Ascendance of a Bookworm

Rosina had begun working as an attendant, tackling the calculations and paperwork she wasn’t good at. Delia, who worked alone at the lower tasks, pouted with a hint of dissatisfaction, but she didn’t complain about Rosina easing Fran’s burden, especially since Rosina was nearly an adult and literate.

It seemed Rosina was also keeping up with her Fischpiel practice sessions properly. I knew Delia secretly looked forward to those moments, and I was aware of her curious gaze watching Rosina play. When I suggested, “Why don’t you ask her to teach you?” she snapped at me, “It’s nothing like that! Geez!” But I figured it was only a matter of time before she’d ask.

Meanwhile, every day I looked at Rosina as Vilma had advised and felt a deep disappointment in my own lack of refinement.

Because every move she made was different. Even when Rosina walked, it was as light and graceful as watching a dance; each movement was deliberate and unhurried, yet flowed seamlessly—not slow at all. She had a strange rhythm.

The way she tilted her head, carried her pen, handled the hem of her clothes—it all seemed so polished, as if every detail was meticulously cared for, yet it never felt artificial. It was entirely natural.

“Can someone really acquire manners and comportment like Rosina’s?” I wondered aloud.

“Honestly, the calculations are more difficult,” Fran said. “I’d like to know how Master Myne developed her arithmetic skills at that age.”

We exchanged glances and smiled softly. Overcoming weaknesses takes nothing but practice.

Under Rosina’s watchful eye, Delia and I paid close attention to our comportment. I felt that Delia, who had the goal of becoming a mistress, was improving faster.

An invitation arrived from the high priest to a luncheon, scheduled for ten days later. The invitation included a note: “Since we will also observe your Fischpiel practice results, please bring your instrument.” Rosina and I paled at the thought and trained intensively together. Thanks to that, Rosina was able to flawlessly perform the first assigned piece within three days.

...I truly felt that having a goal and deadline fosters growth.

As a first reward, I gifted Rosina, who taught me Fischpiel, an outfit for outings, and gave Vilma a bundle of paper to use for sketching as thanks for completing the karuta cards.

“Master Benno, when will you take me to the Ink Workshop?” I asked.

I wanted to try making ink before winter came, so I wanted to visit the workshop first. When I asked Benno before entering the temple, he just shook his head lightly.

“Ink can wait. The restaurant construction is nearly finished. I want to discuss the interior a bit more.”

Just when I expected to be taken to the Ink Workshop, for some reason, I ended up going to an Italian restaurant instead.

“What will we do at the restaurant?”

“The exterior is complete; next is the interior. I’d like your opinions on tapestries and artworks, using the noble area of the temple as a reference. Absolutely bring Fran along.”

By Benno’s tone, it seemed he wanted Fran’s opinions and that I was more of an afterthought. Since I wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about noble interiors, I understood.

Then I suddenly realized: there was someone else in my attendants who seemed well-versed in artworks and interiors.

“If you want opinions on artworks, shall we bring Rosina too? Though she’s a new attendant, she was especially favored by an art-loving noble and is a gray shrine maiden who seems more noble than lower nobles. I think she can offer perspectives from a female noble’s viewpoint.”

Fran had been educated by the high priest and knew the rigid noble etiquette well but lacked flexibility. The high priest himself disliked waste and tended to favor simplicity.

In contrast, Rosina had been thoroughly influenced by artistic shrine maidens, so she brought a playful touch to everything. She had a good sense of placement and display. Since Rosina joined, flowers have increased in the room, and storage has changed from hidden to visible.