Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 4.4 - Chapter 10

Spring Prayer in the Central District

Once it was the week before Spring Prayer, I was scheduled to return to the temple. Fran and the others were handling all of the necessary preparations, so I was just there to make any final checks. Selecting those who would accompany me, preparing the food, organizing carriages, preparing the guards, managing the orphanage during our absence... They were used to it all by now, and so almost everything was already complete.

Although the Plantin Company were going to be preparing our carriages, they wouldn’t be accompanying us themselves this time. They had their hands full getting the Gutenbergs ready for Haldenzel and making arrangements for the entwickeln that was going to follow. It seemed the scholars had already sent their messages, and from what Gil had told me, the lower city was in something of a panic.

I wrote letters to the Gilberta Company, the Plantin Company, and the Merchant’s Guild, describing the details of the entwickeln and the system planned for distinguishing merchants and noting that Elvira was going to be participating in the dyeing competition. It was information they had probably already received from the scholars, but I sent the correspondence anyway; Benno had told me that the more sources one had for their information, the better.

“Lady Rozemyne, the cloth and thread from the Gilberta Company has arrived,” Zahm informed me. “What shall we do with it?”

I needed to dye the cloth and thread with my mana, so I had asked for them to be delivered to the High Bishop’s chambers in the temple. I needed Ferdinand to come to my workshop before I could get started, though, since I didn’t have any ingredients of my own to use.

“Zahm, please inform the High Priest that there are materials I wish to dye and arrange a meeting. I would like to have all this done by Spring Prayer.”

Ferdinand agreed that it would be best to leave as much time for the embroidering as possible, and the dyeing was completed in no time at all. Incidentally, I tried using waschen for cleanup again, this time controlling my mana so as not to drown anyone.

“Angelica, please deliver this to Lieseleta and the others,” I said, sending the dyed materials to the castle alongside sheets of paper with the magic circles drawn on them. “Once that is done, I will grant you time off until Spring Prayer, since you will not have time to rest while guarding me throughout the journey.”

“I thank you ever so much. I will draw my own designs and prepare thread so that I can embroider my cape during the trip.”

It sure sounds girly for her to be killing time with embroidery, but don’t be fooled—she’s doing it to boost the defensive power of her armor.

After I watched Angelica happily fly away from the temple, Damuel looked down at me with a dissatisfied frown. “You’re always soft on girls, Lady Rozemyne.”

“Hm? But you’re the one who said you were fine taking your break after Spring Prayer. I took all of your opinions into account before making my decision,” I said, my brow furrowed, but Damuel just shook his head.

“I’m not talking about the time off. You immediately granted Angelica’s wish to embroider her cape, but you still haven’t found me a marriage partner. Didn’t you promise to ask Lady Elvira about it? Will my future betrothed be introduced to me at the Starbind Ceremony or something of the sort?”

“Honestly? I forgot to ask.”

“I knew it!” Damuel exclaimed. He collapsed to his knees, despair written on his face. I hadn’t realized just how eager he was to get married.

“Sorry about that. I’ll ask Mother later.”

“Are you going to forget again?” Damuel asked. Life was apparently hard for bachelors when the Starbind Ceremony approached.

Right. I actually need to remember this time!

I sent Damuel’s pleas to Elvira by ordonnanz before I forgot, and a number of days later, it was time for Spring Prayer.

“Lady Rozemyne, I am relieved to see you well,” Dad said, having come early in the morning with the platoon of guards who would be heading to Hasse. The wrinkles under his eyes conveyed that he was getting older, but the love in his gaze was as strong as ever and seeing it warmed my heart. I could also see the soldiers lined up behind Dad looking clearly glad that I was well.

“I apologize for worrying you all. I am quite fine now. I shall trust the guard to Gunther once again. Thank you for your service.”

“You may count on me!”

Gray priests and apprentices climbed into the carriages to switch places with the three gray priests we were bringing back. Hugo and Gil were already inside, as I understood it. I watched them off, praying for their safety on the road, and then went to prepare for the Spring Prayer this afternoon.

After lunch, I changed into my ceremonial robes, then moved by highbeast with Fran and Monika like always. Once Damuel and Angelica were ready, it was time to go.

“There are fewer places to visit this time, which should place less strain on your body,” Ferdinand said as he saw me off.

And with that, I soared up into the air in Lessy. Angelica was sitting in the passenger seat this time, a smile touching her lips as we flew over Ehrenfest. “This is my first time doing guard duty outside Ehrenfest,” she said. “Are we going to be fighting strong feybeasts?”

“We will be visiting the mansions where commoners live over the winter. I have no plans to visit anywhere strong feybeasts might appear.”

“What...? But how will we gather ingredients, then?”

Unfortunately for Angelica, who had evidently wanted to gather ingredients, deviating from the plan to do something dangerous would have comically severe consequences for me. It wasn’t going to happen.

“Why did you think we would be gathering ingredients?” I asked.

“The feystone that Damuel was going to give Brigitte wasn’t from the castle’s forest, so I thought he had gathered it while on guard duty for a ceremony. I thought for sure that the ceremony was an ingredient-collecting adventure filled with feybeast hunting...”

The first half was surprisingly accurate, but the second was completely wrong. The ceremony certainly wasn’t “an ingredient-collecting adventure,” as she had put it.

“This ceremony is about refilling the land with mana,” I explained.

“Oh...”

Fran and Monika let out chuckles from the back seat as Angelica visibly deflated. They must be surprised to hear that someone thought ceremonies and ingredient collecting were the same thing. I can understand why their bafflement would turn to nervous laughter.

“Angelica, that is the city of Hasse. The ivory building there is the monastery, where we will be staying tonight.”

It didn’t take long at all for us to reach Hasse. Even from high up in the air, we could see the enormous crowd gathered in the plaza before the winter mansion. The people began making an opening so that we could land.

“It’s Lady Rozemyne!”

“The High Bishop!”

Hasse welcomed us enthusiastically. I climbed out of Lessy and was immediately approached by Richt, the city’s mayor, and the local town chiefs. They all looked a little different than I remembered; in fact, one of the town chiefs was a new person entirely.

“We have been eagerly awaiting your return ever since those in the monastery informed us that you had awoken, High Bishop,” Richt said. I nodded at his greeting and then had Fran carry me to the stage; my robes would have gotten dirty otherwise, since the ground was muddy. It also would have been unthinkably shameful for me to step on my hem and fall over.

Fran set me down on the stage and prepared the chalice. Meanwhile, I expressed my thanks to the people of Hasse, who were gathered in front of the stage.

“I am told you have all taken good care of those in the monastery during my two years of sleep. Thank you. I shall express my gratitude to Hasse.”

An enthusiastic cheer ran through the crowd. I waved to them, after which Fran picked me up and set me down on the table. I confirmed that the five town chiefs had climbed up onto the stage with lidded buckets about ten liters in size, then reached out to the chalice.

“O Goddess of Water Flutrane, bringer of healing and change. O twelve goddesses who serve by her side. The Goddess of Earth Geduldh has been freed from the God of Life Ewigeliebe. I pray that you grant your younger sister the power to birth new life. I offer to you our joy and songs of glee. I offer to you our prayers and gratitude, so that we may be blessed with your purifying protection. I ask that you fill the thousand lives upon the wide mortal realm with your divine color.”

I poured mana into the chalice as I prayed, causing a glowing green liquid to flow out from within. Fran tilted the chalice, pouring the liquid into the lined-up town chiefs’ buckets.

After the ritual was over, I spoke with Richt about what had happened over the past two years, and when my little sister Charlotte came up, I made sure to brag about her. A lot had apparently piled up, and I stood up after hearing the gist of it all.

“I am relieved to know that Hasse has gotten back on its own two feet,” I said. “Now, I must visit the monastery as well, considering that it has been two years since I was last there. If you’ll excuse me.”

“The people of the monastery are no doubt just as eager to see you,” Richt replied. “Please, bring peace to their hearts.”

With the people of Hasse seeing me off, I flew to the monastery by highbeast. Upon our arrival, Fran and Monika opened the monastery door, allowing the gray priests and shrine maidens to come out to welcome me.

“Lady Rozemyne!”

“Greetings, everyone.”

Nora and the other former orphans of Hasse had all grown a lot since the last time I saw them. They were fully used to the orphanage now and didn’t seem shrouded with any regret whatsoever.

“Nora, you took the initiative in helping with Lily’s child, correct?” I asked. “None in the orphanage know much about births, and I am told that your guidance was essential.”

“I did not have much experience myself,” she replied. “Rather, it was the women of Hasse who truly helped. I was filled with relief when the child was born safely.”

“Is the child doing well...? Is he growing bigger?” Marthe asked timidly. I nodded with a smile; he had been quite energetic in the dining hall when I visited the orphanage.

“We need eyes on him at all times now that he has started to crawl. He tried crawling all the way over to me, so Lily had to hurriedly stop him. Has anything happened in the monastery?” I asked.

“Yes. We have started a field.”

The field itself was only as big as a home garden, but they had apparently started growing vegetables. Thore and Rick were heading the operation, and since the area surrounding the monastery was rich with mana, it gave excellent yields.

“It is good that you have found more to do,” I said. “However, take care not to focus so much on farming that you grow distant from printing and paper-making.”

“Of course.”

After supplying mana to the feystone in the chapel, I made my way to my room, changed, and then went to eat dinner. Nobles, gray priests, and soldiers all ate together here, albeit at separate tables.

“You may find the manners of the soldiers to be unpleasant, Angelica, but please overlook them for tonight.”

“Understood.”

After eating the food that Fran and Monika had served me, I moved to the table where the soldiers were beginning to lounge after finishing their own meals. There was something I needed to speak to them about. Dad noticed me first and straightened his back, while Fran prepared a chair for me at once so that I could sit down.

“Lady Rozemyne,” the soldiers said, hurriedly moving to kneel. I instructed them to sit back down before sitting in the chair now provided for me.

“I have news, as well as a request for you and all the other soldiers,” I said.

“What might that be?” they asked, leaning forward. I prefaced my answer by saying that I was sure the knights had informed them already and then explained that entwickeln was soon going to be performed.

“In short, there will be contracts signed during the Archduke Conference at the end of spring. Merchants from other duchies are going to be coming to Ehrenfest, and the lower city will be remodeled for cleanliness before then.”

“I felt it was fairly sudden, but now I understand why it is happening,” Dad said, nodding at my explanation and speaking politely as soldiers were trained to do. The soldiers had apparently been told about the upcoming entwickeln and instructed to provide assistance for adjusting the populace to the new rules, but they hadn’t been told why it was happening or what modifications were due to take place.

“If this remodeling does not beautify the lower city to the standards of other duchies,” I answered, “we will need to perform large-scale remodeling that will flip the entire lower city on its head.”

“The... entire lower city?” the soldiers asked, exchanging confused glances.

I looked at Dad head-on. “The entire city would be remodeled with a large-scale spell, in which case, only the ivory stone buildings made with the archduke’s mana would remain. The wooden parts where most live would all vanish.”

“What?!” The soldiers all inhaled sharply, their eyes wide. It came as no surprise that they were so taken aback; they themselves lived in the wooden parts of the lower city’s buildings.

“It is actually much simpler to design blueprints for changing the entire lower city rather than just the streets. These plans were only changed to minimize the impact on homes because I personally requested it.”

It was impossible for commoners to overturn the decisions of nobles; things often ended up being finished before they even knew they were happening. My dad swallowed, knowing well how tyrannical nobles were.

“Instead, we will be remodeling the streets and the ground beneath them,” I explained. “When we are done, we will need the help of citizens to make the changes stick and prevent the need for more drastic measures. I would like to ask for all of your assistance in teaching those of the lower city the dangers involved here.”

Rule one was to either stay in one’s home or outside of the city entirely on the day of the remodeling. Rule two was to lock one’s doors and windows tightly, and to keep them locked until word came that the remodeling was complete. Rule three was to assume that anything left on the street would be gone for good. Rule four was to dispose of all garbage and waste in designated spots following the remodeling so as to keep the lower city clean. And rule five was to keep rule four in mind and make sure that one’s neighbors stayed on track too.

As I listed off all the warnings I could think of, Dad and the soldiers listened with serious expressions, committing them to memory. The look in their eyes made me feel like everything was going to be fine in their hands.

“The fate of countless homes in the lower city rests on your shoulders. Please work together to protect what you have,” I concluded.

“We are deeply grateful for your consideration, Lady Rozemyne. I will protect our homes with all that I have,” Dad said, tapping his left chest with his right fist. The other soldiers did the same, tapping their left chest twice, and I returned the salute with a smile.

The next morning, Dad and the other soldiers prepared to leave for Ehrenfest with the carriage of gray priests.

“Gunther. Everyone. I trust my priests to you once again,” I said.

“We will convey what you have told us to the others. Rest well, Lady Rozemyne.”

I delivered the extra payment to the soldiers, like always, and then saw the carriage off. I would need to leave for the next winter mansion posthaste.

“Gil, Hugo—you may depart for your rest stop for tonight.”

“Yes, Lady Rozemyne.”

Once the carriage with my belongings had left, I looked over the gray priests and shrine maidens from the monastery who had come to watch me go.

“During the two years I slept, I am pleased to see you have all cooperated with the people of Hasse and formed strong bonds. This is a splendid feat that not even the Ehrenfest temple has managed to accomplish yet. I ask that you continue your excellent efforts,” I said. I then turned my attention to the field. “And Thore, please do tell me if you farm any especially delicious vegetables. I will come try them for myself.”

Thore grinned proudly and agreed, saying that he’d give me the best vegetables. I truly was looking forward to when the harvest came.

Everyone knelt to see me off, after which I climbed into Lessy and headed to my next destination. From there, Spring Prayer ended without incident; each winter mansion welcomed me with heated excitement, but that was about it. It was quite easy this year, since I was used to doing four times as much while traveling all throughout the Central District with Ferdinand.

I stretched, content that there was nothing left to do but return to the temple. I had only needed to chug two of Ferdinand’s kindness-infused potions this time, so I didn’t even feel as though I had been pushing myself.

“Doing only a part of the duchy is so much easier,” I mused aloud. “I’ll need to thank Charlotte and Wilfried.”

“Lady Rozemyne, you must not forget to thank the High Priest as well,” Fran said, fixing me with a sharp look. I returned a polite smile. I hadn’t forgotten; I just considered it much less of a priority.

“My gratitude for him lies elsewhere,” I said. “The High Priest deserves even greater thanks for making me such wondrous potions.”

“I see.”

Since we were traveling by highbeast, Fran and I were the first to return to the temple, carrying with us the chalice. Gil, Hugo, and several others were going to take an extra day since they were returning by carriage to Hasse, where they would stay the night before coming back to the temple. They would most likely be returning tomorrow afternoon.

“Ordonnanz,” I said, using the ordonnanz feystone I was borrowing from Ferdinand to inform him of my return. “This is Rozemyne speaking. I’ll be reaching the temple at fourth bell, so go ahead and inform Charlotte for me.”

There was only one primary chalice—the divine instrument—so we were taking turns going through the Central District. I had gone first, since it was known that I would need to take a break. Next up was Charlotte, then Wilfried, and then Ferdinand.

I arrived at the temple front gate as scheduled, whereupon I found Charlotte waiting in blue ceremonial robes alongside a chain of carriages.

“And so I have returned,” I said.

“Welcome back, Sister. How are you feeling?”

“Thanks to Wilfried’s and your help, I completed my Spring Prayers duties without falling ill. I imagine this is going to be difficult for you, but you have my gratitude.”

The chalice was handed to Ferdinand’s attendant who would be accompanying Charlotte on her trip. Charlotte watched him cradle the precious divine instrument and then climb into the carriage which she too would soon be getting into. She would perform the ceremony at the closest winter mansion to the south before turning in for the night.

“Well then, I suppose I must depart,” Charlotte said. “I wouldn’t want to arrive too late.”

“Indeed. Farewell. Everyone, take good care of Charlotte.”

After seeing Charlotte off, I turned to go to my room, only for Ferdinand to grab my arm and jerk my head up.

“Eep! What’re you doing?!” I exclaimed.

“You have just returned from Spring Prayer, but you look healthier than expected.”

“I managed to drink only a few potions thanks to the short amount of ground I needed to cover. It’s nice how little work we each have when we share the job.”

“Indeed. However, you will still want to spend this afternoon in bed,” Ferdinand said. And so, as instructed, I spent the rest of my day rolling around in bed with a book in hand.

I returned to my normal life the next day, spending my mornings practicing whirling and the harspiel and then helping Ferdinand with his work. Plus, on days when I didn’t have any plans involving the orphanage or the workshop or what have you, I also attended Professor Ferdinand’s Brewing Lessons. He started with the basic potion-making that knights regularly used, with his aim being for me to at least be able to make my own potions by the end. It was exactly the kind of protectiveness I could appreciate.

Ngh, but my precious reading time... How I wish to read books...

I continued brewing despite the pain in my heart and soon learned to make the most basic and fundamental rejuvenation potion there was. It was a recipe that was also taught at the Royal Academy, and it didn’t taste bad at all. It was completely drinkable... but didn’t really do anything. Not only was it weak and slow to take effect, but I was so used to the special brew that Ferdinand usually made that it seemed almost entirely useless in comparison.

“Do not consider yourself on equal terms with your classmates, who have not obtained an absurd quantity of mana through ridiculous amounts of compression. Rejuvenation potions on this level are more than enough for an average apprentice. They sell like hotcakes to the knight apprentices Lord Bonifatius is training—those who have neither the time nor energy to gather ingredients and brew potions themselves,” Ferdinand told me with a grin. It seemed that making them had proved to be a good source of money for him during his days in the Royal Academy.

“But wouldn’t the potions you brew sell for more than these simple ones?”

“No, they are too expensive to be profitable. The ingredients themselves are rare and difficult to gather, and the brewing recipe is much more complicated. They are not of a price that apprentices could easily afford.”

A cold sweat ran down my back as I was informed that the rejuvenation potions I used on a daily basis weren’t cheap. “Wait, but I use them all the time, don’t I...? I don’t remember ever paying for one...”

“That is fine, since you are performing work that more than makes up for their cost. The mana you recover is immediately spent for the duchy’s sake as well.”

Under normal circumstances, Ferdinand would be paying me for the work I did while helping at third bell—in fact, the blue priests who had also begun to help him were all getting paid. I was the sole exception. It was something I had never really thought about, since I had always viewed the situation as me helping him rather than working for him.

I can’t believe he was funneling my pay into financing the potions I drink!

I could only hang my head at how severe Ferdinand was. He had given me rejuvenation potions like it was nothing while at the same time keeping it hidden from me that my own money was being used to pay for them.