Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 5.1 - Chapter Pr

Prologue

It was the spring Archduke Conference, and the baptized Hildebrand was about to have his debut. It was commonplace for nobles to debut during winter socializing—but royals were debuted in an auditorium within the Royal Academy, in the presence of the archducal couples of every duchy and their retainers. Those being debuted would repeat a lengthy greeting in front of all those gathered and then offer music to the gods.

“Your music, Hildebrand,” the king directed.

“Yes, Father.”

The prince’s harspiel playing went well, much to his relief; he could actually feel the tension drain from his body once he was done. He had already needed to meet the high expectations of the noble children, but it had been even more intimidating than he had expected to play in front of so many people, especially when they were measuring him up with narrowed eyes.

“And now, I shall make an announcement,” the king continued.

It was then revealed that Hildebrand was engaged—to Letizia, an archduke candidate from Ahrensbach whom he had neither met nor even heard anything about. His mother had told him about this in advance of the announcement, but Hildebrand still struggled to suppress his own feelings and maintain his regal smile as the audience widened their eyes in surprise.

The fact that I’m marrying an aub means I won’t be a royal anymore.

Hildebrand understood that he had been raised to one day become a vassal... but he had assumed that he would take a wife in the Sovereignty and assist his family as a royal, like his half-brother Anastasius. He had never thought that he would be going to a duchy he had never seen before to wed an aub.

Once he came of age, he would cease to be a royal entirely. He could not even imagine what his new environment would be like, and it was precisely because there were so many unknowns that he felt more fear and discomfort than usual.

“My sincerest congratulations on your engagement. Now, those of Ahrensbach may be at ease.”

“I did not expect your debut to be accompanied with news of an engagement. My felicitations.”

Those gathered offered up various congratulations, but Hildebrand did not share in the celebratory mood whatsoever. Still, he quashed his dissatisfaction and accepted their words with a smile; he had been told to never let his true emotions show.

Even so... I wanted to pick my own partner.

The Sovereignty was still ablaze with talk of Anastasius’s passionate proposal to Eglantine and the song about the Goddess of Light that he had offered to her. After seeing how close they were at home and hearing the court musicians sing of their romance, Hildebrand had begun to think that marriages founded on love were a good thing indeed.

Hildebrand recalled the amusement on his mother’s face when she had told him about everything she had done to obtain the marriage she had sought, while they listened to songs made in the new couple’s honor. After all that, he could not help but want more of a say in whom he would take as his wife. He didn’t want to aimlessly follow his father’s orders and spend his life with someone he had never even met.

If the choice were mine to make...

One girl immediately came to the prince’s mind. He could already picture her slender fingers flipping through one page after another, her fluttering eyelashes, and her dark-blue hair that cascaded down her back like the night sky materialized. She was Lady Rozemyne, the Ehrenfest archduke candidate who loved books and was the master of Schwartz and Weiss.

Unfortunately, she was already due to marry someone named Wilfried.

Rozemyne must have felt the same way when her parents ordered that she be engaged.

Hildebrand knew that he could not defy a decree from the king himself, and he certainly had not been raised to do something so defiant. But even so, he could not help feeling sad about the whole situation.

After returning to his room—the same polite smile still plastered on his face—Hildebrand was changed out of his regal socializing attire and into his regular clothes. That alone was enough to ease his anxieties, but as his smile faded, he found that it was soon replaced with a displeased frown.

“I see that you are rather down, Prince Hildebrand,” said Arthur, his head attendant. “However, the king has decreed it.”

Hildebrand glared at Arthur with eyes full of displeasure; he did not need to be reminded of what he already knew. He had been told time and time again to act as royalty should, and after maintaining a smile throughout the entire event, the least he wanted was a moment of peace.

“Arthur, I will be in my hidden room for some time.”

“Understood. I will summon you when dinner is ready.”

Several days later, Hildebrand received a meeting request from Raublut, the Sovereign knight commander. Hildebrand did not much want to meet with anyone, but he was in no position to refuse—the purpose of the meeting was for Raublut to pass on a message from the king.

“I wish to congratulate you about your engagement, Prince Hildebrand.”

“Your words are appreciated, Raublut.”

“Though I can tell from the look on your face that you are less than pleased about it,” the knight commander added, his lips curling into a wry smile that caused the scar above his left cheekbone to move slightly.

Raublut and Hildebrand were having their meeting in the latter’s room, and the two were anything but strangers—they had known each other since Hildebrand was born. It was for these reasons that the prince’s true feelings had unknowingly leaked through into his expression. Upon realizing this, he straightened up and forced the emotion from his face.

Smiling at the young boy’s efforts to be a proper royal, Raublut held out a small box. “A gift, for our sad prince. Perhaps it will raise your spirits.”

Hildebrand was used to Raublut bringing him fun little toys—things that fired out a tiny projectile when opened or could only be unlocked through a very particular sequence of actions. The prince beamed in response before turning to Arthur behind him, who took the box, confirmed it was not dangerous, and then handed it back.

“Thank you, commander.”

“It’s no problem,” Raublut replied, sounding especially casual. “I just don’t want to see you so down, Prince Hildebrand.”

Arthur simply nodded in agreement.

“Now then—may I begin?”

Raublut sat up straight and conveyed the king’s message: Hildebrand was to probe Rozemyne for information about the Grutrissheit. Ferdinand of Ehrenfest had been spotted in the Royal Academy’s library, and the fact that he and Rozemyne had searched through the files of past librarians had convinced people that there was something there.

“Lady Rozemyne seized control of royal magic tools, and Lord Ferdinand is controlling her from the shadows,” Raublut concluded.

“Rozemyne became their master by chance, Raublut—and she is filling them with mana out of the goodness of her heart,” Hildebrand retorted.

Rozemyne was passionate about books, happier in the library than anywhere else, and so clearly beloved by Schwartz and Weiss. She had said that she was donating her mana so that the librarian, Solange, would not need to go without magic tools, as this outcome would only make it harder for her to visit the library.

“There is not a noble alive who would donate their mana purely out of goodwill,” Raublut said. “And even if she were, it is doubtless the case that she is not acting of her own accord. Lord Ferdinand is pulling the strings and must be treated with caution.”

Hildebrand nodded, now beginning to understand. Rozemyne may have held good intentions, but they could not guarantee the same about the person guiding her every move. Children were prone to being manipulated, since they were so very impressionable. That was why royals and archduke candidates had retainers by their side at all times.

“Due in part to Ahrensbach’s request, we have successfully torn Lord Ferdinand away from Ehrenfest,” Raublut continued. “Going forward, it should become clear whether Lady Rozemyne truly is acting out of compassion.”

“I see. That sounds wise,” Hildebrand replied, though he harbored no doubts that she was as innocent as she seemed. He knew from experience that she was interested only in books. Her golden eyes would so eagerly trace the letters before her, and she became almost oblivious to her surroundings—even when in the presence of a royal such as himself. Once they could confirm that nobody was manipulating her from the shadows, then there would be no reason to doubt her at all.

“We are sending an archnoble librarian to the Royal Academy this year,” Raublut said, “and if Lady Rozemyne relinquishes ownership of the magic tools to them without protest, then we will no longer have cause to suspect her. There is no reason for someone acting out of goodwill to contest the idea.”

“I hope that librarian is a girl...” Hildebrand muttered. He had settled for being a helper almost entirely because he did not want to be called “milady.” It would be sad if someone were forced into being addressed as a girl due to a royal decree.

Raublut blinked in surprise. “We are sending a woman—Prince Anastasius was very particular about that. I did not expect you to share his opinion, Prince Hildebrand.”

“I just do not want a man to have to endure being called ‘milady’ all the time,” Hildebrand replied. He was unsure what reasons Anastasius had.

All of a sudden, Raublut leaned forward as if about to disclose a secret. “In truth, Lady Eglantine is being sent to the Royal Academy to instruct the archduke candidate course. There, she will assist us by gathering intelligence from Lady Rozemyne. Prince Anastasius simply wants her to be in an environment with as many women—or, to be more precise, as few men—as possible. You are on good terms with Lady Rozemyne as well, correct? We would like you to find out what she knows about the relationship between the royal family, the library, and this so-called forbidden archive.”

“I don’t think she knows much at all. I mean, she came to me for more information. Plus, I won’t be able to show my face at the Royal Academy until socializing season begins, so I don’t think we’ll see much of each other.”

As a third-year student, Rozemyne would need to start devoting her time to a specialty course. Hildebrand still remembered the sadness he had felt when Arthur told him how different things were going to be.

“She may have learned more in the time since then,” Raublut said, “and now that your engagement has been settled, you will have more freedom to move about the Academy.”

Hildebrand was free to enter the public eye in the Royal Academy—but only because his future was now set in stone. It was not something he was particularly happy about.

I should be excited that I’m getting more time with Rozemyne, but now I just feel empty inside.

Raublut, seeing the prince hold in a defeated sigh, held out a magic tool. “Prince Hildebrand, please open this when you next enter your hidden room. The message it contains is a royal secret, I am told. The tool can only be used once, and its contents will not be repeated once you close the lid again. Take care to listen closely.”

“Is this from Father too?”

Raublut merely smiled, placed the magic tool on the table, and then took his leave.

Hildebrand looked between the magic tool and the toy that Raublut had given him. He wanted to postpone listening to the apparent royal secret, since it was probably a lecture or some royal decree that he would rather ignore—and so he first reached for the toy.

“Prince Hildebrand, important matters are best heard first,” Arthur said, stopping him in his tracks. Hildebrand thus put his own desires aside and reached for the magic tool instead.

“I shall go listen to this royal secret.”

“Understood. Take care that you do not miss a single word.”

Hildebrand entered his hidden room, sat on his bench, and then touched the yellow feystone on the magic tool. His mana was sucked in, and a voice began to speak.

“This is a message to my prince, who is so down over his engagement.”

Hildebrand recoiled in shock, and the voice stopped the moment his fingers left the feystone. The person speaking was not his father, the king—it was Raublut. He wondered whether he should continue listening to the message, then steeled his resolve and touched the feystone again.

“If you wish to avoid going to Ahrensbach, keep listening. If you intend to accept the king’s decree, then please close the lid.”

Hildebrand took his hand away from the feystone again and instinctively looked around for somebody to consult with. There was no one there, of course; he was alone in his hidden room. And even if someone had been there, it was unthinkable that he could ask them about defying the king’s orders and resisting his engagement.

Before he knew it, Hildebrand could feel his heart racing. A quiet voice in his head told him to close the lid, but at the same time, he couldn’t avoid the question he had asked himself so many times already.

Do I want to accept the royal decree and go to Ahrensbach...?

“I... don’t want to,” Hildebrand said. And with those words of resolve, he touched the stone again.

“A royal decree can only be canceled by another royal decree, and a king naturally cannot become an aub. You know these things, yes? Thus, if you wish to avoid going to Ahrensbach, then you must take the throne yourself, Prince Hildebrand.”

“Me? King...?” Hildebrand muttered. His head started to spin, but Raublut’s low voice continued nonetheless, urging him to become king.

“Search for the Grutrissheit—the proof of a true king that King Trauerqual does not have. He who finds it shall become the next ruler without opposition. It will even save King Trauerqual himself, who has suffered to no end due to not having the Grutrissheit.”

Long ago, the king’s half-brother—the second prince at the time—had been recognized as next in line to the throne. His unexpected death had caused many serious problems, and by the midway point of the first and third princes’ feud, the Grutrissheit was nowhere to be found. Hildebrand recalled his father saying on more than one occasion that, had the Grutrissheit not been lost, then the country would have avoided some very brutal conflicts. He had also said that, if the Grutrissheit were to be found, then he would no longer need to be king despite not having been educated for the position or having the tools to carry out his duties.

“So if I find the Grutrissheit and become the true king, I can save Father and avoid going to Ahrensbach?”

“If you take the throne, Prince Hildebrand, then you can nullify the royal decree and marry whomever you choose.”

It was a bewitching offer. Hildebrand could not only help his father, but also save both himself and Rozemyne from their unwanted marriages. It was with this desire to make everyone happy that he decided to follow Raublut’s advice... but at the same time, something in his heart called for him to reconsider. He was being raised as a vassal; seeking the kingship was flying too high.

Hildebrand was torn between two voices—one telling him not to seek the throne, and the other asking whether he really wanted to give up on his one chance to get the future he wanted.

“Should a third prince like me really be aiming to become king?” Hildebrand asked. But the magic tool had no answer for him; it had already served its purpose.

“You look unwell, Hildebrand. Is something worrying you?”

“Mother.”

Hildebrand had seldom seen his mother since being baptized and receiving his own villa. He should have been overjoyed that they were having dinner together, but he had evidently allowed the sadness he was feeling to show on his face.

I wonder if she’ll scold me for not being princely enough...

Hildebrand tensed up, expecting the worst, but his mother’s usually hard expression softened a little instead. She met his gaze, then gently stroked his hair and cheeks, despite having said that she could not be soft on him anymore now that he was baptized.

“If something is on your mind, then please tell me. I am your mother, after all. We may not spend as much time together now that we live apart, but I think of you more than anyone.”

Hildebrand gazed up at his mother—at her beautiful tresses, which were the same bluish-silver as his own, and her red eyes, which were quietly imploring him to speak.

I might not be able to tell her all of what’s going on, but... maybe we can still talk about it a little.

Hildebrand could not help but feel that his mother was urging him down the path he had chosen. After all, she had used a variety of tricky means to marry into royalty and crush the engagement that her family had attempted to force upon her. In short, she had won her happiness and wed the man she had set her sights on.

She should understand my wish to choose the person I marry.

“Mother... there is something I want. Something I might not even be able to get. I understand that my feelings are selfish and that anyone who finds out about them will oppose me. Is it okay for me to keep wanting it anyway?”

His mother’s red eyes widened, then she gave a joyous laugh. “Oh my. I thought you were most rich with your father’s blood, but I see that you are a Dunkelfelgerian through and through.” She brought Hildebrand up onto her lap and started running her fingers through his hair. “Focus your efforts, build your strength, and challenge fate as many times as it takes to get what you want. Such is the Dunkelfelger way.”

“Prince Hildebrand is not from Dunkelfelger, though,” Arthur protested with a sigh. “He is royalty.”

She silenced him with a smile and continued speaking to her son in a kind, soothing voice. “Hildebrand, making one’s selfish desires a reality is no easy feat.”

“Right.”

“First, you must grant large boons to those around you. People are far more likely to help you attain your wish if they have something to gain as well.”

Hildebrand continued to listen to his mother’s advice. To prevent any substantial opposition, he noted, he would need to create a reality in which his needs aligned with those of others. This alone would require a wide variety of strategies.

“Think carefully about how to make those around you your allies,” his mother continued. “Learn well, and obtain the strength required to succeed. Change your approach as many times as it takes. Never give up. Learn, improve, and continue to challenge the impossible. If you are a true Dunkelfelgerian, then this should be more than possible for you.” She clapped her hands on his cheeks and gave him an invincible smile, doing everything in her power to energize him.

Hildebrand gave a firm nod in response. “I’ll do everything I can.”

I’ll find the Grutrissheit. Then I’ll cancel the two engagements and propose to Rozemyne.

And so, Hildebrand went to the Royal Academy with his heart full of resolve. It had been more or less a year since his last encounter with Rozemyne, so he was excited about seeing her again during the fellowship gathering. She came to greet him at the far end of the Small Hall, flanked by Wilfried and Charlotte.

What is that glittering thing?

Rozemyne’s hair was as dark and mysterious as the night sky, exactly as he remembered it. One thing that he didn’t remember, however, was the hair ornament decorated with five rainbow feystones that she was wearing. It was nestled beside an Ehrenfest hairpin of the more popular style and gleamed in the light as if marking its presence with each step that Rozemyne took. She had not been wearing it the year before, so it was unlikely to have been given to her by a guardian.

Did she receive it from Wilfried, then?

Hildebrand could feel a nasty burning sensation in his chest the moment that thought crossed his mind.

Fine, then. I’ll just need to gift her feystones that are even better.

Once the usual greetings had been exchanged, Wilfried took Rozemyne by the hand as though it were the most natural thing in the world, then left. One day, Hildebrand vowed, he would be there in his place.

The Grutrissheit... and now rainbow feystones...

Hildebrand clenched his fist beneath the table, his lofty goal now in plain sight.