Published: August 15, 2025
The summer gathering of materials had safely concluded, and finally, my fever had broken.
After breakfast, while discussing today's schedule with Fran, I was told that since the high priest and I had both been away for several days, work had piled up.
“I hope Kanfer or Fritark can soon step up to replace the high priest.”
I sighed deeply, and Darmel, who was on guard duty, furrowed his brows with a troubled expression and shrugged his shoulders.
“Lady Rosemine, I think that’s asking a bit too much… Replacing Lord Ferdinand isn’t something any other noble can easily do.”
“...That’s true. I would also be troubled if asked to take his place.”
Even if it’s impossible for me to replace the high priest alone, we must prepare multiple people to share the duties so the temple can keep running somehow. Now that the high priest has returned to secular life, I think the number of times I leave the temple will only increase.
When the third bell rang, after finishing Fischpiel practice, I headed to assist the high priest. He called me over with a very serious expression.
“Rosemine.”
“Yes?”
Tilting my head in confusion, the high priest motioned silently with his chin toward the punishment room. I had no recollection of doing anything wrong, but his gaze and that silent gesture conveyed nothing but cold anger.
I felt an unconditional urge to apologize, “It’s my fault,” and honestly wanted to run away. I looked up at Fran with a stiff movement that might have creaked and tried silently pleading for help, but she slowly shook her head in refusal.
...Someone, please help me.
As everyone quietly averted their eyes, I reluctantly entered the punishment room. As soon as we sat facing each other, the high priest glared at me with his golden eyes, and I gasped, straightening my posture.
“I haven’t heard this, but I heard the elder sister of Sylvester—who is in Arensbach—will come at the end of summer?”
“...Huh? Didn’t I report that?”
“I haven’t heard. This is important.”
“I apologize.”
I told the high priest about the conversation I had in Foster Father’s study when the lord and lady returned.
Because the temple had sent a reply regarding the death of the former high priest, the lords’ council was pestering them, and apparently, the elder sister was coming to Ehrenfest to visit the grave.
As I spoke, the high priest’s already serious face grew even more stern.
“Wait. Why is she at the lords’ council?”
“Why? She married the lord of Arensbach, right? Since Lady Florentia from Ehrenfest attends the lords’ council, it’s natural that Foster Father’s elder sister represents Arensbach.”
Confused by his question, I tilted my head, and the high priest slowly shook his head.
“She married as the third wife. It’s strange for her to accompany the lords’ council, which only the principal wife attends. In fact, she wasn’t there last year. That’s why all matters related to the former high priest during the council were kept secret.”
Apparently, only the principal wife is allowed to assist the lord and be involved in politics. If the principal wife is close, the second wife may assist her, but other wives are basically excluded to avoid a ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’ situation.
“I see... is that so?”
“You don’t understand at all, do you?”
“Not entirely. I understand some things.”
I recognized that the elder sister, having married as the third wife, had been unable to engage in Arensbach politics until now. Since she attended this year’s lords’ council, she must have been promoted to principal wife.
“But even knowing that, I don’t know how the situation will change.”
“That’s exactly what you don’t understand. The family of the principal wife involved in politics is easily influenced, for better or worse. Recently in Ehrenfest, another of Sylvester’s sisters married, and the influence of Florentia’s family in western Froebelthark was significant. You know that, don’t you?”