After seeing
Once Rihyarda confirmed there were no major differences in the room's furnishings, she summoned Wilfried's Head Attendant and had him set up the study materials on the table before the tutor arrived.
"
"Wilfried-sama always runs away, so even when the study materials are ready, they rarely get used. It's actually quite pleasant to do normal attendant work like this for a change."
"What nonsense... If he runs away, you have to go catch him. That's what the guard knights are for."
Rihyarda, who had raised
The tutor arrived shortly after.
"On this bountiful day protected by the Wind Goddess
"Permission granted."
"Wind Goddess Schutzaria, bless this new master. ...It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is
Eager to start studying, I looked up at Moritz with excitement.
"What kind of studies has Brother Wilfried been doing?"
"He is currently practicing the basic alphabet."
"Oh my! So he still can't even write the basic alphabet!? Is he so gifted at calculations that all his attention has gone exclusively to that!?"
I already knew Wilfried couldn't write, but it seemed Rihyarda had been unaware of his academic progress. She strode over to Moritz with heavy steps and confronted him.
"...No, he's still... working on both..."
When Moritz answered in an extremely small, reluctant voice, Rihyarda's eyes snapped wide open, and she dropped the thunder.
"Oswald! Moritz! What exactly have you been doing!? Do you even intend to raise Wilfried-sama properly!? Everyone, line up over there!"
From that point on, it was Rihyarda on a rampage. She gathered all the attendants and remaining guard knights and launched into a lecture. Judging by the intensity of Rihyarda's fury, I could tell the degree of neglect Wilfried had suffered was truly the worst.
The attendants and guards offered all manner of excuses, which Rihyarda dismissed with a kick, but when I pieced them together, I realized there were serious problems with Wilfried's environment. In short: "It's almost entirely Sylvester's fault."
Apparently, Sylvester had fought an older sister separated by many years for the position of Lord, and because he hated such conflict, he had decided on Wilfried as his heir. It may have been a form of paternal love—the desire not to subject his son to what he himself had hated—but it was completely wrong.
In principle, children born to the Lord's legal wife all have equal claims to inheritance, and the heir is chosen based on the amount of Magic Power and the child's aptitude. For this reason, the attendants and teachers assigned to the Lord's children all work together as one in raising them. Whether the master they serve becomes Lord or not makes an enormous difference to their own futures and the prosperity of their families, so naturally they take it seriously.
That's why, in Sylvester's case, when he tried to run away from studying, a dead-serious
However, Wilfried had already been designated as the next Lord by Sylvester's wishes. So who would actually take this seriously? Scold the child, and naturally he'll resist. It's far easier—and far more beneficial for their own future prospects—to let him do what he wants and keep him in a good mood. So nobody scolded Wilfried. They just dismissed everything with a "He's a handful."
"Oswald, why exactly do you think a high-ranking noble with blood ties to the Lord is appointed as Head Attendant to the Lord's child!? It's so that they can firmly refuse the selfish demands of a child who tries to pull rank! Wilfried-sama was also assigned
The difference between Sylvester—who was caught and made to study even when he ran away—and Wilfried—who could do whatever he pleased whenever he ran away—meant that even though both were the same kind of runaway, their situations were completely different. No matter how similar their temperaments, there was no way they would develop the same way.
On top of that, according to the stories Rihyarda launched into in her fury, Sylvester had apparently changed when
But for Wilfried, who had younger siblings close to his age, the same approach wouldn't work. If the eldest brother kept slacking off, he'd be overtaken by his younger siblings in no time. In this state, all I could see was a future where Wilfried ended up sulking and miserable.
"...Rihyarda, no matter how much more you scold the attendants, it won't mean anything unless the root cause is addressed. Shouldn't you have a discussion with Father and Mother about Wilfried's educational policy and study plan?"
The attendants and guard knights receiving the lecture all wore the faces of people whose souls had left their bodies. No matter what was said now, nothing would sink in, and it would be a waste of time. If the situation was this bad, it needed to be corrected immediately.
"Yes, My Lady. Sylvester-sama is convinced that since he himself used to run away from studying, Wilfried-sama doing the same is no big deal, that there's no child who actually enjoys studying so it's perfectly normal. He simply cannot see the terrible reality that Wilfried-sama still cannot read or write the basic alphabet. I shall go make arrangements for an audience at once."
I watched as Rihyarda stormed out, nostrils flaring with fury, while the attendants and guard knights saw her off with hollow expressions. They'd probably gotten so used to spoiling Wilfried that they never realized just how harsh a reprimand this would be, but frankly, I considered it dereliction of duty.
"Then, Moritz-sensei. Let's draw up an educational plan for Brother Wilfried."
"But your studies, My Lady..."
"What I'd really like to do is study rather than make educational plans, but the teaching materials you have are just a chart of the basic alphabet, a number table, and simple equations, aren't they? They're things even the orphans I look after could breeze through... At this point, they're no use for my studies."
At the very least, you could have prepared at least one book I haven't read, I added silently.
"You'll need to be able to read and write the basic alphabet and numbers at least by winter, or there will be trouble. If we start now, we might just barely make it in time..."
"...
He was saying, in a roundabout way, that it wasn't his teaching skills that were the problem—Wilfried simply kept running away. But I felt that failing to learn reading and writing even after several years also pointed to a flawed approach. Why hadn't anyone tried to make the teaching methods more engaging to spark his interest?
"The children in the orphanage I look after all learned to read and write the basic alphabet and do simple calculations within a single winter. What's needed is a method that captures their interest, and a competitive rival."
If things had gone according to the schedule I'd given the Chief Priest, Wilfried would currently be at the orphanage losing badly at karuta with the other children.
I'd originally intended to make a splash at winter social events by bringing along picture books, karuta, and playing cards to market to the noble children, but I could just as well give Wilfried a head start. If he really was as competitive as Sylvester, he'd study desperately in order to win.
"Could you have Rihyarda send an ordnance to Ferdinand-sama and ask him to bring the teaching materials? I'll teach Moritz-sensei how to use them during tomorrow morning's study time."
Then, since children's attention spans don't last long, once they start getting bored with one subject, we'd switch to another. A little bit every day, but consistently. We'd create lots of small assignments, and for each one completed, report it to the Lord and his wife at dinner to earn praise—basic educational principles like these.
At first the tutor's eyes were spinning, but gradually he began looking at me with a mix of fear in his eyes.
"...Rozemyne, if I may... it's very hard to believe you just recently completed your
"That would be the result of Ferdinand-sama's education. ...There are various other secrets as well, but the myths and tales all say that if you try to pry into a woman's secrets, things won't end well."
When I chuckled, the tutor looked at me with unmistakable terror in his eyes.
...I hadn't meant to scare him. It was supposed to be more of a lighthearted "don't dig too deep" kind of remark, but I think I failed.
Lately I'd been surrounded by people who didn't treat me as a normal child, so I'd completely forgotten that I wasn't normal. A normal child doesn't explain educational methods to their teacher, nor do they draw up study plans for an older brother the same age as them.
"Ferdinand-sama told me that I am not a normal child. So please refrain from making comparisons between me and Brother Wilfried, who is a normal child. It will only sap his motivation."
Moritz looked at me with the expression of someone studying something ominous, and nodded vigorously.
The fifth bell rang and Rihyarda still hadn't returned. Either she was taking time to secure an audience appointment, or she was laying into Sylvester with full force. The latter, probably.
"Oswald, what comes after this?"
With Moritz-sensei leaving with the educational plan for winter in hand, I spoke to Oswald, who was still trembling from Rihyarda's tongue-lashing and the threat of being dismissed.
Oswald answered with a respectful demeanor.
"It is free time. Wilfried-sama typically practices his sword skills, or if meeting requests have gone through, he visits his sisters and brother in the main building. How will you be spending your free time, Rozemyne?"
There was only one way I spent my free time. I clapped my hands together and let out a gleeful "ufufufu."
"This castle has a library too, doesn't it?"
"Of course it does, but..."
"Please show me the way."
Guided by Oswald, I traveled to the library on my own riding beast. The attendants and guard knights who followed me stared repeatedly and peered inside with bewildered expressions, but I paid them no mind.
A noble who I assumed was a scholar looked back at me two or three times in surprise, but he'd probably get used to it eventually.
"This library is so wide!"
The castle library was far more spacious than the Temple library. There were far more books, too. Large volumes lined the shelves, and resources that looked ready to spill out were packed in as well. At a rough glance, I'd estimate there were dozens of books too large for me to carry and several hundred books of a manageable size.
Unlike the Temple library, which had more of the atmosphere of an archive, this was a proper library. The scent of aged paper was pleasant, and just being in this space made me feel energized.
I'd originally planned to accelerate the Saint Legend and make the Temple library my personal domain, but perhaps it would be better to become a scholar and work here as the Librarian. If I could have free reign of this place, then becoming Wilfried's bride—a man destined to become Lord—might be worth considering as one means to that end.
"Ahhh, bliss... To be able to encounter so many books like this. Oswald, could you get me that book on the far left end of that shelf? Once you've done that, you're free to attend to your other duties."
"...Other duties?"
"Attendants are busy, aren't they? Rihyarda is always running around. You can leave just the minimum number of guard knights and attendants and go back to your room—that would be perfectly fine."
Oswald took down the book and blinked in confusion, but I didn't understand why. The attendants at the Temple had tons of work beyond just looking after me, and Rihyarda was always bustling about the room after giving me a book. There was surely plenty to do.
"If anyone would like to read with me, please leave them in particular. I think it would be lovely to share this happiness. And unless something truly important comes up, please don't disturb me until dinnertime."
Having said everything I wanted to say, I opened the book. My face naturally softened at the first book I'd ever read by this author.
...Must be nice, having free time every day, Brother Wilfried.
What I started reading was a collection of knight tales—songs about knights sung by bards. It would be an invaluable reference for when I made books in the future.
I'd been so busy lately that the only times I'd had to sit down and properly read were when
I gently ran my fingers over the page surface, narrowed my eyes at the scent of ink, and let my consciousness sink completely into the world of the story. My eyes were used solely for tracing the words, and all extraneous sound was shut out.
Lost in this blissful, interruption-free time, I was completely unaware that Wilfried's attendants and guard knights were standing around me with bewildered expressions as I lost myself in the book.
"My Lady, it's time to get ready for dinner!"
When Rihyarda took the book from my hands, I snapped back to reality.
It was such a shame—the knight was just about to begin slaying magical beasts to save the princess who had been cursed while protecting her father king.
"Rihyarda, would it be possible to borrow this book and take it back to my room?"
"Yes, of course. I'll take care of the procedures. Oswald, please handle the checkout for this book. I shall help My Lady change and escort her to the dining hall."
Rihyarda assigned the task to Oswald, and it seemed she'd arranged to talk about Wilfried during dinner, because she was working herself up, saying they needed to have a thorough discussion. As expected, she'd already been voicing all kinds of opinions during the negotiation phase.
"Rihyarda, I'd like you to send an ordnance to Ferdinand-sama."
"Oh my, what business do you have with Ferdinand?"
"I'd like him to bring teaching materials for Brother Wilfried. The Chief Priest should be returning to his own room at dinnertime, so if it's after the sixth bell, I don't think Brother Wilfried will overhear the message."
"The sixth bell has already rung, My Lady."
Rihyarda let out an exasperated sigh. The bell had apparently already rung while I was absorbed in my book. I hadn't noticed.
As soon as I returned to the room, Rihyarda prepared an ordnance. I spoke to the bird that had taken shape from infused magic power.
"Ferdinand-sama, it's Rozemyne. I'll be discussing the educational plan for Father and Brother Wilfried, so I'd appreciate it if you could have Fran prepare my karuta, picture books, and playing cards and bring them here. Even after Brother has gone to sleep is fine..."
"Please have it here by tomorrow, Ferdinand."
With Rihyarda's added emphasis, it would probably arrive by tomorrow. The ordnance flew off, matching the rhythm of Rihyarda's staff.
The ordnance returned while I was in the middle of changing.
"I'll have Fran prepare everything and bring it. The discussion should wait for my arrival. I've already finished dinner, so there's no need."
The ordnance repeated the cold, anger-laced message three times before returning to its magic stone form. I didn't know what Wilfried had done, but it might actually be a good thing—I could hear about how things went at the Temple today.
After finishing my change, I headed to the dining hall with Rihyarda, still fuming with anger, and Oswald, who walked with slumped shoulders, pressing against his stomach.
In the dining hall were Father, looking bitter; Dad, wearing a pained expression; and Mother, smiling gently.
"I'm sorry for being late. Thank you for waiting."
No sooner did I take my seat than Father glared at me.
"Rihyarda burst into my office in a rage. Was that your doing?"
"...Even without Rihyarda, I think anyone would want to burst in. Do you realize just how terrible the situation is when you say something like that?"
When I tilted my head, Father and Dad narrowed their eyes in unison. Both wore expressions suggesting they had no idea what the current situation actually was. Rather than me saying anything, it would probably be best to wait for the Chief Priest's blunt assessment.
"Ferdinand-sama will be joining us shortly, so shall we save the discussion about Brother Wilfried for after the meal and eat first?"
Father grimaced deeply, muttering, "Ferdinand is coming too?"
"I'll hear about Wilfried from Ferdinand, but what about you? How did it go swapping places with Wilfried?"
When the food was served and we began eating, Sylvester broke the silence by questioning me. Dad also looked over with keen interest.
In contrast, Rihyarda, who had been involved, had her brows furrowed in displeasure, and Oswald hung his head as if he wished he could disappear.
"The afternoon study time was split between Rihyarda's furious lecture about Brother Wilfried's current state and drawing up an educational plan with Moritz-sensei. Not a single thing in Brother's teaching materials was useful to me. Had you received reports about Brother up until now and thought nothing of it?"
The attendants and tutors had been softly concealing the parts that reflected poorly on them, and with his own experience to draw on, Father had apparently assumed that when told "he ran away again and was caught," the natural result was that he was then made to study.
Even Dad, given that Sylvester was a habitual runner, had apparently laughed off Lamprecht's "he ran away again today" reports as a rite of passage he himself had gone through.
"After the fifth bell, I had my first free time in ages, so I went to the library. This library is so vast, with such an enormous collection—I was thrilled, I was happy... I had a blissful time. I'd like to swap places with Brother Wilfried for a while and hole up in the library, reading through the books from the beginning."
When I recounted just how enjoyable it had been, Sylvester shook his head as if he couldn't understand.
"I can't comprehend any of it, but you could just read books during your free time, couldn't you?"
"...I don't currently have any free time. After breakfast, I practice on the feystpiel until the third bell, then I help Ferdinand-sama with his work until noon. After lunch there are meetings with the workshop people, inspections of the orphanage including Hassett, study of rituals, and training in handling Magic Power."
I added that Wilfried, who had all this free time, was going to the Temple in my place, so he must have been having a truly terrible time, and Father's eyes went wide.
"That's far too much work for a child."
"The one who gave that child all that work was you, Father. If it weren't for your orders to accelerate the opening of the Italian restaurant and expand the printing business, things would have been much easier, you know?"
When I sighed at the audacity of dumping a workload on someone and then complaining about it, Father stared at me in shock.
"...You weren't leaving it to Ferdinand? I assumed Ferdinand would handle the majority of it and planned accordingly!"
"Huh? That's impossible. Ferdinand-sama already has his Chief Priest duties, plus the High Priest duties that I can't handle, and when he comes to the castle he assists Father and even shows up at the Knights' Order from time to time. On top of all that, he's taken on my education entirely by himself—where exactly would he have the capacity to take on new business ventures? You're expecting too much of Ferdinand-sama. Even he has his limits."
When I blurted out that he'd work himself to death, Father murmured with a look of realization for the first time. "...The Temple's workload is that demanding?"
...What? What is he saying now?
"If you consider that Ferdinand-sama alone is managing an organization of over a hundred people, can't you understand how difficult it is? There simply aren't enough people to delegate tasks to."
"No, but... the Temple was always saying they had nothing to do and were so bored they asked me to send books, or said they were making Magical Tools so to send supplies... I thought they were happy to have things to do!"
It seemed Father had believed the Chief Priest was idle at the Temple. Perhaps that had been true back when there were many blue priests, but the current Chief Priest was visibly buried under work. The gap between Father, who loved to delegate impossible tasks, and the Chief Priest, who never said he couldn't do something, meant that reports of the actual situation had never been accurately conveyed. Everything I'd reported to Father up until now had apparently been dismissed as the Chief Priest's messaging or maneuvering.
"Father, I'm the one leading the printing business. I'm currently so busy I don't even have free time to read books, so I would be grateful for a bit more leeway regarding the printing business."
"...Understood. Proceed at your own pace."
Sylvester let out a deep breath and waved his hand. "Sorry I didn't realize," he muttered quietly.
...
Just as I was mentally pumping my fist, the dining hall door burst open, and in walked the Chief Priest wearing an expression of absolute fury.
His eyes were half-lidded, his brows drawn tight. The atmosphere in the dining hall froze, and everyone instinctively straightened their backs.
The Chief Priest walked straight to Father and opened his mouth.
"Sylvester, that won't do. Remove Wilfried from the heir candidacy."
Rihyarda Rampage, Part Two.
Rozemyne had a blissful time.
Next time: Part 2. The Chief Priest's trauma production is in full swing.