My name is
It was only yesterday that outsiders—nobility, no less—entered the
"Arno, tell Mine's attendant to deliver this to the
"Understood."
I received the Chief Priest's summons invitation almost at the same moment the second bell rang after breakfast. The Chief Priest, who was sending out invitations at such an hour and bustling about, looked as though he'd barely slept.
"If anyone asks about last night's disturbance, tell them a full explanation will be given at a later date."
"Yes."
Just as I was about to leave the room, the Chief Priest said that.
Yesterday, when the Chief Priest had been shut away in his workshop,
I could write it off as simply being inflexible, but I wonder what expression Fran would make if he learned I had deliberately ignored him.
"Good morning, Fran."
Spotting Fran and
Fran poured the drawn water into the bucket Gil was holding and then looked at me in surprise. He'd grown taller than even Lady Margritte would have sighed at, with a sturdy build now, but when I looked at him closely like this, the memory of the delicate boy he'd been while serving Lady Margritte came back vividly.
"Good morning, Arno. At this hour, of all times..."
"I have an errand from the Chief Priest. He'd like this invitation delivered to the Gilberta Company as soon as possible."
Fran took the invitation from my outstretched hand and immediately passed it to Gil.
"Understood. Gil, change your clothes and take this..."
"I know. I'll go right away."
Gil hurried off toward the rooms with the invitation in one hand and the bucket of water in the other. Watching that dreadful troublemaker of a boy working like a normal attendant was truly surreal.
"It must be tough with so few people."
"They're supposed to be increasing starting today, so I'd like to think it'll get a little easier."
With Deria gone, it seemed new attendants would be brought in. I thought they could suffer a little while longer, then turned my back to Fran.
"Well then, I'll leave it in your hands."
As I was heading back to the rooms,
"Arno, what in the world happened yesterday!? The High Priest's room has the door locked, there's not a single Gray Robe standing guard before it, and nobody I ask knows a thing! The Chief Priest must know something, surely!?"
Egmont, one of the High Priest's cronies who had occasionally taken an imperious attitude toward the Chief Priest when the High Priest was around, was shouting at me from so close I thought spittle would fly onto my face. Suppressing the urge to wipe my face, I repeated what the Chief Priest had told me.
"I'm told a full explanation will be given later. Unfortunately, I was also sent away and don't know the details."
"If you're saying 'the details,' then you must know at least something! Come now, what happened!?"
"I don't know the specifics of the charges, but the Lord and the Knights' Order arrived, and it seems the High Priest was taken into custody. What on earth did happen?"
I tilted my head as if trying to piece things together, and Egmont turned pale. The only reason he could put on airs was because the High Priest was there. Once the High Priest was gone, the Chief Priest would become the new High Priest. I wondered how Egmont's position would change then. It was rather satisfying—a weight off my shoulders, you might say.
When I returned to the vicinity of the rooms, I spotted the Chief Priest heading somewhere with Zaam, another attendant, and I made my way toward them.
"Chief Priest, where are you heading?"
"There's a funeral scheduled for today. I'm going to the chapel. Arno, I need you to prepare for receiving the Gilberta Company."
Funerals held at this Temple's chapel were generally for Commoners, and it was extremely rare for a blue-robed priest to show his face for a death registration. Why would the Chief Priest bother going in person? Puzzled, I returned to the rooms and prepared to greet the guests.
Before long, word came that the Gilberta Company's carriage had arrived at the back gate. I headed to the main entrance to welcome the Gilberta Company party.
"We've been expecting you."
The Chief Priest seemed to want to keep things as secret as possible—he had excluded the attendants from this meeting as well. Really, what was going on? Aside from being told that I'd visit Lady Mine's room in the afternoon, I hadn't been informed of anything.
"Arno, let's go."
"Yes."
After lunch, I followed the Chief Priest's instructions, stacking and carrying several sheets of Plant Paper that had been handed to me, and walked ahead of him.
The Chief Priest had deeper furrows between his brows than usual and wore a troubled expression. It was the look of someone who couldn't reconcile something within himself, but since I hadn't been told anything, there was no need for me to speculate.
Walking through the corridor and standing before the orphanage director's room, I was suddenly transported back to when I was an attendant to the former orphanage director, Lady Margritte. Ringing the arrival bell at the orphanage director's door still felt strange.
When I rang the bell in my hand, just like in those days, Fran opened the door.
"Welcome, Chief Priest."
The state of the first-floor hall was almost unchanged from when Lady Margritte was here. They were using the same furniture. The fact that the person opening the door and the hall itself hadn't changed only made the scenes of the past come back even more vividly.
Beside me, eyes narrowed with nostalgia, Fran and the Chief Priest were talking.
"How is she doing?"
"She has a bit of a fever, but she's fully dressed. Also, as you instructed, all the attendants have been gathered."
Climbing to the second floor with Fran, I couldn't help but look around, searching for Lady Margritte. The image that surfaced in my mind: the magnificently luxurious golden hair, the blue eyes perpetually narrowed with a gentle smile. The beauty mark at the corner of her smiling lips was devastatingly alluring, and just being beckoned with those graceful hands was enough to make one's heart race.
But contrary to my memories, the person on the second floor was Lady Mine—looking slightly more flushed than usual, perhaps from the fever—along with her attendants. Among the attendants, two girls I'd rarely seen before were watching me with tense expressions. Were they Deria's replacements? They didn't appear to have come of age yet, so I doubted they'd have any connection to me.
"Who are those two?"
"Monica and
"I see. Then let's discuss what comes next."
What the Chief Priest said from that point on was nothing short of shocking. Lady Mine—no,
I'd seen Commoner families numerous times, but rather than thinking "What are you saying?", I found myself thinking, "Ah, so that's how it is," and accepting the facts without resistance. The Temple was a place where the tyranny of blue-robed priests was the norm. There was no point arguing against the irrationality of the Nobility. If they decided something, then that was how it was.
Lady Mine's—or rather, Rozemyne's—attendants also, regardless of their true feelings, immediately nodded and said, "Understood." For them, serving a High-ranking Noble's daughter was easier to comprehend than serving a Commoner's master.
"Rozemyne will hold her
At the Chief Priest's words, Lady Mine's—ah, no, Rozemyne's—attendants blinked several times. Even though they heard the words, they looked as if they couldn't grasp the meaning. I felt exactly the same.
It was not uncommon for young Noble children, before their Baptism, to be hidden away in the Temple under the guardianship of an adult blue-robed priest, or to be driven out. Since the Baptism Ceremony was where they were officially presented as Noble children, those not being presented were naturally brought to the Temple beforehand.
So I could understand if someone told me that the daughter of a High-ranking Noble had been raised in the Temple in hiding under the Chief Priest's guardianship.
However, even so, being told that Lady Mine—no, Rozemyne—would become the High Priest was not something I could immediately accept.
"The previous High Priest incurred the Lord's displeasure through numerous acts of corruption and has already been taken into custody. Until Rozemyne formally assumes the role of High Priest as the Lord's adopted daughter, I will temporarily take over the High Priest's duties as well."
He said he'd take over the High Priest's duties, but he'd already been handling more than half of them, so the difference in workload would be negligible. If anything, with no one to make petty demands or complain, the actual workload would decrease.
"Until the Baptism Ceremony, Rozemyne will stay at her father's mansion to prepare for the ceremony and receive her education. After the Baptism Ceremony, the inauguration ceremony for High Priest will be held, so Rozemyne's attendants should prepare for that. The residence will also move to the High Priest's quarters, so see to it that it's arranged. This room will be used as a meeting place for the Gilberta Company and others from the lower city."
Among the attendants wearing bewildered expressions, Fran was the first to recover.
"What items will be necessary for the High Priest's inauguration ceremony?"
"The vestments will be arranged on our end. Your job is to prepare the High Priest's quarters so that Rozemyne can use them."
Fran nodded, took out a writing board, and began scribbling something down. The Chief Priest turned his gaze to Rozemyne.
"This morning, I met with
Rozemyne looked around at her attendants, then smiled at Gil, whose eyes were brimming with hope.
"For the orphanage inspection and setting up the workshop, would it be all right to send Gil? He's been involved more deeply than anyone, and he gets along best with the people at the Gilberta Company."
"Yes, I'll do my best!"
I had been certain they'd send Fran. Honestly, I found it quite unbelievable that they trusted and valued Gil enough to send him outside the city. Was Fran really not as valued as I'd thought?
"Fran will need to manage the arrangements for the room, and I'll need to ask him to train Nicola and Monica as well, won't I? I know it adds to Fran's workload, but while Gil is away, I'd also like him to manage the workshop."
"Understood."
It seemed Fran would be left behind, buried under a mountain of work. That was satisfying enough, but the slight smile that had appeared on Fran's face was irritating.
Just like when he was an apprentice attendant to Lady Margritte, Fran still served in a position serving a blue-robed priestess. And yet, he accepted Rozemyne's orders more cheerfully than he ever had back then. He used to furrow his brows so bitterly and bite his lip when receiving Lady Margritte's orders.
"...In the future, if Gil will be going to other cities more often to set up workshops, perhaps we should appoint a Gray Priest as the orphanage manager here?"
"There's no rush to decide that. What's more pressing is musicians for the Baptism Ceremony. They'll be needed at every tea party and banquet going forward. I'm thinking of purchasing
"Lady Mine—no, Lady Rozemyne. Please, I beg you!"
Rosina's face lit up unmistakably. For a Gray Priestess to be purchased not as a Noble's servant but as a musician was extremely rare. She must possess musical talent that even the Chief Priest acknowledged.
"Yes, having someone you know well by your side is reassuring, so I have no objection to making Rosina the musician. However, until I move to the Noble District, I'll need her to assist Fran."
"Thank you very much."
For Rosina—who was an adult and had learned her job to a reasonable degree—to leave the attendants would place a considerable burden on Fran. Seeing his bitter expression, as though he wanted to congratulate her but couldn't quite bring himself to do so, I nearly laughed out loud.
"Oh, and take this. From Benno to you."
After Rozemyne looked over the documents handed to her, she furrowed her brows.
"I was planning to bring Ela along as a pastry specialist when I go to the Noble District, but
"They don't have the skill to serve Lady Rozemyne, but they can certainly manage making meals for the attendants here."
The attendants here apparently had to do their own cooking as well. Just how severe was the staffing shortage?
Unlike me, who was blinking in surprise, the Chief Priest slightly furrowed his brow.
"Rozemyne, there's no need to worry so much about it. If you need more, simply increase the number of attendants."
"Chief Priest, I can only afford this much with my current income."
"Fool. You are the daughter of a High-ranking Noble, and you will become the High Priest as the Lord's adopted daughter. Your budget will naturally increase."
The Chief Priest spoke as if exasperated. Even after becoming a High-ranking Noble's daughter and the High Priest, Rozemyne was still trying to cover everything out of her own income. It seemed her awareness wouldn't shift so quickly.
However, if Rozemyne became the High Priest, that would mean Fran would become the High Priest's head attendant—placing him above me, who was nominally the Chief Priest's head attendant. That was rather unpleasant. I remembered how Fran had earned Lady Margritte's favor and been valued more than I was.
...I take back what I said earlier. This is infuriating. The petty harassment within limits of what the Chief Priest wouldn't discover was no longer enough to satisfy my frustration.
After Lady Margritte passed away and the Chief Priest entered the Temple, Fran had once felt sick at the mere sight of a blue-robed priestess, and he held unpleasant memories in this orphanage director's room—all of which the Chief Priest didn't know about.
That was precisely why I had recommended this room for Rozemyne, and why I had recommended Gil as a fellow attendant. During the Trombe subjugation, during the Dedication Ritual—every time I saw Fran furrow his brows with discomfort, I had been thoroughly enjoying myself. Rozemyne had been caught up in my malice, but since she was Fran's new master, that couldn't be helped.
But seeing Fran interact with Rozemyne as though he had already overcome the past, calmly spending time in this very room—his transformation was maddening.
While I was seething with irritation behind my expressionless mask, the Chief Priest produced a Magical Tool—a ring set with a large blue magic stone.
"Rozemyne, take this. It's a gift from your father."
The Chief Priest passed it from his hand to Rozemyne, who slipped it onto her finger. The magic stone was so large it looked disproportionate on her small hand.
"Rozemyne, come. Register your Magic Power on this door."
Just like in the Chief Priest's room, when the bed canopy was drawn aside, a door appeared. That nostalgic door that stirred my heart and made me feel utterly furious. Slightly furrowing my brow, I turned my gaze toward Fran.
Sure enough, Fran's face had gone pale, and I could see fear in his eyes. He'd looked as though he was fine, but it seemed he hadn't truly overcome the past after all.
A dark pleasure began to spread through my chest.
"What's wrong, Fran? You don't look well."
Rozemyne peered at Fran with concern.
"It's nothing. Please don't worry about me."
"It can't be nothing, not when you look like that."
Under everyone's worried stares, Fran wore a helpless expression. Of course he would. The events of being called to that room night after night by Lady Margritte and dragged inside—nobody would want anyone to know about that past.
"Chief Priest, I'll spare the details for now, but Fran doesn't have very pleasant memories of the room beyond this door."
"Don't worry. The space is created through Magic Power, so the same space as before won't expand here."
The Chief Priest, unaware of the circumstances, said that casually, then began the Magic Power registration with Rozemyne in front of the door.
For Fran, whose complexion changed at the mere sight of that door, the contents beyond it made little difference to the mental burden—but it seemed no one had realized that. Part of it was because Fran was enduring it stoically without changing his expression.
"That completes the registration. This room is useful when you need to have conversations you don't want the attendants to hear. Your room can hear through even if you send people away."
"Can anyone enter?"
"Unlike my workshop, there are no particular restrictions."
This door would now be used regularly going forward. Simply watching Fran endure all of this alone, unable to complain, was enough to fill me with delight.
"Are you all right, Fran?"
"...Thank you, Arno."
"If the Chief Priest asks, I will report everything. Please keep that in mind."
Even if the Chief Priest didn't ask, I intended to report everything, but how did it feel to have your most secret past—the past you least wanted the respected Chief Priest to know—exposed?
Harboring that venom within me and smiling faintly, I watched as Fran nodded with resignation.
"The Chief Priest will likely press the matter further, but there's nothing to be done. I can only be grateful that it didn't reach Lady Mine's—no, Lady Rozemyne's—ears."
Oh my, you'd rather the Chief Priest know than Rozemyne? Ah, then perhaps I should find the perfect moment and place to whisper it to her.
Fran, who had received the favor of Lady Margritte that I desired above all else, yet rejected it.
Fran, who, when Lady Margritte had fallen into despair and taken her own life because of her relationship with a Gray Priest—making it impossible for her to return to Noble society—had merely watched blankly without lifting a finger to save her.
Fran, who had felt genuine relief after Lady Margritte was gone.
I still cannot forgive you.
It was a hidden backstory I'd slipped in—the theory that Arno is scheming—but surprisingly, quite a few people noticed.
He is indeed scheming. It just so happened that the target of his malice was Fran.
Next time, from Benno's perspective: the mountain of work that keeps piling up.