Robert grasped Sophia’s hand and spoke with concern.

“I left it alone, thinking you had a plan, but the situation has gotten serious. Why did you do that? His Majesty doesn’t seem to have any complaints, but you’re going to suffer significant losses. The repercussions won’t be small!”

Sophia looked into Robert’s eyes and spoke gently.

“I have no regrets. I got rid of the Empress from the palace. I no longer have to live under the same roof as someone I despise. And you don’t have to keep worrying about what to do with her anymore.”

Robert murmured blankly.

“For me…?”

Sophia replied.

“Both Cressida and the Empress are your enemies. No matter how vast the imperial palace is, we were still under the same roof. Now, I’ve finally driven the Empress out of our home. How does it feel? Do you feel any better? I hoped you would, even just a little.”

As Sophia looked at him with a satisfied expression, Robert, the Crown Prince, smiled and nodded.

“I appreciate the Crown Princess’s gift.”

“No need for thanks.”

Sophia knew why the Emperor had tolerated the Empress. But knowing was one thing, and disliking it was another.

‘That was satisfying.’

Lying beside Robert, whose expression had noticeably lightened, Sophia spoke.

“Rest well. If you always do, then tonight, rest even better.”

Robert smiled at her words. It truly felt like it would be a peaceful night.

After Sophia started frequently visiting the Empress’s quarters, the Empress fell ill. When she was later moved to a separate palace, rumors began to spread like wildfire.

But Sophia was no longer the same as before. She had grown accustomed to the capital’s society and, in turn, had come to understand their interests. While noblewomen sometimes acted based on personal feelings, above all, they prioritized their families’ advantages.

‘If there’s nothing to gain from being hostile toward me, they’ll suppress their resentment and treat me civilly. That’s enough. And if they challenge me, I’ll strike back!’

***

A few days later, Parma came to see Sophia.

Seeing Parma hesitate to speak, Sophia smiled and said,

“Are the rumors that bad? So bad that you’re reluctant to mention them in front of me?”

Parma sighed.

“You must already know that there are a lot of rumors about you.”

“Yes, I’m aware. I practically forced the Empress’s authority away from her. I sent her off to a separate palace, and now I handle all the duties of the Empress’s residence.”

“Then you must also know that the noblewomen who were after that authority won’t stay quiet. They don’t say it outright, but everyone claims that you tried to kill the Empress, and His Majesty stopped you, sending her away to a separate palace for protection.”

Sophia’s eyes widened in surprise.

“It’s impressive that they can spread such a story without saying it outright.”

Parma shot her a slight glare before replying.

“A meaningful glance is enough for the important parts—an implication, a suggestion. What matters is making people imagine what you might have done. That’s how rumors spread. The key words are never spoken aloud; the listener pieces them together on their own.”

Sophia grumbled.

“And His Majesty gets to play the good guy in all this. Oh well, it can’t be helped. At least I secured authority and blocked Isabelle’s arrival in the capital.”

“Are you truly satisfied?”

“I see no other choice. Aren’t you already getting a lot of talk just for visiting me, Parma? If it’s too much, you can cut back.”

“No need. Don’t worry about it. Do I look like someone who tries to curry favor for personal gain? I’m a Gareth.”

Hearing Parma’s unwavering response, Sophia let out a refreshing laugh. She adored Parma’s unshakable confidence.

***

As soon as Isabelle heard the news of the Empress’s exile to a separate palace, she let the letter slip from her hands. The Empress was utterly hopeless.

‘The position of Empress is incredibly useful… She should have waited for the right moment while keeping her head down!’

Isabelle resented the Empress for wasting such an opportunity.

‘For someone with so much greed, she’s terribly incompetent. How could she fail to hold onto her position as Empress?’

The Emperor still had many years left to reign, and no one knew how things would unfold in the future. Just look at how the once-proud and dignified Prince Frederick had now been reduced to falling for the flattery of low-ranking rural nobles.

Isabelle found Frederick pathetic for spending his days wandering outside, but she didn’t bother stopping him. She preferred him being out of her sight anyway.

“If I just have one or two children…”

Isabelle endured the present while envisioning a distant future.

***

Though called a detached palace, it was more of a villa. Upon seeing its humble appearance, the empress refused to step down from the carriage. In the end, the attendants had no choice but to forcibly drag her out, as they had been given strict orders.

The empress resisted fiercely, but the attendants, following their orders, suppressed her and led her into the bedroom of the detached palace.

The physician attempted to administer medicine, but the empress refused, shouting,

“Are you trying to put me to sleep again? I must return to the imperial palace! How dare you stop me? I am the empress! The empress!”

Shaking his head, the physician replied, “I intended to give you the medicine for your own well-being, Your Majesty. But if you refuse, there is nothing I can do.”

After leaving the bedroom, he locked the door. No matter how much the empress pounded on it, it would not open. He then instructed the attendants and maids,

“Call me when she quiets down. If she refuses to take the medicine, there is nothing more I can do.”

Day by day, the time the empress spent raging grew shorter. Her strength was waning, leaving her without the energy to put up a fight. Those who attended her secretly welcomed her weakening condition.

And so, the empress gradually lost both her strength and her life.

****

On the day Sophia attended a party for the first time since the empress had been sent to the detached palace, all eyes were subtly drawn to the hem of her dress. To everyone’s surprise, Sophia had shortened the once-floor-length hem of her gown, revealing a glimpse of her ankles.

Upon spotting the lady who had once shown her a shorter dress, Sophia smiled and said,

“You’re right. A shorter hem makes movement much easier. I find it quite to my liking, madam.”

The young lady forced a smile and nodded awkwardly. Sophia took delight in the way these women found her difficult to deal with, even intimidating.

‘I shouldn’t feel this way, but… Is this the taste of power?’

Parma had already informed her that during their tea parties, these noblewomen referred to her as “that woman of Ariel.”

But Sophia was not hurt in the least.

‘Yes! I am that woman of Ariel!’

She was certain that if she uncovered their desires and weaknesses one by one, she could have them eating out of her hand.

‘Given enough time, there are plenty of ways to turn them to my side.’

However, Sophia had no interest in wasting her energy and time on such trivial matters. She needed a more direct purpose.

The world was becoming increasingly complex, and power would soon be divided into even smaller factions. To prepare for this future, there was something she needed.

Sophia boldly declared to Crown Prince Robert,

“For the empire’s sake, and for my own, I need talented people. A great number of them.”

Robert responded with a bright smile.

“Then let it be as you wish. As it happens, I need the same.”

***

Sophia Ariel became Sophia Uranus. However, her identity would always remain Ariel. The only difference was that the place she had to protect was no longer just Ariel of the Titania Mountains but all the land beneath them.

The reign of Emperor Robert Uranus was both quiet and formidable. There were no great events, no large-scale wars. Though minor disputes arose and grievances occasionally surfaced, none grew into significant problems.

The academies and schools expanded, branching into specialized disciplines, producing waves of skilled professionals. These individuals were then dispatched throughout the empire—and beyond.

Newspapers continued to publish articles about Empress Sophia. However, the tone was shifting.

Sophia was no longer the only titled woman. There were now several female lords, and women were making their way into various fields.

What was once a source of criticism was now being met with increasing approval. As Sophia flourished, so too did the empire.

One day, Emperor Robert looked at his empress and asked,

“Do you not miss Ariel?”

“I do. That’s why I plan to visit next month.”

“All of a sudden? There is much to be done. You would leave all of this behind? You would leave me behind?”

With an air of nonchalance, Sophia replied,

“The empire won’t collapse just because the empress steps away for a little while. I’ve worked too hard selecting capable people. I trust them.”

“Then I suppose I can go with you.”

“That won’t do. If the emperor suddenly moves, the bureaucrats and advisors in the administrative wing will be in an uproar. Do you think you can handle them?”

“And the children?”

Sophia scoffed.

“They’ll be thrilled to have me out of the palace for a few days.”

Robert furrowed his brow.

“Won’t your visit provoke Saturn?”

“If Saturn is provoked, so be it. They’ll use my visit as an excuse to hold yet another military drill in Ariel. And when Saturn sees that, they’ll be upset but pretend not to care.”

Undeterred, Robert tried again.

“If you leave the capital, won’t your influence weaken? You’ve been so dedicated to expanding schools here. The administration department must be eager to take the education budget from you.”

“They can want to take it all they want, but there’s no money left to take. I’ve already allocated the entire budget to the schools.”

Now, Robert had to come up with another excuse to stop her trip to Ariel.

He spoke in a gentle tone.

“How about expanding the greenhouses?”

Sophia smiled instinctively, recalling an old memory. But her response was firm.

“No. We have enough already. Besides, most herbs are said to be more effective when grown outdoors rather than in greenhouses. Just maintaining the ones we have now is sufficient. Building more would be a waste.”

Robert sighed, a sign of his surrender.

“I’m going to be so bored and lonely… Please, either take me with you or at least promise to go later.”

The Empress laughed.

“That was a roundabout way of saying that. I thought you’d bring up the Netunia conflict.”

“Even I know that would be excessive. So, what’s your answer?”

“I suppose I’ll go for just a week. Parma’s wedding is coming up soon, after all. The Emperor and Empress must attend together. We need to uphold Parma’s dignity with pride.”

Robert playfully smirked.

“Even at our own wedding, most of the articles praised Lady Gareth and Lord Gareth instead of us. Don’t you want to return the favor?”

“That wasn’t Parma’s fault, was it? If anything, it was your fault for rushing the wedding date.”

“You agreed to it, didn’t you? I even suggested at least getting an expensive dress, but you refused and asked for jewelry instead.”

“I did. I didn’t want to waste money on a dress I’d only wear once. But still… I never expected them to write nothing about me. The bride is supposed to be the main character of the wedding.”

“Well, you still have the jewelry. Why not take this chance to get a new dress? A glamorous one that captures everyone’s attention! What do you think?”

Sophia considered it for a moment before shaking her head. She realized that even as Empress, she was still as frugal and pragmatic as ever.

“No, spending a fortune on a dress I’ll wear only once still feels wasteful. Instead… I’d rather have a necklace. Something huge and dazzling. Even if people don’t see my face, they’ll see the jewels.”

“Do as you please. Though, it’s a shame that your neck isn’t thicker.”

Sophia shot him a glare. Robert chuckled and changed the subject.

“Before the wedding, we need to honor a young man with an unyielding spirit.”

“He’s earned the nickname ‘Male Cinderella.’ A social-climbing marriage, following in my footsteps.”

“Sol must hate that.”

“According to Helen, he doesn’t mind. He said that marrying Parma is such a fortune that it’s only natural for people to envy him.”

Robert nodded.

“Indeed, gaining a Gareth is an incredible fortune.”

Sophia frowned at Robert.

“So, Your Majesty, are you jealous of Sol for marrying Parma Gareth? For succeeding in something you failed to do?”

Robert laughed.

“I’ve never failed. I had only one person in my heart, and she’s right in front of me now.”

Sophia beamed.

“You’re getting smoother with words. Back then, you could barely ask if I liked greenhouses.”

“Every imperial greenhouse belongs to you, Sophia. If you want more, just say the word. I’ll have them built as many as you want.”

“Then another article will come out, saying the Emperor is completely under the Empress’s thumb.”

“Well, it’s the truth, so I can’t do much about it. Do as you wish. I’ll gladly follow your lead.”

“Alright. I’ll stay in Ariel for five days and then return.”

“Thank you, Empress.”

Sophia stepped closer to Robert and whispered in his ear.

“And I really do think we have enough greenhouses. Besides… there’s something even better than greenhouses.”

Robert, his face turning red, stared at her.

“Sophia, for you, I could turn all of Uranus into one giant greenhouse.”

Sophia smiled sweetly.

“Good thing I’m the Empress. I can stop you from doing something so foolish.”

〈Timid and Shy – Main Story Complete〉