing the notorious serial in her presence. They were certain it would anger her and didn’t want to invite her wrath, so they all held their tongues.
It had been only a month since Isabelle predicted Parma would take offense within two months—barely a third of that time had passed.

***

Parma was living the happiest days of her life, attending parties and gatherings with Prince Frederick, basking in joy.
Then, quite by chance, in the powder room of a certain earl’s tea party, she overheard other young ladies conversing.
“Wasn’t the part where Miss I finally confessed her heart to Count F absolutely heart-wrenching? Such a tragic love story. Both of them have been hiding their feelings, pretending ignorance, but eventually all those carefully buried emotions burst forth, don’t they?”
“Exactly. For such a cheap serial, the emotional passages are quite well done. When Count R threatens Isabelle in that scene—don’t you think he’d really do something like that in real life?”
The young ladies’ voices dropped too low for Parma to hear the rest. The moment they noticed her presence, they lowered their heads like guilty criminals and hurried from the powder room.
When Parma first heard their conversation, she felt nothing. But as it dawned on her that they’d fled her presence, she suddenly grew suspicious of what they’d been discussing.

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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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