Timid and Shy - Chapter 37

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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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37.

Sophia concealed her delight and offered only a careless cough, as though the matter held no interest. Prince Robert studied her carefully before speaking.
“Let me clarify the sequence of events first. It’s true that Duke Gareis extended his hand to me. But candidly, there was no need for a formal betrothal—I sensed his profound disappointment with Frederick. The real problem is Cressida. If Gareis released Frederick and then immediately pursued me, she wouldn’t sit idle. Not for a moment.”
“Cressida wouldn’t dare touch Duke Gareis unless she’d lost her mind entirely. So your Highness is the target. But weren’t you already under attack from her?”
“True. I was. But the trouble is that Duke Gareis has stirred up the nobility more than expected. He publicly questioned whether Frederick will truly become emperor—and he said it in the middle of a quarrel with Duke Wiscom, no less. Afterward, Gareis apologized to me, saying he was sorry if his careless words had cornered me.”
“Was it truly a slip of the tongue? I find both Gareis and Wiscom suspicious. Perhaps Wiscom goaded Gareis into provoking a crisis for Cressida and the Empress—to raise his own value, you understand. Gareis might have deliberately put you in a tight spot for the same reason: to increase his worth.”
Prince Robert smiled and nodded. Sophia saw the situation with a sharpness that exceeded his own expectations—particularly from her position in Ariel. He spoke again.
“I’ve wondered the same thing. It could all be orchestrated. Many knew I’d met with Gareis, so perhaps Wiscom preemptively stirred the pot, in case Gareis and I joined forces. And Gareis’s words…… might have been intentional. Whether to test me or to drive the Empress to madness.”
Sophia agreed. The timing was too convenient, wasn’t it? Wiscom and Gareis had never been close, but they’d never fought openly either. They’d growled at each other, you might say, but never bitten.
Prince Robert laughed bitterly.
“After that, my popularity skyrocketed. And the novel didn’t hurt matters either.”
Sophia ventured cautiously.
“Truly? Has it sold that many copies?”
Prince Robert chuckled as though he could read her mind.
“Haven’t you already received the additional payment? After reading your novel, numerous young noblewomen think I’m romantic and tenderhearted, and they’re competing for my attention. Men seeking my favor have increased as well. And the Emperor himself seems to favor me more than before.”
Sophia feigned ignorance of his amusement.
“Isn’t that fortunate? If you use this opportunity wisely, you could meet an exceptional young noblewoman—one whose family and character you might genuinely admire.”
Prince Robert shook his head.
“I have no intention of marrying until Frederick’s marriage is settled.”
“Why not? The match is already decided, isn’t it?”
“If I move first to marry, the interference would be catastrophic. If I so much as hint at a betrothal with Gareis, there’s no telling what Cressida might do.”
“Could Cressida possibly employ a crueler method than she already has?”
“No need to find out. That’s why I’ve conceived of a false engagement.”
Sophia kept her excitement concealed, speaking with studied indifference.
“A false engagement? With whom? Ah, I see—you’re looking for a young noblewoman who’s manageable, who can be cleanly separated later without lingering consequences, and who understands the situation well enough to cooperate with the dissolution.”
“Haven’t I mentioned this before? I never had great hopes for the debutante season. Wasn’t it you who said you had no intention of marrying?”
Sophia said nothing, watching instead as Prince Robert pushed his cake across his plate with a fork, leaving it in crumbled ruins. He rose and began to walk the perimeter of the garden, giving her space and time to think.
She observed him as he toured the garden’s edges.
‘With this, I could resolve the Frontier Baron issue. But I shouldn’t rely on just that. I need to extract more.’
Prince Robert watched her serious expression and reflected.
‘A betrothal with the Prince must seem too burdensome for a baron’s daughter. The debutante season was already demanding. Even without ambition…… she must worry about developing feelings for me.’
When their eyes met, Prince Robert offered an approachable smile.
Sophia, seeing his smile, calculated.
‘If I play this right, I can extract something substantial…… Yes. I could resolve both the Frontier Baron title and the salt mine in one stroke. And still have surplus coin.’
After concluding her deliberation, Sophia opened her mouth.
“So…… if I agree to a betrothal and then the dissolution, what would I gain from it?”
The instant Sophia framed it as negotiation rather than refusal, Prince Robert’s face brightened.
“During the betrothal period, I’ll pay you fifty gold coins monthly. I’ll cover all expenses related to maintaining your standing as my betrothed. And all gifts—dresses, jewels, and such—will be yours to keep. Does that suit you?”
Sophia glanced toward the Titania Mountain Range. She had no intention of mentioning the salt mine to Prince Robert. No one could be trusted.
Especially not a prince currently consolidating power in the Capital.
Sophia smiled as she spoke.
“I need the Emperor to grant me the Frontier Baron title during our betrothal period. And I need Umbriel’s full military cooperation with Ariel.”
“The title shouldn’t be a problem. But aren’t Umbriel and Ariel already cooperating militarily?”
“Currently, that cooperation is solely for Saturn’s borders. My greatest concern is internal stability. And I won’t let my father abandon Ariel. I’m determined to protect it no matter what—so I need authorization to mobilize Umbriel’s forces if necessary, should the worst occur. Umbriel must agree unconditionally.”
“If that becomes known, no one would hesitate to accuse both Umbriel and Ariel of treason.”
“That’s not unusual, your Highness. Other domains maintain military pacts with their neighbors—to guard against rebellion.”
“This is a border region, and I am a prince. It’s different.”
“Then have it recorded that Umbriel will not request my forces. Only Ariel will. How is that?”
Prince Robert regarded her with evident respect.
“Very well. Do we have an accord?”
“No. I’ll need one hundred gold coins monthly instead. Every six months, another ten will be added. And another ten after another six months.”
“Miss Sophia Ariel. I’m asking this for my own sake, but I don’t believe your value is worth quite that premium.”
“That’s precisely why the betrothal will be brief. If it drags on, it’s clearly because of your circumstances. I deserve compensation for that. So you’ll need to expedite the Frontier Baron promotion. Unless you’d prefer to maintain this false engagement indefinitely?”
“No. It should end swiftly. Is there anything else?”
“That’s all from me. What about you, your Highness?”
“You’ll need to come to the Capital. When I ask for cooperation, you’ll provide it. You’ll attend various events when invited.”
“Must I attend many Imperial Court functions? Or would it suffice to be introduced to Isabel, or perhaps certain promising young noblewomen?”
“Don’t concern yourself with other noblewomen. What matters most is that the betrothal appears convincing. There will be any number of people probing to determine whether it’s genuine. So? Still willing to proceed?”
“It sounds like a valuable experience. I’ve only ever seen the Imperial Palace from a distance, and the thought of actually entering it now—yes, I’m certain it will be a cherished memory.”
“We do have splendid gardens and a greenhouse. They’re quite worth showing off, I assure you. You’ll find them agreeable. Once I’ve sent the contract terms, I’ll return them to you with my seal.”
Sophia finished her conversation with Prince Robert and saw him off. She postponed the matter of traveling to the Capital, as it would require consultation with Pina’s Residence first.

***

Sophia sought out Baron Ariel first.
“Father.”
“Well? Did you see Prince Robert off properly?”
“Yes. And there’s something I need to tell you.”
Baron Ariel lifted his gaze from his documents to regard Sophia, who spoke.
“I’m going to be betrothed to Prince Robert.”
Baron Ariel fell silent for a long moment. Sophia’s composed demeanor suggested she was not joking. At last, he found his voice.
“Damn Wiscom! This is all Wiscom’s doing!”
Baron Ariel looked into Sophia’s eyes and asked.
“Prince Robert asked for your betrothal? He proposed to you just now? To you? Just now?”
“Yes.”
“Is this truly what you want? Prince Robert didn’t coerce you? You’re not being forced into this against your wishes because of Ariel?”
Sophia gave a bitter smile at her father’s reaction and answered.
“I know it seems unlikely that he and I would suit each other. I understand your disbelief, Father—compared to the Prince, I am terribly plain. I’m not even beautiful.”
At these words, Baron Ariel rose from his seat, embraced Sophia, and spoke.
“Sophia. That wasn’t my intent at all. You know as well as I do—the Imperial Court. A prince.”
“Exactly. The moment Prince Robert proposed, I accepted. I had resigned myself to never marrying, and yet a prince has asked for my hand—who could have predicted such a thing would happen in my lifetime?”
Seeing the joy on Sophia’s face, Baron Ariel could not bring himself to object and gave his consent. Sophia outlined her plans going forward.
“Prince Robert says he will make every effort to secure a promotion to Frontier Baron. And knowing my circumstances, he insists I need do nothing myself—he will bear all expenses. In exchange, I must travel to the Capital. There will be ceremonies after the betrothal, and I must present myself to the Empress and the Emperor. Does this seem possible to you, Father?”
To be honest, Baron Ariel found it difficult to believe. Prince Robert’s standing was on the rise. Though he could not rival Prince Frederick, rumor had it that with Frederick’s broken engagement, House Gareis would now throw its weight behind Robert.
Considering the development of the salt mine, a Frontier Baron’s position was certainly more advantageous than a mere Baron’s. Once the mine opened, economic independence would be within reach.
Ariel would finally be capable of shouldering the responsibilities of a Frontier Baron—it meant achieving economic, military, and administrative independence.
‘If the mine opens… did Prince Robert learn of Ariel’s salt mine and propose to Sophia because of it?’
Baron Ariel hesitated, then spoke.
“Did you happen to mention the salt mine to Prince Robert? Or did he seem to know of it already?”
Sophia understood her father’s suspicion. Anyone would find Prince Robert’s sudden proposal suspect.
Sophia answered.
“I said nothing. He knows nothing of the salt mine. After receiving the rank of Frontier Baron, I won’t breathe a word of it until the preparations for the mine’s development are complete. No one must know of this now, Father.”
Baron Ariel knew Sophia was not foolish enough to mention the salt mine before Prince Robert, yet he harbored doubt still—because even now, the situation seemed unbelievable.
If Sophia harbored an unrequited love for Prince Robert, she certainly could not refuse his proposal.
‘Seeing how happy Sophia is, it doesn’t seem to be false.’
Baron Ariel nodded.
“If this is what you wish, then I must offer my congratulations. John and I will have to redouble our efforts.”
He resolved to send correspondence to Pina’s Residence at once. Should Pina’s Residence give its assent, Baron Ariel would have no reason to object to Sophia’s remaining in the Capital.

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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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