Published: September 6, 2025
After finishing breakfast and practicing Fischpiel, the close aides arrived from the castle. The guard knights were being rotated, and the day's schedule was being confirmed.
“I want to keep the discussion with Benno this afternoon as discreet as possible, so I intend to use the secret room. Darmel, please provide the guard.”
“Lady Rosemine, will a civil official accompany you?”
Hartmut asked with a smile, and I hesitated for a moment. To protect my secret, I had to choose from among the name-offering group who would absolutely follow orders. Looking at Hartmut, brimming with enthusiasm, and everyone else who was clearly avoiding eye contact as if to say, “Please choose Hartmut,” I realized I had only one option.
“Ugh, please choose Hartmut.”
“Understood.”
In the morning, I asked Monica and Fran to prepare the secret room, then handled official duties and handed over tasks in the high priest’s office. Melchior and his aides were also there, so we discussed the future of the orphanage. Since I was serving concurrently as the orphanage director, I told Melchior’s aides that I wanted the orphanage director position officially appointed. Melchior’s face turned extremely troubled.
“Orphanage director, huh... The high priest’s role is similar to a civil official’s work, so appointing one of my aides is easy. But the orphanage director takes care of children from commoner families, right? Though attendants’ jobs might be closer than civil officials’, it’s too different from previous work, and I don’t think a handover can be done in one year. Plus, I don’t have many aides yet... I think a woman would be more suitable.”
Since most of Melchior’s aides were men, they seemed to consider managing the orphanage with young children as outside their jurisdiction. Considering the nobles’ views, they were also resistant to letting women join the temple attendants. I understood the importance of appearances, but it was troubling. I intended Monica and the others to become Melchior’s attendants, but it looked like they wouldn’t be accepted.
...It wouldn’t be easy to change impressions quickly. What should I do?
“Most residents in the orphanage lack mana, but now there are children from the old Veronica faction, and I have my workshop there. So, I think management by the lord’s family is necessary, unlike before...”
Considering how the children from the old Veronica faction would be raised, how to handle situations like someone with printing expertise wanting to buy them out, I thought it best to entrust the orphanage director to someone from the lord’s family or their close aides—someone who can easily report to Aub.
“In that case, shall we ask Lady Charlotte or one of Brynhildr’s aides? But Lady Charlotte will be busy until Mother finishes giving birth, and Brynhildr hasn’t completed her marriage yet, so a handover would be difficult. ...Is there no one else among Lady Rosemine’s remaining close aides besides Brynhildr?”
Melchior clapped his hands and suggested this, so I turned to Filine, who was working in the same room. She was a perfect candidate as a close aide of mine for an easy handover.
“...Filine, will you become the orphanage director?”
“Me!?”
“You will be watching over Conrad for three years until he comes of age, right? Then the orphanage director position is perfect. You’ve seen the work from my side, and the position comes with an allowance. Since I’ll be gone, stable income will be necessary, won’t it?”
Besides her apprentice wages, I had been financially supporting Filine with help from the temple and copying books, but once I left, her income would drop sharply. Mother would let her live at home, so food and lodging wouldn’t be a problem, but without income to cover other expenses, she’d be in trouble.
“You will serve as an interim orphanage director for three years and then hand over to someone whom you think can manage the orphanage. I will inform Foster Father and the others.”