Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 4.8 - Chapter 15

Successors

After healing my puffy eyes with a quick spell, Ferdinand accompanied me out of the workshop. Everyone was hard at work in the High Priest’s chambers; Roderick was struggling with his math while watching Philine and Damuel, while Hartmut was discussing something with Justus and Ferdinand’s other attendants. Also grouped together in conversation were Cornelius, Eckhart, Leonore... and Angelica. In a surprising twist, Judithe was guarding the door today.

What could have happened to make Angelica give up her usual post?

“Oh? Have you finished your discussion?” Justus asked, noticing us before anyone else.

Ferdinand nodded while heading to his desk, then clapped his hands together a few times and said, “Attention, everyone.” He announced to his attendants that he would be leaving Ehrenfest, with Hartmut taking his place. “At the order of the archduke, Hartmut will work as both a scholar and the High Priest. Keep this in mind and strive to prepare the arrangements for a successor.”

“Understood.”

The attendants didn’t seem very surprised, perhaps because Hartmut had told them about it already. They prioritized the documents necessary for the succession and got to work. In a way, the feeling in the room was no different from usual. Angelica switched places with Judithe, and everyone started working in silence.

“Ferdinand, give me more work,” I said. “Isn’t the burden on Hartmut a bit too much?”

“No, I do not intend to give you more than you already have,” Ferdinand replied, shaking his head. I had attempted to help at the cost of my own time, only to be struck down immediately.

I pursed my lips. “But why?”

“You will step down from your post upon coming of age. Aub Ehrenfest seems intent on assigning Melchior to take your place as High Bishop when the time comes. Moving forward, he wishes for the position to focus on supplying mana and managing the blue priests, the orphanage, and such. Paperwork will cease to be a necessary part of the role; rather, the main job that you and Hartmut have is shifting such work to the blue priests.”

The gray priest attendants serving Ferdinand understood their duties more than well enough, but it was beyond them to control the blue priests and force them to work. Thus, it was going to fall to the High Priest and High Bishop to distribute tasks to the blue priests and ensure their proper completion.

“Of course, in order to carry out such checks, you will need to have an understanding of every part of their workload,” Ferdinand continued. “It will not be easy, but prepare well so that Melchior can succeed the role without issue.”

“Understood.”

From there, Ferdinand started talking to Hartmut about how the High Priest would function moving forward. They discussed things like whether he would sleep in the temple, whether he would commute from his home in the Noble’s Quarter, and whether he needed new chambers as the High Priest or would continue using the current ones as they were now.

“I will not be able to bring the furniture here to Ahrensbach,” Ferdinand said, “so it will all remain. You may use it as you please. It will save you having to move documents and such around.”

“Thank you,” Hartmut replied. “I shall graciously accept and keep the chambers as they are now. Am I also permitted to use your attendants? I will feel most comfortable working with those who know your job well.”

“Certainly. My attendants should manage most of the work themselves. I would hesitate to entrust them to someone who would regard them with suspicion and try to take their work, but you should be fine.”

In the end, Hartmut decided to continue commuting from his home in the Noble’s Quarter, since he was going to keep up his scholar work. Of course, he would sleep in the High Priest’s chambers during the Dedication Ritual and such.

Fourth bell rang while we were ironing out the details, and everyone promptly started cleaning up. Ferdinand watched them for a moment, then announced our immediate plans.

“Hartmut’s fealty ceremony will take place in the High Bishop’s chambers this afternoon. Make the necessary preparations.”

“Understood.”

By the time I returned to my chambers, the shrine was almost ready. Gil, Fritz, and Wilma had worked hard while we were gone.

“Now we need only bring in the divine instruments,” Monika said. “As this room is going to be busy with the ceremony, lunch has been prepared elsewhere.” She then took me to where my retainers usually had their meals. Eating was done according to status, so I ate first with my archnoble retainers Hartmut, Cornelius, Leonore, and Angelica. Judithe, Roderick, Damuel, and Philine would eat after we finished.

“That reminds me, Angelica—I was surprised to see you leave the door in the High Priest’s chambers,” I said as I was eating. “What topic was so important that you decided to leave your usual post?”

“Lord Eckhart is moving to Ahrensbach as well, so we were talking about that.”

It seemed that Ferdinand was going to have his two name-sworn retainers with him, following the example that Aurelia had set when she moved to Ehrenfest. It was presumably fine for him to bring even more retainers than she had, since archduke candidates ranked above archnobles, but Ferdinand didn’t have that many people he could trust.

“Lord Justus is a scholar, isn’t he?” Judithe asked nervously. “Is it really okay for him to go along?”

“I’ve been told that skilled scholars are rarely allowed to accompany departing nobles for fear of them leaking information to their home duchy,” Philine added from where she was standing behind me.

“It is easy to forget due to the fact that he almost exclusively does scholar work, but Justus is actually a proper attendant,” I noted. “Official forms even note that he graduated from the Royal Academy as an attendant. His scholar work is simply a hobby to him.”

“One would take a second course as a hobby...?”

“I am more or less doing the same,” I said. As someone who intended to take the scholar course on the side just to become a librarian, having Ferdinand and Justus as precedents for that being acceptable was very heartening. “So, Angelica—how did your talk with Eckhart go?”

“He said that I could either accompany him as his partner or cancel the engagement and stay in Ehrenfest. It seems that he will respect whatever decision I make.”

Angelica and Eckhart were engaged, so their future was a natural and very important thing to talk about—at least on paper. In reality, they seemed so unlike a couple that it was kind of strange to think that they were actually discussing it.

“Have you decided on your answer, Angelica?”

“I will cancel the engagement and stay in Ehrenfest. Because I am your guard knight, Lady Rozemyne.”

“But will that not tarnish your reputation?” I asked. Angelica looked completely unperturbed, but canceling her engagement and staying behind would result in various rumors and make it exceedingly difficult for her to find another partner.

Cornelius shrugged. “I expect that Mother and Grandfather will take action to make sure that doesn’t happen. Grandfather was the one who pushed for their marriage in the first place.”

Rather than looking relieved, Angelica received this news with downcast eyes. “I really admire Lord Eckhart, since he’s so strong and always helps me with my training... Our engagement being canceled has left me very... very...” She paused, faltering as her gaze wandered around the room and her hand rested on Stenluke.

“I believe ‘heartbroken’ is the word you are looking for, master,” the manablade said in Ferdinand’s voice.

“Right. Heartbroken. I am so heartbroken that I am not yet ready to think about finding another partner. I wish to be left alone to grieve—that is what I intend to tell Lady Elvira. How does it sound...?” Angelica asked. She looked very serious, so I chose to answer seriously in turn.

“Well, if you add a line about how you wish to keep your love for Lord Eckhart alive for as long as possible despite the trials and tribulations fate is slinging at you, I am sure that Mother will feel moved enough to leave you alone. It will also delay her writing a story based on your and Eckhart’s lost love. Though this all depends on you actually being able to remember these lines.”

Angelica nodded. “I will do my best,” she said, her hand on Stenluke’s feystone.

After lunch was my first fealty ceremony since becoming the High Bishop. I sincerely hoped that I would manage, and as my attendants brought in the divine instruments, I focused on memorizing the lines and the course of events that Fran had written out for me. My retainers were eyeing the instruments with great interest, perhaps because they so rarely had the chance.

“The black cape at the top is the symbol of the God of Darkness, representing the night sky,” Philine said. “The gold crown is the symbol of the Goddess of Light, representing the sun. I already know about them, but this is my first time seeing them up close.”

“This explains why Lady Rozemyne’s shield is round,” Leonore observed.

“Can you morph your schtappe into all of the divine instruments?” Judithe asked.

I shook my head. “I cannot morph my schtappe without knowing the necessary spells. I would not know how to create the Goddess of Light’s crown, for example.”

“I see.”

Ferdinand must have finished eating too, as he soon arrived with his attendants. He checked that the altar was ready, then came over and taught me how to use the incense burners. I gripped them by their chains and gently swung them, causing the scent used in the ceremony to fill the room.

“Now, the oath,” Ferdinand said.

I dropped down onto my right knee, bowed my head, and crossed my arms in front of my chest. Hartmut adopted the same position alongside me.

“Hartmut, repeat Rozemyne’s words after her.”

“Understood.”

I slowly inhaled, feeling entirely different from when I had attended my own ceremony. Back then, I hadn’t believed in the gods existing at all. It was surprising to see how much my mindset had changed since then, but at this moment, my main focus was the prayer.

“O mighty King and Queen of Darkness and Light, most righteous and divine rulers of the wide heavens. O splendid gods of the Eternal Five, most righteous and divine rulers of the vast mortal realm. Goddess of Water, Flutrane. God of Fire, Leidenschaft. Goddess of Wind, Schutzaria. Goddess of Earth, Geduldh. God of Life, Ewigeliebe.”

Hartmut was repeating after me.

“King and Queen, show your divine power that extends throughout the wide heavens and vast mortal realm. Eternal Five, bless us of the vast mortal realm with your divine power. In eternal gratitude for your heavenly powers, I shall worship thee for eternity. I shall live with just hearts, calm hearts, and resolved hearts. I shall have faith in thee as the true and just gods. I vow that I shall pray to thee, gods of nature; I shall thank you, and I shall prepare offerings for thee.”

After we finished the prayer, Ferdinand’s attendants quietly stepped forward and dressed Hartmut in his blue robes, which made his scarlet hair stand out even more. He had a golden sash, since he was of age, and a belt to hold rejuvenation potions and such just like the one Ferdinand wore.

“Now then, let us offer our prayers to the gods,” I said. I had been completely unable to get into the right stance when I attended my own fealty ceremony, but Hartmut had no problems whatsoever.

“Very good,” Ferdinand said. “Hartmut, from this point onward, you are to wear blue robes within the temple at all times. Fran, Zahm, take care to inform the blue priests that a new High Priest has been assigned.”

“Understood.”

From there, Ferdinand explained the ceremonies and yearly events within the temple. The spring coming-of-age ceremony would be our next responsibility, then the summer baptisms right after that.

“I will be carrying out these ceremonies as the High Priest,” Ferdinand said to Hartmut, “but you will attend as a blue priest. Observe carefully to see what manner of work is expected of the role you are taking on. Between the summer coming-of-age ceremony and the autumn baptisms, you will work as the High Priest. I will serve as a blue priest during this time and observe you to see whether you are capable enough to carry out your duties. Wilfried and Charlotte have been managing Spring Prayer and the Harvest Festival with my attendants, so those will pose no problem.”

Hartmut gave a bright smile. “Now I can participate in religious ceremonies and stay by Lady Rozemyne’s side. This I am looking forward to.” He seemed excited, since he previously hadn’t even been allowed to enter the chapel, but he was forgetting something important.

“Erm, Hartmut... Not to spoil your good mood, but you are aware that you and I will not be traveling to the same places for Spring Prayer and the Harvest Festival, correct?” I asked. The blue priests were all sent out at once, so it made no sense for us to visit the same locations.

Hartmut froze, staring at me with wide eyes. “Wait... Does that mean I won’t be able to see your ceremonies?” he asked, slumping over as all the motivation drained from his body.

Ferdinand shook his head in exasperation. “You will still be together for the Dedication Ritual, baptisms, and so on. Surely there is no need to be so disappointed.”

“True. In that case, I must burn the sight of her performing those ceremonies into my mind and settle for that.”

Alongside our preparations for the succession, we sent letters of summons to the guildmaster and the Plantin Company, since we needed to report to them about the Archduke Conference. We also met with Wilma, as Hartmut had mentioned wanting to greet those from the orphanage. Before we knew it, the day of the assignment ceremony had arrived.

The assignment ceremony was held internally and was the same as when I had first become High Bishop. It was a debut in the chapel with all the blue priests, their attendants, and the baptized gray priests and shrine maidens.

Ferdinand was leading the ceremony. He began with a simple description that he was leaving for Ahrensbach due to an engagement and that the next High Priest had already been assigned by the archduke.

“By the will of the archduke, the new High Priest shall be not one of the blue priests, but the archnoble Hartmut,” Ferdinand continued. “The change will occur when I leave the temple, but as he intends to visit often over the next year, I am debuting him now.”

The door opened on cue, at which point Ferdinand signaled me with a look. I turned to the audience from the stage and said for everyone to welcome the new High Priest with prayers. The gray priests and shrine maidens chanted “Praise be to the gods!” in unison and assumed the usual prayer pose while Hartmut made his entrance, dressed in blue priest robes and wearing a smile. He climbed onto the stage and stood next to me.

“Thank you all for gathering here today. I am Hartmut, the new High Priest. Aub Ehrenfest has bestowed this role upon me on this serendipitous day, ordained by the waters of change flowing from Flutrane the Goddess of Water. As I am Lady Rozemyne’s retainer, I will only be serving as High Priest until the day she leaves her post as High Bishop. During the short time until then, we intend to change things so that all temple work is dealt with by blue priests. We must all strive to ensure that Lady Rozemyne, the esteemed Saint of Ehrenfest, is not burdened with unnecessary work. And as the High Priest, I will dispose of any dead weight holding her down.”

It was quite an impactful announcement. I was standing in a daze, but Ferdinand seemed to have predicted this turn of events, as he showed no sign of surprise. He even added, “As you can tell, the new High Priest will prioritize the High Bishop above all else. Listen to him well, and work to serve with all you have.”

The former Bezewanst faction had all turned sickly pale; they had not exactly been kind to me, and this was not a good sign for them.

I didn’t tell him to say that!

Part of me wanted to cry out, but now that Hartmut had declared that he was my retainer, everyone would think that I was simply forcing his hand. I had no idea how to control him at all, and as that thought stormed through my mind, Hartmut ended the announcement with his own prayers.

“Let us offer our prayers and gratitude to the mighty King and Queen of Darkness and Light, most righteous and divine rulers of the wide heavens. To the splendid gods of the Eternal Five, most righteous and divine rulers of the vast mortal realm. Goddess of Water, Flutrane. God of Fire, Leidenschaft. Goddess of Wind, Schutzaria. Goddess of Earth, Geduldh. God of Life, Ewigeliebe.”

Everyone could tell that a monstrous new High Priest had been thrust upon us.

Incidentally, Hartmut made his debut at the orphanage using similar language to when he had thrown the blue priests into fear and despair. “Let us pour our all into the printing and paper-making industries for Lady Rozemyne, the Saint of Ehrenfest,” he had said. Everyone there had accepted his words as totally normal, which left him looking very satisfied.