Parma looked into Sophia’s eyes and asked,

“Now that Prince Robert and I are here, are you going to give up on Oberon?”

Sophia met Parma’s gaze directly. Parma offered a relaxed smile and said,

“You must have known this would happen when you accepted Oberon’s invitation, even though your engagement with Prince Robert hasn’t been called off yet. It seems the prince also noticed that you came to Oberon with other intentions. So, how’s the outcome?”

Sophia replied honestly. To her, Lady Gareth was not someone to be wary of but rather a potential ally.

“There isn’t any. Oberon seems more hesitant than I expected. They’ve made some preparations, but it’s like they have no intention of acting.”

“If they’re hesitating, it’s as good as a failure, isn’t it?”

“Probably. But even if they can’t achieve their goal, they can still cause harm. That’s especially true for ventures doomed to fail.”

Parma nodded in agreement.

“Exactly. Some people may not succeed but still throw themselves into destruction just to drag others down. If Oberon takes that route, it could be truly dangerous.”

Helen’s initial excitement quickly faded. Her expectation of a subtle battle of wits between the two women over Prince Robert had missed the mark. Instead, the two discussed Oberon’s schemes with a cordial atmosphere filling the parlor.

Helen sat silently, her eyes darting around.

‘Still, there must be something here.’

Sophia asked,

“When is Sir Gareth arriving? He’s not bringing an army, is he?”

“It’s a delicate situation for mobilizing the military. No crime has been revealed, and nothing has happened yet. Bringing an army would be pointless. My brother’s presence alone is sufficient.”

‘If things escalate, they might need to resort to force. Yet Lady Gareth considers her brother’s retinue appropriate. That’s impressive. I wish Ariel could handle matters like that.’

Parma turned her attention to Helen.

“You’re Miss Helen Finega, right? I’ve heard that most bourgeois families send their children to school. Are you currently a student?”

Helen responded,

“Yes, I’ll be graduating next summer.”

“What’s your school like? I’ve heard general schools are less rigid compared to the academy.”

“That’s true. Many students leave to get married or take over family businesses, so it’s less structured. The curriculum isn’t packed, and students who want to study a subject in depth usually transfer to the academy. Most students take it easy.”

“Do many transfer to the academy?” Parma asked with curiosity.

“It’s rare. The academy’s academic requirements and standards are very high. On the other hand, sometimes students transfer from the academy to our school.”

“Why? Surely there’s much to gain from attending the academy.”

“Some can’t adapt. They may hit barriers due to social status or find the pressure overwhelming. So much is at stake at the academy—grades, connections, even entire life paths.”

Sophia, observing Parma’s consideration for Helen, dismissed any negative rumors about Lady Gareth. Parma’s efforts to include Helen in the conversation seemed far from the arrogance whispered about her and more like intentional slander from Wiscombe.

Lady Gareth also found the two companions pleasant. While Helen seemed initially uneasy, she responded well and spoke articulately when prompted.

Sophia and Helen even recommended that Lady Gareth visit the porcelain room and the tapestry room.

When Sophia smiled faintly, Parma asked,

“What’s amusing?”

“When Lord Oberon showed Helen and me around, he wouldn’t let us go near anything. But I imagine he might at least let you touch the items, Lady Gareth.”

Helen laughed and added,

“He probably thought we’d either steal them or wouldn’t understand their value. Maybe both.”

****

Their tea meetings continued during their time in Oberon. After hearing about Lord Oberon’s guided tours from Helen and Sophia, Parma frequently requested tours herself.

Lord Oberon always complied but often found Parma ignoring his advice, wandering where she pleased, and opening whatever doors she fancied.

Sophia and Helen found the excursions enjoyable but tried not to show it, trailing after Parma. Whenever Lord Oberon cast imploring glances at them, they avoided his gaze.

Some rooms were far grander than those they saw on their first tour, and the estate’s layout remained as convoluted as ever. Few people seemed to patrol or guard the maze-like mansion—just a handful of attendants following Parma and Lord Oberon.

Over tea, Parma voiced her suspicions.

“Oberon is definitely hiding something. It’s almost as if they’re shouting they have secrets.”

Sophia remarked,

“Oberon has been far too greedy. Governing such a wealthy place should have been enough for them. Judging by the treasures filling the estate, they must have lived well.”

“It’s too late for them to realize that. My brother is taking his time to arrive. We even postponed the welcome banquet for him…”

Parma’s mentions of her brother, Sir Gareth, were always casual like this.

Sophia, driven by curiosity, posed several questions to Parma. However, Parma would always respond the same way:

“It’s quickest to see it for yourself. You’ll understand when you do.”

Sophia began to feel suspicious of Parma’s silence on the topic of Sir Gareth. Could it be that Parma was avoiding the conversation because she believed Sophia had a personal interest in him?

Sophia, however, was more focused on the benefits Sir Gareth’s arrival could bring. If she could bring Gareth to Ariel, that would be ideal. Even if Oberon failed, it was impossible to predict Saturn’s next move, and Ariel needed to be fortified.

‘If Gareth comes to Ariel, some of the uncertainty would be eased.’

***

The news of Sir Gareth’s imminent arrival stirred excitement among everyone who heard it. Each person seemed to know at least one rumor about him, heightening their anticipation.

Three days later, the long-awaited Sir Gareth finally arrived at Oberon, though the Oberon household seemed less enthusiastic. The acting Baron of Oberon waited at the front entrance, pondering.

‘What is the Duke of Gareth thinking, sending not only Lady Gareth but also Sir Gareth here to Oberon?’

The deputy Baron was convinced their plans had already been exposed. He couldn’t understand why the Duke of Gareth would send his children into the obvious danger of Oberon.

His conclusion was that the Gareth family was using Oberon to bolster Prince Robert’s reputation.

‘Eliminating Oberon, who has conspired with Saturn in rebellion, would be the ultimate achievement for Prince Robert in the succession race.’

After much deliberation, the deputy Baron decided to use the opportunity of gathering all the heirs at Oberon to take them hostage and launch an offensive. Yet, he was doubtful of success.

‘How many men will Gareth bring? There’s no way to know.’ Though the deputy Baron was confident Sir Gareth wouldn’t bring an army, there was no solid evidence to support this belief.

As events unfolded, the deputy Baron felt increasingly that their plan to conquer Ariel was unlikely to succeed. While he grew despondent, Lord Oberon was plotting his escape.

‘Perhaps I can shift all responsibility onto the deputy Baron and the Baron himself, claiming I knew nothing.’

He entertained the idea of enlisting the help of Philip Wiscombe.

‘If Philip comes, he might lend me his aid. Surely he wouldn’t abandon an old friend… right?’

While the two brothers wrestled with their thoughts, Sir Gareth and his party arrived. The sound of approaching hoofbeats thundered in the deputy Baron’s ears.

The fatigue from their long journey was evident on the faces of Sir Gareth and his entourage as they prepared to dismount. But before they could, a carriage barged through the courtyard, weaving recklessly between the horses.

The commotion threw the courtyard into chaos, with people shouting curses, scrambling to control their mounts, or moving aside to avoid the carriage. Sir Gareth calmed his horse and stood silently, watching the scene unfold.

To everyone’s surprise, the carriage belonged to Philip Wiscombe. As Philip stepped out, those present stared in shock. Confirming that no one outside the Oberon household had known of his visit, Philip grinned mischievously.

Philip ignored Sir Gareth and his party entirely, greeting Prince Robert, the deputy Baron of Oberon, and Lord Oberon instead.

Parma, Sophia, and Helen watched the scene unfold from a distance.

At that moment, a single thought crossed Sophia and Helen’s minds.

“An ex-boyfriend!”

Philip took in the gathering at Oberon’s estate and remarked with feigned admiration,

“Oberon seems to have become the center of society without my knowledge. Perhaps we should start calling it the Pearl of the North.”

Sophia, observing Philip’s unexpected appearance, suspected that he already knew Oberon’s plans. She recalled an unusual orchid she’d seen at the Wiscombe estate and how investigating its origin had led her to suspect exchanges between the two houses.

Now, it seemed the ties between Wiscombe and Oberon ran deeper than she had imagined.

‘So it was Oberon… They must have tipped off Wiscombe about my inability to host a debutante ball. From that point—or even before then—Oberon must have been well-informed about Ariel.’

Sophia began to suspect that the incident preventing her debutante ball had originated with Oberon.

‘Oberon… truly despicable people.’

Philip, noticing Sophia’s expression, exaggerated his reaction.

“Cousin! You look as if I’m your mortal enemy. Is that how you greet me after such a long time?”

Sophia quickly adjusted her expression and replied,

“Philip, I’m sorry. I was just surprised to realize how close Oberon and Wiscombe are. It caught me off guard. You really are close, aren’t you?”

As Sophia alternated her gaze between Philip and Lord Oberon, others followed her line of sight. Though no one spoke, the implications were clear.

Philip continued to smile, staring intently at Sophia, while Lord Oberon forced an awkward smile.

Meanwhile Sir Gareth, still atop his horse, watched the scene with amused interest.

Sophia couldn’t help but question whether Oberon would truly act now that Sir Gareth, Wiscombe, and even Prince Robert had converged here.
‘If Oberon doesn’t make a move, they’ll focus on destroying evidence first. Then the central court will begin its investigations… How will this end?’

She envisioned a drawn-out investigation, trials, and the eventual appointment of imperial overseers to manage Oberon’s territory, leaving it firmly under the Emperor’s control.

Prince Robert’s proactive measures left her certain of his intentions.

‘This is about taking Oberon. If he uses the investigation period to manage Oberon’s port, the Emperor might agree. From there, he’ll claim to use port revenues to bolster border security.’

Sophia couldn’t help but feel envious of Robert’s extensive network. While she had brought along Gunther and Helen, Robert had the formidable Gareth siblings and their imposing retinue.

Noticing that Gareth hadn’t dismounted, the acting Baron quickly concluded his pleasantries with Philip to attend to him.

As Philip Wiscombe finished his greetings, all eyes turned to Sir Gareth. Only then did he leap down from his horse. The sweeping motion of his cloak and the firm sound of his boots striking the stone pavement immediately captured everyone’s attention.

Sophia caught the faint sound of Parma Gareth scoffing nearby, her quiet derision ringing in Sophia’s ears.