Meeting of the Lord's Family — Part One

"If there are parents who could take him in, why leave him in the children's room for an entire season? Poor Nicolaus," I said, and Cornelius brother made a troubled face.

"Father is in the position of directing the purges. I've gone to speak with Nicolaus several times when I had the chance, but taking him in isn't possible. We can't leave a child who hasn't even entered the Noble Academy alone in a separate building."

"...But Mother is in the main building, isn't she?"

When I murmured that it didn't have to be a separate building, Cornelius brother looked at me blankly and said, "Why would Mother take in someone who isn't her child?"

"Huh? She can't?"

"Since Lady Rozemyne grew up in the Temple and became Lady Elvira's child through the Baptism Ceremony, your understanding of half-siblings from the same mother versus different mothers may be shallow. With the mother's permission... in Nicolaus's case, if Traugotta wished it and entrusted him to Lady Elvira, he could be taken in. But since she's been captured, her consent can't be obtained."

With Leonore's backup, Cornelius brother and Lamprecht brother nodded, saying, "That might be hard for Rozemyne to understand." Angelica nodded along as if she understood too.

"Without Traugotta's consent, Mother taking in Nicolaus would require formal adoption. Traugotta will be returning after she's served her punishment—doing an adoption just to pull a child from the children's room isn't practical, is it? Mother herself said she thinks it's better for Nicolaus to stay in the children's room. She can't take the child away when Traugotta is in no position to voice her opinion."

Even though they could live in a separate building on the same grounds, I was struck by the reality that half-siblings were treated as completely different families. If the difference was this great based on who the mother was, weren't there far more children left behind in the children's room than I'd imagined?

"I thought that if the father took them in, he'd look after them even if they had a different mother..."

"Since Lady Rozemyne and the other Archduke Candidates petitioned the Aub, Nicolaus, Matthias, and the others were spared from implication. However, they're still children of criminals. It's not that they received direct punishment, but people's awareness won't change that easily, so few would willingly take them into their homes."

The harsh gaze toward relatives of criminals existed in my former life too, just to varying degrees. All I could say in response to Leonore's words was a quiet, "Nicolaus is still only nine years old..."

"Rozemyne, you're already nine. When I think about how Nicolaus has been raised by Traugotta until now, and how he must feel about his mother being captured by his own father, I don't want him in the main building."

At Cornelius brother's words, Lamprecht brother shrugged and said, "Nicolaus has been training hard to become an apprentice knight, after all."

"Nicolaus has a good build, and according to Grandfather, his potential is promising. I'm opposed to bringing him into the main building when we don't know how he'll act when emotionally triggered. I want to prioritize Aurelia and the baby's safety."

Since Aurelia and the newborn baby were currently in the main building, they especially didn't want to introduce any risk. If Aurelia were in full condition, she could probably suppress an apprentice knight easily, but apparently it was difficult in her current postpartum state.

...I mean, I find it hard to believe that the Aurelia who moves so carefully while wearing her veil could easily restrain an apprentice knight.

"Traugotta admired Lady Veronica, insulted Ferdinand, and mocked Mother over Eckhart's name dedication and over taking in Rozemyne who went in and out of the Temple. She rarely came to the main building, but I dislike Traugotta and have no desire to accept the child she raised. Until Traugotta finishes her punishment and returns, I think it's best for Nicolaus to stay in the children's room."

"I see..."

I understood the situation surrounding Nicolaus, but I felt a deep sense of unease in my chest. He hadn't committed any crime yet, but society's scrutiny was far too harsh.

"...After the Spring Prayer banquets end, how many children are left behind in the children's room? Could we move them to the orphanage?"

The moment those words slipped out, Cornelius brother and Leonore's eyes widened.

"Rozemyne, what are you thinking?!"

"Lady Rozemyne, this is too large a matter to take on on a whim."

It might be too large for a whim, but it was equally pitiful to leave the children remaining in the children's room as they were. Living in the main building of the castle meant they were constantly exposed to the gazes of adult nobles.

"Lamprecht brother, there should be someone among Charlotte's retainers who was looking after the children's room. I'd like to ask that person about the winter children's room. Cornelius brother, please call Hartmut. I have questions about the current state of the orphanage."

With resigned expressions, Lamprecht brother and Cornelius brother left the room. Hartmut must have been waiting nearby, because he entered with a smile almost immediately after they left.

"Lady Rozemyne, you called for me?"

I briefly explained Nicolaus's situation to Hartmut, then asked about the current state of the orphanage and how many children came to be collected by their parents come spring.

"Five people have made requests so far. Indeed, children of second wives and third wives tend to be left behind more often. As for children without Magical Tools, no one has contacted us about them at all."

"...I see. Do you think the orphanage could take in the children left in the children's room?"

At my words, Hartmut lowered his amber eyes and thought for a moment.

"It could take them in, if that's all. The cost of their upkeep could be covered the same way it is now—from their parents or confiscated from purged nobles. However, unlike the children before their Baptism Ceremony, the children in the children's room are already treated as nobles. Whether they'll obediently listen to Gray Priests and Gray Priestesses is uncertain, and having them wear gray clothing and live that way would be difficult."

I hadn't seen the state of the orphanage after the purge with my own eyes. The children before their Baptism Ceremony weren't officially nobles yet, but the children in the children's room were clearly nobles.

"Lady Rozemyne, Lord Wilfried is requesting permission to enter."

At Greteia's voice, I nodded, and Wilfried entered the room looking anxious, saying, "Lamprecht told me you're planning to start something—what is it this time?"

I shook my head, saying, "It seems difficult to pull off," then explained that I'd been thinking about whether the children left in the children's room could be moved to the orphanage. Wilfried let out a sigh with an exasperated expression.

"...You want to hide them from society's eyes out of pity? But hiding them won't solve anything. The fact is that their relatives committed crimes and are being punished. Rather than shielding them from society's gaze, you should tell them to live with their heads held high, knowing they have nothing to be ashamed of."

Wilfried said this while looking straight ahead. Drawing from his own experience, he said that nobles' gossip would continue forever, and hiding them for a short time would contribute nothing to their growth.

"There's also the reason of wanting to shield them somewhat from society's gaze, but Melchior couldn't go to the children's room during winter, right? He was in the north building, studying alone surrounded by his retainers?"

"That's what he said."

"If Melchior had a tutor, then what about the children's room where there was no tutor? Will those who remain in the children's room from spring onward receive adequate education as nobles?"

"That is something to discuss with Mother, who is in charge of the children's room, and have her arrange. It's not for you, who has no jurisdiction, to worry about."

Being told not to meddle in other people's work when no one had asked me, I relaxed my shoulders slightly. Indeed, it wasn't for me to think about—it was a matter of asking my adoptive mother how things stood and having her handle it.

"You should think about Nicolaus as an individual, rather than the children's room as a whole."

"Nicolaus as an individual?"

When I tilted my head in confusion, Wilfried nodded and said, "Ah, yes."

"Nicolaus wishes to serve as an upper-grade apprentice knight to an Archduke Candidate, and his top preference is you, Rozemyne. He wants to join the ranks of Cornelius and Angelica, who are favored by Bonifatius, and he apparently envies the close relationship between Cornelius and you."

At these unexpected words, I blinked. I had no idea about any of that.

"However, Nicolaus said he's been avoided because of his different mother, and that he can't even have a conversation with you. When he told his parents he wanted to serve you, he was immediately rejected."

"Lord Wilfried, it wasn't Father who rejected him—it was his mother, Traugotta. She said she wouldn't allow the Rozemyne who came out of the Temple to serve him."

Lamprecht brother corrected with a sigh, but apparently it was true that Nicolaus had wished to serve as my retainer. Having never spoken a single word to Nicolaus, I looked up at Cornelius brother, who had forbidden contact.

"Cornelius brother, I didn't know that Nicolaus had wished to serve as my retainer. I've never heard a word about it..."

"It was decided that serving Lord Wilfried would be best for Nicolaus. Traugotta wouldn't object if the master was Lord Wilfried, who is valued by Lady Veronica, Nicolaus's wish to become an Archduke Candidate's attendant is fulfilled, and since Lamprecht brother is there, it's possible to get along well with us brothers."

When Cornelius brother gave a sweet smile, Wilfried shook his head lightly and glared at him, saying, "But serving me isn't Nicolaus's wish, is it?"

"It's cruel to have him living a deprived life in the children's room AND have his wishes go unfulfilled. Even the children spared from implication can choose their own masters, can't they?"

"If he weren't Traugotta's son, I might share Lord Wilfried's opinion."

When Cornelius brother said this with an obviously forced smile, Lamprecht brother sighed troubledly.

"Lord Wilfried, Traugotta claimed that Rozemyne teamed up with Ferdinand to deceive the Aub into taking her as an adopted daughter, that she used wicked means to frame the former High Priest, and that she even plotted to bring Lady Veronica into it as well."

...Ferdinand used me to set a trap, my adoptive father stuck his nose in, and then the former High Priest and Veronica blew themselves up—that's the correct version of events.

"She'd say things like 'children are innocent' or 'he hasn't done anything yet,' and Lady Rozemyne would likely accept him easily, but as a Guard Knight, I can't allow creating an opening for a dangerous person to get close. Things are already dangerous enough as it is."

Cornelius brother had preemptively said exactly what I was about to say. Seeing all the Guard Knights nodding in agreement, it looked like it would be quite difficult to even have a conversation with Nicolaus.

...I really want to face him directly and talk at least once, though.

The next day, at the third bell as promised, we Archduke Candidates set out from the north building together—one civil official and one attendant each, and all Guard Knights. As expected, extra precautions were in place: instead of our usual conference room, a larger audience chamber near the north building within the main structure had been prepared for the meeting.

My adoptive father, adoptive mother, grandfather, Wilfried, Charlotte, me, and—different from before—Melchior and his attendants entered in Ferdinand's place, and the meeting began.

"There are many reports this time. First, Florencia is pregnant. The baby should arrive from late summer to autumn. She'll likely not feel well for a while yet, so keep that in mind as we divide up future tasks."

At my adoptive father's words, the conference room murmured. Some attendees exchanged confused looks, wondering about the plans for the second wife and future work, but I—who had been told about the pregnancy ahead of time—was not confused. I was the first to say, "Congratulations. I'm looking forward to autumn."

"Thank you, Rozemyne."

My adoptive mother's expression softened with relief, and Melchior also offered his congratulations with a happy face.

"Congratulations, Mother. I'm getting a little brother or sister?"

"That's right. But for now, keep this confidential. Understood?"

As my adoptive father said this and looked around the room at everyone, including the retainers present, Charlotte—who had been looking down with a stiff expression upon hearing the pregnancy report—raised her face with determination and spoke.

"I have no intention of putting Mother in danger. Of course I'll keep it confidential, and I intend to cooperate as much as I can."

"That's helpful. ...The rest of the reports will center on the winter purges. You all understand that rebuilding Ehrenfest is urgent?"

The reports on the winter purges began. Based on information from Matthias and the others, they had moved the plan forward and started the purges early. They had prioritized capturing those known to have dedicated their names to Georgine. When they raided Gerlach's winter estate, many had committed suicide, and few were registered as Ehrenfest nobles.

"Father, I don't quite understand. Are you saying many people in the Gieb Gerlach estate weren't Ehrenfest nobles?"

"That's right. Many of them didn't match the Magic Power on the medals registered here. To be precise, there were bodies of many different people."

The phrase "bodies of many different people" sent a chill down my spine, but I had a suspicion about those without registered medals.

"The unregistered ones might be Self-Eating Soldiers. When I was first attacked by Gieb Gerlach, I recall Self-Eating Soldiers were involved."

During my first attack as a Blue Shrine Maiden Apprentice, Self-Eating Soldiers had been used in the raid on Gerlach's territory. When Charlotte had nearly been kidnapped, numerous Self-Eating Soldiers had also appeared.

"Ah, the soldiers who attacked during Charlotte's Baptism Ceremony and self-destructed were also unregistered individuals. They're certainly the same kind of people."

"...Did Gieb Gerlach self-destruct too? Somehow I find that hard to believe..."

I looked toward Grandfather, who had reportedly charged into the Gieb Gerlach estate. Grandfather furrowed his brow and spoke slowly.

"I didn't witness the self-destruction myself. I judged it was a self-destruction based on the circumstances. ...I led the charge and tried to capture him with my Stab, but some objected that I was being too reckless, and naturally the steward refused to let me go. By the time I broke through, the room was scattered with charred chunks of flesh."

He spoke matter-of-factly, but the state of that room was too horrifying to imagine. I heard about how "the steward self-destructed the moment I charged in, and the entrance was a mess" while fighting the urge to cover my ears. I desperately shook off the bloody, gruesome images that flashed through my mind, rubbed the goosebumps on my arms, and listened to Grandfather continue.

"I compared the Magic Power from the arms and legs scattered throughout the room with the medals registered here to determine who had been present, and there were many individuals without Magic Power registration. We confirmed Gieb Gerlach through his left-hand ring, family crest, and remaining Magic Power—it matched his medal and is almost certainly him. But I can't shake the feeling that something was off."

Grandfather's warrior's instincts were sounding an alarm, but based on the evidence at the scene and what he had seen with his own eyes, he couldn't be fully confident in "Gieb Gerlach's death."

"Isn't it possible that Gieb Gerlach escaped, leaving only his hand behind?"

At Wilfried's question, Grandfather shook his head slowly.

"Based on the smell of blood and the temperature of the flesh chunks in the room, I'm certain I entered shortly after the self-destruction. Knights had surrounded the estate, and no riding beasts were sighted. It's nearly impossible for a noble to escape underground where the magic eaters are, and Commoner soldiers were posted at every exit."

As Grandfather spoke, my adoptive father added further explanation.

"The city's barrier had been raised to maximum alert, and knights were deployed at the North Gate. We had also issued orders to the Commoner soldiers to absolutely not let any carriages pass. The reports indicate no noble escaped Ehrenfest by riding beast or carriage."

Even with all that, Grandfather still couldn't accept Gieb Gerlach's death.

"Since Bonifatius wasn't convinced at all, I asked Matthias, and we've already completed medal-based executions for those confirmed to have dedicated their names to Georgine."

"...The one from the Darkness God? That thing?"

Remembering the medal-based execution I had seen in Haldenzel, I asked cautiously. It was among the magic spells Ferdinand had drilled into the Archduke Candidate curriculum. There were others besides Archduke Candidates present, so I spoke vaguely, but my adoptive father seemed to catch on. He nodded with a stern expression.

"But, Father. That magic only works under the Aub's control, doesn't it?"

"Rozemyne, if they're not using riding beasts or carriages, how would they leave Ehrenfest?"

"Uh, um... a teleportation circle, perhaps?"

"Wouldn't creating a teleportation circle for people also require the Aub? It couldn't be used by Gieb Gerlach."

My adoptive father dismissed my desperately conjured answer with a look of exasperation. Indeed, when Ferdinand had taught me about it, he'd said it could only be created by the Aub.

My adoptive father said, "In any case, Gieb Gerlach is dead. That's good enough, isn't it?" and cut off further discussion about Gieb Gerlach.

"The current problem is whether there are other nobles who have dedicated their names. Name dedication is fundamentally done in secret. Those captured based on Matthias's information seem certain, but even their memories are blurred by Trugs, so investigating who has dedicated their names is truly difficult."

It seemed they had no choice but to work through various connections to make inferences, and they had to be careful to avoid wrongful executions.

"Ah, yes. Rozemyne, Wilfried, Charlotte. For the time being, the Knight Order will need to borrow those of you who were spared from implication and who dedicated their names to you, for investigation purposes."

It seemed the children were needed for the investigation of territories ruled by Giebs—Gerlach, Wirbel, Bessel, and others—who had dedicated their names to Georgine.

"After the purges, the Knight Order went to each of their summer estates to investigate, but since the Gieb estates have many doors that can only be opened by blood relatives, there were many places they couldn't access. Before a new Gieb is appointed and the hidden rooms become completely inaccessible, we want to search the estates."

Just as I had re-registered my Magic Power on the orphanage director's hidden room and the previous director's hidden room could never be opened again, apparently there were many doors that would become permanently inaccessible once a new Gieb registered instead.

"I understand the urgent need to investigate the estates. Matthias, Laurentz, and Muriella will accompany and cooperate with the Knight Order's investigation, so please absolutely do not treat them roughly. All three are already my retainers."

As I emphasized this while looking at my father, the Knight Commander, he nodded with a reassuring smile.

"I'll make sure to impress upon the Knight Order that Lady Rozemyne's words are to be heeded. Of course, we won't treat Lord Wilfried's and Lady Charlotte's retainers roughly either."

But immediately after saying this, his pale blue eyes took on a stern light.

"In exchange, please make sure your retainers cooperate with the Knight Order's investigation, and that they don't attempt to hide or protect the crimes of their parents and relatives."

It looked like Nicolaus would be staying in the children's room for a while longer.

There was still much to discuss at this meeting, so it wasn't over yet.

Next time: Part Two.