Discussion About Dirk

If Dirk was a Self-Eating with a great deal of Magic Power, he could become dangerous long before we managed to borrow a Magical Tool to drain it. I wanted at least one way to stave off the danger.

"Lutz, please. I need you to go into the forest and get some tau fruit. If we store it in the dirt section of the workshop, it should keep for a while, right?"

I called Lutz up to the second floor of my room from the workshop and asked him in a quiet voice, making sure Damuel, who was standing near the door, couldn't hear. The existence of tau fruit was something best kept hidden from the Nobility.

When I glanced at Dirk, Lutz seemed to grasp enough of the situation from that alone. He gave a small nod and immediately ran off toward the forest. With this, we should be able to avoid a scenario where Dirk's Magic Power suddenly went berserk and killed him.

"Mine, your meeting has been approved."

Fran came back with a tired expression. Since I'd made yet another urgent meeting request barely a day after the last one, both the Chief Priest and Arno had apparently given me unpleasant looks—but it really was urgent, so there was nothing to be done.

There was so much I needed to tell the Chief Priest: whether Dirk was a Self-Eating, how much Magic Power he had, and what ought to be done about it.

"If I'm taking Dirk to the Chief Priest's room, perhaps I should skip leaving him with Wilma today? Fran, would you bring Dirk along?"

I intended to bring Dirk—the very subject of discussion—to the Chief Priest's room, but Deria clutched Dirk to her chest as if to protect him, and Fran slowly shook his head.

"Mine, orphans who haven't completed their baptism cannot be taken out of the orphanage."

My room was the orphanage director's room, so it could be counted as part of the orphanage, but apparently that didn't extend to bringing children to the Chief Priest's room. I'd completely forgotten about it since we'd been taking him out to the forest, but come to think of it, children before baptism were supposed to be confined to the orphanage so they wouldn't come into contact with the blue-robed priests.

"...I thought it would be better to bring Dirk along since I'd be meeting with the Chief Priest, but I suppose there's nothing to be done."

As usual, I headed to the Chief Priest's room with Fran and Damuel.

When he saw me enter, the Chief Priest looked slightly annoyed.

"Mine, what is it this time?"

"I believe this is a very important matter, but is it all right to discuss it here?"

I lowered my voice slightly and cast a glance around the room. The Chief Priest raised an eyebrow faintly and held out a Magical Tool for preventing eavesdropping.

"Is it so important that you're worried about people listening in?"

"...Yes. The baby from yesterday—Dirk—I believe he's a Self-Eating."

"What?"

I relayed what I'd observed about Dirk that morning. The Chief Priest furrowed his brow tightly and let out a heavy sigh.

"It depends on the amount of Magic Power... but if he's already showing those symptoms as a baby, there's no doubt he has a considerable amount."

"He is definitely a Self-Eating, right?"

"Yes."

The Chief Priest nodded heavily, still frowning. He tapped his temple lightly with a fingertip and looked at me.

"Depending on the amount of Magic Power, it might be best to arrange a Contract with a noble as soon as possible."

"A Contract..."

"Otherwise, he won't survive."

At the Chief Priest's words, I gripped the eavesdropping-prevention Magical Tool tightly.

To Contract with a noble meant receiving a Magical Tool necessary for survival in exchange for enslaving oneself to the noble, having one's Magic Power squeezed dry, and living out a life of servitude. Thinking about what lay in store for Dirk—a baby the same age as my own brother—made my body tremble.

"Chief Priest, couldn't we make him a blue-robed priest who provides Magic Power, like me, or arrange for him to be adopted by a noble?"

"Raising that child as a blue-robed priest costs money—and who exactly is going to pay for it?"

As someone who had become a blue-robed Shrine Maiden Apprentice, I knew all too well how expensive this lifestyle was. Even running the Mine Workshop, I'd nearly fallen into the red before the winter lockdown. Clothes, shoes, everyday necessities—everything was absurdly expensive.

"In your case, you were able to earn the necessary funds yourself, but can you demand the same of an orphaned infant?"

"...No."

"Will you cover the costs for two? Wouldn't that amount to prioritizing one orphan over the other?"

I was at a loss for words. I had no idea whether I'd be able to afford costs for two in the long run, and the thought of prioritizing just one made me hesitate—I couldn't find the words.

The Chief Priest seemed to notice my hesitation and let out a slow breath.

"Regarding adoption by a noble—adoption requires the Lord's permission. It's not something that can be arranged with just anyone at will. In your case, it was determined that making you the adopted daughter of a high-ranking noble would be the best way to put your immense Magic Power, your ability to earn, and your knowledge to effective use."

From the Chief Priest's words, I realized there had been various factors behind the decision to make me Karstedt's adopted daughter. The Chief Priest must have worked hard to make it happen.

"Mine, is the baby a girl?"

"He's a boy?"

Come to think of it, yesterday when I'd spoken with the Chief Priest, the gender hadn't been determined yet. When I told him Dirk's sex, the Chief Priest slowly shook his head.

"...If he's a boy, adoption becomes even more difficult. I believe I told you that the Magic Power of the next generation is influenced by the mother's Magic Power. If it were a baby girl, the path of being adopted as a daughter might have been an option."

Rather than simply being an adopted daughter, she would have been raised from the start as a noble's daughter—a piece in a political marriage, the Chief Priest muttered.

I bit my lip lightly. Did it feel as though being a pawn in a political marriage and being Contracted and kept in servitude weren't all that different when it came to the inability to choose one's own life—was that because of the memories from my previous life?

"Right now, during this shortage of Magic Power, there might be those who would want him as an adopted son—but first, we need to measure the baby's Magic Power before we can say anything definitive. Tomorrow morning... yes, after the third bell rings, I'll bring a measurement Magical Tool and come to your room. Understood?"

"Understood. I'll be waiting."

When I tried to return the eavesdropping-prevention Magical Tool, the Chief Priest held it out to me once more. Tilting my head in puzzlement—had he forgotten to say something?—I took the Magical Tool.

"Mine, how many people know that the baby is a Self-Eating?"

At the Chief Priest's question, I lowered my eyes and thought. None of my Attendants knew much about Self-Eating. Even Fran hadn't been able to tell anything from Dirk's symptoms—that was why he'd asked me. Lutz had probably caught on from the look I gave him about the tau fruit, but I didn't think any of the Attendants knew.

"As far as I know, I'm the only one who understands that Dirk's symptoms are caused by Magic Power."

"Then keep it quiet for the time being and continue raising him. Be especially careful not to let the High Priest find out."

"...Understood."

I had to keep the fact that he was a Self-Eating hidden from Deria too. If she didn't know that Dirk was a Self-Eating, she wouldn't be able to tell the High Priest.

The thought of having to hide things from Deria, who was trying so hard to be a good big sister and dote on Dirk, made me feel a little gloomy.

The next day, when the third bell rang, the Chief Priest came to my room with Arno.

I had finished feeding Dirk and changed his diaper in time for the Chief Priest's arrival. With diapers, it was common to get messed on right after a change, but that was just how it was.

That said, Dirk was a baby who didn't cry much. As long as his belly was full and his diaper was clean, he was generally in a good mood and smiling. He rarely fussed when going to sleep, and being such an easy baby was a tremendous help.

Incidentally, our Kamil cried much more compared to Dirk. His fussing when sleepy lasted a particularly long time. He wouldn't settle down to sleep unless Mother held him. Whether he'd grow out of it once he got a bit older, or whether it was just his personality as a baby—I couldn't really tell.

Right now, in one corner of my room, there was a large cushion stuffed with straw, and Dirk was lying on it. Deria sat beside him, keeping him company. This cushion served as Dirk's bed—it could be easily moved to the first floor when Fran looked after him, and to the second floor or various rooms when Rosina or Deria was watching him.

"Good morning, Chief Priest."

I heard the sound of a door opening, and Fran's voice came from the first floor.

"Where is that baby?"

"He's on the second floor. Please, come this way."

When Deria heard Fran welcoming the Chief Priest, she turned toward the stairs with a stiff expression, still holding the smiling Dirk. For me, the Chief Priest was someone I could entrust with anything—but perhaps for Deria, he wasn't someone she could trust.

"Thank you so much for making the trip."

"Mine, clear the room."

Arno placed the Magical Tool he'd brought onto the table, then crossed his hands in front of his chest and withdrew. It was a ring-shaped Magical Tool lined with the same small magic stones used in divine instruments.

"Everyone, please step back."

When I told everyone to leave, Deria looked back and forth between me and Dirk, who sat there looking bewildered on the large cushion, then slowly descended the stairs with a worried expression.

Once the Chief Priest confirmed that everyone had gone downstairs, he took out the eavesdropping-prevention Magical Tool.

"Even after clearing the room, voices carry right through here."

I gripped the eavesdropping-prevention Magical Tool and headed toward the cushion where Dirk was lying. The Chief Priest also brought the Magic Power measurement tool and moved toward Dirk.

When I pressed the ring's magic stone against Dirk's forehead, the Magical Tool adjusted its size to fit his head perfectly. I was no longer surprised by Magical Tools that changed size to match their user.

"Oh, the color is changing."

The way Magic Power was being drawn out—just like when offering to a divine instrument—was clearly visible in the changing color of the stone. Apparently, this was how noble children had their Magic Power measured at birth.

When the rate of color change began to slow, the Chief Priest removed the circlet. Then he counted the changed stones.

"Hmm. ...I'd say he's on the stronger side of a middle-ranking noble."

"Middle-ranking noble? I thought he'd have more than me..."

I'd thought that Dirk, who looked like he might die at any moment, surely had far more Magic Power than Mine, who had lived to age five as a Self-Eating—but apparently I was wrong.

"A baby who leaks Magic Power without knowing how to suppress it is very different from someone like you, who, despite looking like a small child, has the mental fortitude of an adult. Besides, you've been compressing your Magic Power without anyone teaching you, haven't you?"

The Chief Priest explained that as one grew accustomed to suppressing Magic Power, it became compressed, changing the amount that could be stored within the same vessel.

From what the Chief Priest said, the original Mine must have had enough Magic Power to consume her consciousness by age five. At that point, Dirk's Magic Power must have exceeded hers.

But once I gained consciousness and succeeded in pushing the heat deep inside me, Magic Power kept filling the gaps that opened up. When the accumulated heat tried to surge, I pushed it down further to create more space. Through that repeated cycle, my Magic Power had apparently increased to absurd levels.

The Chief Priest said that I had compressed my Magic Power into my small body to a degree impossible for a young girl to achieve on her own. Normally, the handling of Magic Power was something taught at the Noble Academy before the body's growth during the second period of puberty.

"Then if they trained from a young age, nobles could increase their Magic Power even more, couldn't they?"

"Don't speak so lightly of it, fool. Spreading Magic Power throughout your entire body and suppressing it with mental strength puts you right next to death. You've experienced it, haven't you?"

"Yes. Many times."

I had fought many times to push the heat spreading through my body deep inside me. Apparently, my Magic Power had grown so strong because during the year and a half between when I started living as Mine and when I entered the Temple, every single day had been a brush with death.

"Without mental strength, compressing Magic Power is extremely difficult. It's only natural to wait until a child has grown and then teach them how to handle it. Every year, several students end up in life-threatening situations from mishandling their Magic Power."

For me it had been daily life, but apparently noble children were given Magical Tools at birth so they wouldn't have to face such dangers. Until they attended the Noble Academy and learned to handle Magic Power, they basically just let their Magic Power flow freely into those tools.

Incidentally, blue-robed priests were never taught how to handle or increase their Magic Power, so they apparently spent their lives continuously pouring Magic Power into divine instruments.

"Well, never mind that for now. With the current shortage of Magic Power, there might be those who would want this baby as an adopted son based on his Magic Power level. But since we're keeping information restricted for your own safety, spreading it around to recruit potential candidates would be dangerous."

If adoption was hopeless, then at the very least, I wanted to find a good Contract holder for Dirk. I looked up at the Chief Priest.

"...Um, Chief Priest, is it possible for you to Contract with Dirk?"

"I could, but I won't. I have absolutely no need for that baby's Magic Power."

Apparently, those who Contracted with Self-Eating were fundamentally nobles who felt their own Magic Power was insufficient. They desired Magic Power for maintaining their lands and powering the Magical Tools required of nobility.

Since these weren't Contracts one wanted to advertise, those who could be shown in public were kept as lovers or Attendants, placed discreetly nearby. But those who were completely uneducated were sometimes kept in underground rooms in servitude—apparently that wasn't uncommon.

...So that was why the Guild Master had spent a fortune trying to raise Frieda to befit a noble.

As I sighed while thinking about Dirk's future, the Chief Priest let out an exasperated sigh of his own.

"If you're that worried about it, why don't you become his Contract holder yourself after you've been adopted as Karstedt's daughter?"

"...Me?"

At his unexpected words, I blinked. The idea of becoming Dirk's Contract holder as a noble had never occurred to me.

"It will be possible once you've become an adopted daughter and obtained noble status. Until then, keep his Self-Eating nature hidden and raise him in the orphanage."

"Thank you so much."

If I could become the Contract holder, no one would be able to object to how I raised Dirk. I would still need to listen to the opinions of the Chief Priest and Karstedt, my adoptive father, of course.

All I had to do was keep Dirk's Self-Eating nature hidden and raise him until I became Karstedt's adopted daughter. When the Chief Priest saw that I was rejoicing over the fact that Dirk's future was turning out brighter than expected, he softened his eyes.

"Mine, now is not the time to be cheerful. If the High Priest learns of this baby's existence, he will certainly try to use him. Between you, who he can no longer control, and a baby who has no will of his own—the choice the High Priest would make is obvious. Keep it hidden."

The High Priest would want Dirk to obtain Magic Power he could control freely. And if he demanded that I hand Dirk over, I would have no way to resist.

"Always keep in mind that whether or not you can protect this baby will dramatically change your position and circumstances."

"Yes."

After saying that this Magic Power measurement would have drawn out his power, so it was unlikely to increase to the point of overflowing for a while, the Chief Priest collected his Magical Tools and left the room.

"Mine, what did the Chief Priest say!? Is Dirk sick or something?"

The moment the Chief Priest left, Deria came racing up the stairs. I slowly shook my head.

"No, there don't seem to be any particular problems. He said to continue raising him in the orphanage as is."

"Is that so? Thank goodness..."

Deria let out a deep sigh of relief and hugged Dirk, nuzzling her cheek against his. Watching her, I was once again reminded that I couldn't have him adopted by another noble or Contracted out.

"I've come to take Dirk."

"Wilma, please take good care of him."

Starting in the afternoon, Fran and Rosina would be taking their breaks. Since they couldn't rest properly with Dirk around, he would be moved to the orphanage. Deria watched wistfully as Wilma carried Dirk off toward the orphanage.

"Feel free to go with Dirk, you know."

"If I did that, both Fran and Rosina would be on break, and Gil has gone to the workshop—there would be no Attendants left by your side, Mine."

"Then shall I go to the orphanage as well?"

After Deria had snapped at me about my Attendants' duties, I tried suggesting something that would let her go.

"Mine, I told you before that I don't want to go to the orphanage, didn't I?"

When she shot me down coldly, I simply shrugged and headed to my desk.

Since Fran and Rosina were on break, I couldn't exactly wander around outside the room either. So I decided to make the second volume of black-and-white picture books for Dirk.

Unlike Kamil when he was a newborn, Dirk was already trying to roll over, so I figured he'd be able to see the black-and-white picture books before long.

"Mine, I wonder how Dirk is doing?"

"He's probably taking a nap, isn't he?"

I drew pictures combining circles and triangles with ink on white paper.

All that remained was to use the glue I'd dried over winter to paste the illustrated paper onto wooden boards. When Fran woke up, I'd have him dissolve the glue for me. Once I took the finished boards home, had my father punch holes in them, and threaded them together with string, the black-and-white picture book would be complete.

"Mine, I wonder if Dirk is crying or feeling lonely?"

"With so many children around, he shouldn't be lonely. ...He might be too noisy to sleep, though."

"That's terrible! Poor thing!"

"...There's no use getting angry at me. We won't know for sure whether it's really that noisy until we go and see."

Brushing aside Deria's words, I began writing out the things I needed to do going forward on my tablet.

First, I would purchase several types of wax from the wax workshop. The wax base paper used in stencil printing was originally mixed not only with wax but also with pine resin and other ingredients to make it easier to cut. But this time, I'd try coating it with just wax. If it worked for printing without any special processing, that would be ideal.

"Mine, aren't you worried about Dirk?"

"Wilma is looking after him properly."

Next, for making colored ink, I wanted to talk to someone at the ink workshop if possible. At the orphanage, we couldn't use materials that might be food ingredients, but if we were commissioning work from another workshop, I thought they'd be usable.

"You can't know that for sure! ...Ugh! Mine! Are you even listening to me!?"

When Deria realized I'd been half-heartedly brushing her off, she erupted. I looked up from my tablet, gazed at Deria, and let out a sigh.

"If you're that concerned, why don't you go yourself, Deria? I'm not saying Wilma can't handle it."

"...I don't want to go to the orphanage."

Deria furrowed her brows in frustration. Her complex emotions—wanting to go but not wanting to—were plain on her face.

"Is that so? Then perhaps I'll go check on Dirk myself."

"That's—that's not fair!"

Deria grabbed my sleeve tightly.

However, going outside the room without any Attendants was supposed to be unthinkable for a lady, so the suggestion to "go to the orphanage" had been more of a passing remark—but Deria's intense reaction was almost enough to make me burst out laughing.

"Hey, Deria. Won't you come with me?"

When I asked, Deria's eyes darted about. She shook her crimson hair and struggled with herself for a while. When she finally looked up, she pursed her lips in frustration, her eyes glistening, and glared at me.

"...I'm not going."

I shrugged at Deria's decision and turned back to my desk. This time, Deria didn't say anything either. She just paced about restlessly with nothing to do.

Something told me that Deria's love for Dirk would carry her to the orphanage before long.

Discussion with the Chief Priest complete. For about two years, Dirk will be raised secretly in the orphanage.

And: Will Deria finally be able to go to the orphanage?

Next time: The Young Man at the Ink Workshop.