Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 5.12 - Chapter 9

Back to Ehrenfest

“Start by checking these,” Ferdinand said. We had just concluded our library tour and returned to my chambers in the aub’s living quarters when he handed me a list of tasks to complete in Ehrenfest. From what I could see, we had discussed roughly half of them already.

“Is it really okay for me to go back?” I asked.

“Yes, I guarantee it. As you might recall, the initial plan was for you and your retainers to stay here only for a few days until the problems brought about by the battle for the Sovereignty were resolved.”

Indeed, we hadn’t packed anywhere near enough for a permanent move. My retainers and I would need more time to get ourselves ready before we could properly live in Alexandria.

Ferdinand continued, “You were all preparing to move to the Sovereignty before your destination suddenly changed. I suspect many of your retainers will need to discuss the new arrangement with their houses and parents. After all... moving to the Sovereignty as the retainer of a princess is nothing like moving to the duchy that just invaded one’s home to serve its new aub.”

I’d thought it wouldn’t really matter that our destination had changed. Becoming an aub capable of creating my own library sounded so much better than having to accept a worse life as a princess, but not everyone would appreciate the new circumstances.

“Your hidden rooms in Ehrenfest’s castle and temple must be closed,” Ferdinand explained, “and the library I gave you needs to be cleared out and returned.”

“Guh... I’m losing my library? Can’t we make it, like, the Ehrenfest branch of my library here in Alexandria?”

“Do not be foolish,” he snapped. “The estate belongs to the aub and is meant to be given to members of the archducal family when they come of age. Do you really intend to claim ownership of another duchy’s property? How greedy and arrogant can one woman be?” It was a pretty stern lecture for what I’d meant to be a passing thought.

“You’re the one who put the idea in my head. You gave me the estate before you moved, even though I was too young to stay there and already had a room in the castle. I was going to let Charlotte or Melchior have it and—”

“My circumstances were unique; I understood that using the books in my library as bait would guarantee Lasfam’s safety and the security of my belongings. Not to mention, you were engaged to Wilfried; the plan was for you to stay in Ehrenfest.”

Back then, we had just experienced the theft of our bible, and the purge of the former Veronica faction had loomed on the horizon. Ferdinand had deemed it safest to give me the estate, since Georgine could easily sneak her pawns into the castle, and Sylvester had agreed.

“You have no need to leave any of your belongings in Ehrenfest or to leave someone to oversee the estate in your absence. In the first place, who would you station there? Lasfam needed somewhere to escape Veronica’s wrath, but most archducal retainers would view being sent to work away from the castle as being ostracized by their lord or lady.”

“Even though living in a library is the greatest blessing one could imagine...?”

“Fool. Do not assume your strange opinions are the norm. It is still in your best interests to empty and seal the estate before giving it away. Its books will cease to be yours otherwise.”

I wouldn’t have minded lending those books, but I didn’t want to lose ownership of them. Call me arrogant or greedy—I was determined to own as many books as I could get my hands on.

“It saddens me to lose a library... but I suppose there is no other choice.”

Ferdinand extended a hand to me. I stared at it for a moment, then looked up at him quizzically and asked what he wanted.

“Hand me the engagement feystone I gave you,” he replied. “I will turn it into a necklace before we leave tomorrow.”

“I thought you gave me just the feystone so I could fashion it into anything.” Engaged women wore theirs as necklaces, but I’d received mine as an ordinary stone. I called Lieseleta over and asked her to return it to him, but I couldn’t help thinking he should have given it to me as a necklace in the first place.

“It is crucial during an engagement ceremony for both parties to confirm the words written within their feystones,” Ferdinand explained. “They can be obscured when the stones are turned into accessories, which is why that part of the process comes later. Because engagement feystones exist as a way of getting used to feeling the other person’s mana against one’s skin, the chain and such are also made out of mana. Did you not know that?”

“No, this is my first time hearing about it. I was engaged to Wilfried, but we never exchanged feystones, so...”

“You were too young for a proper engagement. You would only have exchanged feystones when you both developed mana-sensing.”

But we hadn’t made it that far, and now I was engaged to Ferdinand. Wouldn’t my lack of education on these matters cause problems? I voiced my concerns, but he just furrowed his brow at me.

“It might, but we can address the gaps in your education later. Such matters are nowhere near as important as the Archduke Conference and your inauguration. For now, what kind of necklace would you like? If you have something intricate in mind, then you are welcome to make your own—though that might be too taxing for you as you are now. I am open to requests if you want to decide the shape and the like.”

“No, I’m not picky, but does it really need to be done by tomorrow?” For obvious reasons, I wanted to delay wearing a feystone for as long as I could. I was already dyed with Ferdinand’s mana, and Ehrenfest knew about our engagement, so why were we rushing to make the necklace?

“An engaged woman must wear one when moving around the castle,” Ferdinand replied, making it clear that I didn’t have a choice in the matter. “Given its properties as a magic tool, it will need to touch your skin to some degree, but relax—I will design it so that you are barely able to see the feystone.”

I wanted to protest, but there was no point; his logic would counter any argument I tried to make. Creating my own necklace was absolutely out of the question, so I conceded to him making it for me.

“I shall entrust the rest to you, then, Ferdinand. But do not work too hard during this already hectic period.”

To tell the truth, I didn’t care what form my engagement feystone took, but Ferdinand arrived at the teleportation hall with it fashioned into a necklace. As my belongings and retainers were gradually teleported to Ehrenfest, he opened the box containing the necklace so that I could see it with my own eyes.

“It is done, Rozemyne,” he said.

The necklace was designed in such a way that intricately decorated metal covered most of the large rainbow feystone. Ferdinand had struck the perfect balance, making sure it was easily recognizable as an engagement feystone while also keeping the stone out of my line of sight. Its splendid, ornate metalwork spoke to hands far more talented than my own, fully confirming that I was right to leave the task to him.

“Wow!” I cried out in awe. “To think you could make something so detailed in just one day...”

Ferdinand plucked the necklace from its box. I could tell that he wanted to put it on me, so I turned my back to him and moved my hair out of the way. The slight chill of the metal chain and the sensation of the feystone against my skin made me jump at first, but I stopped noticing them when they matched my body heat. It must have been because the mana leaking from them was the same as that already within me.

I touched the necklace with my fingertips. Its metal casing was more prominent than the feystone, so it didn’t unnerve me as much as I’d expected.

“Does it make you uncomfortable?” Ferdinand asked, eyeing our surroundings carefully. I also looked around to make sure everyone within earshot was from Ehrenfest, then shook my head.

“No, I’m fine. Maybe because it’s your mana leaking out, it doesn’t bother me as much as other feystones.”

“I see,” Ferdinand said, showing his satisfaction with a nod.

We were joined today by my new retainers from Old Ahrensbach, whom I’d chosen from Ferdinand’s list of acceptable candidates. They didn’t yet know about my feystone phobia—we had elected not to tell them until after the Archduke Conference—so I needed to watch what I said even in my room. It made me tense enough that I was even more grateful to be returning to Ehrenfest.

“Lady Rozemyne, all of your other retainers have teleported,” announced Cornelius, who had overseen their transportation. “Let us go as well.”

I nodded and stood.

“Finish brewing the dyes and making the cape and crest as soon as possible,” Ferdinand said. “Contact me when you are done.”

“Right,” I replied with a smile. “I’ll be back before you know it, but let me know if anything happens, okay?” Returning to Alexandria would be easy thanks to the dormitories’ teleporters.

Ferdinand grimaced and shook his head. “We might now have an easier way to move between the duchies, but you must not return to Alexandria before your inauguration ceremony is complete.”

“Why not? I’m the aub, aren’t I?” I’d intended to come back as soon as I completed all the tasks on my to-do list, so I couldn’t understand why he wanted me to stay in Ehrenfest.

“You are, which is precisely why I need you out of the picture. I plan to destroy what remains of Ahrensbach’s foul traditions before the Archduke Conference. Your compulsion to lend an ear to anyone and everyone who calls for help will only get in my way.”

Ferdinand went on to remind me of my sympathizing with Gervasio in the Garden of Beginnings. It certainly would be problematic for the duchy’s highest authority to intervene based on her emotions, especially when she didn’t understand the actual circumstances.

“Fair enough, then,” I said. “I won’t return to Alexandria until the Archduke Conference is behind us. Still, Ahrensbach’s traditions can’t all be foul. Take care not to ruin the good ones.”

“Yes, their administration was superior to Ehrenfest’s in more ways than one. I came to understand that all too well.”

Ferdinand wouldn’t make any headway with me interjecting all the time, and the blame for any issues I caused would rest entirely with me. He was insistent on delaying my return so he could tie up all the loose ends with Old Ahrensbach.

By which I mean he’s laying all the necessary traps. I just hope he doesn’t go overboard.

“I understand your concern, but you cannot be involved,” Ferdinand continued. “Your time would be much better spent studying the duchy’s industries and geography. The relevant resources are somewhere among the luggage being transported today.”

As it stood, my retainers and I had a very limited understanding of our new home; we were unaware of even basic facts about its land and industries that Old Ahrensbach nobles knew as a matter of course. I was inheriting Letizia’s study materials so I could remedy this before the Archduke Conference.

That means new textbooks. Yippee!

“Lieseleta,” Ferdinand said, “give Rozemyne her new study materials only when she has delivered the cape and crest to the Zent. Do not let her have them any sooner.”

“How rude...” I remarked. “Even I understand that the cape and crest come first.”

“Consider it an extra precaution. I will meet you at the tea party room on the day of the inauguration ceremony. I beg of you, do not cause any trouble in the meantime.”

Ferdinand reached out and stroked my cheek. In the past, he would almost certainly have taken this opportunity to pinch me, but my sudden growth spurt meant there was no longer any baby fat in my cheeks. It was another victory for my new appearance.

“Well, I must depart,” I said. “Be sure to eat and sleep well, Ferdinand.”

I gave him one last chastising look, reminding him I wasn’t the only one with bad habits, and then stepped onto the teleporter with Lieseleta and Cornelius. We soon arrived at the Royal Academy, where we found my retainers waiting in a side room.

“Please inform Ehrenfest of our—”

“I sent an ordonnanz earlier,” Hartmut said, cutting Lieseleta short. “Gretia and the others await us in the tea party room.”

I nodded and made my way there.

We hadn’t been at the tea party room long when more of my Ehrenfest retainers arrived: Damuel, Philine, Ottilie, Bertilde, and Judithe. I could sense their unease about there being Old Ahrensbach nobles with me.

“Everyone here is a member of my retinue,” I said. “You will need to work closely together as my inauguration ceremony draws near, so learn the faces and names of anyone you do not recognize.”

From there, I gave Damuel and Philine their registration brooches.

“Damuel and Philine shall continue to serve me, though they will remain in Ehrenfest for the time being. They both have permission to use Alexandria’s dormitory and castle for as long as travel through the Royal Academy is an option. Philine, in particular, will sometimes act as my retainer when the Academy resumes. Be sure to associate with her.”

I watched my retainers exchange polite introductions. They would spend the rest of the gathering speaking about the move to Alexandria and the future delegation of their work.

“I doubt I am needed in a discussion among retainers, so I will return to Ehrenfest ahead of you. Bertilde, Judithe, Ottilie—let us go.”

We took our leave, then entered Ehrenfest’s dormitory through its tea party room and proceeded to its teleportation hall. Judithe glanced over her shoulder and sighed.

“I really do envy Damuel and Philine... I want to join you all in Alexandria, but my father won’t let me.” He had agreed to at least consider her move to the Sovereignty based on her engagement prospects but was strictly against her moving to my new duchy.

“As your father, his response was only natural,” Ottilie explained with a slight smile. “It isn’t easy to get married or raise children in an environment without your parents or some family of your own. If something happens to you under those circumstances, they won’t be able to assist you. It shouldn’t surprise you that your father would rather you stay in Ehrenfest.”

It was standard practice in noble society to debut children only when they were baptized; otherwise, their very existence was kept secret from everyone but their parents’ closest friends. One also had to consider that most noblewomen lived sheltered lives and seldom had chances to go outside. Ottilie told us from her perspective as a parent that any father would worry about sending his daughter somewhere he couldn’t vet her husband or make sure she would get along well with his family.

“Few parents would agree to send their unmarried daughter to a duchy as unstable as Alexandria,” she concluded.

“Ottilie, are you worried about Hartmut?”

“Yes, but not for the reasons you suspect. As everyone knows by this point, he is something of a Lady Rozemyne fanatic, so I worry he might be a bother...”

We all understood exactly what she meant. Though Hartmut was a talented scholar, it was easy to remember all the times he’d gone on a rampage or randomly begun raving about my virtues.

Ottilie continued, “He is already engaged to Clarissa of Dunkelfelger and should do just fine in an environment where he can focus on his work. Your father, Judithe, has much greater cause for concern. Men and women have very different experiences.”

There might not have been as much backlash if she had family in Alexandria to rely upon, but she wasn’t quite so fortunate. If she continued to serve me, she would need to associate with the nobles of a duchy that had just recently invaded us. My retainers’ engagements would serve a crucial role in strengthening our duchy’s internal relations going forward, but from another perspective, one could consider it more akin to a hostage situation.

“I understand your desire to serve Lady Rozemyne, but you can always join me in serving my elder sister instead,” Bertilde noted, taking Judithe by the hands. She must have wanted more of her coworkers to stay in Ehrenfest. “Remaining here will put your family at ease, and you can expect a warm welcome from Brunhilde and me. My sister and Lady Charlotte both stressed the importance of us protecting what Lady Rozemyne must leave behind. Do you not consider that your duty as her retainer?”

Ottilie turned to me, her warm smile hardening into a more stern expression. “The complexity of raising a child can only be learned through experience, so we cannot expect too much of one so young and still unmarried. Nonetheless, Lady Rozemyne, I must ask you to pay especially close attention to the futures of your female retainers leaving Ehrenfest to serve you.”

“I will.”

We teleported to Ehrenfest, where Wilfried, Charlotte, and Melchior awaited us.

“Welcome back, Sister,” Charlotte said. “Do forgive Father and the others for their absence—there is much they must do in preparation for the Archduke Conference. In less hectic times, the archducal couple would personally attend the arrival of a future aub.”

“There is no need to apologize for them,” I replied. “They took time out of their busy schedules to attend my engagement ceremony. I should also note that, as my formal inauguration ceremony has yet to take place, I am still their adoptive daughter first and foremost. You may be at ease.”

I wasn’t about to ask the archducal couple to stop what they were doing to welcome me when they’d traveled all the way to Alexandria for my engagement ceremony. To be honest, I was surprised even these three had found the time to come here.

We had started toward the northern building when Wilfried stared down at my necklace. “Feels strange to see you wearing an engagement feystone.” His remark prompted the others to look as well.

“I don’t quite follow,” I said, trying to hide the feystone with my hand. Being the center of attention was making me a little uncomfortable.

“Don’t you feel weird about being engaged to Ferdinand, of all people? Not that I think it’s a bad thing—you need someone to keep your rampages under control.”

“Oh, but my rampages are harmless compared to his, I assure you.” Wilfried could only make such remarks because he hadn’t been there for the transference ceremony or our meeting with the royal family. Ferdinand had threatened the royals, attacked Erwaermen, and overall just acted as he pleased.

“Maybe, but he acts deliberately. You just act on impulse. He’s better for you than Prince Sigiswald, in any—”

“Brother, he is Lord Sigiswald now,” Charlotte interjected. “The transference ceremony made it official. Using his old title is disrespectful to Zent Eglantine.”

She was right. Trauerqual wasn’t the Zent anymore, which meant Sigiswald, Anastasius, and Hildebrand were princes no longer. They were to be styled as lords from now on.

“It was a harmless little mistake,” Wilfried said.

“Even little mistakes can have serious consequences.”

Paying their argument no mind, Melchior looked up at me. “Rozemyne, Father and Mother told me you personally asked for me to be allowed to attend the transference ceremony. It was a wonderful event. I was so glad to be there. Your divine power could be felt throughout the entire auditorium.”

Melchior launched into an excited retelling of the ceremony. The special circumstances had meant it was his very first trip to the Royal Academy. He had seen dedication whirls produce pillars of light, statues move atop the shrine, and the avatar of a goddess bestow a Grutrissheit upon the new Zent.

Wait, is that really how he saw it? I just remember the headache of my charms shining the entire time, being suddenly teleported to the Garden of Beginnings, and then having the gods assail me with blessings...

Melchior’s memory of the ceremony differed quite dramatically from mine, but that was okay. For him to have considered it a divine spectacle, we must have done exactly what we set out to achieve.

“How fares the temple?” I asked. “I know Philine is back from Spring Prayer. Are the others done too?”

“Two priests have yet to return, but things are proceeding smoothly. I got back from praying at one of the farming towns just yesterday.”

The Defense of Ehrenfest had delayed Spring Prayer to some degree, but everything was back on schedule. Priests had even made trips to Gerlach, Illgner, and the other provinces involved in the fighting.

“The mana stolen by Old Werkestock’s giebes was returned without incident, and this year’s harvest seems likely to succeed,” Melchior concluded. It was predicted to be worse than last year but, to my relief, not bad enough to put the commoners’ lives at risk.

Charlotte waited for a lull in our conversation before she called out to me. “Um, Sister... You haven’t yet spoken to the Gutenbergs about the abrupt change of plans, have you? They were quite shocked when, at the aub’s command, Brunhilde requested their opinions on the schematics. Should you not take this time to consult with them?”

Ferdinand had just told me I was the only one taking our change of destination from the Sovereignty to Alexandria lightly. Benno’s face arose in my mind, twisted with righteous fury.

Eep! He’s going to unleash his thunder for sure!

“I asked the aub to speak with them in my stead,” I replied.

My decision to become an aub had come right before we had needed to leave Ehrenfest, and the chaos in the Sovereignty and my discussions with the royals had taken up every minute of my time. I simply hadn’t had a chance to speak with Benno or the others, though I supposed that was no excuse; I’d still uprooted their plans out of nowhere.

“Melchior, I will send word once all the necessary arrangements for the Zent have been made,” I said. “Could you take that as your cue to gather the Gutenbergs in the temple? I will give them a report then and there.”

“I see nothing wrong with that, but might I propose sorting out the priests at the same time? Philine mentioned that you intend to take your temple attendants with you to the new duchy. Kazmiar said we need to arrange their sale and a means of transporting them.”

“Very well,” I replied with a nod. Making those preparations was on my to-do list from Ferdinand, but I also considered it my duty as their lady. “I shall take care of the matter before meeting the merchants. Could you have the High Priest arrange the necessary documents?”

Melchior stuck out his chest and said, “Absolutely.”

We had just reached the corridor to the northern building when Charlotte turned to me. “Sister, I am told your retainers are going to and from the dormitory as they each move their belongings to Alexandria. Is your own schedule in order?”

“Tomorrow, I plan to visit my library. I need to brew the dye for Alexandria’s capes.”

“Oh, right. The base dye,” Wilfried said, thinking back to the archduke candidate course. “First-generation aubs sure have it rough.”

“‘Base dye’?” Melchior asked. Neither he nor Charlotte knew about it yet, so they both looked at us quizzically.

“Yes, the dye used to determine a duchy’s color. Ehrenfest has one too. It’s brewed with magic so it can completely change the color of any cape or tapestry or what have you, no matter its material. Having one is crucial when you’re founding a new duchy.” If not for base dye, nobles joining from other duchies would need to order new capes and go to the trouble of getting them reembroidered.

“Can the nobles not give their capes to commoner dyers?”

“Preparing and dyeing cloth takes time—the commoners’ work would never end if they had to dye every single cape by themselves. They do, however, dye the newly made capes given to students joining the Royal Academy. The aub prepares the base color, which the dyers then emulate.”

“In that case, why do people marrying into another duchy buy entirely new capes?” Charlotte asked. “Could they not use that dye and spare themselves from having to redo their embroidery?”

“Base dyes use ingredients local to their respective duchies,” Wilfried explained. “They’re also tough to brew—too tough for most laynobles and mednobles. I guess they consider it quicker to just embroider a new cape.”

“Not to mention,” I added, “some duchies keep the recipe a secret and control all sales of their capes to prevent misuse.”

“I was told the Zent would present you with your cape, but do you have to prepare it?”

“Indeed. I was instructed to buy an Ehrenfest cape, dye it, and send it to the Zent. It will then be presented to me during the inauguration ceremony and used to demonstrate Alexandria’s color. As my head scholar, Hartmut is striving to complete the crest and all the relevant paperwork.”

I’d insisted that I could draw the crest, secretly hoping to sneak Lessy in there among the shumils, but Ferdinand must have seen right through me; he’d turned me down and strictly forbidden anyone from letting me get involved.

“Preparing for the Archduke Conference sounds like such a great ordeal,” Melchior said. “May it all go smoothly for you, Sister.”

“Let me know if you need any help,” Wilfried added. “I’ll do whatever I can.”

The pair waved me farewell and then headed to their rooms. Charlotte and I continued upstairs.

“Sister—though your hands must be full enough already, try to visit Elvira when you can. Um... Mother said you need to speak with Aurelia, and this is Elvira’s last chance to spend time with you as family, so...”

I nodded. The conversation to come wouldn’t be pleasant for Aurelia, but there was no avoiding it. I promised that I would contact Elvira and then entered my room.

“Welcome,” Rihyarda greeted me as soon as I crossed the threshold. Sylvester had ordered her to serve as my retainer for as long as I was at the castle. “You have few attendants at hand now that Lieseleta and Gretia are busy moving their belongings. Lady Brunhilde wished to serve you until the last possible moment, but she has her own duties as the adult fiancée of an aub.”

Ehrenfest had exceptionally few adult archducal family members. And as only adults could participate in the Archduke Conference, Brunhilde had much to do.

Her attending to me at the dormitory truly was a special exception.

“As for your schedule tomorrow, milady... Ahem. Pardon me. Now that you are engaged, I should address you more properly.”

“I was a little upset when Justus stopped calling me ‘milady.’ It won’t be long before I stop hearing it entirely. Could you at least keep using it until the Archduke Conference, when I’ll officially become Aub Alexandria?”

Rihyarda thought for a moment, then gave a reluctant sigh and smiled in defeat. “How demanding of you. Very well, milady... but only in this room.”

Her compromise warmed my heart. For the first time in ages, it felt like I was home. As eager as I was to fill my new library in Alexandria with books, I also wanted to make the most of these final moments. I found myself unable to sit still and snatched up my to-do list.

“Rihyarda, there is much I must do here in Ehrenfest.”

“Indeed. I was informed of your duties by letter and thought I would go over them with you today. You arrived later than expected, however, and there is not much time before dinner. As you have so few guards at the moment, I would advise you to wait here and not leave your room until they arrive.”

Rihyarda’s tone was as sharp as ever, but I considered it relaxing for some reason.

“Can you prepare me some of your tea?” I asked. “It should do wonders to help me calm down.”

“Ohoho... Coming right up, milady.”