She quickly grew bored of making me squeal, and
"...What's this?"
Even as the words left his mouth, Sylvester plucked the Hairpin from my hair with a smooth tug.
Before I could process what had happened, my hair came tumbling down. I jerked my head up to find Sylvester holding the ceremonial Hairpin my family had made for me, examining it with keen interest.
Sylvester looked like a man in his late twenties, but he was behaving exactly like an incomprehensible elementary school boy who didn't know his own strength. The instant I thought that, the word "broken" floated through my mind. The blood drained from my face.
"P-please give it back."
I reached out instinctively. At the sound of my voice, Sylvester grinned like the Cheshire Cat, narrowing his eyes. He held the Hairpin above his head, well beyond my reach, and dangled it between his thick fingers, swaying the green leaf ornament back and forth. He had absolutely no intention of returning it.
"Come on, try to take it back."
"Give it back!"
I chased after Sylvester as he held the Hairpin aloft, hopping up and down until I was out of breath.
"I keep telling you to give it back... It's my Hairpin. My Hairpin that Dad, Mom, and Turi made for me."
I glared up at the Hairpin high above and clenched my fist. At that same moment, I felt Magic Power surging through my entire body.
...I really hate boys like this.
"W-what the—! Shrine Maiden Apprentice!"
The Chief Priest and
"You fool! I told you not to push her too far!"
"Don't make a fool of yourself in front of a child!"
Smack! Smack! Two crisp sounds cracked against Sylvester's head at the same time. I stared, stunned and breathless, at the sight of Sylvester being struck by the glowing wands that had transformed into something resembling scepters.
"There's no need for both of you to get angry, is there? I was just teasing her a little."
Sylvester didn't seem remotely chastened, but the moment I realized that the Chief Priest and Karstedt would intervene when he went too far, the rage that had been flooding through my entire body drained away in an instant.
The Chief Priest swiftly retrieved the Hairpin from Sylvester's hand and returned it to me.
"Mine, can you put it back on yourself?"
"Yes. Thank you, Chief Priest."
I quickly gathered my hair and secured it with the Hairpin. Sylvester, who had been watching this with amusement, reached for the Hairpin again.
"Hey!"
Karstedt slapped Sylvester's hand away with a sharp smack and pointed a finger at Damuel, who was rolling his eyes back in his head.
"If you want to play around, play with Damuel. He's sturdy."
The Chief Priest added, "Indeed. Go play with Damuel over there. Mine stays here," and waved his hand dismissively.
The Chief Priest then tucked me under his arm and carried me back to his desk, where he resumed his discussion with Karstedt. The two of them completely ignored Damuel's pathetic cry of "Gyaaah! Please make them stop!" as they pored over the map and quickly decided on a route.
I let out a breath of admiration at the map spread across the desk. It was far more detailed than the one I'd seen at the commercial guild.
The map at the commercial guild had only shown city names and highways, so this was my first time seeing a map that revealed the shape and terrain of the territory. The territory was elongated north to south, and was color-coded red and blue according to some criterion. The area around this city was almost entirely red, with blue increasing the farther out you went.
...What was the basis for the color coding?
I wanted to ask, but I decided that questioning the two men having a serious conversation above my head would be an interruption, so I simply gazed at the map in silence.
"...Hmm, this should work."
"Then let's set off."
"Damuel, pick up Mine and carry her. Sylvester, you take this. Karstedt, this goes to you."
Once the two had reached an agreement, they immediately set off for the Noble's Gate. Karstedt and Sylvester, loaded down with heavy luggage, exited the room, and I was picked up by Damuel.
I whispered quietly to Damuel.
"Lord Damuel, if at all possible, I'd like to keep some distance from that priest."
"That is something I wholeheartedly wish for as well."
Damuel and I were in complete agreement. We would keep our guard up around Sylvester and maintain as much distance as possible. Sylvester was a blue priest, but judging from Damuel's attitude, his family's influence was clearly far above Damuel's.
"Aren't you two being a little unfriendly?"
I was trying to keep my distance, afraid that if I provoked him it might turn into another
"N-no, nothing of the sort."
As I said that, I looked around for someone who might be able to keep Sylvester in check. Karstedt had already gone ahead and was nowhere in sight.
Spotting the Chief Priest hurrying to catch up over Damuel's shoulder—the Chief Priest who had delegated the house to the remaining Attendants before leaving—I reached out a hand in desperation.
"Chief Priest..."
At my pitiful voice, the Chief Priest pressed his fingers to his temple and let out a sigh.
"Sylvester, don't get too close to Mine. The Dedication Ritual hasn't even started yet, and if Mine becomes unstable, it'll cause problems later."
"Surely she wouldn't become unstable over something this trivial? She'd have to be rather fragile."
Perhaps it was because being carried by Damuel had brought us to eye level, but Sylvester poked my cheek repeatedly with his index finger. The Chief Priest gently swatted his hand away and gave Sylvester a cold glare.
"Ah, no, you're quite right. Mine is fragile, delicate, and troublesome. Don't make me repeat myself."
Karstedt, who had gone on ahead, opened the Noble's Gate and was waiting for us in the square just beyond it.
The Chief Priest, Karstedt, and Damuel each produced their magic stone riding beasts, and the Chief Priest gave his instructions.
"Karstedt takes point, Mine and Damuel in the middle, and Sylvester and I will follow behind. Understood?"
While Sylvester had been tormenting me, Damuel had done absolutely nothing to protect me, making him seem terribly unreliable as a bodyguard. Honestly, I would have preferred to ride with the Chief Priest.
"Shrine Maiden Apprentice, you don't look pleased."
"Lord Damuel didn't protect me from Lord Sylvester."
"Th-that was..."
Damuel started to say something, then froze for an instant. After hesitating over whether he could say it, he let out a long sigh.
"...I'm sorry."
Damuel's riding beast was a pegasus. I was placed on its back, and Damuel settled in behind me, taking the reins. The pegasus spread its wings with a soft rustle and took off after Karstedt's griffin-like creature.
We soared over the lower city, and once we crossed the Outer Wall, the griffin-thing immediately began its descent.
This was probably the farming village nearest to the South Gate—the one where our neighbors got their pork supplies—the place they called the Winter Manor. There was a large, wooden building reminiscent of an old elementary school, along with a wide open area like a playground.
Even from above, I could see a large crowd gathered in the village square. There appeared to be about a thousand people. As we prepared to descend into the square, the crowd shuffled aside to make room, clearing a space in the center.
Karstedt was the first to land, dismissing his riding beast. Damuel's pegasus touched down gently beside him. Karstedt set me down, and Damuel slid off in one smooth motion as the pegasus vanished.
"Make way!"
From above, Sylvester's voice rang out as the Chief Priest's lion-like creature descended. Looking up while still held in Karstedt's arms as he took several steps back, I heard a sharp "Hah!" and something blue launched itself off the lion's back.
"What?!"
"Whoa?!"
Before the bewildered crowd, the blue figure spun through the air several times before striking a dramatic pose and landing.
"Ooooooh!"
The excitement swept through the square in an instant—partly caught up in Sylvester's momentum, partly the thrill of watching a spectacle. Cheers erupted for Sylvester as he held his pose.
"That fool is showing off way too much..."
An indescribably bitter voice escaped Karstedt's lips, and at that moment, the Chief Priest's lion came swooping down with what could only be described as an intent to crush Sylvester.
But with swift, acrobatic agility, Sylvester bounded out of the way and struck yet another pose.
"Oooooooooh!"
Bathed in even more applause and cheers, the satisfied Sylvester looked exactly like an elementary school boy desperate to show off what he could do.
"...Is the Spring Dedication Ritual supposed to be an event where priests perform for the commoners?"
I muttered, dumbfounded by this Sylvester who bore no resemblance whatsoever to the blue priests I knew.
"Mine, don't use him as a reference. If anything, he's exactly what you must never emulate."
"Since Lord Karstedt knows him well and treats him so casually, Lord Sylvester must be a very high-ranking noble, correct? Am I going to be subjected to unreasonable demands again, like with Lord Shikikoza?"
What was I supposed to do with someone who crushed subordinates on a whim, brooking no objections?
"Ah, no, he's not the violent type. You needn't worry about that. But the number of headaching, unreasonable things he does is... considerable."
"...If Lord Sylvester makes unreasonable demands of me, may I cry to you, my future adoptive father?"
When I tilted my head and asked, Karstedt's eyes went wide for an instant before the corner of his mouth curled up in a grin.
"By all means, come crying to me. I'll deal with any villain who dares to make the child in
...My future adoptive father is seriously reliable.
After I had secretly secured Karstedt's protection, the Chief Priest dismissed his lion and began walking toward a small raised platform at the front of the square.
As the Chief Priest moved, the crowd parted in a wave, clearing a straight path to the platform. From the luggage Sylvester had been carrying, a large Holy Cup roughly eighty centimeters tall was produced. He held it with reverence and followed behind the Chief Priest.
"Come on, go."
Karstedt set me down briefly, but after observing my walking pace for a few seconds, he immediately picked me back up and followed the Chief Priest and the others in long strides.
...It's not my fault I'm slow when my legs are so much shorter than everyone else's.
After setting me down on the platform, Karstedt and Damuel took up positions in front of it, glaring at the crowd.
The large golden Holy Cup—a sacred implement—was passed from Sylvester to the Chief Priest, who placed it on a large stand at the center of the platform.
"We shall now begin the Dedication Ritual. Village heads, please come forward."
At the Chief Priest's call, five people carrying lidded buckets roughly the size of ten-liter pails climbed onto the platform.
"Mine, it's your turn."
"Yes, Chief Priest."
Unable to reach the Holy Cup while standing, I was lifted by the Chief Priest and placed on the stand where the Holy Cup rested. I shuffled forward on my knees across the red cloth that covered the stand.
The Holy Cup placed on the stand was shaped like a wine glass, with a large magic stone set into the round bowl section. From the stem down to the base, intricate carvings and small magic stones were arranged in decorative patterns.
I sat properly on the stand, gently touched the small magic stones on the base, and lowered my eyes.
"O Flutrene, Water Goddess who brings healing and transformation, O twelve goddesses who serve at her side, bestow upon
My Magic Power flowed into the Holy Cup, which blazed with a golden light. A murmur of awe rose from the crowd in the square.
"To you we offer this hymn of joyful celebration for the bounty of life. We offer our prayers and gratitude, that you may bless us with your pure grace. Fill all living things across the vast and boundless earth with your sacred colors."
When I finished the prayer, the Chief Priest and Sylvester gently tilted the Holy Cup. A green-glowing liquid poured forth, flowing into the village heads' buckets one by one.
"Prayers and gratitude to Geduldh, Earth Goddess, and Flutrene, Water Goddess!"
As each bucket was filled and sealed, a section of the square erupted in cries of prayer to the gods. These were likely the villagers of whichever village the bucket belonged to. With each additional bucket filled, more voices joined in prayer and thanksgiving.
Until all five buckets were filled, I was careful not to lift my hands from the base of the Holy Cup, continuing to channel my Magic Power.
"Mine, that is enough."
At the Chief Priest's voice, I removed my hands. The tilted Holy Cup was set back upright, and I was lifted by the Chief Priest and carried down from the platform.
Having channeled my Magic Power the entire time, I was made to stand at the center, with the Chief Priest and Sylvester standing half a step behind me.
"Pray to the gods!"
Following the Chief Priest's lead, I raised my hands in prayer, and the people in the square did the same in a great wave. For the farming village folk, this must have been a familiar annual prayer. Compared to the townspeople, they offered their prayers with an ease that seemed almost second nature.
"With this, the Dedication Ritual is concluded. In accordance with the will of the gods, live rightly alongside the new life you have been given!"
As the people cheered at the Chief Priest's words, Sylvester quickly wrapped the Holy Cup in cloth, packed it into a bag, and slung it over his shoulder with the rest of the luggage.
In the next instant, the Chief Priest produced his magic stone riding beast, and he and Sylvester leaped onto it together.
"We have a tight schedule, so we must press on to the next location. May the gods bless you."
Scattering golden dust like powder, the white lion circled the square once. During that time, Karstedt and Damuel also brought out their riding beasts. I was picked up by Damuel and mounted the pegasus. With a great flap of its wings, the pegasus soared into the sky, leaving the farming village behind.
After that, we visited about four more farming villages' Winter Manors, completing the Dedication Ritual at each one. By the time we finished, the sun was already setting and I was utterly exhausted.
"All that's left is to head to our lodgings. Shrine Maiden Apprentice, stay conscious. You'll fall."
Encouraged by Damuel's stern words, I gripped the reins and nodded drowsily.
"Mine, wake up."
"Huh!?"
At the Chief Priest's sharp voice, I snapped back to consciousness to find us standing before a grand manor.
"Where... where is this?"
"It's Baron Brun's summer manor."
The nobles entrusted with managing the farming villages on behalf of the Lord apparently spent the period from the Dedication Ritual to the Harvest Festival at the manors on their agricultural lands. In winter, they would travel to the Lord's city to submit annual reports and taxes, and to gather information among the nobility.
"And this is the detached residence where the priests will stay."
Since priests visited every year during the Dedication Ritual and Harvest Festival seasons, the manors of the nobles overseeing the territory's farming villages had detached residences prepared as lodgings for the priests.
It could also be described as a building meant to isolate the priests—who, despite coming from noble families, were technically not nobles—from the rest. The proof was that once the representative went to greet the arriving party, there was apparently no need for anyone else to meet with them.
"This time,
True to the Chief Priest's words, the detached residence was lined with numerous carriages. The carriages that must have been loaded with mountains of luggage were now empty, everything having already been carried inside.
"Welcome home."
When we opened the door to the detached residence, the Attendants were all assembled inside. There were many unfamiliar faces among them—these were likely Sylvester's Attendants.
Arno stepped forward and spoke to the Chief Priest in a low voice.
"We would like to prepare dinner, but there are only two dining halls. What would you prefer?"
"We'll all eat in the larger dining hall. However, could you seat Mine and Sylvester separately?"
"Understood."
The farming villages, having just emerged from their winter seclusion, did not yet have enough provisions to prepare meals for the entire party, including all the Attendants. While some vegetables, eggs, and milk could be purchased locally, grains, oils, and other essentials had to be brought along. This was one of the reasons the remaining priests were reluctant to participate in the Dedication Ritual.
"Everyone, get changed and gather in the dining hall."
At the Chief Priest's instruction, each person's servants followed their master to their rooms.
"Lady Mine, welcome home. Let's get you changed first."
I was led to the room that had been prepared for us.
Since priests typically traveled in pairs, there were only three lavishly appointed rooms for priests—and even those were limited as a precaution against emergencies. This time, those fine rooms had been assigned to the Chief Priest, Karstedt, and Sylvester. After considering rank, Damuel and I were given the standard Attendants' rooms.
"This may be hard on Lord Damuel. As for me, it's wider than my own home, so I have no complaints at all."
No matter how far the quality of the room dropped, it made no difference to me. The carpet and sheets I'd brought along made it perfectly comfortable.
Fran brought a basin of hot water, and with Rosina's help, I took a bath. Having been outside all day, the warm water made me feel wonderfully refreshed.
Rosina selected a spring-green outfit for me to wear to dinner, along with newly made cloth shoes adorned with elaborate decorations. From among the several Hairpins prepared for the Dedication Ritual, Rosina chose the small flower Hairpin that Turi had been crafting this winter. The little flowers in yellow, orange, and yellow-green looked like rapeseed blossoms to me. The colors of spring.
"
"Then I'll have to do my best as well."
A dinner with nobles gathered around was something I could only approach with dread.
Rosina and Fran had drilled me on manners over the winter, but my prospective adoptive father Karstedt would undoubtedly be scrutinizing just how much I could do for someone of commoner origin.
And then there was the other concern—Sylvester. I had no idea what he might say or do next, and that frightened me. If he were just an elementary school boy, I could ignore him, but the fact that he was a high-ranking noble meant I couldn't simply dismiss him entirely.
"After the meal, I can retire to my room, can't I?"
"...If you're invited to the post-dinner gathering, Lady Mine, as things stand, you really can't refuse."
...Oh, I had a bad feeling about this.
The meal took place in the large dining hall. Everyone had changed clothes. The Chief Priest was wearing his own casual attire—something I'd never seen before, as I'd only ever seen him in his blue priestly robes or full armor. It was an elegant, loose-fitting outfit in deep green, befitting a noble.
Sylvester was likely the same in that he was also a priest, but since I'd never met him before, I didn't find his casual clothing particularly remarkable.
"When you're dressed like that, you really can't tell the difference between you and a noble's daughter."
Karstedt looked at me and said that with a slight raise of his eyebrows. I was fairly certain this counted as a compliment.
"You're too kind, Lord Karstedt."
"You've refined your movements considerably over the winter. The fact that your emotions are still completely transparent remains an area for improvement, but..."
The Chief Priest's compliments and critiques always came as a pair, so I could never fully bask in the warmth of his praise.
"Lady Mine, please come this way."
Fran seated me and served my meal. When a plate was placed in front of me with a soft clink, Sylvester spoke up.
"Why is yours different?"
"Could it be because the cook is different? Fran, do you know?"
Fran lowered her voice and explained the situation.
Of the two kitchens, the smaller one had been assigned to Hugo and Ella, while the larger kitchen was used to prepare the meals for the nobles. Given the number of Attendants, this was a perfectly reasonable arrangement.
"It seems it's because my cook is different. Considering the numbers, it only makes sense for my cook to use the smaller kitchen."
I had no problem with this—I'd be eating the food I was accustomed to—but Sylvester, seated at the farthest table, kept looking over with undisguised curiosity, which was a nuisance.
"That smells wonderful."
"My cook is quite skilled."
While we were talking, everyone's meals had been served, so we crossed our hands over our chests and offered a prayer.
"We give thanks to the Supreme God who rules the vast and towering heavens, bestowing upon us the lives of countless beings as our sustenance, and to the Five Great Gods who rule the boundless earth. Offering our prayers and gratitude in accordance with the will of the gods, we receive this meal."
The instant I took my first bite, Sylvester's voice rang out: "What!? Why are you eating!?" I tilted my head in confusion.
"Huh? What do you mean, why?"
"Sylvester was interested in your meal. He said it smelled good, remember?"
The Chief Priest gave a slight shrug. Apparently, Sylvester's remark had been the indirect request to "hand it over" that was typical of nobility. I hadn't picked up on it at all.
"I can't give you everything. But I'm happy to split it with you."
"Sp-split it?"
Sylvester stared at me as if I'd said something unbelievable. The unbelievable one was here, thank you very much.
"This is my meal, after all. Surely a high-ranking blue priest like Lord Sylvester wouldn't stoop to something so low as taking all the food from a poor commoner?"
"I-I would never do such a thing..."
In the end, Sylvester's curiosity won out, and he requested half. Apparently, while he was accustomed to having Attendants set dishes aside for him, he had never actually split a meal with anyone before.
The Chief Priest and Karstedt pressed their temples and let out exasperated sighs, while Damuel sat frozen with a face like a clay figurine.
Later, the Chief Priest told me that the proper response when such a request was made was to offer one's own plate and wait for Sylvester to hand over one of his dishes in return. Splitting it was the wrong answer. So close.
After the meal, Sylvester's eyes lit up as he tasted the soup, and he threatened to demand my cook be sent over, but the Chief Priest and Karstedt stepped in to protect me, and the dinner ended without incident.
I thanked the Chief Priest for seeing me off from the table and rose to leave.
"Well then, I'll take my leave. Please enjoy the rest of your evening, gentlemen."
I excused myself to the men filing into the post-dinner gathering and was about to scurry back to my room when I caught Sylvester's gaze—eyes locked on me like a predator watching its prey. His deep green eyes bored into me, and he beckoned me over.
"Wait, Mine. You come too. We need to have a thorough discussion about exchanging cooks."
...Ugh, he hadn't given up after all.
I worried for the Chief Priest's stomach, caught between managing Sylvester's antics and keeping me in line.