Ascendance of a Bookworm

My name is Filine. I am a civil official apprentice and a close aide to Lady Rosemine. For a lower-ranking noble like me to become an attendant to a lord candidate is nothing short of a stroke of luck.

Moreover, Lady Rosemine has not only saved me but also my younger brother Conrad, and granted us rooms in the North Wing. I am determined to serve Lady Rosemine with my life.

Normally, a civil official apprentice who has a home in the Noble District commutes to work. Since most of the time they assist their family or relatives, they usually work under them during their apprenticeship. Those living in the Noble District serve at the castle if they are attached to a Gibe in that area.

After graduating from the noble academy, those with excellent grades might be ordered by the lord to enter dormitories and work at the castle, but most return to their hometown. It’s mostly the civil officials from the Noble District who work at the castle. There used to be a dormitory for civil officials from distant lands, but due to low usage, now they share facilities with the knight dormitories.

Knight apprentices also commute to the castle if they have a residence in the Noble District, and those serving a Gibe receive training from knights locally.

However, unlike civil officials, knights are trained in group activities for several years after adulthood, so all must live in dormitories without exception. Afterwards, they either return home or get assigned elsewhere.

Attendant apprentices are somewhat different. At first, they serve their own relatives and learn the job that way. Once approved by their family, those from the Noble District come to the castle, while those serving a Gibe do their apprenticeship locally. Some also serve higher-ranking nobles in the Noble District.

Close aides serving the lord family are given rooms near their master’s quarters, and even those who are not close aides but live in the castle have rooms prepared in a corner of the castle.

Among Lady Rosemine’s attendants, Otilier, who has a family home in the Noble District, is granted a room but basically commutes. Richarda, whose husband has passed and whose children have taken over, mostly lives in the castle and only returns home occasionally during breaks.

Although I am a civil official apprentice, not a knight apprentice, I was granted a room near Lady Rosemine’s quarters, like an attendant. This is to emphasize my role as her close aide and to prevent interference from family.

Usually, the attendants begin their duties before the second bell, but today they started moving right after the first bell since we are accompanying the starbinding ceremony at the boundary gate.

Sensing everyone’s movements, I woke up. When I headed to the dining room where the North Wing attendants eat, Brünhilde had just finished her breakfast.

“Oh, Filine, you didn’t have to get up so early since you’re not accompanying us,” Brünhilde said, dressed in her riding uniform and ready to depart. Although an upper noble, she is very kind. She often shares the nuances of noble customs with me and discreetly helps out, saying things like, “A close aide who can’t do this would embarrass Lady Rosemine.”

“I want to help in any way I can and see them off,” I replied.

The castle chef prepares meals for the attendants, so although there are slightly fewer dishes compared to the lord family’s meals, the taste is excellent.

They plan to increase the number of court chefs and eventually serve the same quality meals in the knight dormitories, but training and increasing chefs is not easy. Judith, who lives in the knight dormitory, often laments this.

“This trip outside the castle is a great chance to learn about Princess Rosemine beyond the castle walls. Keep in mind that she’s unfamiliar with noble common sense. Serve her well so she doesn’t make any mistakes at the Count Reizegang’s estate,” Richarda advised.

Nodding to Richarda, Otilier, Brünhilde, Hartmut, and Leonore prepared their mounts for departure. Surrounding them were the lord family and their close aides, two groups of the groom’s family, and the knights order protecting the group — quite a large crowd, all preparing for the journey.