"I'm back. Did anything change while I was away?"
The Lord and Lady returned to the dormitory after the graduation ceremony had concluded. The graduates were busy saying their farewells and introducing their partners to their respective parents, so they were apparently still lingering in the lecture hall.
My adoptive father, looking utterly exhausted, shot me a sharp glare.
I instinctively held my breath. There was no doubt that something had happened involving my blessing of light. And my adoptive father had already figured out that I was the culprit.
"Nothing of note occurred, Aub Ehrenfest."
The Chief Priest stepped forward smoothly as he spoke. I took half a step behind him, using him as cover, and inched my way further back little by little.
"Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary took place. How was the graduation ceremony? Were there any interesting incidents?"
"...Ah, I suppose I'll tell you. Come to my room.
"I am a girl, you know. It is forbidden for me to set foot on the second floor where the men's rooms are lined up."
What a shame, I tried to say as I made to escape, but of course there was no way he would let me. My adoptive father's eyebrow twitched, and he said in a low voice, "This is an order." My adoptive mother beside him smiled sweetly and added, "I will be there as well, so there is nothing to worry about." There was absolutely no way out.
"...Y-Yes, sir."
My adoptive father swept his cape and headed for his room. All I could do was slump my shoulders and trudge along behind him. The attendants had been forbidden from entering the room, leaving only the Lord and Lady, the Chief Priest, and myself inside. The Knight Commander, my father, and Brother
"So what exactly happened?"
"At the graduation ceremony, Prince
No one had seen where the blessing had come from. Apparently, while everyone was watching with great interest as the prince and the
Everyone was in an uproar, asking what on earth had happened and whether the High Priest had done something. In the midst of all the commotion, the High Priest of the Central
Thinking he must have some explanation, everyone fell silent, and the High Priest declared that it was "a blessing from the gods." He said it was a blessing for Eglantine's coming-of-age and her marriage.
"Lady Eglantine? Not both of them together?"
"The quantity of the blessing light was clearly uneven. Since she is the one who chose her partner, it gave the impression that Prince Anastasius merely happened to be included in the blessing."
I had wished for the two of them to be happy, so it was strange for only Eglantine to receive the blessing. When my adoptive mother saw me tilt my head in puzzlement, she did the same.
"Then perhaps I had nothing to do with it. It must be because Lady Eglantine is favored by the gods that such a result occurred, surely."
I had already reached a conclusion in my head: let's just go ahead and call this a genuine blessing from the gods. But then the Chief Priest pressed his temples and glared at me.
"When you are unconscious, your blessings are heavily influenced by your emotions. There would be nothing strange about a bias in a blessing meant for two people. Do you realize how much practice you did for
"...Uh..."
I was reminded of how desperately I had practiced to prevent any difference in the amount of blessing compared to the other children, and I had no rebuttal. Now that he mentioned it, it made sense that there would be a discrepancy between Eglantine and Anastasius.
"In any case, it has been established as a blessing from the gods, so you must absolutely keep your mouth shut. Don't say anything unnecessary. Are there any other witnesses?"
"Yes, all the students present have been ordered to keep silent. Once it has spread after the High Priest of the Central Temple recognized it as a blessing from the gods, even if Rozemyne's name is later attached to it, people would only mock how unnecessary the Saint title really is."
The Chief Priest said that as long as everyone kept quiet until they returned to their domains, it would become firmly established as a blessing from the gods by the next winter.
"...Lady Eglantine appears to be divinely favored. That works for our purposes. But we need to get a full understanding of the situation on our end. Tell me what happened before and after. Rozemyne, which god did you pray to this time?"
Prompted by my adoptive father's weary voice, I hesitated. Being glared at like that, I had no idea which god to name. I hadn't prayed to any god this time.
"I... was thinking that I wished for Prince Anastasius and Lady Eglantine to be happy. However, I did not pray to any particular god. ...I did not even speak the words of a prayer."
My adoptive father looked at me suspiciously, then turned his gaze to the Chief Priest.
"That is correct. If Rozemyne had offered a normal prayer, I would have stopped the blessing before it could fly out."
"Well, then. What exactly was Rozemyne doing?"
Reassured by my adoptive mother's gentle voice, I told her I had been watching Eglantine's dedication dance.
"Brother Eckhart filmed the sword dance and the dedication dance using one of
"...Let me see it. I have never seen that kind of Magical Tool before."
"
"No, there may be some secret hidden in that footage."
At my adoptive father's words, the Chief Priest muttered, "That's your true feelings showing," but opened the door and ordered Brother Eckhart to bring the Magical Tool. The Magical Tool that had been kept in the Chief Priest's room was brought in, and the footage of the dedication dance in question was displayed.
"This is incredible."
"It uses Magic Power like a madman. It is not something you can use casually."
"The dedication dance was truly wonderful, so I am very happy to be able to see it once more in this form."
My adoptive mother had also found the dedication dance—especially Eglantine's portion—to be truly marvelous. I looked up at her, delighted.
"Lady Eglantine really is wonderful, isn't she? Especially the part where... 'Pray only to the gods of nature, pray'—and then these two..."
"Rozemyne, were you perhaps singing along just now like that as well?"
"Yes. Since there was no sound, I filled in the melody from memory, since I know the dedication dance—was that a problem?"
The Chief Priest pressed his temples at my response.
"Then that is the cause."
"What do you mean?"
"The song from the dedication dance, obviously. The dedication dance's song was originally something offered to the gods. Rozemyne once triggered a blessing with a song she dedicated to
My adoptive father shot an indescribable look at the Chief Priest, who had just declared my extraordinary situation to be perfectly normal.
"How can it be stopped?"
"Don't ask me. There is no way I can manage when Rozemyne might feel like blessing someone."
"...When my teacher told me to pour my heart into the dedication dance, I thought I needed to be careful, but I never imagined it could result in a blessing through song. I'm surprised myself."
At my outsized capability, everyone clutched their heads in unison.
"There is another fact that makes my head hurt even more. Rozemyne already possesses the Will of the Gods."
"...What does that mean?"
"Sylvester, do you not remember what the purpose of incorporating the Will of the Gods into yourself and making it your
"To make it easier to handle one's own Magic Power, to more easily deliver prayers to the gods, and to receive divine gifts... Enough. I understand."
Because I had acquired a Stenluke, my prayers were apparently reaching the gods far more easily than before.
"There is no point in dwelling on this further if we are not going to come up with a solution. Let us prioritize what needs to be addressed urgently."
"Is there something that needs urgent attention?"
"Yes. Thanks to the inter-domain tournament and this graduation ceremony, Rozemyne has spread trends and earned a reputation as the talented Saint, and several marriage proposals have already come in. The current offers are all from lower-ranking domains, so they can be easily declined, but we need to finalize Rozemyne's engagement quickly before offers from higher-ranking domains arrive."
...Oh my, I'm popular!?
I was secretly a little thrilled by this unprecedented situation of receiving multiple marriage proposals, when the Chief Priest tapped me on the head.
"Don't get giddy over trouble, you fool. So what did you answer?"
"Obviously, I said she already had a partner within Ehrenfest.
"That is a reasonable answer. We cannot let Rozemyne leave our domain. It is not just a matter of Magic Power—I cannot imagine her managing to survive in another territory while putting up a facade. She is a dangerous object who is difficult to handle, emotionally unstable, and prone to Magic Power going haywire."
"...A dangerous object? That is a terrible way to treat me, Ferdinand!"
The content was mostly accurate, so I couldn't really argue, but I firmly protested the way he described me.
My adoptive mother looked at me and shook her head with a troubled smile.
"Rozemyne, please react to the fact that your own engagement is being decided before all of this."
"But becoming an adoptive daughter was meant to bring benefits and Magic Power to Ehrenfest, and a political marriage was always going to happen, wasn't it? As long as I can use the library freely, I am fine marrying whomever."
"...Your words are exactly the same as
At the Chief Priest's words, I let out a small "Ah."
...Indeed. ...Wait. Could it be that I too am going to become one of those tragic beauties?
"When you consider the delicacy required in handling Rozemyne and the balance of her Magic Power, Ferdinand would be the most viable candidate..."
"Stop saying ridiculous things, Sylvester."
I was about to blurt out whether he disliked the idea of marrying me that much, but I quickly swallowed my words. The Chief Priest's face was terrifyingly serious.
"It would eliminate the possibility of your child becoming the next Lord. It would be no laughing matter."
"...What do you mean?"
When I tilted my head in confusion, the Chief Priest let out a soft sigh.
"At this moment, there are five people considered candidates for the next Lord of Ehrenfest."
"Um, Brother Wilfried, Charlotte,
"Strictly speaking,
...Come to think of it, Grandfather had been a Lord's child too. I had forgotten.
"Wilfried, who has the stain of entering the White Tower; Charlotte, who must take a husband from another domain's archduke candidates; Melchior, who has not yet completed his Baptism Ceremony; myself, who has been cast aside by
"But I..."
I was about to say that I was originally a Commoner, but the Chief Priest cut me off and continued.
"To those who do not know the facts, unlike me, Rozemyne has both
Very few people knew that I had originally been a Commoner. In that case, I was Bonifatius's granddaughter who carried the Lord's blood, the child of the Knight Commander and his first wife. There would be absolutely no issue with my bloodline either.
"Considering that the printing industry will henceforth revolve around Rozemyne and Elvira, as well as our family connections, one could already say that Count
My adoptive mother's expression changed dramatically. Count Leisegang was Bonifatius's wife's family and the most powerful landowner within Ehrenfest. Incidentally, my mother's grandmother was also apparently from the
"If such a Rozemyne were to marry me, the outcome would be obvious. I would certainly be put forward as the next Lord. The one who had no backing would gain it through marriage to Rozemyne. Even if the marriage takes place after Rozemyne's coming-of-age, Wilfried and Charlotte, who have only just come of age, would be no match for me."
This was not arrogance or anything of the sort—it was simply fact. I did not believe that Wilfried and Charlotte, who had only recently come of age, could outmaneuver the Chief Priest, who had grown even more cunning than before.
"If you want to formulate a countermeasure before another domain takes Rozemyne, then arrange for her to be engaged to Wilfried. That will greatly increase the chances of Wilfried becoming the next Lord, just as you desire."
"I see. ...Well then, Ferdinand, shall we have Rozemyne engaged to Wilfried, and have you engaged to Charlotte?"
My adoptive father said this in an unmistakably joking tone as he looked up at the Chief Priest. The Chief Priest's vein bulged sharply at a joke that was decidedly not funny.
"Don't be absurd."
"Exactly! No matter what, poor Charlotte would suffer! By the time Charlotte comes of age, Ferdinand will already be middle-aged! I will not accept anyone but someone young, kind, and who will cherish Charlotte—not someone nasty like Ferdinand!"
"Oh? Say that again, why don't you."
I had been agreeing with the Chief Priest's position, but he grew even angrier and pinched my cheek hard.
"Ow, ow, ow! I'm sowwy!"
He huffed and finally released my cheek, which I rubbed gently as I recovered. My adoptive mother let out a soft sigh.
"Do you have any objection to being engaged to Wilfried?"
"If I may have free rein over the castle library and the Temple library, then I have absolutely no problem with it."
"...Will you support Wilfried?"
"I will do my best."
For the sake of stable library operations, we needed the Lord to be solid. I should be able to manage at least supporting him.
The Chief Priest snorted at my resolve.
"Florentia, asking that of Rozemyne is the wrong approach. What matters is whether Wilfried will be able to take the reins of Rozemyne."
"Am I some kind of wild horse or something!?"
"If you consider the impact on those around you, a wild horse would be far easier to handle."
My adoptive mother watched our exchange with a deeply complicated expression and smiled wryly.
After a period of thought, my adoptive father raised his face with resolve.
"If there are no objections, we will announce the engagement of Wilfried and Rozemyne to the nobles of our domain at the Spring Prayer feast, and notify all domains at the Archduke Conference. Is that acceptable?"
"Understood. ...Please make sure to discuss it properly with Brother Wilfried as well."
I was dismissed and returned to my room, where I found that get-well gifts had arrived from both Eglantine and Anastasius.
In Eglantine's letter, she wrote that my words had been the catalyst that moved Anastasius, leading to the best possible outcome for her, and that she had wished for my blessing at the graduation ceremony because of this.
...Could she be probing about the blessing?
She also mentioned that the hair ornaments and the Rinsham had been very well received, and that both Grandfather and
...Adoptive father had looked absolutely haggard, but if the Aub of a greater duchy was pleased, then my efforts had been worth it.
I wrote back that I too had been very disappointed not to be able to attend and see Lady Eglantine's dedication dance.
From Anastasius, I also received a get-well message that mixed scolding with concern, asking whether collapsing at such an important ceremony did not indicate that I was far too frail.
I replied, "I apologize for my frailty. If it had been possible, I would have very much liked to attend as well. It seems you both received blessings at the graduation ceremony. I congratulate you both as well."
I maintained my stance that the blessing had nothing to do with me.
After writing replies to both of them, I also composed a letter of apology and gratitude to Hannalore, who had come to visit me during the inter-domain tournament.
"Could you deliver this letter and book to Hannalore of
Once I had finished processing my get-well messages, I looked around my room, which had been gradually tidied up.
Now that the graduation ceremony was over, the return to their respective domains would begin in order starting tomorrow.
"I will need to go to the library tomorrow to supply Magic Power to
"My lady, consult with Lord Ferdinand first. It may be possible to entrust your Magic Power to Teacher
The next day, after consulting with the Chief Priest, I was able to borrow a magic stone imbued with my Magic Power. However, it was a large stone and extremely expensive, so the Chief Priest said he would go in person to handle the lending contract directly with Solange.
I obtained my adoptive father's permission and went to the library with the Chief Priest, trailed by my attendants in a little procession.
"I do not think Teacher Solange would do anything dishonest, but..."
"With a magic stone this size, filled with your Magic Power, it is only natural to take precautions to prevent it from being misused or stolen. You seem willing to lend magic stones and Magical Tools to anyone without a second thought, so let me remind you: operate under the assumption that anything lent out will never come back. Magic Power is not something you can casually lend to people."
I had no choice but to accept this as common sense. I nodded. The Chief Priest lent me magic stones freely, and I felt as though I lent him Magic Power, but perhaps there were no issues because of the guardian arrangement.
"My lady has come."
"My lady, reading books?"
I was greeted by Schwartz and Weiss, and I returned the books that Lieselotta had been holding for me. The Chief Priest let out a sigh—part astonishment, part resignation—as he watched Schwartz and Weiss toddling about.
"...So you really are their master."
"That's right."
"Lady Rozemyne! And is that not Ferdinand? What a pleasant surprise. You look well."
Solange apparently remembered the Chief Priest, who had frequently visited the library while gathering materials for
"It has been too long. ...I heard from Rozemyne that none of the Librarians I knew were still here. I am relieved that there is at least one familiar face."
Solange noticed the Chief Priest's subtle tact in steering the conversation away from painful subjects and smiled softly.
"Teacher Solange, I came today to return books and discuss Magic Power supply. Do you have a moment?"
"Yes, thank you for your thoughtfulness."
Since it was the day after the graduation ceremony, the library was deserted. I was startled by the sight of bare shelves in the otherwise empty library. The last time I had visited, it had been before the final examinations, and many students had been carrying armloads of books, leaving the shelves empty. But the fact that there were still so many gaps now—what could that mean?
"Are this many books still unreturned? Every domain should be preparing to depart by now..."
"It has been getting worse year by year. I fear it is because I am not powerful enough to prevent it..."
Solange lowered her eyes sadly. She said that even those who had gone through the proper borrowing procedures sometimes looked down on her as a mid-ranking noble and simply failed to return their books. As for those who had brought books to
"Cannot investigate? That is absurd. What exactly are Schwartz and Weiss for? In the past, reminders were sent based on their records, were they not?"
The Chief Priest's eyes widened at how different the library was from when he had been enrolled. But Solange was not their master, so she apparently could not obtain that information from Schwartz and Weiss.
"I cannot impose any further burden on Lady Rozemyne..."
"No, it is no burden. Helping with the library is the work of a Library Committee member. If I can be of use, I am more than happy to help in any capacity."
I had refrained from any activities beyond reading in the library to avoid causing trouble for Solange, but if I could be given some work to do, I intended to do my best as a Library Committee member.
"I do not know what a Library Committee is, but Rozemyne has both motivation and Magic Power. Rather, if a library in this state is left unchecked, might it not eventually invite not a blessing but a curse upon those who treated books carelessly?"
"...Please do not say such terrible things. It would be the wrath of the Goddess of Wisdom."
The Chief Priest murmured that since mere scattering and trampling of materials had already prompted words like "bloodbath," it would be best to deal with the problem before killings occurred at the
"Rozemyne, as the master of Schwartz and Weiss, this is your job. Create a list by domain of those who have not returned books and those who took them without authorization. Meanwhile, I will speak with Teacher Solange about the lending contract for the magic stone."
"Understood."
Following the Chief Priest's instructions, I called Schwartz and Weiss and began compiling a list by domain of those who had taken books without returning them. My attendants were also working at full capacity.
"Schwartz, Weiss. Please tell me, by domain, the names of those who took books from the library without permission and have not yet returned them."
"By domain, unreturned borrowers..."
"By domain, unauthorized removal..."
As Schwartz and Weiss murmured, their eyes glowed faintly, and names were spoken from their mouths. My attendants and I wrote down the names as they came.
The result of creating the list was that no reminders needed to be sent to the greater domains—it was the lower-ranking domains that had worse library etiquette.
"There are none from Ehrenfest."
"No one would do something so foolish as to cause trouble in the library where Lady Rozemyne is so deeply involved. Their own futures are tied to the status of library books," Brother
"Ferdinand, Teacher Solange—I have finished compiling the list of names."
"Ah, and I have finished the lending contract for the magic stone. Let me see it."
When I showed him the list, the Chief Priest furrowed his brow deeply at the sheer number of unauthorized removals.
"Teacher Solange, give me a summoning ordination for the reminders."
"Ferdinand?"
"I will send the reminders this time. If the reminder arrives in a male adult voice that no one has heard before, the recipients will no doubt assume on their own that the central authority has intervened."
Indeed, Solange's voice would be the same as always, and my child's voice would only invite further condescension. But the Chief Priest's severe voice would surely send them scrambling to return their books.
"That would be a great help, Ferdinand. I never imagined you would cooperate with library management. I am truly grateful."
When I expressed my heartfelt thanks, the Chief Priest's lips curled into a grin.
"Rozemyne, show me Schwartz and Weiss's bellies later. I want to see them in person. I am cooperating with library management after all. A reward of that magnitude should be permitted, surely?"
...That was your goal all along!? I had thought it was a bit strange that the Chief Priest would come all the way to the library to help out!
I weighed the benefits and drawbacks of enlisting the Chief Priest's help.
He had already seen Schwartz and Weiss from Hirschur, so there was nothing much to worry about on that front. If this got him to cooperate on making their outfits and ensured books were properly returned to the library, the benefits clearly outweighed the costs.
"...If I leave it to Ferdinand, will the books definitely be returned?"
"Yes. I will send a reminder that makes it absolutely impossible not to return them."
In his low, resolute voice, the Chief Priest composed an ordination of unprecedented terror—one that included the warning that "the Royal Academy library was entrusted to the royal family for management, and its collection was the property of the royal family; those who did not return books before departure would be treated as thieves and reported to each lord in the king's name; moreover, they would be deemed to have broken the oath made to the Goddess of Wisdom,
...It was the day after the graduation ceremony, after all. Many lords were probably still at their dormitories. I was going to get an earful.
That day, the library became a scene of chaos: students rushing in with their books, their faces pale; Solange and Schwartz buried in the return process; me cheerfully assisting in my role as Library Committee member; and the Chief Priest in the office, carefully examining Weiss's belly while scattering magical circles about.
Satisfied with my Library Committee work, and the Chief Priest in excellent spirits—apparently having had some inspiration from staring at Weiss's belly—we returned to Ehrenfest.
Adoptive father, I am completely exhausted after these two days. It was mainly Rozemyne's fault.
And then came the sudden engagement decision. The Chief Priest has withdrawn from the running as Rozemyne's partner.
Rozemyne served as a Library Committee member right up to the very end before returning to Ehrenfest.
Next, I will spread the method of Magic Power compression.