Ascendance of a Bookworm

I am Ryurladi, a third-year senior civil official at the noble academy in Yosbrenner.

Today, I am to participate in a ritual conducted jointly by Dunkelfelger and Ehrenfest. Once again, I reviewed the ritual precautions that Lady Muliera, a civil official apprentice from Ehrenfest, had conveyed to me and which I had carefully transcribed myself.

“The purification is complete, and the healing potions are prepared. Also, I managed to memorize the prayer words.”

“Ryurladi, haven’t you undergone the ritual to receive the blessing yet? Aren’t the words you chant in that ritual almost the same? In Ehrenfest, even lower-ranking nobles pass on their first try, don’t they?”

My older sister gave me an exasperated look, but memorizing all the names of the gods is very challenging. Please don’t compare me to the Ehrenfest students who passed on their first attempt. All third-year students at Ehrenfest passed the theory exam on their first day when they entered. Lady Rosemine, the lord candidate leading them, is even the fastest to pass the practical exams, so comparisons are difficult.

“Honestly, I can’t even get decent information...”

“You’re the same as your sister when it comes to not getting information about Lady Rosemine.”

When Lady Rosemine entered, all we got was the boastful info led by her aide Hartmut: “She’s the Saint of Ehrenfest.” When I was in the second year, Lady Clarissa from Dunkelfelger chased my sister away, saying, “Hartmut’s escort is me.”

“Unlike my sister, I’ve learned from Hartmut and Filine about stories Lady Rosemine likes and her plans to return to Ehrenfest. From conversations between Lord Wilfried and Lady Hannelore, I also learned they’re building connections with higher-ranking territories through lending books. Now, I’m on friendly terms with Lady Muliera.”

Ehrenfest buys stories from various regions at high prices. I was asked by a lower noble of Yosbrenner to find out which stories Lady Rosemine prefers to ensure they pay as much as possible, but since the leadership is upper nobility, I headed to the library. That’s where I began to get information from Hartmut and Filine.

Apparently, Lady Rosemine prefers love stories. I didn’t quite understand the phrase “uriasuteki,” though.

I think I would get along well with Lady Rosemine—I also love love stories.

Muliera, newly appointed to Lady Rosemine’s retinue, was introduced to me by Filine. Lady Muliera loves love stories too, and when we start talking together, we tend to discuss love stories more than gathering information.

…I hope to become close to Lady Rosemine soon and read the many love stories of Ehrenfest.

While it’s fun to hear from Lady Muliera about what stories she’s heard, I want to read them myself.

…The new noble academy love stories even have wonderful scenes where the goddess of time plays pranks in a gazebo and the god of darkness spreads his large sleeves to cover the goddess of light. Ah, when will I be able to read those?

“Wanting to marry into Ehrenfest just to read new books—that’s so naive. With so many top performers and Ehrenfest attracting attention, it’s not easy to marry in now. Things are different from a few years ago.”

“If you want to marry a middle-ranking noble in Ehrenfest...”

“Father and Mother only know Ehrenfest when it was wandering low ranks, so they’d never approve of marrying a middle-ranking noble there. Stop daydreaming and let’s head to the auditorium.”

My sister called to another senior civil official apprentice, Lustraone. From Yosbrenner, the three of us—my sister, Lustraone, and I—were to participate in the joint research.

Ehrenfest was long a low-ranking middle territory but rose rapidly by remaining neutral during the political upheaval. Thus, its mana has been quite conserved. The territory’s rising and stable production indicates a rich mana supply in the land.

Moreover, noble academy grades have been steadily rising over the past five or six years. At first, only lower years’ theory improved sharply, so others mocked Ehrenfest as desperate to maintain its rank. That was before I entered, when Yosbrenner ranked higher.