Published: September 6, 2025
In the end, I was carried like a small child by my grandfather and brought to my foster father’s office. Standing at the door were Father and the deputy captain of the knights, blinking at the sight of me being carried by Grandfather.
…Well, no one expected me to show up being carried at this size, right?
Father glanced briefly at Brother Cornelius, so I think he was worried about me. However, seeing Grandfather looking satisfied, Father relaxed his expression just a little with a reluctant smile, then quickly changed his face and opened the door.
“Lady Rosemine, Aub Ehrenfest is waiting.”
“Yes. …Thank you, Grandfather, for bringing me this far.”
Grandfather gently set me down, and I carefully walked into the office toward my foster father, who was waiting alone. The sound of the door closing behind me made me turn around, and immediately my foot caught, causing me to fall spectacularly.
“Ugh! What are you doing when I’m waiting tensely for such an important conversation?”
“I’m still not used to my larger body. Could I move around the castle on my Mount for a while?”
My foster father came closer, laughing as if he couldn’t help but chuckle, and offered me his hand. With his help, I stood up and took more careful steps this time.
“This morning too, I stumbled and fell while changing clothes, and when I tried to walk with Grandfather, my knee gave way. It’s been tough.”
“Your Mount, you say… That one? …You’re still going to use that even with your current appearance?”
“My little Lesser is adorable. Not at all like Greun.”
Foster Father gave me a displeased look, and I pouted. My Lesser is cute and very convenient. I have no intention of changing to a different Mount.
“It’s not just the Mount, but your words and actions don’t match your appearance at all. If just on looks, you really do look like a saint now, you know?”
“Brother Wilfried said the same, and I’ve looked in the mirror, so I’m somewhat aware of it. But even if I try to cover it up, the inside of me doesn’t change that easily, so it can’t be helped, can it?”
I smiled meaningfully, implying that even Foster Father hasn’t changed much inside. He gave a wry smile and nodded, “…Well, I can’t say much about that.”
We sat properly facing each other, and I took a slow breath. Foster Father tightened his expression.
“So, about your older sister… What do you mean by having found a way to steal the foundation?”
Losing the foundation is the worst case for an Aub. Not only does it mean losing land, but life itself is also taken. Naturally. The former Aub knows the location of the foundation, so a new Aub who seizes the foundation immediately kills the previous one to prevent it from being taken back.
The wife and children also likely lose their lives. Sometimes one child is left behind to marry the new Aub’s child to make it easier to command the native nobility. But in Georgine’s case, since she is from Ehrenfest, there’s almost no reason to leave behind Foster Father’s children. She would be confined in the White Tower and forced to live a life akin to a living dead, with her mana stolen, never appearing in public.
“I don’t have definite proof. But thinking back to the Sacred Scripture theft incident, I’m convinced it’s true.”
“The Sacred Scripture theft? Isn’t it about some secret passage or new magic tool information?”
Foster Father looked at me with a puzzled expression. Whether there is another secret passage or not aside, considering the flow of information when we acquired The Book of Mestionora and the role of the temple and the Sacred Scripture, I don’t think it’s far off.
“To get straight to the point: the foundations of each territory lie directly beneath the temple’s chapel.”
“…What!?”
Foster Father’s movements froze for several seconds. Then he shook his head vigorously and said “What?” again. He seemed quite shaken.
“Of course, it’s a room surrounded by white walls and separated by mana barriers, so it’s not a place anyone in the temple can enter.”