"
"Understood."
Starting today, I would be living at the castle until the Spring
"
"Yes."
I rode Ehre,
The instant we took to the air, Hugo let out a pathetic squeal of "Eeeeek!" But being laughed at by Ehre—who was accustomed to riding beasts—he immediately shut his mouth.
"Heehee, it's okay, Hugo. You'll get used to it in no time!"
Listening to their conversation, I could tell Ehre was putting on a bit of a senior air. It seemed she was enjoying teasing Hugo, because her voice was pitched a bit higher and more lively than usual.
"I was also surprised the first time I rode one, but now I find it more comfortable than a carriage."
"Rosina! ...Ehre, switch seats with me."
Hugo's voice had gone all dewy-eyed with admiration. I understood he was happy to receive such kind words from beautiful Rosina, but his attitude was awfully transparent.
"No seat-switching while driving~ What a shame."
"Tch..."
Ehre turned her head away with a "Hmph," and Rosina giggled. The fun atmosphere behind me made me a little jealous.
When we arrived at the castle, we were greeted by
"Welcome home, Rozemyne-sama. Welcome,
Preparations? Tilting my head in confusion, I watched as the Chief Priest put away his riding beast and gave a slow nod of understanding.
Norbert glanced at the three dedicated retainers who had dismounted from my riding beast, then surveyed the surroundings before issuing instructions.
"Rozemyne-sama's personal chef is to proceed to the kitchen.
"Understood."
"Furthermore, the place we are about to visit is off-limits to Damuel and Brigitte. Their guard knight duties will be transferred to Cornelius, and the two of them are to take the day off."
"Yes, sir!"
Damuel and Brigitte took a step back and knelt on the spot. Hugo and Ehre each picked up their luggage and headed to the kitchen with one of the Attendants, while Rosina carried her Feerspiel and followed Ottilie toward the northern wing.
"Rozemyne-sama."
"What is it, Norbert?"
"I would like to arrange a riding beast for you. We will be walking through the main building for some time."
Apparently, I wasn't heading to my room today but somewhere else entirely. I summoned a single-person Lesser Bus and climbed aboard.
"Please follow me."
I trailed behind Norbert and the Chief Priest on my Lesser Bus. Eckhart and Cornelius came along as guard knights, with Richelda as Attendant.
We entered the main building through the back entrance, climbed the stairs, and headed for the Lord's office.
"Aub Ehrenfest, Rozemyne-sama and Ferdinand-sama have arrived."
The Lord's office was already occupied by the Lord and his wife, their respective guard knights and Attendants,
Seeing us standing in the doorway, my adoptive father rose from his seat.
"Ah, you've arrived. Then, let's go."
The moment the Chief Priest and I entered the office, Lamprecht and Eckhart stepped outside, assuming a stance that said no one would pass. Then the Attendants shut the door, and standing before the inner door were Cornelius and my adoptive mother's guard knight.
"What's going on here?"
The atmosphere was solemn—or rather, brimming with tension—and I couldn't help but grab the Chief Priest's sleeve. He raised an eyebrow slightly.
"I told you, didn't I? We're infusing magic power into the Foundation's magic."
His explanation had been quick and casual. He'd said it wasn't much different from dedicating magic power to divine instruments or charging a small Holy Cup during an Offering Ceremony. Who would have imagined it would turn out to be this nerve-wracking?
"I... didn't expect it to be this elaborate."
"The Foundation's magic is what underpins Ehrenfest, you know? There's no harm in being too careful."
Apparently, everyone present was a blood relative relatively close to the Lord.
When my adoptive father jutted his chin, Richelda and Oswald nodded and began removing the tapestry behind the desk.
Behind where the tapestry had hung was a small door. Quite small indeed—the kind I would have to duck to enter. It would be more accurate to call it a window for letting in light.
The door had seven round holes in it, and four of them were fitted with magic stones that looked like marbles.
"Rozemyne, Wilfried—grip these and register your magic power."
When I filled the marble-like magic stone handed to me by my adoptive father with magic power, it took on a pale yellow hue. Wilfried also gripped his stone and channeled his magic power into it.
My adoptive father fit the stones now imbued with our magic into the round holes.
"Now the two of you are registered to enter as well. Let's go."
The Lord and his wife removed their gloves and handed them to their Attendants. When the Lord placed his hand on the door, the small door grew larger—large enough for even the Chief Priest to walk through normally.
My adoptive father opened the expanded door, but it was as if a rainbow-colored curtain hung before it, concealing what lay beyond.
My adoptive father entered first, followed by my adoptive mother. Who would be next? I looked around, and the Chief Priest gave Wilfried a light push on the back, making him turn around with a stiff expression.
"Go, Wilfried."
Wilfried's face was rigid with the anxiety and tension of not knowing what awaited him. Richelda smiled gently at him.
"Young Master Wilfried, Lady Rozemyne—this will be your first duty as a child of the Lord. It will be difficult, but we are all here praying that you may do your very best."
"Let's go, brother Wilfried. Shall I go first?"
"No, I'll go."
After gulping down a breath, Wilfried shut his eyes tight and stepped forward.
The Chief Priest indicated with his eyes that I should follow, so I went after Wilfried. It felt like pushing through a thick, viscous curtain as I passed through the rainbow-colored veil and emerged on the other side.
"Whoa!"
...Fantasy!
I screamed inwardly.
I had seen all sorts of magical things up to this point, but this entire room was pure fantasy.
In the center of a stark white room—devoid of both tapestries and carpet—floated a magic stone slightly larger than a watermelon. Complex magic circles overlapped and hovered around the stone, spinning in orbits. Strings of intricate glowing characters and patterns, charged with magic power, revolved around it like a celestial globe without a supporting rod.
"Rozemyne, you're in the way. Don't just stand there."
The Chief Priest, the last to enter, glared at me, and I hurriedly stepped aside.
"Ferdinand-sama, what exactly is this room?"
"It's the room where we infuse magic power into the Foundation's magic. Only the Lord and his wife and their children who have registered their magic power are permitted to enter."
The only people who could enter this room were the Lord and his wife; their children Wilfried and myself; the Chief Priest, who was a child of the previous Lord; and
...Well, it would be troublesome if someone with malicious intent got in.
This was where magic power was poured into the Foundation that supported Ehrenfest.
"This magic stone is connected to the Foundation's magic."
"Connected? So it isn't the Foundation's magic itself?"
"Yes, that's right. The Foundation's magic itself exists elsewhere. Only the Lord is permitted to enter."
The Chief Priest's explanation was confirmed by a nod from the Lord.
"It is standard practice not to disclose its location to daughters who may marry into another territory, sons who will serve as retainers, or spouses who come from outside. The one who controls the Foundation is the Lord, after all."
Apparently, no one other than the Lord was told where it was located. Being told it was the foundation of the territory and what determined the Lord made the strict security perfectly understandable.
"While we are away at the Lord's Conference, Rozemyne and Wilfried will be in charge of infusing magic power into this stone."
Being the only two whose names were called left me somewhat stunned. I looked back and forth between the Chief Priest and my adoptive father.
"Just the two of us? ...How has it been handled until now?"
"Last year, it was handled by my wife and Ferdinand. When that incident occurred midway through, your uncle Bonifatius stepped in to help cover the shortfall."
Last year, during the Lord's Conference, the Lord's wife was confined as a criminal. And the High Priest was also captured.
Because of that, magic power supply during the Lord's absence was apparently quite demanding this year. With me now serving as the new High Priest, the Chief Priest—who had to handle not only his own duties but also those of the High Priest—couldn't come to the castle from the
"The magic power infusion itself isn't much different from the regular dedications and Offering Ceremonies we conduct at the Temple. That's why I determined it would be better to bring Rozemyne to the castle."
...Well, I didn't know anything about office work or dealing with nobles, so yeah, that wasn't wrong.
It seemed this wasn't supposed to be a job for a child who hadn't yet entered the
My adoptive father took out a single magic stone from the leather pouch at his waist and handed it to Wilfried. It was about the size of a ping-pong ball.
"I'm giving this to you, Wilfried. It's a magic stone filled with magic power. You'll be drawing magic power out of it and channeling it in here."
"Yes, Father."
Wilfried took the stone with a proud expression.
The magic stone looked remarkably similar to the one the Chief Priest had given to Kanfehl and Fritzeck during the Offering Ceremony. I had a pretty good idea whose magic power was stored inside.
"I'll be leaving this here. Use it for the magic power supply. When you've finished using a stone, place it in this bag."
Leaving it in this room was apparently the best theft prevention. My adoptive father set the bag of magic stones and an empty bag in a corner of the room.
"We'll all pour in our magic power today, so it should last until the Lord's Conference is over. However, if most of the magic power is gone by the time we return, that will be a problem. So let me show you the infusion method for emergencies. Practice by pouring in a small amount each day."
"Yes."
My adoptive father walked to the point directly below the magic stone at the center of the spinning magic circles, knelt down, and placed his hand on the floor.
The next moment, patterns matching those of the magic circles rose from the floor and walls of the entire room, glowing with a faint light.
"Rozemyne, come here. This is your position. Always pour your magic power from here."
Urged on by the Chief Priest, I followed him. He pointed to a circular formation and told me to kneel there. As I did as told, the Chief Priest moved to a different formation and knelt there as well.
And at yet another formation, I could see Wilfried and Florentzia kneeling side by side, the latter teaching her son how to handle the magic stone and supporting him.
It appeared they were forming an equilateral triangle with my adoptive father at its center.
Once everyone was in position with their hands pressed flat against the floor, the Chief Priest confirmed this and gave my adoptive father a slight nod.
"We who offer prayers and gratitude to the gods who created this world—"
My adoptive father's voice, pleasant to the ears and resonant, echoed through the chamber. Hearing the same prayer used in the Offering Ceremony, I—already accustomed to it—recited along.
"Highest God, who reigns over the vast and lofty heavens, the divine couple of darkness and light. Five Great Gods, who govern the broad and expansive earth: Water Goddess, Flutrene; Fire God,
I felt the magic power being drawn out of me with a heavy pull. I could see the flow of it running throughout the room as streams of light. The movement of the magic circles surrounding the stone grew more vigorous.
Still with my hands on the floor, I looked around the room—but the Lord's voice stopped me.
"That's enough."
I released my hand from the magic circle and stood up.
A short distance away, I could see my adoptive mother looking down at Wilfried, who had collapsed into a sitting position.
"Are you all right, Wilfried?"
"I'm fine."
He said he was fine, but it was clear Wilfried was putting on a brave face. His complexion was poor, and his shoulders slumped with exhaustion.
This was his first time handling such large amounts of magic power. Even the Blue Priests had been drained during the Offering Ceremony. There was no way young Wilfried wouldn't be tired.
"Rozemyne seems fine, though? I thought you'd be the first to collapse, being the sickly one."
"I do this every day during the Offering Ceremony, you know. You get used to it whether you like it or not. Besides, using magic power doesn't drain your physical stamina."
"You're used to this? ...Ferdinand, have you been overworking Rozemyne?"
"Who was it that increased the number of small Holy Cups and made her tour the entire territory for the Prayer Ceremony? I don't believe I'm the one overworking her."
The Chief Priest glared daggers at Sylvester and declared with his chest puffed out, "I exercise restraint, and I have medicine prepared."
...So I really was being overworked by everyone. I'd half suspected as much, but hearing it from someone else's mouth was quite shocking.
After finishing the magic power infusion, we were told to rest in our rooms until dinner. I asked Richelda to bring me a book and settled in for a relaxing break.
"My lady, reading isn't really resting, you know."
"It's the most peaceful and soothing thing there is. There is no greater rest."
As we went back and forth like this and I read my book, it was soon time for dinner.
Wilfried appeared at dinner still visibly drained. Come to think of it, back when I had been ravaged by Self-Eating fever, I'd felt much the same way—every time my magic power surged out of control, my stamina would be completely sapped and I'd end up bedridden.
...I really have gotten stronger.
As I was reflecting earnestly on just how long my journey had been, the Chief Priest's thunder struck.
"Are you even listening, Rozemyne!?"
"No, I wasn't. What was it?"
The Chief Priest pressed his temples while the Lord and his wife struggled to suppress their laughter, covering their mouths.
When I tilted my head, the Chief Priest opened his mouth with a sigh.
"Rozemyne will be staying at the castle until the Spring Baptism Ceremony and supplying magic power, but... you are to behave yourself. No unnecessary schemes, no wandering off."
"Yes! I'll stay quietly in the Library! I won't do anything other than read. You can rest assured."
That hit the mark, and I nodded vigorously.
My adoptive father was just about to say, "Oh, well, that's reassuring," when the Chief Priest shook his head and cut in.
"Sylvester, that is absolutely no cause for relief. Rozemyne really will do nothing but read. She must be given constant assignments. I'm entrusting Richelda as a overseer—you must make sure that magic power supply time, study time, and physical training are all accounted for. Be careful not to give her too many books."
After dinner, the Chief Priest instructed Richelda to keep a close eye on me, then returned to the Temple.
I was quite sure my reading time had been cut into considerably, all thanks to the Chief Priest.
...That mean Chief Priest!
"Safe travels, Father, Mother."
"Safe travels, Lord, Lady."
On our third day at the castle, we saw off the Lord and his wife as they departed for the Lord's Conference, along with Father, who served as Commander of the Knight Order.
The guard knights, Attendants, and civil officials had already been sent off. As the related parties departed one by one, only Wilfried and I, along with Mother and my brothers, remained.
"
"Yes, Karstedt. Leave it to me."
As the family exchanged their farewells—including my brothers—I was approached by Father and Mother, and I too joined this family gathering.
"Father, do your best at work."
"Yes, Rozemyne—you make sure you fulfill your duties properly."
"I will."
"Your grandfather is staying at the castle. If anything comes up, you can ask him for help. He won't turn away a request from his granddaughter."
With the Lord and his wife gone, it seemed that Karstedt's father, Bonifatius, had been appointed to manage Ehrenfest as acting Lord. I'd only greeted him during my Baptism Ceremony and at the winter social gathering, so I didn't know him well. Still, I could tell he was very much the root of Father's and my brothers' brawn-heavy family line.
Bonifatius appeared to be busy with his duties as acting Lord and was not present.
"Well then, the two of you—look after things."
"Make sure you study hard, Wilfried."
The three of them departed through a teleportation magic circle. They vanished in an instant, and the room fell silent.
The parting had been so abrupt that I let out a small sigh.
"Rozemyne, it's been a while since we've had a chance to talk like this, hasn't it?"
"There never seems to be an opportunity. Mother, if you'd like, shall we have a cup of tea together?"
I invited Mother for tea. I had the distinct feeling that I'd been subtly nudged to do this, and I didn't think I was wrong.
Mother nodded, looking satisfied.
"Yes, let's."
I asked Richelda to prepare tea in the sitting room. With the Lord and his wife gone, no one else had the authority to grant access to the northern wing.
Having tea with Mother had to be done in the main building's sitting room.
I had Richelda brew the tea and brought out Ehre's pastries. As I demonstrated by eating them one bite at a time, Mother eventually reached for one herself.
After taking a sip of tea and letting out a breath, Mother looked me straight in the eye.
"Rozemyne, there is something I must ask you."
"What is it?"
"Yesterday, I summoned the
She gave me a smile that clearly said, "You thought I didn't know?" and I drew a sharp breath.
"I-I just thought the current fashion didn't suit them very well, so I came up with something that would. I, um, didn't think it was something I needed to report to you."
Hearing my words, Mother let out an exasperated sigh.
"Whatever kind of fashion you intend to promote, I want to see it first."
"Mother, I don't intend to make these clothes the new fashion."
"What did you say?"
As if she couldn't believe what she'd heard, Mother placed a hand over her mouth and widened her eyes slightly.
"W-well, there are some people who suit the current fashion and some who don't. So I just thought of making something for those it doesn't suit. I never intended to make it a trend for everyone."
If I were to make the American Sleeve dress I was designing for Brigitte into a fashion, then ladies who it didn't suit would inevitably have the same problem. I just wanted everyone to be able to wear clothes that looked good on them. No matter what I did, trends would come and go, of course.
"Rozemyne, who exactly are these people the current fashion doesn't suit?"
"The current fashion looks wonderful on those who are petite and slender. But for those like the female knights who have trained their bodies and are more solidly built, it adds too much width and makes their shoulders look even broader—it doesn't suit them at all."
Mother seemed to picture a female knight in her mind and nodded in understanding.
"It would be sad to attend the Star Binding Ceremony in clothes that don't suit you, wouldn't it? So I only wanted to give options to those the current fashion doesn't fit for—I never intended to create a new trend."
"That won't do. You need to publicize it as a new trend that you're creating, and have them wear the new clothing. Otherwise, it will look like that child is the only one wearing something different."
Mother shook her head with a stern expression. Apparently, I had to make it known that I was designing new clothes for the female knights, so that Brigitte would attract envious gazes rather than scorn.
I didn't know much about noble affairs, so I decided to do as Mother said. It would be terrible if Brigitte ended up embarrassed because of me.
"If you are creating something new, I will review it. The cutting must already be finished? When will the fitting be?"
"I won't be returning to the Temple for a while, so I told the Gilberta Company to take their time. It would probably be after the Spring Baptism Ceremony."
"That's too late. Hurry them along and have the fitting done here at the castle."
Apparently, I was to hold a fitting for Mother's faction at the castle to announce, "This is the new kind of clothing we are creating." It would be best to invite several female knights as well, show them the clothes, and plant seeds of envy. Being a trendsetter sounded exhausting.
"Having the fitting at the castle is fine, but could you contact the Gilberta Company, Mother? I can't reach them unless I return to the Temple first."
"Very well. I'll make the contact myself."
...Sorry,
Magic power supply for the Foundation magic—the bedrock of the territory—would be my job for a while.
And Mother was going to review Brigitte's dress.
Next time, the reward.