Timid and Shy - Chapter 57

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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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57.

Cressida spoke with a slight smile.
“Well, well—the proud House of Wiscom deigning to ask a favor of humble Cressida. The Duchess of Wiscom must be seething.”
The Former Duchess of Wiscom spoke.
“If you wish to suppress House Wiscom, do so after securing a betrothal or marriage. I’ll say no more of my poor grandson’s knightly troubles. Now is not the time for Cressida to check herself. You’ve been far too complacent—allowing a baseborn child to gather this much power shows a lack of vigilance.”
As Cressida nodded, the Former Duchess pressed her attack further.
“I understand it stems from inexperience. You may know well how to run an estate, but the politics of the Imperial Court are not familiar to you. Understandable, certainly.”
As Cressida’s expression hardened, the Former Duchess softened her tone, as if soothing a child.
“House Wiscom desperately wishes for Prince Frederick to ascend the throne. Tell the Countess Cressida this: she should either expand her scale more substantially or employ methods less contemptible. If she thinks of House Cressida’s future, she must cultivate honor to match her power, not power alone.”
Satisfied with the reaction of the stern-faced Empress and Cressida, the Former Duchess finally smiled as she spoke.
“You may think yourselves clever, but others will find you base. If you knew how many enemies you’re making now, you’d seek cleaner ways to resolve your affairs. But that was just the foolish counsel of an old woman.”
As the Empress moved to anger at her words, Cressida pressed her shoulder and spoke.
“The Former Duchess of Wiscom has been away from the Capital so long, it seems. She frets over trifles. Even if it is autumn, the day is hot—why don’t you return home?”
The Former Duchess rose, glancing sidelong at the Duchess of Wiscom.
“I’ve brought even this useless woman along, yet she proves worthless. This old woman has said all she needs to say, so I’ll withdraw. I hope next time we speak of matters of greater worth.”
The Duchess followed the Former Duchess out. The Empress, unable to restrain herself, cried out.
“Mother! Why do you tolerate such words?”
At the sound of the Empress’s shrill voice, the Former Duchess spoke.
“Just as always—nothing changes. More than twenty years as Empress, and still. Cressida has her hands full with that one.”
The Former Duchess thought that the Duchess, who at least had some sense and could read the situation, was better off than the Empress.
‘She knows when to hold her tongue and how to make use of me.’

***

Cressida took the Empress to her chamber and had her change clothes. She spoke gently to her.
“What do you think the old woman came to say today?”
“That we should bring Frederick out more. As if we were keeping him locked away.”
“No. She was telling us to interfere between Robert and Gareis, by any means necessary.”
“What? When?”
As the Empress changed, Cressida combed her hair and spoke.
“She was warning us. She’s saying: tend to your affairs instead of meddling with House Wiscom. We were not wrong to show restraint out of deference to House Gareis, but our long silence allowed Prince Robert to strengthen his position—that much is our fault. We should have forced Frederick out into the world no matter what. We’re on the verge of losing even what should rightfully be his.”
“Frederick’s position is secure. The Emperor wouldn’t be fool enough to name Robert as heir. Why do you think the Emperor sent him tutors? He was giving Frederick time. Robert is merely filling the void for now, nothing more.”
The Empress felt that things had begun to go wrong since Robert’s betrothal celebration ball. She spoke with confidence to Cressida.
“The bourgeoisie frequent the Imperial Court, and if something goes amiss, Robert will bear all the blame. Every failed experiment the Emperor undertakes will be laid at Robert’s feet. Look how the Orthodox faction rages now. They’re surely plotting something against the bourgeoisie.”
Cressida lifted the Empress’s hair and spoke.
“Well reasoned, my daughter. You’re right. But if even a house like Wiscom trembles with fear, doesn’t that suggest there are plenty of fools outside who know nothing of this? They must see Frederick with their own eyes to truly understand. Don’t you agree?”
“You’re absolutely right. They’re anxious because they haven’t seen Frederick directly.”
Frederick could have stepped out whenever he wished. He could have met more people. The problem was the tutors the Emperor had sent. They were consuming his precious time.
Those tutors had to be stopped. But that required the Emperor’s consent.
The Empress checked her appearance once more and went to find the Emperor. Cressida remained in the Empress’s chamber, waiting. She prayed that her daughter would see the task through.
Though Cressida had dismissed the Former Duchess as an old woman relegated to the back rooms, she did not believe her own lot was the happier one.
Her children gave her no peace. The Empress, Cressida—it was all the same. Wolves and jackals surrounded them, yet her own children were but gentle lambs.
‘That old woman’s tongue is still sharp. If Frederick and Cressida can’t prove themselves, won’t Isabel’s betrothal fall through as well? I should have hastened the engagement… cunning old creature.’

***

Reports began arriving from those sent to Oberon. At first, the documents they sent were mostly mundane—accounts of the domain’s revenue and expenses, port imports and exports lists, and similar records.
But soon, a report came noting an anomaly among the data. Upon closer examination of trade with Saturn, it became clear that Saturn’s nobility visited Oberon frequently.
They were listed as merchants, but further investigation revealed that a considerable number were in fact Saturn nobles. In Saturn, the barrier between classes was rigid—nobles could not engage in commerce, even indirectly.
Even if, like Oberon, a lord possessed a port, his income came through port operations and taxation, not direct trade.
So if Saturn nobles were making frequent trips, it couldn’t have been merely for commerce. This was why the report had been delayed.
The Emperor shook the report as he spoke.
“We only learned of this now? If Sophia hadn’t suspected something, we’d still be ignorant, wouldn’t we?”
Caliburn bowed his head as he spoke.
“It is my oversight. There was a report from Gunter. The Young Noblewoman Ariel had requested intelligence on Saturn’s affairs. Since the Salt Mine lies on the border, she wished to understand Saturn’s situation. In response to Gunter’s request, I’ve already sent more agents to Saturn. More information will arrive soon. Please set aside your displeasure. As for the point of contact between Wiscom and Oberon…”
“There is no point of contact? Or is there one too clandestine?”
“It is the clandestine nature that troubles us. I investigated thinking it might be a patronage relationship between the Duke and the Baron, but that does not appear to be the case. The letters exchanged and the people who come and go—it’s all for the purchase of goods.”
“That’s true of all the other noble houses as well, isn’t it?”
“It isn’t, Your Majesty. The Lord of Oberon has sent his own people to exactly two places: House of Cressida and House Wiscom.”
“And? What was his aim?”
“The collapse of Umbriel and concealing that matter.”
The Emperor frowned as he spoke.
“Go on.”
Caliburn sighed before continuing.
“It appears to have begun when Baron Oberon was still active—over thirty years ago now. The Information Bureau we’d sent to Umbriel was investigating the bankruptcy problems of Umbriel’s former lords, their budgets, and their current whereabouts, when Oberon appeared as the puppet master. The deeper the investigation went, the more connections surfaced leading all the way to the nobles of the Capital itself.”
“Isn’t his luck too good? And good luck is always worth suspecting.”
“It was less luck than deduction, sire. Miss Sophia requested an investigation into the connections between Oberon and Wiscom, and one of Gunter’s subordinates took on the task. He discovered the intersection between that assignment and his previous work.”
“But you’re already making use of Gunter?”
“Not even three days after arriving in Ariel, she demanded a report from him—not just on the situation in Saturn, but on every report Gunter receives from Ariel and Umbriel.”
The Emperor let out a hollow laugh.
“I meant only to borrow Gunter’s hand to help with matters in the domain…”
Caliburn smiled as he spoke.
“The orders were quite broad, weren’t they? ‘Act in accordance with the requests and commands of Young Noblewoman Sophia Ariel.’ She found the loopholes quite well.”
The Emperor shook his head upon seeing Caliburn’s smile.
“You seem rather fond of that young lady.”
“If Your Majesty truly took her into your service as you mentioned, she would be exceptional. Such talents are not easy to find even if you turned the Academy inside out. She said Treasure Hunting was her hobby, but it seems she has a real gift for tracking clues and combining them.”
The Emperor listened to Caliburn’s praise with an uneasy heart. Parma had returned to the social circle, and the Duke of Gareis looked favorably upon Prince Robert. There was nothing that should become a problem yet.
But Oberon was not to be taken lightly.
Caliburn cleared his throat and continued his report.
“Along with the bankruptcy issues of Umbriel’s former lords, some suspicious evidence has been uncovered suggesting Oberon’s involvement in obstructing budget support from the center. There are also signs that he orchestrated economic damage to both Umbriel and Ariel.”
“Has Oberon been bought by Saturn? Is he trying to bankrupt the border domains?”
“I don’t believe the matter is that grave, sire. The root cause was likely his own enrichment. Inquiries into Baron Oberon revealed that while he accumulated wealth through trade with Saturn, he harbored considerable resentment over the scale of his title and domain. I suspect he wished to enjoy social standing commensurate with the fortune he’d amassed.”
“He wanted to become a Frontier Baron? But why hasn’t he managed it until now? And why do I have no memory of Baron Oberon at all?”
“Because of Ariel. Ariel has held firm, making it impossible to swallow the border domains. With Ariel bearing the burden of Umbriel as well, she sustains the frontier. Moreover, Baron Ariel has been receiving steady proposals for promotion to Frontier Baron even before this.”
Caliburn continued his report with a pleased smile.
“He must have realized that without consuming Ariel, becoming a Frontier Baron would be difficult. The Empire cannot have two Frontier Barons, can it? If Oberon had assumed responsibility for both Umbriel and Ariel’s domains and requested the rank, Your Majesty would surely have granted it. But you would not have elevated Oberon merely for taking charge of Umbriel alone.”
“…Ariel? The Frontier Baron Ariel wouldn’t be pleased to learn of this, I imagine. Haven’t you always said that Ariel’s enemies lie without, not within?”
“Two employees from the Administrative Bureau who were dispatched to Umbriel have now been reassigned to Ariel. They will primarily handle military and administrative matters. In Umbriel, Miss Ariel pressed her case as Prince Robert’s betrothed, making it difficult for them to refuse.”
Caliburn still wore that smile. The Emperor gestured for him to continue his report.
“Furthermore, Baron Ariel has received a daughter. The entire family of Pina’s Residence has gone to Ariel on account of this. Gunter mentioned that the Pina household intends to remain in Ariel throughout the winter.”
The Emperor sighed and waved his hand dismissively.
“I don’t need reports about such things. What of Oberon?”
“It is relevant, sire. Taking advantage of the winter she will spend in Ariel, Miss Helen Pina has accepted an invitation from Lord Oberon and plans to visit Oberon. Miss Sophia and Gunter will be accompanying her.”
“Can Gunter afford to leave Ariel unguarded?”
“One of the employees reassigned to Ariel this time has taken charge of military administration, and this person is reportedly someone Gunter trusts as his subordinate.”
The Emperor was curious how matters were unfolding.
“But what exactly does she hope to gain by visiting Oberon?”
Caliburn spoke.
“When Miss Sophia goes to Oberon, she plans to consult with Oberon regarding the salt mine issue. She wishes to develop sales routes using the harbor, and intends to seek their opinion on the matter. At least, that is what will be said publicly.”
“Publicly? Then what is the private purpose?”
“She wishes to sound out Baron Oberon or his proxy regarding a betrothal. Miss Sophia said so herself.”
“What?”

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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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