Published: September 6, 2025
“Lady Rosemine, will we not receive a blessing this year after all? There might be interference from Professor Fraurelm again.”
Representing the knight apprentices who would participate in the Ditter this afternoon, Leonore stepped forward and spoke. I could recall everyone struggling in last year’s Hundertteilen, and at the same time, I saw the knight apprentices looking at me with anxious eyes, pleading silently. But I no longer intended to give any blessings. I shook my head.
“There was no blessing even during the training mock battles, and yet you still ranked sixth, right? Your abilities are sufficient, and relying too much on me will not help your growth.”
Leonore accepted this and withdrew readily, as if she had only been testing the waters. Unlike her, Brother Cornelius tilted his head in confusion.
“Why won’t you give blessings this year? If Dunkelfelger can receive blessings, surely we should as well. Lady Rosemine’s blessing makes a big difference.”
“Dunkelfelger has reached the point where everyone cooperates to earn blessings on their own. It’s a problem if only Ehrenfest keeps depending on my blessing forever.”
...And besides, it seemed that Ehrenfest had decided not to improve their ranking.
Since this was said under the use of eavesdropping prevention magic tools and affected everyone’s morale, I did not say it aloud but added it quietly in my mind.
“At the end of today’s Ditter, the adult knights of Dunkelfelger will give a demonstration, right? Others will imitate what they see. Since everyone is moving toward earning blessings by themselves, I want Ehrenfest to also do their best in the same way. Otherwise, the knight apprentices of Ehrenfest, who have studied to receive blessings, might end up being the ones who gain the least blessings.”
After graduation, the king said that those who wished could redo the Blessing Ritual. It was possible to redo the ritual once back at Ehrenfest. But no matter how many times you redo it, if your prayers and offerings are insufficient, it’s meaningless.
“I also have information that the amount of mana offering is the key to success. Please become able to obtain blessings on your own.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Angelica watched the knight apprentices nod vigorously, then murmured, “Lady Rosemine, if I perform that ritual, will I become stronger too?” She seemed interested in the idea of everyone becoming stronger by earning blessings themselves.
“If you obtain a blessing, you will become stronger at that time. The Dunkelfelger ritual obtains blessings from multiple gods. Moreover, if you perform the ritual seriously multiple times, you become more likely to receive the gods' blessing. But to receive blessings, you must memorize the names of the gods, Angelica.”
“Memorize... I wish Steinluk could do that for me.”
She must have disliked studying at the temple very much. Angelica sighed gloomily as she stroked the mana stone of Steinluk hanging at her waist. The sheath was still short, like a dagger. At first glance, no one would think it was a longsword.
“If you receive many blessings, your mana consumption decreases, and Steinluk can grow even more.”
It was Angelica, wielding Steinluk, who would benefit the most from having as many blessings as possible for advantageous combat.
“Eh!? Does that mean you can use less mana?”
Angelica looked at me as if she had just heard this for the first time. Apparently, memorizing the names of the gods was part of the research, and she had no understanding of how it would benefit her.
“Didn’t Darmel explain this, Angelica?”
“Maybe I heard it. From now on, I intend to memorize the names of the gods with all my effort.”
“I’m glad you’re motivated, Angelica.”
“If you had gotten motivated a little earlier, Darmel’s troubles would have been halved, Angelica.”
Brother Cornelius muttered sympathetically to Darmel, who had been teaching an unmotivated Angelica. It must have been very difficult.
Listening to the stories of Darmel’s hardships from Brother Cornelius and Hartmut, I headed toward the venue of the territory competition.