Chapter Text
“Lieseleta, I have a favor to ask of you.” I told my attendant. I had chosen to confide in her, not only due to her superb female power, but also because I was a bit scared of Rihyarda’s openness towards Ferdinand. “I only have a week to complete this task, and I have never been particularly skillful with the needle.”
“Of course Lady Rozemyne, it would be my pleasure, but why have you not requested Lady Elvira’s help?” We were currently alone in my chambers. Only Angelica stood guarding the door, but se as too into her duty to listen to our conversation.
“You know how my mother is about this sort of things. She is probably full on writing her new story featuring me and Lord Ferdinand. Normally that would mean more books for me, but I would rather read something that is not about my life, and asking for her help in this matter would only provide her of more details I would rather keep for myself.”
Dregarnhur weaved her threads with particular grace that week. Sylvester took full advantage of Ferdinand’s presence at the academy and went through most of the negotiations Ehrenfest had planned for this year. I was not allowed to leave the dormitory, not event to go to the library, so instead I remained in my chambers all the time, except for meals. I knew I would not be able to finish embroidering a full cape, but I wanted to at least provide something. So I used the trick we had done for Weiss and Schwartz’s clothing and inked a cape with the strongest protection circles I had on hand. I then began embroidering some parts of the circles that would make it look the cape had been worked on, but not be able to give away the full design and level of protection.
Every single day I finished exhausted from all the embroidery. I would get ready for bed and wait as much as I could for Ferdinand to finish his duties so we were able to exchange some words through name-com before sleep won over me.
The eve of our Starbinding ceremony, I had barely gotten into bed, when I felt the mana that surrounded me getting warmer. *Remember me to never underestimate Sylvester again.*
*Why? What happened? Was he hostile with the other duchies during negotiations?*
*Of course not! I had to lead, otherwise Ehrenfest would not had benefited as much as we wanted. I am talking about the excessive work he threw on me this week. It turns out he did it only to keep me occupied and unable to meet with you during the week.*
Sylvester had proven to have an extra sense whenever relationships were at play. Although he didn’t know about Verbergen’s amulet, he suspected we had additional measures to meet in secret. He had then filled Ferdinand’s agenda to the max to diminish our chances of meeting and being found out.
*He told me so after I threaten to never help him out if the workload stayed the same after tomorrow. If only he were as dedicated to his job as he is to meddling into others’ relationships, Ehrenfest would undoubtedly had reached a better ranking that the one we had before you were adopted.*
I smiled as I remembered when I met him all those years ago. He knew how to deal with people, particularly, the children of the orphanage had taken a strong like towards Brother Syl. At that time I had only seen him as a big child, but I knew no other noble in Yurgenschmidt (bar Justus), had ever tried to interact face to face with commoners. He constantly had to mask his more open persona to fit in noble society. Just like I did when I left the lower city.
*Anyway, tell me how did negotiations turned out. I have no way of knowing.* Almost all my retainers had returned to Ehrenfest to move my belongings. Fortunately, most things were still packed, so it was easy to carry them over to Ferdinand’s state. But it meant I only had two attendants and two guards at the moment.
*The scholars were found guilty of tampering with the tools for the ceremony. They moved to the Sovereignty as part of Eglantine’s retinue, but they still had strong bonds back at home. As they are technically part of Zent’s personnel, Aub Klassenberg will not be punished for tying to circumvent a royal decree, however, their ranking will probably suffer in the long term as teachers from the scholar and knight course are looking down on their colleagues and students from Klassenberg. Hirschur even told me no one is willing to work along them in any research project. Ehrenfest has also decided to stop trading with them for the next ten years.*
*Great, that means more slots for merchants from other duchies. I really hope we are able to get ingredients from many other places.* I had experimented with some ingredients from Dunkelfelger, but there were still many things I wanted to do, but I had not been able to find a proper substitute. I haven’t lost the hope to be able to eat rice again! I don’t even need it to be exactly like the Japanese variety. If I find soy, I will be able to make soy sauce, or miso! Then any rice would do! There’s also chocolate and coffee, Yurgenschmidt would enter a new era if one of those two products were introduced to the market.
*Drewanchel is the most likely candidate to take over Klassenberg slots. As Charlotte will be moving there in a couple of years, Aub Drewanchel insisted they wanted to prepare their trade routes so your sister will be able to have access to all those products she is accustomed to. Adolphine will be leading the development of their internal market to be able to adopt our copyright agreements and facilitate a smother exchange of products and schematics.*
*Lady Adolphine? But isn’t she a Soverignity citizen?*
*It turns out she was very unhappy with hey marriage as she was meant to be queen. But after Eglantine took the throne, her position as a link between her home duchy and the center was butchered. Sigiswald only dotted on her second wife, so she requested a divorce. It was going to be announced as part of the overall resolutions of the conference, but she was outraged with the prince’s actions towards you, so she moved back to Drewanchel’s dormitory before the official announcement.*
That was why Naherache was present at the mana matching ceremony. Adolphine had agreed to participate on the Fellowship Gathering as she felt she needed to meet with many duchies as possible to form more alliances beforehand. She particularly aimed for those who she knew from the academy, like myself.
*She even inquired to have a tea party with you, but Sylvester refused on the basis of your safety.*
*I guess she will be inviting me to several tea parties when we go there. I would prefer to dedicate the limited time to my reading, but I guess I won’t be able to escape from her.*
*You should be grateful for those parties. If you do not mingle enough with them, they would probably restrict the access to their most interesting manuscripts. Showing interest on your host is an essential technique to gain access to premium information.*
*Hey! You are the one who would benefit the most then, I would be okay with any book they lend me. It doesn’t need to be top secret content.*
*Isn’t one of the duties of a spouse to support their partner’s hobbies? I have already laid the work for your exchange library program, maybe you as my future wife should be willing to accommodate for my sake.* He smugly said.
*Fine, but you should be aware they will probably target me to get information on your secret recovery potions.*
*I will probably be able to develop better ones if I have access to their workshops and ingredients.*
*Of course you are… I actually wanted to ask you about the potion you gave Hartmut for me. If we use that for mana replenishment at the foundation or the dedication ceremony, I believe we will struggle no more.*
*Well, that formula will only work for you and me. Others will have to keep using the ones they are familiar with.*
*Why will only work for us? It wasn’t jureve or something like that.* I was well aware of how jureve tasted, and although it was sweet, it was not the same as what I had tried last week.
*It was a rejuvenating potion, mixed with some of my liquified mana, only the two of us would find it sweet, everyone else would feel repulsion just from smelling it.*
*Why did you give me some of your mana right before the ceremony. If anyone found out, they would have claimed you were dying me right on the spot!*
*But nobody found out, did they? I was just helping you feel better, and the fact that our match came out perfect was a just a positive byproduct.
*But you still cheated!*
*I only fight battles I know I will win, have you forgotten? I know others will commit foul play if given the opportunity, so why would I refrain from doing it too?*
*…*
I knew he was kind of right, and after everything I had lived through, I had learned that I shouldn’t measure Yurgenschmidt morals with my Urano perspective. So I chose to change the subject and leave that talk for another day.
*Tell me more about the Exchange Project, what was decided with Dunkelfelger and the other interested duchies?*
The Library Exchange Project was the fundamental axis for Sylvester and Ferdinand’s plan to work out. We well all aware, that although Ehrenfest internal politics were way more stable than five years ago, If Ferdinand and I were to be wed, there would be much push to make either of us Aub. However we had never wised for that position. Enter the exchange program.
The idea behind it was that we both would be traveling to different territories to gain access to their books and research projects. I would be able to read as much as possible, and transcribe most of the content. Then Ehrenfest would collect all the information in one place and make it accessible to other duchies upon request. Over the years, I had noticed the lack of easy access to the written word had caused the whole country to suffer from lack of information on the most sensitive topics. We had already been receiving hostile remarks, but the tricks Klassenberg did, and the comments I incited Sigiswald to make, where the last pieces to fore the scales in our favor. Of course we presented it as beneficial for the entire country, after all, a good excuse was necessary to achieve one’s wishes.
Most important of all, the project would keep Ferdinand and I away from Ehrenfest several weeks at a time. I was no longer High Bishop, and Ferdinand would also have to resign his position at the temple to be able to marry me. The new responsibilities that came with the project, would take us out of the race to become archdukes, leaving the road free for my siblings to compete in all fairness.
*As agreed, we will be traveling to Dunkelfelger during autumn, to try out the tools I develop in Drewanchel. They are willing to serve as my trial runs, just as long as ditter is involved.* His mad scientist and Lord of Evil personas were just too happy with that idea.
*I feel bad for those poor knights who are going to be on the relieving end of your tools.*
*I believe is better to use people from other duchies instead of your retainers, don’t you think?*
I remembered the fear I felt when we had tried the first amulet I brewed, and decided to go with Ferdinand’s plan. *Yes, I would rather you prove them against a knight in armor instead of my shield, thanks.*
*As for the other duchies, they will have this year to prepare their libraries and work projects. During the next Archduke Conference, they will be evaluated to see where shall we go first.*
*Don’t forget to ask also for their Temple’s Book room catalogue, as they probably have different stories and ceremonies depending on their own culture and customs.*
*Yes, we will be sharing your Decimal System with their scholars so they are able to catalogue all their books.*
Although I enjoyed librarian work and arranging bookshelves, I knew there was no way I would be allowed to sort out other duchies book rooms. Having well organized catalogues was the next best option. Noble scholars going to the different Temples would probably uplift their reputation. Soon enough more and more people would see the Temple and the gods with better eyes.
*If more nobles are going to be visiting the temples, maybe we should tell them about the secret entrance to the foundations so they are bl to protect them, don’t you think?* I voiced my concerns.
*Secret entrance? What are you talking about?* Ferdinand’s mana became full of tension.
*Uhm, didn’t I told you? There is an engraving of mestionora in the book room at every Temple. From there, you can gain access to the foundation using the Bible key. It is the reason Archdukes used to be High Bishops as well in the past.* I had read about it during one of my Grutrissheit inspection sessions.
*Rozemyne, how could you ever omit something this important! We need to protect Ehrenfest no matter what!* Oh dam, he is getting furious! I need to calm him down.
*Of course I know it is important. The key is being kept under lock. I told Melchior to leave it inside his secret room. We now only have to tell the other Aubs to do the same thing.*
I waited for Ferdinand to praise my forward thinking, but nothing came out of our link. *Ferdinand, are you still there?*
*Go to sleep now.* I froze. He was communicating with the same warm tone that he often adopted right before sharing his evil plans. “Tomorrow is our wedding night, and the moment we are finally able to be alone and undisrupted, I will have to reprimand you for this issue.*
I wasn’t a hundred percent sure what he meant with his threat, but the shivers I felt along with the force of his mana, made me pray to Dreganhur for tomorrow night to come sooner.