It had been nearly three years since I became Giebe Ilgner.
After Father passed away and I assumed the role, one could call it a period of upheaval. My sister's fiancé tried to take her life, an enraged
Brigitte had no new prospects lined up by the time she graduated from the
Brigitte also volunteered for duty at the
We became the first to take on the papermaking industry that Lady Rozemyne was spearheading. We seized the opportunity without a moment's hesitation, but once things got going, it proved incredibly difficult.
Merchants from the Plantane Company—Lady Rozemyne's contracted merchant—and gray priests from the Mine Workshop were staying in Ilgner, and they kept pointing out one shortcoming after another. Nobles who had never visited before began appearing, and they continued to test my resolve as a noble, my dignity, and my attitude toward the townspeople.
But there was no turning back. Ilgner had to keep moving forward, developing alongside the papermaking industry.
"Master, it's done! Please verify the count!"
One afternoon in midsummer, Kaja burst into my office with a beaming smile. Behind her, Folke entered and bowed properly, then chided her for her behavior.
"Kaja, that is far too discourteous toward the Giebe Ilgner."
"S-sorry. I just got a little too excited."
Kaja apologized, stepped back out of the room, and re-entered properly. This was a remnant of the training the gray priests had given to the staff working in the mansion.
Lady Rozemyne had fallen into an induced sleep using yuereve for treatment, and it seemed she had no intention of expanding the papermaking and printing industries anytime soon, as
"Folke, is it ready?"
"Yes, Giebe Ilgner. We have successfully produced the target number of sheets."
Folke, usually mild-mannered and composed with little emotion showing on his face, broke into a happy grin as he carefully presented the finished paper.
I took it and began counting the sheets by type.
Honestly, I hadn't truly believed it could be done. But Kaja and Folke had faith in what Lady Rozemyne said, and they worked tirelessly—making paper with bare hands red and swollen from the freezing winter water. Now their efforts had borne fruit.
The two of them, wearing radiant smiles of accomplishment, looked incredibly bright to me.
"There are indeed the right numbers. I need to head to the Noble District for the Starbinding Ceremony, so I'll sell the paper to the Plantane Company at that time and arrange for Folke's purchase contract to be finalized in exchange."
"Understood."
"Giebe Ilgner, if it is not too much trouble, I would be grateful if you could visit the Chief Priest to inquire about Lady Rozemyne's condition while you have the opportunity."
"Ah, I'll ask about it."
I arranged an audience with Ferdinand through Brigitte using my orduit, then set off for the Noble District for the Starbinding Ceremony.
Since I was the only one from Ilgner attending the ceremony this time, I planned to travel quickly by riding beast. The distance to Ehrenfest was considerable, and I didn't want to waste time in a carriage.
It wasn't exactly praiseworthy noble behavior, but I strapped several wooden crates full of paper onto my riding beast and galloped to the Noble District. The steward who was permanently stationed at the winter mansion rushed out with a startled expression to greet me.
"You've arrived quite early, Master."
"I'm alone this time. Traveling light, you see."
"...The amount of luggage hardly qualifies as 'traveling light.'"
I glanced in the direction the steward was glaring, where the servants were carrying the cargo.
"Take these crates directly to my office. They contain important merchandise."
"Very well. However, Master, when you arrive here, could you please maintain a bit more noble dignity?"
"Ah, I'll see what I can do."
I loaded the precious paper—the merchandise—onto a carriage and departed for the Temple. I figured that if I left now, I would arrive at just the right time Ferdinand had specified. However, it turned out I was the last to arrive. In the Chief Priest's office at the Temple,
"Welcome, Giebe Ilgner."
Under Ferdinand's supervision, we presented the results of our papermaking efforts and conducted the sale. I had established a Plant Paper Association for Ilgner in name only, and pre-arranged paper pricing through Damian, so there was no haggling from the merchants. The transaction concluded with astonishing ease.
"Giebe Ilgner, I am very pleased to have established a trade in quality paper. I look forward to our continued business together."
"Likewise."
When Benno had offered to use Contract Magic to set the paper price, I had thought it was overkill and a waste of money for something as simple as paper pricing. But if it meant negotiations with merchants could go this smoothly, perhaps it was better to settle things in advance. My perception of trade and merchants had shifted slightly.
Once the Plantane Company withdrew after completing the sale, it was time for Folke's purchase contract. I had Ferdinand confirm that the amount received from selling paper to the Plantane Company was sufficient to cover Folke's purchase, then signed the paperwork.
"Good. The contract is settled. ...Still, this was faster than Rozemyne predicted."
"Yes. Folke worked diligently and faithfully, believing wholeheartedly in Lady Rozemyne's words that the money would definitely be saved up. He dedicated himself entirely to making the paper."
"Is that so. Has Folke adjusted to life in Ilgner?"
I was taken aback—though I shouldn't have been—that Ferdinand would show concern for whether a gray priest had adapted to a new environment. Noticing my expression, Ferdinand narrowed his eyes ever so slightly.
"When I left Ilgner, Rozemyne, the attendants, and even the accompanying gray priests were all worried. They said they couldn't rest easy leaving just Folke behind. Personally, I think he chose his own path, so we should leave him be, but..."
Saying that, his mouth twisting into a sardonic smile, Ferdinand cast a brief glance at Rozemyne's attendants standing nearby. Gil, who had been making paper together with Folke in Ilgner, was certainly worried sick about him.
"Folke is working hard despite being bewildered by the differences in daily customs. He himself is trying to adapt to Ilgner's ways, and since the mansion also incorporated some of the Temple's methods, I believe the influence has been mutually beneficial."
"I see..."
As I spoke to Ferdinand, I caught Gil's relieved figure out of the corner of my eye. He seemed reassured having learned about Folke's condition.
My lips softened into a smile, and at the same time I remembered that Folke had also been worried about us.
"...Ferdinand, there is something I would like to ask. Has Lady Rozemyne still not awakened?"
"Ah, not yet. I expect it will take nearly another year. Why do you ask?"
Ferdinand, who had handed the contract to an attendant and was having things tidied up, turned to look at me. Pierced by those sharp golden eyes, I quickly shook my head and relayed that Folke, too, had been worried about us.
"Also, I thought those two might wish to receive Lady Rozemyne's blessing..."
"If they are willing to wait until Rozemyne awakens, isn't that fine? Let them do as they wish. I will not force anything on Folke, who is no longer a gray priest."
Based on Ferdinand's words, it seemed Folke would wait indefinitely for Lady Rozemyne to awaken, but I thought Kaja probably wouldn't be able to wait that long.
Shortly after the Plantane Company departed, I gave Folke one of the mansion's rooms—the quarters where unmarried servants stayed. Since he was the only one remaining, I felt it wasn't right for him to keep staying in the detached building. Brigitte had also passed along Lady Rozemyne's wishes that Folke should live as close to a normal life as possible.
When he had been one of many guests, Folke hadn't stood out so much. But being the only one left to share the mansion with us, he became impossible to ignore whether he wanted to or not.
Folke had a gentle demeanor and, if anything, appeared more elegant and refined than me—a Giebe who might have to rush about across the territory at any moment. At the same time, he was accustomed to serving nobles, making him humble and modest.
Given how different Folke was from the other men in Ilgner, it didn't take long for the unmarried women around him to start taking notice. Kaja, flustered by the women trying to flock to him by any means, seemed desperate to make their marriage official as soon as possible.
"They will likely marry this autumn. She doesn't seem able to wait any longer."
"I want to see how the papermaking industry is progressing as well, so I plan to visit Ilgner in the autumn. I'll convey the details of the wedding and their situation to Rozemyne."
"I am most grateful."
I crossed my arms before my chest and bowed, and Ferdinand showed the faintest flicker of hesitation—weighing whether to speak or not—before opening his mouth.
"Giebe Ilgner, I know this may be unsolicited advice, but you are far too earnest. It is a admirable personal quality, but in noble society, you will be easily undermined. Even if it doesn't come naturally, you would do well to study the ways of the nobility a bit more."
Ferdinand's furrowed brows gave him a displeased look, but no one else would offer such advice to someone who had become a Giebe. This was, without question, invaluable counsel.
"I will engrave your kind words upon my heart."
With the small sum remaining from Folke's contract and a copy of the signed documents in hand, I returned to the winter mansion. With this, Folke was officially a resident of Ilgner in name and truth. He would continue his life managing the workshop and serving as the mansion's instructor.
...He might even serve as an advisor for me.
When I was in the Noble District, I could keep my guard up, but back in Ilgner, I always seemed to let it slip. Perhaps I should have Folke point it out when he saw it.
"Welcome back, Brother."
"Ah, Brigitte. So you were here."
When I returned to the mansion, Brigitte—who normally lived in the Knight's Dormitory—was relaxing. I'd heard that recently the Archduke's family's guard knights were being put through grueling training by
The training given by Bonifatius—the Archduke's uncle and former Knight Commander—was said to be extremely grueling, and Brigitte had once complained that "they're likely to be ambushed when they're exhausted from training, and it's frightening."
"I have a day off today. I was invited to a tea party hosted by Lady
"Just as Lady Rozemyne said, we've saved up the target amount. I just finished Folke's purchase contract without a hitch."
"That's wonderful. Now Kaja and Folke can be happy together."
I sat down in the chair opposite Brigitte and showed her a copy of the contract. Brigitte quickly took the contract in hand and rejoiced as though it were her own concern, then began contemplating, "Perhaps I should get them a gift." It was heartwarming to see how genuinely happy she was that Kaja, whom she had played with since childhood, had found happiness.
"I'm glad about Kaja, but what I'm more curious about is Brigitte's Starbinding Ceremony. I'd like to hear what you're planning—may I?"
Last year, Brigitte had attended the Starbinding Ceremony wearing an outfit designed by Lady Rozemyne. A man whose engagement had been broken off before approached her, persistently arguing that she should accept him back for the sake of her honor. He said he wanted Lady Rozemyne's backing, that it would be better for Brigitte's reputation to reconcile. "No man would court a woman whose engagement was broken off," he had insisted.
But in truth, no man approached her—and so Brigitte bit her lip and refused to take his hand, standing exposed under the gaze of everyone present.
It was her colleague Dameul who saved her. Along with fellow knights, he shielded Brigitte, and by proposing to her himself, he protected her honor.
Though there was a significant gap in their Magic Power, Dameul had declared at last year's Starbinding Ceremony that he would increase his Magic Power and propose again by this year's ceremony.
"...No matter what you say I should do..."
Brigitte hugged a nearby cushion to her chest, hung her head for a moment, then looked up at me with a sweet, pleading gaze.
"What do you think of Dameul, Brother?"
...Hmm?
It seemed Brigitte had feelings for Dameul. At last year's Starbinding Ceremony, even after being proposed to, she had said, "He only protected my honor." But over the course of the year, things between them had apparently changed. If Brigitte was now open to marriage, that was something to be glad about.
I recalled Dameul's behavior during his stay in Ilgner. He seemed like the type who would cherish Brigitte, and came across as a bit too good-natured for his own good. He hadn't looked down on Ilgner as the countryside, either. Rozemyne appeared to trust him deeply, treating him as someone she could be at ease around.
"I thought his character was fine. But what about the Magic Power issue? Dameul said he would increase his Magic Power within a year, but isn't whether they can actually marry still quite uncertain?"
The Magic Power gap between Dameul, a lower noble, and Brigitte had been just barely enough for them to have children as of last year. While it might not have been impossible to marry, any relative or third party would say that when it came to thinking about children, they wished Brigitte would marry someone at least a little more suitable.
That was precisely what people had thought, which was why Dameul's proposal had been received as nothing more than a gesture to protect Brigitte's honor—and had even become a subject of teasing. Being a lower noble, his potential for increasing Magic Power was limited.
"Did it really change within a year?"
"Yes. Dameul's Magic Power genuinely increased over the past year. I'm still higher than him, but they've reached a level where they're reasonably matched."
Brigitte said this with a touch of embarrassment, her expression clearly showing that she already considered Dameul her marriage partner.
I hadn't expected a lower noble to increase his Magic Power that much, and I raised my eyebrows slightly.
"Could it be that he was originally a late bloomer?"
There were occasionally people who matured slowly. Since nobles often found partners at the Royal Academy, late bloomers struggled in that regard—but if Dameul was one, it meant he might still have room to grow going forward.
"The increase in his Magic Power has been visible over this past year, so perhaps he was a late bloomer. But the biggest factor was undoubtedly that Lady Rozemyne taught him an efficient method for compressing Magic Power. ...Even after reaching adulthood, Magic Power can still increase. It varies by individual, though."
"What!? So the rumor that there was a new compression method for increasing Magic Power during winter was true?"
The rumor had circulated through winter social gatherings, with no one knowing its origin. But the topic of increasing Magic Power was something every noble found interesting, and nobles had been buzzing about how it worked.
"For now, only the Archduke and Archduchess, Lady Rozemyne's family, Ferdinand, and the guard knights of the Archduke's family—excluding Lord
If Dameul was trusted enough to be taught the Magic Power compression method before anyone else, then his marriage to Brigitte would undoubtedly benefit Ilgner. From the farewell words he had directed at Folke, it was clear Lady Rozemyne had a deep emotional side. She would not abandon Ilgner so easily. Ilgner, which was in the midst of rapid change, still needed Lady Rozemyne's backing.
"If the Magic Power issue isn't a problem, then the rest is up to Brigitte's choice. As you said last year, if you believe it won't harm Ilgner and that you can be happy, then that is more than enough for me. As your brother and as the Giebe Ilgner, I approve of your marriage to Dameul."
At my words, Brigitte's eyes—like amethysts—lit up, and she smiled with a softness like a flower in full bloom.
"I'm happy to hear you say that. ...Come to think of it, at Lady Elvira's tea party today, I was asked the same thing. Whether I would accept Dameul's proposal or not."
Though it was a small tea party, having the Archduchess herself present and being interrogated so thoroughly had made her extremely uncomfortable and embarrassed. Brigitte pursed her lips as she recounted this, though she was smiling as she did—so perhaps she hadn't minded so much after all.
"What did you answer?"
"I said that I would accept Dameul's proposal and return to Ilgner."
At Brigitte's words, I blinked. They were entirely unexpected.
"Brigitte, you're going back to Ilgner?"
"What's wrong, Brother? Are you displeased that I'm returning? When one marries, isn't a woman expected to bear and raise children? If I am to raise children, I want to do so in Ilgner."
Since neither of them was an heir, they would need to start from scratch to live in the Noble District—buying a house, living in a cramped dwelling with a tiny garden, raising children in an unfamiliar noble environment while maintaining their social duties. Brigitte spoke of wanting to build a home in Ilgner, where land was vast, and raise their children running free through the hills and fields—the same environment she herself had grown up in.
"What does Dameul say about that?"
"Hm? ...Well, Dameul isn't a landowning noble, so I don't think he cares much about where they live. He said Ilgner was a fine place. Besides, Lady Elvira agreed with my feelings about returning to my hometown and told me to test Dameul's devotion."
"I see..."
Brigitte was straightforward to the core. When she learned that her broken engagement had put Ilgner in dire straits, she volunteered as a guard knight for Lady Rozemyne, who worked at the Temple and sometimes ventured into the lower city—hoping to gain the backing of a powerful patron.
But that action, driven by deep love for her homeland, was not the way of a knight. It was the thinking of a landowning noble—one who wished to protect their land, safeguard the people who lived there, and make it a better place.
She had served as Lady Rozemyne's guard knight, but Brigitte's foundation had not changed.
...If that was the case, then perhaps— I exhaled slowly.
I believed Lady Elvira, who had agreed with Brigitte's love for her homeland and permitted her return to Ilgner, had essentially written Brigitte off as unsuitable to continue as a guard knight.
On top of that, she intended to use Brigitte to test Dameul as well. What Dameul was being tested on was not his love for Brigitte, but his loyalty to Lady Rozemyne.
Dameul, raised and bred in the Noble District, had no choice but to build his career through his achievements as a knight. If he were not a guard knight for the Archduke's family, he would have come to Ilgner as a groom. Marrying the sister of the Giebe Ilgner was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a lower noble.
But Dameul was a knight raised in the Noble District—one who had been given a second chance by Lady Rozemyne after a mishap, and had been promoted under her patronage as a guard knight. He would surely never consider moving to Ilgner through marriage. It was an unthinkable choice.
"...Brigitte, if Dameul says he cannot come to Ilgner, what will you do? Do you have any thoughts about staying in the Noble District and marrying there?"
After a brief flash of surprise, Brigitte slowly shook her head.
"I don't. Lady Rozemyne pointed out what Ilgner was lacking, and I saw Ilgner through the eyes of an outsider. I want to put that to use going forward. As Lady Rozemyne said, I want to preserve what makes Ilgner good and develop it further."
For Ilgner's sake, she would endure an unwanted marriage, go to the Temple, go to the lower city. If she could help it, she wanted to spend her life in Ilgner—and she had even chosen a groom who might be willing to come. As the daughter of a landowning noble, she was as thorough as they came.
"I understand your feelings for Ilgner, Brigitte. ...But if there is something Brigitte cannot give up, then even if Dameul chooses the path of a guard knight over the path of walking alongside Brigitte, you must not resent or hate him for it."
"Brother, what do you mean?"
Brigitte's expression darkened, and she stood up as if casting the cushion aside.
I looked up at her and spoke as calmly and gently as I could.
"Dameul is not like us landowning nobles—he is a guard knight raised in the Noble District. I don't believe he will ever leave Lady Rozemyne's side. ...Of course, if he does come to Ilgner, we would welcome him."
Brigitte sat back down as though struck by a blow, hugging the cushion to her chest once more. Seeing her on the verge of tears, lost in thought, I stood up. What came next was for Brigitte to decide. Even as her brother, it was not my place to interfere.
And then, on the night of the Starbinding Ceremony.
Brigitte wore the same outfit as last year. This time, there were women who used Brigitte's design as inspiration, women who decorated their outfits with floral ornaments similar to Lady Rozemyne's hair ornaments, and women wearing ensembles rarely seen before. It was a refreshing change for the Starbinding Ceremony, where the latest fashions tended to look all the same.
Since many wore similar outfits, Brigitte didn't draw as much attention for her clothing as she had last year. What people were focused on this year was the outcome of Dameul's proposal. The ladies who loved romantic gossip were watching Brigitte and Dameul's movements very closely.
Meanwhile, Dameul could be seen being clapped on the shoulder by fellow knights and same-age friends, asking "How did you increase your Magic Power?" and getting nudged with a "Lucky you."
After Ferdinand conducted the Starbinding Ceremony, the venue became a place for the unmarried to search for partners.
This year too, the young nobles were scrambling to find someone. Though "scrambling" was relative—only a handful were the type to be swarmed by those who had no prospects. The rest were either trying to close the distance with someone they had their eye on at work, or introducing someone to their relatives in preparation for next year.
"Brigitte."
Amid everyone fixated on a year's worth of developments, Dameul knelt before Brigitte with a tense expression that made it immediately obvious he had steeled his resolve. He offered a magnificent purple magic stone.
"By the guidance of the married divine couple who reign at the highest heavens, I was able to meet you."
The proposal, which began with that stock phrase, concluded with: "If you would be by my side, I believe I can continue to grow without limit. Please be my goddess of light."
As everyone held their breath and watched, Brigitte's face broke into a joyful smile—then she pressed her lips tightly together.
"Dameul, my light can only shine in Ilgner. ...Will you come to Ilgner with me?"
At Brigitte's words, Dameul's eyes went wide. He swayed as if confused, looking up at her in disbelief.
Dameul, frozen in shock while still holding out the magic stone, and Brigitte, quietly awaiting his answer—neither moved, as though struck by the mischief of Dreuffengar, goddess of time.
Only a few seconds passed, but the silence felt agonizingly long. Then, looking down at the unwavering resolve he found in Brigitte's eyes, Dameul's gray pupils squeezed shut. He furrowed his brow in pain and pressed his lips together.
With an expression full of anguish, Dameul slowly shook his head.
"...I cannot go to Ilgner. I am Lady Rozemyne's guard knight."
"I see."
A single tear fell from Brigitte's amethyst-like eyes and landed on the magic stone of a nearly identical hue.
"Even love between two who share mutual feelings may not come to pass—yet that, too, is beautiful."
Behind us, an exhaled sigh of admiration drifted through the air, and I turned around involuntarily.
"Lady Elvira..."
I stepped back a pace at the sight of the noblewoman—wearing a flower hair ornament remarkably similar to Lady Rozemyne's, smiling serenely with an air of composed elegance. I moved to kneel, but Elvira swiftly raised a hand to stop me.
Elvira tilted her head slightly, one hand resting against her cheek, and narrowed her jet-black eyes as she smiled gently. Sensing the look of a noble assessing her opponent, I straightened my back.
"Giebe Ilgner, I sincerely wish for Brigitte's happiness, just as Rozemyne once did. Her tender heart, wishing to return to Ilgner and devote herself to the development of her homeland, truly moved me. I shall do everything in my power to find an excellent match for Brigitte—one that will benefit Ilgner."
Brigitte, who had chosen Ilgner over life in the Noble District with Dameul, had no option to refuse the offer of a high-ranking noble like Lady Elvira. And for Ilgner, which needed Lady Rozemyne's backing, maintaining a good relationship with Elvira—Lady Rozemyne's mother—was essential.
My answer as the Giebe Ilgner was singular.
"I am most grateful for your generous offer. Please do search for an excellent match for my sister. I leave it in your capable hands."
To the readers who had been hoping for a happy ending between Dameul and Brigitte, I offer my apologies. I'm sorry. But with Dameul living as a guard knight and Brigitte living for Ilgle, there was simply no way to make it work.
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