The Gray Priests' Transfer

I placed an order with Zack and Johann to install hand pumps at the wells in Hasse as well. Johann slumped his shoulders, saying, "The pumps from our workshop are going to be further out of reach again," but all he needed to do was cultivate craftsmen who could make the parts quickly.

According to the Crafters' Guild Master, my apparent favoritism toward young craftsmen who had just come of age—Johann and Zack in particular—seemed to be inspiring other young people to work harder at honing their skills.

As an added bonus, Zack had let it slip that I was planning to give workshops to him and Johann, and that information was apparently circulating among the craftsmen. Those who wanted their own workshops and were confident in their skills were reportedly competing fiercely.

"Any craftsman with precision and fine technique on par with Johann, or with the ingenuity of Zack, will be more than welcome. Please, do send them my way."

I had asked the Guild Master just that, so perhaps before long, metalworking Gutenbergs would start appearing one after another. I could hardly wait.

Two to teach Richt and the others about noble customs and mannerisms, and four to transfer and live at the small temple in Hasse. I needed to select the Gray Priests for these roles before the Harvest Festival.

That said, I didn't know the personalities and work habits of everyone in the orphanage, so I would hand the task off to two people who knew them well on a daily basis: Wilma, who managed the orphanage, and Fritz, who managed the workshop.

"Monica, send word ahead. I'll be visiting the workshop and the orphanage after lunch."

"Understood."

I watched Monica leave with a lighter step than usual, clearly excited at the prospect of seeing Wilma, and then turned my gaze to Brigitte. This might be a good opportunity.

"Say, Brigitte. I'll be heading to the workshop and orphanage this afternoon—would you care to accompany me?"

"...Lady Rozemyne?"

Until now, because of the business calculations and barriers of nobility involved, I had only allowed Damuel to accompany me when visiting the workshop, to avoid passing on information. As a result, Brigitte—who had always stayed behind whenever I went to the workshop—tilted her head in puzzlement.

"We've already set up a workshop in Irrkner, haven't we? In that case, there's no need for secrecy, and I think it would be best for Brigitte—as Giebe Irrkner's sister—to see it for herself."

Since Irrkner was building a papermaking workshop and would soon incorporate printing as well, there was no reason to keep it hidden from Brigitte.

Brigitte's eyes widened at my words, and then her face broke into a delighted smile as she knelt.

"I am most grateful for your thoughtfulness, Lady Rozemyne. I would be honored to accompany you."

After lunch, I headed to the workshop with Brigitte in tow for the first time. Nobles generally disliked venturing down to the basement level, but from what I had seen of her time in Irrkner, Brigitte likely had no such aversion.

"We've been expecting you."

When I entered the workshop, everyone was kneeling in place, waiting. My attendant Fritz stepped forward and offered a greeting on their behalf—a formal greeting directed toward a noble—and I accepted it with a nod.

"Fritz, please have everyone continue their work. I want Brigitte to see how they operate. Gil and Lutz are in Irrkner right now, aren't they? Brigitte is the young lady from that estate."

"Understood. Everyone, please carry on with your work."

At Fritz's words, everyone sprang into action at once. Some were making paper, while others operated the printing press. Thump! Bang! Amid the loud sounds of the press's compression plate, the click-clack of metal type being set rang pleasantly in my ears.

"Fritz, I need to speak with both you and Wilma, so when you reach a natural stopping point, could you come with me to the orphanage..."

"Since we knew Lady Rozemyne would be coming, we've already reached a stopping point. Once Lady Brigitte has finished her tour, we can head to the orphanage."

Fritz said gently, his eyes crinkling. As expected, my attendants were truly excellent. Fritz asked one of the young orphans in the workshop to go ahead and notify Wilma, then began issuing instructions to several Gray Priests.

"Brigitte, this is where we make paper. Over there is the printing area. Someday, it would be wonderful if Irrkner could do printing as well."

Taking in my explanation, Brigitte watched with keen interest as the screen frame was swung to make paper.

After spending a short while touring the workshop, I was to leave promptly so as not to disturb the work.

"Shall we head to the orphanage now, Fritz?"

When I called out, everyone paused their work and knelt to see me off. I took one last look around the workshop and spoke.

"It's a pleasure to see all of you working so hard. Please keep it up."

With Fritz in tow, I headed from the basement of the girls' dormitory to the orphanage.

Having been forewarned by the child, they must have known we were coming. The Shrine Maiden Apprentices who were making soup in the basement of the girls' dormitory showed little surprise and moved to the side, kneeling so as not to obstruct our passage.

"Thanks to your efforts, everyone in the orphanage gets to eat warm soup. Cooking for so many people must be difficult, but please keep doing your best."

I called that out to them and quickly passed through. If I dawdled and the soup burned, that would be terrible.

When I went up to the first floor where the dining hall was, Wilma was kneeling in wait.

I sat down in a chair in the dining hall and looked up at Wilma and Fritz.

"I'd like the two of you, who know the orphanage and the workshop so well, to help me select the personnel."

"Select personnel?"

I nodded slowly once to the two of them as they tilted their heads.

"Yes. I need you to choose two Gray Priests to send to Hasse's winter lodge, and four people to transfer to the small temple in Hasse. The ones sent to the winter lodge will be teaching the town officials how to write letters and the proper noble phrasing for document preparation. Ideally, select two who have experience as attendants, are good at teaching others, and get along well enough to cooperate."

They would be thrown into an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar customs for the entire winter. It would be hard enough as it was, but sending two people who didn't get along would make things even worse.

"For the ones transferring to the small temple, I'd like two men and two women. Apprentices are fine for this group. It would help if you chose people who seem like they'd get along well with Nora and the others who came here last year."

"Understood."

With my business concluded, I returned to my room. Sipping the tea Nicola had prepared, I spoke to Brigitte.

"What did you think of the workshop?"

"I never imagined that was how paper was made. I was quite astonished."

"...Did you think of anything else? How did you feel about the Gray Priests working in the workshop?"

Brigitte narrowed her eyes slightly at my words, thinking.

"I thought they were working very well."

"Indeed, everyone in the workshop works very hard. However, that wasn't all I wanted you to see, Brigitte."

I composed my expression and turned to face Brigitte.

"You already know that I'll be heading to Irrkner during the Harvest Festival to retrieve the Plantan Trading Company's goods, correct? The Chief Priest has also decided to accompany me. As my guardian, he wants to inspect the workshop we've built on noble land for the first time and see its results."

"That is a great honor."

Brigitte smiled. As the Lord's adopted daughter, I had provided backing for them to enter the papermaking industry ahead of other nobles. Now Ferdinand, the Lord's half-brother, was coming to inspect it in person. From a noble's perspective, it was indeed an honor.

"Therefore, please inform Giebe Irrkner that the Chief Priest will be visiting, and begin educating the townsfolk immediately."

"...Educate the townsfolk, you say?"

Brigitte tilted her head as if she had been caught completely off guard.

"That's right. Brigitte, the people of Irrkner are very close with the nobility, aren't they? I love how warm and friendly Irrkner is, but the Chief Priest probably doesn't see it the same way."

"Irrkner is a truly rural territory that other nobles never visit. They may come across as a bit too familiar, but there's no ill intent..."

"Whether there's ill intent or not is irrelevant. Ignorance of proper etiquette toward nobles can be reason enough to destroy an entire town. ...I learned that lesson from the Hasse incident. Am I wrong?"

Brigitte, who had witnessed the Hasse incident firsthand as my guard knight, went pale in an instant.

She may have only seen it as a "those places near the Noble District where nobles visit frequently have it rough" sort of thing, but once nobles started visiting Irrkner, it would be the same. "We didn't know" would not be an excuse.

"Up until now, it didn't matter because no nobles visited, but that's about to change. Since Irrkner has entered the papermaking industry ahead of others, nobles who are curious about how the workshop is being run and whether it's profitable will start coming to inspect it. When that happens, what will occur if the commoners get too close or behave without knowing proper etiquette?"

"But to educate everyone—how could we even begin..."

Suddenly changing people's behavior would be difficult. Teaching a large number of townsfolk before the Harvest Festival would be daunting. But if she wanted to protect them, there was no choice but to try.

"Irrkner started the papermaking industry seeking a patron. There's no going back now. If you want to protect the townsfolk, you must educate them so they don't do anything that would earn a noble's wrath. That is what will protect them."

I gently took the hand of Brigitte, who stood there with all color drained from her face.

"Everyone in my workshop knew the proper etiquette toward nobles, didn't they? Tell Giebe Irrkner about what happened in Hasse, consult the Gray Priests stationed in Irrkner, and at the very least, please arrange to educate those who work in the summer lodge and those who interact with nobles directly."

When I murmured, "I don't want what happened in Hasse to happen in Irrkner," Brigitte nodded with a look close to tears.

"Lady Rozemyne, I am deeply grateful for your valuable advice. I will speak with my brother tonight."

Brigitte took on a serious gravity behind her attentive expression during her guard duty, the selection at the orphanage was completed, various preparations were entrusted to the Plantan Trading Company, and several discussions were held regarding the Harvest Festival and the gathering of Ruelle fruit. The days passed with startling speed.

As the Harvest Festival drew near, Fritz reported that the selected Gray Priests were making preparations to transfer.

I had word sent that I would be going to encourage the priests who were to transfer to Hasse, and the following afternoon, I headed to the orphanage. Fran and Zaim were with me, carrying large wooden crates, along with Monica, who held a somewhat smaller one.

In the orphanage dining hall, the Gray Priests who would be transferring to Hasse had gathered. Wilma introduced each of them, and I exchanged greetings.

First, I addressed the two priests and two Shrine Maiden Apprentices who would be transferring to the small temple in Hasse.

"I've received word from Ingo that a printing press has been delivered to the small temple in Hasse as well. Right now, there aren't nearly enough people in Hasse, and they probably don't know how printing works yet. I'm counting on you."

"Yes."

It was an increase in personnel for printing. I really hoped they would do their best.

I had Fran open the wooden crates and distribute the contents to each person. It was the same farewell gift as last time.

"This is a gift from me to all of you who will be working hard in Hasse. You should know how to use the writing boards, since my attendants use them? They're not communal property—each one is for individual use—so be sure not to forget to write your name on them."

"Thank you very much."

The priest who received the writing board smiled happily, and the Shrine Maiden Apprentices' faces lit up with joy.

Watching them, I nodded once, then turned to the two priests who would be heading to Hasse's winter lodge.

"Ahim, Egon, I'm giving you these writing boards as well. You'll be spending your time not in a temple but in the very different world of the winter lodge, which will be the hardest adjustment of all. But I believe that with the two of you, you'll see it through."

"Lady Rozemyne..."

"Your jobs are twofold. First, teaching the town officials the contents of these materials."

As I spoke, I indicated the wooden crate Zaim had carried in. Inside were wooden tablets inscribed with everything I wanted them to teach in Hasse. The tablets contained the letter-writing methods and common phrasing that any noble would consider common knowledge.

Incidentally, these were important materials that Fran had prepared for me when I was still a commoner. Once books were affordable enough for commoners to buy, I hoped to publish them as educational texts.

"I believe nothing will happen at the winter lodge, but since Gray Priests are orphans, you may be looked down upon or dismissed. If you feel it's become too much even for you to endure, evacuate to the small temple in Hasse immediately. I'll relay the same to the people there."

Then I opened the lid of the other wooden crate Monica had brought. Inside were entertainment items such as playing cards, karuta cards, picture books, and the like.

"The winter lodge probably doesn't have much for entertainment, so if you read to the children or teach the adults how to play cards, you should be able to build some good relationships, right? ...However, the books will be quite expensive, so please limit it to reading to them yourselves. Hasse won't be able to compensate for any damage."

"Understood."

The orphanage had been thoroughly trained to handle items with care, so there had been no damage so far, but in Hasse, things would probably be broken in no time. These were books so expensive that even nobles hesitated to buy them. They couldn't be treated carelessly.

Karuta cards and playing cards made of board wouldn't break so easily, but the books would tear in no time. If they were treated roughly, I would be angrier than I had been over the former town official's insolence. Without a doubt.

Then I gave Monica a nod, and she produced a notebook bound from sheets of misprinted paper and a bottle of ink from inside the crate. I handed the booklet of pristine white paper and the ink to Ahim and Egon.

"Your second job: gather stories from the people of Hasse."

"Stories?"

"Yes. Just as the nobles have tales of knights and the temple has stories of the gods, commoners must have stories that only they know. There may be bedtime tales passed down in farming villages or tales heard from travelers. Someday, these will become material for my books, so please, listen and write them down. If anything, this is the more important of your two jobs."

This was my true purpose—one I hadn't even shared with Richt and the others, who revered me as a saint and praised my compassion, nor with the Chief Priest. It was the collection of stories passed down among the commoners. The Grimm Plan, as I called it. The gathering of tales that existed as oral tradition across the land.

First, starting with Hasse, if it proved fruitful, I would dispatch Gray Priests to winter lodges across the land under the pretext of teaching noble mannerisms.

Next, stories from the territories governed by other nobles would be collected as the printing workshops expanded. If I set a price per story, the workshop workers would gather them. Ultimately, I wanted to collect stories from territories beyond Ehrenfest as well.

My ambitions were vast and boundless.

...I sure hoped it would work out. The Grimm Plan. Heh heh heh.

As a bonus, I was also hoping to improve commoner literacy. The problem was that books were still far from affordable for commoners.

If people learned the joy of reading but had no books, there would surely be others who, like me, would lose their minds. That would be tragic. I truly wished the prices could come down enough for a winter lodge library sooner rather than later.

While all of this was going on, the day came for the Plantan Trading Company's wagons to depart for Hasse ahead of the Harvest Festival.

Those transferring to the small temple were loading their daily necessities onto the wagons, and the orphanage residents were helping them. Those going to the winter lodge would be heading to Hasse with me for the Harvest Festival, so they were traveling separately.

"The same number of passengers will be on board for the return trip. However, they'll be orphans from Hasse who haven't yet been baptized, so please keep that in mind."

"Understood. ...Oh, it looks like the soldiers have arrived."

While the luggage was being loaded, the Gray Priests were boarding the wagons, and preparations were underway, the soldiers arrived to escort the Plantan Trading Company's wagons. At their head was my father.

When I showed a smile at his healthy appearance—the first I'd seen in quite some time—my father met my eyes, narrowed his own with a grin, and knelt before me.

"Thank you for coming, Gunther. I'll be relying on you once again."

"At the High Priest's command, I shall come immediately."

At my father's stiffly formal words, the other soldiers enthusiastically followed.

"I'll come faster than the Chief too—fly here, I mean."

"I'll come too. Just call for me."

"You lot, shut up. That's insolent."

I chuckled as my father silenced the lot with a single glare.

"I see I have reliable people with me once again. Thanks to you all, I can send off the Gray Priests with peace of mind."

"Leave it to us. We look forward to seeing you again at the small temple in Hasse."

After this brief exchange, I sent the wagons off to Hasse.

After seeing the Plantan Trading Company off, I had to prepare for my own departure. This year, I was bringing several books to the Harvest Festival. Without something to provide a breather, I wouldn't be able to endure the prolonged frenzy of that festival.

"My lady, I look forward to working with you again this year."

"Justus, likewise. Let's have a good year."

The tax collector was Justus, and my guard knights were Brother Eckhart and Brigitte. By the Chief Priest's orders, Eckhart had replaced Damuel. Damuel and Brigitte together hadn't been able to keep Justus in check.

"Eckhart, I'm counting on you to look after everyone. Let's rendezvous at Doldvan."

"Yes, sir!"

Brother Eckhart answered briskly at the Chief Priest's words, then turned his gaze to Damuel.

"...Damuel, I entrust you with Ferdinand's protection until Doldvan."

"Understood."

After listening to the Chief Priest's lengthy list of precautions, I climbed into the Lesser Bus, which was already prepared.

Riding in the Lesser Bus, along with Ahim and Egon who would be staying at the winter lodge, were Fran, Monica, Nicola, Rosina, and Hugo.

Ella would be staying behind this time. I decided to bring Hugo, who had the stamina for a long journey, instead. Ella would take care of the attendants left at the temple and prepare meals for the orphanage.

Among my attendants, Fritz, who managed the workshop, and Zaim, who had been placed in overall charge of the temple by the Chief Priest, were on the stay-at-home team. I wondered which would be harder—staying behind or coming along.

"Well then, Chief Priest. I'll be off. We'll be gathering at Doldvan."

"Whatever you do, do not cause any trouble."

"I know."

If only I truly understood. I averted my gaze from the Chief Priest as he pressed his fingers to his temples, and gripped the handle of the Lesser Bus tightly.

I flowed Magic Power into it, pressed the accelerator, and whooshed up into the sky.

It was the start of the long journey that was the Harvest Festival.

The Harvest Festival begins. Off to Hasse, a fresh attempt at autumn materials, then on to Irrkner. Quite the journey. Next stop: Hasse.