Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 4.2 - Chapter SS1

Honest Courting 

The girl sitting before me lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes casting small shadows across her face. Her soft lips parted slightly as she sipped from her teacup. 

Aah. Eglantine is as beautiful as ever. 

I had initially learned about her when we were both young. My father, the fifth prince, had been deemed irrelevant to the civil war and subsequently ignored, but he was ultimately convinced to join the battle by the previous Aub Klassenberg. Eglantine’s entire family had succumbed to poison in the midst of the conflict, and Eglantine herself survived only because she had yet to be baptized and could therefore still eat in the room for children. She was then swiftly taken in by the Klassenbergs, her maternal relatives. 

It was through these experiences that Eglantine became the tragic princess, who had lost her family and royal status in the civil war. 

When I first saw Eglantine in the Royal Academy, she was already dazzling beyond her ten years, but beauty was not all she had: her grades surpassed even my own as a member of royalty, and she possessed a gentle character which earned respect from her retainers and even those of the lower-ranked duchies. She was already expected to one day surpass my father in terms of mana quantity and number of elements, since she was the daughter of the late third prince, but she had most likely already achieved this at ten years of age. 

My father heeded Klassenberg’s plea that Eglantine wished to return to royalty, and so he gave her a choice: she could marry my brother or she could marry me, and the person she chose would become the next king. It was then that I desired the throne for the first time. 

...And that was because I desired her. 

I watched the slight movement in Eglantine’s throat as she swallowed a sip of tea. She then quietly set down her cup and withdrew her hand, her fingertips the color of ripened prunbeers moving with such grace that they practically danced through the air. I stared at the arcs they made so closely that I almost burned the sight into my eyes; it was the duty of royalty to carefully observe the poison-testing process, and that was the justification I was going with. 

Eglantine noticed my gaze, at which point her bright orange eyes crinkled into a gentle smile. “Prince Anastasius, please do eat to your heart’s content,” she said. 

I picked up my own teacup and took a sip myself, as proper etiquette dictated, but I was agonizing the entire time. How was I going to put them into words? I needed to express my feelings to her directly, yet it was proving to be a greater challenge than I ever could have imagined. My fingers tightened around the handle of my cup, causing small ripples to spread across the liquid within. A groan built up within my throat without my knowing. 

Will a straightforward expression of my love not become an order...? 

Firm words from royalty became an order—this was a fact drilled into me since birth, and so I had followed proper courting etiquette and only expressed my feelings to Eglantine through others. My older brother, the first prince, was sending her letters and gifts as well, but he had never courted her in person. 

However, my brother has no feelings for Eglantine. He wishes to marry her only to acquire the throne. 

Sigiswald already had a wife from a middle duchy, one who was planned to become his second wife once he married a woman from a greater duchy. The moment that thought crossed my mind, I heard Rozemyne’s voice echoing through my mind: “Lady Eglantine indicated that both you and your brother are proposing to her for political reasons.” 

To think she assumed this entire time that I too was only after the throne... 

I could not help but sigh. My brother already had a wife, and I would not stand him marrying Eglantine so frivolously. I wanted to make this beautiful woman happy with my own two hands, and it was for this reason alone that I sought the throne, even knowing it would make an enemy out of my brother. 

“Please excuse my rudeness, Prince Anastasius, but did you not mention having something important to discuss?” Eglantine asked, tilting her head with a confused expression. It seemed that I had contemplatively stared into my tea for much too long. 

I quickly set down my cup and partook in the prepared sweets. The sugary lumps fell apart in my mouth. Sweets of this nature were commonly served in the Sovereignty, but perhaps due to my having eaten Ehrenfest sweets recently, they tasted far sweeter than usual. 

What am I to do...? 

Even when facing Eglantine alone, I could not speak my feelings so abruptly. I almost reached for the sound-blocking magic tools in my pockets, but I ultimately paused. It was much too early. My mind raced for something to open with, but all that came to mind were Rozemyne’s harsh words. 

“You had a tea party with Rozemyne, did you not?” I finally asked. 

“Oh my. Has Lady Rozemyne said something?” Eglantine asked. Her smile deepened, but I was watching her carefully enough to notice her cheeks tense up ever so slightly. Had they discussed something she did not want me to hear? Or had Rozemyne been so rude to her that she found the memory appalling? 

They best not have amused themselves by speaking ill of me. 

Rozemyne’s evil, poisonous smile flashed through my mind. I envisioned myself dropping a fist on her skull in an attempt to calm down, then composed myself with a light cough. “So, what do you think of Ehrenfest? They certainly have introduced many strange products this year. How do they seem to those from Klassenberg the First? As royalty, I also thought it important to find out what the professors think about her.” 

This wasn’t a complete lie—Ehrenfest was producing a continuous stream of unique products, from new sweets, to hair ornaments, to some kind of medicine that made one’s hair glossy. A middle duchy that had once struggled to maintain its already low rank had all of a sudden become a presence that was impossible to ignore. There were no doubt problems I could prevent simply by knowing what the other duchies thought about this, and memories of the kerfuffle with Dunkelfelger were still fresh in my mind. I was also receiving many requests from students wishing to become the new master of the library’s magic tools, though I was refusing them all. 

“Well,” Eglantine began, “I suppose it has gone from being a middle duchy that ascended the rankings purely through its neutrality in the civil war to a duchy that has finally begun to develop enough strength to justify its rank.” 

I nodded, though I did not quite agree. “Are you not overestimating them? The past has shown that no matter how skilled or excellent an individual from Ehrenfest may be, they do not bring the entire duchy to that height. Their brilliance ends with them, and their influence remains soundly on an individual level. Do you have any proof that Rozemyne is not the same?” 

It was not uncommon for geniuses specializing in a particular interest to appear in Ehrenfest. There was Hirschur, for example, who was so devoted to research that even Professor Gundolf could make neither head nor tail of, and Christine, whose skill with the harspiel made an eternal impression on all those who heard her play. As of yet, however, their influence had not spread enough to be advantageous to the entire duchy. 

“It seems to me that the entire duchy is being influenced this time,” Eglantine replied. “All the Ehrenfest girls at the advancement ceremony had used rinsham, and the new music is known to all the students after only a number of years. I am told that students of all grades can play these new songs. Furthermore, the younger students have shown great improvement in their written lessons.” 

“Did that not begin three or so years ago?” I asked. Rozemyne might not have even been baptized at that point, and she had slept for two years since. Surely the improvements in their grades were not her accomplishment. 

“This year, Ehrenfest students of all grades have made much progress. The specifics remain unknown, but it seems to be the result of some system that Lady Rozemyne established. In a rare break of trend, Ehrenfest is clearly planning to publicize her developments and use them to benefit the entire duchy. I am quite sure Ehrenfest will see much growth while she is here.” 

“I see. And their other archduke candidate?” I asked, changing the topic of conversation. It did not entirely please me to see Eglantine praising Rozemyne so highly. 

“Professor Primevere has described Lord Wilfried as quite talented also. He passed court etiquette in a single attempt and is skilled at controlling his mana. However, he was frequently seen asking Lady Rozemyne for advice. Plus, while his written grades are respectable compared to other students, they are quite average for an archduke candidate.” 

“I see. Advice during class, hm...?” 

Rozemyne had been adopted into the archducal family, and the bad habit she had shown in thoughtlessly giving me valuable information perhaps resulted from her doing the same for the archduke’s blood-related son. They were supposed to be competing for the position of aub as fellow candidates, but it was highly likely she had been instructed to raise and support her rival instead. 

Far be it from me to waste her valuable advice then... 

I inhaled deeply and then took out the sound-blocking magic tools. The moment I held one out to Eglantine, she shot a brief, worried glance to her attendants. 

“Better this than clearing the room of your retainers, no?” I asked. 

Eglantine nodded in agreement before taking the magic tool. This was far from the first time she had tried to avoid spending any time alone with me, but it hurt my heart all the same. I tightened my grip on the tool. 

“When you spoke with Rozemyne, you said that you would pick neither me nor my brother. Is that correct?” 

Eglantine paused. “It seems I have spoken too freely. Perhaps I was charmed by Lady Rozemyne’s adorable visage? Please forget what she told you,” she eventually said with a troubled smile, hoping to end the discussion there. But this was not something I could simply ignore. 

“Rozemyne informed me of your choice. You will obey an order to marry one of us but not make a decision of your own. She said that you wish only for peace, and not to return to royalty.” 

“Do forgive me. I do not know what overcame me, to speak such words. Prince Anastasius, truly, please do forget what she said,” Eglantine repeated desperately, her eyes growing faintly damp with tears. The sight was cute beyond words, but I would not be swayed; if my spirit was not strong enough to see this through, I would never have tolerated Rozemyne’s unfathomably harsh and crude advice. 

“Forgive me. I wish to grant your every request, but this is not something I can ignore. I want to know your true feelings,” I said, looking at her directly. 

A clouded, defeated expression arose on her face. I could not tell whether it was her relenting to voice her request or her despairing that no matter what she said, her wish would not come true. 

“Up until recently, I was aware only that you wished to return to royalty, and it has been my desire to make your wish a reality. The man you choose will in turn become king. To take your hand in marriage, I must rule. That is the only reason I have ever wanted the throne. But now I am told that your true wish is for peace.” 

Eglantine’s smile became more intense, her eyes pleading with me to dig no further, but standing down now would not bring about any change. I gripped the sound-blocking tool with both hands and gazed at her more intently than before, hoping for even a fraction more of my feelings to be conveyed to her. 

“My purpose is not to grant the previous Aub Klassenberg’s wish—it is to grant your wish,” I explained. “And while it is frustrating that Rozemyne was the one to point this out to me, in order to accomplish this, I want to hear your thoughts directly. I want to hear what you wish for in person, with no intermediary. And then, I want you to know my wish. Just as you do not wish to be royalty, I do not care about becoming the next king. Sigiswald seeks the throne, and if your hand in marriage was not hanging in the balance, I would willingly let him take it.” 

Eglantine attempted to hide behind her usual smile, but her lips were noticeably trembling. For years I had seen only her polite facade, a wall of diplomacy that firmly separated us, and that knowledge had pained me deeply. But now I was finally seeing an ounce of true emotion from her, and I couldn’t help but feel glad at that fact. 

Perhaps it would be safe to say that a fraction of my feelings have reached her. 

I could feel the blood coursing through my body like scorching fire. My face was hot, and my ears were ringing. It was beyond me to dress my words in poetic whispers of my love; the best I could do was say my thoughts directly. From the perspective of royalty, I was no doubt disgracing myself. 

“I yearn for nothing but you,” I said. “I want you to pick me; not my brother, and not anyone else. I want you to be my Goddess of Light and mine alone. This is not an order, of course, but my true wish.” 

I steadied my breathing and watched Eglantine carefully. Our eyes met only for the briefest moment before she averted her gaze. Even now that I was following Rozemyne’s suggestion and speaking my thoughts to her in person, it appeared she could not accept my feelings. 

My grip on the magic tool slackened as a wave of disappointment washed over me, but then Eglantine finally spoke. “I am shocked that you would speak so directly,” she whispered to herself, and my grip tightened once again as I strained to hear every word. 

“Was that too direct of me? To tell the truth, I am following Rozemyne’s advice. She said that the political struggle has placed walls between us that twist our intentions. She suspected that we were not at all conveying our true goals to one another.” 

“She did...?” Eglantine asked. Her cheeks were flushed a bashful red so charming that it made my heart pound in my chest. This was my first time seeing such a reaction from her. Could it be that Rozemyne’s advice was actually working? 

“Yes. She casually told me that, since I understood your intentions so poorly, I would need to start again from the beginning and ask you about them directly. Could you imagine anyone more rude?” I asked, allowing a grin to play on my lips as I attempted to lighten the mood. 

Eglantine’s bright orange eyes widened. “I never would have expected you of all people to heed such blunt words, Prince Anastasius.” 

“Much of her advice was irritating to hear, but if she spoke truly, I was indeed putting you through suffering due to my own ignorance of your intentions. At the very least, I wanted you to know that my objective is not and will never be the throne.” 

“I certainly do understand that now...” Eglantine said, lowering her eyes. I could feel the smile on my face broaden now that I understood this as her expression of shyness. 

“Hm... If Rozemyne’s advice regarding this matter was correct, perhaps I should pay attention to her other advice as well.” 

“You mean to say Lady Rozemyne said even more to you...? I’m not sure if my heart can take much more...” Eglantine murmured with a small, pouty glare. It was so endearing that my heart practically leapt with joy. I reveled in the moment for a short while before recalling Rozemyne’s other advice. 

“It was all unbelievably rude advice that no other would ever dare speak to royalty. Would you care to hear it?” 

“Absolutely.” Eglantine was now wearing her polite smile once more, but I could still sense the slight sulkiness to her expression. It was a pleasing development, and one that inspired me to start with the most shocking of all Rozemyne’s advice. 

“To begin with, she said that I should practice my whirling more seriously if my desire is to suit you. It seems I am noticeably worse when we whirl together.” 

Eglantine blinked at me in utter disbelief, though her stunned silence did not last long. “Ah... Did Lady Rozemyne truly say that to you?” she asked. 

“Yes. She had my permission to speak freely, but even so I was taken aback by the impertinence of her remarks. She criticized the way I compliment you; told me to practice harspiel more, since you are so dedicated to the arts; and more.” 

As I listed them off one by one, Eglantine’s smile froze. Her shock was understandable; it was unthinkable for an archduke candidate from the thirteenth-ranked duchy to speak so brazenly to a member of royalty. 

“Rozemyne held nothing back and then abruptly fainted,” I explained. “She had said that she was feeling ill, but I would never have thought that she might pass out so suddenly. It came as enough of a surprise to me, but I cannot even remember the last time I saw Oswin look quite so traumatized.” 

Eglantine had shown such a variety of new emotions as she listened to me speak that I carelessly went ahead and mentioned Rozemyne collapsing. In an instant, her expression changed. 

“Prince Anastasius, you summoned Lady Rozemyne when she was in poor health? Goodness, that must have been terrible for her. Have you at least expressed your sympathy?” 

“Me? I am willing to excuse her passing out, but as for her blunder... Is it not normal for her to first request my forgiveness?” 

To pass out in a meeting with royalty was an unthinkable disgrace. Rozemyne would need to request a meeting to plead for my forgiveness, and I would generously do just that. The suggestion that I should send a letter to express my sympathy while she was sick made little sense, though had it been Eglantine in her place, I would not have wasted any time in rushing to her side. 

“Under normal circumstances, yes, but the request has not yet arrived, I presume? That is evidence that Rozemyne has not yet recovered. Aub Ehrenfest must be hysterical. Please send words of sympathy not just for Lady Rozemyne, but for her entire duchy.” 

“I see... I was aware that duchies generally do not interfere with Academy affairs, but I had not realized that they receive reports so frequently.” 

I was unsure what information was usually passed between dorms and their duchies, but Aub Ehrenfest would certainly be in a panic to have learned that his child was called before royalty, fainted, and was now so bedridden that she could not even apologize. I had nothing but sympathy for Aub Ehrenfest, who was unable to do a thing as he read about Rozemyne collapsing in the Farthest Hall, becoming the master of the library’s magic tools, and taking on Dunkelfelger in a game of ditter. 

Still, it would not be wise to send words of sympathy to Rozemyne. 

There was no need to break custom for this; a poor movement on my part would result in the public assuming that Rozemyne was now in my favor. I did not wish to send words of sympathy when nobody would understand that I was doing it only at Eglantine’s request. 

“Eglantine, I cannot produce such a letter so freely. If you would write it with me and assist with the phrasing, however... I will send it to Ehrenfest.” 

“...If you insist,” Eglantine conceded, agreeing to compose a sympathetic letter through which I would apologize. I noticed that her smile had softened, and so I reached out a hand to her. It felt as though she might now accept it. 

“Eglantine, would you care to accompany me to a gazebo later to discuss this further? I will need both Aub Klassenberg and his predecessor on our side if we are to make your dream come true, no?” 

“I do not believe convincing my uncle and grandfather is going to be quite so easy,” she replied. It wasn’t a clear answer, but it was the first time she hadn’t explicitly refused my invitation to the gazebos, which were well-known gathering spots for couples and lovers. In an instant, I was invincible. Formal political negotiations with an aub and a former aub were nothing compared to speaking my feelings honestly to Eglantine. 

How shall I convince them? I do not have much time, but this is a challenge worth pursuing.