Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 4.9 - Chapter 13

Preparing to Leave

Upon our arrival at the temple, Ferdinand briskly put away his highbeast and then began power walking to his chambers. I called out for him to wait.

“Ferdinand, you need the time-stopping magic tool. We need to fill it with tasty meals and sweets for you to take to Ahrensbach.”

“Do you truly intend to prepare that much food over the next few days...?”

“Obviously. You tend to put off eating when you’re busy. I imagine you’ve already cut out meals from the luggage you’ll be bringing with you to Ahrensbach, haven’t you?”

Ferdinand said nothing and merely stared at me through narrowed eyes. I had evidently hit the nail on the head.

“I will prepare the food,” I continued, “so simply lend me the time-stopping magic tool.”

“Justus will fetch it later. Satisfied?”

I watched Ferdinand stride off and start directing his attendants while I put away my own highbeast, then asked Fran to go to the orphanage and workshop to summon my attendants. In the meantime, I returned to my High Bishop’s chambers with Monika, whereupon I got her and Nicola to help me change.

“Nicola, I request a feast of meals and snacks,” I announced. “We need to make enough to fill the time-stopping magic tool before Ferdinand leaves. I intend to ask the Italian restaurant for support, but I expect our kitchen to be working at maximum capacity as well.”

“Understood,” Nicola replied, racing to the kitchen without a moment’s hesitation.

At once, I started writing letters to the lower city. By the time I was just about finished, my attendants had gathered in my room.

“Gil, deliver this to Benno,” I said. “I wish to know of the progress Zack has made on the bench that Ferdinand ordered. This is for the Gilberta Company. I wish to buy the highest-quality hairpin they have—one that Ferdinand can give to Lady Letizia, that will suit hair as golden as Lady Detlinde’s. And this is a request for the Othmar Company. Please ask them to assist us in preparing the High Priest’s meals and sweets.”

“Understood.”

I asked Fritz to prepare books and instructional materials to give to Letizia, while I informed Wilma of the very high chance that the orphanage would receive an abundance of new children over the winter. In the meantime, Rosina was transcribing new songs for me. My intention had been to complete them in secret at the Royal Academy where Ferdinand wasn’t around, but there wouldn’t be any time for that now. Rosina was focusing on the melody; Ferdinand could arrange them himself at a later date.

The next day, the time-stopping magic tool was brought to the High Bishop’s chambers, and we began packing it full of sweets from the Othmar Company and the meals that Hugo and Ella had prepared. Justus poison-tested each dish and carefully noted down what it contained.

By third bell, the attendants of the High Priest’s chambers were coming in and out of my room, transporting boxes from Ferdinand’s workshop to mine. A response from Benno arrived a short while later, explaining that the bench had yet to be upholstered with tear-resistant cloth and was thus not complete. It was due to be finished at some point during the winter.

I made my way to the High Priest’s chambers to report this information and provide my usual assistance, but Ferdinand was nowhere to be seen. There were fewer attendants in his room as well, since there was so much to be done before his departure.

“Eckhart, where is Ferdinand?” I asked.

“Lord Ferdinand is cleaning up his workshop,” he replied. “Thus far, he has left only to bring out boxes, but you can call for him if you have something urgent to discuss. You might even want to help him.”

He then pointed at the magic tool used to speak with those inside the hidden room. I asked for permission to enter so that I could deliver my report, and soon enough, Ferdinand poked his head out to listen. Before I could even speak, however, Eckhart pushed me through the doorway.

“Lord Ferdinand, it seems that Rozemyne enthusiastically wishes to assist you in your workshop,” he said.

“What? I never...” I was about to complain, but Eckhart fixed me with an overwhelmingly imposing smile that stopped me dead in my tracks. “Eep. Yes, that’s right. Please allow me to help.”

Ferdinand told me to enter, and together we started cleaning up paperwork and such while I delivered my report on the meals I had prepared, the hairpin, the instructive materials, and finally, the letter from Benno.

“In short, I will send the completed bench and new dishes to you in spring. In the meantime, please enjoy all of the meals we’ve prepared for you,” I said, determined to make him eat healthily.

Ferdinand thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No, there is no need for that. You can keep the bench.”

“But... why?” I asked, blinking in surprise. The bench was being made for him because he had shown so much interest in the mattress. I absolutely wanted him to have it in Ahrensbach; its comfortable cushion would give him somewhere to relax.

There was a brief silence before Ferdinand said, “I fear that anything I bring with me to Ahrensbach might be taken away. I would rather you keep it than have it end up with someone else.” He looked particularly displeased, as though he were remembering a particularly distasteful memory.

There was nothing I could say in response; I was in no position to reassure him that nothing like that would happen in Ahrensbach.

“Furthermore... will you not need a place to relax once you lose the bench you have been using for support?” Ferdinand asked.

“Hm?”

I already had a bench in my room; it hadn’t been lost, and I didn’t expect to lose it either. I gazed up at Ferdinand, not understanding what he meant, and in response he let out a weary sigh.

“You are the one who compared me to a bench. Consider this cushioned variety to be my replacement.” He flicked me on the forehead and said, “Don’t make me say it, fool,” then picked up a box and started toward the door.

I watched him leave, unsure how I was ever meant to guess these things when he was so cryptic and indirect. The more I thought about it, however, the more I realized that he had guided and protected me ever since I first entered the temple.

I’ve always felt so much more comfortable with him there for me to lean on...

All of my memories since I first joined the temple flashed through my mind. Ferdinand was busy with needing to depart so suddenly, but he was still showing me so much consideration, leaving me things out of nothing but kindness. The thought made my heart ache.

Even during the brief moments when Ferdinand exited the workshop—when he was out of my sight—it felt as though he had disappeared for good. Soon, I wouldn’t have him protectively standing in front of me anymore. I would need to walk my own path without any guidance, and that realization sent another pang through my chest.

“Rozemyne, put those documents together,” Ferdinand said, returning as soon as he had placed the box outside. Just seeing his face again filled me with such overwhelming relief that tears began to blur my vision.

I don’t need a replacement bench, so please... wait until spring before you leave.

As much as I wanted to say that, I couldn’t. It was too selfish to ever pass my lips. I swallowed the words and wiped my eyes.

“Rozemyne, is something wrong?” Ferdinand asked.

“Ferdinand... since you have so little time before you have to go, shouldn’t you remove the restriction on who can enter your workshop?” I asked, deciding to be useful instead.

“That is not a bad idea,” he replied, then promptly removed the restriction. Since others could now enter his workshop, I was promptly shooed out; there was little need for someone so short and weak. I merely shrugged as Eckhart took my place and gleefully began assisting Ferdinand.

The luggage was separated into that which was due to be taken to Ahrensbach and that which needed to be taken to my workshop. Ferdinand had already made some progress with clearing out his workshop, but there was still a lot to be done.

“I will need to clean up my estate as well, and my aim is to have it all finished today,” Ferdinand said, causing the attendants from his chambers to widen their eyes. Clearing out this messy workshop they had never even seen before was going to be hard enough, and then there was the matter of their usual duties.

“Your attendants can’t do this alone, Ferdinand. There’s not enough time,” I said. “Let me call the gray priests from the orphanage to help.”

“What point is there in summoning those whom you have no intention of making into attendants?”

“There is no need to take them as attendants; we can reward them another way. Monika, I ask that you go to the orphanage and summon ten or so gray priests who seem suited for physical labor.”

“Understood,” Monika replied, then turned on her heel and made her way to the orphanage.

I returned my attention to Ferdinand, who seemed taken aback, and gave a small smile. “How about you entrust the boxes you don’t want others to touch to Eckhart and your attendants, while the gray priests carry the rest?”

Ferdinand paused and then said, “You truly are skilled at delegating work to others.”

“Of course. There really isn’t much I can do on my own; I’m always relying on the help of those more capable than me. You’re talented enough to do pretty much anything by yourself, but I think you would do well to make more allies and trust them with things.”

I racked my brain for a simple method that even Ferdinand could use to make allies. He was skilled in the art of protecting himself, but this defensiveness meant that he seldom allowed new people to get close to him—and vice versa. He tried to resolve situations only with those he already trusted, but by this logic, Raimund was probably the only person from Ahrensbach whom he’d be able to rely on. I didn’t want him falling back on Eckhart and Justus for everything.

“Ferdinand, since you are heading to Ahrensbach in the winter, when so many nobles are due to come together, why not play the harspiel to celebrate your arrival and gain the support of the gathered women?” I said. “It would be trivial for you, and your success is guaranteed—especially if you play a new song. Let’s make the most of your voice, looks, and musical talent.”

His harspiel concert here in Ehrenfest had won over more or less every woman in attendance, with many being overwhelmed to the point of swooning. Surely it was worth a try in Ahrensbach too.

“Oh, by the way—I’ve had some sweets prepared as well,” I continued. “You’re going to be educating Lady Letizia, so I’d suggest rewarding her with some whenever she succeeds at something. And remember to praise her. You’ll discourage her from growing if you do nothing but focus on her mistakes. Also, speak often with Lady Letizia’s retainers about your education process. Don’t lord over them with a plan you decided on yourself. And another thing—”

“Enough already. Take care of your own responsibilities,” Ferdinand said, waving me away like a bothersome fly.

That dismissive remark simply wouldn’t do. I had already arranged for all the things I wanted Ferdinand to take to Ahrensbach; all there was left to do now was wait. The food was almost ready, and Justus was more or less done with looking over what had arrived from the Othmar Company. There were also the items intended for Letizia—a hairpin, which I had ordered through Gil, and some educational material, which Fran was currently dealing with. Rosina had already finished transcribing the melody of my new songs and was now battling to arrange as much of them as she could.

“And what exactly are those responsibilities?” I asked. “I came to the temple to help you, didn’t I?”

“Go to the book room with Fran and retrieve the books I’ve been keeping there.”

“You’re taking the books...?”

They were his, so it made complete sense that he would take them with him, but I was still sad to see them go.

I trudged to the book room with Fran. The lack of a furnace meant the air was frigid enough to give me goose bumps. I started pointing at the books that belonged to Ferdinand, and one by one, Fran unhooked the thick chains securing them to the reading desks. Each one was freed with a loud clank, and as I watched the pile grow taller and taller, I could feel my heart grow sadder and sadder.

Oh. That book...

We were standing in the first book room I had ever entered, and the books around us were the first ones I had been permitted to read at my leisure. But the particular book that Fran was currently holding...

“Is something the matter, Lady Rozemyne?” Fran asked.

“I simply recalled that the book in your hands is the first one I ever read after coming here.”

Indeed, the first book I had read on my first day as an apprentice blue shrine maiden belonged to Ferdinand.

Fran looked at the book, then gave a soft smile. “Ah, yes. I remember it like it was yesterday. You Crushed Gil when he came to inform you it was time for lunch and neglected to eat to the point that you collapsed.”

Zahm chuckled. “That was when the Gilberta Company came with her tithe. The High Priest truly was shocked. He checked on your health with Fran each and every day until you recovered and could return to the temple.”

“Ah,” I said. “Feel free to forget all about that. Both of you.”

Fran and Zahm carefully wrapped each of the unchained books in cloth as they continued reminiscing about their time with Ferdinand. Most of the memories they brought up were about him agonizing over my words and actions. Hearing them talking about nothing but my failures was honestly embarrassing. Surely they had some more flattering memories.

“Lady Rozemyne, please wait here with Monika,” Fran eventually said. “We shall deliver these to the High Priest.”

Instead of stacking the books and carrying several at once, it seemed that Fran and Zahm intended to carry them one at a time. Ferdinand had told me to help them, but the books he owned were much too thick and heavy for me to carry.

Once they had gone, I gazed around the book room—now a questionable name, I thought, considering how empty it felt.

“Mestionora is carved into the shelves, I see...” I mused aloud.

My eyes wandered to the bookshelves with a door that could only be opened with the High Bishop’s key, and I noticed that its decorative carvings were more elaborate than those on the surrounding shelves. They displayed a goddess cradling the Grutrissheit.

“I’ve seen these bookshelves so many times over the years, but I guess I never noticed anything but the books...”

“That is very much like you, Lady Rozemyne,” Monika said with a giggle. “The stories that Fran and Zahm told a moment ago were very interesting. I did not know much about you before you saved the orphanage. In case you’ve yet to notice, there are engravings like these all throughout the temple.”

It seemed that Monika had long since noticed the carvings on the book room’s shelves. As it turned out, there were various gods hidden all over the temple in various places—although you weren’t likely to notice them unless you were one of the people on cleaning and polishing duty.

“Our apologies for the wait, Lady Rozemyne. The High Priest has asked for you to prepare your highbeast.”

Now that Fran and Zahm had finished moving the books, I needed to transport them to the Noble’s Quarter. I exited the book room, returned to my chambers, and then got changed—after which Angelica, who was serving as my guard, came up to me.

“Lady Rozemyne, will you be returning to the castle after delivering the luggage to Lord Ferdinand’s estate? I will be staying at the temple today, so you may have Damuel stay at the castle.”

“In that case—Damuel, you may have tomorrow off,” I said. “I assume you need to prepare for winter socializing.”

“Thank you, my lady.”

My guard knights wouldn’t be able to prepare for winter socializing if they spent all their time with me in the temple. That was why I was sending Damuel home and staying only with Angelica for the time being.

“Speaking of which, have you finished your own preparations, Angelica?” I asked.

“Yes. Thanks to my strong little sister, I am fully ready.”

“You really should learn to do things yourself. You can’t expect Lieseleta to keep doing everything for you.”

“To tell the truth, I agree,” Angelica replied, placing an embarrassed hand on her cheek. It was the answer she gave whenever she knew that she should do something but didn’t have the motivation. I had heard it from her numerous times before, and not once had she actually made an effort to improve afterward.

“At this rate, Angelica, you’re going to be helpless when Lieseleta gets married.”

“In other words, I won’t have to worry for another couple of years.”

“That isn’t what I meant.”

I gave up on convincing Angelica and instead produced my Pandabus at the front entrance—although given how much luggage we needed to transport, it was actually closer in size to a Pandatruck. Its door flumped open, and the gray priests began piling boxes inside.

“Ferdinand, I made my highbeast,” I said.

“Then you may wait in front of a fireplace. Your health may have improved, but it is still cold. You will take sick if not careful.”

I took a seat in front of the nearby fireplace and watched everyone work. Their pace was smooth due to the number of gray priests going in and out, all carrying boxes. I could see Justus directing several people inside who were carrying the time-stopping magic tool.

The priests took a short break for lunch, then got straight back to work. It wasn’t long before Ferdinand’s workshop was completely empty, with even the closets having been cleared of everything except blue robes.

Ferdinand closed the door to his hidden room, then placed a hand against it and started channeling mana. The feystone lost its color, eradicating his workshop entirely.

“My mana has thus been removed,” Ferdinand said. “You may do with this space as you please, Hartmut.”

“I am grateful,” Hartmut replied, then registered his mana with the door to create his own hidden room.

“I will now return to my estate, finish my packing there, and subsequently leave for Ahrensbach. I am not likely to return to this temple again. Clean these robes and ensure they are ready to be lent out if necessary.”

Ferdinand gave his blue robes to an attendant. It was strange to think it, but I would never again see him wearing the priestly attire I was so accustomed to. He put on his noble coat, then attached his blue cape.

“Do not daydream, Rozemyne. The luggage must be brought to my estate. We are leaving.”

“R-Right!”

We made our way to the front entrance where Lessy was waiting—and upon our arrival, we found that Ferdinand’s temple attendants had all gathered to see him off. They were lined up and offering their prayers while his noble retainers began producing their highbeasts.

“High Priest, may the divine protections of the gods grace thee in thy new home. O mighty King and Queen of the endless skies, O mighty Eternal Five who rule the mortal realm, O Goddess of Water Flutrane, O God of Fire Leidenschaft, O Goddess of Wind Schutzaria, O Goddess of Earth Geduldh, O God of Life Ewigeliebe—we offer you our prayers and gratitude.”

Ferdinand watched with an indescribable expression as the lined-up attendants knelt, crossed their arms, and bowed their heads. After a moment, the corners of his lips rose ever so slightly.

“This is my final order to all of you, who have served me so well: treat Hartmut as you have treated me, and support Rozemyne, the High Bishop.”

“As you wish.”

Ferdinand nodded at his attendants, then turned to Fran and Zahm, who had accompanied us. They were his former attendants whom he had sent to work for me. As I understood it, they had been chosen precisely because of their competence and the fact that Ferdinand trusted them without question.

“Fran, Zahm, I entrust Rozemyne to you both.”

Zahm was the first to kneel and bow his head in a show of deference. “I am honored, High Priest. Please take good care of yourself.”

Fran soon followed, adding a very emphatic “It is the highest honor to have served you.”

“I see...” Ferdinand said, allowing a warm smile to play on his lips. He turned away from the temple, deliberately flourishing his cape in the process, and climbed atop his highbeast. Then, after looking across his gathered attendants one last time, he flew up into the air. I gripped the wheel of my Pandabus and followed after his blue cape.

This is really it, then. The High Priest isn’t the High Priest anymore...

After we arrived at Ferdinand’s estate, Lessy was unloaded, and the luggage was taken to different rooms depending on whether it was to be kept here or transported to Ahrensbach. There wasn’t much I could do to help them, so I simply waited around and sipped tea with Judithe as my guard. I would have liked to spend some more time in Ferdinand’s book room, but some of the luggage apparently needed to be moved there, so he had told me that I would just get in the way.

It’s kind of awkward sipping tea by myself while everyone else is working...

I continued to watch Ferdinand give instructions, and it was then that I realized something was off. “Ferdinand, what are you going to do about your cape?” I asked. “Will people not take issue with you wearing Dunkelfelger blue on your way to Ahrensbach? Do you intend to switch to Ehrenfest’s color before you go?”

“I... had forgotten about that,” Ferdinand admitted, furrowing his brow and tapping a finger against his temple. I remembered him saying that his new Ehrenfest cape didn’t have any protective circles, so I couldn’t imagine he would feel safe wearing it to Ahrensbach. He paused, a contemplative look on his face, and then said, “Rozemyne, make some ink in my workshop. We do not have time for embroidery. Drawing is our only option.”

It certainly would have been a challenge to embroider complex magic circles when we had so little time to spare. Not to mention, writing the circles in disappearing ink would make it even harder for people to tell what charms the cape used, which was an added bonus.

“Wait—you want my ink?” I asked. “Why?”

“Because my own would react to my touch and reveal the circles—and you have nothing else to do. Damuel, stay with Rozemyne. Have her make the ink.”

Damuel swapped places with Judithe so that he could instruct me, and from there, I was promptly relocated to the workshop in Ferdinand’s estate.

“I don’t mind, since I have nothing else to do, but this feels strange. Will magic circles written in someone else’s ink actually function as charms?” I asked. As far as I knew, cape embroidering needed to be done by one’s parents or spouse. Using ink wouldn’t overrule such a fundamental fact.

“Magic circles that use the mana of another are not entirely dysfunctional,” Damuel replied. “Using mana similar to one’s own makes them drastically more effective, though.”

“Oh, right. Ferdinand’s cape belongs to someone else, but it clearly still works for him.”

“Not to mention, Lord Ferdinand will only be wearing Ehrenfest colors until his Starbinding. He will be wearing Ahrensbach colors after that, so perhaps he believes that something simple will suffice for now.”

I prepared the necessary ingredients for making ink while listening to Damuel; everything was very easy to find, as Ferdinand stored the same items in the same places in every workshop he owned. You could really feel his personality here.

“Still, I can’t believe Lord Ferdinand is getting married...” Damuel groaned while I was stirring the pot. “When will it be my turn?” He didn’t seem to be taking it very well that even the forever bachelor Ferdinand was soon to have a wife.

“Well, I assume you’ll find someone as soon as a laynoble girl using my compression method reaches a capacity similar to yours, no? And given that learning the method requires them to be in our faction, there shouldn’t be any problems on that front. Plus, I’m sure Mother will introduce you to someone with enough mana and status. If she does, bear in mind that you won’t be able to refuse, but I assume you don’t mind at this point.”

“Yes, as I’ve given up on making it happen on my own...”

Damuel slumped his shoulders while handing me one necessary ingredient after another. I wanted to help him somehow, but this was out of my hands. Philine was the only person within my sphere of influence.

“Could you not get engaged to Philine? You’re both my retainers, and she’s working hard to compress her mana, right? You’re both laynobles, even, so there won’t be any problems there either.”

Damuel shook his head with a troubled frown. “Please don’t drag her into this for my sake. Don’t tell her I said this, but... I’m pretty sure she has a crush on Roderick.”

“What?! Really?!” I exclaimed.

“He once gave her a secret note, and they have grown much closer since he became a retainer. She even came to me the other day for advice, saying that the person she’s fallen for hasn’t been noticing her advances whatsoever. I’m guessing that person is Roderick.”

Philine went to Damuel for romantic advice? Very bad move...

Of course, I made sure to keep such a rude thought to myself.

“Philine has never come to me for romantic advice, so I never realized she has feelings for Roderick... Perhaps I should avoid suggesting her as your marriage partner, then,” I said, adding the last sprinkle of dust to the pot. The contents flashed, and with that, the ink was done.

I came out of the workshop with the finished ink in hand and informed Ferdinand that we were ready. In response, he spread out his Ehrenfest cape on the table and speedily began drawing magic circles. He was making them large enough that precision wouldn’t be much of an issue, but wow, his hand was moving at such phenomenal speed and without hesitation.

“Hm... There is not much time before the Starbinding Ceremony concludes. This should do,” he said, giving a satisfied nod as he set down the pen. He was going to be given a new Ahrensbach cape after the ceremony, which would have on it magic circles embroidered by his bride during their engagement period. I was genuinely worried about whether Detlinde’s work would meet Ferdinand’s extremely high standards—though at the same time, I was relieved not to be in her shoes.

Thank goodness I’m not the one marrying him.

It was one thing to draw with ink, but I didn’t want anything to do with embroidering such complex circles.

“You should return your other cape now that you have a new one,” I said to Ferdinand. It clearly meant a lot to Heisshitze, who had gambled the valuable ingredients we had ended up using in my jureve for a chance to reclaim it. Ferdinand wasn’t going to have any use for it, so it seemed only natural that he should give it back.

“I cannot bring anything important with me to Ahrensbach while I am still so unaware of the circumstances there. It would be best for you to either return it to Heisshitze through a Dunkelfelger archduke candidate at the Royal Academy or hold on to it until the Interduchy Tournament so that I can deliver it myself.”

“Understood,” I replied. “I’m going to hold on to it, then. I’m sure he would rather you give it back personally.”

“So be it.”

Ferdinand got Justus to help him remove his cape, then cleansed it with waschen before folding it and handing it to Philine.

“Philine,” I said, “please inform Rihyarda that I would like the cape added to my luggage for when I return to the Royal Academy.”

“As you wish.”

Ferdinand was busy until the day he needed to leave. I spent that time in the castle, but long stretches passed without us seeing each other.

I took extra care to ensure that I wouldn’t be ill on the day of his departure. In the meantime, I was working through the orphanage’s budget, making charms to give to Eckhart and Justus, and preparing for my return to the Royal Academy. I also met with Wilfried, Charlotte, and Melchior in Florencia’s office, where we discussed the children of the former Veronica faction.