The Oberon Baron’s deputy stopped in front of a large tapestry hanging in the hallway. After glancing around to ensure no one was watching, he lifted the tapestry and slipped through the concealed doorway.

Behind the tapestry was a hidden door, which led to a small room. Crossing the room, he opened another door on the opposite side, emerging into a different corridor. He strode across it and knocked on a door. It opened from within.

This was the true office of the Baron, filled with a desk and stacks of documents. The aging Baron of Oberon was seated, pen in hand, reviewing paperwork.

Although he noticed his eldest son entering, the Baron remained focused on the documents, saying nothing. The deputy, familiar with this behavior, stood silently and waited.

It was only after some time that the Baron handed the papers to an aide standing nearby. Turning to face his son, the Baron finally spoke.

“What about our guests?”

“They’ve been touring Oberon’s harbor and manor over the past two days. Nothing particularly suspicious in their behavior. Sophia Ariel doesn’t seem interested in your second son. It appears her engagement is just an excuse as well.”

“Then make her interested. That way, she’ll at least lower her guard.”

“But Cressida warned against that…”

The Baron stood and slowly approached his son. Leaning slightly on his son’s shoulder for support, he said:

“We’ll let Saturn and Ariel fight it out first, wearing each other down. Then, we strike. We’ll claim both Ariel and the salt mine. To do that, we must first lull Ariel into a false sense of security. After their battle, we’ll appear as saviors. Ariel will be ours.”

“And what about Prince Robert?”

The Baron glanced at his trembling, aged hands and let out a wry chuckle.

“Prince Robert is in the capital. He’ll only come after everything is resolved. Besides, rumors of his engagement to Lady Gareth are already widespread. Why would he care about Ariel now?”

“Couldn’t he use his connection to Ariel as a pretext to claim both the salt mine and Ariel herself?”

The Baron’s eyes gleamed, and he nodded approvingly.

“You’re starting to think like a true lord. Yes, that’s possible. That’s why we need to get our money’s worth from the bribes we’ve given Cressida and Wiscombe. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, Father.”

Flattered by his father’s rare praise, the deputy left the room with a look of pride.

Once the aide had finished organizing the documents, he addressed the Baron.

“The deputy is becoming more skilled in handling affairs.”

“Ha! I was worried he’d never amount to anything. Now that I’m nearing the end of my life, he’s finally showing some potential. What a waste of time.”

As the aide began to protest, the Baron silenced him with a wave of his hand.

“What news from Saturn?”

“Their envoy will arrive soon. Preparations for deployment are already underway.”

“If they succeed, it’ll be fortunate. But if they fail… What of my third son?”

“He’s doing well. The mistress has sent word not to worry about him.”

“If things go wrong, he’ll be the only heir left. Keep an eye on him, just in case.”

“Yes, my lord. We’ve also prepared a ship, so you can escape to Saturn if necessary.”

“When I die, I’d prefer to be called Marquis, not just a Baron. But luck has been so cruel. It never favors me.”

“This time will be different,” the aide assured him. “Saturn has never acted so decisively before.”

“The hypocrites. They sneer at us for being merchants, yet their eyes light up at the mention of the salt mine. They’ve always looked down on us, but now their greed brings them to Ariel. The salt mine is a gift—for us too.”

However, events were unfolding in an unexpected direction.

A week after Sophia Ariel’s arrival in Oberon, news reached them that Prince Robert and Lady Gareth were coming to Umbriel.

***

When the news of Prince Robert and Lady Gareth’s arrival at Umbriel broke, the Oberon deputy and Oberon’s knight exchanged alarmed looks. The knight spoke first.

“What happens now?”

The deputy paced anxiously before abruptly storming out of the room. The knight considered following him but decided against it, guessing his destination and remaining seated.

The situation was starting to unravel. Sophia Ariel was still in Oberon, but now Prince Robert and Lady Gareth were heading to Umbriel.

“If Prince Robert is in Umbriel…”

Saturn’s surprise attack was less likely to succeed. And even if it did, Prince Robert might step in to assist Ariel, taking both the victory and Ariel for himself.

Oberon, after orchestrating everything, could end up empty-handed. In the worst case, their schemes could be exposed, leading to their ruin. The knight grew uneasy as the plan began to crumble.

“Why is Prince Robert suddenly coming to Umbriel? Because of Sophia Ariel? Surely not. If that were the case, Lady Gareth wouldn’t be with him. Could it be he’s coming to personally announce a breakup to Sophia Ariel?”

Shortly afterward, an even more shocking piece of news arrived.

Lady Parma Gareth had announced her intention to visit Oberon alongside Prince Robert. Although the tone of the message was framed as a polite request for an invitation, how could Oberon possibly refuse the prince and the lady?

The person delivering this news also unsettled Oberon. It was none other than Mav, Prince Robert’s secretary and the acting lord of Umbriel.

Mav relayed Prince Robert’s words to the Baron’s deputy.

“Prince Robert, having heard that Lady Sophia Ariel is here, wishes to visit Oberon. Naturally, Lady Parma Gareth will accompany him. I trust you understand the nature of this visit without me having to spell it out.”

The Baron’s deputy nodded silently, his face tense. Mav, with a grim expression, continued.

“I must meet with Lady Sophia Ariel. Even indirectly, she should be informed of the prince’s intentions to prepare herself mentally.”

Without argument, Oberon’s knight led Mav to Sophia.

***

The knight escorted Mav to Sophia’s sitting room. After greeting both Sophia and Helen, he hesitated, unwilling to leave.

Mav shot the knight a sidelong glance before cautiously speaking.

“We’ve received word that Prince Robert will be arriving in Umbriel with a guest.”

Before Mav could elaborate, the knight blurted out:

“Prince Robert and Lady Parma Gareth have announced their intention to visit Oberon.”

Helen, startled, exclaimed, “Prince Robert and Lady Gareth? Really? Sophia, isn’t this too much? How can he bring another woman here while his fiancée is already present?”

Sophia looked troubled. “We don’t know anything for sure yet.”

The knight added, “It seems they plan to meet with Lady Ariel personally within the week.”

Sophia sat in stunned silence. Helen moved closer to her and whispered, “Shall I get rid of the knight for you?”

Sophia nodded subtly. Helen hugged her briefly, then turned to the knight.

“Lady Ariel and Sir Mav need to speak privately. Surely, there are matters they cannot discuss in front of us. Let’s leave them to it.”

Mav nodded in agreement, and despite his reluctance, the knight was ushered out by Helen.

The moment the door closed, Sophia jumped up.

“Why are they coming here? To attack Oberon? Or has Saturn already made its move?”

Mav hesitated, wondering if he should comfort Sophia. However, Sophia’s sudden shift to businesslike urgency put him at ease. Mav lowered his voice, mindful of potential eavesdroppers.

“There has been some movement from the Titan Order near Saturn’s border at Enceladus, but it doesn’t seem to indicate a full-scale invasion yet. As for Lord Oberon, no concrete decision has been made.”

Sophia, also lowering her voice, asked, “What is Prince Robert thinking, coming here? It’s dangerous! Doesn’t he have enough to handle in the capital?”

Mav delivered Robert’s message. “The prince instructed me to tell you this: Oberon is dangerous. Do not provoke them recklessly to force an attack or agree to any engagements. Either action could put your life at risk.”

Sophia’s feelings oscillated between panic at the news of Robert’s visit and a flicker of hope that he genuinely cared for her safety, only to settle back on her looming breakup.

‘What does any of this have to do with Lady Gareth?’

A sense of betrayal washed over her. If Robert had just waited a little longer, she could have cleanly resolved their engagement. Even a shred of consideration on his part would have sufficed.

‘Yes, I was the one who first brought up the engagement with Oberon… but bringing Lady Gareth here? That’s too much.’

Sophia was torn about how to face Lady Gareth. Although she was officially still Robert’s fiancée, she felt like an outsider in a place that was never truly hers.

‘It will all depend on how Parma Gareth acts.’

With Prince Robert and Lady Gareth both arriving in Oberon, claiming Ariel for herself seemed increasingly complicated.

‘If we can’t find definitive proof of Oberon’s treachery now, a larger military force will be required. And that would make it nearly impossible for Ariel to secure Oberon alone. Should I wait longer or test Oberon now?’

Though the situation was chaotic for Sophia, it was clear that the sudden appearance of Robert and Gareth wasn’t welcome news for Oberon either. How they would respond remained to be seen.

Mav addressed Sophia once more.

“As per Prince Robert’s message—and I echo his concerns—Oberon is not a suitable ally for Ariel. Especially not now, with the risks involved. Please, use Lady Gareth as an excuse and return to Ariel.”

Sophia shook her head. “No, I won’t. Whatever happens in Oberon, I must stay here.”

Mav sighed. “I thought you might say that. Prince Robert also told me to warn you not to assume staying in Oberon will secure it for Ariel.”

Sophia was silent for a long moment before responding, “Even so, it’s worth keeping the possibility open.”

When Robert had first spoken about Sophia, Mav had thought he was misunderstanding her. Despite her ambitions, she had believed Sophia incapable of harboring thoughts of taking over Oberon.

Now, he wasn’t so sure.

Mav speculated that Sophia’s engagement to Oberon was a calculated move to secure stable and affordable access to the harbor. Concealing his surprise at the revelation, Mav calmly advised:

“Be careful. And make sure everyone else is cautious as well. The situation doesn’t feel right.”

Sophia, feeling exposed and seeking a form of retaliation, retorted, “Tell Prince Robert to be careful, too. Even if he’s using bait, there’s no guarantee that Cressida won’t just take the bait—or even target the fisherman instead.”

Although startled by the remark, Mav maintained his composure and replied, “I’m not sure what you mean, but I’ll pass along your message.”

Sophia felt confident Mav had understood her point.

Prince Robert had gone as far as getting engaged to Sophia to mislead Cressida. But now, he was making a bold move, traveling openly with Lady Gareth to Umbriel.

‘Surely, news of their engagement must have spread widely in the capital. Cressida won’t stay quiet… especially if they knows about Oberon’s situation. This chaos is the perfect opportunity for them.’

After cautioning Sophia and her companions once more, Mav departed for Umbriel.

Sophia remained in her room from the afternoon until evening following Mav’s visit. She realized that Robert was aware of her ambitions regarding Oberon.

Given the circumstances, securing Robert’s cooperation was now essential. However, Sophia doubted that ending their engagement alone would be enough to win his support.

‘I’ll have to find another way.’

Helen suspected that Sophia’s concerns extended beyond the mere presence of Lady Gareth. Deciding Sophia needed help, Helen sought out Gunther and asked him to check on her.