Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 4.01 - Chapter 6

The Winter Playroom and Our Departure 

Lunch followed the Gifting Ceremony, after which winter socializing began. Before I could participate, however, Ferdinand instructed me to return to my room; I had apparently already moved around more than my body could manage for one day. 

“But I was told that Nikolaus and Father’s second wife would be coming to greet me...” 

“Your health is more important than such obligatory greetings, do you not think? Do not forget that you are moving solely due to the power of magic tools. You collapsing will disturb your upcoming schedule, and there is not much time until you leave for the Royal Academy as it is. I should not even have to explain this to you,” Ferdinand said, going on to detail all the potential problems that would arise. I understood that he was worried about me, but my appreciation dwindled the longer his speech continued. 

If you could stop dragging these things out, Ferdinand, you’d be a much better person. 

I sadly hung my head as I continued to listen, but really, Ferdinand did understand my current health situation better than anyone. He was definitely worried about me, and in order to put an end to his lengthy lecture, I decided to obediently return to my room. 

“Very well. As you suggest, I will return to my room for today. However, since tomorrow is the first day of the winter playroom, I plan to go there in the morning. I need to greet the children who have had their baptisms, and I wish to grasp the situation there as well. I will visit your office in the afternoon, so please summon those who gathered the information I gave you yesterday.” 

That was enough for Ferdinand to understand my intention. He nodded, put a hand on his cheek, then furrowed his brows just a tiny bit. 

“You will not be paying them at the Royal Academy?” 

“Those on the documents I gave you graduated in the two years I was asleep. I will pay those still enrolled in the Royal Academy once we arrive there.” 

I also had Ehrenfest’s leaders read the documents Damuel had organized, since much like Ferdinand and I, they would most likely each have their own ideas of what constituted valuable information. This ultimately proved to be the case, with some even asking for follow-ups on certain reports. 

Those who had provided information that was deemed valuable were paid for their efforts, with the money coming from whichever area of the government had found it useful. The scholars didn’t know me very well, so they were initially stunned when I came to charge them money, but they could hardly refuse after seeing the archducal couple and the knight commander paying with bemused smiles. 

And so I acquired the money just as I had always planned to. 

“Ah, yes. You certainly did sell the information to various places. Very well. I will arrange for them to be gathered tomorrow afternoon.” 

“That is much appreciated.” 

“So will you only be at the playroom tomorrow?” Charlotte asked, giving me puppy-dog eyes once my plans were settled. I faltered slightly, remembering how sad she was about only getting to see me during whirl practice and at dinner. 

“...That may end up being the case. I intend to at least drop by to say hello to everyone, but I truly do not have much time if I am to compensate for the two years I have missed.” 

Seeing how much the kids my age had grown at the Gifting Ceremony made me painfully aware of not only my own lack of growth, but also the dangers that I faced. There was no mistaking that I would be mocked and scorned for still looking so young, so the least I could do was ensure I didn’t fall behind with my studies as well. After all, in order to raise the grades of everyone in Ehrenfest, I first needed to achieve excellent grades myself. Attempting to push my study methods without evidence to prove their effectiveness would only make people skeptical. 

Not to mention, getting good grades is a requirement for me entering the library... 

Once I had a grasp on the state of the playroom, I wanted to dedicate as much time as I could to my own studies. 

“I understand how you feel, Sister. In that case, may I ask you to prepare rewards to be distributed to the children tomorrow? There are many who have been eagerly awaiting to experience the taste of your sweets again.” 

“Certainly. I will make sure to have them ready,” I replied with a reassuring smile. It had completely slipped my mind that Wilfried’s and her chefs had been preparing the sweets given as rewards for the past two years, so I had very nearly forgotten to prepare some of my own. 

Whew, that was close... Thank goodness Charlotte was here to remind me. 

Now that I thought about it, though, it took a lot of money to prepare sweets. Sugar was stupidly expensive, and while honey could always be used as a cheaper alternative, the costs would surely mount if sweets were being prepared every day. I could manage since I was making my own money, but I had to wonder how they had managed to afford it. 

It would probably be weird for me to ask and then offer to repay them, but still... This was something I started. It’s my fault they had to fund it while I was gone. 

I fell into thought, which caused Wilfried to narrow his dark-green eyes. “Let me guess, Rozemyne—you’re planning to lead the playroom all by yourself again, aren’t you?” 

“Yes. I started its present customs on a whim, and while not much else could be done while I was asleep, I cannot allow you both to continue carrying this burden,” I said, causing Charlotte to purse her lips and glare at me with her indigo eyes. Seeing my cute sister give me such a reproachful look actually shook me to my core. 

“Sister, should you truly be taking on more work when you are already so busy with your own matters? Not to mention, Father said it is the duty of all his children to educate those in the playroom and improve Ehrenfest’s future grades, did he not?” 

“I-I suppose he did...” 

Charlotte scooted closer, forcing me to slowly raise my head to look up at her slightly higher, intensely smiling face. My little sister was overpowering me, and as I wavered, Wilfried gave me a friendly slap on the back. 

“In other words, it’s our job to lead the playroom too. You don’t get to keep it all to yourself. We’ll be considered incompetent if we leave it all to you, and you’re smart enough to know what that means, yeah?” 

They were both trying to do their work as children of the archduke, viewing us all as equals. For that reason, it was best for me to figure out what they were skilled at, then delegate work accordingly. 

“Very well. I will observe the playroom tomorrow and delegate the work based on what I see,” I suggested. 

Wilfried’s eyes lit up at once. He patted me on the head while proudly puffing out his chest. “Yep. For now though, you should go and rest. You’ve got a big day ahead of you tomorrow.” 

“Yes, we would not want you to collapse again,” Charlotte agreed. Her expression seemed a lot lighter as well, no doubt an indication that she was happy I was trusting her with work. 

Well, as long as they both want to work... I thought, getting up and heading toward the door to leave the dining hall. 

“Rozemyne.” 

“Yes, Ferdinand?” I asked, turning around to look at him. 

“Your body needs rest, but your mind is still fully capable of work. Continue to read the documents I gave you while in bed.” 

“Gladly.” 

I returned to my room, bathed and changed with Rihyarda and Ottilie’s assistance, then climbed into bed. There was a box of study materials that I needed to read on a nearby table. 

“Goodness, Ferdinand sure has put you through the wringer, hm? If he truly wishes for you to rest, he should forbid you from reading as well,” Rihyarda said, not even trying to hide her anger. 

I simply sighed in relief as I took a book out of the box and spread it open on the bed. As much as I appreciated Rihyarda’s consideration, I was at my calmest while I was reading. To me, Ferdinand had come across as an actual god when he instructed me to continue studying. 

“Unfortunately, there is simply too much I must learn before leaving for the Royal Academy,” I said. “I have no choice but to read these documents. Aha.” 

Rihyarda was annoyed about Ferdinand giving me work despite having told me to rest, but I could guess that everyone knew he was simply protecting me from the other nobles. My two years in the jureve meant I hadn’t grown at all, which made the other nobles look at me with curiosity, scorn, and anything but friendliness. Despite being prepared for it all, the staring and whispering had been more intense than I had expected, causing me to lose my patience in no time at all. Wilfried and Charlotte had protected me, but even so, simply being there had been exhausting.

The next day, I headed to the winter playroom, with Rihyarda and Ottilie carrying the sweets Ella had prepared. People would start leaving for the Royal Academy today, and Hugo was among the first wave to be moving to my dormitory’s kitchen. I had told him to keep Ella safe, to immediately report to me if anything were to happen, and to have her room prepared just in case there was an incident of some kind. I didn’t want to send a young woman like Ella somewhere I couldn’t see her, so she was going to be leaving for the Royal Academy with me instead. 

Of course, the chefs and servants weren’t the only ones going—the students and such were heading to the Royal Academy as well. Since Angelica was now in the final grade, she was leaving today as well, leaving only Damuel and Cornelius to guard me. 

“You’re going to the Royal Academy tomorrow, right, Cornelius?” 

“Yes. The experienced older students enter the dormitory first and prepare for the younger students to arrive.” 

I entered the playroom while Damuel and Cornelius told me about the dormitory and the advancement ceremony. 

“Good day, Sister.” 

“Good day, Charlotte.” 

A stir ran through the playroom the moment I entered. The students were old enough to recognize me, but those who had been baptized during the past two years had never seen me before. Some looked as though they had doubted my existence despite all they had heard, while others squinted as they tried to figure out who I was, having most likely not attended the start of winter socializing yesterday. 

In the midst of all that, Wilfried took my hand, led me in front of everyone, then raised his other hand to silence them. “I imagine some of you do not recognize the young woman before you, given that she spent the past two years recovering, so allow me to introduce you. This is Rozemyne, my little sister and Charlotte’s older sister. I imagine all of the older children among us know that she invented the picture books, karuta, and playing cards we all use here, as well as the sweets unlike anything we have ever tasted before.” 

Wh... Wha... What kind of an introduction was that?! 

As I gasped in terror, Charlotte stepped over and put on a bright, extremely cute smile. “Even as she slept, my sister Rozemyne blessed Ehrenfest with her enormous quantity of mana, as one would expect from the Saint of Ehrenfest herself. I am sure you have all heard of her, even if you have not actually seen her, correct? My sister has accomplished feats so great that she has earned my utmost respect.” 

No, stop! Some of the kids actually believe you! The sheer sense of awe radiating from them is hurting my eyes! I’m no saint! 

I wanted to deny it with all my might and run away, but Wilfried and Charlotte were on either side of me, plus we were surrounded by guard knights. There was no escape. All I could do was put on a twitchy noble smile while Rihyarda sat me down onto the chair that had been prepared for me. 

“I permit you all to greet Rozemyne,” Wilfried said, and a line promptly formed in front of me. It consisted only of the children I had never met before, and so it was only about thirty people long. 

“I am Bertilde, daughter of Giebe Groschel. May I pray for a blessing in appreciation of this serendipitous meeting, ordained by the harsh judgment of Ewigeliebe the God of Life?” 

“You may.” 

I went through the greetings with a smile while receiving the small lights of their blessings. My half-brother Nikolaus was standing near the middle of the line, and when he eventually reached me, he knelt down and crossed his arms in front of his chest with enough enthusiasm that his light-chestnut hair fluttered slightly. 

“I am Nikolaus, son of Karstedt the knight commander and Trudeliede. May I pray for a blessing in appreciation of this serendipitous meeting, ordained by the harsh judgment of Ewigeliebe the God of Life?” 

“You may.” 

Once he had finished the greeting, Nikolaus moved to leave. I wondered for a moment whether I should have treated him more warmly as his older half-sister, but no sooner had that thought crossed my mind than Cornelius called my name. 

“Have you forgotten my warning?” he asked, an intense smile much like Elvira’s appearing on his face as he glared down at me. 

“...I remember.” 

“Thank you.” 

When the children had all finished greeting me, stone slates were distributed to those who had joined the playroom this year, while Professor Moritz gave a simple test to see how well they knew their letters and math. At the same time, the older kids split into last year’s groups with Wilfried and Charlotte at their center, then started playing games of karuta and cards. They were seeing how much better everyone had gotten since the previous spring. 

I looked around from where I was sitting, impressed. It was clear they had polished the process and mastered leading the playroom in my absence. 

“For the first time in two years, Rozemyne’s sweets will be given as today’s rewards,” Wilfried announced. The children immediately reacted in one of two ways: they either blinked in confusion, having never eaten Ella’s sweets before, or instantly became very serious. 

“I will use my full power today,” one boy said. “This is a battle I cannot afford to lose.” 

“Hah! I won’t show you any mercy!” another exclaimed. And with that, they started a rousing game of karuta. 

“Lady Rozemyne, these are documents I’ve put together describing the playroom studies over the past two years. Please look them over,” Moritz said. 

I took the documents and scanned them. “From what I can see, everything has been managed quite well. The documents indicate that the average grade has increased, so we should be safe to increase the difficulty of the math problems.” 

“You wish to increase the difficulty again?” Moritz asked, widening his eyes. 

I nodded. “Aub Ehrenfest has instructed me to raise the average grade level for the entirety of the duchy while I am attending the Royal Academy as an archduke candidate. I will be requesting your help to make this a reality, Professor Moritz.” 

“As you wish.” 

“That said, I certainly placed quite a burden on you. It hadn’t been my intention to start my sleep in the winter, so I left nothing but the vaguest of plans for the winter playroom. It must have been difficult to manage without any precise orders.” 

The jotted-down memos I had written for future playroom plans and such had apparently been given to people in the form of orders from me. I could imagine they had all struggled with how unclear they all were. 

“...To speak frankly, we encountered many setbacks in the first year, and recovering from them was no easy task. We were forced to repeat a process of trial and error as we discovered all the minor, considerate ways in which you had been steering things in the proper direction. The winter playroom does indeed flow smoothly now, but it took us two years to reach this point,” Moritz replied. 

The confidence he had developed through the past two years of work was now clear on his face. At this point, it seemed safe to leave managing the playroom entirely to him and Charlotte. 

“I must compensate for the two years I was asleep, and so I will be unable to visit the playroom from tomorrow onward. I entrust managing things to you.” 

Moritz knelt and crossed his arms in response, and at that moment, the games of karuta concluded. The winners let out victorious cries and pumped their fists in the air, while Wilfried punched the floor in frustration. 

The winners were called over in group order to be given their rewards, with everyone else watching on in envy as they bit into the sweets and trembled with delight. 

“Ghh... I demand a rematch!” Wilfried yelled. 

“Creating new teams based on the results comes first,” Charlotte chided. 

“Ngh...” 

Wilfried had evidently become too caught up in the game, but that one comment was enough to bring him back to his senses. He stood up, his mouth bent into a frown, and then joined Charlotte in remaking the teams. All in all, the process was handled fairly expertly. Not only were the children generally separated into students and those too young to be students, but it was clear they were also divided into members of a Wilfried faction and a Charlotte faction, judging by the way the kids flocked to help them. 

“Lady Rozemyne,” came a voice. I turned to see Philine looking up at me and fidgeting. The moment I saw the boards she was hugging to her chest, I knew what she had with her. 

“Philine, will you show me your stories?” 

“Yes, Lady Rozemyne.” Her eyes sparkled as she showed me the collection of stories she had gathered over the years. The earlier boards were written with clumsy handwriting and childish parlance, so they were difficult to read, but two years of practice had only led to her getting better and better. Her grasp of written versus spoken language had strengthened considerably, and just a single glance at the latest board showed just how much she had grown. 

“You certainly have written much,” I said, feeling a smile play on my lips. 

“You accepted my mother’s story into your collection of knight stories, and I cannot describe how happy it made me to hear that other nobles have enjoyed reading it,” she said. “Everyone else was overjoyed to see their stories included as well.” 

The book in question had included stories collected from the winter playroom. It seemed the children had borrowed copies while I was asleep, and it was heartwarming to hear how pleased they had been to see their own stories within. 

I wish I could have seen that... 

“They had never anticipated that the stories they had desperately tried to recall in order to borrow teaching materials would be turned into a book. After that, Roderick spent much time gathering new stories.” 

“I recall reading Roderick’s stories. They were quite enjoyable. I plan to rewrite the others into written language and add them to books as well. Have you written the rest of your mother’s stories, Philine?” I asked, thinking back to two years ago. 

She lowered her eyes sadly, then shook her head. “No, not all of them. There are some stories that I have forgotten, and... that makes me very sad.” 

“Philine, there are a number of common patterns that stories follow, so you will find ones oddly similar to those you know even in distant lands. There are many students from different duchies gathered in the Royal Academy, yes? Perhaps you could ask them about their stories in hope of remembering your own,” I suggested. 

Philine’s grass-green eyes widened, then she let out a giggle. “Lady Rozemyne, could it be that you plan to gather stories in the Royal Academy as well?” 

“Why yes, I do. Is this not the perfect opportunity to gather stories known only outside of Ehrenfest?” I replied, puffing out my chest. 

She knelt down and crossed her arms. “I, Philine, swear to gather information from every duchy as an apprentice scholar and offer up their stories to you, Lady Rozemyne.” 

“I am quite looking forward to it,” I replied, and an instant later, a stir ran through the room. Uncomfortable tension filled the air, and a number of the students rushed over in wide-eyed shock. 

“Lady Rozemyne, have you accepted Philine as your retainer?” they asked. 

Taken aback by this sudden development, I glanced up at Cornelius who was standing guard beside me. He seemed to understand what was going on, as he smoothly stepped forward. 

“No, she has not. As someone who heard the entire exchange, she said nothing of the sort. Philine simply agreed to grant Lady Rozemyne’s wishes. She may be taken as a retainer in the future, but that is not presently the case,” Cornelius said. 

Some of those gathered sighed in relief, while Philine hugged her boards to her chest again and stepped back into the crowd, looking embarrassed and uncomfortable. 

“Lady Rozemyne, have you decided upon your retainers yet?” one girl asked, having steeled her resolve to speak. 

Everything finally clicked into place. Wilfried and Charlotte already had followers consolidating around them, and those who hadn’t won a place by their side were no doubt aiming for me now, since I needed to have my retainers assigned soon. Children lived in the shadow of their parents, however, so it wasn’t a decision I could make lightly. 

“Selecting those who will serve me in the Royal Academy is a matter I will discuss with Rihyarda, my head attendant.” 

“Have candidates already been chosen?” 

I didn’t know who the candidates were, but considering we were prioritizing members of my mother’s faction, I could imagine almost all of them had been decided upon long ago. I couldn’t give any clear answers though, so I decided to evade the question as best I could and ask Rihyarda later. 

“The candidates have been chosen, yes, but they will only be announced after I have departed for the Academy,” I said with a smile. The tension in the air faded at once, and the students quickly dispersed. 

Well, I guess I need to think about my retainers now. 

Fourth bell rang while I thought things over. I exited the playroom and started making my way to my own room to have lunch. 

“Rihyarda, have my retainer candidates been chosen? Um, that is, people within our faction and everything...” 

“Yes, of course. Much has changed among the factions over the past two years.” 

Rihyarda and I discussed the matter as we walked, and in the process, I learned that my only retainers were Ottilie, the three knights, and Rihyarda herself. The apprentice attendants had apparently been removed from my service while I was gone. 

“Generally speaking, women resign upon getting married or to give birth. Apprentices often seek new employment when the one they serve is away for an unknown amount of time, since the quality of partner they find is greatly determined by their place of work,” Rihyarda explained, then noting that my apprentice attendants had been distributed between Florencia and Charlotte. “It is not at all unwise to select your retainers at the Royal Academy dormitory, considering that you are going to be living there. Those you are staying with cannot keep up appearances forever; sooner or later, they’ll show their true selves.” 

But doesn’t that mean they’ll also see my true self...? That’s no good at all. 

I went to Ferdinand’s office after lunch, where those who had gathered information for me were already waiting with their guardians. They were all standing in a line, looking sick to their stomachs; I could guess that receiving a summons from the archduke’s half-brother wasn’t very good for the heart. 

“Ferdinand, everyone seems a little nervous,” I observed. “Might I ask what your exact phrasing was when you summoned them?” 

“To come at once upon finishing lunch. Why?” 

Holy gods, Ferdinand! Of course they’ll shove their lunches down their throats and rush over when you phrase it like that! 

My stomach started to ache. I felt so, so bad for them. 

“Hello, everyone. You were not summoned here today to be reprimanded in the least; rather, you may relax, for I wish to reward your hard work,” I explained. The information gatherers sighed in relief, while their guardians looked down at me curiously, unsure what to expect next. “Thank you all for dedicating yourselves to gathering information in the Royal Academy while I was asleep. I appreciate that this comes a little late, but you will now be paid in full.” 

The information gatherers blinked in surprise, looking as though they had entirely forgotten about the remaining payment. I took this opportunity to begin calling them up one by one. 

“The vice commander of the Knight’s Order was quite happy to see your information,” I mentioned to the first. “Aub Ehrenfest was quite moved by the insight your perspective provided,” I then said to the second. 

I continued to summon them by name, thanking them for their efforts, apologizing for paying them so late, giving them a few words of encouragement, and then finally delivering their payments until everyone had been seen to. 

“You are all skilled enough to have obtained information desired by the leaders of Ehrenfest. I look forward to your continued good work,” I said. 

“Do not falter in your dedication,” Ferdinand added. 

We saw everyone off as they exited the room with motivated expressions, and my studying began as soon as they were gone. There really wasn’t much time before I needed to leave for the Royal Academy. 

“Ferdinand, am I really ready for the Royal Academy as I am now?” 

“These studies are all an investment for the future. You would pass in your current state, but passing alone is not enough. There is only one reason why I am enforcing these studies on you. Do you know what that reason is?” he asked, narrowing his light-golden eyes. 

I could only think of one reason why Ferdinand would take the time to teach me directly when he had so much work to do himself: “So I won’t embarrass myself as a daughter of the archduke, right?” 

“...More or less, I suppose. Consider it an investment for the future.”

My studies continued until the absolute last minute, and finally it was time for me to leave for the Royal Academy. I put on my mostly black outfit, as well as my brooch and cape which were both the color of ocher, then headed for the teleportation hall with Rihyarda. Angelica and Cornelius had already departed themselves, leaving only Damuel to guard me. 

The room was dark and windowless. The only light came from the teleportation circle glowing upon the floor, atop which servants were stacking boxes filled with living necessities. Many people were here to see me off: the archducal couple, Charlotte, Karstedt, Elvira, Bonifatius, and Ferdinand with his guard knight Eckhart. Wilfried was going to be teleporting after me, so I could see him and Lamprecht in the crowd as well. My entire noble family was here. 

“You won’t need to worry too much with Cornelius around, but please take care of your health,” Karstedt said. 

“Indeed, dear. Take care of your health,” Elvira added. “I will eagerly await the day you return, when we can have a tea party once again.” 

“I’ll be careful. And I shall look forward to that tea party as well, Mother.” 

“Do not forget I trained your guard knights,” Bonifatius interjected. “Angelica and Cornelius will keep you safe. And while you’re gone, I’ll train Damuel even harder. You have nothing to worry about.” 

I saw Damuel recoil with fear at Bonifatius’s words, but there was no way for me to save him now. The most I could do was offer him my thoughts and prayers. 

Godspeed, Damuel. Godspeed. 

“Keep an eye out for Ahrensbach,” Sylvester said. “If there’s something you want to know, send out your apprentice scholars. Don’t do something as careless as getting directly involved.” 

As I nodded, Florencia asked me to look after Wilfried as well. Given how much he had grown lately, though, I had a feeling he would be the one looking after me. 

“I can’t wait to hear your stories of the Royal Academy, Sister.” 

“Of course, Charlotte. And I shall be trusting you with the playroom while I’m gone.” 

“You may count on me.” 

The last to speak was Ferdinand. “Now, Rozemyne—I advise you to pass all of your exams and return before the Dedication Ritual begins.” 

“Ferdinand, the Dedication Ritual begins halfway through the winter. Isn’t that a bit unreasonable?” I retorted. While it was true that I had crammed pretty hard for the sake of getting access to the Royal Academy’s library, asking me to pull off a miracle like that after having missed two whole years of studying was just too much. 

Ferdinand smirked. “For what purpose do you think I assisted you with your cramming despite having so much work of my own?” 

“Well... didn’t you say it was an investment for my future?” 

“I believe I said it was an investment for the future,” he replied with a poisonous smile. 

I could feel my cheek twitch. “Wait... are you trying to tell me this was all for your benefit?!” 

Ferdinand didn’t answer my question, instead putting on a bright smile so blatantly fake that it made me sick. He wasn’t about to give me a clear confirmation I could use against him. 

“I have faith in your abilities,” Ferdinand said. “You are to finish your exams as soon as possible, and return before you instigate any disasters at the Academy. Is that clear?” 

Hmph! 

I too avoided giving a clear confirmation, and after giving him a tight-lipped smile, I stepped onto the teleportation circle.