As soon as Sir Gareth stepped outside, he spoke to Sophia.

“I will assist the Ariel Order of Knights. Now that the commander of the Titan Knight has appeared, it’s only right that I help. You needn’t worry about that matter.”

Sophia replied, “Hearing you say that is reassuring. I suppose there hasn’t been any progress on the Oberon matter?”

“I give you my word as a Gareth. I’ll write to Duke Gareth about what happened in Oberon and send it via Parma. Parma will add her perspective as well. My father will surely agree to transfer Oberon to Ariel. Even if Prince Robert governs Umbriel effectively, he’ll spend far more time in the capital. Ariel’s margrave would manage it better.”

“Please send my regards to Duke Gareth and mention that Ariel has a keen interest in ports and taxes. However, we’re considering leaving trade matters to Umbriel.”

“Ah, in that case, the issue should resolve itself smoothly. If Oberon had raised an army, things might have been easier. But since the situation is unresolved, there’s a risk of interference here and there…”

Seeing Sophia’s words trail off, Gareth shook his head.

“You’ve pledged your name as a Gareth… Are you comfortable making such uncertain statements?”

“Of course not. My name is on the line, so I’ll do everything in my power. So will Duke Gareth.”

“Indeed. I hope Duke Gareth is fully aware of that fact. What do you think about sharing this matter with Lady Gareth?”

“It’s possible, but please leave out the matter of the broken engagement. I haven’t mentioned that to Parma.”

“Then let’s proceed that way,” Sophia agreed, excusing herself and departing first.

Watching Sophia leave, Gareth muttered to himself.

“She uses the Gareth name better than I do. I wonder if Father will lose his temper again. Oh well, he told me to leave capital matters to him, so he’ll manage.”

Gareth brushed himself off and headed toward the camp, intending to combine personal training with sparring sessions for Ariel’s apprentice knights.

“I’ll just eat some dust and keep my mind at ease. Heh, heh, heh.”

***

As soon as Prince Robert received Sophia Ariel’s letter, he set off for Ariel. It was the first time Mav had seen Prince Robert in such a threatening mood.

Although he’d seen him angry before, he’d never witnessed him so unapproachable that no one dared to speak to him. Watching in confusion as he bid him farewell, Mav was addressed by Acel.

“What in the world did you do this time?”

Mav replied, taken aback.

“What are you talking about, Acel? I haven’t done anything. He’s upset because of the letter from Ariel.”

“Ariel again? What now? I wish Ariel would sever ties with Prince Robert already.”

Mav gave Acel a disbelieving look.

“Ariel helped defend Titania just the other day, didn’t they? Ariel has been supporting us in overcoming the hardships at the border. Why would you say something like that?”

Acel retorted, “Don’t you understand why Lady Parma Gareth spent so much time with him? The Gareth family has marked Prince Robert as theirs. And now Ariel summons him away? It’s utterly improper. The difficulties at the border should be your problem to handle.”

As Mav frowned in frustration, Acel grew bolder, continuing his tirade.

“And another thing, why did you deliver Sophia Ariel’s personal letter directly to the prince? That’s not an official document from Ariel! You should have intercepted it, especially now that the engagement is broken.”

Mav, irritated by Acel’s constant criticism and his overuse of his name, responded curtly.

“I’m simply following Prince Robert’s orders. Lady Ariel isn’t just a former fiancée; Ariel is a neighboring territory with various alliances. If you have a problem with my work, file an official complaint with Prince Robert, Acel!”

With that, Mav seated himself at Prince Robert’s desk and began his work.

The sight of Mav sitting in the lord’s seat annoyed Acel greatly. Since becoming acting lord of Umbriel, he’d grown bolder.

He came to the prince’s office after me and now thinks he’s surpassed me just because he manages a territory?

Acel regretted not taking up the border work that Robert had assigned to him.

Meanwhile, Mav ignored Acel’s provocations. He had no time for petty squabbles while cleaning up the aftermath of battles and catching spies in Umbriel. Despite having seen the dangers firsthand, Acel continued to argue with her over trivial matters.

Mav followed Prince Robert’s orders to avoid engaging with Acel.

“He has his own plans. I just have to endure it. Ugh, there’s so much work to do!”

He sighed as he glanced over the documents in front of him.

“Since the engagement was broken, it seems Prince Robert has become sharper… It must be because of the ambush. That’s how I’ll think of it. There’s no other way, after all.”

****

As soon as Prince Robert dismounted his horse, he greeted the Lord of Ariel. The marquis welcomed him as he always had, with no sign of tension.

He already knew that Sophia had prepared the engagement termination letter before heading to Oberon. He also knew that Sophia had used the letter to negotiate with Sir Gareth.

Moreover, he was aware that despite the broken engagement, Prince Robert had expressed his desire to honor the betrothal with Sophia.

From the beginning, the Marquis of Ariel hadn’t believed that Robert and Sophia would end up together. He hadn’t supported the match, and now he found himself less inclined to blame Robert for the situation.

The emperor wouldn’t have approved of their engagement either. The fact that he had handed Gunther over to Sophia was proof enough. While the emperor had a favorable opinion of Sophia, it didn’t mean he saw her as a match for Robert.

The Marquis of Ariel felt the same. While Robert might make a good emperor, he was not the right husband for Sophia.

Sophia is too good for Prince Robert. She deserves someone better.

The marquis and Prince Robert discussed the Saturn delegation. Robert reported, “During yesterday’s ambush, we captured half of those claiming to be Saturn soldiers and killed the rest. We’re still investigating whether more might be hiding among us. I suspect they were acting under orders from somewhere other than Saturn, but it’s too early to say.”

“We also suspected Saturn’s ambush unit was headed to Umbriel as soon as we heard. We believe the intention was to make it seem like a coordinated plan with Oberon.”

“I agree. In the capital, we’ll spread the word that this was orchestrated by Oberon’s remnants. I’ll take the Saturn delegation to the capital with me immediately. There’s no need to give Saturn’s commanders the opportunity to observe Ariel’s situation.”

The Marquis of Ariel bowed politely. “Thank you. We’ll prepare soon. Lady Gareth will also be accompanying you, so please keep an eye on her. Sir Gareth is particularly concerned about his sister’s safety, especially regarding the Saturn delegation.”

“I understand. I’ll share a carriage with her and ensure she can’t even breathe easily,” Robert said with a smirk.

The marquis chuckled. “If you can manage that, I would greatly appreciate it.”

Robert hesitated before asking, “Um… Where is Sophia? I’d like to speak with her briefly before departing…”

Noting Robert’s cautious demeanor, the Marquis of Ariel gave a wry smile. On the surface, both seemed unaffected by the broken engagement.

Despite knowing they wouldn’t work out, the marquis felt his resolve soften when he thought of Sophia.

“She’s in the greenhouse. She’s been spending a lot of time there lately.”

At the marquis’s response, Robert’s face lit up. Without fully understanding why Robert was so pleased, the marquis directed him to the greenhouse.

***

Robert watched Sophia arranging flower pots for a while before speaking.

“Are you not tired? You must have had a hard time with Saturn’s antics.”

Startled by Robert’s unexpectedly early arrival, Sophia looked at him with wide eyes. The greenhouse was already filled with numerous plants.

Robert remarked as he observed her, “Saturn’s ambush was a failure. It ended too easily, didn’t it? And then they had the nerve to send a delegation right after? How brazen can they be? It’s infuriating that they claim to be diplomats, leaving us unable to act decisively even when they appear right in front of us.”

As Robert vented, Sophia removed her gloves and pruning shears and replied, “You arrived in quite a hurry, didn’t you? Is Umbriel holding up? It must still be chaotic.”

“We managed somehow. Truly, it was underwhelming. We prepared thoroughly, set up traps, yet all we caught were small fry—no big fish.”

Sophia nodded. “It does seem like Saturn is being strategic, using deception rather than force. Wasn’t that always their way?”

“We’re gathering information on Saturn’s key figures. I’ll send it to you soon.”

Robert sat down heavily, then turned his gaze back to Sophia. “How is Sir Gareth doing?”

Sophia looked puzzled. Robert quickly clarified, “I was just curious about how things are going in Ariel.”

“He’s doing well. He checks on the camps daily and trains Ariel’s apprentice and novice knights. He seems particularly displeased with someone named Sir Enceladus.”

“Anyone would dislike someone brazen enough to show up at an enemy’s doorstep after an ambush. He’s too dismissive of Uranus.”

“Both Sir Gareth and the people of Ariel are uneasy but tolerating the situation for now.”

“Hmm.”

“What is it?”

“Sir Gareth seems… like someone you might favor. I’ve noticed you smiling whenever he’s around.”

Sophia smiled warmly in response.

“Sir Gareth is unlike anyone I’ve ever met. He enjoys being in the spotlight, yet he’s also incredibly capable. And it’s Gareth we’re talking about. I feel like there must be someone even better suited for him.”

At Sophia’s praise for Sir Gareth, Robert let out a bemused laugh and said, “You never talk about your feelings, do you? You never say you like or dislike anything.”

Sophia replied calmly, “It’s not like I’ve ever been in a position where I could comfortably talk about my feelings. I was just the powerless daughter of a baron living in the frontier. Even after my father became a marquis, I still felt dwarfed among dukes and princes. I don’t have the luxury of speaking about emotions. Isn’t it the same for you, Prince Robert?”

Robert stared at Sophia intently. Her words echoed his own thoughts from the past.

He had often been told he was unreadable because he never expressed what he liked or disliked. Back then, he had thought the same thing Sophia had just said,

“I didn’t have the luxury to care about what I liked. What mattered was staying unnoticed and avoiding trouble.”

Regret filled Robert as he reflected on his words to Sophia. Tensing slightly, he asked, “Do you still like the greenhouse?”

Sophia’s face lit up with a radiant smile. “Very much so.”