Published: August 10, 2026
I woke up in the middle of the night. My back was damp with cold sweat, making it a horribly unpleasant awakening. I must have been dreaming about something, but I couldn't remember it. As I frowned in frustration at memories that felt like they were almost connecting but never quite did, Leonore, who had apparently been keeping watch, opened the tent flap and peeked inside.
"Lady Rosemine, you don't look well. Shall I bring your divine relics? I heard from Liselotte that if you pour mana into divine relics when you wake up, the discomfort is reduced. We've already emptied all the mana from them."
According to Leonore, the guard knights had gone out of their way after dinner to empty the mana from my divine relics. I was touched by their thoughtfulness, so I decided to have her bring them.
......I'm hungry, I feel terrible after waking up, and my body is sluggish.......
Sitting on the edge of the bed as if holding my heavy head up, I poured mana into the divine relics Leonore handed me. Grethia hurried into the room with her hair only loosely tied back. She must have been awakened by Leonore. Since only Grethia, who had offered her name, could touch me once I removed the silver cloth, the burden on her was inevitably greater.
Grethia noticed how badly I had been sweating in my sleep and immediately began preparing a change of clothes.
"No need to prepare a bath, waschen is enough, Grethia. Please use the mana stones lying around."
I had a large number of mana stones that I'd poured mana into. As I gave Grethia permission to use them, I continued to pour mana into the divine relics Leonore offered me.
After Grethia's waschen made me feel refreshed and I had changed into different sleepwear, Leonore handed me shutzelia's shield. That was the last divine relic. I poured mana into that as well. Suddenly sensing something, I kept my hand on shutzelia's shield and looked around.
"What is it, Lady Rosemine?"
"Below...... In terms of direction, it feels like something is there around the dining room or living room. It feels similar to when Gervasio emerged from behind the altar...... like something is nearby. It's not Gervasio, is it? Come to think of it, I haven't been told what happened to him after that......."
As I said this while searching for the source of the presence, Leonore nodded as if something had clicked for her. After looking upward for a moment as if thinking, she gave a small smile.
"This is inside Lady Rosemine's Mount, so I don't think anyone could intrude without permission. It must be Lord Ferdinand, who said he was working in the living room. If you're concerned, shall we go and check? Even after giving mana to the divine relics, your complexion still isn't great, so it might be better if someone took a look."
As she said that, Leonore looked back at Grethia.
"Grethia. I'm sorry, but please help Lady Rosemine change clothes. Loose roomwear that can also be slept in would be best. Once we return, Lady Rosemine will go back to sleep, so you may withdraw to your room."
"Understood."
I was changed into roomwear and had my hair done up, though not in a particularly rigid style. I was made to wear a silver cloak, and when I left the room with Leonore, Angelica hurried over saying, "I'm late," and smoothly picked me up.
"Lady Rosemine, please wait until I arrive at the room. I've been ordered to avoid letting you walk as much as possible."
Angelica, wearing a stern expression, admonished me, and I gave a small laugh before letting myself be carried obediently.
Light was spilling from the living room on the first floor. As we approached, Brother Eckhardt poked his head out.
"Lord Ferdinand says to come in."
"Did he know I was coming?"
"Anyone radiating that much divine power couldn't possibly move around without being noticed."
......Divine power is like a cat bell?
When I entered the living room, the area where we normally drank tea after meals had been turned into something that looked entirely like an office. My room only had enough space for my bed and my luggage, so it seemed Ferdinand was handling the work he had brought from the castle here in the living room.