Ascendance of a Bookworm

Even after the fever subsided, I wasn’t immediately allowed to get out of bed. According to Richarda, it was an order from the high priest. I was to remain quiet for two full days after the fever broke, and apparently, my books were being held for safekeeping. “If you don’t behave, the books will be taken away,” I was warned.

Of course, since I was a good girl, I quietly stayed on the bed, passing the time reading. The book was about the basics of magic circles. It was filled with symbols representing attributes and gods—a new language I had to learn. It was more like a dictionary than a book, and judging by the handwriting, it seemed to be written by the high priest himself.

…It’s incredible that the high priest can draw magic circles so effortlessly in the air without needing such a dictionary.

“Filine, shall we learn this together?”

“…That’s amazing.”

I called Filine, who had not yet studied magic circles, to my bedside. Together, we studied the symbols and enjoyed a leisurely two-day reading session.

“Now, princess, please hurry and prepare yourself. You might still make it to see the lord and lady off.”

It seemed the high priest was to confirm if I could move freely before the lord and lady’s farewell. I was told to head to the visiting room closest to the North Wing, where the high priest was waiting.

He examined me with a serious expression, touching my forehead and neck, then exhaled softly.

“Your complexion isn’t bad. Your body temperature and mana are stable. It seems safe for you to move around. Ah, the lord and lady left for the lords’ council earlier, but they were worried about you.”

Apparently, they had already departed for the council. Richarda had been anxious about whether she could see them off in time, but it was no use.

Everyone heading to the council had been polished up in Rinshan, the women adorned with hair ornaments, and the clerks were carrying plenty of plant paper. They had brought several chefs along to this battlefield called the lords’ council.

“…Isn’t Lord Ferdinand supposed to be at the temple? Last year, I recall he said he couldn’t leave the temple,” I asked.

“This year, he left it to his attendants, Kanfer, and Fritark. He plans to stay primarily in his office during the day. There might be an urgent summons from Sylvester.”

The high priest gave me a sharp glance and said this year’s council had many uncertainties. Certainly, both the epidemic and the engagement involved me, but ultimately, these decisions were made by my foster father, not solely on my account.

The real source of my unease wasn’t my foster father, who had several clerks assisting him and could summon the high priest in an emergency. It was, rather, the high priest who might be called away.

“Lord Ferdinand, you’ll be here during the day… So, do you intend to return to the temple at night?”

I stared at the high priest, wondering how much strain he planned to endure, and he snorted lightly.

“Don’t worry about me. You should focus on deepening your relationships with your close aides and siblings.”

He said that by strengthening these connections, I’d learn the common sense required among nobles, and my aides would become aware of my quirks. Without understanding how much we each differ, it would be impossible to make corrections, he muttered.

“How should I deepen my relationships with the nobles, Lord Ferdinand?”

“…You’d be better off asking Elvira than me, since she is of the opposite sex.”

“Understood. I will ask Mother.”

Apparently, deepening bonds with my close aides while ensuring a daily mana replenishment was my current task. I was also to report the day’s events to the high priest during dinner. I thought to myself this was something I hadn’t even done at the temple, but I nodded in agreement.

Back in my room, I sent an Ordnance to Mother to ask how best to deepen these relationships. Her reply was simple: “Do things together and have conversations.”