Timid and Shy - Chapter 58

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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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58.

Caliburn found satisfaction in the Emperor’s look of surprise. There was a secret pleasure in being able to astonish the aging sovereign—something he’d never quite managed before.
Caliburn spoke, barely suppressing a smile.
“Since House Gareis has made overtures to Crown Prince Robert, he’s decided he has no choice but to abandon his betrothal and seek a new one.”
“Extraordinary. Does Robert know of this?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
“He laughed, I’m told. But instead…….”
“Instead?”
“He’s ordered a thorough investigation and surveillance of Baron Oberon and his entire household. He said that since Sophia Ariel clearly has other intentions behind her actions, they should begin with a full inquiry.”
The Emperor fell into contemplation. If Robert’s command came from cold calculation, that was one thing. But sometimes that cold calculation was motivated by emotion rather than reason.
Both Robert and the Emperor would have much on their minds. Caliburn found himself hoping they would savor the feeling—after all, he certainly did.
The Emperor, looking pleased with Caliburn, moved to dismiss him, then held him back.
“Do you truly believe Sophia Ariel wants to marry Oberon?”
“Of course not. She must have needed a pretext to get close to him. And Miss Sophia has already received all of Gunter’s reports—she knows perfectly well that House Ariel’s poverty and hardships have all been caused by Oberon.”
“Then?”
“I’m just as curious about what comes next.”
The Emperor pursed his lips and spoke.
“I’m concerned about your attitude toward this grave matter—one where Oberon may have been in secret communication with Saturn and destabilized the border defenses.”
Caliburn’s expression hardened.
“I apologize. But I confess I’m curious to see how Oberon and House Ariel will handle each other.”
As Caliburn left, a smile played across the Emperor’s face as well. He too was curious—to see how Sophia Ariel would deal with Oberon in the days to come.
At the same time, he was troubled by the thought that the plan he’d devised for Robert might crumble. The Emperor sighed and settled back into his chair.
‘Nothing to do but wait. Will she bungle this, or…….’

***

Baron Ariel, Alex, Administrator John, Pina, and Sophia were gathered in Ellie’s reception room.
Pina and Ellie were looking after the child in the bedroom. Helen was pursuing Gunter relentlessly—whether it constituted harassment or courtship remained unclear—while Sol was diligently practicing riding despite the bitter cold.
Those assembled in the reception room were waiting for Pina to bring out the child when it woke from its nap. They held their discussions while it slept and took a break once it woke.
The room functioned much like a temporary meeting hall. Administrator John had been drawn into this gathering despite himself, and still felt uncomfortable being within the inner sanctum.
Baron Ariel spoke softly, keeping an eye toward the bedroom where the child rested.
“Oberon has always acted so greedily that it never occurred to me to suspect him. In all my life, I never imagined anyone would covet Ariel.”
Sophia and John both nodded. Alex spoke up.
“I think it’s because he’s been working so relentlessly for so long.”
Sophia echoed his sentiment.
“Perhaps it’s also because Oberon seems so incompetent that no one would suspect he harbored such grand ambitions.”
Pina smiled softly. The people of Ariel did not consider themselves particularly capable. Yet despite Oberon’s vast wealth, his decades-long effort to strangle both Ariel and Umbriel had failed.
To Pina’s eyes, this spoke to the hidden strength of House Ariel. But the people of Ariel seemed to attribute it to Oberon’s incompetence.
Pina spoke carefully.
“Would it not have been safer to refuse Oberon’s invitation? I’m worried about Helen and Miss Ariel’s safety.”
Sophia replied.
“Oberon doesn’t seem to suspect us yet. Besides, I’m Crown Prince Robert’s betrothed. For Oberon to even consider taking the Crown Prince’s betrothed hostage—well, that would require treason, and it’s hardly conceivable.”
Baron Ariel spoke.
“Oberon isn’t foolish enough to commit treason. Or is he? Perhaps he might be. Who knows what Oberon might do? We only just learned he was after Ariel itself. It leaves me deeply uneasy.”
Sophia studied Baron Ariel’s expression before speaking.
“We’ve been considering using Oberon Harbor anyway. And I want to see the harbor itself, Baron Oberon, and his representative. Don’t you wonder what kind of lunatic would covet a place like Ariel?”
Everyone smiled. Baron Ariel looked at Sophia and spoke.
“Once the Salt Mine became known and I became a Frontier Baron, Oberon must have been seething with jealousy. Enraged, even. I worry he might do something even more foolish because of it.”
Alex spoke.
“He should have abandoned that stupid idea of swallowing Ariel by now. Surely he’s come to his senses by now?”
Everyone grew serious again. Given Oberon’s wealth, they could not afford to underestimate him. Yet the moment they learned he coveted a place like Ariel, he seemed pitiful. It made it difficult to predict how Oberon would act.
At least the moral high ground belonged to Ariel. Given how long Oberon’s ambitions had festered, the crimes he’d committed during that time would be considerable.
He’d likely paid bribes to secure connections with the Capital. And if he’d joined hands with Saturn, this was no small matter. They could potentially bring imperial forces to bear, though that was far from ideal.
If the Capital intervened directly, Oberon’s Territory would certainly revert to the Emperor. Sophia wanted compensation for what Ariel had endured over decades. And she thought Oberon Harbor a fitting price.
Sophia wanted to go to Oberon, observe how matters unfolded, and determine whether House Ariel possessed the strength to seize Oberon itself.
Sophia spoke.
“That’s precisely why I mention it. If Oberon’s troubles spread to Saturn, it seems we’ll need to handle it ourselves. To bring Oberon’s territory under our control.”
Everyone looked at Sophia. She glanced around carefully before speaking.
“Not the entire Oberon territory—just the harbor, perhaps.”
Pina laughed as though the suggestion were absurd. Alex shook his head.
“Oberon’s territory is nothing but the harbor and a bit of surrounding land. Just the harbor? It’d actually be less trouble to take the whole thing.”
The Inspector spoke up.
“Even if House Oberon disappears, more than one faction will covet that harbor. Umbriel nearby will certainly want it. The Capital might even use Oberon’s secret communication with Saturn as grounds to maintain control over them.”
Sophia agreed with both of them. Mere desire didn’t grant possession. Least of all for a place like Oberon Harbor, which guaranteed such substantial returns.
Sophia continued reluctantly.
“If trouble arises, our strength alone won’t suffice. We may need Umbriel’s help. And they’ll want compensation for damages from Oberon. They have legitimate grounds for it, after all.”
Baron Ariel spoke.
“What if we offer Umbriel something else? Right now, Oberon monopolizes both the tax revenue from the harbor and the profits from trade. What if we negotiate—we take one, they take the other?”
At Baron Ariel’s words, Sophia, Alex, and the Inspector all nodded in agreement.
A businessman and a lord truly are different creatures, Pina thought.
‘Is this what makes them lords and nobles? This casual notion that seizing territories is simply the natural order?’
Pina found herself almost entertained to hear how the nobles reasoned in this room. Despite how approachable Ariel’s family seemed, they were aristocrats through and through.
After a moment, Pina summarized what she understood.
“So the tax revenue from the harbor belongs to territorial administration—the integrating side keeps that—while trading rights go to Crown Prince Robert. Since both Umbriel and Ariel are victims, they each receive fair compensation. And Crown Prince Robert should cooperate with such terms.”
They then discussed plans to defend against Oberon and Saturn. Even if territorial armed conflict was forbidden by law, one had to be capable of defending against those who attacked.
They decided to continue recruiting and training troops even through the winter months.
The Salt Mine was in active development, and modest salt production had already begun. The enormous warehouse for storing salt would be completed any day now.
As work progressed, rumors about the Salt Mine spread slowly through the surrounding territories. This stirred both curiosity and greed in Oberon. It was good pretext and ideal timing for a visit.
Sophia had told the Baron and his family that she’d discuss the salt distribution channels with Oberon, but she hadn’t yet broached the subject of betrothal.
Baron Ariel already sensed, without being told directly, that Sophia had decided to break her engagement with Crown Prince Robert. The others, having heard news from the Capital, would certainly suspect that Sophia couldn’t maintain her position as the Crown Prince’s betrothed much longer.
‘So Oberon won’t doubt my betrothal proposal.’
Sophia had told Gunter the truth, but she hadn’t yet told Ariel’s family. She needed to tell them now.
‘Just without mentioning the part about a contract engagement with the Crown Prince.’
Sophia glanced toward the bedroom and spoke.
“I’m thinking of proposing a betrothal to Lord Oberon.”
At her words, everyone fell silent and stared at her.
Sophia explained in the calmest tone she could manage.
“As you all know, with Crown Prince Robert rising to the position of Crown Prince and Lady Gareis arriving in the Capital, it seems I won’t be able to keep my place. So… I thought of using my betrothal as bait with Oberon. It’s better to keep our options open, to secure ourselves against any unforeseen situation.”
Alex spoke urgently.
“No. You can’t do that. They could lock you away and force you into marriage. I know of nobles who’ve been trapped in such nightmarish arrangements. Oberon cannot be trusted. You mustn’t do this. I was planning to send you because I thought the Crown Prince’s betrothal would shield you. But if you propose marriage first, you’re discarding that shield yourself.”
Sophia watched Baron Ariel’s reaction as she countered Alex’s argument.
“But I haven’t broken the engagement yet. I’m still the Crown Prince’s betrothed. And I’ll bring the Emperor’s Inspector with me—they wouldn’t dare force marriage under those circumstances. They’ll try to persuade me with honeyed words instead.”
Baron Ariel spoke.
“We still don’t know Oberon well. We only just discovered they harbor such grand ambitions against us. And you’d guarantee they won’t do something foolish? Look at what they’re doing right now—they’re clearly foolish enough. We should refuse Oberon’s invitation.”
Sophia said.
“If they force marriage on me, that only gives us better grounds to consume Oberon.”
Baron Ariel rose from his seat and shouted.
“Sophia Ariel! Do you understand what you just said?”
Pina burst from the bedroom in alarm, and the sound of a child crying drifted through the open door. Baron Ariel apologized to Pina with a contrite expression, then led Sophia out of the Reception Room.
The three remaining fell silent and resumed their seats. Pina spoke.
“So Miss Sophia intends to end her engagement with Crown Prince Robert.”
The Inspector replied.
“That’s probably for the best. If House Gareis stands behind Crown Prince Robert, then the Crown Prince will have a chance at the throne. That benefits Miss Sophia and benefits Ariel as well. The Oberon betrothal is regrettable, but I support breaking the engagement with Crown Prince Robert.”
Alex nodded as well.
“The Crown Prince and the Imperial Court are both more than we can handle. I don’t want to send Sophia into that hardship. Sophia says she likes the Crown Prince, but given the circumstances, it seems she’s prepared to let go. So perhaps it’s for the best. I don’t think we should send Sophia to Oberon either. No matter how I think about it, they seem like fools. I absolutely cannot give Sophia to them.”
The Inspector agreed deeply with Alex’s sentiment.

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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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