Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 4.01 - Chapter SS1

A Productive Earthday 

The sound of a bell rang through the darkness. 

Without missing a beat, I sat up and pulled aside my bed curtains. I had been waking up at first bell ever since beginning my apprentice attendant training at another house, so it came almost naturally to me now. 

My older sister, however, was another story. She never woke up on her own, under any circumstances, and today was no exception; she showed absolutely no sign of getting up anytime soon. 

After watching her sleeping form for a moment, I stood up and activated the light-creating magic tool on my bedside table, illuminating the dark room. I then lit the fire in the hearth so that it wouldn’t be cold come changing time and climbed back into bed. My attendant Emerika and my sister’s attendant Friedel would come to wake us up soon enough. They were both older female relatives who had finished raising their children, which made them very comfortable to be around. 

“Lady Lieseleta, am I correct that you have no apprentice attendant duties today?” Emerika asked, using a green feystone pitcher to prepare a small tub of water for me to wash my face with. 

I nodded. Attendants normally still worked on Earthdays even though there were no classes, but Lady Rozemyne was going to be staying in her room to nurture her Divine Will, so I was getting a day to myself. 

“Friedel, I would like to wear not my work clothes or my black clothes today, but rather something normal,” I said. 

“You wish to wear clothes for rest, while Lady Angelica will be wearing light armor to motivate her studies, correct? That is quite standard,” she replied, preparing the outfits. We did not have a room dedicated to clothing like Lady Rozemyne, so our clothes were all either in a closet placed in our room or in boxes. 

“I was truly worried when you were taken as her retainer...” Emerika admitted while combing my hair. “It was an immense relief to learn there was a double bedroom for retainers.” 

I agreed with a smile. Archduke candidates could leave all the menial labor to others, and archnobles did largely the same—albeit with fewer retainers than they might be used to. Mednoble and laynoble students, however, could only afford to pay their servants so much. As a result, we had to sleep in shared bedrooms to minimize the amount of cleaning and bathwater required, allowing us to survive with fewer attendants between us doing less work. 

My older sister had been Lady Rozemyne’s retainer since before Lady Rozemyne arrived at the dormitory and announced her retainers. I was a more recent addition, meaning I had not been prepared to shoulder the costs of staying in a retainer’s room by myself. After thinking about how to best save money and lessen the load on my attendant, I decided to room with my sister. 

Judithe and Philine were currently sharing a two-person room for the same reason. Brunhilde and Leonore had been shocked to see us not using our right as retainers to secure individual rooms, but archnobles were given individual rooms whether they were retainers or not, so we weren’t in similar positions whatsoever. It wasn’t that our family was too poor to afford single rooms for the both of us, but we would have needed time to make preparations. 

“I suppose I am going to have my own room regardless after Angelica graduates this year...” 

“You will do just fine in your own room, Lady Lieseleta. You are an excellent retainer who any archduke candidate would wish to have. Lady Angelica often fails to properly communicate with her attendants, and I was quite fearful of serving here alone. It truly is a relief that you are here with her, my lady.” 

I could not help but smile. Attendants could not do their job unless they were kept up to date, and Friedel was informed of Angelica’s plans only when I conveyed Rihyarda’s and Cornelius’s reports to her. She surely would have been thought of as incompetent among the attendants had I not elected to live with my sister. 

“I still cannot believe Lady Rozemyne values Lady Angelica so much as a retainer...” Friedel mused aloud. Emerika nodded firmly in agreement, then held out a hand to help me stand up. My chair was repositioned and my socks prepared, and it was as I was putting them on that I recalled the fuss my parents had made. 

“There was quite a stir when my sister was chosen to serve as Lady Rozemyne’s apprentice knight, wasn’t there?” 

“Of course there was,” Friedel replied. “Lady Angelica is hardly considerate of anyone else, and so she chose to be a knight, not an attendant. Who ever would have thought she would be capable of serving the archducal family without causing any problems?” 

It was not unusual for female attendants to be replaced after giving birth, which meant it was inevitable that Lady Florencia—who had taken only female attendants—would need to take on someone new. When the time came, she had wished to avoid taking any retainers with close bonds to Lady Veronica, and so she invited my mother to serve her. It had been very significant that she kept her distance from Lady Veronica somewhat while my father served the previous aub. 

Lord Karstedt, impressed with the diligence of my parents, had taken Angelica to serve as Lady Rozemyne’s apprentice guard knight. My parents surely would have indirectly refused had they been consulted on the matter in advance, but he had gone straight to Angelica, who had then agreed on the spot. 

“I thought everything was over when Lady Angelica failed her final exams and was told to take supplementary lessons,” Friedel continued while shaking her head. 

Needing supplementary lessons was in itself cause for one to become a laughingstock in noble society, and if Angelica had been relieved of guard duty as well, she surely would have lost all hope of ever finding a proper partner. What’s more, she had only been selected to serve as an apprentice guard knight due to the trust my parents had earned themselves; her being relieved of duty would suggest that the archducal couple and the knight commander had misplaced their trust in our family. No one of any notable status would want us as retainers, and we would all most likely struggle to find employment and get married. It truly was a frightening time for us. 

Angelica, meanwhile, showed no concern over being required to take supplementary lessons; in fact, at one point, it seemed as though she might fail to graduate entirely. Those who failed to graduate from the Royal Academy were not considered nobles in the eyes of society, meaning her schtappe would have been sealed and she would have been reduced to serving our family as a lowly servant. 

Even so, Lady Rozemyne kept her as a retainer, and even helped organize a study group to ensure she passed her supplementary classes. She had saved not only my sister, but our entire family. There truly was no end to the gratitude I felt for her. 

“Even my sister is motivated to study with Lady Rozemyne here at the Royal Academy. She is not the same woman she was last year,” I noted. 

Emerika nodded. “She must be glad to have been afforded this opportunity in her final year.” 

“If only she and Lady Rozemyne had been in the same grade from the start...” Friedel said with a wistful sigh. “We all would have had a much easier time.” 

I adjusted my skirt while the two attendants shared a laugh. Once I was ready, it was time for my sister to wake up. Friedel was the first to act. 

“Do wake up, Lady Angelica. Lady Lieseleta has finished getting ready.” 

“Mnn... But there aren’t any classes to go to, and we’ve got no work today...” Angelica murmured, hugging her blanket and turning away, her silky blue hair flowing behind her. She was just as beautiful and enchanting as ever, but also just as unladylike. Friedel sighed with exasperation as I stepped forward to try next. 

“Sister, you have ditter practice in the morning even on your days off, do you not? Please remember that Cornelius has said you cannot participate in practice if you do not finish your studying first. I understand that you are finding it a struggle, but Lady Rozemyne will be disappointed if you do not try your best nonetheless.” 

“Oh, right... I have to study in the morning... I have to study even though I don’t have class...” Angelica groaned in a sleepy voice as she started to move. It took her some time to get moving at first, but once she was up and moving around, things went a lot quicker. She would manage just fine without me now. 

“Lieseleta,” she said, rubbing the sleep from her blue eyes. “I’ll get changed and study, so you go ask Rihyarda how Lady Rozemyne is doing.” 

It still came as somewhat of a surprise that “study” and “Lady Rozemyne” were among Angelica’s first words upon waking up. Last year, she had studied only when Cornelius cornered her in the common room, but now she would study alone in her room. That said, this willingness likely only stemmed from the fact she was forbidden from serving as a guard until she passed her written classes. 

Lady Rozemyne’s presence truly does make an enormous difference... 

“Certainly,” I replied. “May our parting be brief.” 

I exited the room, entrusting Angelica’s morning preparation to Friedel and Emerika. I cut down the hallway, knocked lightly on the door where the other retainers were gathered, then opened it as silently as possible. 

“Good morning, Rihyarda. How is Lady Rozemyne?” I asked. 

Rihyarda paused midway through refilling some tea leaves and looked at the door leading to Rozemyne’s room. “I checked up on her a moment ago, and it seems the potion she drank last night has made her all the better. She should be right as rain after a full day spent resting in bed.” 

Yesterday, Lady Rozemyne had gone to the Farthest Hall to gather her Divine Will, only to fall unconscious on her way back. She had returned in her highbeast, moving much slower than usual, and was then left exclusively in Rihyarda’s care to minimize the risk of the Divine Will being contaminated. We were all strictly forbidden from going near Lady Rozemyne until she had finished absorbing the Divine Will into her. 

“I was just so worried, since I had never heard of anyone losing consciousness in the Farthest Hall before... Cornelius and Hartmut were particularly concerned at dinner last night, as neither of them are allowed up to the third floor. Even my sister mentioned Lady Rozemyne almost immediately after she awoke.” 

“Inform them about her recovery at breakfast. I have work to do here while Lady Rozemyne is absorbing her Divine Will.” 

I returned to my room and studied with Angelica until second bell, then left for breakfast. Angelica had somehow managed to finish everything she needed to do before practice, so she stepped into the hallway with a lively expression. Ahead of us we could see Judithe, her fluffy orange hair bouncing as she walked. 

“Good morning, Judithe. How is Philine?” I asked. 

“Good morning to you both. Philine is still stuck in her room to prevent anyone from touching her. I understand how important it is, but I still felt lonely this morning without anyone to talk to. I couldn’t wait for second bell.” 

Judithe had been raised alongside several brothers, so she was used to every morning being busy. We chatted as we entered the dining hall, where Hartmut greeted us with a soft smile. 

“Lieseleta. How is Lady Rozemyne doing?” 

“She is feeling much better now. I am told she will be fine after a day of rest.” 

“Good to hear. I really wasn’t sure what to think; I’ve never heard of anyone collapsing in the Farthest Hall before. Hopefully it doesn’t mess with her schtappe...” 

Both Cornelius and Hartmut sighed with relief when I relayed Rihyarda’s message. Cornelius was Rozemyne’s blood-related older brother, so it was only natural that he would be so visibly distraught even in the dining hall. Hartmut, meanwhile, had only become her retainer after she entered the Royal Academy, yet his dedication to Lady Rozemyne as an individual far surpassed almost anyone else’s. 

I am grateful for Lady Rozemyne saving my sister and family, but what drives Hartmut’s abnormal dedication, I wonder? He says that anyone would feel the same if they understood the glory of the Saint of Ehrenfest, but I am afraid to say I don’t quite understand at all... 

“Rozemyne once collapsed just from walking through our estate to get to the book room,” Cornelius said. “As retainers, we should have been more worried about the Farthest Hall, since everyone has to walk all the way back on their own.” 

His wisdom was well and true. I needed to be more careful with Lady Rozemyne as well. 

“My my...” Brunhilde said, entering the dining hall with Leonore and sitting down with us. “It seems you have all already been updated on Lady Rozemyne.” I could guess they had just gone to the room for retainers and spoken to Rihyarda as well. 

With all of the retainers now gathered, our food was served. 

“So, seeing as we all have today off, what are everyone’s plans?” Cornelius asked. We took turns giving our answers. 

“I am attending a tea party this morning to exchange information,” Brunhilde said. “We are all relatively in the dark about the first-year archduke candidates of other duchies, are we not? Thankfully, the apprentice archattendants who serve them are also going to be present. I have been instructed to attend with Isidore, one of Lord Wilfried’s apprentice attendants.” 

“Ah, yeah. I’ve got a gathering of apprentice archscholars to attend. Do the guard knights have anything like that?” Hartmut asked. He and Brunhilde were going to be fulfilling their roles as archnobles by exchanging information with those of other duchies. 

Cornelius answered on behalf of the guard knights. “We have ditter practice this morning. There won’t be many opportunities for us to practice once Rozemyne starts holing up in the library, since one of us is going to be stuck in there accompanying her. So, Angelica—did you finish in time?” 

“I did everything you told me to, Cornelius. I can come,” she replied. 

Cornelius looked my way for confirmation. I nodded, having observed her valiant efforts before breakfast. 

“Alright,” Cornelius said. “Looks like Angelica, Leonore, Traugott, and I will be practicing today.” 

“Wait a second, Cornelius! I want to join in too!” Judithe declared, launching a fist into the air, but Cornelius merely crossed his arms and frowned. 

“You’re not in the knight course yet, remember? You’re a second-year. Plus, you haven’t finished most of your classes, since you’re focusing on getting the highest grades you can. You should use this time to study instead.” 

“Ngh... But I can’t practice most days because of classes. I want to join you guys at least once. I’ll get all stiff otherwise.” 

Judithe had trained with the knights almost every day in her home province of Kirnberger, but as a second-year, her time was spent attending common classes. Compared to the third-years and above who specialized in the knight course, she had overwhelmingly less training and experience. 

“I understand how you feel, but as an archduke candidate’s retainer, it’s more important for your future to pass with excellent grades than to pass with the bare minimum,” Leonore explained, brushing her magenta hair from her shoulders and regarding Judithe with intelligent blue eyes. 

“This isn’t so much the case for archnobles, but mednobles and laynobles must face the jealousy of all those who would hope to take their position,” she continued. “Securing high grades is essential to avoid and lessen that jealousy. The only way to protect your position is to make those around you understand that you were selected out of all the other mednobles for a good reason.” 

Her explanation complete, Leonore then turned to me, no doubt signaling that as a mednoble, the same held true for me. She was correct, but there were a few rare exceptions—in Angelica’s case, she had secured her position not through good grades, but by surviving Lord Bonifatius’s training and accomplishing the awe-inspiring feat of earning his respect. 

“Um, if we need high grades to protect ourselves... what does that mean for Philine? She’s a laynoble and she just barely passed history and geography,” Judithe asked, her eyes wavering with concern. 

“It is unfortunate, but I imagine she will struggle greatly whenever she is not in Lady Rozemyne’s sight,” Leonore replied coldly. “I understand that she had no choice as a laynoble—if she had elected to fail the exams to achieve better grades, not only would she have earned the ire of all the other first-years in the dormitory, but she would have also delayed Lady Rozemyne’s entry to the library. The adults in Ehrenfest will care not for such details, however.” 

Leonore sighed, then glanced over at the table where Wilfried’s attendants were eating. Wilfried himself was not there, but a mutter directed at him escaped her nonetheless. “What were you thinking? Do you even realize what you’ve done?” 

“I thank you ever so much for the advice, Leonore. I will try to earn the best grades I possibly can,” Judithe said, understanding Leonore’s point and resolving to study even harder. 

“And how will you be spending the day?” Brunhilde asked, glancing my way. 

“I believe I will take Judithe’s lead and study, so that I might pass my classes as soon as possible with the best possible grades. We will need many retainers on standby to accommodate Lady Rozemyne’s library needs, no?” 

Once breakfast was over, we saw off the apprentice knights, then headed to the common room to study. Thanks to Lady Rozemyne having established the Better Grades Committee—an organization which split everyone according to their courses and enforced the sharing of study materials—I now had more people to study with, and it was easier to ask others for help. I saw Judithe leave for another table, likely to study with other second-years. In my opinion, it was truly admirable that Lady Rozemyne had created a situation where we could all work together, regardless of our factions. 

“Lieseleta, you certainly are throwing yourself at your studies today. Is today not your one and only day off, while Lady Rozemyne is absorbing her stone?” Kathrein asked. She was a third-year apprentice attendant set to serve Lady Charlotte, and she had been practicing in the home of an attendant who previously served Lady Florencia until the end of autumn. 

“It is, Kathrein, but I cannot risk getting grades unbefitting one chosen to be Lady Rozemyne’s retainer. I also hope to finish my written lessons as soon as reasonably possible so that I can accompany her to the library.” 

“Lady Rozemyne certainly was more forceful than I anticipated—even Traugott is taken aback. I simply cannot believe how she treated the first-years. Had the one I served likewise ordered me to pass my classes on the first day no matter what, I surely would have frozen in shock and failed to achieve anything at all.” 

The fearsome might Lady Rozemyne had unleashed upon the first-years while driving them to pass came as a massive surprise to those who had seen her in the winter playroom. There, she had simply read thick books to herself, read aloud from picture books, and asked everyone to work together despite their factions. There were more than a few students who took this sudden change as her abusing her authority as an archduke candidate to act like a tyrant. 

“Well, using the library was one of the main reasons Lady Rozemyne came to the Royal Academy. I must say, though... I am quite looking forward to accompanying her there,” I said furtively, lowering my voice a little. 

Kathrein’s eyes widened. “You never seemed interested in the library before, Lieseleta,” she replied, eyeing me carefully. 

“After accompanying Lady Rozemyne there for the registration process, I know exactly what awaits me,” I said, giggling to myself as I recalled the shumils. My words caught the attention of not just Kathrein, but the other nearby apprentice attendants as well. “Do you recall my mentioning that there are two large shumils—that is to say, two large magic tools—in the library, and that Lady Rozemyne became their master? They are named Schwartz and Weiss, and once I have finished my written lessons, I plan to begin designing outfits for them.” 

“Outfits for the shumils...?” 

“Indeed. Lady Rozemyne was told that, as their new master, it was her duty to award them with new clothes. I want nothing more than to help with that process,” I said. 

The shumils we raised at home could neither walk nor talk, but the two large ones helping Professor Solange in the library not only spoke, but they also walked on two legs. One was black, the other was white, and they were both much too cute. 

“Goodness... Seeing Schwartz and Weiss give their tour while wearing matching outfits was just... Ah, so adorable!” I gushed. 

“I would like to see these library shumils,” Kathrein said. “I raise shumils of my own back home. Just how large are they?” 

“They aren’t quite as tall as Lady Rozemyne, but they do come close if you count their ears. They act according to Lady Rozemyne’s instructions, and they are capable of speech as well. It is quite stilted speech, mind you, but that just makes them even cuter in my eyes.” 

As I spoke at length about Schwartz and Weiss, I noticed the other girls who raised shumils at home start exchanging glances. 

“I think I might wish to visit the library as well...” Kathrein murmured, drawing everyone’s attention. “To, erm... To secure study materials, of course. There are less resources for the attendant course than for the knight course, you see...” She looked around with worry, attempting to recover the situation with a polite laugh, but it seemed everyone else was just as eager. 

“You are quite right, Kathrein,” one girl noted. “Do take me with you when you go to the library; I would like to see these other resources myself.” 

“I wish to accompany you as well,” added another. “I too must search for new resources.” 

“It seems that Lady Rozemyne is already working with the first-years to make study resources for next year. As her retainer, I believe it necessary that I follow her example,” I said. 

With that, we headed to the library to see the shumils—or rather, to search for resources for the attendant course. We found the two shumils organizing the bookshelves, their heads swaying from side to side as they moved around. 

“O-Oh my...” one girl started to stammer. “How... How...” 

I chuckled at her reaction. “Adorable, are they not? Do you not wish to help make new clothes for them?” 

“How shall we dress them? I imagine another matching set would look lovely.” 

“Stay strong, everyone. We came here for study resources, remember?” Kathrein whispered, stopping us in our tracks. “You said that the magic tools help with library work, correct? I suggest we ask them where we might find resources for the attendant course. There is nothing wrong with us approaching them to that end.” 

“Brilliant, Kathrein!” 

We approached Schwartz, asked where the attendant course resources were, then ogled the two shumils as they began looking for books. From a distance, we could see there were a few professors in the reading room, seemingly asking Professor Solange about the circumstances behind Schwartz and Weiss moving again. 

“I see the professors are interested in Schwartz and Weiss as well,” Kathrein said. 

“Professor Hirschur raced over as soon as she heard the news,” I replied. “I believe she said something about magic tools that can walk and talk on their own being extremely rare.” 

We took our time picking out resources, all the while watching Schwartz and Weiss, and it was only when the light signaling for us to leave the library snapped us back to our senses that we realized none of us had actually brought deposits with us to take out any books. 

Fourth bell rang a moment later, and we all returned to the dormitory. It was unfortunate that we had been unable to borrow any resources, but we used the walk back to discuss just how cute Schwartz and Weiss were, and what manner of clothes we could dress them in.

“I thought about it over lunch, and... I am convinced that dressing them in separate colors is for the best,” Kathrein declared immediately after lunch. She had drawn up an illustration detailing her ideal outfits for the shumils, which caused our enthusiasm to spread throughout the common room. 

“Should their clothes not be black, considering that they work within the Royal Academy?” I asked. 

“Surely you recall that the black shumil wore a white dress. Any color must be fine.” 

Even girls who hadn’t been in the common room that morning soon became interested in our discussion. “What are these?” one asked, gesturing toward the illustration. 

Those who had already visited the library told the unaware girls about the two shumils, explained that they were magic tools, then expounded on their almost indescribable cuteness. 

“...And so, we are in the middle of designing new outfits for them,” I concluded. “Do you have any ideas?” 

Soon enough, we were pondering the issue alongside even girls of other factions. At some point, a few apprentice scholars joined the mix as well. 

“It is nice to see you all so enthusiastic, but is it not Lady Rozemyne’s job to prepare clothes for Schwartz and Weiss? Is it truly acceptable to advance this discussion without her?” Brunhilde asked out of nowhere. Everyone immediately fell silent, the laughter dying away on our lips as we looked in her direction. 

I attempted to break the uncomfortable air with a smile. “We know, Brunhilde, but Lady Rozemyne is absent today. Can we not have a single day to discuss what clothes would suit Schwartz and Weiss, and what we would like to make for them? Please do keep this a secret from her.” 

Brunhilde fell into thought for a moment, looking over me and everyone else, then smiled and tapped a finger to Kathrein’s illustration. “Their new master is an archduke candidate from Ehrenfest, you know. Shall we adorn them with the flowers used to decorate hairpins?” she suggested, contributing to the discussion rather than instructing us to disperse. 

We all exchanged smiles of mutual agreement; introducing to their clothing the Ehrenfest fashion trends Lady Rozemyne had invented was a truly splendid idea. We soon had an abundance of amazing suggestions. 

“If we are to use flower decorations, perhaps we should also copy Lady Rozemyne’s skirt?” 

“Rather than having them both dressed as girls, would it not be wonderful to have one wear boys’ clothing? The white shumil can be adorned with cute lace, while the black one can wear a sharp, cool-looking uniform.” 

“I think we should make their clothes match Lady Rozemyne’s outfit.” 

Brunhilde’s dramatic arrival had only accelerated the discussion. Ideas were spreading around the group like wildfire, and each one improved upon the last. In the end, however, we ended up too absorbed in our conversation. Not one of us noticed when Lady Rozemyne entered the common room, so when she suddenly asked what we were all doing, it shocked me so much that I almost jumped out of my skin. I scrambled to flip the illustration so that Lady Rozemyne would not see it. 

“Is it something you do not want me to see?” she asked. 

“No, Lady Rozemyne. We, erm... We just feel a bit uncomfortable about having gotten so festive without you. There is not much more to it than that,” Brunhilde said with a troubled smile. 

“Schwartz and Weiss are simply too adorable... We began discussing what fashion of clothing you might prepare for them. Do forgive us for getting ahead of ourselves in your absence,” I added. 

Brunhilde and I stepped forward, taking full responsibility as retainers so that the others would not be blamed. Lady Rozemyne then asked to see the designs we had come up with, and the hopeful glint in her eyes precluded any refusal. I showed her the finalized illustration Kathrein had drawn while explaining our thought process. 

It wasn’t long before Angelica, who had arrived with Lady Rozemyne, chimed in as well. “Lieseleta has always loved cute things to death. She even dresses up our pet shumils at home with clothes that she makes herself.” 

“Sister!” I exclaimed. It was true that I had put more enthusiasm than was perhaps necessary into my explanation, since Lady Rozemyne seemed to be enjoying it, but I did not believe it was proper to disclose such personal details about a retainer in front of the one they served. 

As an attendant, I needed to remain clearheaded at all times, and yet I had been so absorbed in our conversation that I had not even noticed Lady Rozemyne enter. To make matters worse, I had also failed to include her in the discussion even though she was the master of the two shumils in the first place. I could feel the blood drain from my face. If these transgressions resulted in me being relieved of duty, my family would surely be wailing in agony once again. 

Mother, Father... Please forgive me! 

As I silently begged my parents for forgiveness, Lady Rozemyne curiously tilted her head at me. I remembered her mentioning that someone had once praised her as looking like an adorable shumil, and with her golden eyes and flowing dark-blue hair reminding me of the ones I raised back home, I wholeheartedly agreed. 

“...I will only be able to enter the library once I have passed my classes. Lieseleta, if you have finished your written classes by then, I would not mind you coming with me to measure Schwartz and Weiss.” 

“Truly, Lady Rozemyne?!” 

“It will be much more enjoyable if we all think of designs together. Would anyone else like to join us?” 

Everyone who had been working with us for the designs agreed to come with us. Those who hadn’t gone to the library in the morning looked like they were dying with excitement to go. 

“In that case, I recommend you all finish your written lessons before my practical lessons conclude. It is always hard to focus on your studying when there are more exciting matters to tempt you,” Lady Rozemyne said. 

“Indeed! We shall do our best!” 

We had finalized our own ideas for the designs, and from this point onward, we would be prioritizing Lady Rozemyne’s views. It was a perfect opportunity to shift our excitement from clothing to studying. 

“Lady Rozemyne is passing lesson after lesson with tremendous speed. We will not finish our own in time without serious effort. First-years have only a few classes, but we seniors have many more.” 

“Indeed. Let us do all we can. I want nothing more than for us all to measure the shumils together.” 

And so, we Ehrenfest girls all started studying together, our hearts and souls united with the desire to measure Schwartz and Weiss. I looked around the common room, which was now much quieter as everyone threw themselves into their studies, and found myself moved by how much more focused people were. 

Lady Rozemyne truly does excel at driving us to study.