Published: August 10, 2026
"With the completion of the engagement ceremony, the attendees for the lords' council have now been finalized. Those heading to the noble academy will receive brooches from the aub."
In truth, the brooches were made by Ferdinand after Hartmut and the others prepared everything in advance, but I am the one handing them out. First, I present them to my attendants and Ferdinand's attendants.
"Without everyone's help, neither Ferdinand-sama nor I would be standing here today."
If not for Justox and Eckhardt Brother, Ferdinand would never have been able to spend a year and a half in Arensbach. And without the attendants who accompanied him in Arensbach, we would not have been able to bring the territory together in such a short time.
If my own attendants had not moved without hesitation, I would not have been able to help Ferdinand. Since we cannot appoint local nobles here immediately, I want to thank my attendants for working so hard despite the shortage of manpower.
"There will still be busy days ahead for a while, but I'm counting on you."
Once the brooches have been presented to the attendants, it is the turn of those selected by Strahl from the knights order, those selected by Ferdinand from the civil officials, and the attendants selected by Zelgius and Faersele to head to the lords' council. Most of them are people Ferdinand judged to be trustworthy during his stay in Arensbach. I have also been told to choose my own attendants in Alexandria from among them.
"The attendants will need to go ahead and enter the dormitory to prepare the interior, won't they? I'll leave the selection of the servants to you as well. Aub, territory name, colors, and so on have all changed a great deal, so this year's lords' council will likely be difficult, but I'm counting on your abilities as officials of a great territory. I know well the strength and tenacity of the knights, since I worked alongside them in battle. Please look after me during the lords' council."
Receiving the brooches seems to have made everyone realize just how close the lords' council is. Every face is now completely serious.
While I was handing out the brooches to the nobles, Hartmut gave an explanation about how the orphans created by the Lanzenave disturbance would be handled. Basically, it is the same as the orphans created by Ehrenfest's purge.
I, as aub, become the guardian of the orphans. Children who have already completed their baptism ceremony will spend their time in the temple as blue apprentices. Children who have not yet been baptized will enter the orphanage. Children with mana who already possess their own magic tools will be able to take their baptism ceremony as nobles. And children without such tools may also be given magic tools and elevated from the orphanage to noble status if they show sufficient motivation and ability.
"Lady Leticia will also spend her time in the temple together with the other orphans, as someone who has lost her place because of the Lanzenave disturbance. She is planned to be adopted after starbinding by royal decree, but, well, the earliest I can even hold the starbinding ceremony is two years from now."
A stir ran through the nobles. I could hear voices saying, "Are we to leave Lady Leticia as a lord candidate?" and "To place a lord candidate in the temple...?"
"It is necessary for young children to enter the temple and offer prayers to the gods in order to increase their blessings. Living in the temple and offering prayers daily will ultimately increase the power they can wield as nobles."
This is already well known through research presentations at the territory competition and the dedication ceremony held at the noble academy. However, among the Arensbach nobles, who had scarcely participated in dedication ceremonies due to Dietlinde's wishes, there are some who do not realize that people's views on the temple and rituals are changing.
"I recommend that the children of Alexandria enter the temple and take part in rituals so that they may receive as many blessings from the gods as possible. At the same time, I intend to open temple classrooms so that equal education can be provided regardless of status. My goal is to raise Alexandria's literacy rate to 100%, including the commoners!"