I am
I completed my
She's the only one who can freely come and go from the castle, the only one without a tutor assigned, the only one already studying magic, the only one praised by Father and Mother at dinner.
After finishing breakfast and completing basic training with the apprentice knights, I ran into Rozemyne coming down the stairs on my way back to my room. It's rare for Rozemyne to be in the castle around the third bell.
Our eyes met and she immediately looked away—I instantly knew she was heading to Father's office. I'd been told not to bother Father while he was working, not to intrude, yet Rozemyne got to go see him whenever she pleased...
"Going to Father's office again? ...That's so unfair."
"Wilfried brother, if you keep saying it's unfair, unfair, and on and on—then why don't we swap lives for a day?"
I expected her to snap back at me, but instead Rozemyne tilted her head calmly and made that proposal. Not understanding, I tilted my head too.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I have a report to make to my guardian father. After that, I was planning to have lunch here and then return to the
"That's a great idea!"
Rozemyne's proposal essentially meant I could leave the castle for a day and spend it however I liked, without those nagging tutors and attendants hovering over me.
"Wilfried! Rozemyne!"
Lamprecht shouted with the scary face he makes when he's about to lecture someone. I thought Rozemyne would crumble from being yelled at, but she merely raised her eyebrows slightly and gazed up at Lamprecht with her moon-like golden eyes.
"Lamprecht broth—no, Lamprecht. When someone won't understand just from being told, it's better to let them experience it firsthand. I'm going to speak with my guardian father now. Once you've been summoned and arrive, the boring report should be just about finished."
Silencing Lamprecht with her adult-like speech, Rozemyne produced a strange object. She climbed into it and began moving.
"What the—what is that!?"
"It's my mount. I got permission from my guardian father because I was about to collapse walking around inside the mansion."
"I don't even have a mount yet, and Rozemyne gets one—so unfair!"
"Please hurry and change. I'll be waiting in my guardian father's office."
With that, Rozemyne rode off at a speed matching an adult's walking pace. That thing with the little waddling feet—I wanted one too.
"...That's a mount? No, no... huh? It looks just like a slightly oversized grun."
"Hurry, Lamprecht!"
I urged the wide-eyed Lamprecht along and returned to my room, where I had someone quickly wipe me down and change my clothes. Then I hurried to Father's office.
The knight standing at the door saw me and opened the office door. My heart pounded slightly as I stepped into Father's office for the first time.
Inside were Father,
"Wilfried, you—do you seriously intend to swap lives with Rozemyne? Don't be ridiculous."
It seemed they'd already been discussing this, because Father spoke up the moment I entered, opposing it.
At the same moment I bristled at being shut down so bluntly by Father, Rozemyne stepped forward and argued back.
"Wilfried brother is the one who desires this. Please grant his wish."
"...Rozemyne."
I never expected my smart-mouthed little sister to take my side. As I felt warmth swelling in my chest, Rozemyne looked up at Ferdinand.
"Ferdinand, you promised to put me in a good mood, didn't you? And the one who ordered you to do so was my guardian father, correct?"
"If taking Wilfried for a day means I can finally complete some of the impossible requests being thrown at me, I have no objections."
Ferdinand, who rarely ever spoke to me, nodded with a satisfied look and took my side. Father's expression grew even more bitter.
But I'd never have imagined Ferdinand would take my side over Father's. So startled was I by this rare occurrence that my eyes went wide, and Rozemyne smiled sweetly at Father.
"I'm tired of being told it's unfair every time we meet. Besides, after seeing the orphanage, I think it's about time you recognized your position and what you ought to be doing. If you don't reconsider your educational approach, things could become irreparable."
"...Ferdinand, is this your doing? She's learned to spit poison with a smile on her face."
Father's sighing voice was answered simultaneously by Ferdinand and Rozemyne.
"She was always like that."
"It's the result of my education."
"Enough. I understand. If Wilfried wants it, then go ahead and swap for a day. I did try to stop you, after all. ...Discussion over."
Father waved his hand lightly, signaling us to leave. Rozemyne and I exited the room together. We'd wrested a victory from Father, who had opposed it from the start.
"Let's return to our rooms, Wilfried brother."
Rozemyne mounted that strange ride of hers again and began moving at the same pace as me. It looked fun, so I told her to let me ride, but she flatly refused with "It's for one person only."
"Then let me try. I want to ride it."
I switched with Rozemyne, but I couldn't make the mount move. I grabbed the dark, round thing the way Rozemyne had and tried flowing Magic Power into it, but it wouldn't budge at all.
"Mounts are moved with Magic Power, and since they're registered to a particular person's Magic Power, basically only that person can operate them. It seems you can flow Magic Power into it, though."
As Rozemyne said this, she gestured for me to get off. The seat was wonderfully soft and comfortable. I decided then and there that when I got my own mount, I'd make one like this.
"Wilfried brother, let's hold a meeting at lunchtime. I need to give instructions to the Temple attendants, so I'll write some letters now."
"Got it. Lunchtime, right?"
The time until lunch would normally have been for morning studies, but since I was going to the Temple today, I'd sent the tutor away to prepare clothes and supplies.
"In the afternoon, Rozemyne should get plenty of practice with my studies."
When my head attendant explained the situation to the tutor, the tutor let out a resigned sigh and left. I chuckled to myself, imagining Rozemyne's troubled face this afternoon—now she'd finally understand how tough my life was.
Rozemyne had told me to just prepare a bag with a change of clothes, so I finished quickly.
I rarely ever left the castle. The first time was when I went with my parents to Karstedt's mansion for Rozemyne's Baptism Ceremony.
"At the Temple, you're not the Lord's son—you are the High Priest. Please do your job properly. I'll also let my attendants know to treat you as the High Priest. Don't expect them to go easy on you."
Rozemyne's words over lunch made me pout. It was Rozemyne who got pampered without even having a tutor assigned, wasn't it?
"Don't talk like that. I'm not being pampered or anything."
"In that case, it won't be a problem if my attendants don't pamper you either."
"Of course not."
I nodded broadly with my chest puffed out, and Lamprecht, who had been standing behind me, murmured worriedly, "Rozemyne, that's..."
"The Temple's attendants include both men and women, so there shouldn't be any shortages in daily life. However, while the Temple has rooms for guards, there are no rooms for noble-class attendants. Therefore, I'd like Lamprecht to accompany you to the Temple, Wilfried brother. He's been to the Temple many times, so he should be accustomed to it."
"...Understood."
Lamprecht was chosen because he was both my guard knight and Rozemyne's brother. His reply carried a transparent sense of "I suppose there's no helping it."
"Since we're swapping lives, I'll be using your room as well, Wilfried brother. Since your attendants are all men, please allow me to put
"Very well."
Lamprecht would be coming to the Temple with me, but everything else would change entirely. All the nagging attendants would remain here with Rozemyne. I was free.
After lunch, I had Lamprecht carry my bag of change of clothes and headed for the entrance. Waiting there were two guard knights who would accompany Rozemyne to the Temple, and Ferdinand.
"Ferdinand, please be sure to tell
"Understood. Then, Wilfried—from now on, I will treat you as the High Priest for the day."
Ferdinand smiled, which was so unusual that everyone around us murmured in surprise, but Rozemyne maintained her composure and took a step back.
"I was planning to travel by mount, so I didn't arrange a carriage. Wilfried, you'll ride together with Lamprecht. Let's go!"
Ferdinand summoned a lion mount, mounted it, and took off into the sky. Much cooler than Rozemyne's.
"Oooh," I murmured in awe as I watched, and Lamprecht summoned his own mount in the same way.
"Lamprecht, what is this?"
"It's the animal used in our family crest. It's called a wolf."
Lamprecht lifted me up, and for the first time in my life I rode a mount. Compared to Rozemyne's, it was harder to sit on and a bit stiff, but it was incredibly cool.
With a great flap of its wings, it soared into the sky. I could feel the sensation of floating welling up through my body. The fact that Rozemyne had experienced this before me—she really was unfair.
"If I were to make a mount, would it be a lion?"
"Yes. The children of the Lord make single-headed lions, but once you become the Lord, you'll be able to create a three-headed lion just like the one on our crest."
I'd never seen Father's mount, but as expected of Father—I was sure it must be incredibly cool. As I pictured the lion mount I'd create myself, I suddenly realized something.
"...Rozemyne's mount wasn't a lion, was it?"
"No, it was quite unusual. I've never seen a mount like that either."
After chatting for a while, we arrived at the Temple. The Temple was a building situated at the border between the white Noble District and the brown, cluttered-looking area beyond.
"What's that brown, filthy-looking place?"
"That's the downtown area where Commoners live. It has nothing to do with you, Wilfried."
"Hmm..."
When our mounts landed at the Temple, a man in grey clothing was there to greet us. He looked at me and his eyes went wide.
"Fran, here. It's from Rozemyne."
I saw Ferdinand hand the man a letter from Rozemyne as he dismounted, and realized this man was Rozemyne's attendant.
"Wilfried, this is Fran. He's Rozemyne's head attendant at the Temple. While you're here, listen carefully to what he says. Fran, dealing with this alone would be difficult for you, so I'll be tagging along as well."
"I am honored, Chief Priest. Then, let us get you changed, Wilfried."
"Mm."
I was thus led to the High Priest's chambers that Rozemyne used. Then, after being told I'd be serving as High Priest for one day, I was dressed in white robes over my current clothes. Apparently these were the High Priest's vestments.
"What kind of tea would you prefer?"
While Fran read Rozemyne's letter, an attendant named
"I've never eaten sweets like these. Rozemyne really does have it easy."
Eating nothing but delicious things at the Temple—I reached for another sweet, and Nicola, who must have overheard me, looked at me with a beaming face.
"These sweets were created by Rozemyne, so if you'd like to try ones you've never had before, you could make some yourself, Wilfried. Do you happen to know any new sweets? I love making them."
Nicola added "Though I love eating them even more," and smiled at me expectantly. But how could I possibly know about sweets I'd never eaten?
...Sweets that Rozemyne had invented? Was it even possible to invent sweets?
Tilting my head, I munched away at the sweets. By the time Lamprecht asked "Might I have some?" there were only a few left.
I handed them over with a tinge of regret.
While I was drinking tea, I saw Fran say something to the attendant Monica, and Monica hurried out of the room.
And just as I finished my tea, as if on cue, Ferdinand entered wearing blue robes—the Chief Priest's robes I'd seen at Rozemyne's Baptism Ceremony.
"According to Rozemyne's schedule, today you're to receive a report at the orphanage and then tour the workshop. The guard knights are Lamprecht and
The attendant and the female knight who had entered with the Chief Priest stepped back. We left the room, walked down the corridor, and headed to another building.
"This is the orphanage where parentless children are gathered."
The doors opened into a spacious hall-like room filled with large, rough-hewn wooden tables.
Fran said this was the orphanage's dining hall. As I looked around in curiosity, I noticed everyone present had knelt and was waiting.
"High Priest, Chief Priest, please take your seats."
I was directed to sit on bare wooden planks, and though I furrowed my brow, Ferdinand sat down as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
"I've heard there is a report for the High Priest today. The person in charge, come forward and present it."
"Yes."
A woman with orange hair stepped forward and began rattling off a report I couldn't make heads or tails of. Ferdinand listened with furrowed brows while Fran scribbled something on a tablet.
"...What is she talking about?"
"It's the orphanage's monthly financial report."
"What does that have to do with me?"
The next instant, Ferdinand slapped me on the head. I couldn't even process what had happened—the impact was too much, and I clutched my head, blinking.
Lamprecht stared wide-eyed in shock at Ferdinand.
"Ferdinand!?"
"What—what!? What!?"
I couldn't even form words. Gradually, a throbbing, heated pain set in, and I glared at Ferdinand. "What do you think you're doing!?"
"You fool. Rozemyne is the High Priest and simultaneously the director of the orphanage. There's no way this has nothing to do with you when you agreed to take over her work. Even if you don't understand, shut up and listen. This is Rozemyne's job."
Even though I was furious, Ferdinand glared right back at me and berated me.
Out of spite, I scowled and glared at the woman giving her incomprehensible report, muttering "Hurry up and finish this pointless thing," but she just giggled.
Despite my clearly displeased expression, she didn't stop the report and read it all the way to the end.
It was so mind-numbingly boring that I got up from the chair to go explore the orphanage, but Ferdinand pinched my thigh hard.
"That hurts, Ferdinand! What are you doing!?"
"Did you not hear me say shut up and listen? Or were you unable to understand? Which is it—your head or your ears? Both, perhaps?"
Ferdinand furrowed his brows, narrowed his eyes, and spat words dripping with pure contempt. I'd never been so insulted in my life.
Blood rushed to my head, and I stood up to strike Ferdinand—but instead, he grabbed my head firmly and shoved me back into the chair.
"Sit down and shut up. Understood?"
"Grrr... Lamprecht!"
I called out to Lamprecht, who was supposed to be my guard but wasn't lifting a finger to help, and Ferdinand tightened his grip on my head.
"How many times do I have to say it before you understand? Sit down and shut up."
The children watching Ferdinand hold me down snickered among themselves. I could hear voices saying, "Why doesn't he understand?" and "All he has to do is listen."
"I-I'm listening, so let go!"
"Don't bother everyone else with your pointless behavior any further, you imbecile."
With a snort, Ferdinand finally released me. The imprint of his fingers still throbbed on my head.
...Damn you, Ferdinand!
I couldn't leave my chair until the woman finished her report. I simmered with barely contained rage, glaring at Ferdinand from the corner of my eye the entire time.
"That concludes this month's report. I need to discuss some matters with Fran, so why doesn't the High Priest play karuta with the children?"
At the word "play," I looked at Ferdinand, who glanced at the children on the other side of the room and slowly nodded.
"...Very well."
I was finally allowed to leave my chair. Taking Lamprecht and Damuel with me, I headed toward the group of children.
"What's karuta?"
"I'll teach you. Let's play together."
"Mm."
Even if adults were my opponents, I'd never once lost to children who came to visit the castle. I had to show those kids who'd laughed at me earlier just how impressive I could be.
"This is the reading card. You read it aloud. Everyone else picks up a picture card from the row over there that shows the same picture and starts with the same letter. The person who collects the most wins. Since it's your first time, High Priest, it's fine to team up with your guard knight."
Indeed, I was a first-timer, and my opponents played this regularly, so teaming up with Lamprecht seemed about right. They'd been the ones to suggest it, so it wasn't cowardly.
Thinking this, I formed a team with Lamprecht and started the game—but a child about my age began reading the cards aloud.
"Can you read? I can't read yet, so that's impressive."
When I praised the child in admiration, none of the children there looked pleased. Instead, they all blinked in confusion and tilted their heads.
"...Huh? You can't read even though you're the High Priest?"
"Rozemyne made these karuta cards and picture books, so everyone at the orphanage can read."
"Oh, only
They pointed at a baby crawling across the floor, chasing after a red-haired child, and said that. For the children here, being able to read was taken for granted—the only ones who couldn't were babies smaller than
...So that meant I was on the same level as that baby?
In the end, the only card we managed to take was the one Lamprecht grabbed from directly in front of me. Everything else was snatched away by the other side.
"What an utterly humiliating defeat. Against children who've been coached by their parents, that's all you're capable of."
"Ferdinand! That's rather—"
"It's a fact. Face it."
Ferdinand scoffed and said, "Moving on."
We passed through the boys' wing of the orphanage and headed to the workshop. There, people of all ages—from children about my age to adults—were working with their hands and faces blackened, crafting something. It felt strange that they all wore such rough clothing.
"This is Wilfried, who is serving as High Priest in Rozemyne's place for the day."
When Fran made the introduction, two boys knelt on the spot and greeted me.
"On this day of fecundity blessed by the Wind Goddess,
I wasn't very skilled at it yet, but I channeled my Magic Power into my ring.
"Blessings upon our new encounter."
I managed quite well today. I nodded a small "mm" and looked up at Lamprecht, who grinned and gave me a slight nod.
"
"We finished a new picture book and were planning to present it to Rozemyne. Please give this to her. And this is for you, Wilfried. Please accept it as a token of our acquaintance."
I took the two books held out before me. They were crude things—just paper bound together. No covers, thin and small.
"Picture books?... What do you do with these?"
"You read them. They're something Rozemyne started making, and we've been eagerly awaiting their completion."
...So these were also made by Rozemyne?
I looked at the picture books with large black-and-white illustrations. They had writing on them too, just like the karuta cards.
After flipping through the picture book, I glanced at the two of them. They stood with chests puffed out and confident eyes, looking about the same age as me.
"...Can you two read these as well?"
"Of course. We couldn't do our jobs if we couldn't."
The child with purple eyes smiled proudly. "I studied very hard."
"True, it may be rare for Commoners to be able to read, but if it's necessary for work, even Commoners will study. Presenting a picture book to someone you've met for the first time when they can't read might be considered rude, but since nobles can naturally read, there's no offense meant, right?"
The child with green eyes sought confirmation from Ferdinand in a somewhat hesitant manner.
Ferdinand gave me a cold, contemptuous glance, then shrugged lightly.
"Well, if you've received a proper noble education, you should certainly be able to read. There's no rudeness in showing them to a noble."
"That's a relief."
...So Commoners could read if it was necessary, and nobles were simply expected to?
I stared down at the picture book, my face tight with strain.
Brother Wil's common sense is crumbling with a resounding crash. The castle and the Temple operate on different common sense, and there's no helping it if it's for growth.
The Chief Priest will continue to be merciless from here on out.
Brother Lam got caught up in the crossfire, but I hope he hangs in there.
Next time: Part 2.