A few days later, Sir Gareth finally set out for the capital. As she handed him a letter to be delivered to Parma, Sophia gave him a reminder.

“Don’t forget about Oberon Harbor, Sir Gareth!”

Sir Gareth stroked his beard with a satisfied expression and nodded.

“I was wondering why you never mentioned it while I was in Ariel. I see—it was because saying it would have been pointless. And now you’re telling me to go relay the message to the old man?”

Sophia looked at his beard and remarked,

“Your beard looks impressive. But I have a feeling the Duke of Gareth might mock you for it.”

“I don’t mind if he does. I won’t shave it until he stops mocking me.”

The Marquis of Ariel shook his head.

“I don’t know the duke well, but I imagine that must be frustrating for him.”

Sir Gareth bowed politely to the Marquis and said,

“I’ve learned a lot during my time here. And thank you for writing a letter to my father praising me. He may not show it, but he actually loves hearing good things about me.”

The Marquis liked this young man, who enjoyed being acknowledged. His strong spirit and temperament, so different from Alex’s or his own, intrigued him. It reassured him that someone like the young Gareth would be among those supporting the empire in the future.

After bidding farewell to everyone, Sir Gareth mounted his beloved horse, Shadow, and rode toward the capital like the wind, with his retinue closely following. Once he and his party had left, Alex grew visibly tense. The Marquis, however, said nothing to him.

‘It’s our responsibility again.’

After seeing Sir Gareth off, Sophia took a walk around Ariel’s lands. The weather was getting warmer.

“I hope everything is settled by summer.”

Despite the limited farmland, crops were already growing. Sophia liked that Ariel thrived no matter the circumstances. She was grateful that, despite the war, Ariel had suffered little damage.

Titania protects Ariel, and we protect Titania. That’s why I love this place.

With some free time, Sophia reviewed a collection of Sir Gareth’s nagging remarks and additional military books. Though the books contained similar points, Sir Gareth’s concise words were more persuasive and easier to understand.

While organizing maps in her office, she reviewed a map delivered by John and revised it accordingly.

From the Marquis’s perspective, Saturn showed no real intention of restoring Titania. In truth, unless they planned to return to Ariel, restoration was meaningless. The bodies buried under the landslide needed to be exhumed and relocated, but the dead were in no hurry. Though she had warned Alex and others not to let their guard down, she doubted Saturn’s army would march on Titania.

While Alex was tense and busy with work, the Marquis was more concerned about Sophia, who seemed drained of energy.

She appeared to be experiencing a sense of emptiness or mild depression after handling a large workload.

For now, the Marquis decided to leave her be. He trusted that she would find a solution on her own or, if necessary, seek help.

‘Or… I could give her something to do.’

***

Currently, Ellie had taken on the role of Ariel’s lady and was managing the castle again. There was little left for Sophia to assist with. In truth, the future Marquis and his wife did not necessarily need her.

She wasn’t worried that Alex and Ellie would push her aside. The problem was that she herself had no desire to cling to an empty role or busywork.

‘I don’t want to live my life as a Marquis’s assistant, without a proper title or set duties. That’s not the life I want.’

Even while pondering this, Sophia continued working hard alongside the greenhouse staff and laborers. Though she wasn’t desperate for immediate profit, she remained committed to cultivating medicinal herbs and conducting various experiments. She was also steadily researching ways to make the greenhouse more economically viable.

Today, too, she kept her hands and body busy, but her heart felt heavy.

‘Is it because I haven’t let go of my feelings for Prince Robert? Is that why I can’t find satisfaction in my life anymore?’

She couldn’t shake the feeling that her growing unease about the future was somehow Robert’s fault.

His sweet words and promises only made her feel more uncertain about her own path. Even after their engagement was broken, Robert’s letters and visits to Ariel had only increased. While he used the excuse of handling matters between Ariel and Saturn, he was visiting far too frequently.

Previously, when Mav—who usually oversaw territorial affairs—visited Ariel, John, the administrator, would handle things. But when Robert came, things became more complicated. An ordinary administrator could not host a prince; the Marquis himself had to receive him.

Every time Robert visited, he insisted on seeing the greenhouse, seeking out Sophia. And every time, she met him there.

Her thoughts and actions didn’t align.

‘I never realized I was this kind of person. I have no right to criticize Prince Frederick now.’

When Robert visited the greenhouse, he didn’t just make promises about the future. He also spoke about his childhood and past wounds. Because of that, Sophia couldn’t bring herself to push him away completely.

One day, after much hesitation, Robert finally confessed how he had ended up in the royal family.

“I hid alone in the forest for more than a day. I knew something was wrong, but I couldn’t bring myself to return home. In the end, I ran away and survived—only to end up in the royal palace.”

He gazed at Sophia for a long time. When he saw no judgment or reproach in her expression, he continued.

“My mother was ambitious. She deliberately revealed she was carrying the emperor’s child before disappearing. Even as a child, I knew the emperor didn’t like her much. That’s why I always stayed quiet. I figured if he didn’t like her, he wouldn’t like me either.”

His face flushed as he struggled to speak.

“You’re the only one I’ve ever told about my mother. I’ve always been called a bastard, so I had no one to confide in. And I never wanted to talk about her with the emperor.”

Suddenly, Sophia felt a pang of sorrow.

‘Even in front of me—no, even in his own mind—he doesn’t call the Emperor his father.’

She knew all too well that the Emperor would never allow her to be matched with Prince Robert.

‘If I were the Emperor, I wouldn’t choose Ariel either. If Gareth isn’t an option, I’d have to pick a family with a solid political foundation.’

Sophia understood the situation better than anyone. Yet, whenever she met Prince Robert, a glimmer of hope would arise, only for her to push it away again when she was alone.

‘I know it won’t work out, but I keep hoping, only to be disappointed again. I’m tired of blaming myself and then trying to reassure myself that it’ll be fine.’

Meeting Prince Robert was becoming increasingly burdensome. As a result, Sophia gradually spoke less and less.

***

As soon as Duke Gareth saw his son appear with a beard, he frowned. However, in the presence of the Emperor, he merely let out a disapproving grunt. That alone was enough for the Emperor to understand the Duke’s displeasure.

Despite his father’s expression, Sir Gareth simply grinned.

When he presented a wooden box, the Emperor glanced at Caliban, who seemed just as unwilling to take it.

In the end, the youngest attendant hesitantly received the box and stepped back. Since everyone knew what was inside, no one bothered to open it.

Sir Gareth began his report to the Emperor.

“The proposal was well received. All that remains is to prepare for the attack on Saturn’s capital and leak the news of the assault. Simple, isn’t it?”

Noticing how Sir Gareth kept glancing at Duke Gareth while stroking his beard, the Emperor smiled and asked,

“How are things in Ariel and Umbriel?”

To prepare for the assault, Gunther had returned to the capital by ship via Oberon. Stepping forward, he reported,

“Neither territory suffered significant damage, and they have already begun this year’s farming. Fortunately, there have been no outbreaks of disease, and since the first battle, there have been no further casualties.”

“That must be disappointing for Sir Gareth.”

“Not at all. The Empire’s safety is the top priority. My thirst for victory and honor can wait. I’ll satisfy my desire for battle during the march on Saturn’s capital.”

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction, while Duke Gareth barely restrained himself from scoffing.

‘He’s practically begging to be placed at the forefront of the Saturn campaign.’

Sir Gareth was well aware that this campaign was his chance. Moreover, at this moment, the only people present in the Emperor’s office were the Emperor himself, his two attendants, Duke Gareth, Gunther, and Sir Gareth.

‘With His Majesty right in front of me, I can’t let this opportunity slip by.’

Looking at the wooden box, which the young attendant was holding as far from his body as possible, the Emperor remarked,

“I didn’t particularly need Methone’s head.”

Glancing at the box, Sir Gareth replied,

“If the war were to end without a clear resolution, someone would have to take responsibility. I simply brought the designated scapegoat in advance. Carrying all of him would have been too heavy, so I settled for just his head.”

The Emperor looked at the box once more and then said,

“Sir Enceladus cut off Methone’s head, did he?”

“That’s right. He turned out to be even more cunning and insufferable than expected. He had already decided to take Saturn for himself long ago, yet he kept provoking us for no reason.”

At this, Duke Gareth interjected,

“That’s not confirmed yet. Don’t jump to conclusions. Though I agree, he is quite insufferable.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The Emperor, pleased by their exchange, smiled and said,

“I wonder how things were in Ariel. In the end, was the Saturnian delegation the only group that made it there?”

Seeing Gunther prepare to respond, Sir Gareth spoke up first.

“Well, there were a few more, but there was no need to report it.”

The Emperor’s expression shifted as he recalled something.

“Ah! You mean those who attempted to attack Prince Frederick?”

Sir Gareth replied,

“We had already blocked their route and tracked their every move upon entering Ariel. The Marquis of Ariel, despite his gentle appearance, turned out to be quite meticulous.”

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction.

“Ah! Originally, the investiture ceremony for the Marquis of Ariel was scheduled for Uranus Day, but that’s out of the question now. Not that the ceremony itself is what matters.”

Sir Gareth commented,

“From what I observed, Ariel was exceptionally well-prepared. Although they had fewer soldiers, every guard was deeply familiar with Titania and highly skilled. They could climb trees in an instant, and they had experts in each region who knew every hidden path, spring, underground stream, and even small caves beneath large rocks. They even knew which animals frequently passed through certain areas.”

“So they were essentially locals.”

“Precisely. They had lived in Ariel their entire lives, and even the newest guard had served for at least twelve years. Before joining, they had roamed the Titania mountains extensively. And then there was the landslide…”

Duke Gareth, now intrigued, asked,

“The landslide? The one they caused intentionally?”

“Yes. Because avalanches and landslides from melting snow and spring rains were frequent, they had been researching ways to trigger them deliberately as a precautionary measure for years. This was the first time they applied it for military purposes. They also deliberately leaked false information. Saturn fell for it repeatedly and has only now realized that Ariel was behind it—but they still don’t know how it was done.”

The Emperor smiled faintly.

“Ariel certainly has hidden strength.”

Gunther knew that Sir Gareth had spoken up to protect him, but he had no intention of avoiding his own duty. He said,

“There were no nomads or refugees in Ariel. The people of the territory stood united, and despite being in a state of war, crime did not increase.”

Shaking his head, the Emperor remarked,

“Every time I hear about Ariel, it feels like something out of a fairy tale.”

At the Emperor’s words, Gunther bowed his head. Sir Gareth glanced at him and shook his own head.

‘Stepping forward to deliver a report that praises Ariel… He could stand to be a little more tactful.’