Timid and Shy - Chapter 70

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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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70.

Philip spoke as though the veiled criticism left him entirely unmoved.
“Is that so? It seems everyone here is remarkably clever. You all seem to know things I don’t. How frightening. I wonder what else you know. Wouldn’t you agree, Oberon?”
At Philip Wiscom’s question, Oberon flinched visibly. Philip’s eyes flicked away from him almost at once, sliding up and down Gareis with deliberate scrutiny as he continued.
“Everyone seems to know the gazette I appeared in. What would happen if rumors spread that I’ve taken a fancy to Gareis? A striking appearance, tremendous strength, and the Gareis name besides. Who wouldn’t be drawn to such a man? I’m no exception. What do you say—don’t I make a fine suitor?”
All eyes turned anxiously toward Gareis. He smiled and replied.
“Of course. It’s perfectly understandable that Philip Wiscom would develop feelings for me. I do have my merits, after all. But I’m afraid I must deliver some disappointing news. I prefer women, and the name Wiscom is something I find rather disagreeable. I suggest you seek consolation from Oberon for your heartbreak.”
As he spoke, he glanced toward Oberon. Oberon had not touched his food; he was merely drinking wine. This time too, he drank instead of answering.
When Philip snorted derisively at Oberon, Oberon rose to his feet. His voice trembled as he spoke.
“Please forgive us. It seems we of Oberon have never received guests of such distinction, and we’re proving ourselves uncouth. Allow me to offer a toast in gratitude for the honor of having you all gathered here today. A toast!”
Even as the banquet wore on, Baron Oberon’s Deputy did not appear, and Oberon himself seemed utterly absent.
‘Now.’
Sophia felt certain that moments like this were when disaster was most likely to strike. The air throughout Oberon Castle hung thick with tension, and Philip continued pouring fuel on the fire.
‘Is Oberon truly the real target?’
It occurred to Sophia that Philip’s repeated needling of Gareis might be misdirection. Oberon seemed far more unstable than Gareis.
Philip turned to address Gareis again.
“Are you managing well in your Domain? Unable to attend the Academy, stuck in the countryside… Ah, my apologies. I couldn’t help but pity you, confined as you are to your Territory.”
Gareis replied.
“Yes, I’m doing well. I’ve learned a great deal during my time there. I’ve come to understand why Father was so determined to send me away. I thought I understood when I first made the decision, but living in the Territory has given me true comprehension.”
Pina asked, her expression alight with curiosity.
“If I may inquire—what have you come to understand?”
As all eyes fixed on Gareis, he smiled with satisfaction and answered.
“The Capital is filled with so many sordid affairs. You see such things more clearly from a distance.”
As he spoke, Gareis looked toward Philip Wiscom. Philip’s gaze flickered briefly to Oberon, who sat in a daze. Sophia caught the direction of Philip’s eyes.
‘Just as I suspected.’
Philip smiled bitterly and spoke.
“Ah yes—we mustn’t leave a pure and virtuous suitor of the Gareis Family lingering in a place as filthy and corrupted as the Capital. Such places should be left to the Emperor and the Imperial Princes. The nobility and integrity of Gareis, bound together by such pride, truly exceeds even the Imperial House itself.”
Gareis exchanged a glance with Ariel, dismissing Philip’s words with laughter. His expression seemed to say, ‘Listen to him—isn’t he absurd?’
Sophia was certain now.
‘Philip came here knowing of Oberon’s plan. He’s come to provoke them into committing an act that will kill everyone in this room.’
Sophia studied Philip. His gaze remained fixed on Oberon and the entrance to the banquet hall. When she stared at him persistently, Philip smiled and spoke.
“Cousin! I think I mentioned this before—staring fixedly at someone’s face is poor manners.”
Unlike last time, Sophia remained composed. She replied.
“I had a question on my mind, and I was uncertain whether to ask it. I seem to have fallen into the habit of staring without meaning to. I apologize for my rudeness.”
Parma intervened.
“What question is that?”
“Why is House Wiscom here? No one in this room is allied with Wiscom. Yet why come to Oberon at all?”
Philip continued to smile at Sophia, though his eyes burned with sharpness. Parma too regarded him as she spoke.
“You’re right. He’s barely on good terms with anyone here. Oberon? Perhaps he came because House Oberon and House Wiscom are on decent terms?”
Sophia replied.
“That doesn’t seem likely either. At most, one could pretend to help Oberon while actually exploiting them.”
Philip Wiscom fixed Sophia with a sharp gaze and spoke.
“I honestly have no idea what my cousin is talking about.”
“Why is House Wiscom at Oberon now? No one knew anything of a connection between Wiscom and Oberon until now, and yet here you are.”
“You figured it out yourself, didn’t you? You noticed that Oberon was an old secret friend of mine. I envy your information source—I thought almost no one knew. You’re quite remarkable.”
Sophia glanced toward Oberon as she spoke.
“The source of the Scandal Gazette about Philip? Everyone pointed fingers at Prince Robert for revealing the article. Then rumors spread that it might have been Cressida’s doing. But as the victim, Philip—you must have eventually discovered the truth.”
Everyone’s gaze shifted between Philip and Oberon. Sophia continued.
“If Cressida did publish the article, how did she find out? Someone with close connections to both Cressida and Wiscom must have told her. Someone like Oberon, perhaps? If that’s the case, then did Philip Wiscom come here to help Oberon, or to take revenge?”
Oberon reached for his wine glass as though startled, his hand missing. For a moment, Philip’s expression darkened as he watched Oberon’s panic.
Philip smiled as though nothing troubled him and spoke.
“I’m grateful for such a generous assessment of my abilities, but I still haven’t discovered who leaked my article. It’s true I came to Oberon with shameful intentions. I wanted to interfere in the relationship between Prince Robert and the young noblewoman Ariel.”
No one believed Philip’s words. Yet he continued, glancing around the table at everyone present.
“As you know, I lingered near Ariel in the Capital, trying to block Robert’s approach. I haven’t given up in Oberon either. One must be patient and persistent to achieve results. I hope my confession of these dark intentions has cleared up my cousin’s misunderstanding.”
Oberon believed Sophia’s accusation—that Philip had come to Oberon seeking revenge. His face went pale as he watched Philip.
Sophia spoke as though impressed.
“How resourceful—to have learned in advance of Prince Robert and Young Noblewoman Ariel’s visit to Oberon and come prepared. It seems the skilled informants are on Philip’s side. What else might you know?”
Baron Oberon lurched to his feet with an ungainly clatter. Attendants rushed over to steady him. He spoke, his voice uneven.
“I seem to have grown rather anxious. Without realizing it, I’ve drunk far too much wine. Let me rest a moment and return shortly. Please excuse me.”
Baron Oberon departed the banquet hall, leaving only the guests behind. Philip rose from his seat and made a show of dabbing his brow before speaking.
“I too must take my leave. So many eyes upon me—my hands tremble so that I cannot bring food to my mouth.”
Once both Baron Oberon and Philip Wiscom had left the banquet hall, Parma smiled and spoke.
“To leave only the guests at table……. Am I the only one who thinks there might be poison in this food?”
At her words, everyone rose from their seats with uncomfortable expressions. Helen approached Sophia and spoke in a low voice.
“Do you think they’re all right? Baron Oberon and Philip Wiscom both seemed quite unwell.”
“Oberon has two choices now: either we all die together, or he lets just a few of us live. But I suspect he’ll choose the first path. And with Philip Wiscom whispering in his ear, and the Baron’s Deputy nowhere to be seen—it may already have begun.”
Parma, who had been listening to Sophia’s words, spoke up.
“Then we must find a way to survive. Stefano?”
After taking one final sip of wine and setting down his glass, Gareis answered.
“Seal the estate.”
Gareis summoned his own subordinates, who had been dining in another section of the hall. His men, having received their orders in advance, were already filing out, chewing dried meat instead of partaking of the feast.
Gunter was already moving as well. He was sealing off the harbor and roads, and blocking every exit of the estate that had been mapped out beforehand.

***

After slipping away from the banquet hall, everyone gathered in the Reception Room to await news. Soon word came that Baron Oberon had been captured, but Baron Oberon’s Deputy remained nowhere to be found.
Sophia spoke.
“It seems they must have escaped before the welcoming banquet began. I had assumed they would keep us here with this grand display, but they moved beforehand……. This is unexpected.”
Robert said.
“It’s too quiet for that. If something had happened, there would have been reports. Something’s wrong.”
Sophia considered the possibility of a hidden passage they had failed to discover.
‘We lacked sufficient people.’
Even with great martial prowess, there were limits to what a small force could accomplish.
Robert called out to Sophia.
“Sophia! Could we speak for a moment?”
“Not now—later. Surely there’s much to be done right now? I’m not the only one who senses the urgency of this situation, am I? Your Highness.”
Robert’s face fell with disappointment. He spoke reluctantly.
“You’re right—now is not the time. Once Oberon’s matter is resolved, we can talk.”
Sophia exhaled with relief. Right now she wanted to focus not on Robert, but on how Oberon’s crisis would unfold—or rather, how it would end.
If she were to speak with Robert now, she feared her resolve would waver.
‘Later. For now, Oberon’s matter must come first…….’
As the estate was being searched, all the guests gathered at the Entrance Hall—positioned where they could flee at a moment’s notice should the situation demand it.
Everyone waited for news.

***

It was late into the night when Gunter returned. He began his report to the assembled crowd without preamble.
Despite the tension in his face, Gunter spoke in a measured voice.
“We discovered the body of Baron Oberon near the harbor, inside an abandoned carriage. He appears to have been murdered. There is no sign of the Baron’s Deputy. Baron Oberon is in custody. He has promised full cooperation—he claims to know little, but will tell us what he does. He spent most of his time in the Capital; the specific plans were all devised by his brother, the Deputy, and Baron Oberon himself.”
Gareis came rushing into the Entrance Hall and cried out.
“Where has Philip Wiscom disappeared to? Does anyone know?”
Philip Wiscom descended gracefully from the second floor, speaking as he came.
“Gareis! Such an earnest plea……. I wonder what compels you to seek me so urgently? I was merely returning from my room. With so many eyes upon me, I thought it best not to linger long at Oberon Castle. I came down to the Entrance Hall as instructed, but tell me—is this concern for my safety, or am I being placed under arrest?”
Gareis looked at Philip and spoke.
“I thought you’d fled with the Baron’s Deputy. I’m very curious how House Wiscom intends to escape blame in this affair. Will you claim, ‘I had no idea Baron Oberon harbored such treason’?”
Philip smiled and answered.
“I had no idea Baron Oberon harbored such treason.”
Gareis looked as though he might lunge at Philip at any moment.
Robert turned to Gareis and spoke.
“What of the conspirators? With the ringleaders suddenly gone, they must be in disarray by now.”
Gunter answered in his stead.
“We have already disarmed them all. Baron Oberon’s assistance was considerable. He said he’s no fool—he won’t be killed so easily by someone’s manipulation.”
Everyone turned to look at Philip Wiscom. Philip Wiscom let out a scoff—a genuine, contemptuous laugh.
‘Pathetically incompetent fools. Oberon can’t do anything right. Even the subordinate I thought was loyal turned his back. Was he a spy pretending to work for Cressida? Or a genuine Saturn agent? These Saturn dogs are utterly useless.’

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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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