As Sir Gareth was about to feel disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm from Ariel’s people for his adventure story, Sophia asked,

“How was the atmosphere in Saturn’s military camp? Did it seem like Sir Enceladus was already preparing to turn his blade even before you proposed your offer?”

Sir Gareth replied, “The camp was gloomy. The soldiers looked like they had exhausted all their spirit in the Titania Mountains. It probably felt less like they were fighting Uranus or Ariel and more like they were battling the mountains themselves.”

Sophia continued, “Considering how easily Methone was killed, they must have been keeping him detained from the start, don’t you think?”

Gareth’s eyes sparkled at her insight. “While Methone didn’t get along with Enceladus, I didn’t expect him to be held captive. He was bound and gagged like a hostage, full of resentment. When I mentioned taking Methone with us, they seemed surprised that we even knew he was at their camp. Yet, they weren’t particularly opposed to the idea or bothered by it.”

Gunther added, “If that’s the case, it means they had decided to act before Methone even arrived. They executed him as soon as he arrived, so the soldiers probably never even saw him.”

Sophia, with an uncertain expression, said, “Could it have been before the attack on Ariel and Umbriel?”

The Marquis of Ariel watched Sophia with amusement as she explained, “Gunther told me the Emperor disliked Saturn’s delegation.”

Gunther nodded. “After meeting the Emperor, they immediately demanded access to the salt mines when delivering Saturn’s royal letter. That request alone soured any goodwill, making it hard to welcome them no matter what they said.”

Sophia seemed unsurprised.

“So, Sir Enceladus was planning this from the beginning,” Gareth concluded. “He came to Uranus intending to ensure the Emperor wouldn’t hesitate to strike Saturn.”

Everyone fell into deep thought at Gareth’s observation. The fact that Sir Enceladus was the leader of the Titan Order, appeared immediately in Ariel after the ambush, and orchestrated events so meticulously, weighed on their minds.

Sophia remembered Sir Enceladus with a sense of awe, then glanced at Gareth.

‘He’s a knight, yet he’s so shrewd and precise. How could someone like him fall victim to others’ schemes? Even if it seemed that way, he’s managed to gain justification, sympathy, and support. He even got Sir Gareth to step forward with an offer.’

Sophia turned to the Marquis of Ariel, who offered a wry smile.

“The Methone priest was impressive, but it seems we’ll be hearing Sir Enceladus’s name even more frequently from now on.”

Alex quipped, “Should he form a new nation altogether? Or just replace the king?”

Gunther replied, “He’ll likely replace the king first, then decide based on the circumstances whether to establish a new nation. If the Marquis of Enceladus survives and remains influential, he won’t rush. Sir Enceladus still has plenty of time.”

The Marquis of Ariel commented, “I’m not sure if that’s a good thing for Uranus. Given how much he suffered in the Titania Mountains, he might not even look our way. Or he could use this experience to study us more thoroughly.”

Sophia suggested, “Should we aim for more this time? Just defending Titania doesn’t bring us any benefit. We might need to secure special rights or expand our territories in Titania.”

The Marquis of Ariel smiled warmly and reassured her, “The Titania Mountains are vast. If you bite off more than you can chew, you’ll only give others an excuse to strike back.”

“Do you think so?” Sophia asked.

Gunther interjected, “I’ll look into ways to demand reparations from Saturn for the damages of this war. And…”

The Marquis interrupted, “Feel free to submit today’s predictions as a report. It’ll invite rebuttals and encourage further investigation, strengthening its credibility. Now, get to your work.”

Gunther nodded and left the room. Sir Gareth found the dynamic between Gunther and Ariel’s family fascinating. Gunther was undoubtedly loyal to Ariel, but the family skillfully managed him, ensuring he focused on his tasks.

Gareth thought, ‘They’re quite cunning… It’s like watching them win over an ally in real time. This is far more effective than any overt show of authority.’

Sophia turned to Gareth and said, “You didn’t gather everyone just to complain about the hardships you endured in Titania, did you? An adventure! Tell us about your adventure!”

With an air of composure, Gareth replied, “Exactly. I simply want my efforts to be acknowledged. It wasn’t a near-death experience, but enduring the cold, hunger, and constant questioning of why I was putting myself through such suffering… I can’t keep that to myself, can I?”

“Even though summer is approaching, camping in the mountains will still be challenging. Until they reached a place that could truly be called part of Ariel’s territory, their accommodations must have been far from comfortable. And the war isn’t over yet. Until Uranus’s forces enter Saturn’s capital and Saturn declares either a surrender or cessation of the war, we’ll need to remain in wartime readiness.” Alex added 

The Marquis of Ariel replied, “Naturally. If we let our guard down even slightly, there’s no telling how Sir Enceladus might act. He might try to harm Ariel to secure at least some semblance of an achievement. Alex, you should inspect the soldiers again and ensure morale doesn’t drop.”

“Yes, Father,” Alex responded.

Sophia also nodded, though her mind wandered to the potential losses and gains arising from Saturn’s changing circumstances. The salt mines were still operational.

No one could guarantee that any agreements with Enceladus would be upheld in the future. It was clear they couldn’t rely on treaties or promises; they had to focus on securing their own gains.

‘If we cooperate with Umbriel, we might find a way to claim more of Titania and monopolize it. We need to use Saturn’s situation to our advantage.’

As everyone was lost in their thoughts, Sir Gareth cleared his throat and said, “It seems no one is interested in hearing more of my adventures.”

The Marquis of Ariel, with a faint smile in his eyes, said, “If I may offer some advice, such stories of hardship… adventures, as you call them, are better shared with your father or siblings. Telling them to Ariel’s soldiers or people won’t elicit the response you’re hoping for. Many of them have likely endured worse hardships in Titania.”

Gareth looked slightly dejected and replied, “Is that so? That would explain why the people looked so indifferent when they saw the three of us return alive. As if it were nothing out of the ordinary.”

Alex said, “Enceladus’s ignorance of Titania stems from not using it as a place of livelihood. On the other hand, the people of Ariel and Umbriel rely heavily on Titania. They suffer there, find sustenance there, and lose their lives there. For them, it’s just part of their daily lives.”

“No matter how much experience I claim to have, I suppose I can never fully shed the image of a noble’s son. I doubt I’ll ever stop feeling proud of myself for surviving this adventure,” Gareth admitted with a wry smile.

The Marquis of Ariel spoke kindly, “There isn’t a single person here who hasn’t lived as a noble’s child. No matter how much hardship we endure, we can never truly experience life as our soldiers or commoners do. Even so, I believe it’s enough if we don’t underestimate their struggles.”

Sophia and Alex nodded in agreement, and Gareth felt comforted by the Marquis’ words, realizing that everyone here shared his circumstances. No matter their efforts, they were still nobles.

Sophia then asked, “So, who do you plan to present the priest’s head to? It would be amusing to appear in the capital as you were when you first returned.”

Gareth had bathed and trimmed his beard, but he had refrained from shaving entirely, wanting to preserve the rugged look of someone who had endured hardship. He also enjoyed the startled reactions people gave when they saw his unshaven appearance.

Gareth smiled again, and Alex stifled a laugh. To Alex, Gareth seemed more like Sophia’s younger brother. Whenever Sophia made suggestions or comments to Gareth, he always appeared pleased.

This time, too, Sophia chimed in, “If you don’t shave your beard until you reach the capital, you’ll look just like someone who has crossed the Titania Mountains.”

Gareth nodded, and Sophia thought, ‘He’s so easy to persuade that it almost feels unfair.’

***

For Ariel, the war had ended surprisingly uneventfully. Though it wasn’t officially over, they already understood the underlying situation.

Alex diligently followed Gareth’s methods for organizing and managing the army, learning as he observed. Gareth, however, quickly wrapped up his responsibilities in Ariel, taking only a day to complete his work with Alex before leaving for the capital with Methone’s head.

Meanwhile, Sophia compiled the advice and lectures she had gathered from Gareth into a manual of sorts and handed it to Alex.

Alex let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. At least I have this for reassurance. Just following him around for a day wasn’t nearly enough to put me at ease.”

“Didn’t you hear that the commanders have already completed the handover?”

“I did, but I still need to understand things myself. Otherwise, how can I make sense of the reports I receive? I don’t want to be the kind of leader who answers without confidence, just guessing based on others’ opinions.”

Sophia nodded. Military leadership and strategy were areas where Alex felt least confident. His greatest strength lay in administration.

‘He’s the quintessential desk-bound lord. Not that it’s a bad thing for Ariel.’

For Sophia, it was easier since she wasn’t in a position to directly command officers or soldiers.

However, Sophia couldn’t help but wonder if her role made her overestimate her own abilities. This was her greatest concern of late—reconciling her position, her duties, and the sense of responsibility they carried.

The innate responsibility she felt as a member of Ariel was beginning to feel different from the responsibilities tied to her role.

‘Is it because I’m not the heir? Because I don’t have an official position?’

Interestingly, Parma Gareth, who had gone to oversee the Gareth estate, shared similar concerns, leading to frequent correspondence between Sophia and Parma.

Sophia was deeply involved in many of Ariel’s affairs, yet she found herself grappling with questions about her position and the scope of her responsibilities.

Alex was the heir to Ariel. Assisting the Marquis of Ariel in managing affairs and being involved in the administration of the territory served not only as support for his father but also as training for his future role.

For Sophia, however, this was not the case.

She didn’t feel as though she was at a disadvantage, but she couldn’t shake a sense of unease about her standing and role within the household.

Even before breaking off her engagement with Prince Robert, she had thought she wouldn’t marry. After the engagement was dissolved, the territory’s circumstances improved significantly, and Sophia’s financial situation followed suit. This newfound economic stability provided her with more options and even a sense of freedom.

But rather than bringing peace of mind, this freedom and these choices made Sophia more anxious. She often said she couldn’t abandon the name Ariel as a matter of pride, but deep down, she feared that letting go of the Ariel name would leave her as nothing—an identityless existence.

She had believed that earning money and achieving financial independence would solve all her problems and bring her joy. But it hadn’t.

Instead, the newfound stability led her to question her place and her sense of self-worth.