Published: September 6, 2025
Having retrieved the Sacred Scripture, the autumn coming-of-age ceremony concluded without incident. I had expected one of the nobles to come and verify the Scripture, but it seems the inspector was Egmont. A letter had arrived from my family, addressed to Egmont, inquiring whether I had properly opened and used the Scripture during the ceremony.
“What shall we do about this, High Priest?”
“Just respond in Egmont’s name that the Scripture was only brought into the ritual but was not opened. I’m looking forward to seeing how many nobles get caught at the Winter Social Season.”
The High Priest smiled slyly, and Hartmut nodded in agreement, saying, “We must clean out any nobles who pose a danger to Lady Rosemine.”
…In a way, isn’t Hartmut the most dangerous noble?
I had Monica pose as Egmont’s attendant and write the reply. It seemed to be a magical tool letter; once written and sealed in an envelope, it transformed into a white bird and flew off.
“After the winter baptism ceremony, we must move to the castle to prepare for the social season, but I worry about nobles sneaking into the temple again.”
Even after we moved, nobles traveled from the south through the temple heading to the winter social season. Some might try to cause trouble. This time, we decided to have Darmel stay until just before the social season began. Since we were summoned for a lord family meeting, we had to move to the castle immediately after finishing the winter baptism ceremony.
This meeting was to share intelligence from Viscount Dardorf with the upper echelons of the knights order, finalizing plans for the winter purge. Since it was top secret, only the most trustworthy aides—one civil servant, one attendant, and one Guard Knight—were allowed to accompany. I was accompanied by Hartmut, Richarda, and Brother Cornelius.
Foster Father explained the schedule for the purge and discussed the nobles planned for capture. Wilfried, Charlotte, and Melchior, who had not been informed before, looked shocked, and their aides appeared tense. The topic of name offerings to the old Veronica faction also came up.
“Father, what is your intention regarding nobles who have made name offerings?”
Wilfried asked anxiously. Given the old Veronica faction’s difficulty in being brought over, it was obvious that the number of nobles who had made name offerings was astonishingly high by Ehrenfest standards.
“Those who made name offerings to Veronica, the previous lord’s principal wife, will not be punished unless involved in wrongdoing.”
Since Veronica remains in the White Tower, no new orders can be issued, so Foster Father judged this group to be no different from other nobles who have not made name offerings.
“Couldn’t we have Veronica return the names?”
I asked. I had heard that the High Priest had tried to return names to Eckhardt and the others when they entered the temple. If Veronica returned the names, wouldn’t that be simpler? But the High Priest shook his head.
“Rosemine, do you think she would so easily relinquish her own vassals? If we ask her to return the names, she might make troublesome demands or strange conditions.”
“Besides, such important items are probably kept in a secret room. If Mother ascends to the Far Heights, she could open the secret room using her mana stone, but then the nobles who made name offerings would have to go to the Far Heights too. I do not want unnecessary deaths, and as long as they swear to work for Ehrenfest, that suffices.”
Foster Father’s deep green eyes gleamed as he added, “But those who made name offerings to your older sister are different. She is the principal wife of Arensbach and acts for Arensbach, not Ehrenfest. Nobles who cannot disobey her orders are dangerous for Ehrenfest. I want to save as many children who cannot choose their faction as possible, but I will show no mercy to those who have already made name offerings to your sister.”
I heard that Viscount Dardorf was told by his parents to make name offerings. So, some children might have been told to offer names to Georgine during this visit. The faces of the old Veronica faction children flashed through my mind.