Timid and Shy - Chapter 53

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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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53.

Robert and Sophia rode through the Imperial Forest in a carriage. As the vehicle moved slowly beneath the dappled shade of the trees, their spirits grew correspondingly unhurried. The landscape, touched here and there by early autumn’s scattered colors, was beautiful.
Robert spoke first, his gaze fixed ahead rather than on Sophia.
“Have you seen the article about Philip Wiscom?”
Sophia answered in kind, her eyes turned toward the sky rather than meeting his.
“Yes. It’s curious, isn’t it? Normally when a scandal breaks like this, people are desperate to know if it’s true or false. But this time, the question everyone really cares about is who exposed it. It feels as though people are reacting exactly as someone orchestrated beforehand.”
“You’re suggesting there’s intent behind it? How many people do you think would realize that?”
“Not everyone, but those who matter would. Cressida knows, certainly. The Empress knows. And Wiscom has already figured out that you’re not behind it, so he’s saying nothing and keeping his silence. Then there are all the people who know both families—they probably understand what’s happening here. Why am I telling you this? Because I suspect you’re worried I’ll think you leaked Philip’s article to take revenge on Wiscom.”
“I was simply curious about your thoughts.”
“I don’t know you well, but I do understand this much: your situation isn’t dire enough that you’d resort to exposing Philip’s secrets in print.”
Robert slowed the carriage and turned to look at her as he spoke.
“You’re not talking about me personally—you’re talking about strategy and circumstance.”
Sophia still did not look at him as she replied.
“It amounts to the same thing. Strategy always depends on the person employing it.”
“And your conclusion?”
“My guess is that you’re not desperate enough—not yet—to orchestrate a conspiracy using someone else’s private secrets. Though I suppose you never can be entirely sure.”
“Not yet? So you’re saying there might come a time when I would resort to such negative propaganda?”
“Who can say? You yourself might not know how you’d act when cornered. You may have your own assumptions about it, but when the moment actually comes, things could be different. Some things you simply can’t know until you’ve lived through them.”
Sophia spoke from experience—the false betrothal she’d thought would be simple had proven far more complicated than expected.
Robert was not entirely satisfied with her answer, but he understood it. Sophia Ariel still hardly knew him.
‘If she comes to know me better….’
Robert spoke again.
“I seem to have succeeded in painting myself as a disreputable figure. The way people look at me is far from kind. Now, whatever I do, everyone will assume it was all to contain Frederick. There’s no escaping that narrative.”
“You’ll have to press forward. After all, you can’t gain what you want while listening only to praise. If everyone truly believes you targeted Philip Wiscom to attack Frederick, then you have no choice but to actually weaken the Wiscom family’s power. Which is why—”
Robert smiled slightly as he continued.
“I haven’t heard anything from Oberon yet.”
Sophia felt a pang of disappointment. It had been only a short time since she’d sent someone. For now, there was nothing to do but wait. She spoke carefully.
“I wish we could deepen the rift between Cressida and Wiscom. When both families are attacking each other, neither of them will just target you—they’ll go after your rival too, won’t they? Next, when Wiscom moves against you, they’ll use Cressida as leverage. I’m curious what comes after that.”
“My guess is they’ll move Frederick. Isabel’s notes are being delivered to him every day now. This incident will have solidified his resentment toward me.”
“Does Cressida know about Isabel’s notes?”
“Not yet. But we could make her aware of it. The Empress won’t punish Frederick for exchanging notes with Isabel, but she’ll certainly demand answers from those around him—ask how such a thing was possible, why they were caught unaware. That’s when the real pressure begins.”
“She’ll assume Frederick’s circle has been infiltrated by House Wiscom. There’s no way to respond lightly to that.”
“If the Empress becomes agitated enough to attack Isabel, I wonder what Frederick will do.”
Robert and Sophia exchanged the smile of conspirators.
‘Isabel and the Empress.’
Sophia felt torn between the desire to witness such a scene and the urge to be anywhere but there.
‘Though there may not be time for such entertainments.’
Sophia took care not to let Robert see her regret and bitterness. He was under constant attack. More than ever, he needed the solid backing of a powerful family.
‘The Emperor surely sees what Robert needs.’
The more Sophia considered Robert’s situation, the more her own disappointment seemed insignificant.
Sophia had never before had the leisure for an outing like this. While scaling the Titania Mountain Range, she’d eaten simple meals to ward off hunger, but such an elegant and unhurried picnic was entirely new to her.
As was the lavish lunch the Imperial Palace’s cooks had prepared.
Sophia’s first outing in her entire life was a delight. Robert had even brought a map of the Imperial Forest for her, marking the plants most commonly found there.
Sophia walked slowly, map in hand, observing the plants as she spoke.
“The environment isn’t so different from Ariel or the Titania Mountain Range, but even the same trees are smaller here. The scent and color are richer, though. And the flat ground with dense woods is unfamiliar to me. In Titania, wherever the forest grows dense, the terrain tends to be steep.”
Sophia, animated, explained the similarities and differences between the Titania Mountain Range and the Imperial Forest. The two spent the afternoon there, talking and sharing food.
As it came time to leave, Robert spoke.
“There’s something I’d like to ask. I heard you saw the Emperor yesterday, and that he gave you a gift. From what I can tell, you seem remarkably adept at gauging the Emperor’s reactions. There are times I, his own son, can’t predict what he’ll do. How do you manage it?”
Sophia hesitated. Yesterday’s meeting and conversation with the Emperor was not something she wanted to share with Robert.
After a moment, she spoke.
“I think it works because I approach my assessments from the assumption that the Emperor wishes for your good. It can’t be easy to be both a father and an emperor at once, but my starting point for all my judgments and predictions is this: the Emperor wants to help you.”
Robert fell silent for a long while.
The sun descended toward the horizon, and the wind grew chill. Sophia watched Robert lost in thought. After observing him for some time, she spoke to him.
“It’s time we headed back.”
And so their outing came to an end. It was time to return to where they had come from.

***

Sophia lay in bed, examining the map that Robert had given her as a gift.
It seemed Robert had written directly on the map the things that might interest Sophia. Clutching the map to her chest, she closed her eyes. She found herself wanting to read meaning into Robert’s consideration and kindness.
She feared that if she remained at Robert’s side much longer, she would begin to harbor unreasonable desires. In truth, she had accepted the role of betrothed precisely because of what Robert offered—his position, his wealth, his influence.
‘I’ve obtained the title of Frontier Baron, the finances, and the Emperor’s ear. That should be enough.’
There would be much work waiting for Sophia in Ariel.
‘Now that I’ve received the promotion to Frontier Baron, there will be procedures and organizational matters to attend to.’
The Emperor’s gift was speaking clearly enough. It was telling her that Robert needed a different betrothed, and that Sophia must step aside.
Sophia lacked the courage to face Parma in the social circles of the Capital.
‘As Robert’s false betrothed, could I truly cooperate fully so that he and Parma could marry? Could I praise Parma, speak well of her? Could I really push him toward her, wish them happiness together?’
The very thought made her feel as though she were shrinking.
‘To praise another woman to Robert and help unite them… I don’t think I could bear it.’
Two days later, Sophia departed for Ariel. It felt as though she had been away from Ariel for an eternity, though in truth she had been gone for only three months and a little more than two weeks, travels included.
After leaving for Ariel, Sophia ensured that her letter reached Robert.
She knew Robert would have no reason to prevent her departure, but she feared that she herself might begin to hope that he would hold her back. That fear alone had driven her to leave.

***

When Robert received news of Sophia’s departure and read her letter, he spoke without emotion.
“As expected. It was always the plan, then. To stay as far from the Capital as possible, to avoid entanglement. The clause about payments during the betrothal period—I assumed it was for the travel, but…”
Vian spoke quietly, savoring a moment of quiet relief.
“Remaining in the Capital and staying away from society for long would invite all manner of gossip. It would have benefited neither Your Highness nor Lady Sophia. And once word spreads of Ariel’s salt mines, there will be much work in Ariel itself. Lady Sophia would never have been able to remain comfortably in the Capital in any case.”
Robert glanced sideways at Vian and spoke.
“You seem relieved.”
Though Vian’s true feelings had been exposed, he withdrew without betraying himself.
‘Lady Sophia is truly wise. To leave at precisely the right moment—I should offer prayers for Ariel’s blessing.’
Now Vian could praise Sophia without reserve and hope wholeheartedly for Ariel’s prosperity.

***

Ariel was in the midst of construction. The streets teemed with wagons laden with building materials and workers. Baron Ariel—for that was what her father must now be called—came to meet Sophia upon her arrival.
“Welcome home. It’s good that you’ve returned, though I hear you made quite a stir in the Capital. Surely you won’t find Ariel too dull now?”
Sophia looked around at the bustling activity and replied.
“With construction underway and so much to manage in the Territory, there’s plenty of work. Besides, I brought back so many books and things from the Capital that there’s no danger of boredom.”
Sophia distributed gifts among the Ariel household members. During her time in the Capital, she had purchased items whenever the opportunity arose. Robert had provided her with funds, and she had maintained a steady separate income as well.
Knowing she would always have to return to Ariel, she had taken every chance to prepare gifts.
As Baron Ariel watched his daughter distribute her largess with such ease, he felt conflicted. In truth, he had harbored doubts about her. The sudden betrothal to Robert seemed wrong no matter how he thought about it.
‘The timing was too perfect. The speed of my own elevation to Baron…’
His doubt was not of Sophia’s intentions. Rather, he doubted Robert’s. Robert was far too exalted a match for Sophia to claim for herself.
Had Frederick’s succession been assured, the situation might be different, but even here in Ariel, far from the Capital, Baron Ariel could see that Frederick’s position was wavering.
Seeing Sophia arrive in Ariel, Baron Ariel could read the situation in the Capital. The higher Robert’s chances of the throne rose, the more precarious Sophia’s position would become.
In other words, the place beside Robert was not meant for Sophia. No matter that he had become a Baron and Ariel had begun developing its salt mines, they could not compare to families that had built wealth, prestige, and connections across generations.
Seeing the complex expression on Baron Ariel’s face, Sophia understood that her father had already guessed at what the future held. She was certain now that she had been right to return to Ariel.
‘With Father here, I’ll be able to recover soon enough. I can settle everything before the wounds grow too deep.’
Even if she were to spend her whole life alone in Ariel, Sophia had no regrets.
‘Everything is according to plan. So there’s no problem.’
Sophia would live well in Ariel, carrying with her the memories of the Capital. Whether those memories would remain beautiful was something only she could decide.
‘Still, it’s better than spending a lifetime without ever loving someone. Sophia of Ariel, I was fortunate. I’ll be fine soon. No—I’ll be perfectly fine.’

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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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