Sophia began unpacking her belongings. She instructed her servants to move the items gifted by the royal greenhouse director to the greenhouse. Hearing her orders, one of the servants asked,

“Should we move them to the new greenhouse? It still needs organizing, but it might be better to transfer the items now.”

Sophia looked at the servant in confusion.

A new greenhouse was being constructed next to the estate. Its large size left her wondering how she hadn’t noticed it before. As Sophia stared at the greenhouse in surprise, Jack appeared casually and explained.

“Prince Robert sent an architect to build the greenhouse as an engagement gift. It’ll be ready for use in a month. The prince must truly cherish you, Lady Sophia.”

The resolve Sophia had been painstakingly maintaining began to waver.

She gazed at the greenhouse. She remembered how many times she had hesitated before finally spending the pouch of money the duchess had given her to repair the old greenhouse. And now, before her stood a much larger and grander greenhouse than the original.

Noticing Sophia staring at it for a long time, Jack chuckled and remarked,

“When you met Prince Robert at your debutante ball, could you have ever imagined something like this?”

Sophia thought to herself, ‘No, I really couldn’t have.’

Jack added, “Building a greenhouse for his fiancée… Prince Robert truly is extraordinary. And it’s this big, yet it’s solely for you!”

“You make it sound like it’s an incredible feat,” Sophia replied.

“Hehehe,” Jack grinned, then continued with an awestruck expression, 

“It feels like a dream. It’s only been a few months since we first went to the capital, and now you’re engaged to a prince, there’s this greenhouse, the Titania salt mines, and even the title. To think all this has happened in less than a year!”

Sophia nodded in agreement.

‘All of this is now in Ariel. Sophia Ariel, you’re doing well. You’ll continue to do well, as long as you don’t get too greedy. Just be careful, like always. Small, cautious ambitions—that’s the way.’

Taking the opportunity, Sophia asked Jack about the state of Ariel.

“Has anything happened in Ariel?”

“Nothing much, but things have gotten busier. Progress is faster now. A newly recruited military unit has already set up camp. They’re training, and it’s quite a sight—villagers even come to watch.”

“Really?”

“Yes, seeing so many soldiers moving in perfect sync is quite impressive. Also, three new shops and a tavern have opened in town, along with an inn. It only has five rooms for now, but two are already occupied.”

“Only two?”

Jack shook his head at Sophia, who seemed to have grown accustomed to the capital’s scale.

“The soldiers have their camp, the workers live at home or with relatives, and the experts from the capital are staying in the castle. But it’ll grow over time.”

“Yes, it’ll grow,” Sophia agreed.

“Looks like living in the capital has made it hard for you to adjust to little Ariel,” Jack teased.

“Maybe. And seeing how you keep chatting with me, it seems John’s been too lenient with you, letting you have time to loaf around here.”

Jack’s face turned pale as he protested. “I only sneaked out to say hello to you! Please don’t say that—if he squeezes me any harder, I’ll die. Really, I mean it!”

Sophia laughed at Jack’s dramatics and replied, “I’m thinking of hiring someone to manage the greenhouse. Could you tell John about it?”

“Sure. Any age preferences?”

“No, anyone is fine. I’ll pay them directly, so just send someone over.”

“Understood, Lady Sophia.”

Carrying the gifts Sophia had handed him, Jack shuffled away, clearly trying to stretch his time out of work. His sluggish pace confirmed that John was putting him through rigorous training.

Sophia took a stroll, inspecting the greenhouse, the construction site, and the castle’s surroundings. As Jack had said, there were more shops and people than before. While still small and few in number, it was progress, and that’s what mattered.

‘This is Ariel.’

***

That evening, Sophia had dinner with her family for the first time in a long while. The conversation at the Ariel family’s table revolved entirely around matters of the estate.

There was talk of preparing the mountain fortress and stocking food supplies before winter, as well as increasing the size of the local security force to handle the growing population.

Ellie, who seemed familiar with these topics, occasionally added her thoughts. Sophia also listened attentively to the discussions. At one point, Alex turned to her and asked,

“How long do you plan to stay in Ariel? Winter here is cold and dull. Wouldn’t it be better to return to the capital?”

“Autumn isn’t even over yet, and you’re worried about me being here? Is that really your concern?”

Sophia’s gaze shifted to Ellie, whose belly was visibly swollen with child. Alex replied with a serious expression,

“I’m worried about whether Ellie will manage through the winter here. I suggested she go to the capital with you, but she wouldn’t listen. If you could—”

Ellie rubbed her belly and said, “I’m concerned too, but I don’t think I could handle traveling by carriage after giving birth. It’s not a short journey. And honestly, I’m worried the baby might come early if I travel now.”

Sophia thought for a moment before suggesting, “Then let’s renovate Ellie’s room. I heard the team working on the greenhouse also does insulation work. I’ll look into it. It might even be beneficial for them to take on an additional project while they’re here.”

Ellie nodded in agreement. “That might be better.”

The marquis and Alex looked uneasy. Sophia added, “You’re worried about Mother, aren’t you?”

Both of them avoided Sophia’s gaze. Her mother had been bedridden ever since giving birth to her. Sophia began to understand why everyone was so worried.

That made Sophia start worrying about Ellie as well.

Looking around at the three of them, Sophia spoke up.

“Things will improve with the renovation. Ellie, you’d feel anxious without Alex, wouldn’t you? Honestly, it’d be better if Alex and Ellie went to the capital together instead of me.”

Alex replied, “There’s still a lot to be done. If we wait until my work here is finished, we’ll miss our chance. That’s why I was going to ask you to go.”

Sophia said, “Madam Finega will be coming to Ariel soon too. Don’t worry! She’ll come well-prepared.”

Alex held Ellie’s hand for a moment and said, “I’m sorry. I should have put you first.”

Ellie smiled and shook her head. But Sophia doused their warm, tender atmosphere with cold water.

“You should have. Sweet words don’t mean much on their own. Let’s renovate the estate properly. The baby’s room, the guest room, and Ellie’s room—let’s prioritize these three first.”

The Marquis of Ariel remarked, “Sophia, you’ll have to take on a lot. Are you sure you’re up for it?”

“Yes, I’ll handle it. Ellie, just move to another room. That’s all you need to do. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Ellie and Sophia agreed to discuss more details about the renovations later. While the Marquis of Ariel felt reassured, he was also somewhat worried.

Sophia could care for Ellie well while she stayed in Ariel. However, her apparent lack of intention to go to the capital remained concerning.

‘I hope she’s truly resolved things. I hope she’s not just pretending to be fine.’

***

In Ariel, there was a mountain of tasks to tackle. Helping Ellie, who was heavily pregnant, managing the estate, and starting the renovations were just the beginning.

As soon as the greenhouse construction was completed, the estate’s renovations began. Experts from the capital, eager to increase their income, were willing to take on another project while they were in Ariel.

The old greenhouse was relocated, and the space it previously occupied was turned into a cozy retreat for the family—a place Sophia found comforting.

Sophia no longer made efforts to keep up with the capital’s news. Previously, she had sought magazines and newspapers through Administrator John or Jack, but now, she let it be.

Her focus shifted to Ariel, both its surroundings and its inner workings. She planned to push Gunther hard as soon as Helen arrived.

Looking at a map of Uranus, Sophia reflected: Ariel and Umbriel stood side by side, guarding Titania. Oberon rested peacefully beneath Ariel, enjoying its comforts.

‘Oberon… A fief with a prime harbor. Having access to a harbor would make selling salt much easier. Gunther is definitely…’

For a time, Sophia busied herself with filling and organizing the greenhouse while overseeing the estate’s renovations. Ellie’s room renovations were completed surprisingly quickly.

Sophia scolded Alex. “They say the renovations will only take a week. If you’d planned ahead, we wouldn’t have to deal with all this uncertainty. What’s the use of saying you’ll take good care of Ellie when you’ve done nothing for her?”

Alex nodded as he took her scolding. “I think so too. I feel terrible about Ellie. But with the military, the knights, the salt mine, and hiring personnel, I’ve been overwhelmed. I can’t just leave things to others—it wouldn’t sit right with me. John and Father are swamped too, so as the heir, it’s my job to step up.”

Sophia couldn’t bring herself to scold him further. As the domain grew, the lack of people to manage things became more apparent.

She thought of Umbriel. Since many administrators had been sent there from the central government, perhaps she could borrow one or two.

‘After all, the military matters are often shared, and so are many administrative tasks.’

When Sophia mentioned it to John, he agreed. Sophia herself sent a formal cooperation request to Umbriel, ensuring to include the phrase, “At the request of Lady Sophia of Ariel, fiancée to Prince Robert,” in every sentence.

‘It’s a title I won’t have for long, so I might as well make full use of it while I can.’

***

On her third day in Ariel, Sophia invited Gunther to tea in the garden. She had questions that needed answers before Helen arrived.

Sophia wasted no time showing Gunther the certificate the Emperor had given her. Gunther smiled awkwardly and said, 

“The Emperor must have been impressed by you, Lady Sophia. Even as Prince Robert’s fiancée, this kind of decree is unusual.”

“I believe the Emperor deemed the person assigned to me necessary. So tell me, why Ariel? Why not Umbriel? Does it have something to do with your hidden mission?”

Time was short, so Sophia pressed him directly. Gunther swallowed hard and replied, 

“The tasks of budget oversight and understanding the territory’s dynamics are genuine. This applies not just to Ariel but also to Umbriel.”

“And why are you staying in Ariel instead of Umbriel?”

“If I were in Umbriel, there would be too many people watching and interfering with me.”

“Cressida? Wiscombe?”

“I’m not singling out specific factions. My task is to observe the situations in both Ariel and Umbriel and monitor for suspicious activity, whether it’s from the lords or within the territories themselves.”

“That’s too vague. Can I also receive the reports you’re submitting? And I have a request for you as well.”

Gunther, showing signs of discomfort, cleared his throat and said, “I don’t have much time since I’m responsible for both Ariel and Umbriel.”

Sophia replied, “A new teacher will arrive once winter ends. During the winter, Helen will be staying in Ariel and helping with school matters. Gunther, you don’t need to worry about time.”

Gunther, looking uneasy, said, “If something happens in Umbriel, it won’t be a minor issue. So…”

“I understand. They’ll likely use the expanded forces as an excuse to fabricate treason or rebellion, right? Everyone is expecting it—it’s just a matter of timing. Reports of suspicious activity are already coming from both Umbriel and Ariel. If signs of a rebellion emerge or someone planning to fabricate one is discovered, what exactly will your role be? Will you simply assess the situation, or do you have the authority to mobilize troops directly?”

Gunther hesitated to answer, glancing at the certificate in his hand. He wondered if the Emperor or Caliban had truly anticipated the kind of questions Sophia would ask or the actions she might take with the authority granted by the document.

What do I do now?