Published: August 15, 2025
The study session led by the Guard Knights for Angelica had begun. Since Angelica had to return to the Noble Academy for supplementary lessons, she was taking this opportunity to undergo intense karuta training alongside the apprentices in the knight dormitory.
“When you take the picture cards you’ve memorized, your hand should move quickly and smoothly,” Brother Cornelius had taught her.
As for the basics of military strategy, the content was mainly from the book that Brother Lamprecht had brought when I was bedridden right after the baptism ceremony.
When I first read the book, I couldn’t understand it at all, partly because it used mana. But after Darmel explained it using chess-like pieces called Gewinnen, which use mana, I felt like I somewhat understood it.
“So, Darmel, in this case, do we move the piece here?”
“Yes, Lady Rosemine. And these are some of the fundamental moves in military strategy.”
Darmel moved the pieces to demonstrate several fundamental tactics from the book.
With the actual pieces moving as explanations, it seemed to sink in effortlessly, and Angelica was thoroughly impressed.
“So that’s what this passage meant.”
“They should use Gewinnen in the lectures too.”
It seemed that Angelica and Brother Cornelius, who previously only moved as instructed by mana and brute force, had started to take some interest in military strategy. They were moving Gewinnen pieces while looking at the book.
Brigitte, watching the two, glanced at Darmel.
“Is this how you learned military strategy, Darmel?”
“Because my brother taught me, I mostly used Gewinnen to study military strategy.”
Gewinnen was a game often played among knights, but since it required mana to play, it was more common among the middle and upper nobility. It was somewhat curious that Darmel, a lower noble, owned and used it so naturally.
“When my brother was enrolled at the Noble Academy, Gewinnen was all the rage. It was used in competitions like demonic beast hunting between territories and a sport called Ditter. Ferdinand devised strategies and explained using Gewinnen. It seemed everyone knew military strategy well even without attending lectures.”
Perhaps much of Darmel’s admiration and respect for the high priest came from hearing such stories about his brother.
…The more I learn, the more it’s clear: the High Priest is truly all-powerful.
“By the time Lady Rosemine attends the Noble Academy, I bet karuta and picture books will be very popular. The effects are this significant. We could probably sell them for even higher prices to other territories. It would strengthen Ehrenfest’s standing.”
Brigitte said this while looking at the karuta and picture books.
“…Is Ehrenfest’s standing weak?”
“Right now, it’s somewhere in the middle.”
Ehrenfest had maintained neutrality during the political upheaval, so it had relatively little fallout and was currently placed around the middle. Before that, out of about 30 territories, it was near the bottom.
“It’s just that the influence of the territories that lost power declined, not that Ehrenfest itself has much influence.”
“I see. Then, regarding the teaching materials, we should keep them secret from other territories for now and aim to improve Ehrenfest’s academic level first.”
I told my Foster Father and the High Priest about what Brigitte had said regarding the teaching materials, academic improvement, and Ehrenfest’s influence. Strengthening Ehrenfest’s influence while the political situation was unstable seemed a desirable goal for the lord.
As a result, at the spring celebration banquet, it was announced that the academic abilities of Ehrenfest’s children had greatly improved over winter, and the lord declared that the Gilberta Trading Company’s teaching materials would be kept secret from other territories and must never be taken out of the dormitory even when brought to the Noble Academy.
After the banquet, while talking with the children who were reluctant to part, I had the parents of lower nobles write a note promising to lend the teaching materials to their children and have them take good care of them. Seeing the children happily hugging the picture books and karuta, I let out a relieved breath.