Published: August 15, 2025
The day after I returned from Ilkner.
As usual, at the third bell, I headed to the high priest’s room to help out. Eckhardt Brother, who seemed to have finished the handover, was already there.
However, unlike my Guard Knight who stood watch by the door, Eckhardt looked more like he had been assigned to assist with clerical work. Considering that the azure priests and attendants showed no reaction, this seemed to be the usual scene.
“High Priest, is it alright to have a guard do clerical work?”
“You can’t, but I don’t mind. ...If I’m attacked, I can manage to handle it to some extent on my own. You, on the other hand, would collapse even without being attacked. That’s the difference.”
I had no retort.
Darmel had originally aimed to be a civil servant, as he had said himself, so it was a shame that his aptitude for clerical work wasn’t being put to use.
“Yustox should arrive before noon today. We’ll be discussing materials, so let’s try to finish as much office work as possible by then.”
“Yes!”
I tackled the backlog of calculations that had piled up during my absence.
Fran had struggled mentally in Ilkner due to the different living environment and had weakly smiled, saying, “I didn’t expect to be this exhausted just from a change in environment.” But back at the temple, she was regaining her vitality.
Just as the high priest had said, before the fourth bell rang, Yustox arrived at the temple. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked around, searching for something interesting, and then walked toward the office desk.
“Good morning, Ferdinand. And welcome back, Princess Rosemine. How was Ilkner? Did anything interesting happen?”
Yustox spoke lightheartedly, almost humming, saying he was looking forward to lunch, talking with me, and touring the workshop.
“I’m troubled by such sudden comments. Today, I plan to visit the orphanage, not the workshop.”
“May I visit the orphanage as well? I’m very interested in the orphanage where Lady Rosemine shows her compassion. I believe all the orphans can read and write, correct?”
He should have understood that I clearly refuse such requests from nobles, but Yustox pretended not to notice and tried to set his schedule accordingly. If he keeps acting like a lady, I thought, he might end up tagging along to the orphanage I haven’t even seen yet. So I decided to refuse clearly rather than vaguely.
“...Please come only when the high priest can accompany you. It would be troublesome if you wandered around the orphanage on your own.”
“Is there something there you don’t want seen?”
Yustox’s curiosity seemed piqued further. I glared at him sharply. Allowing such a pushy noble, who runs after his own interests, into the orphanage would surely worsen Wilma’s dislike of men.
“Among the gray shrine maidens, some are uncomfortable with men due to the overbearing azure priests. The girls’ dormitory is off-limits, and you don’t seem capable of respecting that, so no.”
“I see.”
Yustox appeared to acquiesce, but he wasn’t convinced at all.
“So, if I cross-dress, may I enter?”
His eyes were serious. He really intended to cross-dress just to get into the orphanage.
“Yustox, you are strictly forbidden from entering the orphanage!”
“What!?”
Yustox acted as if it was unfair, which surprised me. I couldn’t allow such a strange person who would cross-dress to sneak into the orphanage.
As orphanage director and temple head, I was firmly resolved to prevent the orphanage from becoming prey to Yustox’s odd interests. At that moment, the high priest let out a conspicuous sigh.
“Save such trivial matters for later. First, let’s get to the main topic.”
Waving his hand lightly, the high priest stopped our conversation and dismissed the attendants. Only those going on the gathering expedition, including the Guard Knights, remained.
Spreading a map with a rustling sound, the high priest pointed to a mountain in the south.
“This time, we are heading to a mountain called Lowenberg. The best day for summer material gathering is five days from now. We will depart the day after tomorrow.”