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Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 5.1 - Chapter 1




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The Children of the Former Veronica Faction

Winter socializing began not even five days after Ferdinand had departed for Ahrensbach—and after spending about five days in the winter playroom before leaving for the Royal Academy, there was no time for me to mope around and act all sentimental.

In truth, I was keeping myself as busy as possible in an attempt to distract myself from the gaping hole in my heart and my constant urge to cry.

The higher-ups all wore particularly harsh expressions as the winter purge grew nearer and nearer. Some were still calling for guilt by association. I was the one who had asked for the innocent children to be saved, so I needed to do everything in my power to ensure that the lighter punishments worked. Otherwise, Sylvester would draw criticism in my place.

“Lord Wilfried, Lady Rozemyne,” Matthias said, stepping forward as soon as we arrived at the Royal Academy and stepped into the common room. “I have been restlessly awaiting this opportunity to speak without interference from parents or factions.”

Matthias was a mednoble apprentice knight of the former Veronica faction; he had distinctive purple hair, which was tied behind his head, and knelt before us with the trained movements of a knight. He looked pale and sickly, and his blue eyes were locked on Wilfried and me with the desperation of someone backed into a corner.

“There is something I must tell you about the Goddess of Chaos, who comes to bring unrest to Ehrenfest,” he continued.

It seemed that Matthias wanted to speak directly to the archducal family as an Ehrenfest noble. He first asked for our confirmation that he and the other children could still offer their names to escape their parents’ influence and the threat of guilt by association. I could tell that he was asking specifically for the sake of those in the former Veronica faction.

“Lady Georgine came to my estate on her way back to Ahrensbach,” Matthias finally said, then went on to detail a secret meeting with Georgine. He told us the names of all the nobles who had attended, including his father Giebe Gerlach, and what he knew about their plans.

Matthias’s report meant we now had valuable testimony for taking down Giebe Gerlach. Wilfried and I wasted no time before writing to Sylvester, detailing everything we had been told. And the next day, Charlotte brought us his response when she came to the Royal Academy herself.

“Father asked that we all read his letter together,” she said.

After eating, we archduke candidates gathered in a room with only our retainers, then read our correspondence from Sylvester. The new information we had obtained from the former Veronica children had resulted in the planned purge being accelerated and the implementation of some key adjustments.

“You may leave matters here to us. Your business is to oversee the children of the former Veronica faction in the dormitory and do your best to convince them—not participate in the purge. From Aub Ehrenfest.”

“In that case, we should summon Matthias and Laurenz here to talk things over,” Wilfried suggested.

Charlotte narrowed her eyes at him. “Brother, that is far too dangerous.”

“No, Charlotte. They were both on the edge of their seats waiting for us to arrive, and they even renounced their families to do what is right for Ehrenfest. Their help is going to be essential if we are to take in the children of the former Veronica faction and save as many lives as possible.”

“I agree with Wilfried,” I said. “They could have chosen to remain silent, but they came forward and gave crucial testimony. I cannot imagine they intend to cause us any harm.”

We promised Charlotte that we would surround ourselves with guard knights and not let Matthias and Laurenz get too close, then summoned them both to speak with us. We would discuss what we could do to make the children of the former Veronica faction more comfortable in the dormitory.

“First, we will get together to discuss who committed what crimes and how far the guilt by association is likely to reach. Everyone will then talk about what they should do when we are informed who is considered guilty, with the choice being whether they will either give their names or be punished alongside their family,” Matthias began. “There may be some who do not need to give their names, depending on the severity of their family’s crimes and the punishment they are due to receive, but our aim is to prevent a mass panic when the results of the purge are reported.”

“Following our conversation, those who have decided to be punished alongside their families can be detained and sent back to Ehrenfest,” Laurenz added, then shot Matthias a sideways glance: they must have agreed on what they were going to say in advance of our meeting. “Allowing them to stay here would only put everyone else in danger.”

I nodded at their explanation, which prompted Matthias to soften his expression a little in an attempt to put us more at ease. “To my knowledge, there are no students who know of my father’s and Lady Georgine’s plan,” he said. “My father is an exceptionally cautious man; he would not tell me any details unless I gave my name.”

“That said,” Laurenz continued, “the fact that his plan remains largely unknown does not guarantee that those involved will not grow suicidally desperate. If someone were to attack an archduke candidate, then those of us associated with the former Veronica faction would all be punished without question. That is what we need to avoid more than anything.”

Matthias and Laurenz had thus far served as the spiritual core of the children of the former Veronica faction, so they wanted to be responsible for convincing the others to cooperate—but Charlotte shook her head.

“The aub personally requested that we archduke candidates win them over,” she said. “That is our duty.” I could tell from her somewhat clouded expression that she either didn’t feel that they trusted her or was just feeling on guard in general.

“Now, now, milady. You would be wise to let Matthias and Laurenz assist you.” Rihyarda stepped forward, having been silently watching from behind me. “You may not mean for it, but you cannot allow your emotions to cloud your judgment. Keeping your distance until things calm down is best for everyone’s safety.”

Those of the former Veronica faction were going to lose their parents and other family members; there were some who might snap and do something dangerous, or who might have their tempers flare at the slightest misstep. Our goal was to save as many lives as we could by allowing the children to give their names and escape the punishment normally meted out in these situations. If some were still unhappy with that, then we ran the risk of everyone being deemed guilty by association nonetheless.

“Very few nobles are willing to stray from tradition,” Rihyarda continued, “so we cannot permit ourselves to leave even a single opening.”

Matthias and Laurenz nodded in firm agreement, and our guard knights all straightened their backs to reinforce their determination.

“Eat separately from the others until everything has been decided,” Rihyarda told us archduke candidates. “If you wish to save them, then you must do more than strive to win them over.”

The next day, once the first-years had all arrived, we gathered everyone in the dormitory together. We then said what the former Veronica faction had done and explained that there was going to be a purge over the winter.

“Aub Ehrenfest intends to save as many lives as he can,” I said, “and we hope to do the same.”

Wilfried nodded. “We have been told that we must secure your names to justify breaking from tradition, but the treatment you will receive in turn will recompense you for the great sacrifices you have made. Think well about how you intend to live your lives going forward.”

The children of the former Veronica faction listened quietly. Matthias and Laurenz were standing at the very front of their group so that they could intervene if anyone lost their temper and tried to throw themselves at us.

“I imagine that you have your own thoughts on this matter, and that you will at times feel angry at us for punishing those close to you,” I said. “However, acting out of anger may result in many unnecessary deaths.”

“What do you mean by that, Lady Rozemyne?” asked Matthias. All those of the former Veronica faction were suddenly staring at me.

“After the purge, the baptized children in the winter playroom will be sent to a section of the castle, while those too young to have been baptized will enter the care of my retainers in the orphanage.”

“Even the unbaptized children...?” came a voice. Several students were looking up at me in disbelief. They were presumably the ones with younger brothers and sisters at that age.

“Lady Rozemyne, will my little brother still be able to be baptized as a noble once he’s taken to the orphanage?” Laurenz asked, clearly surprised. The fact that he had an unbaptized younger brother was news to me.

I gave him a look, then cast my eyes downward. “Those in the orphanage will receive an education, and the most talented among them will earn our recognition. Those who do not wish for revenge and are willing to serve Aub Ehrenfest will subsequently be baptized with the High Bishop or the archduke as their guardian, then live in the castle dormitory. However, as this completely contradicts the traditions followed up to this point, there are sure to be many who challenge the idea of allowing the children of criminals to live as nobles.”

Apparently, the nobles who had suffered the most at the hands of Veronica and her faction were trying to use this opportunity to eliminate them entirely. Even so, I wanted to save as many children as I could.

“If we were to follow tradition, the pre-baptism children would have no avenue for survival,” I continued. “It is safe to say that whatever decisions you come to will determine their lives from here on out. As their elders, I must ask that you all pave the way forward for them.”

Although we were openly discussing the purge, the children of the former Veronica faction would not be able to send any letters to their families to warn them. They were racked with fear, anxiety, and despair, completely isolated from their loved ones back in Ehrenfest.

Matthias and Laurenz took the children to a meeting room so that they could discuss the situation in greater detail. After seeing them off, I called over Roderick, who was one of my retainers.

“Your tale may help to convince them, as you gave your name to the archducal family and successfully left the former Veronica faction,” I said. “Roderick, assist Matthias and Laurenz with their efforts, and inform me of the decision they come to.”

We archduke candidates had forbidden ourselves from contacting the children until they had made their decisions, so there was no way for us to find out what they were saying ourselves. By sending Roderick, however, we could acquire the information we needed without issue.

“If possible, ask about their family compositions as well. It may be easier to save them if we know how many pre-baptismal children there are.”

“Understood.”

As soon as Roderick left the common room, I turned to Theodore, who was standing patiently behind Judithe. “It is under these circumstances that I wish for you to serve as my guard knight. I imagine this will not be easy, considering that you have only just entered the Royal Academy, but I am confident that you will serve me well.”

Theodore, Judithe’s little brother, was serving me as a guard knight only while I was at the Royal Academy. He wished to serve Giebe Kirnberger after his own graduation. Our announcement of the purge had come almost immediately after he first arrived, and it made sense that someone so young would feel so tense.

“You will do just fine,” Leonore said, doing her best to console him. “Your duty here is to finish your classes as soon as possible so that you can accompany Lady Rozemyne when she goes to the library or Professor Hirschur’s laboratory, for example. Passing becomes more time-consuming the older one gets, so I am looking forward to seeing the speed at which you complete your first year. I am sure that Lady Rozemyne will once again pass all of her classes on the first day due to her time spent studying with Lord Ferdinand.”

This year, Leonore, Judithe, and Theodore were having to guard me all by themselves. They would no doubt struggle to manage everything among themselves, which was why Leonore had tasked Theodore with finishing as soon as possible.

Theodore glanced at Judithe, concerned. “My sister told me that I would barely need to carry out the usual duties of a guard knight and would instead endure brutal training day after day... so this is more responsibility than I expected.”

Judithe recoiled. “Theodore, you little...” she said under her breath.

Leonore looked up, deep in thought. “Perhaps she felt that way because, in previous years, Lady Rozemyne had already returned home by the time she finished her classes. In that regard, it is inevitable that she would have spent less time on guard duty.”

“Oh, I see. So my sister was always the slowest to finish her classes? That makes sense.”

“Leonore! Theodore! Please, stop already!” Judithe exclaimed, suddenly teary-eyed. “I’m going to work hard to be a proper guard knight for Lady Rozemyne this year, so please!”

Leonore giggled. “I would not say that Judithe is slow to finish her classes; rather, she takes her time and does her best to ensure that she attains the highest possible grades. Not to mention, there is nobody in the dormitory who can best her when it comes to ranged attacks. She is among our most capable students, and she was even praised by Lord Bonifatius himself.”


“What?! We’re still talking about my sister here, right?!” Theodore exclaimed, his eyes wide. He had spent the past couple years at home, so he must not have known the more intricate details about Judithe’s efforts and successes.

“Her excellence only went unrecognized for so long because she was surrounded by other students who excelled in their practical lessons, such as Angelica and Cornelius,” Leonore continued. “Judithe finished last year’s written lessons in no time at all, you know. Judithe, I expect you to work even harder this year to prove to Theodore how special you truly are.”

Leonore’s words seemed to light a fire under Judithe—she clearly wasn’t about to let her little brother overtake her. I understood her feelings well; I was similarly working hard to be a good big sister to Charlotte and Melchior.

We can’t let our little brothers beat us that easily, right? Good luck, Judithe.

“In any case, Theodore—address Judithe by her name rather than as your sister while on duty. We do not want any confusion when speaking to one another or giving orders. Also, as we are coworkers, we refrain from using honorific titles with each other. You may call me ‘Leonore’ as well.”

“Understood, Leonore.”

Theodore muttered “Judithe” to himself over and over again, trying to get used to it, while Judithe similarly muttered that she found it strange hearing Theodore address her by name. It was adorable how similar they were as they both gazed around quizzically, and I couldn’t help but giggle.

“I also struggled to get used to things when changing my job and status,” I said.

“When was that, Lady Rozemyne?” Judithe asked, spinning around to face me. Her violet eyes were sparkling with excitement.

“Many things changed when I became the archduke’s adopted daughter. I was troubled when I had to start calling Wilfried my brother despite having never met him before, and then there was when Lord Sylvester told me to stop addressing him with a title to emphasize our closeness. I imagine that you and Theodore will need some time to adjust, but it shouldn’t take you too long if you just start viewing it as part of your work.”

Though that’s like ancient history to me now. Back when I was an apprentice shrine maiden, I even used to address Damuel as “Sir Damuel.”

I gazed down at my feet, reflecting on the truths that nobody would believe, even if I told them.

“Lady Rozemyne, almost everyone has made their decision,” Roderick announced upon his return.

We moved to a meeting room so that we could hear him out. As he had said, the majority of the children of the former Veronica faction had settled on whom to give their names to once they were considered guilty by association. Of the sixteen children, three intended to give their names to me specifically.

“Matthias, Laurenz, and Muriella have parents who are already sworn to Lady Georgine, so their minds are made up. Matthias and Laurenz said that they will make their name-swearing stones sooner rather than later, such that it becomes easier for the other children to follow their example.”

I scanned the list of whom the children wished to give their names to and noticed some very clear trends.

“Of the apprentice knights and apprentice attendants, it appears that most of the boys wish to give their names to Wilfried, and most of the girls to Charlotte. Meanwhile, the apprentice scholars wish to give theirs to the aub.”

“I see that Matthias, Laurenz, and Muriella are the only ones who wish to serve me,” I said. Matthias and Laurenz were apprentice knights, while Muriella was a female apprentice scholar. “I would have liked to replenish my number of female apprentice attendants...”

Lieseleta was due to graduate this year and Brunhilde the next. Bertilde would already be attending by then, which would aid me somewhat, but I would still need one or two more apprentice attendants. Unfortunately, it seemed that I wasn’t very popular.

“The girls who are losing their parents will doubtless struggle to wed within Ehrenfest,” Roderick explained. “That is why they wish to be with Lady Charlotte, who has a high likelihood of marrying into another duchy.”

These girls knew that they would most likely be permitted to follow Charlotte when that time came—or, rather, we didn’t want name-sworn retainers being left behind in Ehrenfest to begin with. Charlotte would provide them with support in whatever duchy they moved to, and they were bound to secure better partners there than in Ehrenfest, where their families were deemed criminals. Thus, it was inevitable that more female apprentice knights and attendants would want to serve Charlotte.

“I would think, then, that the apprentice scholars—who would not be allowed into other duchies for fear of espionage—would seek to serve me instead. So why are they all asking to serve Wilfried or the archducal family...?” I asked, confused.

“Because being your retainer will mean going to the temple, which is still viewed quite lowly among noble society. Plus, Hartmut is famous for being strict, so...”

“Hartmut? Strict?” Philine asked, tilting her head. “Compared to Lord Ferdinand, he is kindness incarnate. He always explains himself very politely.”

Roderick gave a half-smile. “He may be kinder than Lord Ferdinand, but he is just as willing to distance those whom he feels are of no use to him. Hartmut is very high in status among scholars, and they would fear earning his ire when they have lost their families and given their names.”

Serving me would inevitably mean going to the temple, and any scholar in my service would need to be able to work with Hartmut, who was so heavily involved in the printing industry.

“In short—while many do want to give their name to you, Lady Rozemyne, there are too many reasons for them to hesitate,” Roderick said. His lips then curled into a troubled smile. “You are also of a weak constitution on top of all this.”

I was still weak enough that I could die at any moment, so many were afraid of giving their names to me and meeting an early demise as a result. After all, if your lord or lady died before they could return your name, then you would die with them.

“Not to mention, you do not participate in socializing due to the Dedication Ritual, and you tend to collapse partway through events, so even apprentice attendants fi—”

“Waschen.”

In the blink of an eye, Roderick’s head was engulfed in water. Lieseleta was wielding her schtappe for some reason, and we could only blink in confusion as she gave us all a bright smile.

“I noticed some filth around his mouth, so I took the liberty of using waschen.”

“I noticed that as well,” Brunhilde said with a smile and a nod. “But I feel that some still remains. Roderick, you should go and give your face a thorough wash. Here, allow me to accompany you.”

Her amber eyes narrowed all the while, Brunhilde secured Roderick and guided him out of the room. It was all so sudden that nobody could stop them, and before we knew it, Roderick had been forcibly removed midway through his report.

I gazed up at Lieseleta, confused. “E-Erm... Lieseleta...”

“Please wait a moment, Lady Rozemyne. I shall pour you some fresh tea,” Lieseleta said with a smile, then smoothly stepped out of the room. As I looked around, I noticed Philine and Judithe both sigh.

“Um, do you two know what just happened...?” I asked.

There was a brief pause as they exchanged glances, then Leonore stepped forward. “Nothing happened at all. Lieseleta and Brunhilde were correct: Roderick’s mouth needed to be washed. That is all.”

It didn’t look that way to me, but... I clearly shouldn’t pry into this any further.

I decided not to ask any more questions, and soon enough, Roderick came back with Brunhilde. He looked somewhat depressed—and no cleaner than before.

“That should do it. Now, Roderick—you may continue your report,” Brunhilde said, putting a hand on his back and urging him in front of me. He took a moment to gather himself, then stood up straight and smiled.

“My sincerest apologies. Allow me to continue my report. You treat me as fairly as you do all your other retainers, Lady Rozemyne. If those of the former Veronica faction see you treating Matthias and Laurenz with just as much consideration, then they might feel more inclined to give their names to you. And as the two of them do not expect the other archduke candidates to change their tune, they intend to take the initiative and give their names first.”

They wanted to demonstrate the fairness with which I treated my retainers to show the other children that nobody would be abused after giving their name.

“Muriella looks up to Lady Elvira. Her faction and familial concerns mean she has not yet been able to say so, but giving her name to you will change that. She will no longer be punished for expressing her tastes, and she will get to read Lady Elvira’s books sooner than most, which will motivate her immensely.”

That description alone allowed me to put a face to Muriella’s name. She was the pink-haired girl who seemed more excited than anyone about new books being added to the dormitory’s library corner—who would wait eagerly by the shelves for a new book by Elvira, then read it so quickly that her green eyes became a blur. I seemed to recall her mentioning that her parents, as members of the former Veronica faction, refused to buy books written by Leisegang nobles.

“Muriella wanted to give her name to Lady Elvira, but as she is limited to members of the archducal family, she chose you as the closest alternative.”

“I will ask if Mother can receive her name instead,” I said. Name-swearing was tremendously important, so I wanted to grant the desires of those who were cooperating as much as I could.

I sent my question to Sylvester, who then returned a proposal: I could accept Muriella’s name, but return it after graduating so that she could then swear herself to Elvira. Securing more scholars for the printing industry was urgent business, so his intention was for me to teach Muriella the basics as my retainer and then have her serve as Elvira’s subordinate.

“Furthermore, Lady Rozemyne—we wish to speak with you about Gretia.”

“Did something happen?”

“As a fourth-year apprentice attendant, she wants to give her name to you for protection and other reasons but is struggling over the choice.”

Gretia was a shy and rather quiet girl, which had apparently made her the subject of much teasing from the boys. She wanted a guardian in the Royal Academy more than anything—and after seeing that Roderick was faring well, she had decided to give her name to me too.

“She notices even the most minute details and is exceptionally skilled at keeping her lady’s room and day-to-day affairs in order. Unfortunately, her personality means she is not very good at leading interactions with others, and she is not confident that she will manage as your retainer due to how often you are involved with top-ranking duchies and the royal family.”

“I suppose she has a point...” I said, then turned to Lieseleta and Brunhilde.

Brunhilde placed a contemplative hand on her cheek. “We must keep in mind that Lieseleta is due to graduate this year. Gretia received excellent scores as an apprentice attendant, so, when Bertilde starts attending the Academy next year, perhaps we can have them complement each other with internal and external affairs.”

As archnobles, Brunhilde and her younger sister, Bertilde, were both expected to form connections with top-ranking duchies and do business with the Sovereignty. Elvira was still in the midst of tutoring Bertilde and was no doubt focusing on these very crucial skills as we spoke. It seemed that I needed an attendant who, like Lieseleta, was good at handling internal matters.

“I am a mednoble myself, so I currently entrust negotiations with top-ranking duchies and the Sovereignty to Brunhilde,” Lieseleta said. “Gretia says that she is lacking in confidence, but I am sure that she will manage. Based on what I have seen, she is more than capable of dealing with laynobles and mednobles.”

“Indeed,” Brunhilde added. “Judging by her performance at tea parties and the Interduchy Tournament, she will do better than fine. I am also going to be here until the end of next year, so Gretia does not need to worry. She may count on me.” There was a certain strength in her amber eyes.

There was no avoiding the fact that I needed attendants. I elected to have Gretia focus on internal matters as my retainer and asked Roderick to pass this news on to her.

The advancement ceremony and the fellowship gatherings would start tomorrow, and none of us knew when the purge would start or finish. My retainers distributed rinsham and hairpins to the other students, as they had done the year before, and we all started on our preparations. We couldn’t allow the other duchies to find out that our dormitory was in something of a crisis.



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