I burst energetically out of
"You're slow,
Wilfried said this while striding ahead at a brisk walk. Huh? I tilted my head without thinking. I had noticed that the positions of the attendants surrounding Wilfried had shifted.
Thinking about this, I headed to the reception room from the information
"What brings all of you here together?"
The one who emerged smoothly from the room was
"There should be Leisegang nobles here, yes? We want you to let us in. We cannot allow Mother to negotiate alone."
"Please, Leberecht. This concerns me, does it not?"
Leberecht showed us a reluctant expression, then withdrew back into the room. After confirming with my foster mother, he let us inside. Within were my foster mother and her attendants, and across from them sat the Leisegang elders—people whose faces I recognized from the banquet but with whom I'd had little interaction.
"Oh, Lady Rozemyne!"
"What exactly are you all doing here?"
"This is a matter of great importance for Ehrenfest's future. Lady Rozemyne is the hope of Leisegang. Making her the High Priest of the Central
They spoke with a brazen confidence that belied the fact they had barged in without an appointment. My foster mother let out a small sigh.
"As I have been saying since earlier, this is a matter of great importance for Ehrenfest's future, so please do wait until the Aub of Ehrenfest has returned."
At my foster mother's words, the Leisegang elders shook their heads.
"This is something Lady Florence must understand as well, and she must persuade the Aub. Only the First Wife can rescue the Aub who has been blinded by Verbergen. Surely Lady Florence is not so blinded by love for her own child that she too has fallen under Verbergen's spell?"
The elders spoke among themselves about how the Aub was blinded by parental affection and sighed, saying the Aub really was so much like Lady
When my foster mother smiled and said, "It would appear there is no Verbergen clouding my judgment," the elders nodded with smiles.
"Then surely Lady Florence understands that we cannot let Lady Rozemyne leave Ehrenfest. If a royal order requires an archduke candidate who can perform religious ceremonies at the Central Temple... then Ehrenfest happens to have another archduke candidate who would be perfectly suited for temple life. With the right negotiations, it can surely be arranged."
The elders glanced at Wilfried as they said this and exchanged knowing smiles. They meant that Wilfried, raised by the criminal Veronica and having committed crimes himself, was better suited for temple life. They noted, in the roundabout way nobles speak, that since he had been able to come to Leisegang dressed as a blue priest for the Dedication Ritual, he should be able to go to the Central Temple as well. Wilfried clenched his lips in frustration.
...They must have said similar nasty things when he went to Leisegang too.
Seeing this kind of thing really drove home how this was a world where childhood mistakes haunted you forever, which left me feeling gloomy. And when confronted with these elderly people's impressions of the temple, I couldn't hide my sigh.
"Foster mother, please leave the room. Having to hear such words is bad for the baby."
"Mother, let's go."
Charlotte tried to take foster mother's hand, but she smiled gently and firmly refused.
"No. I appreciate the sentiment, Rozemyne, Charlotte. But I cannot leave my children here in this situation."
Standing protectively in front of my foster mother alongside Wilfried, I turned back to face the Leisegang elders.
"I am confused by what you are all saying. I have no intention of going to the Central Temple. Who on earth is claiming such a thing?"
"Everyone who attended the Archduke Conference is saying the same thing. We have our own information network as well, Lady Rozemyne."
Only a limited number of nobles attend the Archduke Conference. And since it hadn't been leaked that she was to become the King's adopted daughter, the pool was even smaller. But the way they spoke of the Central Temple posting as though it were a done deal was troubling.
"No matter what the Zent orders, we cannot rest easy leaving Ehrenfest in the hands of an Aub who doesn't understand what's important for the duchy, and a Wilfried who can only make promises but can't carry them out. We want Lady Rozemyne to lead Ehrenfest."
As I watched the elders all insisting that there was no need for me to go to the Central Temple and that if someone had to go it should be Wilfried, my grandfather burst in.
"Rozemyne, are you alright!?"
"Oh, Lord
The Leisegang elders' faces lit up when they saw my grandfather. They pleaded with him to help keep me in Ehrenfest, but my grandfather looked down at them with a troubled expression. He probably wanted to keep me there too, but as someone who knew I was to become the King's adopted daughter, he couldn't.
...So it wasn't grandfather who had stirred them up.
The elders were all clamoring that I, not Wilfried, was more suited to be the next Aub and shouldn't be sent to the Central Temple. My grandfather tilted his head in puzzlement.
"I've never heard that Rozemyne is going to the Central Temple. Who started this rumor?"
"All the nobles who went to the Archduke Conference say so. Didn't you know?"
"I did not."
When my grandfather said this flatly, the elders began exchanging uneasy glances. Wilfried, standing beside me, surveyed them with a somewhat exasperated expression.
"Rozemyne has no plans to go to the Central Temple. Have you perhaps been deceived by someone?"
Being called out by the person they least wanted to hear it from seemed to rub them the wrong way, and their expressions hardened. Then, in the roundabout manner of nobles, they began directing barbs at Wilfried.
...Ah, so during the Dedication Ritual, Wilfried had also been needlessly antagonizing and riling people up like this.
Wilfried didn't mean any harm, of course, but he was completely tone-deaf. If it had been my grandfather or I making the point, the Leisegang elders probably wouldn't have gotten this worked up. Watching the elders pile up their grievances against Wilfried, dragging in all of Veronica's past misdeeds, while Wilfried endured their barbs, I nearly sighed.
...Wilfried, I'm starting to feel like you're even less suited for social situations than I am.
"I understand your concerns completely. Leisegang has endured a great deal over the years, and it is true that Wilfried made some tactless remarks."
The elders' faces brightened. "You understand us, Lady Rozemyne?" they asked, while Wilfried looked at me with a wounded expression.
"...But when Wilfried visited Leisegang for the Dedication Ritual, praying for bountiful harvests in Ehrenfest and Leisegang, you said those very things to him, didn't you?"
"Lady Rozemyne...?"
"You told Wilfried just now that he hasn't been thinking ahead, but I think all of you have been rather naive about the future as well."
When I said this with a sweet smile, the elders and Wilfried both blinked in surprise.
"According to you, I am the one being sent to the Central Temple, correct? Then, after I'm gone, haven't you even considered who will be performing the religious ceremonies for Ehrenfest?"
I glanced at Wilfried as I said this, and he broke into a grin as he looked around at the elders.
"Currently, the plan is for
"Yes. If you're speaking so ill of someone who came here for the Dedication Ritual, does that mean Leisegang no longer needs religious ceremonies going forward? The Dedication Ritual is the most important ceremony for Leisegang to fulfill its role as a food storehouse..."
I smiled and threatened that Leisegang might not have any more religious ceremonies performed there going forward.
"But without Leisegang's harvests, Ehrenfest cannot stand. If Leisegang's yield drops, it's Ehrenfest that will be in trouble."
The only reason Leisegang could act so smug was because they occupied an unshakeable position as Ehrenfest's food storehouse. If no religious ceremonies were held, that position would plummet overnight. I smiled sweetly.
"It's true that without Leisegang's harvests, Ehrenfest couldn't have survived until now. But, you see, trade between Ehrenfest and other duchies has grown considerably. Unlike before, it's no longer difficult to bring in food from elsewhere."
Ehrenfest had previously had little interaction with other duchies, but going forward, they could import food instead of paper and hair ornaments. I politely explained that it would be easy to reduce Leisegang's relative influence by sourcing food from other duchies—all it would take was a word from the Aub. The elders, who knew only the Ehrenfest of old—a backwater duchy that no other territory cared about—went pale in an instant.
"Lady Rozemyne! You, a lady of Leisegang blood, what are you saying!? Are you planning to betray Leisegang, your very backing!?"
"Oh my, betray...? I am the High Priest of Ehrenfest and the adopted daughter of the Lord. I would hardly be troubled by being told that Leisegang nobles who look down on religious ceremonies, dismiss my siblings, and show no respect for the Aub are my 'backing.'"
I placed a hand on my cheek and let out an exaggerated sigh, emphasizing how troublesome it was—despite having protested many times that I had no intention of becoming the next Aub. The meaning of "unsatisfied backing" seemed to get through. The elders stared at me in disbelief.
Looking back and forth between the Leisegang elders and me, my grandfather said in a conciliatory tone, "Rozemyne, perhaps that's going a bit far..."
"But, Grandfather. Wasn't it the collective will of Leisegang to request that my foster father lower his ranking? I had been working hard at the
When I lamented with
"Even so, refusing to hold ceremonies in Leisegang is..."
"There's no need to worry, Lord Bonifatius."
Wilfried cut through the tension with a smile and spoke up. Then he looked around at the Leisegang elders.
"All you need to do is enter the temple yourselves. Perform the ceremonies on your own, and you'll receive the same harvests as before. Rozemyne is doing this for Ehrenfest's sake. All you need to do is help her."
Since they had retired from practical duties but still had Magic Power, there should be no problem, Wilfried declared with a smile.
...He still can't read the room, but he's not wrong.
"Wilfried and Charlotte have been performing the ceremonies to fill in during my absences and are still helping out. If you truly are my backers, perhaps you could take over filling the gap when it comes to ceremonies."
If they felt it was a pity for only one person to have to return for the Offering Ceremony, then the retired elders who kept their social activities modest could help. At my words, the elders—who were averse to the temple and religious ceremonies—grimaced, but Melchior happily exclaimed, "If that's the case, I can rest easy once I enter the Royal Academy!"
When Giebe Leisegang arrived, the very first thing he did was apologize.
"I am terribly sorry for the trouble the Leisegang elders have caused you."
I had explained to him how I had no intention of becoming the next Aub and how Leisegang had made me feel. By the time Giebe Leisegang arrived, the Leisegang elders had completely lost their fighting spirit.
"It was an incredibly rude thing to do, but everything they said came from a genuine concern for Lady Rozemyne. Please, I ask you to find it in your generous heart to forgive them."
Giebe Leisegang calmly recounted Veronica's past treatment of them and how the standing of Leisegang nobles had improved since I became an adopted daughter. The increase in harvest yields, the revival of the Dedication Ritual, the paper workshop and printing workshop, the magic compression method, the increase in blessings—everything I had done was listed, even things I hadn't been fully aware of.
"When they heard that a lady of Leisegang who brought the duchy so many benefits would, merely because she was an adopted daughter, be unable to become the next Aub and instead be shoved into the Central Temple like an unwanted burden, the elders who had lived such bitter lives simply could not bear it."
Being sent to the Central Temple by royal order was, to the elders, equivalent to Leisegang's lady receiving yet another terrible treatment.
"Lady Rozemyne showed compassion for Wilfried, who received such cruel words while performing ceremonies. I would be grateful if you could extend some of that same feeling toward Leisegang's concern—that what Lady Veronica did might be repeated to Lady Rozemyne."
The method had been excessive, and I only felt bothered by it, but the Leisegang elders' worry for me had been genuine. I nodded at Giebe Leisegang as he carefully explained this.
"Rozemyne is a kind child, and had you come without barging in during the Aub's absence, I believe she would have been more sympathetic to Leisegang's feelings. She was worried about me and came—that was the whole reason for the tea party, after all."
Foster mother said this to protect me, smiling at Giebe Leisegang.
"Rozemyne isn't truly considering refusing to hold ceremonies only in Leisegang. Right, Rozemyne?"
"Yes."
My relationship with Leisegang had soured because they had collectively demanded that my foster father lower his ranking, and after the purge of the former Veronica faction, they had shown him no respect.
"If you had supported my foster father when he cut away his own faction to purge the rot of Ehrenfest, I think my feelings toward Leisegang would have been quite different."
For now, through my discussion with Giebe Leisegang, I promised that ceremonies would continue as before. In exchange, I asked that Leisegang cooperate more with my foster father.
"If you, Giebe Leisegang, will support Lord
"I am most grateful, Lady Florence."
With foster mother agreeing to overlook the unplanned visit, the matter with the elders seemed to have been resolved smoothly. After having listened at length to how they had worried about me, I was relieved that no harsh punishment was being levied against them. I thought the matter was settled, but then Giebe Leisegang fixed his gaze on Wilfried.
"Lord Wilfried, have you ever considered what Lady Veronica did to them, and why you, among others, are so deeply resented by Leisegang?"
Not being attacked with sarcasm but instead calmly questioned, Wilfried narrowed his eyes slightly and looked back at Giebe Leisegang.
"It may look as though you understand from hearing accounts from the Aub and your attendants, but you don't truly grasp it. You grew up benefiting more than anyone from the faction Lady Veronica built. Please, examine what Lady Veronica did, and carefully consider the perspective others have of you."
He pointed out that Wilfried's lack of understanding was what had needlessly provoked Leisegang, then took the elders and left. Wilfried stood staring at his own feet, lost in thought.
Then, after several days had passed, I returned to the Temple. Hartmut had told me he wanted to speak privately, so I decided to use a Magical Tool to prevent eavesdropping.
"I've identified who instigated the Leisegang elders. It appears there were multiple people, and it was difficult to track them down."
Hartmut looked a bit tired.
"First, there's Bartold, who swore his name to Lord Wilfried."
"Huh?"
"He offered his name to Lord Wilfried, then used the fact that he cannot defy orders to whisper sweet words, subtly sow discord among Wilfried's attendants, push unreasonable demands on Leisegang as their 'assignment,' and interfere with information exchange among the archduke candidates."
At Hartmut's report, my expression soured. Could it be that someone who had offered their name could still betray you?
"He can't disobey direct orders, but acts done in service of his master could end up being a betrayal in practice. That's where things get complicated," Hartmut said with a shrug. Apparently, how to treat someone who had offered their name was up to their master.
"Bartold had been raised by Lady Veronica, and harbored strong resentment toward the Aub and Lord Wilfried for betraying the faction."
"And then...?"
"It was Lady Florence who noticed the sudden changes around Lord Wilfried and Bartold's suspicious behavior. She apparently planned to use the Aub's absence to simultaneously put pressure on Bartold and whittle down Leisegang's influence."
"Foster mother!?"
The unexpected name made me widen my eyes considerably.
"She apparently goaded Bartold into hinting that there had been an inquiry about the Central Temple, then used multiple channels to incite the Leisegang elders. The plan was to have them come to the castle during the Aub's absence, and if the elders made outrageous remarks, have them arrested by the knights—thereby reducing Leisegang's influence while they had the chance."
She had apparently targeted the days when we were having tea parties and wouldn't leave the northern wing. It seemed Hartmut's having noticed the plot was something she hadn't accounted for.
"My father was the one who planned it. The unpleasant methods had a certain familiarity to them..."
Hartmut let out a weary sigh, saying it was like "a parent and child trying to out-trick each other." It had apparently taken considerable effort to gather evidence and testimony, then confront Leberecht to extract the truth.
"Father says that originally, the plan was to suppress Leisegang much more severely, but thanks to Lady Rozemyne, it was resolved far more peacefully."
"...I'm glad to hear that, but I'm rather surprised that foster mother would make such plans."
I had only ever known her as someone with a gentle smile, so the shock was immense.
"Leisegang had become the largest faction after the purge, making the elders easier to manipulate in their excitement. She also wanted to reduce Leisegang's power to some extent before
The intricacies of noble dealings made me stare off into the distance. I felt like an idiot for rushing out of the tea party out of concern for my foster mother, who was all alone facing the Leisegang elders with her large pregnant belly while my foster father was away.
"...What happened to Bartold?"
Curious about the fate of someone who had offered his name yet tried to set Wilfried up, I asked. Hartmut said, "That's up to Lord Wilfried."
"Lord Wilfried will make the judgment, as he is the one who received Bartold's name. Lady Florence seems to be keeping watch on Bartold while gradually giving Lord Wilfried hints so that he notices on his own."
Hartmut had apparently received a stern lecture from Leberecht not to interfere, as it was part of Wilfried's education as a noble.
"And this time, I was also reprimanded by my father for recklessly putting my master in danger. He said that when you see unusual movements, there's often someone pulling the strings behind the scenes, and that you need to observe carefully or you'll only end up exposing your master to danger."
"I still have much to learn as well," Hartmut murmured.
It was Hartmut's oratory that had interrupted the tea party, leading to my confrontation with the Leisegang elders—and the end result was that the Aub and his wife were the ones who benefited while we got nothing. He seemed troubled by this, feeling he had been "an inadequate attendant." I invited him to tea.
"If Hartmut hadn't been there, we would have ended the whole thing without ever knowing who was behind it. You worked very hard. Let's have some tea and enjoy some delicious sweets."
The children burst in, and probably the most surprised of all was Leberecht, who had masterminded the whole plan.
Florence managed to secure Leisegang's cooperation and gain the upper hand by agreeing to overlook the incident.
Rozemyne may have only appeared to stick her nose in and stir things up, but the result was actually a considerable saving for the Leisegang.
Giebe Leisegang is secretly grateful.
Next time: the Aub's return.