"Hehehe, hee hee. ...Isn't it perfect?"
Today was the day for my meeting with the merchants from the lower city. In addition to the memos listing everything I needed to discuss—along with the amulets I had prepared in advance—I also had
...New recipes, yay!
When the third bell rang, Rodrik and
"My lady
I gave
"What's wrong?"
"I thought it could wait since we have an important meeting with the lower city merchants today, but I had a bad feeling in my chest, so I decided to report it first. ...
"Huh?"
Clarissa, who had been using her marriage to Hartmut as a means to become my attendant, had apparently been furious, saying that "a delay to the marriage is acceptable, but a delay to my appointment as an attendant is unforgivable." Women already had periods where they were absent from work due to pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing. So if the marriage was delayed, that period would undoubtedly be when she could have been serving. She had apparently insisted that as Hartmut's fiancée, she wanted to come to Ehrenfest as quickly as possible.
The engagement should have been dissolved the moment Hartmut became Chief Priest, but it wasn't. That was because the Aub of Dunkelfelger had taken up the peculiar Dunkelfelger claim that "only the person themselves can dissolve an engagement won through martial prowess," and it had actually worked.
After a territorial competition that brought in the Aub of Dunkelfelger as a relative for negotiations, the result was—so Hartmut told me—"if the Aub of Ehrenfest gives permission, Clarissa will move during the Lord's Conference."
"So my adoptive father has given permission?"
"Yes. He apparently said that with
I didn't find that particularly strange. It was true that things were difficult without Ferdinand, and that having Clarissa, a civil servant from a top-tier territory, come to help would be a relief.
"...But why is she leaving now? The Lord's Conference hasn't started yet. Is she coming through the
The Royal Academy, without its usual occupants, was essentially sealed off, with only knights taking turns guarding the teleportation circle. If we wanted to meet Clarissa there, we would have to open everything up and assign people. That would require a major schedule change.
"We haven't received any communication from Dunkelfelger, have we?"
"I only heard from the Aub last night. Apparently, the Aub of Dunkelfelger felt very remorseful that their territory's actions were heavily involved in Ferdinand's current situation. And that if sending Clarissa a bit sooner could ease Ehrenfest's burden, then perhaps that would be a good thing—or so she let slip."
...The Aub of Dunkelfelger!
Having heard this clearly, Clarissa apparently took her own attendants and departed triumphantly toward Ehrenfest by land—choosing not to go through the Royal Academy so as not to burden Ehrenfest. It was the day after the spring celebration banquet, and she had left early in the morning, no less.
Clarissa's parents, having finished their winter social obligations and their daughter's graduation and coming-of-age celebrations, had apparently just been enjoying a leisurely awakening on a refreshing morning when they were told their daughter had already departed. They rushed to the Aub in a panic. "Has Dunkelfelger gone and caused trouble for Ehrenfest again..." The Aub couple had apparently gone pale and used the emergency communication method between Lords to send their apologies and a report.
"A request came to the Aub of Ehrenfest from the Aub of Dunkelfelger, who seemed extremely apologetic, asking that we send a welcoming party to the Frewelterk border gate. Clarissa's parents are apparently chasing after her, and Mother says she must return home—starting last night—to prepare rooms and arrange the reception."
Clarissa's schedule change was troublesome in its own way, but it was true that we were short-staffed, so in that sense, it was actually a relief. It was a very delicate situation. Either way, if she had already left from their side along with her parents, there was nothing to be done. It was a courtesy of the groom's side to send a welcoming party to the border gate.
Though she was doing as she pleased, she did seem to be considerate in her own way—she was apparently coming not to the
"When will Hartmut be leaving, and when will he return? We'll need to coordinate for the Dedication Ritual as well."
If the Dunkelfelger bridal party had just departed, they would presumably arrive at the Frewelterk border gate around the time we set out for the Dedication Ritual.
"First, he needs to talk with the parents, and everything will proceed after that."
"Whatever Dunkelfelger does out of kindness is bound to end up causing trouble for the other side, isn't it? I should at least complain that they ought to check our schedule with Clarissa too."
Changing plans was a hassle. The more people involved in something like the Dedication Ritual, the wider the impact of any changes. I sighed, and just then Zaam entered the room. The merchants had arrived.
"Clarissa's arrival isn't an immediate matter. Once more details are decided, I'll contact you again. Let's head to the conference room. If we're distributing the commoner amulets, it might be better to do so before the civil servants arrive."
I nodded at Hartmut's words and headed to the conference room with Monica carrying the box of amulets and my guard knight,
As Zaam had reported, the following had arrived: From the Otmar Trading Company—the Guild Master, Frieda, and
...It was reassuring to see such a familiar lineup.
The last time I'd seen them was when Ferdinand had discussed going to Ahrensbach. Turi and the others, who were on the cusp of adulthood, seemed to have matured even more. I had grown too, but I wondered if they had noticed.
"My lady Rozemyne."
The Guild Master, as the representative, pressed his right fist against his left palm in front of his chest. Realizing this was the merchants' spring greeting, I did the same.
"May the thaw bring blessings. May the Goddess of Spring bestow her great grace upon us."
While the greetings were being exchanged, Fran and Zaam were busy preparing tea and bringing out sweets. I had Monica bring the box of amulets to the table. Then I explained the concerns Ferdinand had relayed.
"You merchants understand matters between yourselves better than I do. However, I was worried about potential problems, so I had these commoner amulets made. I would like to give them to you, who lead Ehrenfest's merchants. Please accept them."
"We gratefully accept. It is indeed about time for friction to arise from familiarity. We shall take this opportunity to approach the summer with renewed vigilance."
Benno said this with an expression that suggested he was savoring a precious piece of advice. Monica distributed the amulets to everyone. They were placed in Turi's hands and in Lutz's hands as well.
While everyone else received their amulets with obvious care, those two alone shot me a look that seemed to say "Are you really sure this is okay?" for just an instant. In their eyes, I was still more the powerless Mine who couldn't do anything. That gaze brought both nostalgia and frustration.
...You two are terrible! I've grown a little too, you know! I'm top of my class at the Royal Academy! I really thought this through!
I couldn't very well say that out loud, so I picked up one of the remaining amulets and carefully explained how to use it. While I was at it, I made sure to include my own "I really thought this through" reasoning, not just Ferdinand's.
"With amulets like the ones we nobles carry, they activate from even a light bump to the shoulder. That would interfere with daily life, so I made these to activate only upon an impact severe enough to cause serious injury."
Ferdinand used nobles as his baseline, but I had carefully considered the lower city's standards of living. Surely no other noble could have done the same. I caught a glimpse of Turi looking slightly impressed, and I puffed out my chest with pride.
...Impressive, right? Hehehe.
"We are very grateful for your thoughtfulness."
"I've also prepared some for the
"The Plantan Company people may already know, but the orphanage has gained more children. They'll be coming and going from the workshop soon. When that happens, I want to train them as civil servants who can handle merchant interactions through the workshop. That way, even after I step down from the role of High Priest, the people of the lower city will be able to communicate."
"Oh my, isn't that a significant task?"
Benno raised his eyebrows slightly with a look of amusement and said, "Leave it to me." He must have understood that the orphanage children had noble blood and would one day become nobles themselves.
"To train civil servants who can negotiate with merchants in my stead, several new Lord Candidates and civil servants will be joining us today. The purpose is to show you what kind of interactions take place, so for the most part, they'll be observing."
However, I explained that when the conversation turned to Gresschel, Brünhilde and her officials would be the ones speaking.
"Also, I'll be spending basically the rest of this winter at the
"Of course. My lady Rozemyne, you seem to have grown wonderfully with the change of seasons. You'll surely need new outfits."
Having Otto acknowledge my growth made me happy. I was about to ask them to come to the Temple once, sometime after the
The Guild Master, Benno, and Otto, who had been seated until now, rose to their feet. The merchants all knelt. Confirming that they were ready to receive the nobles, I also stood and gave permission to enter.
"Allow me to make introductions. This is Melchior. He is the son of the Aub of Ehrenfest and has been chosen to succeed me as High Priest. Going forward, he will be inheriting Temple duties as well as meetings such as this one."
The merchants all greeted Melchior simultaneously.
"May our meeting, guided by the pure flow of the Water Goddess Flutrene, receive her blessings."
Being greeted and blessed by commoners was presumably a first for him. Melchior looked slightly nervous as he made his ring glow green.
"Next, you may have already met her as my attendant, but this spring, she became engaged to the Aub as his second wife. She is Brünhilde, daughter of the Giève of Gresschel."
"We'll be working together on various aspects of the Gresschel reforms, so I look forward to it."
After finishing my greeting with Brünhilde, I gestured for them to take their seats. On the nobles' side, only I, Brünhilde, and Melchior took seats, while the other attendants and civil servants stood behind. The merchants also rose, and just as before, the Guild Master, Benno, and Otto took their seats, with Turi and the other apprentice attendants and attendants standing behind.
"Shall we discuss the most important matter for merchants—the Gresschel reforms?"
I spoke about my plan to make Gresschel into a beautiful, clean town that could welcome merchants from other territories—just as I had done with Ehrenfest's lower city—and I laid out what I had proposed to my adoptive father.
"Starting next year, we'll be preparing Gresschel to receive merchants. For this year, I'd like to keep things basically in the direction of not expanding trade quotas."
"The town is already at saturation, so that is a relief," the Guild Master said with a somewhat eased expression.
"So, Guild Master, please recruit merchants to open second branches in Gresschel. From the Otmar Trading Company, I'd like you to open a second branch of the Italian restaurant. It's extremely popular with merchants from other territories, isn't it? I believe Gresschel needs a similar establishment. Of course, I'll be investing as well."
The Guild Master briefly glanced back at Frieda. Frieda sought permission to speak and asked how they intended to handle the training of chefs and servers.
"We'll be increasing the number of Blue Priest apprentices and Blue Shrine Maiden apprentices at the Temple. How about hiring them as chefs and having them build up experience through practice? I also want to supplement our chefs, so I plan to entrust Hugo with their training."
Frieda lowered her gaze slightly. There was no doubt her mind was racing with all sorts of calculations.
"With the Italian restaurant having earned considerable acclaim, more apprentice chefs belonging to the Restaurant Association are now requesting placement at the Italian restaurant. If they can receive Hugo's training, some may choose the Temple path instead. I'll look for apprentice chefs."
Questions came regarding how many could be taken on, what the wages would be, and the working hours and environment. I answered each one, recalling how Hugo and the others had worked when I was a Blue Shrine Maiden apprentice.
"The second branch sounds like a very attractive proposal, but making it ready for use by next summer might be a bit difficult. If the reform happens in autumn, won't the furniture orders not make it in time?"
Benno, who had struggled to create the upscale dining establishment, said this while stroking his chin. The Entwicken in autumn would reveal the interior state, and placing orders with specialized workshops for the interior would indeed not leave enough time.
At Benno's words, Brünhilde began explaining how they would use the confiscated furniture.
"The Aub has the authority to transfer furniture from noble mansions. If we use those, there should be no problem with furniture preparation, correct?"
"We're also building new lodging facilities in Gresschel, and we plan to furnish those the same way. We're recruiting people to work in the accommodations and to serve as servers. Right, Brünhilde?"
At my words, Brünhilde nodded and said, "Yes, my lady Rozemyne."
"The people gathered from around Gresschel will be brought to Ehrenfest by horse-drawn carriage arranged by the Giève of Gresschel. So we'd like to drill them on their job descriptions this spring and train them on what the busy summer season will look like."
"It sounds like a lot of work, but not only will you be able to train the people who will run your second branch, you'll also have extra hands for the lodging and serving this summer. It seems like a perfect arrangement, doesn't it?"
At my words, Benno's lips curled upward. "A proposal most fitting of Rozemyne," he said. As we shared a chuckle, Brünhilde spoke up. "Um, everyone, if I may?"
She turned to the merchants and continued.
"The Aub and I discussed this, and as long as it's by the end of this summer, I'll be able to design the second branch myself. So interior orders should also be easier to handle."
"That would certainly increase the number of merchants deciding to open second branches."
The Guild Master leaned forward slightly. A large-scale Entwicken that would overhaul the entire city wasn't something that happened often. Merchants had been renovating shops built long ago and continuing to use them as-is. If they could have one built to their own specifications, renovation costs would be eliminated as well.
At Brünhilde's signal, an official standing behind her produced a sheet of paper. It was apparently a list of trading companies that wanted second branches.
"I would also like the commercial guild to encourage these companies to open second branches. If we don't get the famous shops that merchants are targeting to set up second branches, Gresschel will end up being nothing but a city with only lodging facilities after the Entwicken. That would defeat the original purpose of dispersing merchants."
...Brünhilde—she had been a high-ranking noble lady who had never even set foot in the lower city, yet here she was, working so hard.
I was impressed by how Brünhilde was speaking directly with the commoner merchants instead of going through officials. In just about two years, hadn't she changed remarkably?
Brünhilde seemed to have had various discussions with the Giève of Gresschel and my adoptive father, and the conversation shifted to topics about Gresschel's plans that even I didn't know about. I left the lead in the conversation to Brünhilde and looked around the conference room.
The civil servants lined up behind Brünhilde listening to the conversation displayed all sorts of reactions—some with eyes wide in surprise, some watching with intense focus as if absorbing the new way of working, and some wearing slightly bitter expressions.
When there was a brief lull in the Gresschel discussion, I called out to Lutz.
"It seems we're done talking about Gresschel, so I'd like to discuss the printing business. Lutz of the Plantan Company—will your move to Kirnberger be the same as last year?"
"There are a few points I'd like to request changes for."
Lutz took out his writing board.
"The departure and return dates being the same is no problem. However, this year,
...Oh my! Heidi is pregnant!
Considering how much Heidi wanted to research,
"You have my permission. Let's request it of the Giève of Kirnberger and bring back new materials as souvenirs."
"That would be a great help."
Lutz must have imagined Heidi being equally delighted. He gave a wry smile.
"The blacksmith
...Ah, that age, right?
Women in the lower city often married by twenty, same as nobles, but men tended to marry in their early twenties—slightly later than nobles. It was apparently the most appropriate time, as it was when they could start supporting a family.
"How about Johann?"
I asked in both senses—whether he could go to Kirnberger and whether he had a marriage prospect—and Lutz nodded lightly.
"Johann's Star Festival is at earliest two years from now. I heard he's planning to wait for the workshop master's granddaughter to reach adulthood before getting married."
...So the partner was already set. Well, with skills like his, it made sense the master wouldn't want to let him go.
"Johann has submitted a request to bring along an apprentice named
"I'll approve both Zack and Johann. Also, please let
Since the reform was being led by the Aub, my adoptive daughter's exclusive craftsmen needed to participate as well.
"Once the Dedication Ritual for the direct territory is finished, we'll depart for Kirnberger, so please tell the new apprentices to prepare accordingly. Also, this year's Dedication Ritual will again include an exchange of personnel with the
"Understood."
Lutz nodded and wrote on his board. Melchior asked curiously, "Are there other orphanages as well?"
"Yes, Hasse in the neighboring town also has an orphanage. Since we have a lot of interaction with the residents of Hasse, it has a slightly different atmosphere from ours. Each year, we exchange about four or five Gray Priests to ensure both sides benefit from positive influence."
In terms of education, Ehrenfest was superior since new books arrived quickly and there were many former attendants among the priests and shrine maidens. But in terms of emotional development, Hasse might be better since nobles rarely visited, and they were involved in farming and direct interaction with the townsfolk.
"I'd like to visit sometime."
"If you get permission from my adoptive father, I can take you along during the Dedication Ritual."
"Huh? Is that okay?"
I thought it would be fine—a small trip of attending the Dedication Ritual in Hasse, staying overnight at the small temple, and returning to Ehrenfest on the attendants' flying beasts.
"It's not a bad thing to know what the Dedication Ritual is like and what religious ceremonies are performed. Merchants and craftsmen visit workplaces through their parents and relatives to see what kind of work is done, don't they?"
When I looked at Lutz and Turi, they both nodded.
"Knowing what the job entails before actually starting helps build motivation for the work and allows for preparation. I think it's very important."
Turi smiled sweetly, and Lutz, sensing the perfect moment, produced a wooden tablet.
"I'd like to have a child who aspires to be an apprentice at the Plantan Company visit the workshop. Could I have your permission?"
"The Temple is, in principle, not supposed to allow children who haven't had their Baptism Ceremony to enter..."
I said this while glancing at the wooden tablet. The aspirant's name was written as Camillo.
...Wait! Camillo!? I must be seeing things! I'm not seeing things! A different person with the same name!
I desperately suppressed my agitation and looked up at Lutz. His emerald eyes were full of pride. There was no mistake. It really was Camillo.
...Wow! He's old enough to be looking for an apprenticeship already!? Even knowing it was coming, it still hit me hard!
What remained in my memory was the diaper-padded Camillo toddling along on unsteady legs. I hadn't even known he was aspiring to be an apprentice at the Plantan Company.
...I want to approve this. I really, really want to approve this. I want to approve it right now.
But this wasn't something I could decide on my own. I needed to talk with Fran and
"I'll look into it."
"Thank you very much."
...If Camillo became an apprentice at the Plantan Company, I might actually get to see him once in a while!? Yes! Blessings to the gods!
Just as my heart was erupting in a storm of celebration, an ordonnanz flew in. The merchants, unfamiliar with the ordonnanz, flinched, while those of us who were used to them simply watched to see whose arm it would land on. It landed on Hartmut's arm and opened its beak.
"It's Clarissa."
...Why!?
Ordonnanz couldn't cross territorial borders. The fact that Clarissa could send one meant she was currently in Ehrenfest. I had only just received information this morning that she had departed from Dunkelfelger, so how was she already here?
"I've just arrived at Ehrenfest's West Gate. The guards won't let me in because I'm a foreign noble without the Aub's letter of permission. What should I do?"
...Th-the West Gate!? She's all the way here!? Wh-what!? How!? This is terrifying!
I exchanged a look with Hartmut. The civil servants and merchants were all frozen in shock at this unexpected turn of events. The joy I had felt at possibly seeing Camillo was blown away in an instant.
...Ugh, enough!
I finally understood the frustration Ferdinand and those around me felt about my own reckless behavior. This required firm reins and a stern talking-to.
...Yes, like Ferdinand!
I raised my head sharply, and Hartmut quickly offered an ordonnanz magic stone. I tapped it lightly with my staff to form it into the shape of a bird.
"Clarissa, follow the guards' instructions and wait at the West Gate. If you don't, I will send you straight back to Dunkelfelger."
I waved my staff to send the ordonnanz on its way, then turned to Cornelius, who was standing guard behind me, and asked him to call
"It would be too much to leave Clarissa to the soldiers. Head to the West Gate immediately and keep Clarissa waiting until I arrive. I'll come after we finish the business meeting."
"Yes, my lady!"
An ordonnanz had crashed right into my meeting with the merchants.
"It's Clarissa. I'm at the West Gate right now."
She had arrived right when I was on cloud nine. A horror show indeed.
Next up: handling Clarissa.