"It's finally over."
The dinner on the day the Lord's Conference ended was to be shared with
In truth, it would have sufficed to send one of his retainers to observe and report back, but Hildebrandt was on guard duty and could not be separated from his knights. Priority had instead been given to allocating personnel to guard the thinly staffed Central during the ritual.
"Mother, what was the Dedication Ritual like? Did a pillar of light actually appear?"
Hildebrandt asked excitedly, gazing at Magdalena—who had participated not as royalty standing beside the king, but as a member of the Central nobility. The Dedication Ritual at the
Magdalena moved her cutlery, took a bite of the herb-wrapped young fowl, and then slowly looked around the table. Perhaps it was because Hildebrandt was so obviously eager, but even the Attendants serving them and the Guard Knights standing behind wore expressions of curiosity as they waited for Magdalena's answer.
"I did not see the pillar of red light that the royals who attended the winter ritual told me about."
"Oh? You didn't?"
Hildebrandt had assumed that whenever Rozemyne performed a ceremony, something unusual was sure to happen, so this answer deflated him somewhat.
"Lady Rozemyne explained that the outcome differs depending on whether you create divine implements with your Stab or use the ones already in the
"You had said you wanted to see the red pillar—were you disappointed, Mother?"
Magdalena had been unable to attend the previous Dedication Ritual because she had to remain at the palace to handle official business. After hearing the accounts of the royals who had attended, she had expressed a desire to see it for herself.
"Unfortunately, the pillar of red light—the noble color of winter—did not appear. However, the sight of the Holy Cup glowing a noble red, with shimmering crimson light slowly drifting upward, was a wonderfully fantastical and beautiful spectacle."
Magdalena narrowed her crimson eyes with a mischievous smile, and Hildebrandt felt a surge of delight. So something unusual had happened after all.
"Please tell me more, Mother."
Unlike the Dedication Ritual held at the Royal Academy during winter, no pillar of red light had appeared this time. But Magdalena described how the initially scattered prayer words gradually came into unison, creating a sense of unity among all participants—as though their hearts had become one—and the pleasant sensation of surrendering oneself to the flow of Magic Power streaming steadily from behind. Everything matched what he had heard in the stories.
Watching Magdalena speak so animatedly, Hildebrandt could not help but feel frustrated that he had been unable to participate in the ceremony as a minor.
"It was my first time conducting a religious ceremony with such a large number of people, so I was overwhelmed with a kind of ecstasy. Even the fatigue afterward felt almost pleasant..."
At the Dedication Ritual at the Royal Academy, numerous attendees had collapsed, but this time Rozemyne had apparently wrapped things up early, so no nobles had keeled over from Magic Power depletion.
"The Blue Priests and Blue Shrine Maidens of the Central Temple did collapse, though. The flow of Magic Power was so rapid that she wasn't able to end the ceremony at the optimal moment. Even though she had warned
It was only natural that there would be a massive gap in Magic Power between Blue Priests and Blue Shrine Maidens who had never undergone Magic Power compression, and the Aub and their retainers who supported the various territories. Even in Ehrenfest's Temple, Rozemyne apparently conducted the Dedication Ritual separately from the other Blue Priests.
"The Central Temple had never conducted the Dedication Ritual alongside nobles before, so I suppose that was to be expected."
Magdalena let out a soft laugh. She seemed to find some satisfaction in the Central Temple's predicament—they had reproduced an ancient religious ceremony and enabled the selection of Zent candidates, then swaggered before the royal family with one new demand after another—and her expression looked rather vindicated.
After finishing dinner, they moved from the dining room to the parlor and had Artur prepare post-meal tea. Hildebrandt then had everyone else leave the room. The Lord's Conference had been a tumultuous time for the royal family, and there were far too many topics that could not be overheard. No matter what they discussed, dismissing everyone and deploying anti-eavesdropping Magical Tools was essential.
Clutching the anti-eavesdropping Magical Tool he had been handed, Hildebrandt looked at Magdalena. He kept his voice slightly lowered even with the device, addressing his mother as she leisurely enjoyed the aroma of her tea.
"Was the Dedication Ritual a success in establishing Rozemyne as a saint and presenting her as exceptional material worthy of becoming the king's adopted daughter?"
"Yes. Even the Dedication Ritual alone would have made her appear quite special, but the sight of her repeatedly reciting Frütolíne's prayer over and over while making the Holy Cup glow green—expressing her wish that everyone might more easily produce healing potions—must have struck every onlooker as truly extraordinary. I believe it succeeded in making people feel that she is not someone Ehrenfest can keep to itself."
Magdalena explained that this hadn't been part of the original plan, but it had worked out extremely well. Rozemyne had performed religious ceremonies that produced bizarre phenomena with a completely matter-of-fact expression, recited the prayer for restoring the gathering locations from memory, and in the process of teaching it to everyone, made the Holy Cup glow green. Her bearing had been fitting for someone called a saint accustomed to interacting with the gods.
"Even without the Glutrisheit incident, she is someone the Central should welcome. It would be a blow to Ehrenfest, but if she were to become the king's adopted daughter, almost no one would object."
She possessed extensive experience and knowledge regarding religious ceremonies and had the Magic Power reserves befitting a Zent candidate. Looking at the information on the Slates that had been translated into modern speech, it was even possible to deduce that Rozemyne—who had been able to visit the shrines—possessed all attributes. Even if she couldn't become the next Zent, they wanted to secure her for the next generation of the royal family.
"Truly... I could hardly believe she was the same person who demanded a Library as a condition for engagement."
Magdalena sighed, then slowly began to sip her tea. Hildebrandt picked up his cup as well and swallowed the words "Rozemyne just doesn't want to marry
"I am truly grateful that the Aub of Ehrenfest agreed to reject the Library proposal."
"...Father agreed to that? But, um, the engagement between
A Zent's command was absolute. The engagement between Wilfried and Rozemyne had also been decided by the Zent's words. Yet was it permissible to dissolve one engagement and allow a new one to form? If that were possible, couldn't his own engagement also be undone?
Hildebrandt pondered these questions, and when he asked, Magdalena set down her cup and shrugged slightly.
"That was the safest and most satisfactory outcome, so there was no objection. If Ehrenfest had more power, perhaps it would have been possible to make Lord Wilfried the King's Consort. However, the Aub of Ehrenfest said that he does not have the capacity for it."
Ehrenfest would want to avoid any further exodus of powerful nobles, Magdalena murmured. The reason Ehrenfest had risen so rapidly in rank was fundamentally due to Rozemyne's achievements, and it was said that the most talented among them were concentrated in the younger generation.
"The Aub of Ehrenfest reacts as one would expect from the Aub of a lesser duchy—swallowing whatever orders are given. But the young Scholars make counterproposals, subtly voice objections, and show a willingness to negotiate."
When the proposal to install Rozemyne as High Priest of the Central Temple had come from many duchies, and the Zent and Sigiswald had gone to Ehrenfest to present the request, the Aub of Ehrenfest and his retainers had been wearing extremely troubled expressions. They had fallen silent with a hesitant "That is—" when a young Scholar had rejected the proposal with a bright smile, saying, "That is entirely unacceptable," before offering an alternative.
"The High Priest of Ehrenfest's Temple is an Archduke Candidate of Ehrenfest. The Central Temple, which falls under the jurisdiction of the royal family, should be led by royalty. The First King once served as High Priest himself. I suggest placing Prince Hildebrandt in the Central Temple and having him serve as High Priest until he comes of age. If you wish to know what studies are required, I would be happy to instruct you, as I have been responsible for training the next generation of High Priests."
The royal who had proposed sending an Ehrenfest Archduke Candidate to the Central Temple had been unable to counter with the argument of whether the royal family intended to place its own members in the Temple.
"...I could have been sent not just to
The treatment he would receive was entirely different from that of his brothers who would remain as royalty regardless of the circumstances. Thinking about this, Hildebrandt could not help but feel that his value to his father was exceedingly low.
"I certainly would not allow that to happen."
Magdalena said this with a wry smile, gazing at Hildebrandt with gentle eyes. Under his mother's protective gaze, Hildebrandt asked softly.
"...Do I really have to go to Ahrensbach as a husband?"
He had expected the same answer—"I certainly would not allow that to happen"—but Magdalena simply smiled faintly and said, "It is a royal command, after all."
"I am so anxious at the thought of
He had caught only a faint glimpse of voices and their content in the underground archive. Hearing the ordonnance from Ahrensbach announcing their non-participation in the Dedication Ritual, one could immediately tell what sort of person Detlinde—the future Aub of Ahrensbach—was.
He could not afford to show any resistance to a royal command. As he vented anxieties he could share with no one else, Magdalena rose from her seat with a startled expression. Standing beside the seated Hildebrandt, she gently embraced him.
"It will be all right, Hildebrandt. Before you are sent away to marry, I will make sure to eliminate Detlinde. ...Normally, the duty of keeping a close watch on Detlinde and ensuring she does not commit any acts of discourtesy would fall upon
Magdalena said this firmly, her tone somewhat harsh.
"Once the marriage is consummated, guilt by association is inevitable. She should have been properly disciplined by now so as not to bring ruin upon herself later, yet even with half a year to prepare, she remains in that state."
Magdalena listed Detlinde's discourteous behavior while criticizing Ferdinand for tolerating it. According to his mother, Ferdinand was oblivious to the feelings of others and incapable of acting with any kind of delicacy. Not only toward women, but he seemed to reject dealing with most people entirely from the very start.
"Lord Ferdinand is excellent in terms of appearance, academic performance, and other superficial qualities, and his strength as a knight is admirable. If viewed only from a distance, he would seem like a perfect person. But that is all he is—capable of devilish scheming, intimidation, and factional maneuvering, but nothing beyond that. He has always been able to arrange people without considering their emotions, but he is utterly hopeless when it comes to interpersonal relationships where he must face individuals one-on-one."
Hildebrandt's eyes went wide at such a harsh assessment. This Ferdinand sounded quite different from the one he had heard about from Rozemyne's own lips during tea parties and luncheons in the underground archive.
"...Um, Mother. Wasn't Ferdinand Rozemyne's teacher? Are you perhaps speaking of someone else?"
"They are one and the same. There is no one less suited to the word 'nurturing' than Lord Ferdinand. I suspect it was actually his retainers who took care of Lady Rozemyne..."
Magdalena spoke with a genuinely puzzled expression, saying, "He is utterly incapable of raising a young child." He was far too strict—any child placed under his care would surely be crushed.
"But one of Rozemyne's conditions for becoming the king's adopted daughter includes rescuing Ferdinand, doesn't it? Rozemyne must care for him deeply."
If she didn't care for him deeply, she would never have put forward such a condition. At Hildebrandt's words, Magdalena nodded with an unconvinced expression.
"To be perfectly honest, I never expected anyone other than the Aub of Ehrenfest to care for Lord Ferdinand as family. When Prince Sigiswald informed me of that condition, I was truly surprised."
That Rozemyne wanted Ferdinand's release from guilt by association and improved treatment as conditions for becoming the king's adopted daughter—that meant his treatment in Ahrensbach was poor enough to require direct appeal to the royal family.
"...Mother, I want to become Zent too. Then I wouldn't have to go to Ahrensbach, would I? Is Ahrensbach really so terrible that Rozemyne demanded improved treatment?"
"I will do everything in my power to ensure Ahrensbach is a place where you can live comfortably. However, I will not permit you to become Zent."
Still gently embracing Hildebrandt, Magdalena smiled sweetly and firmly rejected his request.
"Why not?"
"For one thing, it would take far too much time even if you were to begin challenging now. You must realize that we don't even have the luxury of waiting a full year for the adoption to take effect. You lack the required attributes and haven't even entered the Royal Academy yet. How long do you think it would take for you to become qualified?"
The collapse of
"Moreover, there is another reason—one even more important. If Lady Rozemyne is adopted as the king's daughter in one year's time and obtains the Glutrisheit, she will be the Zent."
Two people cannot both be Zent. And if Hildebrandt—who carries the blood of King
"No one in the royal family—nor I—will ever permit the current royal family to undermine the reign of the new Zent we have all been waiting for, the one for whom we dissolved engagements and separated her from her homeland."
Her mother told him sternly that this was something he, as a member of the royal family, must not do. Hildebrandt hung his head. He could understand Magdalena's reasoning, but he could not accept it emotionally.
"Mother, Rozemyne is frail. She cannot handle the grueling duties of Zent. She needs someone to support her. I only want to help Rozemyne."
Thinking of his father, worn out from his duties, Hildebrandt could see that the role was not something Rozemyne could handle alone. One should not saddle a sickly princess who could collapse at a tea party with the burdens of Zent.
Just as the fiancés of female Aub were required to be Archduke Candidates so they could support their wives, shouldn't the fiancé of a female Zent also need Zent qualifications? Hildebrandt pleaded his case.
"Hildebrandt, your concern is perfectly valid. That is precisely why it should be Sigiswald—as her fiancé, as her husband—who supports her. Not you."
"...But Sigiswald was rejected by Rozemyne, wasn't he?"
I could be much kinder to Rozemyne than he ever was, Hildebrandt thought, pursing his lips in discontent. Magdalena's crimson eyes hardened.
"I know that your long contact with Lady Rozemyne has led you to care for her, but you must not act beyond your station. You are engaged to Lady
No matter how much discontent he harbored, a royal command was beyond his power to overturn. Neither his own engagement to Letizia nor Sigiswald's engagement to Rozemyne could be undone by anyone other than the Zent.
...If only I could become Zent. Then Rozemyne wouldn't have to endure an unwanted marriage while serving as Zent, and I wouldn't have to go to Ahrensbach.
Hildebrandt gently brushed away Magdalena's arms.
"If it's urgent, shouldn't all the royals attempt it together?"
"The Dedication Ritual did allow us to collect Magic Power, but the duties of the royal family extend far beyond that. There is no way we could all attempt it at once. ...Besides, no matter how eager you are, you won't be able to obtain your Stab until you're a third-year at the Royal Academy."
"What?"
"The curriculum at the Royal Academy has been changed. The earliest Hildebrandt can obtain the Stab needed to enter the shrines will be after Lady Rozemyne comes of age."
...That means there's absolutely no time! Why won't Father even let me try!?
He knew that nothing he said would get through. Hildebrandt drank his tea in one gulp along with all his grievances, feeling them pile up in his stomach. And so he finished his meal with his mother.
The tumultuous Lord's Conference had ended—for the royal family, and for Hildebrandt. Life returned to normal.
His sword practice with
They started from the basics, crossing swords. After only a brief exchange, Raublut grimaced and called a halt.
"Your swordwork has become quite rough, Your Highness. What has been troubling you?"
The knight who trained him shook his head with an exasperated expression and said, "This won't do for practice. Let's take a break," before walking toward the rest area within the training grounds. Hildebrandt, carrying his heavy sword, followed behind. He hadn't intended to reveal what was on his mind, but it had clearly come across to his training partner anyway.
Artur, who had been waiting in the rest area, looked slightly surprised by the sudden break but went ahead and prepared tea. As Hildebrandt received his cup from Artur, Raublut encouraged him to share what was on his mind: "What has you making such a face?"
"...I can't say."
He couldn't say that he didn't want to go to Ahrensbach as a husband. He couldn't say that the thought of Detlinde becoming his stepmother upon coming of age made him so depressed that he was desperately searching for a way to dissolve his engagement. To say so would be to deny a royal command.
He also couldn't say that Rozemyne was the closest to becoming the next Zent. The royal family had made this decision among themselves, excluding their retainers, and he could not speak of it. And if he were being honest, he couldn't say that he believed he was the one who should marry Rozemyne—not Sigiswald, whom Rozemyne had rejected.
In truth, Hildebrandt wanted to undergo Magic Power compression as soon as possible and visit the shrines just as his father and Sigiswald had, hoping to qualify as a Zent candidate just like Rozemyne. If he could qualify before Rozemyne came of age, then perhaps he wouldn't have to marry into Ahrensbach, and Rozemyne wouldn't have to endure an unhappy marriage.
But the Stab, which should have been obtainable as a first-year at the Royal Academy, had been moved to the third-year curriculum. By the time he became a third-year, Rozemyne would already have come of age. Obtaining the Stab as a third-year and then working toward Zent candidacy would be far too late.
None of these were things he could say aloud. Hildebrandt puffed his cheeks slightly, unwilling to voice his concerns, and changed the subject. He was also a little irritated at being pressed about things he would rather not discuss.
"I was actually wondering about the Schlattraum flower."
"Huh?"
Raublut peered at Hildebrandt with a startled expression, unable to follow the sudden topic change. Seeing Raublut's surprised face made Hildebrandt feel slightly better, and he let out a small laugh.
"Orthentia was asking Detlinde about it in the library stacks. It's supposedly your favorite flower, Sir Raublut? I heard it only grows in Ahrensbach—what kind of flower is it?"
As he asked, Hildebrandt recalled his surprise that even the rough and unrefined Raublut had a favorite flower, and that it was a bloom found nowhere other than Ahrensbach.
"...Ah, so that happened in the stacks, did it?"
After a few seconds of silence, Raublut let out a soft laugh. It was the kind of smile nobles often wore to mask their inner composure. Maintaining that smile, Raublut slowly cast his gaze about as though searching for words.
"The Schlattraum flower is... a sweet-scented white bloom. It is indeed my favorite, but it is exceedingly difficult to obtain. So I was asking whether it was even blooming this year."
Was it such a rare flower that even its blooming was uncertain? Hildebrandt tilted his head in puzzlement.
"Sir Raublut, weren't you originally from Gilessenmaier? How could you know of a flower that only grows in Ahrensbach?"
At that question, Raublut's gaze grew distant, and he traced the fading scar on his cheek with a finger. Hildebrandt vaguely sensed it was connected to that scar—the expression of an adult reminiscing about something already lost, a bitter look on his face.
"Do you have a memory tied to it?"
"...A long time ago, when I had just come of age and been assigned to a detached palace, the master of that palace was fond of that flower. There was a greenhouse in one corner, and it bloomed there. The master himself did not know when it had first been brought in, but the flowers had been carefully tended for generations. ...My assignment changed before five years had passed, and the master is gone now—the detached palace has been sealed."
Hildebrandt understood. The flowers must have been brought in long ago by a princess from Ahrensbach who had married into the royal family. He had heard that during past political upheavals, many royals had been purged and many detached palaces shuttered. This must have been one of them.
"Now then, I've shared my memories—time for the prince to share his troubles. If you remain in that state much longer, you won't be able to focus on your studies, let alone your sword practice."
Raublut added that Artur was worried too, glancing toward him. Hildebrandt had thought he had successfully changed the subject, only to have it circle right back.
Artur was gazing at him with concern as well, and Raublut pressed him in return: "Oh? You asked me all those questions, Prince Hildebrandt, but you won't answer mine?"
Growing up with Raublut looking after him, Hildebrandt felt that he simply could not refuse to respond.
He couldn't say he didn't want to go to Ahrensbach as a husband. He couldn't say that Rozemyne was the closest to becoming the next Zent, or that she would become the king's adopted daughter. He couldn't say that he believed he was the one who should marry Rozemyne, not Sigiswald.
What Hildebrandt ultimately managed to voice was only his frustration with the Royal Academy's curriculum change.
"...I wanted to obtain my Stab right away. But then Father went and changed the curriculum. I'm a little sad about that."
"Right away, are you..."
Raublut's eyes widened, then slowly narrowed in thought. He let out a soft laugh and shook his head.
"Prince Hildebrandt, as royalty, you can open the doors to the shrines. And if you truly set your mind to it, there is nothing that is impossible for you to obtain."
"Really!?"
Hildebrandt's voice, bright with hope, was immediately joined by Artur's alarmed exclamation.
"What is the Captain of the Knights saying!?"
Raublut raised a hand slightly to quiet Artur.
"However, the Zent made this curriculum change specifically with Prince Hildebrandt in mind. Please understand the Zent's paternal concern."
"EH?"
Being told it was for his own sake only deepened Hildebrandt's confusion. He wanted to become a Zent candidate before Rozemyne came of age and have both his engagement and Sigiswald's engagement dissolved. He wanted the Stab now, more than anything. The curriculum change had felt like nothing but interference. Raublut calmly explained the reasoning behind the change.
"The curriculum was altered so that students could perform as much Magic Power compression as possible before obtaining their Stab, and then pray to receive the Divine Protections of the gods and increase their attributes—so that they might obtain a better Stab. The Zent must have rushed this change because he wanted Prince Hildebrandt to obtain the best possible Stab."
Artur nodded with a look of relief at Raublut's explanation.
"Prince Hildebrandt, the Captain of the Knights speaks true. Please follow the will of King Trauerqual."
The best possible quality of Stab... Hearing this, Hildebrandt thought for a moment. Come to think of it, during a discussion among the royals, his mother had reported that "visiting the small shrines and receiving the Divine Protections of all the Divine Retainers would allow one to obtain the Blessing of the supreme god." Among the documents he had been asked to copy—since he wasn't particularly skilled at transcription—there had even been a map.
...If I visit the small shrines and increase my attributes...
If he could pray and increase his attributes, then perhaps Hildebrandt, as a member of the royal family, could also become a Zent candidate.
...If I could obtain all the attributes, Father wouldn't be able to tell me I couldn't obtain a Stab.
"For now, focus on Magic Power compression and increasing your attributes alongside the Zent. I will come speak to you when the time is right."
If he made the effort to increase his attributes on his own, his father might support his request. Based on everything he had experienced, Hildebrandt judged this to be the case and nodded with a bright smile. Artur smiled gently as well, saying, "I look forward to it."
Raublut laughed quietly, telling Artur, "It's nothing remarkable," and waved toward the knights. One of them responded to the signal, bringing a wooden box and handing it to Artur.
"Apparently these are educational toys contributed by Ehrenfest. They include books and toys designed to help children remember the names of the gods more easily. It's said to be one of the secrets behind Ehrenfest's rapid improvement in academic performance."
They had also given samples to the royal family, since the duchy would be selling them to its trading partners. The retainers had finished inspecting the items for anything suspicious or dangerous, and now they were delivered.
"Lady Magdalena said to wait until Prince Hildebrandt enters the Royal Academy before giving these to him, but there is nothing wrong with studying ahead of time. Please use these to study well. The names of the gods are essential for prayers to increase your Divine Protections."
What Artur handed over was a familiar Ehrenfest book that Hildebrandt had seen before. Flipping through the pages, he found beautiful illustrations and clear, easy-to-understand explanations. With this, he would be able to get a little closer to Rozemyne once more.
...I'll memorize the names of the gods, pray to increase my attributes, and then ask Father to let me obtain a Stab.
It felt as though a light had appeared in the dark void where he had been wandering. With a clear direction ahead of him, Hildebrandt felt genuinely happy and raised his head. Raublut stood up with a grin and picked up his sword.
"Well then, Prince Hildebrandt. It looks like some of your uncertainty has cleared, so let's resume practice."
"Yes! I'm counting on you."
Hildebrandt returned the book to Artur, took up his sword, and chased after Raublut's retreating figure.