Sophia and Marquis Ariel exited the sitting room and headed for the old greenhouse. Despite the gloomy winter weather, the greenhouse was warm. Wild orchids were in bloom, and their fragrance filled the space.

Sophia took a deep breath of the scent and prepared herself for the conversation with her father. She had to persuade him to let her go to Oberon.

‘I need to be honest with Father about how I feel. Any other argument won’t work.’

Marquis Ariel spoke.

“I had doubts when you got engaged to Prince Robert, but when you returned to Ariel, I was certain something was amiss with that engagement. And now, you’re saying you want to marry into Oberon? Sophia Ariel! I know you want to provoke Oberon into falling into their own trap, but this is too reckless.”

His tone was firm, but his expression soon softened with concern.

“There’s no need to risk your safety. We now have both time and resources. We can deal with Oberon slowly. There’s no rush. I don’t understand why you insist on such a dangerous approach.”

As she looked around the greenhouse, Sophia replied,

“I want Ariel to become wealthier and more powerful. I want those who challenge us to pay the price. And I need something to do — something I can dedicate myself to fully and succeed at.”

Hearing her final words, Marquis Ariel smiled.

“I’ve often wondered how I’d feel if you found someone you loved, and how you might change. But I didn’t expect this. You like Prince Robert, but since you can’t have him, you’ve decided to claim Oberon instead?”

Sophia looked at Marquis Ariel and said,

“Isn’t aiming for Oberon safer than aiming for the position of future empress? How modest of me. Oberon is hardly anything special.”

“Is that what you want? You’re not thinking that securing Oberon’s lands will somehow allow you to keep your engagement to Prince Robert, are you?”

“No, Father. I’m not a fool. Who would choose me when they could have Gareth?

I know how futile it is to expect otherwise. I heard Lady Parma Gareth has arrived in the capital. Soon, I’ll lose my status as the prince’s fiancée. That’s why I have to act quickly.”

Sophia’s eyes shone with determination as she continued,

“And I refuse to let the imperial family take what belongs to us. Oberon should be ours, Father. We must claim it. There are still Wiscombe and Prince Frederick to contend with. Since there are those who seek to harm us, I don’t want to miss out on anything we can gain.”

Marquis Ariel sat down on a greenhouse chair. The creaking sound of the chair seemed to echo his sigh.

“Fine. If this land-grab strategy will put your mind at ease, we’ll proceed. But you must prioritize your safety. We’ll establish the best protection for you before sending you to Oberon. Your safety is paramount. And I have no desire to make Oberon our in-laws. I don’t want to call those fools family.”

Sophia gave a faint, weary smile.

“Yes, Father. I don’t want an incompetent husband either.”

Marquis Ariel didn’t ask Sophia if she still loved Prince Robert. He could tell from the way she kept avoiding his gaze.

‘She really does love Prince Robert. But she can’t have him, and he won’t be captured so easily.’

Marquis Ariel said softly,

“He’ll regret it. He’ll regret losing you.”

Sophia turned her back to Marquis Ariel and looked at the fully bloomed orchids. Her hand trembled as she touched the petals, making the flower shake.

Marquis Ariel quietly rose and gently stroked Sophia’s back. In his embrace, Sophia finally let out the sobs she had been holding back.

“He’ll never regret it. He doesn’t even know I love him. He probably never will. All our conversations were about benefits and deals. How could he know I cared for him? He’ll never know. I loved him, but I was afraid he’d find out. I never once told him…”

Her sobs choked off her words.

Marquis Ariel said nothing. He believed Prince Robert wasn’t so oblivious. But if he had realized Sophia’s feelings, he wasn’t foolish enough to show it.

‘Damn Wiscombe! If Robert hadn’t been part of this, Sophia wouldn’t be crying now. Damn them all!’

As he comforted Sophia, he was relieved she had finally shared her burden. It pained him to think how long she had suppressed her emotions alone.

***

After arriving in the capital, Parma made a point of attending every gathering. She would often exchange cold but polite greetings with Prince Frederick and Isabelle Wiscombe when they crossed paths.

Whenever Prince Frederick saw Parma, a bitter smile would flicker across his lips before he walked away. Parma had no intention of engaging with a man who deliberately avoided her.

He was a prince, after all, and even if she confronted him, he wouldn’t understand. Parma knew that when she and Isabelle shared the same space, onlookers would watch her with eager anticipation.

‘Do you think I’ll indulge your petty desire for entertainment?’

Now she could see clearly. Many people hovered around, waiting for her fiery temper to flare and provide them with a spectacle.

The young ladies and gentlemen who flattered and watched her were hoping she’d clash with Isabelle Wiscombe.

‘Even if I’m not as smart as my brother, I thought I had good judgment… But that wasn’t true either.’

Parma was well aware that her notorious reputation was due to her personality. However, her brother’s claim that certain forces were deliberately provoking her and spreading exaggerated rumors also held merit.

Since returning to the capital, Parma had lived as if nothing was wrong, but she viewed those around her with a different perspective than before.

Most young ladies and gentlemen relied on their family’s status or manipulated others to attack those they disliked. In society, people used everything available—family, beauty, eloquence, patrons, and even their fiancé’s family—to elevate their own standing.

Parma didn’t think she needed to do that.

‘Being a Gareth is enough.’

She had enjoyed parading around with Prince Frederick, and when he was taken from her, she felt anger and humiliation. Now, only emptiness remained.

‘Maybe I should have joined the academy like my brother suggested.’

She had read books and received teachings from tutors, but beyond holding her ground in conversation, there was no practical use for her knowledge. Looking back at her past and the social scene from a distance, she felt only futility.

Today, Parma once again put her thoughts aside and entered the ballroom.

Lately, Philip Wiscombe had been lingering around her more than she liked. Judging by the look in his eyes, it wasn’t out of affection; he was likely monitoring Robert’s interactions with her.

‘If even someone who graduated from the academy spends their time like this, maybe the academy isn’t so great after all.’

Surprisingly, seeing Isabelle no longer made her angry. She would get her revenge, but it wouldn’t involve yelling or emotional outbursts.

Parma knew that lashing out at Isabelle would only invite mockery directed at herself. The way Isabelle feigned fragility made that clear.

‘Isabelle Wiscombe isn’t pretending to be demure because she’s stupid. She thinks it benefits her—just like a Wiscombe.’

Parma didn’t reveal her cynicism toward society. She treated people the same and maintained conversation. But with time, parties and gatherings had become tedious and exhausting.

When Parma entered the powder room for a break, several young ladies hurriedly left. She didn’t even glance at them, sure they had said something trivial. Inside, Isabelle Wiscombe was also there.

With a dry tone, Parma nodded slightly in acknowledgment before sitting on the sofa to rest her weary legs.

Seeing Parma, Isabelle hesitated but then, encouraged by a few ladies, stood before her. In a small, trembling voice, Isabelle spoke.

“Lady Gareth, if I have caused you any distress, please forgive me. It was never truly my intention.”

Parma looked up at Isabelle and replied calmly.

“Could you be more specific about what you mean? Don’t be vague. Tell me exactly what you did, even though you supposedly didn’t want to. What did you do while I was away from the capital?”

Straightening her back, Parma fixed her gaze on Isabelle. Isabelle stared back, flustered.

Parma waited patiently. She was curious about what Isabelle hoped to achieve with this scene.

‘You held out for quite a while, Isabelle Wiscombe.’

With an impassive expression, Parma watched as Isabelle bowed her head and spoke with a tearful voice.

“The truth is… from the moment I first met Prince Frederick, I was drawn to him. But I knew he didn’t feel the same. It was a one-sided affection. When Prince Frederick got engaged to you, I avoided any place where I might see him to try and give up my feelings.

But when I met him again after some time… he finally showed his feelings. I wanted to let go since he was already engaged to you, but then news of the broken engagement came… I always wanted to apologize to you, Lady Gareth. If you ask me to stop seeing him, I will.”

With tearful eyes, Isabelle looked at Parma desperately. After a long pause, Parma responded.

“I have no intention of interfering in whether you and Prince Frederick get engaged or break up. I just hope you’ve made a wise choice. If there’s genuine affection, it will help you both face the difficult times ahead. As you know, Prince Frederick’s circumstances are very different now than when he was engaged to me.”

Parma continued with a light tone, as if the broken engagement with Frederick meant nothing to her.

“I accept your apology. If Prince Frederick and you have found love, I hope you desire nothing more. I hope you won’t resent each other in the future.”

With that, Parma smiled gently.

Isabelle’s lips quivered. Parma looked at her and said,

“Now that I’ve accepted your apology, will you let me rest, Lady Wiscombe?”

The conversation between Parma and Isabelle spread as a rumor that Parma had declared war on Isabelle. People claimed that Parma, under the Gareth name, intended to obstruct Prince Frederick.

When Parma heard the rumor a few days later, she laughed it off.

“Whoever spread it must know me well.”

Duke Gareth suspected that Robert had started the rumor. Neutrality for the Gareth family was now impossible.

When the duke expressed his frustration, Parma said,

“You never intended to stay neutral. You were the first to declare war. You told Duke Wiscombe that Prince Frederick wouldn’t easily become crown prince.”

“That was just to trouble Robert. Now it benefits him.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. If it benefits Prince Robert, it doesn’t harm us.”

The duke remained silent, his lips pressed tightly together.