Sir Gareth waved the spoon he was holding and spoke.

“One of the talented young men of Uranus made an interesting guess. The plan of Methone is to use the conflict with Netunia to help Cressida gather an army and spread rumors that Cressida might march on the capital while the northern regions are engulfed in war.”

Glancing at Sir Dione, who flinched slightly, Sir Gareth continued.

“In that case, no matter how bold they are, they won’t be able to send troops from the capital or their territories to the north. What do you think of this deduction from one of Uranus’s bright minds?”

Sir Enceladus responded, “It seems we ought to bless Uranus for its promising future.”

“Thank you. And here’s that brilliant mind’s plan: load soldiers from Oberon and head toward Saturn’s capital. Spread the word that we plan to strike the capital. That would force Saturn’s king to gather troops to defend it.”

As expected, Sir Dione reacted with excitement. Sir Gareth smiled and said, “Among the prisoners in the capital, we select someone slated for execution but who might live if they achieve merit. We appoint that person as the commander and have their son lead the troops toward the capital.”

Sir Enceladus grinned. “I hope I haven’t upset you too much, Sir Gareth. You’re going to such lengths to assist me.”

“It was only natural. And, of course, Uranus has some demands.”

“It would be strange if you didn’t. In fact, to avoid suspicion, demands are a must.”

“Hand over Methone. Perhaps we’ll display him as a fine ornament in Uranus’s square.”

“He’s not much to look at, but he might suffice as a decoration. Should we just take his head, or deliver him whole?”

Sir Gareth frowned. “Ah, crossing the Titania Mountains… What do you think? Can we transport him whole, or would it be better to separate him midway?”

“They’ll probably insist on separation the moment they see him,” Sir Enceladus replied with a smile.

Sir Dione was pleased that the tide seemed to turn in their favor, but he was disheartened by the unfolding events. Uranus was mirroring Saturn’s strategy and returning the favor. Losing to Uranus was one thing, but this…

Yet, to save the Enceladus domain and the Dione family, extreme measures were unavoidable. Sir Gareth’s proposal offered a golden opportunity.

After all, there’s a big difference between clinging to a hopeless cause and following a plan that might succeed. Even for the soldiers, defending the capital and committing treason are entirely different matters.

***

When Sir Gareth saw Methone’s priest, he raised his hand, indicating that taking him whole would be difficult.

“He was a man of great intellect,” Sir Enceladus remarked. “Surely, just the head would suffice. As for the body…”

“I thought he’d be a tough strategist, but look at this well-fed priest, graced by divine favor. Isn’t it strange how someone so dedicated to punishing Uranus in the name of the gods is so well-nourished?”

“Perhaps being at peace with the gods’ will keeps one content,” Sir Enceladus replied.

“His head in Uranus, his body in Saturn, separated by the Titania Mountains—that must be the gods’ will too. Who else could claim such a fate, oh priest of the goddess?” Sir Gareth said with a smirk.

Methone’s face alternated between pale and red as he listened. When he began to make muffled sounds, Sir Enceladus had his gag removed. Methone coughed a few times and then shouted, “Who are you to decide whether my body is separated or not? So, this is your true nature, Sir Enceladus. Was this your plan all along? Were you scheming to make secret deals with Uranus?”

Sir Gareth stepped back, letting the two argue. Sir Enceladus responded, “It’s to save the Marquisate of Enceladus. Inspired by your brilliant strategies, Uranus made an amusing proposal. You know as well as I do that the king has no regard for the lives of the Enceladus family.”

A bitter smile crossed Sir Enceladus’s face. “You thought, as a proud knight, as the captain of the Titan Knight, and as the son of Enceladus, that neither I nor my father would ever commit the grave sin of treason. Even as the king laid traps for us out of greed for our possessions, you assumed we would die silently out of loyalty. Perhaps you didn’t trust us entirely; that’s why so many hostages are held in the capital.”

Taking a step closer to Methone, Sir Enceladus continued, “You knew the trap was set, counting on our pride and loyalty. But now we must remove the king, who wields our loyalty as a weakness. Even if we excuse the king himself and blame the scheming courtiers who whispered lies into his ears.”

Sir Gareth chimed in, “As for those scheming courtiers, I’ll take the head. Who will do the honors?”

Sir Enceladus and Sir Dione exchanged glances and nodded. Sir Enceladus spoke.

“Sir Gareth, would you kindly excuse us for a moment?”

Gareth and his men stepped outside the room briefly. After a moment, Sir Dione handed over a small box and said, “I added salt, hoping it might make the journey a little easier. But with supplies running low, I wonder how we’ll manage moving forward.”

Sir Gareth opened the wooden box. His expression remained composed as he looked inside. The same eyes that had glared at him moments ago still stared back at him from within.

‘A brief encounter, yet it will linger in my thoughts often,’ Gareth mused.

He closed the lid and held the box with both hands, gauging its weight.

‘Not too heavy,’ he noted to himself before handing it over to one of his men.

“You’ll need to do your best to defend the capital. Our prince seems deeply angered by Saturn’s invasion. Having met Prince Robert, you must already know this,” Gareth remarked.

Sir Enceladus sighed. “Indeed, it’s been an incredibly challenging time.”

Gareth replied, “Harder days lie ahead. Thinking about how what happened to you could easily happen to us—it’s unsettling. I hope you channel that pride of yours in the right direction.”

Sir Enceladus could feel the sincerity in Gareth’s words. The House of Gareth from Uranus and the Marquisate of Enceladus from Saturn had much in common: both were prominent martial families, and both bore the brunt of their emperors’ suspicion.

Enceladus lamented inwardly. If only the king weren’t so consumed by greed, there would have been no need to endure Gareth’s sympathy or accept help from Uranus.

Titan had its own pride.

Gareth wasted no time and discreetly began his ascent back into the Titania Mountains. Sir Enceladus, however, ordered his men to track him.

But those assigned to follow Gareth returned with reports of failure.

“The soldiers who had been waiting ahead vanished into the mountains in an instant. There must be hidden paths or secret shelters within the Titania Range. It’s unthinkable how someone could disappear so quickly.”

Sir Enceladus asked in a weary voice, “So, are you saying that no matter what, it’s impossible to catch the people of Uranus—or rather, Ariel and Umbriel—in the Titania Mountains?”

“It’s not just a matter of strength or numbers. They seem to have deep knowledge of Titania’s terrain, paired with considerable skill. Many of our scouts have already disappeared. It’s clear that the forces stationed in Titania are highly formidable.”

Enceladus let out a bitter laugh.

“No matter how brilliant a grand strategy might be, it’s bound to falter if conceived by someone who’s never faced actual combat. This is my own limitation. I thought of Titania as a barrier, but never as a battleground.”

The same applied to Sir Dione. For months, he had failed to breach Ariel’s territory, even though their forces were relatively small. The setbacks seemed too consistent to be mere bad luck. Only after several landslides, with casualties nearing five figures, did they realize these were not natural disasters.

The exact number of casualties was kept a strict secret. If it became known that so many had been buried under the earth, rumors of Ariel being under the goddess’s wrath would spread, further demoralizing Saturn’s troops.

Sir Enceladus gazed toward the Titania Mountains.

“As frustrating as it is, this war is a complete defeat for me. I underestimated the enemy. Ariel, the protector of the Titania goddess… I thought it was just an embellishment to their reputation, but it turns out to be true.”

Dione replied with a bitter tone, “We’ve suffered greatly at Ariel’s hands, and yet we can’t even speak of it. Meanwhile, Ariel refrains from boasting. If only Prince Robert hadn’t broken off his engagement, Ariel might have risen to even greater prominence. With this level of resilience and now their salt mines, not to mention Gareth’s support… Oh! Could it be that Sir Gareth remains in Ariel for so long because of the young lady of Ariel?”

Enceladus chuckled. “Even in this situation, you’re trying to matchmake.”

Dione grinned sheepishly. “Old habits die hard.”

Enceladus thought briefly of Lady Ariel. He had little impression of her, as she had no reason to interact closely with the delegation. Shaking his head, he said, “That will never happen. Ariel’s lady wouldn’t suit his tastes. He’s probably here for the battles, not the lady.”

Dione felt a pang of regret. While Gareth’s proposal had been helpful, he couldn’t help but find him irritating.

“Lady Ariel is remarkable. It would be wonderful if they were connected,” Dione muttered.

Enceladus, amused by Dione’s mischief, shook his head.

***

Two weeks later, Sir Gareth safely reappeared in Ariel.

When Sophia heard his story, she asked, “And the adventure?”

Gareth replied, “It begins now.”

“Are you going to talk about the struggles in the mountains rather than Saturn?”

He nodded. “Climbing such heights while avoiding prying eyes was no easy feat. We couldn’t light fires or bathe. It was just lying down, getting up, walking, and lying down again beneath the trees.”

“Go up there and rest, they said… How exactly is one supposed to rest on a tree branch that could snap at any moment? And to restrict water consumption to a bare minimum on top of that…”

Alex chimed in, “It’s because of sanitation issues. Leaving behind traces could be unavoidable otherwise. When moving in a group, frequent individual actions like that are not feasible.”

Sophia retorted, “Aren’t you just exaggerating your hardships for effect? Even though you already know all this?”

Feigning exaggerated shock, Sir Gareth responded, “What are you suggesting? Did you think bringing back the head of a foreign priest would be so easy?”

Gunther interjected, “From what I’ve heard, wasn’t it Sir Enceladus who did the deed? Didn’t you just collect the severed head and leave?”

When Sir Gareth shot him a glare, Gunther continued, “I was only passing along the information I came across. They said it was strategically better for someone from Saturn to handle Methone’s head, just in case Sir Enceladus failed and Saturn needed a reason to exploit the situation. I have my reports to file as well, you know.”

Sir Gareth signaled with a hand gesture that he had heard enough. Those who had gathered to hear his tale of overcoming adversity were left feeling a bit deflated.

Sophia, despite having been the first to suggest giving Gareth applause, was the most cynical in her reaction. Gunther glanced at Sophia, then back at Gareth.

‘They don’t match,’ he thought.

Outside of work, the two seemed to have little compatibility.