Timid and Shy - Chapter 65

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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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65.

At that same moment, Count Oberon and Baron Oberon’s Deputy sat across from each other. The deputy spoke first.
“Father says he won’t abandon the plan.”
Count Oberon rose from his seat.
“Madness! Is he trying to get us all killed? The old fool doesn’t even realize he’s dancing in a young woman’s palm. Do you know what he did? Sent the Saturn woman and the youngest back to Saturn. Our brother’s family is in the Empire—if this fails, that woman and child will live. But what about us?”
The deputy spoke weakly.
“Do you think you can break Father’s stubbornness?”
“So we’re supposed to push forward with a plan that’s obviously doomed to fail? I’d rather seduce Sophia myself. Did you see her today? She was shocked that Ariel was coming. Since she’s a fake anyway, wouldn’t she fold if I played it right?”
“This has spiraled completely. I’ll try to persuade Father one more time. We need to buy time. Prince Robert and House Gareis—even if House Wiscom and House Cressida are backing us, they won’t die in our place.”
“Of course not. Philip Wiscom should arrive soon!”
“What?”
Count Oberon spoke.
“To interfere with the betrothal between Prince Robert and House Gareis. Won’t Philip Wiscom at least buy us some time?”
The deputy answered without energy.
“I don’t know anymore. It feels like everyone already knows about our plans. It’s as if someone’s been telling them that we’ve allied with Saturn.”
Count Oberon’s eyes widened slightly at those words. He spoke in a trembling voice.
“Who betrayed us? Saturn? Cressida?”
The deputy replied.
“If everyone knows… then Father’s right. We’ll have to push through.”

***

Gunter knocked carefully before entering the room. Sophia stood at the window gazing out at the sea, even in the cold weather. The window had been open so long that the room had grown chill.
Sophia spoke.
“From anywhere in Oberon Castle, if you open a window you can see the sea. The wind that blows from the sea is quite different from the mountain wind.”
“Still, it’s equally cold. I should have someone light the fireplace.”
Sophia made no reply and gazed out the window endlessly. Gunter called for someone to light the fireplace, closed the window while the flames caught, and ushered Sophia to sit before the hearth.
Sophia accepted the teacup Gunter offered and spoke.
“What’s the current state of Oberon? Are Saturn’s spies crawling all over the place?”
“It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen a harbor this lively despite the winter season. Not many ships coming in, yet the taverns are packed with customers. And I’ve had plenty of company following me around—haven’t been lonely at all.”
“Did Helen mention it? About the people they posted right behind you? Can’t we make something of that?”
“That would be difficult. It’s something I encounter every time I conduct local investigations.”
“Do all imperial inspectors work while being watched like this?”
“When I work as an inspector, it feels as though I’ve become a spy. I’m only a person carrying out the Emperor’s will.”
“Hmm.”
“That’s the common sentiment. There must be a reason inspectors are called Imperial Hounds.”
“You’ve heard many stories. People say that a territory an inspector has visited is never quite the same afterward.”
Gunter sighed before continuing.
“That’s why everyone views inspectors with suspicion and assigns watchers. But you can’t accuse Oberon of wrongdoing simply because he appointed someone to follow me. Many of those people assigned to watch inspectors have committed crimes, certainly—but not all of them. I can’t indict Oberon just for that.”
Sophia spoke.
“Why do you think Prince Robert is coming to Oberon at all?”
“Isn’t he anxious because you’re here?”
“So he comes with Parma, the young lady of House Gareis? Because he’s anxious?”
“House Gareis has considerable military strength, so Oberon won’t dare move against him carelessly. If something goes wrong, Gareis won’t sit idle.”
“Ah, of course!”
Sophia felt clarity suddenly dawn. The value of Parma Gareis. The military might of House Gareis! She sighed inwardly at how jealousy had clouded her judgment, making her blind to the true situation.
“Prince Robert is far more calculated than I gave him credit for.”
Seeing Sophia’s expression lighten, Gunter didn’t press further about Prince Robert. Gunter spoke.
“With Prince Robert, the young lady of House Gareis, and me—the Emperor’s inspector—all in Oberon, whatever Oberon’s plan was, it will have to be revised.”
“True. Still, I’m curious what their original plan was.”
“If Oberon suggests a betrothal to buy themselves time to revise their plans, would you consider it?”
“I wouldn’t have, but now that you mention it that way, I’m tempted. A betrothal with Count Oberon.”
“Well…”
“Should I go check on things? Helen must be worried sick. I’ll need you nearby. With the young lady of House Gareis coming, the broken engagement will happen quickly anyway—I’d prefer if Count Oberon would try to seduce me instead.”
“Aha, haha!”
Gunter laughed awkwardly. Sophia thought that if Count Oberon changed his attitude, it would mean the plan had shifted.
Helen and Sol, anxious, had been hovering in the corridor outside Sophia’s room. The moment they caught sight of her, they rushed over, immediately asking if she was all right.
Gunter sighed, his thoughts turning inward.
‘Don’t interfere. Don’t you dare interfere. The broken engagement isn’t my concern. Blast it all! Why is Prince Robert even coming here? He should be in the Capital.’
Gunter surveyed the corridor, utterly devoid of passing servants.
‘Suspicious types have suspicious air about them from the start, that’s just how it is.’
Helen, noticing Gunter’s grave expression, approached him and gave his ribs a subtle jab.
“You have to be on Sophia’s side, Gunter. Promise me you’ll be on Sophia’s side even if Parma shows up.”
Gunter began to sweat. Sophia and Sol watched the two of them exchange words.
“Helen really does like Gunter, doesn’t she?”
“Even if Gunter’s pitiful, just pretend you don’t notice. Once he realizes Helen’s being strange, he’ll at least have a chance to run or steel himself.”
“Hmm. You think so?”
“But do we really have to stay in Oberon? Something feels off about it, doesn’t it?”
“What feels off?”
“At the harbor—ships coming and going in a rush. More people arriving than departing, right? In this season? In Oberon?”
Sophia found it admirable that Sol suspected the same point as Gunter. She spoke.
“You hate being treated like a child by everyone, yet you seem to have quite the knack for putting it to use.”
“Every time someone calls me one, I throw a fit like a real child—I know that much. And besides, it makes it easier to poke around here and there. If I whine about wanting to ride a ship, tomorrow I can look around the harbor and come back.”
“Sol. I’m saying this one more time……”
“I know. I’ll be careful. I’ll stay as close to Gunter as I can.”
Sophia observed the three who had followed her. Each one was doing their part to understand the situation in Oberon.
‘I do want to take Oberon. But perhaps I lack the strength.’
Whether House Oberon revised their plans or pressed forward with them, the most crucial matter was minimizing Ariel’s losses.
No matter how tempting it was to seize Oberon, she could not employ a method that would cost Ariel any significant suffering.
It seemed far better if Oberon were to rise up precisely when Prince Robert and the Gareis heiress arrived there.
Under current circumstances, the question of who would ultimately control Oberon was a matter to be deferred.
‘To neutralize Oberon without harm to Ariel and claim credit for a portion of it—that’s what I need.’
Such was Sophia’s conclusion after deliberating all afternoon.
The fact that Prince Robert was bringing the Gareis heiress to Oberon suggested the threat was no small matter. A misstep born of greed could ruin everything.
‘Protecting Ariel is the absolute priority. Everything else comes after.’

***

Inside the carriage speeding toward Oberon, Robert continued examining the documents. Parma stared at him intently. Prince Robert glanced up, noticing her gaze.
“Do you have something to say?”
Parma spoke.
“We’ve been together for more than a week now, and you’ve never shown me any affection. Not even trembled?”
Robert raised an eyebrow. Parma gestured toward the documents piled around him.
“Are you thinking of merging Oberon with Umbriel?”
“I haven’t given that any thought yet. I’m simply trying to gauge Oberon’s finances and estimate what military strength they could muster if they chose to do so.”
“Hmm. Seeing that the Ariel heiress went all the way to Oberon suggests considerable interest. If Ariel were to propose integrating Oberon themselves, would you allow it?”
“I’m still uncertain about that. Baron Ariel is a trustworthy man—he protected Ariel even under Oberon’s oppression. He certainly doesn’t seem like a poor choice.”
Parma smiled. Robert, however, frowned at the sight of her expression. He could not fathom her reaction to his answer.
Robert found himself missing Sophia’s clear words and direct conversation once more.
Parma’s thoughts turned inward.
‘He doesn’t truly love Sophia Ariel—he wants to hire her as an empress. He approved of Baron Ariel’s competence and the heiress’s abilities and hired them accordingly.’
Parma simultaneously understood Robert’s choice of Ariel and found herself increasingly curious about Sophia Ariel.
‘I dislike men like Frederick who become intoxicated with their own feelings, but I also dislike men like Robert who attach rational justifications to every single action from start to finish. How can brothers be such polar opposites?’
Prince Robert asked.
“What are you thinking about?”
“You’re really nothing like Prince Frederick, are you?”
With that, Parma fell silent again. Robert shook his head and returned his attention to the documents.
Suddenly, finding the air in the carriage stifling, Parma opened the window. Cold wind rushed in. Ahead, someone rode on horseback despite the freezing weather.
They appeared to have only recently begun learning to ride. Their posture was awkward, their rhythm with the horse uneven—details that caught Parma’s eye. Yet watching them gallop along with their coat fluttering in the cold wind made Parma envy the rider.
“Riding by the sea like this would be rather nice, wouldn’t it?”
Robert gathered the documents scattering in the cold breeze as he spoke.
“The wind is blowing. If you could close the——”
Rather than close her window, Parma opened Robert’s as well. The rider, seeing several distinguished carriages approaching from behind, dismounted and cleared the road.
The coachman offered thanks, and the rider returned the gesture. Parma leaned out the window, watching the dismounted figure.
The youthful face was flushed red from the cold wind, yet the entire countenance radiated such evident joy that anyone who saw it felt their spirits lift.
Parma smiled as she gazed at them.
Sol met Parma’s gaze through the carriage window and felt all the blood rush to her face. Unable to help herself, Sol spoke.
“An angel……!”
Prince Robert rose hastily and shut the window.
Parma heard Sol’s murmur and laughed with genuine delight. The boy’s innocent praise had softened her heart considerably.

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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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