Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 5.6 - Chapter 3

My Retainers’ Choices

After his brief explosion, during which he’d said a lot that I’d wanted to protest, Wilfried agreed to maintain the status quo for the next year. That was a huge relief—and it meant he didn’t have anything to do with me anymore. No matter what path he chose moving forward, Sylvester and Florencia would doubtless protect him.

“If you will excuse me, I must return to my chambers,” I said. “My retainers will need to consider their next moves.”

“Go ahead,” Sylvester replied. “You’ll need permission from the parents of any retainers who aren’t name-sworn to you. As for the others, work under the assumption that they won’t be going with you, even if only to prevent crucial intelligence from leaking over the next year. If they really want to serve you, they can enter the Sovereignty after coming of age.”

I nodded, took a step toward the door, then stopped; there was something else I needed to ask.

“Um, by the way... Would it be acceptable for me to write to Ferdinand, or is that restriction still in place?” Surely I was fine to resume our correspondence now that I no longer needed to act like the perfect fiancée.

Sylvester looked exasperated; after everything that had just happened, I was still thinking about Ferdinand. He gave me permission, though—on the condition that I show him the letter first.

“You sure do love Uncle, huh?” Wilfried sighed, then accompanied me to the door.

“My feelings for him are the same as yours for your grandmother,” I said. “She is someone you value and worry about, is she not? My mentor, a man who has looked after me since before my baptism, was sent by royal decree to a place out of my reach. To make matters worse, the next time I saw him, he had consumed more rejuvenation potions than any one man should—a testament to the grueling environment in which he is being made to work. How could I not worry about him? You must remember the cloying smell of rejuvenation potions when he stayed in the tea party room.”

Wilfried started to frown. “He always smells like potions. How can you tell whether that’s from brewing or using them?”

“That you even need to ask speaks volumes. Have you not been brewing enough? If you cannot even distinguish between those two smells, then how will you be able to brew what you need when you need it?” Wilfried would surely be in trouble if he couldn’t brew his own charms or rejuvenation potions.

The crease in his brow deepened. “I say this as your brother, but... your ‘common sense’ makes no sense at all. No normal member of an archducal family brews things themselves.”

“Are you sure? Ferdinand always brewed his own potions and charms.”

“That’s because he enjoys brewing. He’s the same when it comes to research. That doesn’t make it any less strange to the rest of us.”

I could already feel my understanding of noble society starting to crumble once again. “But I was told that I need to at least be able to make my own potions. Is that not the norm?”

“It doesn’t hurt to be able to make them—it might even be a good skill to have in case of an emergency—but that job would normally fall to your scholars.”

I already knew where my misunderstanding had come from: before his move to Ahrensbach, Ferdinand had often holed up in his temple workshop to brew one thing or another. To make matters worse, Justus had never gone inside with him, nor had the attendant-slash-scholar ever carried around a daily supply of potions—not to my knowledge, at least. Could anyone blame me for assuming that nobles were supposed to make their own regularly used potions?

Ferdinand was holding me to a weird standard after all...

My time on Earth and in the lower city had done enough to make my common sense seem unusual in the eyes of the country’s nobles. That was why I’d started taking after Ferdinand—but now I was being told that he was unusual too!

To be honest, I’ve suspected as much for a very long time. I’m not sure anyone has ever said it to me outright, though...

“Why do you think we take scholars as retainers in the first place?” Wilfried asked.

“Well, mine tend to be busy doing administrative work in the temple, transcribing books, collecting stories at the Royal Academy, and writing stories of their own. In any case, it makes more sense for me to brew my own charms and potions; Ferdinand’s recipes need to be kept secret, and they all require a lot of mana.”

I couldn’t ask Philine or Roderick to make my rejuvenation potions for me—they had neither the mana nor the skill necessary to brew them. Hartmut was a more realistic option, but I wanted him to focus on temple work.

“You should give your scholars more brewing work to do,” Wilfried sagely noted. “At this rate, people are sure to criticize whatever grades they end up with in brewing class as too low for archducal retainers.”

“I assumed that was simply inevitable for laynobles and mednobles, but I see now that I should reconsider.”

I never hesitated to give Philine or Roderick paperwork to complete—there was no denying their talent for it—but because of their mana, I’d never even thought to entrust them with brewing. Instead, as a scholar myself, I’d opted to take care of my own brews. But maybe a change of perspective was necessary.

“Lady Rozemyne,” Cornelius called. He had just rushed over, no doubt concerned that I was leaving so much later than Charlotte and the others. Seeing the worry on his face made me a little embarrassed, but that worry turned to caution the moment he set eyes on Wilfried.

“We must return to my chambers,” I said. “Could you summon all of my retainers? There is something important I need to tell everyone. Summon both Brunhilde and Ottilie as well.”

“Understood.”

I returned to my chambers to find that my retainers had all gathered. “I am only making this announcement because every single one of you will need to consider your future afterward,” I said. “It is confidential to the highest degree. Do not share what I am about to tell you with anyone.”

They responded in unison: “Yes, my lady.”

I went on to tell everyone that, during next year’s Archduke Conference, my current adoption would most likely be undone so that the king could take me as his adopted daughter instead. “This could change according to the royal family’s whims,” I said, “but understand that I am extremely likely to be moved to the Sovereignty.”

As expected, everyone stared at me in shock. Well, almost everyone; Hartmut alone remained impassive, as though he had predicted this development already.

“What of Lord Wilfried?” he asked.

“Our engagement will be canceled at the same time as the adoption. Until then, we intend to maintain the status quo.”

“And he agreed to this...?” Hartmut murmured. Now he looked surprised; he must not have anticipated that Wilfried would play along.

Next, I turned to Brunhilde. Because she had already chosen to become the aub’s second wife, she wouldn’t be able to accompany me under any circumstances. “Brunhilde, I regret that this occurred after you resolved to marry Aub Ehrenfest in order to support me. However, once I am gone, I would ask you to protect the lower-city craftsmen and all of my trends, while at the same time introducing your own trends to further Ehrenfest’s growth.”

Brunhilde had once believed that these matters could simply be dumped on the commoners, but she had since realized that not all orders were able to be followed. Now she attended meetings with the commoner merchants and did everything in her power to ensure that all parties were on the same page. It would be reassuring to know that she planned to stay in Ehrenfest as a member of the archducal family.

“Becoming the aub’s second wife was my decision, and not a single part of me regrets it,” Brunhilde said plainly. “I shall devote my all to Ehrenfest. But, if you would allow me to ask... what will this mean for Bertilde?”

“She will spend the coming winter serving formally as my apprentice attendant. Doing so will allow her to receive the same treatment as the other retainers I am leaving behind, and also prepare her to serve you next spring. Please guide her as her elder sister. Although, if she chooses not to serve as a retainer, we will not be able to share this intelligence with her. Explaining the circumstances would prove... troublesome.”

“Understood.”

Bertilde often came and went for her education, but she wasn’t formally my retainer. That was why she hadn’t been summoned along with the others, and why we had to keep her out of the loop. Brunhilde would need to take care of the rest.

That concluded my discussion with Brunhilde, who would definitely be staying behind. I turned to my other retainers, who were looking very concerned.

“Given the times, I cannot leave my underage retainers who are name-sworn to me here in Ehrenfest. I already have the royal family’s permission to bring them with me to the Sovereignty. My other underage retainers, on the other hand, would need parental permission at every turn. Thus, I must ask you to stay behind—at least until you come of age, at which point you may move to the Sovereignty if you wish.”

I continued, looking at each of my name-sworn in turn, “Roderick, Matthias, Laurenz, Gretia—the four of you will come with me to the Sovereignty. Muriella is an exception, as she made it clear from the beginning that she wished to give her name to Elvira. From the moment I accepted your names, my intention has been to look after you for the rest of your lives. You entrusted yourselves to me, and I will not cast you aside.”

Matthias’s expression softened. “We are honored. I offered my name to you because I wished to follow you for the rest of my days. I am glad it was not merely returned to me.”

“Being able to escape my parents is enough to get me on board with this move to the Sovereignty...” Roderick said, evidently relieved. Gretia nodded along with him; they both had complicated relationships with their families.

Laurenz, however, frowned. “I can’t help but worry about my little brother in the orphanage... but as I’ve given you my name, I will obey your orders.”

“Indeed, there is no way for us to bring Bertram with us,” I said. “Leaving before his baptism will prevent him from being adopted—and even if we waited until after, he would still be too young to attend the Royal Academy and become my retainer.” The Sovereignty was far more dangerous than Ehrenfest, so I couldn’t bring a newly baptized child there without a guardian. “Rest assured, though—Melchior will serve as the High Bishop after my departure. I intend to leave my temple attendants here, so your brother’s treatment in the orphanage will not suddenly worsen.”

“I thank you for your consideration,” Laurenz replied, kneeling before me with his arms crossed.

Roderick raised a hand, having sensed that his fellow retainer’s concern was now dealt with. “How will moving to the Sovereignty affect our lives in the Royal Academy?” Philine must have been interested as well; I saw her subtly lean closer to me.

“You are aware that the children of Sovereign nobles attend the Academy as students of their home duchies, correct?” I asked. “My underage retainers who accompany me to the Sovereignty will stay in the Ehrenfest Dormitory during academic terms. I will appreciate your best efforts to gather information for me during that time.”

Roderick and Gretia nodded. Philine was watching them, a contemplative hand resting on her cheek.

All of a sudden, Hartmut approached me. “Lady Rozemyne,” he said, “I beseech you. Please accept my name.”

“Hartmut, I thought you promised not to offer me your name unless I explicitly requested it.”

“My mind and the circumstances have changed. Your move to the Sovereignty is sure to be a crucial event. If you would call upon your name-sworn first and foremost, then I wish to join them.”

That was it? He was offering me his name purely because he hadn’t been in the very first group of people I’d asked to come with me? “U-Um, Hartmut...” I said, desperate to stop him. “I only listed them first because they have no choice in this matter, whereas you do. It had nothing to do with importance. Perhaps we could say that I saw no reason to include you because I already trust you unconditionally. Or, uh... something to do with unwavering faith...”

I stumbled over my words a little. In truth, I’d automatically assumed that he would follow me, but that seemed too presumptuous to say out loud.

Hartmut gave a breezy smile. “That you trust me unconditionally means nothing in this situation. Ehrenfest will struggle in your absence, and you have already made it clear that you do not wish to bring many retainers with you. One could assume that, because you trust me, you would want me to stay behind to protect your library, the temple, and the merchants.”

“I can’t deny that I would take comfort in knowing that you were here,” I mused. “However...”

I’d wanted to say that I couldn’t even imagine him willingly staying behind, but before I could even get the words out, Hartmut knelt before me and took my hand. “I wish to serve you at any time, under any circumstances, without anyone finding it the least bit unusual,” he announced. “To that end, I implore you to take my name. I swear that it will benefit you.”

“Hartmut! Your fiancée is right there!” I cried, pulling my hand away before pointing frantically at the woman in question. “Say that sort of thing to her, not me!”

Clarissa rushed over at once, but not to take my side. She dropped to her knees beside Hartmut, batted her sparkling blue eyes at me, and exclaimed, “Mine too! If you take Hartmut’s name, I want you to take mine as well, Lady Rozemyne!”

Um, what’s with that reaction?!

“Clarissa,” I said, “you shouldn’t be so quick to give away your name. You’re soon to be married, aren’t you? Should you and Hartmut not give your names to each other as proof of your everlasting love?”

It clearly wasn’t normal to give your name to someone else right in front of your future spouse, but neither Hartmut nor Clarissa seemed to understand that. They looked at one another, still on their knees, and cocked their heads.

“You want me to give my name to Hartmut...?” Clarissa asked. “That would be unthinkable.”

“I agree from the very bottom of my heart,” Hartmut concurred. “It would make no sense for me to give my name to Clarissa. In my opinion, we could create a much stronger bond if we both gave our names to you.”

“My, what a wonderful idea! It truly would create the strongest and most passionate of all bonds!”

How?! And what’s so wonderful about it?! This has been obvious for a while, but something is seriously wrong with these two.

Or maybe my warped common sense was the problem, as it had been earlier with Wilfried. Hartmut and Clarissa were in such vehement agreement that I was starting to doubt myself.

“Ottilie, um... does their argument seem reasonable? From a noble perspective, I mean. Can someone form a stronger bond with his spouse by offering his name to another while in her presence, then convincing her to join him?” I was desperately hoping she could stop her son and his fiancée.

She gave me a brief smile, then shook her head. “Fear not, Lady Rozemyne—your hunch was correct. This is not normal in the slightest. However... it would appear that Clarissa is experiencing something of an emotional turmoil. She served you only for a short while during the Archduke Conference, and now she fears being left behind. My sincerest apologies, but I must ask you to take them both to the Sovereignty with you, whether you decide to accept their names or not.”

Ottilie was looking at the overzealous couple kneeling in front of me as though she had nothing to do with them. I’d already assumed that they would follow me to the Sovereignty no matter what I did, and seeing them now made me sure that it hadn’t just been my imagination.

“I cannot go with you to the Sovereignty because of my husband,” Ottilie continued, “but those two would follow you wherever you go. Taking their names might be wise in case they allow their enthusiasm to get the better of them. Trying to control them both would otherwise be an insurmountable task.”

Was that really the response most nobles would give? I was seriously beginning to worry that I didn’t have a single normal person close to me.

“Ottilie, should you really be saying that as Hartmut’s mother?” I asked. “Giving me his name would also mean putting his life in my hands, no?”

“I am absolutely certain that their behavior would not change whether they were sworn to you or not. Thus, your convenience takes priority. They are both adults, so they are more than old enough to face the consequences of their actions. Should you need anyone to observe their name-swearing, I am at your service.”

Wait, she’s dumping them on me! Has she given up and decided to stop thinking about them entirely?!

I’d assumed that Ottilie would be able to keep Hartmut and Clarissa on a tight leash, but I saw now that I was gravely mistaken. I reluctantly cast my eyes down to see Hartmut staring up at me, his orange eyes sparkling with joy.

I... I want to refuse him again, but that’s really hard to do when he’s looking at me like this.

“Mother has given her permission, so please do accept my name,” Hartmut said. “I already have the necessary materials, so I can have everything ready by tomorrow.”

Aah! He’s shoving his name down my throat! Is refusing him not even an option anymore?!

I turned to my other retainers, searching for someone who could come to my rescue—but every single one of them was averting their gaze. They were going to great lengths not to look at Hartmut or Clarissa either.

“Cornelius, Damuel,” I said, urging them to help me.

They exchanged troubled glances, then Cornelius sighed. “As you are not in danger, I cannot speak on a private matter such as a name-swearing. If you cannot bear to take Hartmut’s name, then you need only flatly refuse him. If you are unsure, I would suggest accepting it. That will minimize the collateral damage.”

Rather than coming to my rescue, Damuel also advised me to accept Hartmut’s name. “Just as Cornelius suggests, it would come as a tremendous relief to all of your retainers if you were to accept.”

“Has there been collateral damage in the past?” I asked, cautious.

Damuel remained silent, so Cornelius answered in his stead: “It’s nothing. Hartmut can be harsh when venting his envy toward your name-sworn retainers, that’s all.”

When doing what?!

“Cornelius, you need not sully Lady Rozemyne’s ears with such details,” Hartmut said, smiling.

Cornelius smiled in response. “I only speak the truth. And you would do well to remember that I am encouraging Lady Rozemyne to accept your name.” Their back-and-forth made them seem very close indeed—and as nobody had even tried to refute Cornelius, he must have been telling the truth.

“Very well, Hartmut. I shall accept your name,” I eventually relented. “That’s enough, right? That’s what you want? Give it to me so this madness can end.”

“So, when shall we do this?” Hartmut asked. “The sooner, the better, of course.”

As expected, Clarissa wasn’t going to back down either. “Lady Rozemyne!” she cried. “Mine too, please! Mine too!”

“What a relief...” Matthias sighed.

“He should start to calm down now, right?” Laurenz asked.

For some reason, Hartmut wasn’t the only one who rejoiced when I conceded; everyone else was glad as well.

Is it really okay to perform a name-swearing this lightly? I don’t think so. But I’m not the one in the wrong here... right?

Just as I was beginning to lose confidence, Philine approached me and said, “Lady Rozemyne, please take my name as well. I swore to offer stories to you and managed to receive Mestionora’s divine protection. It was then that I resolved to serve you and you alone. Furthermore, staying in Ehrenfest would only see me sent back home. If the only way for me to accompany you is to give my name, then I shall do so without hesitation. Please, take me with you to the Sovereignty!”

Philine’s grass-green eyes were brimming with resolve. I’d seen this expression from her several times before. I already knew that she was determined to forge her own path, but... I couldn’t accept her name right away.

“What about Konrad...?” I asked. “Laurenz has already given his name, but you still have a choice.”

Her expression stiffened; then she pursed her lips and said, “I intend to purchase him. He has yet to be baptized, so I could sell my mother’s heirloom and use the money from that.”

“I understand your desire not to leave him behind, but what do you intend to do once he has moved to the Sovereignty?” My underage retainers were each allowed to bring an apprentice attendant with them, but Konrad was a boy—he wouldn’t be allowed to stay in Philine’s room. He was also too young to work in the Sovereignty as a servant. In the orphanage, he was fed and given hand-me-down clothes, but what about after the move? Philine would need to cover those costs herself when she was already struggling to prepare the feystones and learning materials she required for the Royal Academy.

“I...” Philine looked at me with pleading eyes, but Ferdinand had already scolded me several times for getting too involved with my retainers. I couldn’t show any more favoritism, nor could I offer to look after her brother myself. Above all else, though, I couldn’t imagine Konrad having much of a future living in the Sovereignty as a commoner orphan.

“There is no need for you to rush into a decision,” I said. “You have time to think this over and consult Konrad. Perhaps you should use the next year to carefully consider your next move.”

“Understood...” Philine replied, her shoulders slumping as she took a step back.

“Lady Rozemyne, I must also request some time to think,” Cornelius interjected. “Assuming that I do join you, my situation will change dramatically depending on whether I go before or after getting married, and there is much I must think about before I can decide whether a wedding this summer is for the best.”

Cornelius had already been given Eckhart’s estate, and the preparations for his marriage were well underway. Leonore smiled and said that she would go along with whatever he decided; it was nice to see the flames of their romance burning as brightly as ever.

Oh, right... I’ll need to report to Mother and Father.

Karstedt had been there when I first announced my Zent candidacy, and we were keeping him abreast of the situation as it developed, since his permission was necessary to cancel my adoption. But there was a chance that Elvira still didn’t know.

Hopefully I’m allowed to explain things to her. She’s going to be taking over the printing industry, after all.

I would need to consult Sylvester as well, but that was a thought for later. I turned my attention to Damuel, who had at some point stepped away from Leonore and Cornelius, and asked, “Damuel, what will you do?”

Damuel already knew so much about my circumstances, so I really wanted to have him in the Sovereignty with me, but laynobles struggled even in Ehrenfest; I couldn’t just force him to come along. He had cultivated strong bonds of trust with the lower city’s soldiers, so maybe I could ask him to stay behind and protect the city.

“This is not something I can decide here and now,” he replied. “I would ask for some time to think.”

“Very well. Judithe?”

She gave me a somewhat dejected smile. “I think I will end up staying in Ehrenfest. My father presented me with a marriage proposal the last time I returned to Kirnberger, and it seems unlikely that he would allow me to move to the Sovereignty after coming of age. Plus... I don’t have the courage to give my name just to go with you.”

Those who were still underage required their parents’ permission to do just about anything. Even their marriages were out of their control. Judithe’s situation at home was perfectly normal—even watching her interact with Theodore showed what a close-knit family they were. She couldn’t abandon them on the spur of the moment, and she would be able to carry on just fine without entrusting her name to someone else, unlike Matthias and the others who hadn’t had a choice.

“You seem to feel guilty about not accompanying me,” I said, “but there’s really no need. Most underage nobles would stay behind in a situation like this. Rarely would their parents even allow them to move. And your reluctance to give your name is completely normal—Hartmut and Clarissa are the weird ones, not us!”

Judithe looked at the unusual couple, then nodded in agreement.

I continued, “Brunhilde and Ottilie are staying behind as well. I don’t consider it a betrayal in the least. In fact... Judithe, I would ask that you remain in Ehrenfest and offer Brunhilde your assistance.”

“Yes, my lady!” she exclaimed. Just seeing her bright, beaming smile made me sigh in relief.

Lieseleta placed a hand on Judithe’s shoulder, her own lips curling upward. “May we work hard together. I am both the successor to my house and already engaged to Lord Thorsten, so it would not be an easy task for me to leave Ehrenfest. After Lady Rozemyne’s departure, I shall become Brunhilde’s retainer and oversee the sending of our duchy’s books to the Sovereignty.”

Now that Lieseleta had made her intentions clear, only one of my retainers had yet to speak: Angelica. Everyone’s eyes naturally turned to her.

“Angelica, what do you intend to do?” I asked.

She cocked her head at me. “What do you think I should do, Lady Rozemyne?”

Er... you’re supposed to make up your own mind. This choice is going to decide your entire future, you know!

As I agonized over Angelica’s stalwart refusal to think for herself, Lieseleta giggled. “Sister, I believe you should go to the Sovereignty with Lady Rozemyne. Our parents would prefer that to you marrying Lord Bonifatius, and the Sovereign knights are sure to be much stronger than Ehrenfest’s.”

“I’m going,” Angelica declared without another moment’s hesitation. I really wished she would take a bit more—well, any—time to think about this. Karstedt and Elvira had considered it necessary to hold an entire family conference to decide her marriage partner, and they had agreed that she would marry either Traugott or Bonifatius. How was this decision going to affect that?

“But, Angelica... Your marriage...” I said.

“I don’t care if I never take a husband,” she replied coolly. “And I think you’re the only one I would ever be able to serve.”

That may be true, but did you really need to put on such a dashing expression? You’re acting like you just said something really cool.

As I debated whether it was even acceptable to take Angelica’s answer at face value, Cornelius offered me a helping hand. “Angelica’s engagement concerns both Grandfather and our parents, so it would be best to consult them before making any decisions. We’ll need to have a discussion at home about your adoption being nullified, right? We can bring this up then as well.”

“You’re right,” I said. “We must consult our parents about this. Cornelius, could you speak with Father—or perhaps request a meeting with the aub—so that I can confirm whether I’m allowed to tell Mother about my adoption?”

Sending a letter was too risky—there was always a chance that one scholar or another might end up reading it. Communicating through Cornelius was a much better option, since he could engage in private conversations with not just Karstedt but Sylvester as well.

“If you obtain permission,” I continued, “then arrange a time for us to speak with Father and Mother. Ask if we can discuss Angelica’s move to the Sovereignty during the same meeting.”

“Leave that to me and get some rest. Now that we’ve each said our piece, we can return to our everyday duties, right?”

I merely blinked, not having expected that at all.

Cornelius went on, “Your discussion with the archducal family really drained you, didn’t it? Damuel”—he gestured to the man in question—“was worried when he saw you come out. He said you looked sickly.”

“He did...?”

“Get some rest,” Cornelius repeated, then took his leave.

Did everyone really think I was sick? None of my attendants had said anything. I couldn’t help but feel strange as I went over to Damuel, who was waiting by the door, and asked, “Damuel, do I truly look unwell...?”

“It was, uh... more to do with your demeanor than your appearance.” He floundered, clearly struggling to choose his next words, then leaned forward and whispered, “You looked as emotional as when you were first trailing behind Lord Ferdinand in the temple. But if I spoke out of turn, I apologize.”

“I... didn’t think you would notice...”

After seeing the love and consideration that Sylvester and Florencia had shown Wilfried, I’d really longed to have someone to lean on—someone I could actually be vulnerable with. In hindsight, I’d probably felt as alone as when I’d spent my first winter in the temple.

“I’m going to write a letter to Ferdinand in my hidden room,” I said.

“That can wait until tomorrow,” Lieseleta insisted. “You really do not look well. Or would you rather have Lord Ferdinand scold you?”

She took the message-containing shumil, which I’d taken to calling Mr. Lecture, from where it was sitting by the fireplace and promptly activated it. “Listen to your retainers,” it chided me.

Prerecorded or not, hearing Ferdinand admonish me eased some of the tension I was feeling. I went to listen to more, but Lieseleta took the shumil away and said, “Let us prepare for bed, Lady Rozemyne. He can scold you again after.”

She got me ready in the blink of an eye, then tucked me into bed with Mr. Lecture. She really seemed to care about the shumil, at least based on how carefully she slotted it under my arm. Then, after adjusting its positioning a few times, she gave several satisfied nods and went on her way.

As I snuggled up to Mr. Lecture, I played one admonitory message after another until sleep finally took hold of me. It was nice, but it also made me crave a “very good” or two in my library’s hidden room.