Published: August 25, 2025
I am Sylvester. I had just seen off Charlotte, who was enrolling in the noble academy at Aub Ehrenfest. Busy with the Winter Social Season and with no clerks around, I entered my office and rolled my shoulders. Honestly, the Winter Social Season, where I am always expected to maintain a lordly demeanor, is extremely exhausting.
"Do you think this year will pass peacefully, Karlstedt?" I asked Karlstedt, my Guard Knight who stood by my side. He frowned and muttered, "Hmm... I hope it will be more peaceful than last year, but some kind of trouble will likely arise."
"Don’t talk like it’s someone else’s problem. The one who usually causes trouble is your daughter," I retorted.
"She is my daughter, but your adopted daughter," he replied.
For a moment we shifted responsibility back and forth, then turned our attention to Ferdinand, who lightly nodded and glanced at some documents as if uninvolved.
"The way the guardian raises her might be the problem too, right, Ferdinand?"
"That’s how she is by nature. Problems will occur, but this year’s reports should be a bit more predictable than last year’s."
This year, I had Wilfried, Charlotte, and Rosemine each write reports through their clerks. Sometimes one perspective isn’t enough.
The very next day, the first report arrived.
“On the first day of residence, Lady Rosemine was impressed with the new bookshelf in the dormitory and expressed her utmost gratitude and affection to Lord Wilfried, who told her she could use it however she liked.”
This was a report from Wilfried’s civil official apprentice, Ignatz. Charlotte’s apprentice, Marianne, wrote, “At the first-year welcome event, it seems that for Lady Rosemine, giving instructions on how to use the bookshelf was considered part of a greeting. Lady Charlotte was confused but corrected it.”
“Though we already knew, Rosemine’s common sense is even more detached from noble common sense than expected,” Karlstedt said with a wry smile, flicking through the report. Ferdinand sighed exaggeratedly.
“Just installing a bookshelf in the dormitory earns the greatest gratitude and affection ever seen... Good thing her engagement with Wilfried was finalized before a large territory lord claims the whole library.”
“Indeed. Rosemine is easily lured,” I said.
Rosemine jumps at books and libraries without much hesitation. It’s almost baffling how her thought process can prioritize books so highly. Yet manipulating Rosemine with books is surprisingly difficult. While it’s expected she’ll jump at something, the direction and destination of where she lands are completely unexpected.
“So, what does Rosemine’s report say?”
I skimmed the report from Rosemine’s apprentice, Hartmut.
“She spoke words of encouragement to the children of the old Veronica faction. Some children seemed to want to dedicate their names to Lady Rosemine, but considering the rapidly changing political landscape, Mathias advised them to think carefully. As a result, no one dedicated their name on the spot. Lady Rosemine has an aversion to receiving a name dedication.”
“...Some actually want to dedicate their names to Rosemine?” Ferdinand looked at the report, frowning. Name dedication isn’t something trivial. Our intention was to delay the old Veronica faction’s children until adulthood by setting conditions.
“Still, why does Rosemine hesitate to accept a name? Isn’t it an honor?”
I nodded at Karlstedt’s murmured question. Refusing honor is puzzling. But Ferdinand casually said, “...Probably because she’s not ready to shoulder someone else’s life.”
“When you dedicate your name, responsibility for that person’s life arises. When I was about to enter the temple, I consulted whether Eckhardt and Justox could be assigned to tasks other than being my aides, right?”
Entering the temple was only for myself. I was prepared to return the name and suggested they find another lord, and asked for their care. Wilfried was asked first but refused immediately.