The Countess of Cressida smiled as she spoke.

“My, my, the proud House of Wiscombe making a request of humble little Cressida? The Duchess of Wiscombe must be laughing at this.”

The former Duchess replied,

“If you want to suppress Wiscombe, you’d best wait until after there’s an engagement or marriage. I won’t even mention the issue of my poor grandson’s knighthood anymore. Now isn’t the time for Cressida to be holding anyone in check. You’ve been too complacent. Letting a mere illegitimate child grow this powerful—it’s unthinkable.”

When the Countess of Cressida nodded, the former Duchess raised the stakes in her attack,

“I understand that lack of experience might be the issue here. You may be skilled at running estates, but court politics? That’s another story. It’s understandable.”

As the Countess’s expression began to harden, the former Duchess softened her tone as if to console her,

“Wiscombe fervently wishes for Prince Frederick to ascend the throne. Please convey this to the Count of Cressida as well: either expand your influence or use less dishonorable methods. For the future of the House of Cressida, you must nurture not just power but the honor that should accompany it.”

Satisfied with the strained reactions of the Empress and the Countess, the former Duchess finally smiled.

“You may think yourself clever, but some would call you underhanded. If you knew how many enemies you were making, you’d find a cleaner way to resolve things. Consider this the foolish advice of an old woman.”

The Empress, barely restraining her anger, tried to retort, but the Countess placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke,

“The former Duchess of Wiscombe must have been away from the capital for far too long. She seems to have acquired quite a bit of needless worry. It may be autumn, but the day is hot—perhaps it’s time for you to take your leave.”

The former Duchess glanced briefly at the Duchess of Wiscombe, then stood up.

“I’ve even brought along this useless old woman, and yet I’ve failed to deliver my value. But at least I’ve said all I came to say. I suppose it’s time for me to retreat. I look forward to a more worthwhile conversation next time.”

The Duchess followed the former Duchess out. The Empress, unable to contain her frustration, shouted,

“Mother! Why do you tolerate such remarks?”

As the Empress’s shrill voice echoed behind her, the former Duchess muttered,

“She’s the same as ever. Over twenty years on the throne, and nothing has changed. Poor Countess Cressida, enduring such hardship even at her age.”

The former Duchess considered that, at the very least, the Duchess of Wiscombe had the sense and political acumen to use her effectively—something the Empress sorely lacked.

“She knows when to stay silent and how to make use of me.”

***

The Countess of Cressida escorted the Empress to her chambers to change clothes. With a gentle tone, she asked,

“Do you know why that old woman came here today?”

“She wants Frederick to go out more, as if we’re keeping him locked away.”

“No, that’s not it. She wants us to sabotage things between Robert and Gareth.”

“What? When did she say that?”

As the Countess styled the Empress’s hair, she explained,

“Her words were a warning. She’s telling us to focus on our task instead of meddling with Wiscombe. It wasn’t a bad move to lay low and monitor the Duke of Gareth, but we left too much of a gap, and Robert used it to solidify his position. We should have brought Frederick out into the open long ago. At this rate, he’s losing ground that once belonged to him.”

“Frederick’s position is secure. The Emperor isn’t foolish enough to name Robert as his heir. Why do you think he sent tutors to Frederick? He’s giving him time. Robert is just filling the gap temporarily.”

The Empress thought back to the ball celebrating Robert’s engagement, when everything began to go awry. Confidently, she said to the Countess,

“If the bourgeoisie’s frequent visits to the palace go wrong, Robert will bear all the blame. The Emperor’s experimental ventures will fail, and Robert will take the fall. Have you noticed how furious the traditionalists are? They’re bound to strike back soon.”

The Countess smiled as she fixed the Empress’s hair.

“Well said, my daughter. You’re right. But the fact that even a house like Wiscombe is uneasy means there are plenty of fools outside who don’t know the reality. They need to see Frederick with their own eyes to understand. Don’t you agree?”

“Yes, Mother, you’re right. They’re uneasy because they haven’t seen Frederick.”

Frederick could step out anytime he chose and meet more people. The real issue was the tutors the Emperor had assigned to him—they were consuming his precious time.

Those tutors needed to be removed, but for that, they needed the Emperor’s approval.

The Empress checked her appearance one last time and set off to meet the Emperor. Meanwhile, the Countess of Cressida remained in the Empress’s chambers, silently praying for her daughter’s success.

Although the Countess had dismissed the former Duchess as a meddling old woman, she didn’t feel particularly fortunate herself.

Her children gave her no peace of mind. Be it the Empress or Lord Cressida, they seemed like lambs surrounded by wolves and jackals.

“The old woman’s tongue is still sharp. Failing to prove Frederick and Cressida’s abilities will cost us Isabelle’s engagement as well? I thought she’d be urging us to speed up the engagement… How cunning she is.”

***

Reports from the agents sent to Oberon began to come in. Initially, these reports mostly contained ordinary data such as territorial revenues and expenditures, port trade balances, and export-import lists.

However, it wasn’t long before anomalies within the data were identified and reported. When trade with Saturn was closely examined, it became apparent that individuals from Saturn frequented Oberon more often than expected. While they were initially labeled as merchants, further investigation revealed that a significant number were nobles from Saturn.

In Saturn, the rigid hierarchy prevented nobles from engaging in commerce, even indirectly. Even in territories like Oberon, where the lord owned a port, they typically profited through operations and taxation rather than engaging in direct trade themselves.

The presence of Saturn’s nobles suggested their visits were for purposes beyond mere trade. This realization delayed the reports.

The emperor, shaking the documents, said,

“So we’ve only now uncovered this? If Sophia Ariel hadn’t suspected something, we would still be in the dark, wouldn’t we?”

Caliban bowed his head.

“It was my oversight. Gunther reported that Lady Ariel requested intelligence on Saturn’s political state, citing the salt mines along the border. Responding to her request, we’ve already sent more agents to Saturn. Additional information will follow soon, so I ask for your patience. Regarding the connection between Wiscombe and Oberon—”

“Is it because there’s no connection? Or because it’s too discreet?”

“Because it’s too discreet. We examined the relationship closely, suspecting a patronage between the duke and the baron, but it doesn’t appear to be the case. All correspondence and interactions seem tied to the purchase of goods.”

“That’s no different from other noble relations.”

“Except this one is different. The only places Baron Oberon has personally dispatched people to are Cressida and Wiscombe.”

“And their objective?”

“To cover up Umbriel’s bankruptcy and its repercussions.”

The emperor frowned.

“Continue.”

Caliban sighed and explained,

“This seems to have started when Baron Oberon was still active—over thirty years ago. The intelligence department sent to Umbriel found Oberon involved in the bankruptcy issues of Umbriel’s former lords and the central budget allocations. As the investigation deepened, ties to capital nobles emerged.”

“That’s suspiciously fortunate, isn’t it? And when something seems too fortunate, it warrants investigation.”

“Indeed, Your Majesty. It began with speculation. Lady Sophia Ariel requested an investigation into the link between Oberon and Wiscombe, and one of Gunther’s subordinates uncovered a connection while working on a previous mission.”

“She’s already utilizing Gunther’s team?”

“Yes, barely three days after her arrival in Ariel, she demanded reports from Gunther—not just on Saturn’s political state but also on all reports he receives from Ariel and Umbriel.”

The emperor chuckled dryly.

“I had intended Gunther to simply assist her with territorial matters…”

Caliban smirked.

“The directive was quite broad, after all: ‘Comply with Lady Sophia Ariel’s requests and commands.’ She exploited that ambiguity masterfully.”

Seeing Caliban’s grin, the emperor shook his head.

“You seem quite fond of that young lady.”

“As you’ve said, she would make an exceptional subordinate if formally taken into your service. Talents like hers—connecting clues and piecing them together—are rare, even at the Academy.”

The emperor, though uneasy with the praise, listened. Parma had reappeared in high society, and Duke Gareth seemed favorably inclined toward Prince Robert. So far, there was no immediate cause for concern. Still, Oberon’s activities were unsettling.

Clearing his throat, Caliban continued,

“There’s also evidence implicating Oberon in obstructing central budget allocations to Umbriel, as well as attempts to economically weaken both Umbriel and Ariel.”

“Is Oberon bought by Saturn to sabotage the border territories?”

“It doesn’t seem that extreme. Most likely, it began as a personal pursuit of wealth. Research suggests Baron Oberon, while amassing wealth through trade with Saturn, grew dissatisfied with the limits of his rank and domain. It seems he sought greater societal standing to match his fortune.”

“Did he aim to become a border marquis? Then why hasn’t he achieved that yet? And why do I remember so little about Baron Oberon?”

“Because of Ariel, Your Majesty. Ariel’s resilience made it impossible to absorb the border territories. With Ariel also supporting Umbriel, the border has remained stable. Furthermore, Ariel has long been a candidate for a marquisate, effectively blocking Oberon’s aspirations.”

Smiling wryly, Caliban elaborated,

“Without Ariel, Oberon might have had a chance at the marquisate. But as it stands, even taking responsibility for Umbriel wouldn’t suffice for him to secure the title.”

“Ariel again? Even if the Marquis of Ariel knew, I doubt they’d feel proud. Ariel’s true threats have always been external, haven’t they?”

“Two administrative officials dispatched to Umbriel have now been reassigned to Ariel, focusing on military and governance issues. Umbriel cited Prince Robert’s engagement to Lady Ariel as a justification, making it difficult to refuse the request.”

Caliban maintained his smile as he continued.

“And Ariel has also gained a daughter. The entire Finega family is currently in Ariel and plans to remain there through winter. Gunther reports that Miss Helen Finega has received an invitation to Oberon and plans to visit, accompanied by Lady Sophia and Gunther.”

The emperor sighed and waved a hand dismissively.

“Such personal reports are unnecessary. What about Oberon?”

“They are connected. With the Finega family staying in Ariel for winter, this visit could forge new ties or expose Oberon’s ambitions further.”

“Can Gunther afford to leave Ariel?”

“One of the staff members reassigned to Ariel is now in charge of military administration, and this individual is a trusted subordinate of Gunther.”

The emperor was curious about the unfolding events.

“What exactly can be gained from visiting Oberon?”

Caliban replied,

“While in Oberon, Lady Sophia plans to discuss the salt mine issue and negotiate with Oberon. She intends to use the port to explore new trade routes and gather opinions on the matter. That’s the official reason, at least.”

“Officially? Then what’s the real reason?”

“She plans to meet with Baron Oberon or his deputy to discuss a potential engagement. Lady Sophia herself intends to bring it up.”

“What?”