Published: September 6, 2025
The miracle of Haldenzel that is currently the talk of the social circles refers to the event during Haldenzel’s prayer ceremony when I pointed out, “This differs from what’s in the Sacred Scripture,” and Gibe Haldenzel decided, “Let’s try it according to the Sacred Scripture,” and carried out the ritual accordingly. As a result, the goddess of thunder, Feadrenna, enthusiastically thawed the snow overnight, bringing about an early summer-like climate, which is usually only seen later in the season.
“You say that I revived the old ritual, but it was Gibe Haldenzel’s decision to follow the Sacred Scripture, and it was the women of Haldenzel who performed the ceremony. So I don’t think I was the one who revived it... After all, weren’t the women of Haldenzel the ones who sang and supplied the mana during the ritual?”
“That may be true...”
My mother chuckled softly as she told me about this year’s events in Haldenzel.
As I had heard from Gibe Haldenzel at the beginning of the social season, Haldenzel, where the snow completely melted overnight, was able to start and continue fieldwork earlier than usual, nearly doubling their harvest. However, the ritual’s effect was limited to Haldenzel alone. As I saw from my mount on the way back, the blessing of the goddess of thunder, Feadrenna, sharply ended at the boundary, and the surrounding lands experienced the usual climate.
Naturally, Gibe representatives from neighboring lands questioned what had happened. Gibe Haldenzel, setting aside his own decision, reportedly answered, “It was a miracle wrought by the saint of Ehrenfest.”
...Please don’t say things like Hartmut would!
“So, many Gibe representatives have been flooding in with questions and requests for meetings about the old ritual methods. What shall we do?”
“I have nothing to answer. Please tell the Gibe representatives to ask Gibe Haldenzel for details. I cannot respond to any inquiries.”
I said this while shaking my head. My foster mother, who had not witnessed the ritual, looked puzzled and tilted her head, asking, “But it was Myne who gave advice, right?”
“I only pointed out that men and women had been switched over long years. Besides, it was the people of Haldenzel who preserved the old lyrics that no one else has, and who continued the old ways of the ritual. I don’t even know where to position people on that ritual stage.”
While I noticed that the song matched the poem in the Sacred Scripture, just reading the Scripture alone didn’t make it clear that the poem should be sung during the ritual. Also, although I participated in the ritual at Gibe Haldenzel’s request, I missed the timing to stand up and ended up crouching on the stage the whole time. I don’t think I can claim I caused the miracle.
“Furthermore, if you meet with other Gibe representatives, they will surely ask you to come to the next prayer ceremony, right?”
“That’s the main reason for their requests. Every Gibe wants the earliest possible arrival of spring.”
Having grown up in Haldenzel, where winters are long even in Ehrenfest, my mother carefully explained how much surrounding northern lands await the snow’s thaw. Compared to the Reno era, even this city of Ehrenfest has long winters.
“I understand the longing for spring, but I can’t attend every land’s prayer ceremony. Since I planned to take Gutenberg this year, I went to Haldenzel, but I have no plans to go next spring.”
Considering the coordination with other azure priests and reasons of time and stamina, it’s difficult for me to visit all lands. I won’t be going to Haldenzel next spring, either.
“I do want to go to Haldenzel to read the freshly printed books made over the winter. But if I keep going only to Haldenzel every year, people will say I’m playing favorites, and that would cause problems later, right?”
“I can’t always go only to Haldenzel.”
My foster mother nodded and laughed, saying, “So Myne wants to go to Haldenzel not for the prayer ceremony, but to read books.” Indeed, I have no other reason to go.