After leaving the orphanage, they discussed room assignments and how to handle the furniture exchange, and decided to leave the temple reception preparations to the attendants each of them had summoned.
Returning to the castle,
"
"Problems?"
"We lack the manpower to participate in the Dedication Prayer.
With Ferdinand gone, no one to fill his void, and the blue priests reduced by the purge, each person's burden was enormous. They needed to figure out quickly how to allocate duties for the Dedication Prayer.
"Melchior hasn't had enough practice pouring in magic power, so there's nothing to be done about that, but..."
Normally, he would have practiced for a year starting from last year's Lord's Conference to be ready for this year, but Ferdinand's marriage alliance was decided at the Lord's Conference. After that, with temple handovers and Rozemyne's education taking top priority, he had been cooped up in the temple without providing much magic power to the cornerstone.
As a result, the magic power poured into the cornerstone had decreased considerably, and the lord candidates besides Rozemyne and Ferdinand had to desperately make up the difference, leaving no leeway for the Adoptive Mother or Grandfather to assist Melchior. On top of that, the purge was moved forward in winter so everyone was busy, and the Adoptive Mother became pregnant, so Melchior was confined to the northern annex for safety.
"
"I want to participate next year, for sure," Melchior said resentfully, but both the Adoptive Father and Adoptive Mother, who had been too busy this year to spare time for Melchior's practice, exchanged troubled looks.
"Practicing the cornerstone's magic supply at the castle may be difficult, but you can practice while making offerings at the temple. If you practice seriously, you should be able to participate next year."
Next year might work out, but there was nothing to be done about this year.
"If I could send my retainers separately to the Dedication Prayer, the manpower problem would be solved, but almost all of the adult retainers who can leave the city are guard knights..."
"We certainly can't have you doing anything dangerous like reducing the guard knights."
At her adoptive father's words, Rozemyne nodded, saying "I know, that's why I'm troubled." When she had consulted her retainers, Brother
"Carriages, food, cooks, attendants, ceremonial robes—those can all be solved with money, but manpower is something you simply can't manage."
"How about Charlotte and I, along with the remaining blue priests, visit the distant giebes, while you and
"Huh? But... Brother Wilfried and Charlotte are both busy too, aren't they? I don't think it's wise to increase everyone's burden."
While she was thinking about whether it was right to ask busy people to help with temple matters that had been entrusted to her, Wilfried shrugged.
"To secure Rheinsberger support, it would be better to increase opportunities to meet with them at least once and to make it visible to the nobles that Rozemyne isn't the only one involved in divine services."
Previously, to reduce travel burden and to offset the harvest gap with the giebes, magic-power-rich lord candidates had handled the direct territories. But because of that, the only image nobles had was of Rozemyne performing divine services while moving the
"
...I hadn't noticed that at all.
"It might be a good idea for us to visit the giebes. If we use duchy ordonnanz and riding beasts to travel, the burden wouldn't be that great even for distant locations."
Charlotte could use a riding beast that carried passengers, so she could transport the small sacred cup. The giebes only needed the small sacred cup distributed—they didn't conduct a rural-style Dedication Prayer—so gray priests for assistance weren't necessary. The travel burden would be considerably lighter. Wilfried nodded at Charlotte's words.
"If so, perhaps I should have the blue priests visit the direct territories instead. I want as many opportunities to meet with the giebes as possible."
"Since you'll need to greet those newly appointed as provisional giebes as well, it might be best for you to focus on the southern region, Brother," Charlotte suggested. Wilfried thought for a moment, then nodded. "Indeed, I'd like to visit the south where many new appointees are, as well as Gresschel." It seemed he was actively trying to build relationships with Rheinsberger nobles.
"Then, since I plan to take the Gutenberg group to
"Going through the villages and directly pouring magic power for the Dedication Prayer will be exhausting, but it's a divine service directly tied to the harvest. There's also joint research with Freveltark. I'm counting on you, Rozemyne."
When her adoptive father also placed his trust in her, Rozemyne nodded. While she was relieved that the problem that had been weighing on her mind was resolved, Wilfried glanced at her.
"Rozemyne, didn't you say you would be staying at the temple from now on? Could you try to reacquire your divine blessings as soon as possible? If it can be proven that adults too can obtain divine blessings by participating in divine services, it will be much easier to persuade my retainers to accompany me."
Wilfried's retainers, who wanted him to stay safe and avoid going out, were reportedly reluctant to even participate in the Dedication Prayer. They called it a lord candidate's duty, but leaving the city meant increased danger. Having been attacked during her first Dedication Prayer, Rozemyne understood the guard knights' concerns all too well.
"If Brother Wilfried's life is in danger, shall I make protective charms? Since I'm at it, I'll make some for Charlotte too."
If she prepared two types—one to counter physical attacks and one to counter magical attacks—and gave them out, it would provide some peace of mind. If the charms could handle surprise attacks, the guard knights could handle the rest. As Rozemyne was thinking about which types among the many charms she carried would be best to make, Charlotte smiled softly.
"Only we are going to the Dedication Prayer, but if Melchior is the only one without a charm, he'll sulk, Sister."
Rozemyne turned her gaze to Melchior at Charlotte's words. Melchior puffed his cheeks slightly and said, "I'm not sulking."
After deciding to make charms for Melchior as well, who would be staying behind, the Adoptive Father lightly clapped his hands.
"Rozemyne, a letter arrived this afternoon from Ferdinand at
"Understood. Is Lord Ferdinand well?"
She had asked somewhat casually, figuring there shouldn't be much change since she'd seen him at the Interduchy Tournament and the graduation ceremony, but her adoptive father's expression turned somewhat troubled.
"...He's well enough, but he seems to have gotten into quite a troublesome situation. It appears he'll be conducting the Dedication Prayer at Ahrensbach."
"Huh?"
Her mind couldn't process why Ferdinand—who was engaged to be married and still officially belonged to Ehrenfest—would be conducting the Dedication Prayer at Ahrensbach.
"Ahrensbach is short on magic power, but apparently they still can't have Ferdinand supply magic power to the cornerstone. This is speculation on my part, but I think the previous Aub Ahrensbach may have passed away, and the next Aub has begun re-dyeing the cornerstone's magic."
He had apparently been told that since he couldn't supply magic power to the cornerstone, he couldn't perform divine services. The Adoptive Mother, who had apparently already read the letter, also placed a hand to her cheek and let out a troubled sigh.
"Furthermore, it seems
"...It really does seem like Ehrenfest's divine services are being reported to other duchies in a rather twisted way."
Charlotte also looked worried. Just as everyone had been too busy for Melchior to practice, it was difficult for a child unused to handling magic power to manage it on their own, and adult assistance was absolutely essential. If they had learned to handle magic power at the
In Ehrenfest, they prevented this by starting with practice flowing magic power from magic stones. By adjusting the amount of magic power contained in the stones, they could prevent situations where too much magic power was drawn out, causing collapse. The fact that handling magic power itself was an enormous task when one wasn't accustomed to it went without saying.
...If she were forced to supply magic power without any practice at all, it would be a disaster.
It seemed that since Ferdinand would be absent, they had arranged for Letizia to accompany him to prevent Dietlinde from making unreasonable demands. Ferdinand would apparently teach Letizia how to handle magic power during the Dedication Prayer.
"...Perhaps I should tell them that the kindness-infused recovery medicine Lord Ferdinand gave was perceived as harassment by Brother Wilfried and Charlotte."
"Rozemyne, that's not what you should be worrying about! Worry about how Ehrenfest's divine services are being perceived by other duchies!"
Rozemyne had thought it would be pitiful for Letizia to end up disliking Ferdinand when his intentions were kind, but she received a sharp retort from Wilfried.
...That may be true, but having experienced firsthand how much of a burden magic power supply truly is, I'd think they wouldn't push such an extreme thing on a child who hasn't even entered the Royal Academy.
"Setting Dietlinde aside—if
Information within the territory was not to be sent to other duchies without the Adoptive Father's permission. Had he conveyed the possibility that Giebe
...Well, for
It seemed even Matthias couldn't enter the personal hidden room that only Giebe Gerlach could access, so they hadn't been able to look inside. However, Grandfather had apparently found a strange piece of cloth wedged in the door. The cloth, torn with brute force, had a silvery sheen—it was difficult to explain exactly what was odd about it, but odd it was.
"Some of the information was sent. It said to check whether she might be staying with her elder sister."
"I see. That's good. But I'm surprised the letter passed through censorship."
"There are several methods for exchanging secret information. You wouldn't understand even if I showed you the letters."
The Adoptive Father said this while looking at Rozemyne meaningfully. It seemed Ferdinand possessed a means of secret communication not only with Rozemyne, but with the Adoptive Father as well.
After dinner, while Rozemyne had Hartmut retrieve the letters, she took a letter Ferdinand had previously given her and entered the hidden room. The blessing ceremony Ferdinand had verified at the temple was written in glowing ink, so she needed to copy the necessary portions so the others could read them.
The letter said that since the verification had been conducted at the temple, among the magical tools transported from the temple workshop to the residence, there was a self-made magic circle, and she was welcome to use it if she sent him detailed verification results.
"Hmm, since I have to send items anyway, there's no problem with writing the verification results in a letter and sending them together. But still—he said he'd give me everything in the residence, yet conditional permission? Isn't that a bit much?"
The letter, which clearly showed no real intention of giving anything away, was so typically Ferdinand that she couldn't help but laugh.
"Even so, for him to have made something that large by himself—he must have had quite a lot of free time when he first entered the temple."
Considering the size of the magic circle he had used at the Royal Academy, she thought it was far too large for something made for research purposes. The mad scientist apparently didn't find it burdensome at all. While thinking this, she left the hidden room, where Hartmut had already returned with a copy of the letter.
"Thank you, Hartmut. Tomorrow, we're going to the library to search for something. It seems this is needed for the blessing ceremony. Apparently Lord Ferdinand has tried it before."
"As expected of Lord Ferdinand."
She took the letter copy from Hartmut and handed him the letter she had copied in return.
"
"Understood."
"Otilie, Lieselotta,
By telling them this, they would not only prepare clothing and accessories, but also contact the cooks and Rozina, and arrange carriages for everyone's transportation.
"Also, the
"Understood."
While issuing several instructions to her retainers, Rozemyne reviewed the letter being copied by her adoptive father's scribe. It was mostly a list of items to be sent to Ahrensbach, with just a little about current affairs—things she had already heard from her adoptive father. Since it was written by a scribe, there was no nostalgic familiarity to the handwriting, and she finished reading quickly. Written in roundabout noble language, she could still clearly understand that things had been extremely difficult since Dietlinde's return. Letizia's education also seemed to be falling behind.
...Letizia might have actually been relieved, since Lord Ferdinand's strictness had nearly broken her spirit. ...Ah, but they'll be together for the entire Dedication Prayer.
She would need to add sweets to the shipment, but she absolutely had to warn them about the kindness-infused recovery medicine being disliked by children, or things could get very pitiful indeed.
The next day, Rozemyne headed to her library with her retainers to prepare for the blessing ceremony.
...My library. What a wonderful phrase.
She looked up at her longed-for library as she arrived by riding beast and let out a soft chuckle. She had remembered to bring the leather pouch containing the magical tool that should hold words of praise. Today was the day she would finally hear them.
She stood before the entrance door and took out the residence key hanging from a chain around her neck. With a click, she inserted it into the keyhole, and red lines of magic power raced across the door. Then, with a creak, the door swung open on its own.
"Welcome back, Lady Rozemyne."
On the other side of the door, attendants from the residence—whom she had encountered numerous times during deliveries and Dietlinde's visits—were waiting.
"It's been a while, Razzafam. As I informed you via ordonnanz, may I ask you to prepare Lord Ferdinand's belongings? If sent to the castle, they'll be sent along with the wedding gifts. I'll be searching for things in the workshop with my retainers, using the hidden room, and reading in the library—reading, reading, and more reading."
Razzafam, a lower-ranking noble of Ferdinand's generation, had already witnessed the sight of Rozemyne being pried away from her book-covered position in the library by Ferdinand. There was no need to put on airs now.
...Or rather, even if she tried to put on airs, the truth would come out immediately anyway.
Razzafam quickly scanned the copy of the letter Rozemyne had handed her and said, "Lady Rozemyne, before entering the library, please open the door." There were several doors that only the owner of the residence could open, and Ferdinand's belongings were apparently stored behind one of them.
After opening the doors as Razzafam instructed, Rozemyne headed to the workshop with Hartmut and the others. The workshop door also required her to open and close it. She couldn't simply say, "I'm in the library, so search on your own." The security was impressive, but rather inconvenient.
"Among the magical tools brought from the nearby temples, there should be the magic circle used in the blessing ceremony. I've given Hartmut the paper with the details, so please search together. Once I've finished setting up the hidden room, I'll go to the library."
"Lady Rozemyne, even inside the residence, please bring a guard. I'm not very useful here."
"Even so, why are women's rooms always on the upper floors?"
"Isn't it because if they weren't placed the same way everywhere, mistakes could be made?"
...That's not what she meant, but oh well.
While having a conversation that didn't quite connect with Angelica, Rozemyne entered her room in the residence. She looked around at the room, which had good but somewhat aged furniture still in place.
This was apparently the room used by the woman who had accompanied Ferdinand to Ehrenfest when he was brought to the temple before his Baptism Ceremony. Ferdinand had adored her like a mother, but after she was taken to the castle to prepare for the ceremony, she had apparently vanished upon his return. He had said she was likely eliminated by
Rozemyne had no particular attachment to the furniture, so she had no intention of displacing pieces that were important to Ferdinand, and would be using the room as-is.
...What kind of person was the one Ferdinand adored like a mother?
"Angelica, bring that chair over."
She stood before the hidden room door behind the bed, registered her magic power, and opened it. She had the chair brought into the otherwise empty room, left Angelica inside, and closed the hidden room door.
Sitting in the chair, Rozemyne took the leather pouch from her waist and removed the recording magical tool. When she flowed magic power into it, Ferdinand's voice came through.
"Are you listening from the hidden room of the library I gave you?"
"Of course I am!"
Rozemyne answered proudly toward the magical tool. After a brief pause, Ferdinand began listing his concerns.
Georgine had moved to the detached palace. She had been unseen for a while shortly after winter began. There were rumors that her retainers had increased. Even at the Royal Academy, surveillance had tightened to the point where infiltration was impossible.
"Something definitely happened during the winter. It's possible that remnants of the purge came to Georgine. Tell
...It was nothing but cautionary notes for her Adoptive Father. When would she ever get words of praise?
She understood it was important information, but she was nonetheless disappointed. Slightly deflated, she listened on.
"Next, a few things regarding you..."
...Not just cautionary notes—words of praise, please!
"I heard from Sylvester that the trade quota won't be expanded this year. There's a possibility that territories dissatisfied with that will resort to extreme measures, and it's also around the time when merchants who were probing to see what Ehrenfest was like may have grown comfortable enough to start making unusual moves."
He cited the case of
"Marriage can still be handled without becoming a major problem if both sides agree, but rough actions aren't out of the question. Both printing and hair ornaments are in a state where a few craftsmen you nurtured are generating most of the profits. The likelihood of being targeted is high."
The Gutenberg group had moved to Kirnberger, but Turi, who was the most skilled hair ornament craftsman, was still in the lower town, as were
...Rough actions... what could she possibly do...
She didn't know how to protect everyone. She couldn't follow them around constantly, and the charms she carried so many of required large amounts of magic power, so she couldn't give them to the commoners in the lower town.
She could only warn them of the danger, but when it came to what trade risks existed, the merchants probably knew better.
"For that reason, I'll teach you how to make charms that even commoners without magic power can carry. Give them to the ones you want to protect."
With those words, Ferdinand's voice began describing the charm-making process. Rozemyne hurriedly took out a writing board and started taking notes. It seemed a slightly different method and different materials were required compared to the noble versions she could replenish with her own magic power.
"The materials should be in the library workshop. ...If you give the excuse of teaching them how to use the charms and replenishing magic power, it should make it easier to invite them to the temple, right? Also, if you make them like the hair ornament I sent you, they'd work nicely as congratulatory gifts."
Turi's coming-of-age would be at summer's end. Perhaps Ferdinand was saying all this in such a roundabout way so that Rozemyne could give a public coming-of-age gift.
"...You're as hard to follow as always."
She murmured softly at the now-silent magical tool and pouted her lips.
"If there had been words of praise in there, it would have been perfect."
She must have been a fool to expect words of praise from Lord Ferdinand. She sighed while clutching the magical tool.
"...I think you've been doing very well."
"Huh?!"
After a long, long silence, the voice came again. She pressed the magical tool to her ear, wondering if she had misheard.
"That is most commendable."
Just that short phrase was enough to make everything feel worthwhile.
She felt happy. She felt proud.
Perhaps it was precisely because praise from him wasn't easily given that it meant so much.
She pressed her naturally softening cheeks as she stood from the chair, placed the recording magical tool back in the leather pouch, and set it on the chair. She could always listen again whenever she wanted to hear more praise.
...He had granted her request to put words of praise in there, so she needed to work hard too.
She had to put in effort worthy of his praise, so she could come back and listen again.
"Alright! I'm fired up! Time to make charms for everyone until my hands fall off!"
Feeling re-energized, Rozemyne threw the hidden door wide open and headed to the workshop with a smile on her face.
She discussed preparations for the Dedication Prayer and the ceremony to reacquire divine blessings.
Then, she finally reached the longed-for library.
And heard the longed-for words of praise.
Next is the ceremony to receive divine blessings.