Baron Ariel, still watching the distant figures of Philip and his party, spoke.

“This might very well have been the last time I put on airs as the lord of Ariel in front of that young pup.”

John said nothing, simply gazing at the side of the Baron’s face. Sensing the Baron’s resolve, John grew even more anxious.

The next day, at dawn, John set out for the capital with his son, Jack. It was a relentless journey, with little rest for the horses. Jack had been excited at the prospect of riding a horse instead of sitting in a carriage, but the grueling pace quickly drained him.

By the time they reached the capital three days later, Jack’s face was gaunt and hollow.

“I thought we hurried last time when we came with Lady Sophia, but this time, there’s truly no room to breathe.”

“You thought it would be easy coming here on business? We don’t have time for idle chatter. Keep moving.”

The two entered through the gates, not to the administrative building they usually visited, but further inside, towards the royal palace.

While it was the same city, the scene at the palace gates was different. Unlike the long lines at the administrative offices, here there were only the palace guards standing at attention. Even for John, who had worked as an administrative officer for many years, this was a rare occasion. He was nervous.

Jack, on the other hand, was so exhausted he didn’t even have the energy to be nervous.

The procedure for entering the palace was far stricter than that for the administrative offices. After undergoing a body search, John handed over Baron Ariel’s seal and the letter addressed to the emperor.

Unlike the administrative clerks, the palace scribe received the items from John with great courtesy.

The scribe opened the letter John had given him, frowned, and immediately sent it as an urgent matter to the emperor’s office.

***

When the emperor entered his office, the first thing he saw was a document of land relinquishment. Baron Ariel had sent a letter stating he wished to renounce his land.

The emperor dropped the document on his desk with a sigh and sat back, deep in thought.

Unlike the hectic atmosphere of the administrative offices, the emperor’s workspace was serene. While John and Jack waited outside, a few people came and went, but all moved in silence.

The matters the emperor handled here were those beyond the scope of the administrative officials, mostly issues concerning the personal affairs of high-ranking nobles, such as succession or territorial disputes.

Baron Ariel’s official letter, stamped with his personal seal.

Though it was finely crafted from expensive parchment, it was, in the end, a letter of resignation. The emperor sat for a while, then called for his chamberlain, Caliban.

“Summon Robert. He’s been around long enough to understand how things work. Also, speak with the person who delivered this letter. I want to know exactly why Baron Ariel has done this.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The elderly chamberlain gave a brief nod and gestured for a servant. The door opened, and the chamberlain exited, his silver hair flowing behind him with an air of dignity rivaling the emperor’s own. It was no surprise—he had served the imperial family since the time of the previous emperor.

John, who had been waiting in the corridor, quickly stood up when the emperor’s chamberlain appeared. Caliban beckoned him to follow into his office. John left Jack to wait in the corridor and followed Caliban inside.

It was evening by the time Jack saw his father again. Jack had fallen asleep on one of the couches in the hallway, snoring loudly.

John nudged Jack awake and, with a slightly disapproving look, led him out of the palace.

John remarked, “You might be the only person in the history of the palace to fall asleep snoring with the emperor just steps away.”

“I didn’t mean to! I was so tired, I almost passed out—no, I did pass out!” Jack protested.

John refrained from further scolding him. In truth, he was on the verge of collapsing himself. The journey had been exhausting, and the anxiety left no room for rest. The meeting with the chamberlain had left John feeling sick to his stomach.

The two barely managed a simple meal before falling into bed at an inn. Within seconds, both were fast asleep, snoring in unison.

***

Three days passed, and John was still waiting in the capital. His mouth grew dry with anxiety, but unlike at the administrative offices, he couldn’t wait outside the doors or hurry the process along.

Meanwhile, Jack was thrilled to explore the capital with his father, visiting friends and shops. For Jack, the waiting period felt like a sightseeing trip.

Noticing how buoyant his young son was, John issued a warning.

“I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to keep working as a steward.”

“It’s because of the threats from the House of Wiscombe, right?”

John looked at Jack, startled, and Jack explained.

“People inside the palace already know. Even outside the gates, the rumors have spread. There’s been a lot of talk ever since Baron Ariel sent Philip Wiscombe away. Lady Sophia is concerned too—she already sent someone to Umbriel.”

“What?”

“I’m sure the Baron knows by now. Lady Sophia said Philip Wiscombe’s visit to Ariel was likely to broker a connection between him and Prince Robert. So she figured Prince Robert—”

“She said we need to be aware of what’s really happening. This isn’t just a fight between Ariel and Wiscombe; it’s a matter between Prince Robert and the Wiscombe family, with Ariel caught in the middle. Someone else is meant to deal with Wiscombe.”

“Sophia said that?”

“Yes. She insisted that Umbriel should be informed about this.”

“Could it be because she knows that the Baron sent his resignation?”

“What? He actually sent it?”

“What?”

“As soon as Lady Sophia heard that the Baron had turned Philip Wiscombe away at the gates, she acted swiftly. She said they might have to leave the territory, and she was in quite a hurry. I thought for sure that there was no way the Baron would give up his land, so I figured Lady Sophia was mistaken. I thought she was just using it as an excuse to send people because she was interested in Prince Robert.”

“Huh?”

“Well, lately she’s been reading a lot of romance novels, so I figured she was just longing for some love,” Jack shrugged.

John was astonished by his son’s foolish assumptions and equally surprised by Sophia’s sharpness. In his eyes, Sophia had better political sense and insight than even Alex.

Seeing his father’s disapproving look, Jack quickly tried to explain himself.

“It wasn’t just some baseless guess! Actually, when Lady Sophia was staying with the Duke of Wiscombe, she…”

“She what? Don’t hide anything—tell me now. Did something happen to her?”

Jack waved his hands dismissively.

“No, it’s nothing like that. Lady Sophia had the servants at the Wiscombe estate discreetly spread a rumor that she had feelings for Prince Robert. I was just repeating what she told me to say. So I thought she had her sights set on Prince Robert. That’s why I assumed the message she sent now was just about unfinished business from the capital.”

John couldn’t begin to fathom what Sophia’s true intentions were. Despite Jack’s explanation, John simply couldn’t believe that Lady Sophia held any particular affection for Prince Robert.

John was torn over whether to inform the Baron of this or not. Jack, meanwhile, trailed behind his father, still trying to gauge his mood.

“Should I confess this to the Baron? I guess I’ll have to, one way or another…”

***

Two days after Baron Ariel’s letter of land relinquishment reached the emperor, Prince Robert strode into the palace with large steps, accompanied only by Mav. Caliban, startled to see him, greeted the prince.

“Your Highness, it’s not proper for you to travel alone like this. It’s not just about the dignity of your position—your safety is also at risk.”

“I appreciate your concern, Caliban. Where is His Majesty?”

“He’s still in his office.”

Robert continued towards the office, pausing briefly to take a deep breath before entering.

As Caliban glared at Mav, who had remained outside, he muttered, “How could you let the prince wander around like this? Aren’t you his secretary? What were you thinking?”

Mav stammered, terrified, “Prince Robert wanted to travel quickly and discreetly to the capital, so I complied. We’ll have more people with us when we head to Umbriel. I’m terribly sorry. I should’ve stopped him, but how could I? Could you stop the prince if he made up his mind? How do you handle it when the emperor insists on something?”

Caliban waved his hand dismissively. “Enough. Do you think you’d succeed even if I told you how? Go find Vian.”

“Yes, sir.”

Mav hurried off towards the prince’s quarters. Caliban clicked his tongue in disapproval, muttering, “I’ve been dealing with that stubborn streak my whole life… If I had a solution, I’d use it myself.”

He shook his head as he gazed at the office door.

Inside, the emperor was staring out the window even as Prince Robert greeted him. Without turning to face him, the emperor spoke.

“It seems Wiscombe is growing impatient. This could be a good opportunity for you.”

“Perhaps, but the matter with Baron Ariel should be resolved first.”

“What’s there to resolve? I’ll summon the Duke of Wiscombe and give him a sharp reprimand. Whether the baron is ready or not, I cannot accept him abandoning his land. You’ve just returned from Umbriel. The timing feels ominous.”

“Simply rejecting the baron’s resignation won’t be enough. This is an opportunity to praise him and provide both a budget and military authority. Not just for Wiscombe’s sake, but we also need to show our neighbor, Saturn, that we’re reinforcing our borders.”

“You’re right. And in doing so, you can further solidify your position in Umbriel.”

“For now, Ariel is the priority. I’ll take my time with Umbriel, but I’d like to stay in the capital for a while, addressing the Wiscombe matter in tandem. I’ll leave Umbriel in trustworthy hands while I’m away. Baron Ariel will assist Umbriel as much as he can in my absence.”

“I’ve heard Baron Ariel doesn’t favor you.”

Robert was surprised by the emperor’s knowledge but kept his composure as he replied.

“He may dislike me, but he’s fully committed to helping restore Umbriel. He’s a man who clearly separates personal feelings from duty. He takes great pride in being responsible for our borders, and he’s done everything possible to protect Umbriel’s frontier. Even if I’m not there, he’ll never neglect his duties.”

“Indeed. People like him are hard to come by these days. The Baron is well-suited to Ariel. Both Ariel and Umbriel must seize this opportunity.”

“If this is handled well, and Ariel is granted funds and military authority, it will be a major blow to Wiscombe’s reputation. Neither Gareth nor Cressida will interfere. Ariel won’t disappoint you.”

“And you? Are you truly confident?”

“No matter what happens, Umbriel is the foundation I’ll build on. I will never neglect the task of strengthening that foundation.”

“Good. But… while you give Wiscombe a stern warning, have you considered reconciling with them? After Cressida’s scheming, I imagine the Duke of Wiscombe has come to his senses.”

“If I approach Wiscombe now, it will only solidify the relationship between Cressida and Gareth and needlessly turn Gareth into an enemy. I’ll wait. It’s better to watch how Wiscombe deals with Cressida and Gareth.”

“Then why are you insisting on coming to the capital?”

“Because that way, Cressida will call Frederick to the capital. The Empress will want to do everything in her power to prevent me from making my presence known in the capital without Frederick.”

“Are you afraid that Frederick will gain military achievements in the south?”

“No. What I fear is Cressida stirring up unnecessary conflicts for Frederick’s sake. I don’t like how unstable both the north and the south are at the moment.”

At this, the emperor finally turned to face Prince Robert, a smile forming on his lips. The emperor made no attempt to hide that he was pleased with Robert’s answer.

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