The carriage stopped at the
Just as I started to rise from my seat to step outside,
Deciding he meant for me to stay seated and keep quiet, I settled back down a little deeper into my seat, and he gave me a small nod.
Ugh, my heart was racing.
I had no idea what was going on or what was about to happen, and my whole body was trembling. Clenching my fists tight, I looked around inside the carriage, and
He noticed my gaze and looked up, giving me a reassuring smile. Aware that my own face was a bit stiff, I forced a grin back at him, and Mark pressed a hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh.
Unsure whether I was allowed to break the silence, I puffed out my cheeks to show I was annoyed, and Benno reached over from beside me and pinched my cheek. I was starting to feel like an idiot for being the only one tensing up.
A little later, the carriage gave a slight jolt, telling me the driver had climbed back on. Mark quickly put away his ink and pen and handed the paper he'd been writing on to Benno. After glancing it over, Benno grinned.
The moment I tried to peek at what was written, the carriage started moving again. As soon as it began to rattle, Benno spoke.
"At the Gate, visitors announce themselves, request to be announced, and have the Gate opened so the carriage can be stopped. The order for getting out is Mark, then me, then you. Take my hand and step down slowly. Don't you dare jump or miss a step."
He was apparently referring to the time I rode in the Guild Master's carriage and jumped out with
"I've already requested to be announced, so your Attendant should be waiting at that Gate. We'll head to the Chief Priest with the one who was assigned to him leading the way, followed by you and me, then Mark carrying the gifts and the rest of the Attendants behind us."
I had intended to simply say, "Here is the Donation," and hand the money to the Chief Priest, but apparently it required a far more elaborate procedure. I couldn't even imagine how rude I would have been if I had just walked in on my own.
"I'll carry the Donation box just as you requested, and after the Chief Priest verifies the contents in his office, I want you to say a few words of thanks to me."
"Huh? Like what? 'Thank you,' or 'I appreciate your help,' or something like that?"
"Something a bit more aristocratic would be more fitting, but yeah, something like that works."
More aristocratic words of thanks—like "That was quite a task"? That would be absurdly pompous.
Hmm, I thought, digging through my memory for knight stories and poetry collections, but they were all too theatrical, and if the other person responded with something different, I'd only know one line and wouldn't be able to keep up.
I considered looking for a suitable phrase from some business etiquette book since we were dealing with merchants, but that felt a little off for something aristocratic.
In the end, I dug out what little lady-like language I could recall and lined it up.
"Um, 'I am truly grateful that you so graciously granted my wish and went to all this trouble for me'... something like that?"
"Where did you learn words like that!?"
Benno stared at me, visibly startled. He was so forceful that I couldn't tell if I'd passed or failed.
"Was that no good?"
"...No, that's plenty. Practice that way of speaking until we get back to the carriage."
I swallowed back the "Whaaat!?" that almost escaped, and forced a strained smile. It was probably far from a graceful lady's expression. I straightened my posture and took a slow, deep breath.
"Understood."
The carriage soon passed through a large gate and came to a stop inside the Temple grounds.
The driver opened the door, and Mark was the first to step out. Then Benno. I was the last to stand before the door.
The sight that greeted me through the open door was an entrance to the Temple I had never seen before. This entrance, where the carriage had stopped, was apparently the real main entrance.
It seemed to be reserved for nobility and the wealthy. The front courtyard spread out before the main entrance was adorned with sculptures utilizing various materials and flower beds overflowing with greenery and flowers, and the entrance itself was decorated with colorful tiles like the front wall of a prayer hall.
The entrance straight from the main avenue that I had been using all this time was apparently for commoners on foot, and compared to this one, it might as well have been a back door. The world of black-and-white and the world of color were divided sharply. Just the sight before my eyes made me painfully aware of the clear inequality I had never known about.
Being separated from the entrance of the Temple that was called the house of God—and never even knowing it existed. Confronted by this unexpected inequality, my heart squeezed tight.
"Mine, your hand..."
Startled by Benno's voice, I came to my senses and extended my hand. Just as I was about to look down to make sure I wouldn't fall, he grabbed my hand and lifted me right up.
"Don't look down."
He said it quickly in a low voice, smiling, and I broke into a cold sweat but managed to smile and nod.
I had interpreted Benno's warning as meaning "Don't look down even if you lack confidence," but apparently looking down in general was forbidden.
When Benno set me down with a gentleness I would never have expected from him, I could see
"My Lady Mine."
"Benno, this is my Attendant. Fran, I wonder if we'll be granted an audience with the Chief Priest?"
Tilting my head just slightly as I looked up at Fran, I noticed his eyes had gone wide in surprise. He smoothly crossed both hands in front of his chest.
"Everything is in order."
"My Lady Mine, to whom shall we entrust the gift from Master Benno?"
Startled inwardly by Mark's words, I turned around. I looked around slowly, but there was no sign of
Unable to figure out the right answer, I decided to pass the problem to Fran.
"Fran, would you ask someone you trust to handle it?"
"Very well."
Despite being handed the problem off so carelessly, Fran nodded without hesitation and immediately began handling things efficiently. He didn't make a displeased face, nor did he raise any objections. There before me was the image of an excellent Attendant who answered his master's every request.
Huh? I tilted my head.
Why had his attitude suddenly changed? The only thing I had changed between this morning and now was the way I spoke...
Then it hit me.
For Fran, the way I spoke like a noble must have been what mattered.
I had been frustrated by Fran's attitude of only paying attention to the Chief Priest, but by the same token, Fran had been resentful of my complete lack of aristocratic bearing.
For Fran to do his job well, I as his master wasn't trying hard enough. Just as Lutz had told me, I really needed to buckle down and learn proper noble behavior.
Fran called over several Gray Priests and instructed them to split up and carry the gifts. After confirming that all the gifts were accounted for, he said, "This way, please," and took the lead. Unlike the reluctant atmosphere from this morning, he now looked as lively as a fish that had found water.
Prompted by Benno's gaze, I began following Fran, and as if we had rehearsed it, the procession formed in exactly the order Benno had described.
However, keeping up with Fran's brisk, long adult strides was quite difficult. As I desperately tried to keep my legs moving, Benno, walking half a step behind me, spoke up with concern.
"You seem to be going a little fast?"
"Hm?"
Fran turned around and blinked.
"My Lady Mine is your master, correct? I am well aware you've only just become her Attendant, but if you don't watch your pace a little, she's going to collapse soon. It may not be my place, but could you please be a bit more considerate?"
"...I sincerely apologize."
I had made Benno, our guest, criticize Fran and humiliated him. This was something I, as the master, should have been saying myself. For a moment, an apology almost slipped out, but apologizing to Fran here would disqualify me as a noble.
"Benno, I do appreciate your concern. Fran is an excellent Priest who has earned the Chief Priest's trust, so I'm sure he'll adapt quickly. There's no need to worry."
"Then for today, we'll have Mark carry things. He's used to handling them. It would be troublesome if you suddenly lost consciousness again like last time."
It was written all over Benno's face: Don't you dare collapse in the hallway after making it this far.
Mark handed the cloth-wrapped package to Fran, said "Pardon me," and then picked me up.
Whoa!? A princess carry!?
I almost screamed at the unfamiliar way he was holding me and clamped a hand over my mouth. Elegant, elegant, I told myself, and put on what I hoped was an elegant smile.
"Fran, please lead the way."
"Very well."
When we were close enough to see the Chief Priest's office, I was set down, and Mark took the package back from Fran before rejoining the gift-carrying group.
Even though it was only a short distance to the Chief Priest's office, Fran kept glancing back and pacing himself to my speed. When I smiled and nodded to let him know I was fine, Fran's expression visibly relaxed.
Unlike the High Priest's office, there were no Priests standing in front of the Chief Priest's office. Before the unguarded door, Fran took a small bell from inside his sash and rang it. The door that was normally opened by a Gray Priest after someone called out and received a response now opened at the sound of a single small bell.
Just as I was about to step toward the half-open door, Benno placed a hand on my shoulder to stop me.
I quietly looked around at the others, and everyone was in a waiting stance. Apparently, we weren't supposed to move until the door was fully open. I returned my foot to its original position and waited for the door to open with a composed expression, as if nothing had happened.
Behind the door, two Gray Priests stood in a line, and the Chief Priest was waiting at his desk with
We entered the room, and Fran stopped before the reception table. When I stopped behind him, Benno and Mark stopped too, and the gift-bearing group lined up against the wall.
Benno took a smooth step forward, and just as I had during the swearing-in ceremony, he knelt on his left knee and slightly bowed his head.
"On this blessed day illuminated by the glory of the Fire God Liedenshaft, may this meeting guided by the divine hand bring us blessings. ...It is an honor to meet you for the first time, Chief Priest. I am Benno of the
The name of the god came naturally from Benno's lips, but I still hadn't memorized any of the gods' names. Apparently, without knowing which god corresponded to which season, I wouldn't even be able to greet nobles properly.
The thought that I would eventually be the one actually giving greetings made the blood drain from my face. The Chief Priest's words about memorizing the Holy Book being my job really sank in. Learning noble etiquette was going to be incredibly tough.
"I shall grant you my heartfelt blessings. May the guidance of the Fire God Liedenshaft be upon the Gilberta Company."
As he spoke, the Chief Priest pressed his left hand over his heart and extended his right hand forward and slightly upward, fingers together, just above Benno's head. A soft blue light emanated from his palm, dyeing Benno's pale milk-tea-colored hair blue. The light faded quickly, but it was obvious to everyone that a blessing had been bestowed upon Benno.
I held my breath at the unexpectedly sacred and solemn sight.
Could that blue light be Magic Power? When I pushed out Magic Power emotionally, all it produced was intimidation, but if I learned how to use it properly, could I give a blessing like that? Or rather, as a Shrine Maiden Apprentice, wasn't I supposed to learn to do exactly that?
My mental to-do list was growing longer and longer. Lutz's words—"Do it before you read books"—stung painfully.
"My Lady Mine. Please, over here."
Snapping back to reality at Fran's voice, I saw the Chief Priest had already taken his seat at the reception table. Considering the hierarchy here, no one else could move until I did.
I let Fran guide me and stood before my chair. Up to that point, everything was fine.
With the body of a four- or five-year-old, I basically had to clamber up to get into a chair. That usually wasn't a problem, but today it really wouldn't do.
An unexpected crisis! The chair was too high to sit down elegantly! What would a lady do in a situation like this!? Would my "I'm in trouble" pose work here too!?
I had been staring at the chair in despair, and not knowing whether this would work or not, I pressed the tips of my right fingers to my cheek and placed my left hand on my right elbow as though folding my arms. Looking up at Fran, I tilted my head slightly.
Then I waited like that for three seconds.
"...Pardon me, My Lady Mine."
Fran placed his hands at my sides and helped me into the chair.
Ohhh! It worked!?
Smiling brightly at Fran as he adjusted the chair with a clunk, I caught a faint, wry smile at the corner of his mouth.
When I shifted my gaze from Fran back to the table, Benno was already seated beside me. Behind the Chief Priest stood Arno, and behind Benno stood Mark. Fran was surely standing behind me. The Priests carrying the gifts remained lined up against the wall.
"Then, My Lady Mine. These are the items we have been holding for you. Is everything correct?"
Benno opened the carved wooden jewel box he had been carrying with both hands and showed it to me.
Inside the box were five small gold coins, neatly arranged. They were small gold coins I was seeing for the first time. After staring at their glittering sparkle, I did as I had been told and addressed Benno with words of thanks.
"Benno, I am truly grateful that you so graciously granted my wish and went to all this trouble for me."
"You are too kind."
Benno left the lid open, set the box on the table, and offered it to the Chief Priest.
"Chief Priest, this is the Donation from My Lady Mine. Please accept it."
"...Hm, I have indeed received it. Mine, and Benno. That was quite a task."
The Chief Priest briefly verified the contents, then closed the lid and handed it to Arno. Arno took it somewhere—presumably to a storage location.
"And these are gifts of greeting and gratitude."
At Benno's words, the Gray Priests along the wall stepped forward and lined up beside the table. Mark began placing each item on the table one by one.
The Chief Priest watched the items being set down and furrowed his brow.
"I understand the greeting, but gratitude? I don't recall doing anything that warrants thanks from you."
"I have heard that, thanks to your kindness, the continuation of the Mine Workshop has been secured. For that, I am truly grateful."
Benno crossed both hands over his chest and lowered his eyes slightly. The Chief Priest gave a light nod, saying "I see." Benno then began introducing each item to the Chief Priest.
"This is cloth of the finest quality we carry in our store. And this is Rinshan. I have currently acquired all rights to it, but it was originally produced at the Mine Workshop. And this, too, is Plant Paper, which was invented at the Mine Workshop and is newly available for sale."
"Oh..."
The item the Chief Priest showed the most interest in was the Plant Paper. He picked it up and examined its texture.
"I would like these to be presented to three people: you, Chief Priest; the High Priest, who is regrettably not here today; and My Lady Mine, to whom we owe this meeting."
Huh? Me!?
My eyes flew open, but I managed to hold back any sound. The two of them continued their exchange without noticing me struggling to contain my surprise.
"These are remarkable items. You have my thanks."
"I am honored that they meet with your approval."
"...You two, place these items on that shelf."
At the Chief Priest's words, the Gray Priests sprang into action. Mark began handing items to the Priests and rewrapping the Plant Paper in cloth.
Phew, it was over.
We had delivered the Donation and had our gifts received, so today's mission was a success. The moment I let out a small sigh of relief, Benno's hand moved swiftly under the table and gave me a light tap.
I looked at Benno and tilted my head. He was pulling off the impressive feat of combining a pitying look with a forced smile, then lowering his gaze. Being careful not to look down, I followed his gaze downward and spotted a small piece of paper clutched between his fingertips.
Feeling a nostalgic twinge—there used to be kids who did this kind of thing during class all the time—I quietly reached out and took the note. I had exchanged notes with girls before, but never with a boy.
Calling Benno a "boy" was a real stretch given his age, but this was still my first time exchanging notes with someone of the opposite sex. Even though it was Benno, I felt a little flutter as I opened the paper.
Hiding it under the table, I read what was written: "Don't let your guard down, idiot."
Give me back my flutter!
As if timed to catch me off my guard, the Chief Priest turned toward me. Whether my hurried attempt at a smile was transparent or not, the Chief Priest's expression shifted.
I took a small breath and straightened my posture. The Chief Priest flicked his hand to the side. Seeing this, the Gray Priests crossed their arms, gave a slight bow at the waist, and filed out of the room one after another.
"There are a few things I would like to ask Benno while we have this opportunity."
The Chief Priest's face grew serious, and he fixed Benno with sharp eyes that would tolerate no lies or evasions. At the same time, the atmosphere around Benno beside me stiffened noticeably.
It seemed the real business was about to begin.
I straightened my back as well, clutching Benno's warning—"Don't let your guard down, idiot"—tightly in my fist.
The Donation and gifts have been delivered.
My relationship with Fran might improve a little.
Next time, the main event.