Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 5.1 - Chapter 17

A Request from Royalty

The next correspondence I received wasn’t a response from Ferdinand but rather an invitation from Eglantine. “Lady Rozemyne, it seems the royal family is hosting a tea party for bookworms,” Brunhilde said as she handed me the letter.

“But I’ve yet to tell Professor Eglantine that I completed my last scholar exam... Did you inform her?”

Brunhilde sighed. “It seems that your tendency to speed through your classes is a frequent topic of conversation among the professors.”

“I see they share intelligence much more freely than I thought.”

“You are drawing a lot of attention as the key figure behind no fewer than three major joint research projects,” Brunhilde explained. The professors were all eager to know when our research would begin and who was involved—and in that regard, it was only natural that Eglantine had found out about me passing my final scholar class.

“Lady Eglantine’s tea party for bookworms is sure to get all those related to the library together in one place. The sooner, the better, I suppose; she won’t have much luck summoning both librarians at once when the library starts getting busier.”

Given that Eglantine was specifically hosting bookworms, I guessed that she wanted to discuss Hannelore becoming Schwartz and Weiss’s new master. Although it was a tea party on the surface, it was actually a summons from royalty.

“So, where is this tea party being held?” I asked.

“Professor Eglantine’s villa—or so I am told. It is tradition to use the tea party room of whomever is the host, and the number of participants means that meeting in the library simply isn’t an option.” Brunhilde then gave me a wry smile and added, “Although librarians are generally required to stay in the library, you are about the only person who would think to hold a tea party in their office.”

Brunhilde went on to tell me who was due to attend the tea party. There were the two librarians, we three members of the Library Committee, and our hosts, Eglantine and Anastasius. Considering that there were going to be three royals and all their retainers present, I could see why the library’s office would be much too cramped.

I mean, it was full to bursting when we all met to discuss changing Schwartz and Weiss’s master.

“So Prince Anastasius is going to be there, then...” I said. “I thought he was too busy to come to the Royal Academy. Isn’t that why Prince Hildebrand is here in his place?”

Refusing his royal duties but attending tea parties to be with Eglantine made him look entirely like Ewigeliebe—but maybe I just thought that because he had barged into the music professors’ tea party that one time.

You’re married now. You don’t need to keep clinging to her like this, y’know.

That said, Hirschur had mentioned Anastasius giving her advice about our joint research project with Dunkelfelger, so it was probably best to be thankful to him. Understanding that didn’t make me feel any better about having to deal with him, though.

“Lady Hannelore is going to be there, at least,” I continued. “Well, not that I could refuse to attend a tea party hosted by the royal family anyway.”

It was my own failure to communicate that had resulted in Hannelore becoming Schwartz and Weiss’s master without meaning to; I couldn’t abandon her when just explaining the circumstances to Eglantine had made her terribly anxious. At the same time, however, I was being summoned by the very people I had been told to avoid at all costs—there was no avoiding feeling depressed about it.

After seeing me so despondent, Brunhilde couldn’t help but chuckle. “There is no need to feel so down, Lady Rozemyne. As this is a tea party for bookworms, Prince Anastasius is planning to bring books from the palace library.”

Books from the palace library?! Be still, my beating heart!

I clasped my hands together and gazed up at Brunhilde with my brightest smile of the day. “As expected of Lady Eglantine’s honorable husband. She could not have married a better man!”

“I am glad to see this sudden burst of optimism. Have you decided what books you will prepare in turn? We have promised to lend them some as well, remember.”

“Mother’s love stories would be the safest choice, I imagine. Lady Eglantine seemed interested in reading them.”

This was still a summons from royalty, but the thought of trading books was really raising my spirits. I got straight to work selecting books. In the meantime, my attendants formed plans to prevent me from collapsing from excitement, while my guards discussed who among them would join me at the tea party. My scholars started writing a report on the invitation.

I spent my days visiting Hirschur’s lab and deciding on the books and sweets we were going to bring to the bookworm tea party—and before I knew it, the day of our gathering arrived. Afternoon tea parties were often held after fifth bell, but today’s had been scheduled for fourth-and-a-half.

We passed through the halls, which were quiet now that everyone was in class, and made our way to Eglantine’s villa—whereupon we met with Anastasius’s head attendant, Oswin.

“Lady Rozemyne. Thank you for coming.”

The fact that Oswin was greeting us here at Eglantine’s villa really made it sink in that she and Anastasius were married now.

We were taken to a room with Anastasius, Eglantine, and their retainers, but the other participants were nowhere to be seen. They must not have arrived yet. We exchanged lengthy greetings, after which I turned my attention to the door. No matter how much I willed it, however, there was still no sign of anyone else arriving. I gazed around the room, feeling awkward as my attendants handled the exchange of sweets and reading material.

“Have I come too early, by chance?” I asked.

“No, we summoned you early so that we could discuss certain matters,” Anastasius replied, gesturing for me to take a seat.

Having a special chat with the royal family really didn’t sound good. I wanted to leave on the spot, but that naturally wouldn’t fly. Instead, I took a deep breath, smiled, and said, “Very well; what might you want to discuss?”

Anastasius fixed me with a glare. “Your excessive actions as of late.”

Excessive actions? But I’ve been in control of my mana ever since I stopped compressing it so much...

I racked my brain, trying to figure out what Anastasius was referring to. He was bound to be getting his information from Eglantine, so it must have been something that she was involved with.

“Ah!” I brought a fist down into my open palm. “Do you mean when my feystones started shining during whirling class?” That had been the very definition of excessive.

Anastasius’s cheek twitched. “No. I mean your decision to start joint research projects with three greater duchies at once. I wish to hear Ehrenfest’s reason for abruptly making such a major play.”

“Hm? I would rather you not call that excessive. Ehrenfest had no way to decline.”

Eglantine gave a peaceful smile. “May I ask why that is, Lady Rozemyne?”

“Certainly. Our collaboration with Dunkelfelger came at Prince Anastasius’s suggestion, and Drewanchel approached us about working with them. Ehrenfest’s position in the duchy rankings meant we were unable to turn them down, and the research was mutually beneficial, so accepting was our only option.”

“And as for Ahrensbach?” Anastasius asked.

I hesitated for a moment. “It was the only way I could pass the scholar course.”

“Elaborate.”

“I assume you know that Professor Fraularm views me as an enemy for one reason or another. I needed to take a one-on-one exam with her, but she was determined not to let that happen.”

“Oh my...” Eglantine muttered, her eyes wide.

“I received no report about that,” Anastasius added, his eyes narrowed in contrast to his wife’s.

“It is a done deal either way,” I said. “I will consult you next year if we see history repeating itself. Anyway, the research is something that I was already doing with an Ahrensbach apprentice scholar in Professor Hirschur’s laboratory, so publishing it as joint research is little more than a formality. It will require no extra effort from us. Not to mention... there was my promise to you, Prince Anastasius.”

Eglantine blinked. “And what manner of promise was that?”

Anastasius searched the air with his eyes, trying to remember.

“I promised to publish research that would surprise you during the next Interduchy Tournament, remember?” I said, trying to jog his memory. “I did not expect all these developments to occur, though. Even I am surprised where we find ourselves today, so you must be surprised as well, Prince Anastasius.”

Anastasius made a face like he had just chugged one of Ferdinand’s ultra-nasty potions, then rested a hand on his forehead. “Indeed... I am so surprised that just thinking about all this is making my head ache.”

“I thank you ever so much,” I said, smiling to myself. “I am glad that I did not end up breaking a promise made to royalty.”

Eglantine giggled. “To think you had made such a promise with Lady Rozemyne, Anastasius... You two truly are close.”

“We are not close,” Anastasius scoffed, making no effort to hide the glare he was directing at me. “I simply said that Ehrenfest needed someone other than Hirschur to start publishing worthwhile research.”

I might have understood a pout, but Anastasius’s harsh eyes seemed entirely unnecessary. Eglantine had only called us friends, after all.

“So that was how Ehrenfest ended up doing research projects with three greater duchies at once. Do you have any plans to collaborate with Klassenberg too?” Anastasius asked.

It sounded like a good idea if we wanted to keep things balanced, but there were a few problems. I turned to Eglantine, since she was as good a Klassenberg representative as any. “We have not received any passionate appeals from Klassenberg as we have from Drewanchel, there is no research that we are required to do with them as there is with Dunkelfelger, and there is no existing work that we can simply repurpose as there is with Ahrensbach. As a result, we do not have any intention of another collaboration at the moment. This may not be something I should admit to members of royalty, but we do not even have the apprentice scholars necessary to start a project with another greater duchy.”

We weren’t completely without apprentice scholars to spare, but we didn’t have many with the mana and practical grades necessary to do research with a greater duchy.

Anastasius gave a curt nod, appearing to have noticed my subtle pleas for Klassenberg not to ask about working with us too. “I can understand Ehrenfest’s perspective here. I should warn you, though—doing three joint research projects at once won’t be easy. Valuable research is often at risk of being stolen, so you would do well to assume that your work is being targeted at all times.”

I gave a solemn nod in response, but I was just playing along. I really doubted that anyone would want to steal any of my research. Anyone who came across our findings on the connection between offering prayers to the gods and obtaining divine blessings had nothing to gain unless they prayed sincerely. Perhaps they would publicize the importance of the temple, but, hey, I wasn’t going to complain about the help.

There was also our research on how to best add value to Ehrenfest’s specialty exports, but that getting stolen wouldn’t do any harm to us either. Besides, if another duchy wanted our work so desperately that they were willing to make an enemy of Drewanchel, then more power to them. I would actively look forward to seeing whatever they discovered and published.

Last of all was our research into making the library’s magic tools more efficient, though this would definitely earn less attention from the Sovereignty than our other endeavors. Theoretically, if someone came along who was passionate enough about our work to undergo Ferdinand’s harsh trials and become his disciple as well, then I would welcome them with open arms.

In other words, anyone putting in effort to steal my research would only end up disappointed.

All of a sudden, I was dragged from my thoughts by the sound of someone clearing their throat. “Are you listening?” Anastasius asked, looking at me in complete disbelief.

I already knew from experience that telling the truth here would just make the other person mad, so I stayed silent and put on my best smile.

“I was speaking of your blessing. You were the one who blessed our graduation, were you not?”

My heart leapt into my throat. “Wh-Whatever might you be talking about?” This change of subject had come completely out of the blue, and it didn’t seem to be going in a good direction for me.

Anastasius gave an unnecessarily pretty smile. “Did you know that, as a result of that miraculous blessing that came out of nowhere upon our entry, people have started to say that Eglantine and I are suited to become the next sovereign couple?”

“Ngh...”

He was speaking with complete confidence, and as I desperately tried to find a way through this, Anastasius went on to explain just how many ripples my blessing had sent through the Sovereignty.

“My retainers, who had supposedly resigned themselves to serving a prince, were filled with renewed vigor and started saying that I am better suited to becoming the next king. Meanwhile, my brother’s retainers were whipped into a fervor, asserting that Eglantine was meant to be the bride of the next king after all and that my brother should steal her back from me. Emotions were so high that we could no longer say we had given up our claim to the throne, for no one believed us. My brother, my father, and I worked our fingers to the bone trying to calm everyone down.”

In short, I was personally responsible for causing serious chaos among the royal family. I shrank down, wanting nothing more than to run away—not that I would ever be able to.

After watching my silent struggle for a moment longer, Anastasius gave me a very serious look. “Thus, during the next Archduke Conference, I must ask you to serve as High Bishop for my brother’s Starbind Ceremony.”

“I concur,” Eglantine said. “Please grant a true blessing to the next king and his wife.”

“It comes so easily to you that you even kept leaking them while playing an entire song in class, did you not?”

I went quiet, unsure how to answer. I was meant to be avoiding the royal family at all costs, and the last thing I wanted to do was provoke the Sovereign High Bishop by taking his place. At the same time, however, I had also been warned not to defy royalty. Making the right call seemed challenging beyond words.

“Is that a royal order?” I asked.

“No, consider it a personal request. I want you to bless my brother so that nobody will protest him becoming king. He is going to be in a difficult position even after becoming the crown prince. Do you understand why?”

My answer came to mind immediately: Because he doesn’t have the Grutrissheit. I wasn’t sure whether I should say it, though. My throat went dry as Anastasius’s gray eyes began to scrutinize me.

“There was an attack during last year’s award ceremony,” Anastasius continued. “You heard what they said, I expect.”

“They shouted something about a false king with no Grutrissheit...” I replied.

Anastasius nodded slowly. “That is correct. It all started when the second prince was killed after inheriting the Grutrissheit, for that was the last anyone ever saw of it. We have searched everywhere—the second prince’s villa, the place where he was killed, the royal palace, and even the estates of the important nobles who were close to him—but to no avail. Thus, my father is a king without the Grutrissheit.”

I nodded carefully to show that I was listening. In truth, I didn’t have a clue why he was taking us on this unexpected tangent, but I could sense that this was something very profound. I could also sense that I was being drawn down into the deepest depths of this country’s problems.

“Without the Grutrissheit, not even the king can use spells essential to running the country—and even when constantly offering our mana, the most we can do is maintain its current state. It must be understood that Yurgenschmidt will collapse in a literal sense if someone does not take the throne and supply its land with mana. My father has been providing his with the dedication of a saint since becoming king. As has my brother. As have I.”

I remembered being told that the current situation was like an aub needing to run his duchy without foundational magic. As someone who had taken archduke candidate lessons, I understood just how backbreaking that would be.

“Do you see now why, in such desperate times, that blessing drove people into such a frenzy?”

I pressed my lips together in lieu of a response.

“Just as we were fearing that another battle for Eglantine might begin, my brother declared that our wedding had already been settled. He was so kind as to chastise his retainers and give us his blessing, so the very least I can do is grant him some peace and silence some of the voices around him. To that end, I want the Saint of Ehrenfest, who received countless divine protections from the gods, to bless his Starbind Ceremony.”

Anastasius’s feelings for his family tugged at my heartstrings. If my blessing had caused all of those problems, then I really did need to take responsibility. Plus, truth be told, I had a bit of an ulterior motive. Perhaps this would allow me to see Ferdinand and Detlinde’s Starbinding as well.

“I would ask that you seek permission from Aub Ehrenfest, the king, and the Sovereign High Bishop,” I said. “From there, if you can permit me to bring my guard knights and assure me that the Sovereign High Bishop will not be shamed in any way, then I will gladly accept this request made out of love for your brother.”

“Thank you,” Anastasius said, exhaling. Eglantine was wearing a truly happy smile beside him.

It was then that Oswin entered with news of a visitor. Hannelore had arrived.

“Although my actions were unintentional, I must express my sincerest apologies,” Hannelore said right after our initial greetings.

“There is no need,” Anastasius replied, stepping in before she could apologize further. “Eglantine told you already, did she not? The library is at fault for having failed to keep you informed. Rather, we have invited you to this tea party because we have something to ask of the Library Committee.”

“You wish for our help with something?” Hannelore asked, her eyes wide. She had come expecting to be scolded, only to receive a petition for aid instead. It was little wonder she was so taken aback.

I feel you. I really do. Requests from royalty are just plain bad for the heart.

So I thought, but my eyes were on the books that Hannelore’s apprentice scholar had brought. They were thick and heavy-looking—exactly what I had come to expect from Dunkelfelger.

I wonder what they’re about this time. I can’t wait.

“Rozemyne, I can tell from your expression that you think this does not apply to you, but you are going to be helping as well,” Anastasius said.

“Hm? But Professor Solange told me not to go to the library until Professor Hortensia has finished taking ownership of Schwartz and Weiss.”

Anastasius looked down at me, scoffed, and then gave a slight grin. “This is unrelated to that matter. In order to encourage the bookworms of the Library Committee to help us, we have brought books from the palace library. I look forward to your assistance.”

“You can count on me! I will do absolutely everything I can to help!”

As I had been explicitly told to never refuse an order from the royal family, I gleefully accepted Anastasius’s request. Hannelore nodded as well, saying that she could hardly refuse a request from the royal family.

“So, what do you want us to do?” I asked.

“Hildebrand has informed us of a ‘forbidden archive,’” Anastasius replied. “You understand the value of this information, I assume?”

He had just spoken at length about how much the country was suffering without the Grutrissheit, so I was well aware of how much the royal family wanted it. I could understand why they would want to grasp at straws and go after even a vague rumor floating through the Royal Academy.

Oh no... I just said that I’d do anything I could to help. Was I getting ahead of myself?!

I wouldn’t have been able to escape a royal order either way... but even so, I couldn’t shake the desire to put my head in my hands.