Ascendance of a Bookworm

“…Ooooh, Lady Hannelore was totally put off by me.”

Feeling down from being rejected by my dear book-loving friend, I slumped my shoulders and sluggishly descended the dorm stairs on the mini bus. I had been told to wait in the multipurpose hall until lunch was ready. Wilfried and Charlotte were already there, reading books while waiting.

“Older sister, since we have dedication dance practice this afternoon, you can join us, right?” Charlotte said, looking up when she noticed me. I nodded with a smile, but then suddenly realized something and felt the blood drain from my face in an instant. Given my current inability to control my mana, practicing the dedication dance would surely cause an unstoppable outburst of blessings. I’d already been rejected this morning during the lecture; if I messed up again this afternoon, Lady Hannelore might definitely start to distance herself from me.

…That would be terrible! I have to do something, not just pray to the gods!

“Brother Wilfried, Charlotte, I can’t control my mana right now and I’m afraid blessings will overflow during the dance practice. Is there any good way to stop it?”

Everyone in the multipurpose hall, including Wilfried and Charlotte, began pondering seriously at my words. It seemed that the children who had received blessings during my music lecture had been viewed oddly by others. This was no longer someone else’s problem for the students of the Ehrenfest dorm.

“…Didn’t Teacher Hilsure say to use mana?”

Wilfried suggested, but I shook my head. I hadn’t been totally neglecting countermeasures.

“I tried using mana at the gathering spot on Earth Day yesterday, but it didn’t help much.”

“I see. That sudden blessing startled me, but it was to reduce mana, wasn’t it?”

Wilfried sighed lightly, and Charlotte blinked her indigo eyes as she looked at me.

“Older sister, even with that much blessing, it didn’t work!?”

“Indeed. During the morning lecture, only Rosemine nearly reached the end of the curriculum; it was pretty much ineffective. Incidentally, Lady Hannelore, who sat next to me, was surprised and hurt by it. Even though she has the same blessing, she was upset, saying it’s unfair that I don’t struggle.”

Wilfried’s words made Charlotte murmur, “So you have to use even more mana, right?”

“If I send a letter to Ehrenfest now asking to load extra mana into empty mana stones or magic tools before the afternoon lecture, won’t they arrive after lunch? …With the lord of winter’s subjugation approaching, the knights will appreciate it.”

For a moment, my gaze drifted toward the children from the old Veronica faction. Charlotte seemed to catch herself before mentioning whether mana shortage might be due to the purge.

“If we cooperate with the lord of winter’s subjugation, the medicinal herbs I nurtured at the gathering spot with mana should be of better quality, right? How about picking herbs for making healing potions and sending them to Ehrenfest, then restoring the gathering spot?”

“That’s not something we can do during lunch break, but it’s a good idea. It helps Ehrenfest and helps me too.”

I immediately instructed Filine and wrote an urgent letter to Ehrenfest: “Too much blessing causes loss of mana control; vast blessings may erupt during afternoon dedication dance practice. Accepting any empty mana stones or magic tools urgently, for the dedication ceremony or winter lord’s subjugation.”

“Roderich, please mark this as urgent and send it to Ehrenfest immediately.”

“As you wish.”

Watching Roderich hurry out, Judith timidly asked, “Lady Rosemine, if your mana is so high, may I also receive some mana for my mana stone?”

“That’s fine, Judith… Actually, anyone who needs mana, please ask! Until we head to the dedication dance, I will provide my mana free of charge. It’s urgent!”

The multipurpose hall murmured. But an atmosphere of awe lingered at the thought of receiving mana from a lord candidate. Amid that, Leonore pulled mana stones and magic tools from the leather pouch at her waist.