Published: August 3, 2025
Today, Tulli came to the workshop and was teaching everyone how to do bookbinding. I wanted to go and support them too, but Lutz refused, saying, "If you're just going to be a nuisance, then no." If I'm told I'm just in the way of the work, there's no helping it.
“Fran, are you sure it’s okay to head to the library today?”
“No problem at all.”
Fran and Rosina are currently listing the types and quantities of ingredients used in the orphanage over the past month, calculating how much will be needed to prepare for winter. The season is approaching when the harvest from the farming villages will be brought into the town, and everyone will start their winter preparations. Before that, they need to have a rough idea of the quantities required.
“If you’re too busy, I don’t mind going to the library with Rosina...”
“No, Rosina is going to be sent on an errand to Wilma’s place. Besides, I’ll be bringing some documents to the library, so please don’t worry about it.”
I headed to the library with Fran, carrying a large bag filled with wooden tags, ink, and other supplies. The sunlight still faintly carried the remnants of summer, streaming into the corridor filled with the cold autumn air.
From the corridor, I could see the entrance leading to the noble district, where several carriages were lined up. It seemed the Azure Priests were heading out, as many supplies were being loaded onto the carriages.
“...There are many carriages lined up. I wonder what’s going on?”
“Those are the carriages of the Azure Priests heading to the harvest festival, Myne-sama. Around this time, most of the temple’s Azure Priests go to the harvest festival.”
“Harvest festival? ...That’s a festival I’ve never heard of.”
Autumn is the season when forest harvests increase, and goods from the farming villages steadily arrive at the market, marking the start of everyone’s winter preparations. I was familiar with the pork processing festival, which turned into a neighborhood celebration, but I had never heard of a harvest festival.
“Is it a festival unique to the temple? ...But it’s not one of the rituals conducted at the temple, right?”
During the education given by Fran and the high priest, I was taught about the rituals held at the temple, but there was no mention of a harvest festival.
“Oh? The commoners don’t know about it?”
Startled by the sudden voice, I turned around to see a man who looked like a noble, dressed for travel, looking down at me condescendingly. He was different from the Azure Priest I had seen at the Star Festival, but since he wasn’t wearing the Blue Robes, I couldn’t immediately tell if he was an Azure Priest or a noble who had business with the Azure Priests at the temple.
I quickly moved to lean my back against the wall, knelt down, and crossed my hands over my chest. This was a gesture of respect, a low-ranking person showing deference to a superior.
I had learned from the high priest that among those wearing the Blue Robes at the temple, they were considered equals, so such a gesture was unnecessary except for the head priest or high priest. But I am not a noble. It’s safer to humble myself than to act equal and possibly get into trouble.
“Hmm, it seems you understand your position. So the high priest’s words were not false. ...In that case, there was no need to pull strings.”
Satisfied with my prompt kneeling, the man muttered something slightly troubling and then walked away. It seemed I had successfully avoided any trouble.
From his words about understanding one’s position, I realized the man was indeed an Azure Priest. If he were a noble not part of the priests, he would surely expect me to kneel.
“Myne-sama, in that situation, since you are equals, you needn’t kneel...”
“Fran, you know, that’s the official line, but I’m not a noble, am I? My social status is overwhelmingly lower than his. If kneeling can avoid trouble, isn’t that fine?”
Fran frowned, still frustrated.