Prince Robert was using the office of Oberon’s deputy baron as his temporary workspace. Philip Wiscombe arrived there, seeking out Prince Robert and Sir Gareth.

Philip sat down and spoke leisurely.

“Despite your busy schedules, it seems my help isn’t needed at all. In that case, may I return to the capital? My lips are itching to share the news of this incredible Oberon incident with my friends.”

Sir Gareth responded,

“Are you saying you plan to flee?”

Philip replied,

“What do you mean? Have I committed some crime? Do you have any charges against me? Sir Gareth, without evidence, simply disliking Wiscombe isn’t a valid reason to involve me in Oberon’s affairs. Besides, I’m interested in seeing whether Gareth and Prince Robert are exaggerating things to claim credit for themselves.”

Gareth looked at Philip with an expression of disgust, but Philip smiled broadly and said,

“So far, you’ve found traces of Oberon colluding with Saturn, but no evidence of an attack on Ariel or any attempt to assist Saturn in invading Ariel. Treason, you say? Why don’t we all just keep an eye on one another here?”

From behind the two, Gunther spoke calmly.

“It won’t be easy to exaggerate matters in front of the Emperor’s auditor. Lord  Wiscombe, there’s no need for concern.”

Philip retorted,

“And why should I trust that? Sir Gunther, I hear you traveled here from Ariel with Sophia and Helen Finega. Not to mention, you seemed particularly close to Miss Helen. From where I stand, it looks like Ariel and the Finega family deliberately tempted you to blind your judgment.”

Gunther, in a steady voice, replied,

“If that’s what you believe, you’re welcome to submit a formal complaint and a request for my dismissal to the Emperor. I’ll make my position clear as well, Lord Philip Wiscombe.”

Gunther stared intently at Philip, who, aware of the Emperor’s auditor’s authority, shifted the topic back to his own situation.

Philip addressed Prince Robert,

“If it were the acting baron of Oberon and his subordinate, wouldn’t they have already left Oberon by ship? Considering how thoroughly you’ve searched and found nothing, it seems they must have prepared their escape in advance.”

Gareth asked Philip,

“Ah! Did Lord Philip Wiscombe hear anything from those two individuals?”

Philip replied,

“Show me the evidence, Sir Gareth. Your snide remarks are impressive, but they’ve achieved nothing. Perhaps you should use your head as well as your strength.”

Prince Robert interjected,

“If Lord Philip Wiscombe trusts Sir Gunther, returning to the capital might not be a bad idea. I will also consider Lord Philip’s suggestion and request another imperial auditor. What do you think, Sir Gareth?”

“I’ll follow Your Highness’s decision.”

Philip nodded.

“I appreciate Your Highness’s wisdom. Seeing how well Prince Robert and Sir Gareth get along makes me a bit jealous. Sir Gareth, why not accompany me to the capital? Spending time together might improve your opinion of Wiscombe.”

Gareth replied,

“Surely not. Lord Philip Wiscombe may have a certain charm, but he can’t possibly tempt every man he meets. I don’t understand where all this confidence comes from. Though I’ve heard of Lady Isabelle Wiscombe’s beauty…”

Gareth gave Philip a disdainful once-over and scoffed.

Philip returned the scoff and said,

“Ah, I must tell Prince Frederick about Sir Gareth’s words. It seems you’ve got competition.”

“Please send my regards to Prince Frederick. And when will Lady Wiscombe’s engagement be announced? Wouldn’t it be better to postpone it—for both Wiscombe’s sake and the royal family’s?”

Philip replied,

“Well, who knows how things will turn out? We’ll have to wait and see.”

Philip smiled at both Prince Robert and Gareth before Robert, ignoring him, said,

“You’re free to leave Oberon at any time.”

With permission from both Gareth and Robert, Philip began preparing to return to the capital. There was no purpose in remaining in Oberon, where he was treated as a traitor.

‘Foolish Oberon fools! Yet, they’ve cleaned up remarkably well—leaving no evidence behind. Ah, Saturn must’ve gotten to them. Those Saturn bastards… So, my informant wasn’t mine but one of Saturn’s spies?’

Suddenly struck with realization, Philip muttered to himself,

“I’ve been the biggest fool. That’s why I’ve been played like this. Now, what should I do with that?”

After Philip left, Sir Gareth vented his frustration,

“That sly fox. Wiscombe knows something.”

Prince Robert nodded.

“I’ve heard that Lord Oberon brought Philip Wiscombe to meet with the deputy baron and the baron himself. Since meeting Philip, those two—or rather, those three—have all disappeared. Given we haven’t caught them, they must have slipped away right after their meeting with him.”

Gareth glanced meaningfully at the chair where Philip had sat and said,

“Three people vanished, and one reappeared as a corpse. Philip Wiscombe is undoubtedly connected to the disappearance of the other two. Even Lord Oberon suspects Philip, claiming it as revenge for exposing his affair with a man.”

Gareth sneered and added,

“I may have underestimated Philip Wiscombe. I thought he only dabbled in petty schemes, but he’s far filthier than I imagined. Surely, he wouldn’t have personally dealt with the three of them?”

Prince Robert remarked,

“Saturn’s traces in Oberon have been erased too cleanly. This isn’t Philip Wiscombe’s handiwork. Clearly, someone else was active in Oberon—likely one of Saturn’s spies, just like the woman working for Saturn. My guess is that the acting baron’s subordinate is highly suspicious.”

“It seems we need to increase surveillance around us. Moreover, it appears there is no more we can do in Oberon. It’s time for us to move on.”

Not only Philip Wiscombe, but also Prince Robert, the Gareth siblings, and Sophia were preparing to leave Oberon Castle.

****

Before leaving Oberon Castle, Sophia visited Prince Robert. He was deeply engrossed in wrapping up the situation.

With the lord of Oberon gone, the castle had to be sealed. Moreover, since Saturn’s ultimate scheme hadn’t been fully uncovered, the harbor defenses had to be reinforced.

While evidence against the Oberon family was insufficient to mete out punishments immediately, the confiscation of the territory would certainly take time. Meanwhile, someone had to be left behind to manage the domain.

Welcoming Sophia, Robert smiled. Standing behind his desk, Acel frowned, feeling exasperated. The situation in Oberon was so hectic that Robert barely had time to spend with Lady Gareth.

And yet, at such a busy moment, it wasn’t Lady Gareth but Sophia Ariel who had come to see him.

Sophia spoke to Robert.

“Could we speak privately for a moment?”

Acel hesitated, about to remind Robert of how busy he was, but stopped when he met the prince’s gaze and reluctantly withdrew.

“Acel, tell Gunther to request two more imperial inspectors.”

Acel left the office, not forgetting to glare at Sophia as he passed. Their eyes met momentarily.

Sophia watched Acel until he exited. For a brief second, Acel seemed startled by the intensity of her gaze and paused.

Sophia began.

“There’s a spy among us.”

Robert glanced at the door as if considering Acel, who had just left.

“Do you mean Acel is suspicious?”

“Disliking me doesn’t necessarily make someone a spy. But I believe the reason Philip Wiscombe is here lies in who sent him to Oberon. Someone aware of our suspicions about Wiscombe and Oberon must have orchestrated it.”

“You’re saying someone around the emperor, myself, or you is suspect?”

“And Gunther, too.”

“Hmm… Everyone employed at the imperial palace undergoes a background check, regardless of status, and they are rigorously screened. If someone within the palace or administrative branch turns out to be Saturn’s spy, it would cause an uproar. Some might even demand the administrative branch’s closure.”

Sophia spoke with a grave expression.

“Do you think Saturn has embedded spies into Uranus’s political system to exploit such dissent? This kind of calculated infiltration… Was Saturn always this meticulous?”

“Saturn has been unusually quiet, indeed. Despite rumors of Ariel and Umbriel being in turmoil, they’ve shown no reaction. I should have suspected something then. Either way, this matter must be handled discreetly. I already have an idea of who might be involved, so don’t worry too much. One thing is certain: neither Gunther nor your circle is suspect.”

Sophia nodded. Placing agents near the emperor or the prince was undoubtedly more valuable than targeting someone as inconsequential as Ariel.

‘Unless someone vouched for them in the imperial court, the spies wouldn’t have infiltrated. Saturn’s schemes must be far-reaching.’

Sophia continued, “Have you received the report? Some of the Titan Knight who left for winter training have gone missing. Could they be heading for Ariel? I’m concerned an attack from Saturn may be imminent.”

Robert replied, “For now, there’s insufficient evidence to justify capital support for defending against Saturn’s invasion of Uranus. Perhaps that’s why Saturn erased traces of their involvement. I’ll leave two inspectors in Oberon. Inspectors not only investigate but also hold military mobilization authority, so they can respond if an attack occurs. Let’s call in Sir Gareth. He’ll be quicker to discuss the Titan knights.”

***

Sir Gareth promptly answered Robert’s summons. Given the current situation, he knew this wasn’t the time to pursue his sister’s engagement or any political sponsorship.

After reviewing the reports, Sir Gareth commented,

“It’s only a subset of the Titan Knight. Besides, there’s no guarantee they’ve headed for Ariel. The commander of the Titan Knight, Sir Enceladus, the marquis’s son, is known to be a shrewd man. If there’s an attack, it will be a calculated one. Moreover, Oberon’s plan has failed. What makes you so certain Saturn will attack?”

Sophia expressed her concerns.

“Oberon may have failed, but Saturn hasn’t yet. Don’t you think so?”

Robert silently watched Sophia and Gareth, subtly indicating that Sophia needed to persuade him directly.

Sophia reasoned, “Philip Wiscombe must have come to Oberon knowing of the plan to attack Ariel. Likely, he aimed to provoke Oberon into taking out you, Prince Robert, and the Gareth siblings first. But the plan failed. However, what about Saturn?”

Gareth replied, “Philip’s plan was unlikely to succeed from the start. Attacking the prince or the Gareth family isn’t an easy feat.”

“Philip might have believed Oberon desperate enough for such a move, knowing their connection with Saturn. The plan failed, yes, but now Philip is under suspicion of treason. So, who fed Philip the information and sent him to Oberon?”

Gareth pondered her words, his expression serious.

“Are you saying that, according to Lady Ariel, someone provided information to Philip Wiscombe, sent him to Oberon, and then… intended to eliminate Philip Wiscombe as well?”

“No, not to eliminate Philip Wiscombe, but to create suspicion that Oberon, Wiscombe, and Saturn might all be in collusion. It’s about tying Wiscombe to Saturn. Treason is no small matter… Without solid evidence, it would only end in doubt and accusations. Under normal circumstances, Wiscombe might have been able to manage the fallout, but…”

Sir Gareth remarked,

 “You’re expecting circumstances to be anything but normal.”

Prince Robert responded,

“…War.”