Published: September 6, 2025
“Welcome back, Lady Rosemine. We have been awaiting your arrival, Lord Melchior.”
When Fran and the others opened the gate to the orphanage, they entered the orphanage’s dining hall. My attendants—Wilma, Gil, and Fritz—knelt side by side at the front, and behind them stood all the gray priests and gray shrine maidens. Further back were the apprentices and the children who had yet to undergo baptism.
In my memory, only Dirk and Conrad were the small children present, so it felt strange to see so many children around their age. These must be the children who had arrived at the orphanage due to the purge. Additionally, with the blue priests sent back home related to the purge, the number of gray priests and gray shrine maidens returning to the orphanage seems to have increased. It feels like there are quite a lot now. Seeing this, I truly grasp the scale of the purge.
“...There are so many in the temple’s orphanage.”
“There were fewer before. That’s because the number of blue priests has decreased. And the children have increased as well...”
I quietly caught Melchior’s small murmur and nodded lightly. Then, stepping forward, I called out to my attendants.
“Wilma, Gil, Fritz. Thank you for organizing everyone at the orphanage.”
After that, Hartmut, who oversees priest transfers, addressed everyone gathered. Today, he announced that Melchior and the children who would become new blue apprentices would have their attendants chosen. Looking at Melchior and the others, he smiled brightly.
“Since you already know the daily routines and facilities in the noble district, please select at least one former attendant who has served a blue priest. For the rest, feel free to choose anyone; they have been well-trained here and will learn quickly in their new roles.”
If the child had completed their baptism, it was acceptable to select an apprentice. Melchior looked around the gray group with interest.
“Lord Melchior will choose about five attendants, and others about three each. It’s good to include someone who can assist in the kitchen. First, please select one experienced attendant. Gil, Fritz, please gather the former attendants.”
At their call, those who had experience serving blue priests or blue shrine maidens stood before Melchior and the others. Watching the gray priests and maidens gather in front, Hartmut, from a noble’s perspective, began further filtering those most suitable for use. He divided the former attendants into right and left groups and told those on the left to step back.
“Even though their workplaces have changed from serving blue priests to the orphanage, they have worked diligently without complaint. They are perceptive and considerate. They will serve sincerely even young masters.”
Apparently, those who showed dissatisfaction when sent back to the orphanage, claimed that such work was not meant for them, or took out their frustrations on the orphanage were filtered out. I was surprised Hartmut had this information.
“Not only does Hartmut perform his duties as high priest, but he is well-informed about the orphanage as well.”
Filine caught my comment and smiled softly.
“Hartmut frequents the orphanage the most and communicates closely with Lady Rosemine’s attendants. He is loved by Dirk and Conrad too and gathers information from the children’s perspective. He says he can hear frank opinions.”
“He often appears casual even when dealing with gray priests and maidens, making it easy to be deceived, but Hartmut views everyone from the perspective of whether Lady Rosemine might summon new attendants. His evaluations are quite strict.”
Darmel whispered this to me secretly. Roderich muttered, “The grading is tough even for close aides.” Because Hartmut himself is so capable, those around him seem a bit intimidated.
Nicolaus and the others listened seriously to Hartmut’s words, waiting for Melchior to finish selecting attendants first. Those without attendant experience showed looks of surprise and fear at Hartmut’s filtering, silently waiting for their names to be called.