Published: August 10, 2026
"I had heard that young children were allowed to participate in order to reform the aversion to temples and rituals, but there are fewer of them than I expected."
From the viewing platform where the lord family sat, I looked around the auditorium. Today, the new Zent would be receiving the Grutrishite. I had been directly invited by Lady Rosemine, who had become the avatar of the goddess. It seems she made the request during her discussions with the royal family. I had already given up, thinking there was no way it would happen because of my terrible timing. It must be the guidance of the goddess of time, Dreffangua.
......It seems my bad timing is improving little by little. I should offer a prayer to Dreffangua.
As I clasped the amulet Cordula, my attendant, had made for me and prayed, my older brother looked down at the daughter of the second wife sitting beside the Dunkelfelger lord family and snorted.
"It's only natural that there are so few children here. Normally, children should not be attending the lords' council. It would be rare to find an aub who would bring children who had only just undergone their baptism ceremony and had not even entered the noble academy to a place where the royal family is also gathered. Even in Dunkelfelger, we debated at length whether to bring them."
Even in Dunkelfelger, it had been decided without much trouble that the daughter of the second wife would participate, but the son would stay behind so as not to be rude to the others.
Incidentally, my older brother insisted, "As the next aub, I must attend the place where the next Zent inherits the Grutrishite, both to build connections and because it is my duty," and came here after asking our uncle to watch over things in his absence.
Ever since our parents told us that there would be a dedication dance by Lady Eglantine and Lady Rosemine, he had become quite heated in his demands, so his true purpose was obvious to everyone. Our mother made him promise not to bring writing utensils into the auditorium, and this morning she checked his belongings several times.
......If even an adult next aub is in such a state, then of course there would be few children brought here.
"But Ehrenfest, the one who proposed it, has properly brought one. Having someone wearing the head priest's clothing here really makes him stand out."
I could see the small lord candidate Melchior seated in ceremonial robes for the head priest. I had met him when I was invited to Ehrenfest's victory celebration.
"He has apparently been appointed head priest as Rosemine's successor."
"So he is a head priest just when they are going to emphasize the importance of rituals and the temple. In other words, that one is the next aub of Ehrenfest, is he not? Wilfried should not be smiling so carefreely when his fiancée was taken from him and his younger brother is about to take his place as next aub."
My brother muttered bitterly while looking at the Ehrenfest lord family's seats.
"You say his fiancée was taken from him, but in Ehrenfest it was already common knowledge during the Winter Social Season that Lady Rosemine would become an adopted daughter of the royal family and marry the next Zent in the spring, so their engagement was effectively broken off......"
"That is exactly what I mean by pitiful. The result turned out exactly as I said during the bride-stealing ditter, did it not?"
On that point, my brother was right. No matter that she was engaged to lord Wilfried, Ehrenfest could not protect Rosemine, and now it would not be strange at all if people said the royal family interfered in the bride-stealing ditter because they wanted Rosemine for themselves.
"I do not disagree with my brother's reasoning, but Lady Rosemine is not suited to be the principal wife of Dunkelfelger. Lady Rosemine is not the sort of person who can be led by someone else; she is the kind who needs the reins held tightly for herself. Unfortunately, I do not think my brother could guide her well."
"Then Ferdinand?"
"Yes. I strongly felt that in Ehrenfest, so I was greatly relieved when Lord Ferdinand became Lady Rosemine's fiancé."