The morning after a dream so sweet that waking up left me feeling utterly forlorn, I stood before a row of carriages and tilted my head in confusion. I had no idea which of the carts the
"
"The carriage borrowed from the Temple is this one here, Lady Rosemine."
After breakfast, I loaded my Attendants—everyone but
After that, the Plantan Trading Company's carriage would carry the young orphans from Hasse to the Temple orphanage, and the guards would hand out tips to the Soldiers escorting them before seeing them off. My fleeting moment with Father had come to an end.
Then, leaving the apprentices and Shrine Maidens of Hasse in charge of cleaning the smaller Temple, I had the household supplies—cleaning tools, tubs, soap, and other daily necessities that needed to reach the winter estate—loaded onto the lesser bus along with Fran and the adult Priests from the smaller Temple, and we set off together.
"Ahim,
"We are most grateful, Lady Rosemine."
"If it's before the snowfall, we can bring anything else to the smaller Temple, so make sure you prepare anything else you need ahead of time."
When I handed over the daily necessities, the two of them nodded vigorously, saying it would help the cleaning go much faster. They were going to throw themselves into cleaning their own rooms. Let them clean to their hearts' content. If possible, perhaps the people of Hasse who saw them would take a little more interest in cleaning as well.
"Rihito, as we discussed yesterday, here is the food for the two of them. I'd like you to manage this as part of their Winter Preparations."
"Understood."
I entrusted a portion of the donations to Rihito for Ahim and Egon's Winter Preparations. The remainder I had the gray Priests load onto the lesser bus. It was for the smaller Temple's Winter Preparations.
"Well then, I'll head back to the smaller Temple first."
I called out to Justus, who was transferring the tax levy for the castle, and to Eckhart, who was overseeing his work, then transported the cargo to the smaller Temple in Hasse.
…I had been doing heavy labor since morning.
Basically, all I'd done was operate the lesser bus, but I was already exhausted. In my room at the smaller Temple, I sat sipping the tea Fran had brewed and taking a brief rest alongside
"I was a bit worried about Hasse's Winter Preparations, but
I gave a light nod at Fran's report.
Right now, the Priests of Hasse were bustling about, carrying their donated rations—the food that would sustain them through winter—into the storehouse and preparing to process them. If I stepped out of my room, they wouldn't be able to move freely, so staying put was the best option.
"Fran, would it be all right if I read until Eckhart and the others arrive?"
"I… I am terribly sorry. The books you prepared to pass the time were packed as luggage and sent off with the carriage."
"What?!"
The copies of books from the castle library and the knight stories I'd intended to use for future works—they'd already been sent ahead. I hadn't expected that at all.
Fran had explained with a perfectly straight face that he couldn't very well carry a large stack of reading material during the entire ceremony, and now he produced a Holy Book picture book from what he had on hand.
"All I have with me are the picture books I read aloud during the ceremonies, but if this would suffice, please take a look."
"Thank you, Fran."
I leafed through the picture book, letting my eyes follow the text. That alone was enough to fill me with a deep sense of peace. It was as if I could breathe easier—as if I could truly feel myself alive. Reading really was indispensable to life.
As I was enjoying this blissful moment of relaxation, Eckhart and Justus arrived.
"Why exactly did you decide to make a book like this, My Lady?"
Justus peered over my shoulder at the Holy Book picture book and asked. I understood the words, but not the meaning.
"I make books so that I can read them. There's no other reason than that?"
"No, that's not what I mean. Why was it a Holy Book picture book, of all things?"
I couldn't very well say it was because the stories I knew—both from my time in the Ehrenfest era and the bedtime tales Mother used to tell me during my Commoner days—didn't align with the common knowledge of my target audience.
"Back then, I had only ever read Holy Books, I suppose. So whenever I read a new book, I feel as though I could make a new picture book from it. I'm always delighted to receive books as gifts."
Since Richarda was his mother, Justus was a high-ranking Noble. And since he loved gathering information, he probably had a wealth of interesting books.
When I looked up at him with eyes full of anticipation, Justus knit his brow and shook his head.
"My Lady, you must never say such things aloud in public. It will attract Nobles with ambitions."
…If I could get my hands on books, I'd happily accept bribes, but the Chief Priest would probably tear into me afterwards.
I could easily picture myself leaping at books only to be smacked with a paper fan, and I let out a soft sigh.
After finishing the bread
From one winter estate to the next, the travel continued. Unlike in Hasse, the people in the direct territories had enjoyed abundant harvests thanks to the Blessing, and they welcomed me with astonishing fervor, pleading for me to come again next spring.
"I should be able to come while I remain High Priest," I replied with a polite smile as I worked my way through the itinerary.
Exposed to the feverish energy of the festivals, my condition would worsen. I'd take medicine and rest. Once I recovered, I'd get swept up in the excitement again and feel terrible once more. It was a vicious cycle.
In the end, we arrived at the winter estate in Drowan—our meeting place—the night before Stelluria's Night. I'd built extra time into the journey to account for my health, so you could say we made it by the skin of our teeth.
When Eckhart had communicated with the Chief Priest through Ordinance beforehand, the reply came that the Chief Priest had already arrived in Drowan and the Harvest Festival there was over. The fever of celebration had passed, and a calm daily rhythm had resumed.
"You're late, Rosemine. I was worried sick whether you'd make it in time for Stelluria's Night."
"My apologies for the worry, Chief Priest. And thank you, truly. I'm so glad the Harvest Festival was already over."
I'd been just as concerned about whether we could reach Drowan before Stelluria's Night. As I let out a breath of relief at having arrived safely, the Chief Priest knit his brow, leaned in to examine my face, and tapped at my forehead and neck.
"You're cold!"
"That's because your body temperature is elevated. Your pulse is fast too. …Fran, do you have enough medicine?"
"Of what we prepared before departure, we've used about half."
At Fran's unhesitating reply, the Chief Priest's gaze drifted smoothly to a wooden chest in the room.
"There are spares in there. Add them to your supply."
"Thank you, Chief Priest."
"Rosemine, drink your medicine and go to sleep today. Tomorrow, we gather."
I was dismissed by the Chief Priest and trudged into the room prepared for me. Monica and
…I made a promise to
When I woke feeling refreshed and clear-headed, my guard knight had returned from Eckhart with
Damuel, whom I hadn't seen in a while, looked rather haggard, and he seemed relieved that his lord had returned to me. Perhaps the Chief Priest had given him a task and worked him ragged? Chuckling at my own wild imagination, I finished breakfast.
"Rosemine, you'll be taking a nap in the evening, so use the morning to engage your mind—that way you'll sleep better. Come to my room."
So saying, the Chief Priest made me write a Harvest Festival report, and I ended up working with him and Fran in his chambers. I'd been planning to lounge about and read books, but helping the Chief Priest was honestly no different from life at the Temple.
"You're making a sour face, but this is for your own good. The sooner you finish the report, the sooner you can begin preparing the jureve. No matter how many ingredients you gather, you can't start making medicine until you've submitted the Harvest Festival report to the Lord."
When my personal physician—who was also an apothecary—placed such a gentle yet unmistakable threat before me, I couldn't very well say, "I'd like to read now." I had no choice but to do my best for the sake of my own health.
…When I'm better, I'm going to read until I drop!
Glancing back several times at the books in the wooden chest with a pang of regret, I went to the Chief Priest's room. Not only the Chief Priest but also the Attendants he'd brought along were working away as usual. Eckhart was the same.
Incidentally, I heard that Justus and the Chief Priest's tax officials were each in their own rooms preparing their reports.
The Chief Priest—a workaholic who never wasted a moment—was in top form as usual, dragging everyone else into it.
Amid the quiet scratching of quills and rustling of documents, there came a flurry of wingbeats as an Ordinance burst into the room. It flew a loop around the chamber before landing on the Chief Priest's desk and speaking in Father's voice. He would be arriving soon, and could we please prepare lunch?
The Chief Priest acknowledged it and sent the Ordinance back. At the same time, he glanced toward the window and sighed.
Though still small, I could see through the window a Riding Beast that resembled the griffin emblem of the Knight Commander. Father's arrival was truly imminent.
"Work is done. Clean up and prepare to receive him."
At the Chief Priest's single command, everyone simultaneously put away their tools. Then the Chief Priest's Attendants headed for the entrance to welcome our guest, while my Attendants arranged tea and snacks. It was a flurry of activity, without so much as a shred of elegance or composure.
Still, the Attendants' ability to put together a proper reception on short notice was truly impressive. By the time Father was escorted into the room, the welcome was fully prepared.
"Rosemine, you look well."
"I had the Chief Priest's medicine."
I didn't need to spell out that I'd been completely spent yesterday. Father's gaze drifted about as if searching for words, and then he managed to squeeze out, "If you've recovered enough to go gathering, that's good."
"
The Chief Priest offered him a seat and asked in a tone that seemed almost like idle conversation or a casual greeting. Normally, the response would be something like "nothing in particular" or "peace and quiet," but Father narrowed his eyes slightly, looked around the room, and said, "I'd like to ask that we speak privately."
I was about to leave with the other Attendants, assuming the Chief Priest and Father wanted to talk alone, but Father placed a hand on my shoulder to stop me.
"I was told to inform both
Once all the Attendants had vacated the room, Father produced a Magical Tool that prevented eavesdropping within a designated range and activated it.
"Karstedt, what's going on?"
"Nothing has happened yet, but there are some unsettling movements."
"Unsettling movements?"
Everyone's expressions hardened in an instant. Even if nothing was happening right now, anyone would be on alert at the word "unsettling."
Father surveyed our faces and then spoke slowly. "This is information from
"You remember when I told Ferdinand about the old
"Yes, I heard. But Georgine is the first wife of
For a long time under the previous Lord, the first wife had reigned supreme, and even after Florentia married in, the Veronica faction had remained the largest by controlling the upbringing of the heir.
When the Lord changed to
However, Veronica had misused her position as the Lord's mother to commit crimes and was subsequently confined and removed from power. The moderate members of the Veronica faction had defected en masse to the Florentia faction in the blink of an eye.
"That's precisely why the old Veronica faction seems to be planning to install Lord
"Wilfried? He has little connection to the women's factions, doesn't he?"
"They don't need to invite him to tea parties—they simply need a name to rally behind as a faction. Lord Wilfried was raised by Lady Veronica, and moreover, he had asked that Ehrenfest be allowed to visit, going against the Lord's wishes to distance himself from Lady Georgine. They seem to think he's the perfect banner for rebuilding the faction."
Father's words reminded me of my parting with Georgine, and I tilted my head thoughtfully.
"…But Lord Wilfried didn't intentionally go against Adoptive Father's wishes, did he? He just wasn't aware of what was going on around him."
"No, that's right. In reality, he simply wasn't thinking at all. But… it's how he appears to others that matters."
The Chief Priest tapped his temple with his fingertip, signaling that things were about to become troublesome. He narrowed his eyes and began turning various thoughts over in his mind, though I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
Father continued feeding information to the Chief Priest.
"Wilfried is close to Georgine, and given that he's widely believed to be the likely successor, there are whispers in various quarters that he'd be a suitable choice for the next banner. Things discussed at ladies' tea parties have been spreading among the lower Nobles through their networks. Lower Nobles, who must attach themselves to whichever side seems most favorable, tend to be neutral—which is precisely why information spreads so easily."
"It seems that all the efforts Mother put in behind the scenes—trying to unite the largest faction around Florentia as the first wife of the Lord—have come to nothing," the Chief Priest said, furrowing his brow deeply. Apparently, Mother hadn't simply been collecting information from the Chief Priest for fun.
"Nothing has erupted openly yet. At the hunting tournament, it was just rumors and information circulating. Since Georgine isn't here and Wilfried is under the watch of his Attendants and guard knights, if nothing happens, this will likely fade on its own. However, Georgine will be visiting again next summer. It doesn't look like things will quiet down soon. I'd recommend staying vigilant regarding the Nobles' increased activity."
"Yes, Father! A question—what exactly should we do to stay vigilant?"
When I raised my hand smartly and asked, Father, the Chief Priest, Eckhart, and Justus all answered at once.
"Whatever you do, run it by Ferdinand first."
"Just don't go doing anything reckless on your own."
"Don't approach anyone you don't know."
"Even if books are offered as bribes, you must not accept them."
Hit by this volley of instructions, I answered weakly, "…Yees."
…I really have no credibility at all.
Then, after finishing lunch, we held a strategy meeting to ensure we could successfully gather the Ruel fruit.
Having experienced last year's Stelluria's Night, we knew how to handle it this time. They said it wouldn't be too difficult if we went in with the strongest lineup possible—the Knight Commander, the Chief Priest, and Eckhart.
"There are a lot of them, but they're all small fry. What we need is a weapon that can take out a wide area at once."
"The monsters didn't come until the Ruel flowers fell. Perhaps we could delay our departure a bit."
"Perhaps Lady Rosemine's nap should be a little longer than last year's. Last time, she needed a wake-up call."
"That was only because holding off Gorze took so long! For the gathering itself, a nap about the same length as last year would be fine."
Everyone offered various opinions as we decided on our plan.
The knights were assigned positions around the Ruel trees, with designated areas of responsibility, and Justus was placed on the mounted combat unit, tasked with felling the magical beasts that would come leaping from branch to branch—just like last year.
"Justus, you're a civil official, but you can fight?"
"It's essential for ingredient gathering. I have some skill. I can manage self-defense, at least…"
"We gathered a huge amount of Ruel last year, so including him among the combatants shouldn't pose any problem."
When faced with ingredients he'd never collected before, Justus's eyes would lock onto nothing but the materials and he'd become unreliable. But since we already had this particular ingredient, there was no issue assigning him to combat duty.
Once the departure time, general positions, and types of magical beasts were determined, I went to take my evening nap. Thanks to the Chief Priest driving me hard during the morning, I slept remarkably well. But I wasn't about to thank him for it.
Stelluria's Night, illuminated by the purple moon.
We set out at the appointed time and rode our Riding Beasts toward the Ruel trees, just as we had last year.
The Ruel trees were already in bloom. The leaves had not yet filled in, and on the smooth, metallic-textured branches stood dozens of white magnolia-like flowers, scattering a powerful fragrance.
"The moon is almost directly overhead. The petals will begin to fall soon. Shall I clear away some of the nuisances beforehand?"
The Chief Priest produced his Stab and chanted "Liesiechel," transforming it into a great glowing scythe. He looked exactly like the Grim Reaper—a remarkably fitting image. I thought about telling him so, but I had a feeling he wouldn't understand the reference, and if he did, he'd be furious, so I kept my mouth firmly shut.
"Ha!"
The Chief Priest tossed the scythe into the air and used it to lop away the branches of the surrounding trees. When Father saw this, he murmured, "Ah," and likewise transformed his Stab into a great scythe to clear the branches around him.
Father said this would reduce the number of magical beasts that could leap to the Ruel trees from the surrounding branches, and hearing that, I wanted to drop to the ground and bow before the Chief Priest on the spot.
…For thinking you looked like the Grim Reaper, I'm sorry.
"Come to think of it, did the Ruel flowers end up being used for anything? Justus, you took some home, didn't you?"
"I collect things as a hobby—please ask Ferdinand about that."
Justus apparently kept one of each material for himself and handed over any extras to the Chief Priest. It was a peace offering for all the trouble he'd caused in the past, along with a request for continued good relations.
I tilted my head, wondering just how much trouble Justus must have caused over the years, and then it suddenly hit me.
…C-Could it be that I also need to pay the Chief Priest an apology fee?
I couldn't think of anything the Chief Priest would particularly want, and I was debating whether a magic payment might suffice, when the Ruel flowers began to fall.
Just like last year, the petals peeled away one by one with a delicate flutter—then another flutter—drifting and dancing in the wind. Unlike cherry blossoms, these petals were large, like those of a white magnolia. They swayed like white feathers playing in the wind, spinning as they descended. The moment a petal touched the ground, it vanished as if merging with the earth—an image so fleeting, so beautiful.
"Rosemine, give your Blessing now."
"Yes!"
I offered a prayer to Angriff, God of War and Protection, and bestowed the Blessing on everyone.
After that, to ensure we could gather the Ruel fruit with certainty, we rode our Riding Beasts right up close to the fruit and waited. I watched the others from my perch above.
"…Here they come."
Five knights surrounded the Ruel tree, each wielding their own weapon. It was amusing how different they all were.
Eckhart had the same long spear as last year. Brigitte also had her naginata-like weapon, same as before. Damuel had the sword he was accustomed to. Father still held the great scythe he'd been using to clear branches. But I couldn't see what the Chief Priest was carrying from where I was. It was certainly not the scythe.
…I wonder what it is?
From somewhere in the distance, I heard the sound of bodies pushing through grass—rustling, getting closer. And it wasn't just one or two sets of footsteps. There were dozens, coming one after another, drawn by the scent. I already knew this.
Cat-like Zantzes and squirrel-like Eifint—magical beasts no bigger than Damuel's knee—emerged from the undergrowth, their eyes glowing an eerie red in the darkness.
"They're not strong individually. Try to take them down cleanly whenever possible."
"This will be a long fight. Watch your magic power distribution, Damuel."
"Yes, sir!"
Sandwiched between Father and the Chief Priest, Damuel gripped his sword tighter.
I reunite with Father in Drowan.
And then, we challenge the Ruel once more.
Next time: Damuel's growth.