Temple Tour, Part One

Multiple riding beasts flew in a line from the castle toward the Temple. From my lesser beast, I could hear the children's excited cheers, making for quite a lively scene.

Today was the Temple tour. Melchior was going to be shown around the rooms and allowed to choose his Temple attendants. As an added bonus, the children from the orphanage would be accompanying us so they could observe life at the Temple and then decide whether they wanted to live there or back at the castle.

"Welcome. This is the Temple. Everyone, please dismount."

I stopped my lesser beast in front of the Temple's main entrance and turned back toward the rear seats. Judith and Leonore sat side by side, with Melchior and his guard knights behind them, and further back, the orphanage children sat looking rather like they were being watched over by Brother Cornelius and Damuel. Before departing, I had confirmed with Schtzelia's shield that there was no hostility, but since the two of them had refused to budge from insisting they "must keep watch," I let them do as they pleased.

The orphanage children totaled four—two boys and two girls. One of the girls' parents had already been executed, while the rest had parents who had received fairly severe sentences and wouldn't be returning for several years. Nicolaus was among them. Parents who had received lighter punishments had apparently already come to pick up their children. Considering the adoption rates at the orphanage, the disparity seemed quite significant.

...As I expected, children before the Baptism Ceremony really do get treated less seriously.

"Sister Rozemyne, your riding beast is incredible. I've never seen one this big before. It's so cool—I want a riding beast like this too!"

As Melchior and I chatted about how nice it would be if we had matching ones, his retainers looked extremely troubled and spoke up haltingly.

"Lord Melchior, um, Grün is..."

"As the Aub's child, he should have a lion riding beast, not Grün."

Meanwhile, the civil officials and attendants who hadn't ridden the lesser beast were putting away their own riding beasts. One by one, people continued streaming out of the lesser beast. Glancing at the children gazing up at the Temple, I made my way over to Hartmut, who was wearing blue priest's robes, along with the Temple's attendants who had come to greet us.

"Thank you for organizing everything in advance, Hartmut. You've been a great help."

When I thanked Hartmut for returning to the Temple ahead of us to prepare for everyone's arrival, he smiled happily.

"It is my pleasure to be of use to Lady Rozemyne. After discussing with the retainers here and considering security measures such as escorts, we decided it would be best to guide everyone to the Chief Priest's office rather than the High Priest's room. I will take charge of showing everyone around, so Lady Rozemyne, please put away your riding beast and freshen up."

Thanking Hartmut for taking on the tour guide duties, I confirmed that everyone had dismounted, then put away my riding beast. After that, I headed for the High Priest's room with Fran, Zaam, and Monica, who had come to greet us. Damuel and Leonore accompanied me as guards, while the other retainers took on the roles of guiding Melchior and the others, as well as looking after the children. Judith and Philine, perhaps because they had younger siblings, were especially good with the children.

"I'm back. It's been a while, but I don't think anything's changed?"

When I called out to Fran and the others, they gave me their usual gentle smiles. Seeing their familiar faces, I felt the tension drain from my body. In the castle, I'd had to keep so many forced smiles that my facial muscles had gone stiff, but they were gradually relaxing now.

"The High Priest's room hasn't changed at all. The orphanage, however, seems to have changed quite a bit with all the new children," Fran said.

As I nodded along to Fran's words, Monica chimed in with a cheerful smile about how things were at the orphanage.

"Wilma is currently at the orphanage preparing to welcome everyone. Per Hartmut's instructions, Nicola has been making sweets for the welcome."

"Today is the tour, and since Hugo and Ella haven't returned, it must have been quite hectic."

"They said it's Paru cake, which is easy to make even alone. The children at the orphanage and Gunther contributed the paru. Since it goes bad quickly, they said now is the perfect time."

Apparently, they had set some aside specifically because they knew I was looking forward to it. That made me happy. Damuel had been looking forward to winter treats too, so he would be pleased.

"Gil and Fritz finished cleaning up the workshop this morning and gave instructions for everyone to prepare the orphanage. By the time you arrive, the gray priests should all be gathered there."

"Thank you, Zaam."

I had Monica quickly change me into my robes in the High Priest's room. It had been a while since I'd slipped my arms into the High Priest's vestments.

"Monica, could you arrange a summon to the commercial guild, the Plantin Company, and the Giliberta Company three days from now? There's something urgent I need to discuss."

"Of course. We should also request alterations to the vestments. The hem is shorter than I anticipated."

As Monica said this while dressing me, I took a closer look. Sure enough, the hem was a bit shorter. It was supposed to reach my shins, but now it fell below my knees.

...Whoa, amazing! I've really grown!

Up until now, the visible changes had been so gradual that this was genuinely moving. It must be because I'd completely dissolved that mass of Magic Power in the Philosopher's Stone. Or maybe it was the effect of compressing less Magic Power. Either way, I was happy.

After changing into the High Priest's robes, I led Fran and the others to the Chief Priest's office. For some reason, one of Melchior's guard knights was standing outside the door, and he let us in.

"Why is Melchior's guard knight standing outside the door?"

"Because I said I would guard the inside."

Standing before the inner door as if to assert that she was doing her job properly was Angelica. She had probably insisted, as usual, that she would guard the inside of the door, which left Melchior's guard knight with no choice but to stand outside. Normally, it would make more sense for Angelica to stand outside while the unfamiliar guard knight took the interior position, but since everyone seemed content with the arrangement, I'd let it go.

"Welcome back, Lady Rozemyne. Today's sweets are Paru cake."

In the Chief Priest's office, preparations for tea were underway. Nicola and Rottal were carrying in Paru cake, and the sweet scent drifted through the air, filling me with nostalgic bliss. As I was soothed by Nicola's beaming smile, I took a seat in the chair Hartmut's retainers had prepared. Soon, Fran and Monica joined the attendants in starting to brew tea.

Unlike the children, who gazed at the Paru cake with eager anticipation, Melchior's retainers were carefully observing the Temple attendants' every move. I recalled how Brunhilde had done the same thing when she'd first arrived, sizing everything up, and I couldn't help but smile.

"They've been well trained, haven't they? Both my attendants here and Hartmut's attendants were educated by Lord Ferdinand. My retainers were initially just as skeptical about what the gray priests could actually do."

Melchior's retainers looked up as if startled, and their expressions softened slightly as they said, "We were certainly impressed." It seemed Fran and the rest had passed muster.

Hartmut chuckled softly and said, "I was surprised at first too," while glancing over his own attendants.

"Lord Ferdinand trained us so well that I was able to help with your duties without much confusion. To help Melchior's officials learn the work, we plan to assign one of the Chief Priest's attendants to Lord Melchior. Rottal, if you would."

"Certainly. My name is Rottal."

The one Hartmut had singled out, Rottal, stepped forward. He was the gentlest of all the attendants who had served Ferdinand, and I thought he would be perfect for dealing with Melchior.

"For the rest of the attendants, we'll find them at the orphanage. If we choose former attendants who served blue-robed priests, they'll already have a fair amount of training."

I let Hartmut's words wash over me as I watched the children, whose eyes were glued to the sweets. "If you end up living at the Temple, you'll get to choose your own attendants as well," I told them.

"Aren't attendants supposed to be our supervisors here? We can choose for ourselves?" Nicolaus asked, blinking in surprise.

I nodded. "They'll report things like how everyone is doing, whether anyone is feeling unwell, and so on. But wouldn't it be stifling to have someone next to you all the time if you hadn't chosen them yourself?"

Having attendants you spent long hours with but couldn't get along with was miserable. That was something I knew all too well from living surrounded by retainers. When the children heard they could choose their own attendants, they seemed to perk up with a bit of interest.

When we'd first met in the orphanage, every single one of them had kept their heads down, their listlessness so pronounced it was concerning. They had lost their parents and their futures as nobles. Other children's parents had come for them, but not theirs. They'd had the look of abandoned children in their eyes, so I felt relieved to see their faces tilt upward even a little.

"Lady Rozemyne, here you are."

"Thank you, Fran. It smells lovely. ...This is called Paru cake. It's a winter sweet that can only be eaten here at the Temple. It was made from paru that the children at the orphanage and people I know in the lower city gathered specifically for me."

I sipped the tea Fran had brewed, took a bite of Paru cake, then offered it to everyone. Of course, most of the people in the room were retainers of either mine or Melchior's, so they were waiting to be served. The only ones seated at the table were myself, Hartmut, Melchior, and the orphanage children.

...Mmm, it's been so long since I've had Paru cake.

I hadn't made it back for the Offering Ceremony, so this would probably be the only time I'd taste it. I'd have to wait until next year for more. For me, it was the most nostalgic taste of the lower city.

...I wonder how Father and Mother are doing?

"Sister Rozemyne, this is delicious," Melchior said.

"Isn't it? It's a sweet you can only eat in winter. Once it gets warm, it spoils quickly, so my attendants preserved it in the ice room so I could have it when I returned."

When Melchior, the highest-ranking among our guests, smiled and reached for a piece, the other children slowly followed suit. After the first bite, they gracefully helped themselves to more. They all ate like proper nobles—elegantly—but their pace picked up considerably.

"Nicola, since we're short on time today, please tell the other retainers to take turns having some. Damuel likes Paru cake, so give him a bit extra."

As I said this to Nicola, Hartmut raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Lady Rozemyne, Damuel and Cornelius already had some during the Offering Ceremony, so they don't need special treatment."

"So they got to enjoy it before I did. Well, then they can have the same as everyone else."

I'd thought it was a shame they could only eat it once, but if they'd already had their fill of Paru cake before me, there was no need for special consideration. When I withdrew my instructions to Nicola, Damuel shot Hartmut a look of dismay.

"Hartmut, didn't you say that was a reward for helping with the Offering Ceremony?"

"You've already received a reward from me. Don't you think it's rather bold to expect special treatment from Lady Rozemyne on top of that?"

Leaving Hartmut and Damuel to their bickering, I told the retainers to take turns eating and slowly sipped my tea. Fran had brewed Ferdinand's favorite variety, which had a particularly refined aroma.

...When Lord Ferdinand was Chief Priest, this room probably wasn't this lively very often.

"Lady Rozemyne..." Nicolaus began.

"What is it, Nicolaus?"

With an expression like someone bracing for a scolding, Nicolaus spoke while clenching his fists tightly on his lap.

"...Lady Rozemyne, you're also my older sister, aren't you?"

"Nicolaus, you're my half-brother, so I suppose that's true."

The moment I said that, Brother Cornelius called out to me in a low voice: "Rozemyne." But it was a fact that I was Nicolaus's half-sister.

"As the Aub's adopted daughter, I am forbidden from interacting with my full brother, Brother Cornelius, and Brother Lamprecht as siblings in public settings. So I can't show any favoritism toward Nicolaus just because he's my half-brother. Brother Cornelius would be upset."

Both Brother Cornelius and Nicolaus showed expressions of relief.

"I'm glad you understand, at least to some degree."

"You consider me your half-brother?"

I had assumed that Nicolaus believed I had completely rejected him, given how poorly his mother Trudeliede and my mother had gotten along, and how he hadn't even been able to manage a proper greeting when we first met.

"I was worried you didn't even want to be spoken to, so it's a relief to know that's not the case," he said, smiling shyly. He was a taller brother than me, but having him warm up to me like this was rather nice. As I smiled back, I caught Brother Cornelius's sharp gaze.

...Aaagh! His eyes are saying "Don't go easy on him just because he's younger."

Even though we'd confirmed before departure that there was no hostility via Schtzelia's shield, Brother Cornelius was still treating Nicolaus as a security concern.

"Lady Rozemyne, regarding the rest of today's schedule—I think it would be best to check the rooms before heading to the orphanage. That's probably what Melchior's attendants are most interested in."

Hartmut's voice pulled my attention away from Brother Cornelius. There were many things you couldn't determine without actually seeing the rooms, especially for fitting furniture. For the attendants who needed to prepare furniture quickly, checking the rooms was the top priority.

"After seeing the rooms, then we'll go to the orphanage."

"Also, we've received confirmation that Friederich will be returning, so please ensure his attendant position is secured."

"Well done, Hartmut. That's wonderful."

It seemed the negotiations with Father had succeeded in bringing Friederich back. That should make his duties a bit easier. The Prayer Ceremony required a fair number of blue-robed priests, and it was grueling.

After everyone finished eating, we immediately began the room tour. Walking down the corridor, we headed toward the area lined with blue-robed priests' rooms.

"This area has the blue priests' rooms. If Nicolaus and the others will be living at the Temple, they'll be using rooms in this area. The girls' rooms are up that staircase on the next floor. Having separate floors for men and women is the same as the castle and the Academy dormitories."

In truth, the Temple, much like the castle and the Academy dormitories, had floors divided by gender. I had moved from the orphanage director's room to the High Priest's room, so this was actually my first time stepping into a blue shrine maiden's room, but I wasn't about to mention that. I guided them without letting on that I'd never even gone upstairs—not that I had any reason to, and climbing stairs had always felt like too much of a hassle.

"Differences in room size depend on the donations from your family. Since you're all still children who haven't entered the Academy, I think the rooms in this area are more than sufficient."

Zaam opened a room where the furniture left behind by a former blue-robed priest remained intact. With this room, all you'd need to do was recruit two or three attendants from the orphanage and hire a cook, and it would be ready for use.

One of the girls who had been looking around asked, "Is it possible to bring in the furniture I used at home?" Since it had been quite some time since any blue-robed priest had occupied the room, the furniture that hadn't been maintained was showing some wear. It didn't bother me, but for children who had lived their entire lives as higher or middle-ranking nobles, it clearly did.

"If you have someone who can transport it, you're welcome to bring in your own furniture. ...For families that have been seized by the Aub due to purges, you would need the Aub's permission, but I can make the inquiry."

The reason everyone's eyes had dropped was likely because they weren't sure whether they would even be allowed to have furniture brought in for them.

"Once you begin living here as blue-robed priests, you'll sleep and eat in your private rooms, and then study at the orphanage. For lower-year Academy coursework, there are reference materials, so the gray priests can teach you. As for Fespiel practice, my musician will handle that."

I told them that the children gathered at the orphanage before their Baptism Ceremonies were also practicing hard so they could receive their noble Baptisms, and their faces lifted slightly. For children who had not yet received their noble Baptism, their position was honestly more precarious than that of those of us who were already being treated as nobles.

"We'll be going to the orphanage afterward. Your younger siblings might be there."

Saying this, I made my way toward what was slated to become Melchior's room.

"This will be Melchior's room. Ideally, we'd clear out the Chief Priest's office for him, but we need a large room for the staff working together. Once the handover is complete, Melchior will move to the High Priest's room, and the Chief Priest's office will be used by a retainer suited for the role of Chief Priest. Until then, please make do with this room."

"Yes."

This room had been selected for its size—it was the largest after the High Priest's room and the Chief Priest's office—and because there were several empty rooms nearby, making it convenient for retainers to stay overnight. Satisfied with the reasoning, the attendants immediately began measuring the room in detail. While the adults discussed the placement of beds and desks, the children looked around the unadorned room with curiosity, noting how different it was from what they'd seen so far.

"Let's head to the orphanage. Seeing how the pre-Baptism children are living should give you a good idea of daily life at the Temple. Besides, Melchior still needs to choose his attendants."

I left Zaam to keep an eye on the two attendants who seemed to want to plan out the furniture arrangement, and the rest of us moved on to the orphanage.

"Lady Rozemyne, can I choose attendants too? If I can study there, I'd prefer to live here over the castle. My brother told me that at the Academy, everyone studies together, earns excellent grades, gets praised by the teachers, and receives new sweet recipes. I've been looking forward to the Academy."

When one girl timidly brought this up, the other children also started saying they wanted to live at the Temple. Nicolaus appeared to feel the same way.

"It would be nice if there were time for physical training..."

"While I'm staying here, it might be possible to train with the guard knights..."

Since the gray priests didn't do any training for knight apprentices, fitting daily physical training into the schedule would be difficult. I was considering how to work it in, given that I myself rarely exercised, when Brother Cornelius shrugged.

"Nicolaus, having you live at the Temple would upset Trudeliede. And she'd come complain to Mother again."

He said it with an expression that left no doubt about his feelings. Nicolaus looked troubled and sent me a pleading look, saying, "She's a nuisance to Mother, and I'm no different."

"Brother Cornelius, since Father is too busy to take Nicolaus in, the choice of whether to live at the castle or at the Temple is Nicolaus's to make. The Schtzelia shield has cleared the immediate suspicion, hasn't it?"

I suppose that's true, Brother Cornelius said with a less-than-pleased expression, turning away. He argued that even if Nicolaus himself wasn't hostile, those around him were dangerous, but at the very least, during this period when Nicolaus couldn't interact with others anyway, I wished he would respect Nicolaus's wishes.

"I'm not saying to make Nicolaus a retainer. At least let him choose where he'll live. For nobles, it may be difficult to spend time apart from their parents, but even if it's only for the duration of his stay at the Temple, I'd like him to be judged on his own merits rather than as someone's child."

When Brother Cornelius continued to object to Nicolaus living at the Temple, I told him, "If you want to shut her up, just say 'You're the one who let Nicolaus end up in such a situation, and you're complaining about it?'" Nicolaus's expression relaxed with relief. But Brother Cornelius pressed a hand to his temple.

"That's all very noble of you, Rozemyne. But the thing is, in your case, if you're allowed contact limited to 'the Temple or so,' I worry you'll end up making him a retainer with a time limit, just like Theodore—only for the Academy period."

...So that was a possibility.

"Brother Cornelius, you're quite clever. I never would have thought of that."

Oh no, Brother Cornelius muttered, covering his mouth, and Leonore patted him consolingly on the shoulder.

This was the Temple tour. For Melchior to choose his retainers and the children to choose where they'd live. Brother Cornelius was on edge about the contact with Nicolaus. And it was over before we even got to the main event—the orphanage.

Next time, Part Two.