Ascendance of a Bookworm

I was supposed to return to the castle the day before the concert. I had to have the final meetings and confirmations with the foster mother and others, and as a pastry chef, I needed to have Ella work in the castle kitchen to mass-produce cookies.

“I will go on the day itself. I told you I won’t help with the preparations,”

While Fran and Gil were carrying the luggage, I went with Monica to greet the high priest before departure. The high priest frowned sullenly and said,

“It’s fine. I remember clearly. The high priest only needs to play the fischpiel.”

Since the beautiful illustrations made by Wilma were being loaded into the carriage at the moment, honestly, it was better if the high priest didn’t come along.

Up to today, I had printed as many copies as possible of Wilma’s drawings of the high priest—100 copies each of three different types. It was just right to have barely enough to boost purchasing desire.

Actually, that was a lie. If they sold well, I would have printed more and sold them. But time was desperately lacking. Had I had more time, I could have increased both the variety and the quantity. Such a shame.

Ella and Rosina rode in the attendant’s carriage, while I and two Guard Knights took the nobles’ carriage and set off for the castle.

“Come on, Rosemine. There’s no more time to waste!”

At the castle, the foster mother and my mother were waiting. Before even entering my room, they took me straight to the concert hall to check the venue.

Seats had already been prepared for tomorrow.

We walked around the hall where the stage for the high priest’s performance was set up, checking the standing room’s location and size. Even though it was standing room, it was a gathering of ladies and noblewomen. Chairs were arranged evenly like at a school entrance or graduation ceremony, and the seats were divided by faction as well.

There were multiple doors for entering and exiting the hall; we checked which doors the high priest, the servers, and the guests would use. We also looked around the waiting rooms and the first aid room.

“I think everything is prepared as discussed.”

After confirming the venue, we prepared the magic tools that amplified sound, checked the sweets, and verified the security system with the respective managers.

After many discussions, I was unexpectedly assigned to be the host.

No one had experience hosting a concert, and I didn’t understand it well. But since I was the same age as the high priest—so no jealousy would arise from sharing the stage—and because I was the organizer collecting donations, those were the reasons.

“By the way, Rosemine, what happened to those pictures?”

When most of the meetings ended, my mother leaned forward and asked. I proudly answered, “They’re done.”

“Let me see them.”

“I want to see them too.”

Since they both wanted to see the high priest’s illustrations, I moved to my room.

Lutz had prepared a relatively thin document box for carrying the illustrations. It was usually used at Gilberta Trading Company to hold documents.

I lined up three document boxes on the table and opened the lids.

“Oh my!”

My mother’s eyes sparkled as she peered in. The foster mother, surprised to find multiple copies of the same illustration, began flipping through the top pictures to check.

“I had heard about it, but seeing it with my own eyes is astonishing. This is printing?”

“Yes. We want to create an orphanage and a workshop and start this printing business, and we seek donations for that.”

“If you see it with your own eyes, it will be easier to understand.”

Then, of course, I mobilized not only my own attendants but also the foster mother’s attendants to begin sales training. From the start, the concert program, sweets, and illustrations would be brought into the venue by wagon after the high priest’s performance and sold.

“Oh? Wouldn’t it cause less confusion to sell these pictures earlier?”

“No, I think it’s better to do it after Lord Ferdinand has entered the waiting room following his performance. If he spots them, they’ll certainly be confiscated, and we want to avoid that.”