The Children of the Old Veronica Faction

The moment we arrived at the Noble Academy, Matthias shared an astonishing piece of intelligence. After hearing the details, I wrote a letter to my adoptive father that very day and had it sent off.

The next day, Charlotte—who had arrived at the Noble Academy a day later than us—listened with wide eyes. "Such a thing happened?" she asked. Apparently, my adoptive father and the others had seen us off without letting their usual expressions slip.

"He did ask me to deliver this, however. He said you should read it together with your brother and sister."

After the meal, the lord candidates and their close attendants gathered in the meeting room to read the letter from my adoptive father that Charlotte had been entrusted with. It concerned the secret report from the children of the old Veronica faction, and it seemed that the plan for the purge was being reviewed—requiring immediate action.

"He has asked us to leave this matter to him. What he needs from us lord candidates is the surveillance and persuasion of the old Veronica faction children within the Noble Academy dormitory—not the purge in Ehrenfest itself… is what the letter says."

"Then we should call Matthias and Laurentz and discuss this together," Wilfried said.

"Brother, that is…" Charlotte began, saying it was too dangerous, but Wilfried shook his head and cut her off.

"No, Charlotte. Those two said they wanted to wait for our arrival and do whatever it takes—even sever ties with their families—for the sake of Ehrenfest. I believe their cooperation is essential if we want to bring the old Veronica faction children on board and save as many lives as possible."

I agreed with Wilfried's assessment. Charlotte promised to ensure the knights were sufficient in number and that we would not approach the two alone, and then she had Matthias and Laurentz summoned. We needed to consult on what to do about the old Veronica faction children—anything to make dormitory life in the Noble Academy a little more bearable for them.

"First, with us taking the lead, we should discuss who committed what degree of crime, how far association punishment could extend, and whether those facing collective punishment would choose to offer their names to escape, or face punishment alongside their families," Matthias explained.

Depending on the severity of the crime and punishment, there might be some who didn't need to offer their names. But Matthias wanted to settle on a direction in advance so that there wouldn't be confusion when reports came in after the purge was carried out.

"After the discussions, anyone who decides to accept punishment together with their family will be detained and sent to Ehrenfest. While they remain here in the Noble Academy, everyone's safety is at risk."

It seemed that Matthias and Laurentz had already discussed some of this between themselves. Laurentz glanced at Matthias before adding his own words.

"If someone becomes desperate and attacks a lord candidate, the others will lose any path to escaping collective punishment. That is something we must avoid at all costs."

And so the two said that they—the ones who had been at the center of the old Veronica faction—would take on the role of persuading the others.

"We lord candidates have also been entrusted with the task of persuading everyone by the Aub Ehrenfest…"

Charlotte, who had been assigned to lead the persuasion of the old Veronica faction children by our adoptive father, looked slightly troubled.

"Lady Charlotte, please leave Matthias and Laurentz to handle this," Richalda interjected.

"Richalda?"

"Even if they don't intend it, their emotions may run high, and there's no telling what might happen. Keeping some distance from them until things settle down—not just for your ladyships, but for the sake of protecting those young men as well—is advisable."

Richalda, who had been standing quietly behind me, offered the counsel to Charlotte.

Their parents and relatives were about to be purged. Some might be driven to desperate measures or lash out in anger. They were already supposed to be punished through association, yet they were being granted exceptions through offering their names. If even a few among them remained dissatisfied, voices calling for collective punishment of all might grow louder.

"Many nobles looked askance at breaking established precedent. It is critical that none of us let our guard down," Richalda said.

Matthias and Laurentz nodded firmly, and our guard knights straightened their postures as though recommitting themselves.

"Until the handling of their situations is decided, they should take their meals separately. Persuasion is not the only means of protecting them," Richalda added.

Following Richalda's instruction, the lord candidates ate separately from the other students for a time.

The next day, once all the first-year transfers were complete, an announcement was made to everyone in the dormitory. It explained what the old Veronica faction members had been doing, and that a purge would be carried out over the winter.

"The Aub wishes to save as many lives as possible, and we feel the same way," Charlotte said.

"While offering names is mandatory because this breaks with established precedent, I intend to prepare treatment befitting such a sacrifice. Think carefully about how you want to live," Wilfried added.

Charlotte and Wilfried's words were received in silence by the children of the old Veronica faction. Matthias and Laurentz stood before them, positioned to restrain anyone who might fly into a rage or become violent upon hearing the news.

"…The old Veronica faction has its own reasons, I'm sure. You may feel anger toward us because your families and relatives will be punished. But your actions—your resistance—could lead to the loss of lives that might otherwise have been saved."

"What do you mean, Lady Rozemyne?" someone asked.

Every gaze among the old Veronica faction children turned to me at once.

"When the purge is carried out, children who have completed their Baptism Ceremony and are in the children's chambers will be sheltered in one wing of the castle. Those who are still too young for their Baptism Ceremony will be protected by my attendants at the Temple."

Several children raised their faces in disbelief. They must have had younger siblings in that age range.

"Even children who haven't been baptized…?"

"Lady Rozemyne, will a younger brother placed in the Temple be able to receive his Baptism Ceremony as a noble?"

Laurentz's voice rose in shock. It seemed he had a younger brother who hadn't yet undergone the Baptism Ceremony. I looked at him, then lowered my gaze briefly.

"If they receive an education at the Temple and are recognized for outstanding academic performance—if they have no ideological issues such as a desire for revenge and possess the will to serve Aub Ehrenfest—then I have plans to have them undergo their Baptism Ceremony with the High Priest or the Aub as their guardian, and have them live in the castle dormitory. However, since this would completely overturn all precedent, there are still strong voices opposing the idea of sparing criminals' children and raising them as nobles."

In particular, I had heard that nobles who had been tormented by Veronica and her faction were furious, wanting to crush them completely at this opportunity. Even so, I wanted to save as many children as possible.

"The children who have not yet undergone the Baptism Ceremony are, by the standards of past convention, lives that would not have been saved. It could be said that their futures depend on the choices you make. As their seniors, I want you to show them a path to survival."

I told them about the coming purge, but naturally, the children of the old Veronica faction could not send letters to their families. They were completely isolated within the Noble Academy, sinking into fear, anxiety, and despair. As Matthias and Laurentz guided them to the meeting room for further discussion, I called over Roderick—one of my own attendants, who had originally been part of the old Veronica faction—and gave him instructions.

"Roderick, who surrendered his name from the old Veronica faction and became an attendant of the lord's family, may be useful in the persuasion effort. Please assist Matthias and Laurentz and report back on what is decided."

Roderick needed to help with the persuasion because, until their situations were decided, we lord candidates were forbidden from contacting those children directly. Without him, we would have no way of learning what was happening.

"If possible, ask about their family compositions as well. If we can get a sense of how many pre-Baptism children there are ahead of time, it may make rescue efforts easier."

"Understood."

After watching Roderick leave the multi-purpose hall, I turned my gaze to Judith and her younger brother Theodore, who stood behind her.

"Theodore, you'll be serving as my guard knight under these circumstances. You've only just enrolled at the Noble Academy, so I know it's a difficult position, but I'm counting on you."

Judith's brother, Theodore, was a part-time guard knight for the Noble Academy only. After graduation, he said he wished to serve Gieb Kirnberger. The moment we had arrived at the Noble Academy, he had been told about the purge, and his face—still bearing a childish resemblance to Judith's—had twisted slightly with the news.

When Judith introduced Theodore to my close attendants, Leonore welcomed him and immediately assigned him his duties.

"Theodore, your role is to finish your lectures as quickly as possible and then accompany Lady Rozemyne on her trips to the library and the research room. As the years go on, it takes more and more time to complete lectures, so we're counting on you as a first-year."

Leonore sighed and added that since Lady Rozemyne had Ferdinand's prep work, she might once again pass all her courses in a single go this year. Having to coordinate guard duties among just the three of them—Leonore, Judith, and Theodore—was apparently quite the challenge.

Theodore looked troubled as he turned his amethyst eyes toward Judith after receiving his assignment from Leonore.

"Judith told me there wasn't much guard work but a lot of brutal training instead, but taking on this kind of responsibility right away…"

Theodore's words made Judith murmur, "Theodore, you…" while her cheeks twitched. Leonore looked upward, recalling something.

"…Wasn't it because by the time Judith finished her lectures, Lady Rozemyne was usually already away for the Dedication Ritual? She naturally had fewer opportunities for guard duty."

"Oh, I see. So it was just Judith alone who was slow to finish her lectures?"

"Leonore! Theodore! Please stop it already! This year I'm going to work hard as a proper guard knight for Lady Rozemyne too!" Judith's eyes were brimming with tears as Leonore chuckled.

"Theodore, Judith isn't incompetent, you know. There's no one in the dormitory who can surpass her in ranged attacks. She's even received praise from Lord Bonifatius, and she'd rank among the top in the Noble Academy as well."

"Eh!? Judith does?"

Theodore apparently didn't know the full extent of Judith's accomplishments and abilities in the knight's dormitory. His eyes went wide at Leonore's words.

"So far, Lady Rozemyne's guard knights have all been people like Angelica and Cornelius who excelled in practical skills, which made her look like she was struggling by comparison. Last year too, she finished her written coursework right away. Let's work hard this year too, Judith, so you can show Theodore what you're capable of."

I could tell Judith was fired up, determined not to lose to her brother. As someone who always tried too hard to be a good older sister for Charlotte and Melchior, I understood her feelings perfectly.

…Yes, yes. You can't lose to your little brother so easily, can you? Hang in there, big sister.

"Oh, and Theodore. While on duty, don't call Judith 'sister'—use her name. When giving orders or calling out, it would be problematic if no one knew who you were addressing. You may call me Leonore as well."

"Understood, Leonore."

Theodore awkwardly murmured "Judith" several times, and Judith replied, "It feels so strange to have Theodore call me by my name." The two of them, so alike, tilted their heads in unison. It was so cute that I couldn't help smiling.

"I understand. When my titles and position changed and my name had to change too, it took a long time to get used to."

"Whose name had to change for you, Lady Rozemyne?"

Judith spun around to face me, her amethyst eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Everything changed when I became the lord's adopted daughter. When I was told I had to address my brothers by name without honorifics in the castle, and when I had to call Lord Sylvester my adoptive father, I was quite bewildered. You'll both feel disoriented for a while, but if you think of it as just the workplace, you'll get used to it quickly."

As I said this to Judith, I added silently in my own mind.

…That's all in the past now, of course. Back in my days as a Blue Shrine Maiden Apprentice, I used to address Damuel as "Lord Damuel."

I thought back to those times that probably no one would believe anymore, and I lowered my gaze slightly.

"Lady Rozemyne, the general allocation has been decided."

Roderick came to report. When the old Veronica faction children were confirmed to receive collective punishment, it had apparently been mostly settled who would offer their names to whom. We borrowed the meeting room to receive the report. Of the sixteen, three were planning to offer their names to me.

"Matthias, Laurentz, and Muriella already have their parents' names offered to Lady Georgine, so their cases are decided. Matthias and Laurentz said they would create their offering stones quickly, hoping to make it easier for the other old Veronica faction children to follow suit."

"I see."

I looked at the list Roderick had prepared showing which children wished to offer their names to whom, and noticed that the choices were quite concentrated.

"Among the knight and attendant apprentices, most of the boys prefer Brother Wilfried. Among the girl knight and attendant apprentices, many prefer Charlotte. And the scholar apprentices prefer the Aub."

"So the ones hoping to offer their names to me are Matthias, Laurentz, and Muriella—the three of them?"

Muriella was the only girl among the scholar apprentices, while Matthias and Laurentz were knight apprentices.

"I would have liked to supplement the attendant apprentice girls…"

Lieseleta was graduating this year, and Brunhilde would graduate next year. Bertilde was enrolling, but ideally we needed one or two more attendant apprentices. Yet I apparently wasn't very popular.

"Without parents, women face significant difficulty finding marriage prospects. It seems the preference gravitates toward Lady Charlotte, since she's likely to marry into another territory."

If one had offered their name to Charlotte, who was expected to marry elsewhere, the chances of being allowed to accompany her were much higher. In fact, they couldn't be kept in Ehrenfest at all. And if they went along, Charlotte—who would be marrying as well—would serve as a backer, meaning they'd have a far better chance of finding a good match than if they searched for one within Ehrenfest as relatives of criminals. That was why so many female attendant and knight apprentices chose Charlotte.

"Then why do the scholar apprentices—who are less likely to be permitted to travel due to espionage concerns—tend to choose the Aub and his wife, or Brother Wilfried?"

If that were the case, I would have expected more scholar apprentices to choose me. But there, too, there was a significant reason for avoidance.

"Because becoming Lady Rozemyne's close attendant means going to the Temple. There are still quite a few who are put off by the Temple, and Hartmut is known for being strict…"

"Hartmut strict? Compared to Lord Ferdinand, he's much gentler. He teaches very carefully," Philine said with a tilt of her head.

Roderick smiled wryly.

"Compared to Lord Ferdinand, he may indeed be gentler, but he is very similar in nature. When someone finds him difficult to work with, they keep their distance. Having no family, having offered their name to Lady Rozemyne with no means of escape, and then being glared at by Hartmut—the highest-ranking among the scholars—is truly terrifying."

But if they couldn't enter the Temple, that was a problem. Hartmut was also in charge of everything related to printing. Anyone who couldn't get along with Hartmut would indeed find it difficult to work as my scholar.

"So while many of them feel inclined to offer their names to Lady Rozemyne in their hearts, when they actually consider the act of doing so, there are several points of hesitation. Lady Rozemyne's health is also fragile, after all."

Roderick smiled, looking somewhat troubled. My frailty—the fact that no one knew when I might die—apparently made it frightening to entrust their lives to me as their lord. If their lord died without returning their names, they would die as well.

"Furthermore, Lady Rozemyne doesn't attend social gatherings at the Dedication Ritual and often has to leave early due to poor health. For attendant apprentices, that means fewer chances to earn points…"

"Vasschen."

Before anyone knew what had happened, Roderick was enveloped in a mass of water. Lieseleta was holding her staff for some reason. While everyone blinked in confusion, Lieseleta wore her usual gentle smile.

"There seemed to be a rather unpleasant grease stain around his mouth, so I used Vasschen."

"Oh my? But it still doesn't seem to be coming off, does it? I think Roderick should wash his face properly once," Brunhilde said, a faint anger shading her amber eyes as she smiled sweetly and led Roderick out of the room.

Roderick, who was supposed to be reporting to us, had been forcibly ejected. The two seemed to communicate on some level, but I had no idea why Lieseleta had suddenly used a water spell. Unable to make sense of the situation, I looked up at Lieseleta.

"U-um… Lieseleta…"

"I'll go prepare fresh tea, Lady Rozemyne. Please wait just a moment."

Lieseleta smiled and withdrew smoothly. I looked around. Philine and Judith let out simultaneous sighs.

"Um, does anyone know what just happened? Philine? Judith?"

Before Philine and Judith could exchange glances, Leonore stepped forward briskly.

"Nothing at all. Just what Lieseleta and Brunhilde said—Roderick's face was a bit dirty, that's all."

…I'm pretty sure it wasn't dirty, but I probably shouldn't press the matter further.

Just as I gave up on asking, Roderick returned with Brunhilde. He looked no worse for wear after being hit with Vasschen, though he appeared somewhat deflated.

"That should do it. Now then, please continue your report to Lady Rozemyne."

Brunhilde gave him a light push on the back, and Roderick stood before me. He straightened his spine, regaining his composure, and smiled.

"My sincerest apologies. I will continue the report. Lady Rozemyne treats me as her close attendant without any distinction from the others. Seeing how Matthias and Laurentz are treated the same way, the old Veronica faction children should find it easier to take the step of offering their names. They are also considering that none of the other lord family members will openly treat them differently, so they intend to lead the way in offering their names."

By using my treatment of my attendants as the standard, they hoped to ensure that those who offered their names would not be treated harshly.

"Muriella greatly respects Lady Elvira. She said that until now, she could never openly speak about it because of her faction and family ties, but if she offers her name to Lady Rozemyne, she can express her admiration without being scolded. She also said she'd be happy because it means she could read Lady Elvira's books first."

At Roderick's words, I immediately knew who Muriella was. The girl with pink hair who was most eagerly awaiting new books in the dormitory's library corner—she always waited with barely contained excitement, and the moment I placed new books on the shelf, she was always the first to pick up her mother's latest publication, her green eyes shining. I recalled she had mentioned that because of the old Veronica faction, her parents wouldn't buy her mother's books.

"Muriella said she would have preferred to offer her name directly to Lady Elvira, but since name offerings are limited to the lord's family, she wants to offer hers to Lady Rozemyne—the one closest to Lady Elvira."

"…Let me ask whether Mother can be included as a potential recipient for name offerings."

After sending an inquiry to my adoptive father, I received the following response: Muriella could serve as my close attendant while enrolled at the Noble Academy, and upon graduation, she could return her name and then re-offer it to my mother. There was apparently an ulterior motive as well—increasing the number of scholars in the printing industry was urgent, so they wanted Muriella to be trained in printing under me before transferring her to my mother's service.

"There is also another matter I wish to discuss with Lady Rozemyne. It concerns Gretia."

"What happened?"

"Gretia, a fourth-year attendant apprentice, would like to offer her name to Lady Rozemyne when considering both her life at the Noble Academy and her guardian's situation. But she is deeply troubled by the decision."

Gretia was shy and withdrawn, often becoming the target of teasing from the boys. She desperately wanted a protector, and from watching how Roderick was treated, she was apparently considering that it might be all right to offer her name to me.

"She is excellent at noticing small details and very skilled at organizing her lord's room and living spaces. But given her personality, she isn't particularly good at proactive socializing, and she says she lacks the confidence to serve as Lady Rozemyne's attendant when upper territories and royalty are involved."

"…That is a problem, isn't it?"

I looked toward Lieseleta and Brunhilde. Brunhilde placed a hand against her cheek in thought.

"Gretia has earned excellent grades as an attendant apprentice. Lieseleta is graduating, and Bertilde will enroll next year, so if Gretia can complement Bertilde, I think it should work out."

Both Brunhilde and her younger sister Bertilde were expected to handle the higher-level socializing—coordinating with upper territories and the central region. That was apparently what Mother was currently drilling into Bertilde. They needed an attendant like Lieseleta who excelled at more inward-facing work.

"As a mid-ranking noble myself, I currently leave negotiations with upper territories and the central region to Brunhilde. Gretia says she lacks confidence, but from what I've seen of her so far, she has no trouble dealing with mid- and lower-ranking nobles. I think she'll be fine," Lieseleta added.

"Yes. As Lieseleta says, observing her composure during tea parties and inter-territory competitions, she handles everything adequately. I'll be here for these two years as well, so even if Gretia joins the attendants, there should be no problems. Please leave it to me."

Brunhilde's powerful amber eyes gazed straight at me.

Attendants were absolutely necessary. I decided to treat Gretia as an attendant focused primarily on inward-facing work and had Roderick convey that to her.

Unsure when the purge in Ehrenfest would begin or end, the next day brought the promotion ceremony and the social gathering. We could not let other territories learn that the Ehrenfest dormitory was in disarray.

I had my attendants prepare rinshan and hair ornaments for distribution, just as they had the previous year, in preparation for the following day.

The timing of this is after Matthias's story.

The children of the old Veronica faction are desperately thinking about how they will live from now on.

Rozemyne intends to help as much as she can.

Next is the promotion ceremony and social gathering.