Published: September 6, 2025
After finishing the discussion with Hilsure, I had everyone leave the room, and I stayed behind to talk with Roderich.
“Richarda, do you have the eavesdropping prevention magic tool?”
“Yes, Lady. Here it is.”
I received the eavesdropping prevention magic tool from Richarda and handed it to Roderich. Watching him clutch it tightly, I began to speak.
“Roderich, you must have some idea about all the attributes, right?”
“Yes. When Master Hilsure said I was connected to Lady Rosemine, I understood. It’s the name offering.”
Roderich pressed his hand to his chest, his eyes distant as he recalled the moment of the name offering.
“At that time, I was bound by Lady Rosemine’s mana. I truly felt that this mana could both sustain and destroy me. So, I think Lady Rosemine’s mana influenced the blessings I received. ...Lady Rosemine has all attributes, right?”
Looking into Roderich’s eyes, full of conviction, it was impossible to hide the truth. I nodded. “It’s completely due to my influence.”
“I wonder if those who have offered names to Lord Ferdinand or Lady Georgine also increased their attributes under their masters’ influence?”
“...That’s possible. Thinking back now, alchemy became a bit easier. But it was truly just a little, so I thought it was just a good day. However, someone like Lord Eckhardt, who fights as a knight, might feel the effect of their master’s mana more keenly than I do.”
Furthermore, since the blessing ritual increased the attributes through a great deity, it seems consumption of mana has clearly decreased. Justox and Eckhardt Brother should have done the name offering after the blessing ritual, so the impact might not be that large, Roderich said, lowering his gaze briefly.
“However, I think it’s better not to announce the increase in attributes due to the name offering.”
“May I ask why?”
“Name offering is not something to be made public. It is a ritual to show one’s loyalty and to dedicate everything, even life itself, to the one they have chosen as master. It’s not something done merely to increase attributes.”
Roderich, who decided to serve me even at the cost of cutting ties with family, muttered softly that if name offering became popular merely to gain attributes, it would diminish his loyalty. I nodded slowly.
“I can’t entrust the lives of those who do name offering just for attribute gains. I don’t want to be responsible.”
“However, currently in Ehrenfest, children from the old Veronica faction are being forced to do name offerings to survive. That’s not normal.”
“...Indeed.”
“If they must offer their names anyway, I think more will choose Lady Rosemine, who has all attributes. But that’s not what Lady Rosemine desires, right?”
Although I resolved to accept the names of the four who chose me after comparing many, I would be troubled if many suddenly switched just for attributes.
“My biggest concern about announcing that name offering increases attributes is that the children of the old Veronica faction will face even more resentment from other nobles, and more nobles will argue they should be implicated. If they gain life through name offering and also obtain as many attributes as the lord family, the punishment meaning behind implication would weaken.”
The old Veronica faction mostly consists of lower to middle nobles. Some have cleverly integrated Arensbach blood and are close to upper nobility, but their aptitudes range from one to three attributes. Now they could have as many attributes as the lord family. Moreover, by offering their names, they gain access to mana compression methods. This must not be pleasant to the Reizegang-affiliated upper nobles.
“However, since many children are doing name offering, it might be impossible to keep this hidden. We need to consult Foster Father. The masters know Roderich has gained all attributes, but please be careful not to spread this too much.”
“Understood.”
Until the weekend, I continued passing both the common classroom studies and practicals on the first day. Every time I went to the lecture hall or small hall, people whispered things like, “I heard they performed a large-scale blessing while playing Fischpiel,” or “It was a blessing on a scale I’ve never seen,” pointing fingers at me. With so many eyewitnesses, I couldn’t deny it; I just had to wait until the rumors died down.