Haldenzel — Part 2

"I'll go fetch the Fesphiel," Mother said, flashing a smile at Giebe Haldenzel. He returned a wry smile and replied, "Your room is the farthest, so you'd better hurry," sending her on her way.

...Huh? She has an Attendant with her, so why would Mother go get it herself?

As I watched the Sword Dance with that question floating through my head, Lieseleta — who had been standing behind us ready to serve refreshments — quietly told me while refilling the sweet tea that Mother had apparently said, "I'd like to practice, so please give me some time," and Giebe Haldenzel had answered, "We perform it at the end of the Dedication Ritual, so go quickly."

...I don't get it!

While I was silently screaming my confusion, the Sword Dance continued. Watching it reminded me of Father's Sword Dance, which I had seen when my adoptive father accompanied the Dedication Ritual disguised as a Blue Priest. Both of their dances had been beautiful and cool.

I also thought it would be nice to see Angelica's Sword Dance. Of course, I kept that to myself. I couldn't cause chaos at the Haldenzel Dedication Ritual over a passing whim.

"I have returned."

Mother came back with an Attendant carrying the Fesphiel just as the Sword Dance ended and the Offering Dance was entering its final stretch. I sank into my seat with a sigh, and the Offering Dance concluded.

In a normal year, the Dedication Ritual would have ended there. But this year, it didn't. Giebe Haldenzel stood and announced, "In accordance with the ancient Holy Book passed down through generations of High Priests, I'd like to try offering a song sung only by women," then introduced Mother: "The Fesphiel will be played by my sister, Elvira."

Mother took the prepared Fesphiel and climbed onto the stage. I admired how composed she was — she'd been suddenly assigned this role after stepping in to help me, yet she showed no sign of panic as she ascended.

When the Haldenzel noblewomen were told to take the stage, those who normally had no role in the annual festival looked uncertainly at one another, waiting for someone to go first. Even if they wanted to join, nobody could move until a higher-ranking woman did.

Giebe Haldenzel's wife seemed to read the atmosphere. She stood and called out to the women seated at the surrounding tables, inviting them to take the stage.

"Lady Elvira will also be offering her Fesphiel. Let us all sing and pray together!"

With the most prominent woman in Haldenzel having made her move, the noblewomen began heading toward the stage one after another, almost as if pulling each other along. Some who weren't confident in their singing appeared to be preparing instruments instead.

"Lady Rozemyne, won't you join us as well?"

Giebe Haldenzel's wife extended a hand toward me with a gentle smile. I was surprised — wasn't I excused since Mother was playing the Fesphiel in my place? I scrambled for a polite refusal.

"I am not a noble of Haldenzel, so..."

"Oh, but Lady Rozemyne is Lady Elvira's daughter, which makes you one of us. And if you, as the High Priest, were to celebrate spring alongside us, it would give courage to the people as they set off on their brave hunts."

At this point, I couldn't very well say, "I'm afraid some strange blessing might come out." She'd probably counter with, "Please, by all means, grant your blessing upon Haldenzel."

What could I possibly say to make her give up? With my limited social skills, I had no idea. I looked to Father for help, and he gave a helpless shrug.

"Solidarity and empathy during ceremonies and banquets like this are important things. Rozemyne doesn't know the song, so she can't participate, but couldn't she at least stand on the dais as the High Priest?"

I could climb onto the stage to save face for Giebe Haldenzel, but then I'd just have to stand there doing nothing. Still, there was no need to embarrass him here.

Propelled by the momentum of the celebration, I headed for the stage alongside Giebe Haldenzel's wife and my guard knight, Angelica.

"Lady Rozemyne..."

When Giebe Haldenzel's wife and I stepped onto the stage, Mother's eyes widened slightly. Of course — her efforts to spare me from this had just been undone. But I wanted her to take that up with Father.

"I'll simply be offering prayers as the High Priest. I want to maintain solidarity with everyone in Haldenzel, but I'm afraid I can't sing."

Mother let out a small, resigned sigh.

As Giebe Haldenzel's wife directed the women where to stand based on how the men's song had been arranged, they spread across the stage and knelt gently in their spots.

"Lady Rozemyne, please stand here."

The spot I was directed to was right in front of the Small Holy Cup. With singing women all around me, even lip-syncing would go completely unnoticed — it was the perfect position for a decorative High Priest. Surrounded by adult women, my small figure would be hidden entirely, which was exactly why my participation as the Lord's adopted daughter in her role as High Priest had meaning.

I knelt down gently just like everyone around me and placed my hands flat on the floor.

"I offer prayers and gratitude to the gods who created this world."

Slowly raising my head, the first to rise were the people holding instruments. With Mother at the center, women lined up along the edges of the stage raised their instruments.

A single, clear note rang out from Mother's Fesphiel, and the performance began. More Fesphiel voices joined in, flutes layered on top, and the prelude flowed onward. In time with the prelude, the singers slowly rose and lifted their faces. Giebe Haldenzel's wife was at the center of this group.

"In the deep, deep world of white, let there be an end. Shatter the unyielding ice that rejects all, and rescue our Earth Goddess..."

...Oh no! The song's already started!

Everyone in Haldenzel knew this song well, so no rehearsal was needed. But I, with no knowledge of it whatsoever, completely missed the cue to stand.

Still kneeling, I frantically tried to figure out when I should rise. If I stood now, I'd probably stand out badly. Having done nothing the entire time, I had no idea when the right moment would be. Honestly, staying kneeling might actually make it look like I was praying.

Having missed my window, I remained on my knees and listened to Mother's Fesphiel and everyone's singing.

"Let us deliver everyone's prayers!"

When the song ended, Giebe Haldenzel's wife spoke these words. This was the prelude to offering prayers to the gods.

...Now!

I finally spotted my moment and hurried to my feet. Just in time — I managed to follow along with everyone's motion of raising both hands in prayer.

"Let us pray to the gods!"

The instant those words were spoken, I felt my Magic Power being drawn out. On the surface of the stage where we knelt — had it always been there? — a large Magic Circle glowed green as it rose into the air.

"What is this...?"

Everyone stared in astonishment, mouths slightly agape, watching the luminous Magic Circle. It rose steadily until it reached about two meters — taller than an adult.

Looking up at it, the movement stopped abruptly. Just as I thought "Hm?", the Magic Circle was sucked into the Small Holy Cup in an instant. From the Cup, a pillar of green light shot straight upward, standing tall.

The next moment, several of the girls around me who had been staring at the Magic Circle in blank amazement suddenly began collapsing one after another. Seeing person after person fall without any warning, I gasped.

"Kyah!"

"What is this!?!"

Amid these cries of surprise, Mother and Giebe Haldenzel's wife did not fall. Instead, they looked around at the scene. Not only were women collapsing, but others were sitting down with queasy expressions. The Dedication Ritual was suddenly engulfed in screams.

"Lady Rozemyne, are you unwell!?"

Angelica placed her hand on Stenluke, keeping watch over the surroundings as she questioned me. "I'm perfectly fine. It's nothing," I replied while scanning the area just as she was.

I could see the knights rushing over with alarmed expressions. Father, who had been the closest, arrived first. Not bothering to circle around to the stairs, he leaped onto the stage and sprinted straight toward me.

"Rozemyne, are you alright!?"

"I'm fine. Nothing's wrong."

"That Magic Circle might be the cause — do you have any idea what happened?"

I also suspected the Magic Circle was responsible for the women collapsing, but I had no idea why it had happened. I shook my head.

Father looked me over from top to bottom to make sure I was truly uninjured, then turned his gaze toward Mother, who was approaching from nearby.

"Elvira, are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine, but the burden must have been too great for the lower-ranking nobles. It seems their Magic Power was drained by that Magic Circle, leaving them with none. Please administer recovery medicine right away."

At Mother's words, the knights — who always carried recovery medicine — hurriedly produced the vials at their waists and began giving them to the unconscious women. Those who were conscious and had their own supply quickly took theirs. According to Mother, the ones who had collapsed were lower-ranking noblewomen, and those feeling unwell were of the middle rank.

"Lady Rozemyne, leave Haldenzel to handle this. Let's return to your room at once."

As Giebe Haldenzel's sister, Mother left the situation in the hands of the Giebe couple and took on the task of sending the Lord's three children back to their rooms. She called Father and two knights as escort, and we headed for our guest quarters.

"Rozemyne, are you really alright?"

"Sister, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It seems to be just a loss of Magic Power."

Fussed over by Wilfried and Charlotte, I made my way back to the room. While waiting for Lieseleta to open the door, I looked up at Mother.

"I'm going to rest in my room now, but you'll be helping Giebe Haldenzel, won't you?"

"Yes. This is unprecedented, and I intend to help my brother as much as I can."

"Mother, if you're going to help Giebe Haldenzel, please take the medicine. The Magic Circle drained your Magic Power too, after all."

I told her I had some of Ferdinand's medicine in my room, and she smiled, saying, "Thank you for your thoughtfulness. Do get some rest," before heading off toward Charlotte's room.

Her retreating figure overlapped with the image of the Chief Priest who always pushed himself to the limit while insisting nothing was wrong. I quickly grabbed Father's cloak.

"Father, please make sure Mother takes recovery medicine too."

"I know. Elvira has always had a habit of putting herself last. Don't worry."

Father patted my head lightly and promised to handle it, so I left the rest to him.

I returned to my room, took a bath, prepared for bed, and climbed into the sleeping platform. Once Lieseleta saw that I was settled in for sleep, she turned her attention to the medicine still sitting on the table — the Chief Priest's kindness.

"...Lady Rozemyne, aren't you going to take the medicine?"

"A loss of Magic Power this small doesn't require Ferdinand's medicine. I have no physical strength to speak of, but I do have Magic Power."

Just as I was beginning to doze off in my futon, a low, rumbling sound began outside. I could hear thunder rolling distantly at the edge of my consciousness.

...Ah, thunder.

I was able to think that much in a half-dreaming state for only a brief moment. The thunder quickly intensified, and a tremendous sound — like wooden shutters being split apart — began reverberating. Lightning flashed through the gaps in the shutters, and an eerie glow played across the tent walls. Sleep was no longer an option.

"Hiii!"

...W-wait, that's scary! Seriously scary! There's so much light and so much noise!

Even with my head buried under the futon, the sound penetrated through. I heard the tent flap being thrown open, and without thinking I screamed, "The thunder is going to steal my belly button!" and clapped both hands over my stomach.

"Um, are you alright, Lady Rozemyne?"

"Hya!? Lieseleta? I-I-I-I'm fine!"

The ones who had entered by pulling back the tent flap weren't Thunder himself but Lieseleta and Angelica. I let out a sigh of relief, but having poked my head out of the futon only made the thunder's sound and light worse, and I wanted to cry.

"...Lady Rozemyne, I'm afraid of thunder, so would you mind if I stayed with you for a little while?"

"Of course! Lieseleta, sleep here with me! It's not so scary when you're together."

Come on in! Come on! I opened the futon wide, but neither Lieseleta nor Angelica would actually sleep next to me. Still, Lieseleta sat down by my pillow and held my hand.

"When I was young, my mother used to do this for me often."

"...Lieseleta, I don't actually have any memory of Mother doing that for me..."

Angelica looked down at Lieseleta and me holding hands with a complicated expression, muttering, "I was never on the receiving end." Lieseleta turned to her with a small smile.

"You were completely unfazed by the thunder and slept right through it, Sister. This is about what happened after you fell asleep."

"I didn't notice."

After keeping the two of them up with me, by the time the thunder finally receded enough for me to fall asleep, it was quite late. As a result, I couldn't wake up in the morning and kept insisting I wanted to sleep until the last possible moment before breakfast, bundled up in my futon.

"Lady Rozemyne, something terrible has happened! Please change immediately. Giebe Haldenzel says he wants an urgent meeting."

Someone — a messenger — must have arrived. I heard the door open, and after a brief pause, Lieseleta burst in, practically tearing aside the tent flap.

"What happened?"

"Spring has come to Haldenzel."

"...We finished the Dedication Ritual, so of course it has."

In the Noble District of Ehrenfest, spring was considered to begin after the Spring Prayer banquet. In the lower city, it started after the winter coming-of-age ceremony. And in the directly governed rural areas and in Haldenzel, spring came after the Dedication Ritual.

Haldenzel, once the Dedication Ritual was complete, was in spring — even if snow still remained. There was nothing unusual about that.

As I slowly sat up and said as much, Lieseleta shook her head vigorously.

"That's not what I mean. All the snow melted completely overnight."

"Hah!?"

After changing, I made my way to the designated location. It was the highest tower in Haldenzel's castle, the one with a lookout point offering a view of the surrounding area. There, the Giebe Haldenzel couple, Haldenzel's prominent figures, Father, Mother, and members of the knight order were all staring at the landscape with stunned expressions.

"Wow, it looks so much like spring. The Goddesses of Spring must have worked especially hard."

When I had arrived in Haldenzel yesterday, a fair amount of snow still remained. The clouds had been thick, the sunlight weak, and the north had still appeared white. Now all that snow was completely gone.

The area around the castle was enveloped in the pale green of young leaves and colorful flowers. I could see yellow and white blooms, and where the north had been blanketed in snow, I could now make out low shrubs and greenery nestled among red rock faces. The wind brushing my cheeks was still slightly cool, but incomparable to yesterday's freezing gusts.

The sunlight was soft, gentle, and pleasant.

"This isn't spring, Lady Rozemyne. This is an early summer scene here in Haldenzel."

Giebe Haldenzel said this with a slight shake of his head.

"Last night's thunder was the thunder of Feardrenna, the Goddess of Spring, heralding the arrival of the season. In Haldenzel, it sounds at the time when all the snow finally melts."

For Haldenzel, where snow lingered for so long, even though it was called the thunder of the Goddess of Spring, it actually signaled the end of spring and the brief arrival of summer.

"Last night, I thought it was strangely out-of-season thunder, but I never expected this..."

Giebe Haldenzel narrowed his eyes in bewilderment. Beside him, I surveyed the surroundings. People were streaming out of the castle one after another, spreading across the grasslands full of young leaves in every direction.

"A lot of people seem to be rushing out of the castle in quite a panic. Is that alright?"

"They truly are in a state of total upheaval. This has never happened before."

To increase the harvest as much as possible, the southern residents had to rush to the farming villages to prepare their fields. The northern residents couldn't predict when or how many magic beasts would appear in this climate, so they had to head to the hunting grounds immediately.

With this sudden change of seasons, Haldenzel was in complete chaos.

"Was it caused by that Magic Circle after all?"

"There was nothing else different from previous years, so I'm certain it was."

"Then perhaps the Dedication Ritual was originally meant to be this — a ceremony where you offer Magic Power and pray to the gods to truly call forth spring."

As I said this, marveling at the power of the local gods, Giebe Haldenzel's eyes widened.

"Lady Rozemyne..."

"If we performed the same ceremony next year, couldn't we bring spring earlier again?"

That Magic Circle had originally been part of the stage. If we used it, it would require a massive amount of Magic Power, but it might produce the same effect every year.

"This sudden thaw is a blessing, certainly, but after witnessing last night's ceremony, the burden on the women is far too great. It galls me that I'm completely useless."

"At the Temple, I infuse Magic Stones with my own Magic Power, and Blue Priests with lower Magic Power use them to conduct the Dedication Ritual. I don't think it's impossible for men to contribute as well..."

I suggested infusing Magic Stones with Magic Power and handing them to lower-ranking noblewomen. It seemed the idea of transferring Magic Power to others in this way had never occurred to them. Everyone around me stared in surprise.

"To think the Temple actually uses such a method... We'll have to consider various options on our end as well."

As Giebe Haldenzel spoke, Father, who had been surveying the area, squinted hard and pointed into the distance.

"Giebe Haldenzel, what is that?"

I intensified my Body Strengthening, enhanced my vision, and looked in the direction Father was pointing. In the distance, I could see a tree gleaming gold.

"What an unusual color. Is it a magic tree?"

"Yes. It's a magic tree called Bärenluse — a precious sweet treat in Haldenzel. Normally, giving them to outsiders is forbidden, but if it were offered to Lady Rozemyne, who brought true spring to Haldenzel, I doubt anyone would object. If you'd like, would you take some with you? The fruit of the Bärenluse can also be used as an ingredient in recovery medicine. It's of exceptionally high quality."

The sweet tea unique to Haldenzel was apparently brewed using Bärenluse leaves. Delighted, I nodded enthusiastically.

"Thank you very much, Giebe Haldenzel."

"With the knight order providing an escort, you should be able to gather some without any danger."

Haldenzel had sprung into a flurry of activity, but we couldn't leave until the Plantagen Trading Company's business was finished. We still needed a few more days.

During that time, Giebe Haldenzel apparently took his knights and raced all over Haldenzel under the pretext of collecting Bärenluse fruit for me — and went on a magic beast hunting spree in the process.

Father grumbled at our departure that Giebe Haldenzel had used him rather skillfully. The Giebe had a way of putting people to work that was remarkably similar to Mother's — by the time you realized it, you'd already been roped in. As expected of Mother's older brother.

"Here are the Bärenluse fruit."

Wilfried, Charlotte, and I each received two of the mysterious, glowing golden fruit as souvenirs before we departed Haldenzel.

Johann and Zack also seemed to have gained a great deal from their serious exchanges with the craftsmen, and in the end, they parted with bright smiles and handshakes, reluctant to say goodbye. The Plantagen Trading Company had been able to complete its procedures ahead of schedule, much to everyone's relief.

On the ride back to Ehrenfest in the lesseraus, I discovered that the range of the Small Holy Cup's blessing extended only to Haldenzel, and my eyes widened in surprise.

Seen from above, the boundary line was clearly visible. To the south, Haldenzel had become a spring landscape, while patches of snow still clung to the forest in the north.

"...What a strange sight."

"I think the only thing stranger than this is Lady Rozemyne, who caused it."

Angelica, in the passenger seat, said this, and the Guildenbergs in the back seat nodded in unanimous agreement.

This is really Part 2 this time.

The old-fashioned Dedication Ritual welcomed spring in fine fashion.

The people of Haldenzel can't just celebrate, though. It's going to be a year tossed about by abnormal weather.

Next time: minding the store during the Lord's Conference.