Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 4.2 - Chapter 14

Reporting to the Prince 

After my tea party with Eglantine, I returned to the bliss that was visiting the library every day. I only had two more weeks to spend in this heaven; I needed to pump myself up and read as much as I could before the Dedication Ritual pulled me back down to earth. 

As I was busy reading my book, I vaguely heard a person calling “Hey!” to get someone’s attention. Why couldn’t people learn to be quiet in the library? I turned the page just as the voice came again. 

“Listen to me, tiny Ehrenfest girl.” 

“Lady Rozemyne! Prince Anastasius is here!” Lieseleta cried from beside me, slamming my book shut in a hurry. 

I snapped back to reality and looked up. Anastasius was the guy being noisy in the library. My conversation with Lestilaut from Dunkelfelger had taught me that archduke candidates and royalty normally had their retainers fetch the books they needed, meaning they rarely ever stepped foot in the library themselves, yet here the prince was. Perhaps he had come here out of a love for libraries and the books within them? 

And just like that, my opinion of Anastasius improves dramatically. 

“Do you have business here in the library?” I asked with a polite smile about thirty percent more genuine than the one I usually wore. “If you need any books in particular, Professor Solange will gladly direct you to them. Schwartz and Weiss are also very familiar with the reading material available here.” 

Anastasius made a face as though he were chewing on a bug. “No. I have business with you. Your tea party with Eglantine was three whole days ago. Why have you not come to give me a report? And don’t try to tell me your letter requesting a meeting was lost in transit.” 

Aw, what? He’s not a bookworm prince after all...? Too bad. 

Just like that, my opinion of Anastasius plummeted back down to where it had been before. I sighed in disappointment. To say that one’s letter requesting a meeting had gotten lost in transit was a common excuse used to shift the blame onto the scholars for not doing their jobs properly. It was basically like a politician back on Earth saying “It was my secretary’s fault” or something after getting caught. 

I tilted my head, repeatedly blinking as Anastasius glared at me with frustrated gray eyes. “Did I not promise to never approach you on my own terms, Prince Anastasius? I have been solemnly awaiting your summons, for it would be far beyond me to break a promise with royalty.” 

That was my excuse, at least. The truth was that I knew everyone would make a huge fuss about me contacting Prince Anastasius, so I had deliberately put things off for as long as possible. 

Anastasius scoffed dismissively. “Am I to pretend you were not so absorbed in your reading a moment ago that you didn’t even notice my calls?” 

I merely smiled and said that I was relieved he had found his way to me. Incidentally, given that Anastasius had cleared the room back when he had made his request, none of my retainers were aware I needed to report to him after my tea party with Eglantine. They had all paled in terror. 

“No matter,” he said. “I summon you now. Give your report immediately.” 

“Even though I will not have any gifts to bring?” I asked. My hope was to postpone this for at least a short while, but Anastasius seemed to be in a pretty big hurry. He remarked that he didn’t care and that I was to come immediately; then he turned to leave the reading room, flourishing his black cape in the process. 

I jumped out of my seat and reached for the book on the desk. I needed to check it out now, since I most likely wouldn’t have time to return to the library if this little meeting stretched on for too long. 

“I wish to—” I began, only for Lieseleta to interrupt me. 

“I shall borrow the book in your place and return the key to the carrel. Please report to Prince Anastasius at once,” she said. Rihyarda joined her in hurrying me on—the book was ripped out of my hand, and I was practically dragged out of the library. 

Aah. I messed up. 

I trailed behind Anastasius with Rihyarda, Hartmut, Cornelius, and Leonore in tow. The end result of my attempt to avoid standing out was the prince summoning me directly, such that I was now walking directly behind him on our way to his villa. To make matters worse, we were at a point in the term when more students were finishing their classes, so there were even more potential onlookers. 

I should have just sent a normal request for a meeting. Why did I have to be so dumb?! 

As much as I wanted to hang my head in sorrow, I kept a smile plastered on my face and marched onward, holding my head high until Anastasius suddenly stopped and turned around. 

“Talk about slow. How are you this slow, Rozemyne?” 

“My apologies. Please feel free to return to your villa ahead of me,” I said. It really wasn’t something that could be helped; Anastasius was just that much taller than me, and I was already trying so hard to keep up that I was almost out of breath. I was significantly healthier now, but I was relying on my magic tools so much that I still lacked stamina. Trying any harder would simply result in me embarrassing myself. 

In fact, I might collapse just trying to maintain our current pace! 

The most exercise I had done over the past week was walking to and from the library, so it wasn’t much of a surprise that I’d developed pretty much no extra stamina. This also reminded me that I had stopped keeping up with my morning exercises, something I was sure Ferdinand wouldn’t be all too pleased to hear. 

Well, whatever. There’s already a hundred things he’s going to be mad at me about. What’s one more on the pile? 

I did my best to keep my legs moving and my breathing steady, but it eventually became too much for me. My body felt heavy, and I started gasping for air. 

“Excuse me, milady.” 

“Rihyarda...” 

After a word of caution, Rihyarda hefted me up. I was so relieved that I collapsed against her without a second thought, only to straighten back up a little when Anastasius stopped in place. He was now looking at us in total disbelief. 

“Lady Rozemyne has a naturally poor constitution, meaning she has considerably less stamina than others her age,” Rihyarda said. “I noticed that she had started to pale and was likely to faint soon, so I hope you will forgive my carrying her.” 

“‘Likely to faint’? I heard something about her weakness from Rauffen, but is it truly this dire?” Anastasius asked, his eyes widening. He had no doubt been told about me collapsing in the Farthest Hall on my way to get my schtappe, but he hadn’t really believed it. Should Rauffen really have been so talkative in the first place though? Maybe it was his job to give information to royalty and higher-ranking archduke candidates, but I had an inkling he was leaking everything about me to anyone who asked. 

“She is much healthier than she was before, but she must still be wary of overexerting herself,” Rihyarda said, squeezing me protectively in her arms. 

Anastasius shot us another look, this time tinged with equal parts disbelief and annoyance. “If she cannot walk a distance this short, how can she travel through your castle?” 

“Aub Ehrenfest has given milady permission to use her highbeast when moving throughout the castle and the dormitory. This permission does not extend to the Royal Academy though, of course.” I would need the permission of royalty to ride Lessy inside the Royal Academy. 

“You may carry her then. Just hurry up,” Anastasius said with a sigh before he resumed walking. 

Rihyarda followed after him with me in her arms. I noticed we were getting even more looks now than before, and it took me a good deal of self-restraint not to cover my head with my cape to escape their gazes. I knew doing that would just make things worse. 

“Are you well, milady? You seem to be turning more pale,” Rihyarda whispered, keeping her eyes directly forward as she walked. It seemed I had pushed myself a little too hard; the second I started to relax in her arms, I started feeling so sick that my head spun. 

“I feel bad enough that I yearn even for Ferdinand’s kindness as a means to help...” I said. It was extremely rare for me to willingly ask to drink one of his potions. 

Rihyarda merely squeezed her eyes shut and then exhaled.

“Please sit here, Lady Rozemyne.” Anastasius’s head attendant offered me a seat, but upon seeing how sick I was, he shot the prince a reproachful glance. I apparently looked so bad that even someone who barely knew me couldn’t help but grimace. 

Anastasius, however, just gave a light shrug and waved a dismissive hand. “Rozemyne, clear the room.” 

“Will we not be using magic tools?” I asked. “Lady Eglantine elected to use them during our tea party.” I didn’t really want Rihyarda to leave when she had the potions I wanted, but unfortunately, my suggestion was shot down at once. 

“No. Some apprentice scholars have mastered the art of reading lips, so sound-blocking magic tools will serve no purpose.” 

I had initially assumed he was just being excessive, but in reality, Anastasius had been raised in an environment where people knowing how to lip-read was normal and expected. And on top of that, it was almost certainly essential that royalty remain fully on guard even against children like me. 

Having no other choice, I dismissed my retainers after first drinking a potion from Rihyarda. I was now alone in the room with Anastasius and his retainers. I sipped my tea and took a bite out of a sweet recommended to me, as was the standard way to begin meetings. Once formalities were over, Anastasius got right to the point. It seemed he had been waiting for this report for a long time. 

“What was her answer?” he asked. “Who will she have escort her?” 

“She said that she plans to ask a member of her family.” 

“Useless! That’s what she always says!” he exclaimed, shaking his head and then fixing me with a glare. “Is that all you have after making me wait this long?” 

Unfortunately for him, it was the truth. “I apologize for not being useful to you, Prince Anastasius. However, it is a fact that Lady Eglantine has said she will choose neither you nor your brother. Now, if you will excuse me...” 

My intention was to cut the conversation short then and there, but Anastasius raised a hand to stop me. “Wait, Rozemyne. What do you mean, she will choose neither me nor my brother? Is she in love with someone else?” 

Why would you ever think that?! 

I cradled my head, recalling how troubled Eglantine had been at the tea party. She was deeply traumatized by the civil war she had been involved in, so much so that she was trying to enter the temple as a blue shrine maiden despite being the archduke candidate of a greater duchy... yet Anastasius could think only of romance. 

“Lady Eglantine is not in a position where she can love another so easily. Should you not know that better than anyone, Prince Anastasius?” 

If she were to declare she was in love with someone else while two princes contended for her hand in marriage, it would only further complicate the situation. I sighed, which made Anastasius narrow his sharp eyes. He looked deathly serious to the point that it was scary. I gulped and straightened my back. The dull ache in my head was bothering me, but now wasn’t the time to go limp with exhaustion. 

“You know something. What did Eglantine tell you?” 

“I had thought you would know what I am referring to already, Prince Anastasius.” 

“I will decide what I do and do not know. Speak.” 

Perhaps due to his sheer presence as royalty, the aura he exuded overwhelmed me and allowed room for neither protest nor disobedience. Oh well. I just needed to avoid mentioning Eglantine’s plan to join the temple. 

“You are aware that Lady Eglantine is a former princess who lost her family in the civil war, correct?” 

“Yes.” 

“It is because of this experience that she wishes to choose neither you nor your brother. She will only make a decision if ordered to by the king or Aub Klassenberg. Lady Eglantine does not wish to bring about yet another war, but I imagine that much is already common knowledge,” I said, cautiously observing his reaction. 

Anastasius blinked in surprise, pausing for a long moment before giving a response. “Eglantine wants to return to royalty, does she not? That is what I was told.” 

It was my turn to blink in surprise; I hadn’t expected that at all. “As far as I am aware, her grandfather is the one who wishes for her to return to royalty. He feels he stole her rightful place from her by adopting her.” 

“The previous aub...” Anastasius muttered under his breath with a sigh. “Do you mean to say Eglantine does not wish to be royalty herself?” 

“I am sure Lady Eglantine wants peace more than anything else.” 

I wasn’t sure whether it was because noble speech relied so heavily on euphemisms or because Anastasius kept trying to communicate to her through other people, but I could already recognize the misunderstanding between him and Eglantine despite having only really spoken to them twice. 

“This is just my personal opinion, and you may readily disregard my words as the nonsense of a child should they overstep any boundaries, but... I believe you should have a serious conversation with Lady Eglantine about what you both want in life before you discuss escorting her, Prince Anastasius. By that I mean a face-to-face conversation not conducted through third parties such as myself. It seems to me that neither of you properly understand the other’s feelings and desires.” 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Anastasius asked, wincing at my apparent petulance, but the real question was how anyone hadn’t noticed that already. 

“Lady Eglantine indicated that both you and your brother are proposing to her for political reasons.” 

“No. I truly do—” 

“Those are words you should tell Lady Eglantine in person, rather than through me,” I interrupted. I was still feeling queasy, so the last thing I wanted was to hear him wax poetic; rather, I wanted to go back to the dormitory already. “I believe your affection for her is being distorted through the lens of politics. Why not start by conveying your feelings directly, to avoid any potential misunderstandings?” 

Anastasius visibly slumped forward in despair, horrified to hear that she thought he was acting for political reasons. Naturally, I elected not to conclude my advice with, “Considering how little you understand each other, perhaps it would be best for Lady Eglantine’s future if you simply never spoke to her again?” and instead took a more diplomatic approach. 

“Lady Eglantine is currently searching for a way to distance herself from the ongoing political struggle and avoid marrying into royalty. She had wished to become Aub Klassenberg to achieve this, but would that truly work?” I asked. 

“...It would prevent her from wedding into the family of another, at least. Fewer women become aubs, but when they do, men wed into their families rather than the other way around.” 

It turned out that when a male successor died and a woman was quickly forced to inherit the position of aub, her engagement was normally canceled in the process; only male archduke candidates in a position to marry into other families could marry female aubs. In a similar regard, a woman set to become aub would usually have her engagement canceled when a younger brother was born and took her position. That was what had happened with Georgine and Sylvester, to my understanding. 

“You may prioritize her feelings, you may prioritize your position in the royal family, or you may come up with some clever third solution that is beyond me. In any case, you have quite a bit of work ahead of you, Prince Anastasius.” 

What did one need to become king? Was simply giving up on Eglantine an option? What actions would need to be taken in either of these scenarios? I wasn’t all that informed on royal affairs, so these were questions I didn’t have any answers to. 

“This may be tough given Lady Eglantine’s current position, but I believe it best to take the path that will allow her to live as peacefully and with as little conflict as possible,” I continued. 

“I think so too,” Anastasius muttered. He then grinned as though some brilliant idea had just come to him. “Rozemyne, your report was far more valuable than I expected.” 

The prince’s determined expression made it abundantly clear he had not elected to give up on Eglantine. I didn’t know what his plan was, but I at least hoped he would remain this motivated until she cut him off for good. Either way, I hoped Eglantine’s decision would result in her happiness. 

“Prince Anastasius, there is more I wish to say, but it is extraneous and admittedly harsh to the point of rudeness. With that in mind, will you allow me to continue?” 

“I will,” Anastasius said, furrowing his brow slightly and jutting out his chin to indicate I should speak. 

I placed a hand on my cheek to still my fuzzy head and swaying vision. “It is clear from her practicing alone that Lady Eglantine pours her very soul into her dedication whirling. You should take your own practice more seriously if you wish to be a good match for her. At the moment, you are noticeably worse than her when you perform side by side.” 

Anastasius grimaced with displeasure, but I continued nonetheless. “Furthermore, I can teach you a love song so powerful that women in Ehrenfest faint upon hearing it. I suppose this depends on you being confident with the harspiel, but would you like to learn it? Lady Eglantine is quite dedicated to the arts, so you might find more success if you approach things from that angle. When praising her, do not simply say that she is good; tell her why in concrete terms. Also, I imagine you are more likely to touch her heart if you say ‘I love your voice’ rather than ‘Your voice is beautiful’ or something of the like.” 

Anastasius’s eye twitched as he listened with a bitter frown. “You certainly are holding nothing back. Not even my retainers dare to speak so openly.” 

“My apologies. You are welcome to ignore me,” I replied. I had already told him everything I thought he would benefit from hearing. Whether he acted on my advice had nothing to do with me. 

Anastasius drummed his fingers against the armrest of his chair, visibly frustrated. “I will give you some advice in turn, Rozemyne. You need to learn to hide your emotions more, and to advertise the information you have without sharing it so freely. You are currently letting far too much spill without a second thought. Others will exploit this weakness and treat you lightly.” 

He was annoyed at me, but his advice was unmistakably genuine. I chose to accept it, since I was aware of my ignorance when it came to socializing. 

“I am honored to receive your advice and will make an effort to improve. Now, if you would allow it, I wish to leave things there for today. My head has been spinning quite terribly, and I’m afraid I will soon...” 

I abruptly stopped mid-sentence. The potion had made me feel a little better, but the dull pain in my head was still pounding away, and now I was battling a sudden bout of extreme drowsiness. 

“Oswin!” Anastasius called. “Summon Rozemyne’s retainers!” 

“Right away!” 

I slumped back into the chair, and the last thing I saw before passing out was Anastasius shooting up from his seat and Oswin, his head attendant, rushing to the waiting room where Rihyarda and the others were.

When I woke up, I found a letter from Anastasius wherein he apologized for having forced me to give him a report despite knowing I was feeling unwell. Given that there was a message from Eglantine alongside it, I could guess he had written it after she had scolded him. 

Maybe he’s made some progress with her... I sure hope so. 

I smiled at the sight of their names lined up next to each other, all close and friendly.