Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 4.01 - Chapter 15

Registering at the Library 

“Tralala! Lalalala!” 

I was so overjoyed in the morning that all my retainers looked at me like I was crazy, but what did they expect? I would be going to the Royal Academy’s library for the first time this afternoon to get registered. The truth was, I had been shaking with excitement even since getting into bed last night. 

Lieseleta had been there as I restlessly tossed and turned. As we sat at the breakfast table, she looked at my other retainers with a bemused smile before turning back to me. “Lady Rozemyne, you must truly be excited for the library to have lost sleep over it,” she said, indirectly updating my male retainers on my nighttime antics. “My older sister has never once set foot in the library, and I must say that your interests could not differ more from hers.” 

Angelica puffed out her chest with pride. “Right. As the commander said, a servant should make up for the weaknesses of those they serve, and vice versa. This means Lady Rozemyne and I are perfect for each other—she’s good at studying and bad at physical stuff, while I’m bad at studying and good at physical stuff.” 

“Are you sure you should be saying that, Sister? When Lady Rozemyne masters the art of physical enhancement and can move again, you will need to learn to study in order to match her once again,” Lieseleta said with a refined giggle. 

Angelica widened her eyes with shock at the realization that she once again could not escape her studies, and breakfast came to a pleasant end with everyone laughing at her despair. 

All of a sudden, Brunhilde’s head shot up. “Lady Rozemyne, I forgot to mention this due to Professor Hirschur’s sudden arrival yesterday, but the music professors have invited you to a tea party,” she said, causing the senior students to whistle with surprise. They seemed excited about it for some reason, but we first- and second-years didn’t quite get the significance. 

“The third-years had practical music lessons yesterday afternoon...” Brunhilde began. 

Lessons were held separately by status, and as it turned out, the professors in the archnoble, mednoble, and laynoble classes had all mentioned the new song I had played during the practical lesson for first-years and asked the students to play my other songs as well. They had apparently become fairly popular throughout Ehrenfest over the past two years due to the infamous Ferdinand concert and the sheet music having been sold so freely. The students who had purchased the sheet music two years ago had practiced the songs plenty, such that they could now play them at will. 

The third-years had played songs for the professors according to their preference and abilities, thereby making it known throughout the Royal Academy that I had composed many original songs. It was known that Brunhilde was serving as my apprentice attendant, so she had been called over after class and asked whether I had time for a tea party one morning, given that the Ehrenfest first-years had now finished their written lessons. 

“Culture from all duchies comes together in the Royal Academy, and yet the songs were overflowing with individuality unlike anything they had ever heard before. All of the music professors were quite drawn to them,” Brunhilde explained. 

“Has not a single student played one of my songs here in the two years since we first started selling the sheet music?” I asked. 

“It was the will of Aub Ehrenfest that all of your inventions be spread slowly through the Academy only after you awoke and began attending yourself, Lady Rozemyne.” 

Pretty much all of my inventions were made in the temple and the lower city, and scholars in the castle had zero involvement in the day-to-day affairs of either. Even Ferdinand only received reports on finished products and total sales. As such, nobody knew the fine details of my business, and Sylvester had likely put out his gag order to avoid Ehrenfest being shamed in the event of someone at the Archduke Conference asking questions nobody could answer. 

“Can you accompany me to that tea party, Brunhilde?” I asked, too scared to go alone. Her amber eyes began to sparkle at once, and she gave a firm nod. 

“Of course. I shall accompany you as an apprentice attendant. An invitation from the professors can be interpreted as the Sovereignty expressing interest in Ehrenfest culture, so I must say, I am exceptionally honored to be afforded the chance to attend such a tea party.” 

Being invited to a tea party by the professors was a great honor, and nobody in Ehrenfest had received such an invitation for as long as Brunhilde remembered. This explained why the senior students had been so surprised and excited. 

“This is my first time attending a tea party at the Royal Academy, so I shall trust you to prepare everything I need and deal with the professors,” I said to Brunhilde. “Have they given us a date?” 

“Not as of yet. I was not expected to give an answer before first discussing the matter with you. It will be a few more days before I finish my own written lessons, so may I suggest your reply be that you will think the matter over with your attendants once they send an official letter of invitation?” 

Brunhilde seemed set on finishing her written lessons before the tea party. I couldn’t help but respect people who charged straight toward their goals, so she had my total support. 

“That answer is fine with me. I imagine preparing for a tea party with the professors immediately after you finish your written lessons will not be easy, but I am certain you will manage it with aplomb.” 

“You can count on me. I must ensure clothes, hair ornaments, music, and gifts are prepared to an impeccable standard in time for the tea party—a worthy test of my skills indeed,” Brunhilde said, counting everything she needed to do on her fingers. “The date has not yet been decided, but please have your musician start practicing as soon as possible. If you can, I believe it would be wise if you include original compositions.” 

As my personal musician, we would naturally be bringing Rosina with us. 

“Original compositions... I shall discuss this with Rosina. I am perfectly able to create music, but reaching a point where I can perform the song myself requires some time,” I said. The most I could usually do was hum the tune; it was the job of my personal musician to arrange the notes and create sheet music that could be played on the harspiel. “I intend to leave for the library this afternoon, so do try to return from your morning lessons as soon as possible.” 

I saw my older retainers off with a smile, then started discussing new songs with Rosina while the first-years were working on study guides. She was overjoyed to have the opportunity to arrange new songs again, and in no time at all, she had her harspiel, a pen, and some white paper at the ready. 

“Lady Rozemyne, you may begin humming at any time.” 

I hummed a song melody while Rosina played it back to me on her harspiel and wrote down the notes measure by measure. Since we were going to be performing this one to teachers, I chose a classical song that wasn’t too lengthy. 

“What god is this song dedicated to?” Rosina asked. 

“To celebrate my first-ever visit to the library, I shall dedicate it to Mestionora the Goddess of Wisdom.” 

The first-years continued with their work, but I could see them glancing up with great interest as Rosina put together the melody and began arranging the song. 

After Wilfried and I finished lunch, we gathered all the first-years and our retainers and prepared to leave for the library. Rihyarda had the money to cover our fees, and Oswald was joining us as the adult attendant Wilfried had brought to the Academy. I could feel myself getting more and more excited as our retainers checked to make sure everyone was present at the entrance hall. 

“The library! Ohh, the library! What a wonderful place! So many books to read at one’s own pace! Tralala! Tralalala!” I sang enthusiastically, the music we had been composing all morning still stuck in my head. 

“Lady Rozemyne, is that the song you were just composing?” Hartmut asked, clearly surprised. “Have you already written the lyrics?” 

I nodded with a big smile. “Yes, I thought of them just now. How does the name ‘A Paradise Gifted Unto Us by the Gods’ sound to you?” 

“Hold it, Rozemyne,” Wilfried interjected with an exasperated tone. “No way are you going to impress the professors with lyrics like those. I thought this was a song dedicated to Mestionora the Goddess of Wisdom, not the library.” 

A few sensible chuckles could be heard throughout the hall. 

Rihyarda sighed, seeming to be just as exasperated, then promptly put a stop to my enthusiasm. “Milady, might I remind you once again that we are simply registering with the library today. You have court etiquette lessons this afternoon, so there is no time for any reading.” 

I had naturally been told several times this morning that I wouldn’t be able to enter the library freely until after I passed the exams for all my practical lessons as well, so I had absolutely no intention of skipping class. That didn’t mean I wasn’t excited about visiting my first-ever library in this world though. 

“I am aware, but I will be allowed to walk through the library’s reading room, yes?” 

And while I’m there, I’ll surely be allowed to take just a quick peek at the books... It’s important. Like taste-testing food as a chef. 

Rihyarda narrowed her dark-brown eyes at me. “Milady, I shall say this as many times as it takes: you will not be allowed to read.” 

“Of course. Of course.” 

The other first-years let out dry laughs at just how many times this exchange had taken place between Rihyarda and me. 

“Everyone is ready. Shall we go?” 

We exited the dormitory and entered the hallway outside the auditorium. Once we had passed by the halls used for practical lessons, we were in an area that was entirely new to me. Next were the larger halls for mednoble and laynoble practical lessons, then the central building with its own auditorium and classrooms. We eventually turned south and reached a T-junction. Halls extended to both the left and right, each with large doors at the end. 

“The left door leads to the branch for apprentice scholars, while the right leads to the branch for apprentice attendants,” Cornelius explained. 

“Where is the building for apprentice knights?” I asked, tilting my head. 

“At the north side of the central building, which makes it farther from the library than any of the other specialty branches. They must not expect apprentice knights to use the library very much,” he replied, shooting Angelica a glance. 

In a shocking twist, despite being a student of the oldest grade, Angelica still hadn’t registered in the library yet. She maintained that she had no business there and didn’t want to waste money on a registration after all this time, but Stenluke had managed to talk her into it—namely by barking, “Master, what manner of guard knight are you?! Your charge shall inevitably be going to the library, so what will you do when you cannot follow her inside?!” 

Honestly, I can’t believe she hasn’t stepped into the library a single time over all these years... 

“The library is behind this door,” Cornelius said. The older students who were already registered could enter, but without Solange the librarian, we unregistered students had to wait. “Lady Rozemyne, please put the wooden board that Professor Solange gave you in here.” 

He was pointing at an opening in the door that looked a lot like a mail slot. Putting the wooden board in would apparently inform Professor Solange of our arrival, so I did just that. A few seconds later, the door opened on its own. On the other side was a bright hallway illuminated by the sunlight beaming through the windows, at the end of which was another door. 

Behind the second door was a refined-looking older lady with blue eyes and light-purple hair, wearing a peaceful smile on her face. She was a little chubby, and I could guess she was the pleasant librarian of the Academy. 

“Lord Wilfried, Lady Rozemyne—this is Professor Solange,” Cornelius said. 

“Welcome to the library, students of Ehrenfest. My name is Solange. I have heard much about the exploits of this year’s new students. I truly am surprised that you all finished your written lessons before even registering here at the library,” Solange said calmly and with an unfaltering smile before gesturing deliberately to the door behind her. “This door leads to the reading room, the heart of our library.” 

It seemed that getting to the library was as simple as leaving the central building and going directly south. This was good—it meant there was no chance of me getting lost. I instinctively started walking toward the reading room, only for Cornelius to grab my shoulder and forcibly turn me to the right instead, just as Solange turned in that direction. 

“Please follow me so that we may begin your registrations,” she said. 

Nooo! The reading room is calling for me! 

I reluctantly turned, feeling as though I were being dragged by the ear, and followed after Solange. A door to a room fairly close to the reading room was open, and I soon learned that beyond it were Solange’s reception area and office. 

The office itself was fairly large, since it was built to hold many students at once during registrations. It was a long room with tall, slender windows spaced out evenly along the walls, letting light flow in toward the back. 

The space for guests was right by the entrance. There were chairs and other places to sit placed in the sunlight, as well as a table with a pen holder full of mana-using magic pens resting atop it. Along the wall were a series of single-person chairs and wooden boxes large enough to be used as seats, which we were told to sit on as we waited our turn. Wilfried and I sat on the chairs along with the single archnoble among us, while the mednobles and laynobles sat on the boxes. To be clear though, the boxes were ornately carved as well, and they had cloth covering them just like any fancy seat. 

There was a desk at the back end of the room, positioned near the windows so that one could work in the sunlight. Standing near it were bookshelves and several boxes of what I assumed were books, but they were all tightly locked, such that I couldn’t even see a single cover. It was fun just trying to imagine what works must have been hidden inside them. Further behind the desk was a folding screen, behind which I assumed was Solange’s private space, if my own room was anything to go by. 

Sitting atop one of the bookshelves were two stuffed rabbits—one black and one white—both about my height and dressed in clothes. Despite them looking like plush toys, they weren’t the cartoonish rabbits I was familiar with from my Urano days; rather, they looked very real. I smiled at the thought of old Solange tenderly caring for them like they were living things. 

While I was looking around the room, Solange took several sheets of parchment from her desk and brought them over. She set them down on the table in the guest area, then stood in front of us all. 

“The library is replete with the precious gems of knowledge given to us by Mestionora the Goddess of Wisdom. Only those who swear by her name that they will treat its books with care are allowed inside,” she said. 

“I couldn’t agree more, Professor Solange. The library is a paradise gifted unto us by the gods. Reading books is a joy they have blessed us with,” I said, causing Solange to break into a genuine smile and nod repeatedly. Her agreement confirmed that she loved books perhaps just as much as I did. This was surely the beginning of a long and beautiful friendship. 

“Do you have the fees prepared?” Solange asked, then accepting the bag of money that Rihyarda held out to her. She checked its contents before tilting her head in confusion. “I believe there are only eight Ehrenfest first-years, but here you are providing enough for nine.” She counted the people seated in the room, then her eyes eventually fell on Angelica. “I see. So a senior is registering as well. How delightful! It is exceedingly rare for a student who did not register during their first year to return at all.” 

The registration fee meant that some couldn’t afford to use the library in their first year, and it was apparently common for such students to ultimately graduate without ever registering. 

Once Solange had finished checking the money, she started explaining how to use the library. “The first floor largely contains reference documents for written classes. You may take them wherever you like in the reading room for all your reading and transcribing needs, but if you wish to take them outside the reading room, there is paperwork that must be filled out and a deposit that must be paid.” 

Students would need to offer up an amount equal to the book’s value for insurance purposes. It was also mandatory that they return any borrowed material before they graduated, though this seemed to be the only deadline—students were allowed to keep whatever books they wanted for a reasonably long time. 

“On the second floor are valuable chained books not used in Royal Academy lessons. You are only allowed to read them where they are chained, meaning you cannot borrow them or even undo their chains to take them to the reading room,” Solange continued. She then began listing off a few smaller details—that no eating or drinking was allowed in the library, that opening time was at second-and-a-half bell, that closing time was at sixth bell, and so on. “Only those who swear to follow these rules and treat the books well will be allowed to register.” 

“I swear!” I shouted, shooting my hand up at once. 

Solange’s blue eyes wrinkled as she smiled. “Then let us begin with your registration, Lady Rozemyne,” she said, gesturing me over to the table by the windows. Just to be safe, I checked with Wilfried that it was okay for me to get registered first, but he merely shrugged and waved me away. He really wasn’t bothered. 

“Tralala. Tralalalala.” 

Once I was standing at the opposite side of the table from Solange, she pushed a blank sheet of parchment over to me and gave me a mana pen. “Now then, write your respects to Mestionora the Goddess of Wisdom, then your vow that you will obey the rules of the library and treat its books with respect,” she said. 

I did as instructed, then Solange told me to write out my name. She checked to make sure everything was satisfactory, then added her confirmation signature, which caused the paper to burn up in golden flames. It had been a magic contract with the library, and with that, my mana registration was complete. 

“Okay. Who is next?” Solange asked. 

“Me,” Wilfried said, raising a hand. We switched places, with me returning to my chair to wait for everyone to finish. Only once they had all been registered did I stand up with a broad smile. 

“Okay! Shall we go to the reading room then?” 

“Milady, there will be no reading today. We are purely here for the registrations. Have I not made myself clear?” Rihyarda asked, wearing an especially dark expression. At this rate, I wouldn’t get to see the library at all before being dragged back to the dormitory. 

My dream of walking through the reading room was being torn to shreds right before my eyes. Once again, I was being presented with paradise, only for it to be taken away... 

No! I won’t allow it! Never again! 

I had been so eagerly looking forward to today that Lieseleta had been giving me bemused looks since last night. My heart ached and ached to see the library, which boasted the second-largest book collection in the country. Had the registration taken place at a counter in the library reading room, then I would have been satisfied, but this was simply too much. Not once had it crossed my mind that I would be forced to leave the library without even seeing the inside. 

“I’m only asking to see the book room, Rihyarda! Nothing more! I just want to smell all the books on the bookshelves! Please! Please let me in the library! My precious, precious library!” 

“You will not leave once you go in, milady, and it takes a great deal of physical strength to pull you away from your books,” Rihyarda said. “I cannot take such a risk when practical lessons are beginning so soon.” 

“M-My library...” I choked out. Tears welled up in my eyes, then burst forth like a dam had suddenly broken. It had been beaten into me that noble girls were never to cry in public, but the sheer despair of my situation had temporarily wiped every single lesson from my mind. Everyone flew into a panic as I collapsed onto the floor and sobbed, “My library... My library...” over and over. 

“Rihyarda... Rozemyne really did put her all into making sure the first-years passed, all so she could visit the library,” Wilfried said. “Don’t you, er... Don’t you think you could let her look around just a little bit?” 

“With this many people, we shouldn’t have any trouble peeling Lady Rozemyne away from her books and dragging her to her next lesson if need be,” Cornelius added. The first-years, who had gone through hell for this explicit purpose, also threw in a few words of support. 

When faced with so many pleas, Rihyarda couldn’t help but give in. “If you all insist...” she said with a bemused smile, but then she shot me a deathly serious glare. “However, milady, there will be no reading today. Is that clear?” 

“Yes, ma’am! I thank you ever so much, everyone...” I went to rub my eyes, but Lieseleta caught my hand before I could and wiped my tears for me with a handkerchief. 

Solange gave a refined chuckle, having watched the whole exchange. “I shall take this opportunity to personally guide you all. It certainly is rare for a student to be so excited about the library. I must say, it is quite heartwarming to see.” 

“Thank you ever so much, Professor Solange. I am truly, truly glad—beyond words, even—to have been blessed with entering this paradise given to us by the gods. Let us pray to Mestionora the Goddess of Wisdom in thanks for this meeting with the Royal Academy! Praise be to the gods!” 

After all this time, I was finally going to be inside a library. My spirits had plummeted at Rihyarda’s rejection, but now, I was so immensely excited that I threw both my arms into the air and raised my left leg. I was so overjoyed that I gave a genuine prayer of gratitude to the gods, causing a burst of mana to shoot out of my ring. The light was yellow because I had prayed to Mestionora, and it soon spread through the room. 

Oopsie. 

Solange watched the light of the blessing in a wide-eyed daze; Wilfried muttered, “I figured this would happen,” with a drawn-out sigh; and Hartmut said, “That’s our Lady Rozemyne. To think she would create a new legend all on her own...” while smiling in amusement. 

I quickly averted my gaze by looking to the back of the room, and that was when I saw the black and white rabbits hop up by the partitioning screen. I had assumed they were nothing more than large stuffed animals, but they actually started walking in our direction. 

“Wha...? The (rabbits) are moving.” 

“O-Oh my! Schwartz and Weiss!” Solange cried. Her widened eyes and the emotion in her voice made it clear she was close to the two rabbits, but the two of them—both tall enough to reach my shoulders—walked right past her to stand in front of me. 

“Milady? What do you need?” 

“Work? Work?” 

The rabbits stared up at me with round, golden eyes that matched the golden feystones embedded in their foreheads. I blinked in confusion, then looked to Solange for help. 

“Professor Solange... what’s going on?” 

“They are magic tools that regularly assisted with library work back in the days when multiple archnobles served as librarians. They are dolls that, while filled with mana, help their master with whatever they need. As they regained the ability to move when blessed with your mana, Lady Rozemyne, they currently consider you their master. I truly believed I would never get to see them move again...” Solange said with tearful eyes. As a mednoble, it seemed she lacked the mana required to support them. 

“Right. Schwartz and Weiss, I instruct you to assist Professor Solange with her work,” I said. Since they were library assistants, I decided it would probably be best to have them continue helping out here. 

The two rabbits nodded. “Okay. We’ll help Solange,” one said. 

“What do we do, Solange?” asked the other. 

I could see Solange’s eyes brimming with nostalgic tears as she looked down at Schwartz and Weiss. “First, let us guide Lady Rozemyne to the library.”