Vian refrained from telling Mav about Acel’s excuse that he had made a mistake in choosing sides out of envy for Mav.

Mav’s slight lack of perceptiveness seemed, in a way, to explain his absence of inferiority or jealousy.

For now, they decided to keep an eye on the matter regarding Sir Federico. It was possible that he was simply the person Mav found most memorable.

Mav spoke up.

“Lately, the name of that teacher who Prince Frederick reportedly follows closely has felt strangely familiar. Then, while recalling my meeting with Sarah, I remembered encountering that person.”

Prince Robert, his expression thoughtful, calmly asked,

“What did you talk about?”

Mav replied,

“Well… they were complaining about repeatedly submitting teaching applications to the administrative office but having no success. So I told them that nobles usually aren’t selected when hiring teachers for the provinces. I suggested they might have better luck looking for a position as a private tutor in a noble household.”

“And?”

“After that… I had some trivial conversation with Sarah. Things like, ‘It feels like I ended up in the wrong place with Prince Robert,’ ‘I want to transfer to the administrative office,’ and ‘But I don’t think they’ll let me.’ Stuff like that.”

Vian shook his head.

What do we do about his lack of awareness?

Even Prince Robert allowed a faint smile. Taking this as a sign that the conversation about Sarah was settled, Mav changed the subject.

“There’s news from Ariel. They’ve suggested a candidate for the delegation to Saturn.”

“Who is it?”

“Sir Gareth.”

Prince Robert frowned.

“Isn’t there a strong possibility he could end up as a hostage too?”

“Not as much as Your Highness. And if it comes to that, he’s capable of breaking through any encirclement himself. Besides, he apparently sympathizes deeply with Sir Enceladus’s current circumstances, so persuading him shouldn’t be difficult.”

“Sympathy, is it…”

Vian interjected.

“It’s true that the Gareth family, a prominent house of the empire’s military strength, and the Enceladus family, which holds similar influence in Saturn, have commonalities. But it also seems the two men harbor mutual dislike.”

Mav added,

“Lady Sophia mentioned that while Sir Gareth’s value as a hostage doesn’t compare to Prince Robert’s, the fact that he is still valuable might actually work in our favor. She said Sir Enceladus would likely want to take him as a hostage if the opportunity arose.”

“How is that a good thing?”

Vian replied,

“Your Highness is Uranus, but Sir Gareth is just Sir Gareth. There’s no guarantee Uranus would negotiate if Gareth were taken hostage. It’s far more likely Duke Gareth would respond furiously by deploying troops to both Titania and Saturn.”

The more Vian spoke, the more he found himself agreeing with Sophia’s argument.

“Saturn’s intelligence agency must already have a grasp of the capital’s noble families, including Duke Gareth’s personality. They’ve likely scrutinized the Gareth family more thoroughly because of sightings of Sir Gareth in Ariel.”

Vian, Mav, and even Sophia all opposed Prince Robert going to Saturn. Conversely, they were all fervently in favor of sending Sir Gareth instead.

As if revealing a decisive move, Mav handed a letter to Prince Robert.

“It’s a proposal from Lady Sophia Ariel addressed to Your Highness. She wrote it herself.”

“A proposal?”

Prince Robert read the letter. Its main content echoed what Mav and Vian had been trying to persuade him about all along.

However, this was a direct message from Sophia Ariel to Prince Robert. At the end of the letter, a small note of concern was written:

Your Highness Prince Robert,

While it is admirable for a commander to lead from the most dangerous place, a true strategist must remain cool-headed and assess the situation rationally. Please make a calm and wise decision.

With respect,
Sophia Ariel

A smile played on Prince Robert’s lips. Mav nudged Vian, signaling with his eyes.

See? This alone does the trick!

Vian maintained a neutral expression as he waited for Prince Robert’s response. Prince Robert tucked Sophia’s letter into his jacket and spoke.

“Then it will be Sir Gareth.”

Vian replied but couldn’t hide the way he bit his lip, something Mav noticed. He felt proud of himself.

See? I really do have a knack for this!

***

Sir Gareth was ultimately chosen as the envoy to Saturn. He decided to bring two subordinates with him.

Initially, Sir Gareth argued that since Sir Enceladus only brought one aide during his visit, he should do the same. However, Marquis Ariel opposed this idea.

“That was immediately after the ambush. While the failure of the ambush may have left some resentment among Saturn’s delegation, there was no real threat to anyone’s life. However, this time, war has already begun. Taking only one person under these circumstances is simply not reasonable.”

Sir Gareth seemed slightly persuaded, prompting Marquis Ariel to continue.

“Even with all of Sir Gareth’s men accompanying him, it would still be dangerous. Personally, I think it would be better to bring everyone. However, to prevent Sir Enceladus from thinking of this as an ambush team, we agreed on two subordinates.”

Acknowledging Marquis Ariel’s concerns, Sir Gareth reluctantly accepted the suggestion to bring two aides. He had no desire to be overly stubborn on this matter or cause conflict with Marquis Ariel.

The mood among Gareth’s subordinates was far from pleasant, as it was clear they could not guarantee his safety.

Although Gunther volunteered to join, Sir Gareth refused.

“Sir Enceladus knows very well what it means for an imperial inspector to appear. Seeing you might drastically lower their trust in us. They might even suspect a trap, thinking you’re bait sent by Uranus.”

Gunther replied with a sullen expression, “I never imagined I’d have to worry about being called the emperor’s pawn, even by people from Saturn.”

Sir Gareth laughed good-naturedly.

“A pawn of the emperor at such a critical moment of betraying the king? How ridiculous.”

Gunther eventually agreed. They were, after all, embarking on a mission to propose rebellion. Being overly cautious wouldn’t hurt.

Sophia wrestled with whether or not to send letters to both Parma and Duke Gareth. The fact that someone from Uranus was crossing over to Saturn was a closely guarded secret.

Moreover, they needed to meet Sir Enceladus while avoiding the eyes of Saturn’s soldiers and commanders, requiring absolute discretion.

Twenty members of Ariel’s garrison were mobilized for Gareth’s journey over the Titania Mountains. Their tasks included guiding the path and distracting Saturn’s scouts. Additional personnel were assigned to monitor Saturn’s movements.

Umbriel also lent support, thanks to a suggestion from Prince Robert. Ultimately, Sir Gareth was the one to execute the plan.

Prince Robert sent Sir Gareth a message expressing gratitude and wishing for his safe return. Sir Gareth chuckled.

“It feels petty to receive only such words, yet not hearing them at all would have felt even worse. Lords are always such delicate beings.”

Marquis Ariel seemed to understand.

“Our subordinates likely sense the same subtle sensitivities from us. I hope this will be a valuable experience for you, Sir Gareth.”

Sir Gareth appreciated Marquis Ariel’s cautious yet direct advice.

“Always saying exactly what he wants, even when he beats around the bush. That’s Ariel for you.”

***

Three days later, Sir Gareth began his journey through the Titania Mountains. To maintain secrecy, it was announced in Ariel that Sir Gareth had gone to Umbriel for a private meeting with Prince Robert. Word spread discreetly.

Two weeks after crossing the Titania Mountains, Sir Gareth returned to Ariel, looking like a bandit.

Alex, upon seeing him, remarked, “Is this a deliberate disguise? You look more like a hunter than a nobleman. Excellent work.”

Sir Gareth could only offer a bitter smile. He had narrowly escaped death. After cleaning up, shaving, and changing clothes, he went straight to bed, waking two days later.

Marquis Ariel, who had spent those two weeks on edge, finally felt relieved to see him safe. He ordered that no one disturb Sir Gareth until he awoke on his own.

When Sir Gareth realized two days had passed since his arrival, he scratched his head.

“Well, it was an exhausting two weeks.”

That evening, he recounted his adventures and immediately sent updates to Umbriel and the capital.

“We need to mobilize the army—a large one. The plan is to march on Saturn’s capital through Oberon.”

Upon hearing of the operation, reinforcements were promptly dispatched from the capital to Oberon. The news also reached the lands of Count Cressida.

***

Count Cressida asked, “So, they’re gathering troops in Oberon? How many?”

Lord Cressida, who brought the report, replied, “At least 50,000 have already been sent. It’s the largest force mobilized so far. They’ll assemble in Oberon, then deploy from the harbor and through Titania.”

“Both routes? And the destination?”

“Saturn’s capital.”

“What?”

Count Cressida shot up from his seat. The attack pattern was all too familiar.

“What is this?”

Seeing his surprise, Lord Cressida responded…

“Saturn likely already knows. There’s no need for us to inform them.”

“From now on, don’t even mention Saturn. We have nothing to do with them anymore. Erase all evidence—be it people or things.”

“Yes, Father. We’re already in the process. Do you believe Saturn will lose?”

“Yes, Saturn will lose.”

“Why are you so certain?”

“Because they’re about to experience exactly what we were planning to do to them.”

“What?”

Lord Cressida’s astonished face prompted the Count of Cressida to give a faint, bitter smile.

“In the end, betrayal always demands a price. Now, what do we do next?”

It had been over two months since the Count of Cressida began gathering troops under the pretext of preventing southern conflicts. Yet, the scale of the disputes had grown far larger than anticipated.

Netunia, in contrast to their secret pact, was subtly testing the waters. As a result, the Count found himself unable to act rashly according to Saturn’s wishes.

The Count spoke firmly.

“You will stay here, not in the capital. Ensure Netunia cannot entertain any treacherous thoughts. They’re waiting to seize our land outright if they think we’re losing ground to Saturn. Don’t let your guard down.”

“Yes, Father. And… it’s become more difficult for Mother to access the imperial palace.”

“Why?”

“They’ve decided to restrict palace access under the pretext of the war. No one but members of the imperial family can enter during the early hours. This means fewer opportunities for her to meet the Empress. The Empress herself calls for her less frequently these days.”

“You suspect something, don’t you?”

“I suspect the Emperor deliberately restricted our access. There are individuals who’ve gone missing, but… for spies supposedly caught in action, their disappearances were far too quiet. It almost feels like Saturn withdrew them deliberately.”

Lowering his voice further, the Count added,

“We must proceed cautiously. Whether this is the Emperor’s doing or Saturn’s withdrawal, one thing is clear: we must sever all ties with Saturn now. If the Emperor is indeed watching us, we must lie low again. Survival is what matters. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Father. But Frederick infuriates me.”

“That ungrateful wretch. After everything we did for him his entire life, he turns his back on us? And now he clings to Wiscombe?”

“What should we do about him?”

“Leave him be for now. We’ll deal with Prince Frederick later. For now, focus on survival.”

Lord Cressida understood his father’s intentions well. Without Prince Frederick, rebellion was impossible. Still, his frustration and resentment toward Frederick continued to fester.

“That arrogant, selfish brat!”