Ascendance of a Bookworm

On the way to reversing with the clergyman who cut off his paperwork early, he was offered a cotton-and-absorption magic tool.

It was at the same time that I stretched out my hand and gripped the magic apparatus, and the chief clergyman put a petite black.

"Mine, the ritual of devotion begins on the next Saturday"

"Yes."

Staring at the black placed by the Chief Cleric, seriously considering his next hand, the Chief Cleric shrugged.

"... like out of hand"

"Yes?"

I could not immediately understand what had been said, and I looked up to the chief cleric. After cautioning, "Look down so you don't see the dumb surface," the clergyman began explaining the amount of magic he would use in a day at the ritual of service.

"Be careful not to put too much magic into you. I usually give my service to the Temple Chief, telling him that the extra magic for you is for 7-8 Little Demon Stones. In that case, no matter how temperamental you get, you fall over 20."

"You'll have room for even 20..." the chief cleric whined, sighing slowly.

"If you show your magic poorly, you could be evil pushed like you've been hiding it or you were going to deceive me, so leave about 20 little demon stones of magic that you can put into the Holy Grail in this ritual of service. Hopefully, by the time you get home, you'll look a little sick."

"I don't mind if I... that, in the end, wouldn't you say you're cheating on the Temple Chief?

Though it can be enough to contain the magic of devotion, is it not the evil deduction of the temple chief that he is trying to "deceive", but will it become a fact?

To my point, the chief clergyman distorted his lips furiously.

"If it's true you're cheating, it wouldn't be an evil guess, would it? I'm angry to be pushed, but if it's true, you're right. Besides, it's more convenient to hide it later than to show it's serious. Idiot, you don't have to tell me everything honestly. If anyone is hostile, they should always have hidden balls and leeway."

"... I see"

For once I was convinced, "You fooled me!?" Imagining the exchange between the temple chief and the clergyman that "you're right," I thought the villain looked like the clergyman.

Saturday. The day when the ritual of service can begin.

And I was bathed in the morning by Delia, and purified myself. And wear a new ritual costume.

The blue costume, with streamlined watermarks and embroidered flowers in yarn of the same colour, is edged with gold. It's a silver belt that can be tightened to the waist. And the color of the accessories used for other decorations is red, which is the precious color of winter. They say it's the color of the furnace that soothes the cold and gives hope.

"Delia, I'm going to use the new one today."

I stopped Delia from trying to take the piano out of the closet, and I took the package that had just arrived a few days earlier from the desk drawer and gave it to Delia.

"Me too! It's not in your desk drawer! What would you do if you broke shape!?

Puffy and angry, Delia carefully opens the wrap.

Although red and green threads are used in colour, as can be used in the winter and spring rituals, the design itself is a new one, very similar to the one for the previous baptismal ceremony. There are three large flowers, like red roses, with many small green leaves dripping instead of small flowers that were dripping like vine flowers.

My family made me a new ritual for me when I watched the Knights' request. It also acts as an item to relieve the loneliness of winter cages.

"This looks good too, but the colour of Lord Mine's hair showed a better appearance than the previous one."

When I wrapped my hair together with a new tweezer, Rosina sighed a little unfortunately, confirming her appearance from a slightly remote position.

"This one is for rituals that can be used in winter and spring, and I asked them to use your colors, so I had no choice."

After finishing his hair with a new tweezer, he waits for Darmuel to come and move to the clergyman's room.

I was told to wait in the Cleric Chief's room because only my room was outside the aristocratic area and it was difficult for the Clerical Chief's side service to come and call.

Ritual costumes made from the finest fabrics are warm but light, and when you walk, you hear a saya saya and a pleasant rub of clothes.

"It's just horribly expensive, that's a great costume"

Darmuel, who was to bear a quarter of the cost of the costume as punishment, sighed in admiration when he saw my costume for the ritual.

Unlike my time when the fabric was already on hand and I had it held and tailored, this costume has been put on the express fee after it was to be prepared from the fabric. According to information secretly shared with Darmuel, more than three times the price I paid was expensive.

Darmuel, a junior nobleman and a patterned family member who cannot afford it financially, says he turned bright blue after hearing the amount and consulted his family. As a result, he paid for it by having it set up at the home of his brother's mistress, his successor.

"Did the witch apprentice tailor himself once? You used to have all that money on hand."

"I have brought the fabric of my things and tailored it, so it doesn't cost me that much."

"That would be..."

While we were talking about that, we arrived in the Cleric Chief's room. The chief cleric, the lord of the room, was absent because he was during the ritual, and there were only a few sides of the service that were told to take care of him.

"Good morning, Master Mine. As soon as the ritual of service of the other blue priests is over, Arnault will come to call, so please wait here until then"

Food and drink are forbidden until the ceremony is over, so you can just sit back. I sat in the recommended seat, and Fran and Darmuel stood behind it.

The situation is unsettled that I am sitting with Darmuel, a nobleman, standing, and I look back and look up to Darmuel.

"Master Dermuel won't sit?

"Witch apprentice, would you have trouble in an emergency if your escort were sitting?

"Right."

Even if I'm uncomfortable, I think I'll just have to sit there.

Sitting quietly in the Cleric Chief's room waiting, Arnault came to call.

"Master Mine, please hurry up"

Led by Arnault, I follow Fran and Darmuel into the midst of the rituals at the deepest end of the aristocratic district. Leaving the Cleric Chief's room, passing some doors, passing in front of the Temple Chief's room, who has been in a few times, turning the corner.

Unlike the side servants who keep up with my pace, Arnault's pace is fast. Fran, who saw me desperately trying to follow him, called out to Arnault.

"Arnault, I'm sorry, but a little slower, please"

"Oh, that was a little too fast for Master Mine. Excuse me."

When Arnault started walking at a slower pace, he could see the deepest door slowly opened by the hand of a gray cleric standing in the hallway. It does not seem to have been opened to my arrival, but to those who come out of it, and the gaze of the gray priests is toward the back.

Coming out the other side of the open door was a good man with a red belt fastened to his white costume and a golden taski look on it. I saw it at my own christening ceremony, and it's a different costume than just one cleric, so I can tell at a glance.

"... Temple Chief"

I accidentally leaked a whine.

Though my impression was faded because I haven't seen him since entering the temple, there seems to be a firm hostility towards me. Find my figure, narrow my eyes abominably, and come this way.

I wonder if I'm about to go back to my room, it's not a good time. At least, if it was after we went back to the room, we wouldn't have looked at each other or felt bad about it.

I kneel with my hands crossed before my chest by the edge of the corridor. Arnault, Fran and Dermuel also followed suit.

Tips and shoe sounds come close as they make a shrugged, garment rubbing sound. I waited still to pass, bugging my heart about what would happen by face-to-face with the temple chief, just because I had a sense of hatred.

Even as I lay on my face, I can see the white costume moving away in my sight. Nervously, he waited still, but nothing in particular, except that he snorted abominably "hun" in front of him, and the temple chief passed by.

I exhale in a ho and relieve breath and raise my face. He was then led by Arnault, who tried to enter during the ritual with the door open.

"Dear Darmuel, please stay put. Only clerics and witches perform rituals."

I looked back unexpectedly to Arnault's words. "The Chief Cleric is waiting inside," Arnault urges me to enter.

Though I did not know, Arnault's words seemed right, and during the ritual there was only one chief cleric, standing before the altar.

During the ceremony it was a small prayer room. The ceiling was a little higher and deeper than the Cleric Chief's room. The walls and columns are white except gold is used for decoration by the way.

The walls on both sides are lined with columns of cylinders with the same intricate sculpture as the prayer room. Between its pillars lined the windows at equal intervals, before which the fire was kindled like a bonfire.

The front wall features intricate texts in colourful mosaics from ceiling to floor and is rich in colour. Before that the altar is prepared, and bonfires are also set on both sides of the altar.

There was a red carpet-like cloth in the middle of the room, and the cloth was connected to the altar. The altar, which is laid with a red cloth, is decorated with divine objects, although there are no stone statues of God.

At the top of the steps is the crown of the supreme god, the goddess of light, and the black cloak of the god of darkness, with a large golden chalice placed in the center on the lower steps thereof, lined with many small chalices on both sides. The little chalice was brought back from the countryside by the blue priests during the harvest festival, and must be filled with magic at this service ceremony and taken to the countryside again during the Spring Prayer Ceremony. Its next steps are decorated with canes, spears, shields and swords.

In its lower section is the offering to God. Grass trees symbolizing breath, fruits celebrating fruit, incense showing peace, and cloths representing faith were dedicated.

"Mine, that was fast."

The chief cleric turned around. The chief cleric's costume was also a ritual costume, something completely different from the blue clothes he usually used. Golden bands tightened by adults in blue garments woven throughout with a small leaf-like pattern. The trinkets were equally put together in red, the precious color of winter.

"You don't have any other blue clerics."

"The amount of magic is too different."

The Chief Cleric exhaled lightly.

I guess their self-esteem will be hurt if there is a huge difference between civilian flair and the magic that can be served by me who mocks them. Even this one, I don't think we can have a good time face-to-face, so if it's isolated, that's perfectly fine.

"Not just to protect their self-esteem"

"Huh?"

I accidentally raised my face to the voice of the chief cleric as I had read my thoughts.

"Gathering together with the same purpose and releasing magic with the same prayer, synergies make magic flow easier. If I get caught up in your magic releases, it could be a spill that feels dangerous to others."

"... Really?"

"I'm the only one who can accompany your ritual.... Here we go."

The chief cleric flips his sleeves flutteringly, kneels down against the altar, and puts his hands on a red cloth. I likewise knelt behind the chief clergyman's step, lay my hands on him, and lay down my face.

This ritual of devotion is the most important of the events of the year in the Temple. It is a ritual that enables magic to be cast into divine objects that will relate to the richness of the following year. The red cloth that leads to the altar is woven with a caged thread of magic, and when you lay your hands on it and pray, it seems that magic flows through the artifact.

"I am the one who created and paid the world and prayed and thanked the gods."

A low, relaxed tone sounds good during the ritual. I repeat after that too.

"Highly pavilioned, the Supreme God presides over the great sky, the couple gods of darkness and light, the wide and hospitable earth, the goddess of the five pillars, the goddess of water, the goddess of Fruitrene, the goddess of fire, the goddess of Rydenshaft-style Szeeria, the goddess of earth, the goddess of Gedurleich, the god of life, Aveliebe, to bless and honor the gods, to reward and serve the grace of their noble divine power."

As I uttered my prayer complaint, I then found magic flowing from within me. It is visible that the red cloth gleams and the magic flows towards the altar as a wave of light.

Mine, it's time to stop.

That's what the clergyman, who raised his hand softly, said. I also release my hands from the red cloth in the same way, and halt the flow of magic. He stared still as the last stream of magic sucked into the little chalice with glitter.

"That's about as good as it gets today. That's more than I expected."

The chief cleric stared at the altar's little chalice and squealed so. Looks like we could fill about seven little chalices in one day. It will take eight days to fill all the Little Holy Grail with simple calculations.

"If it weren't for you, I would have had to fill most of this by myself. I said I also have duties in the aristocratic district..."

The chief clergyman sighed like hah tired. I look at the little chalice lined up on the altar, and lay down my shoulders. I see the Chief Cleric was kind to me from the beginning. If I had to fill this up on my own, I also know I wouldn't like it.

It was strange that the Chief Cleric also had some pretty strong magic, but he was out of hand with his usual service, but unlike me, the Chief Cleric seems to have some work to do in the aristocratic district. Oh, my God.

From then on, the ritual of devotion took place every day. I do not face to face with other blue clerics, but magic with the chief clergyman.

At the end of refilling most of the Little Holy Grail, the Cleric Chief brought about 10 new Little Holy Grails.

"Mine, the ritual of service will be prolonged, but may I ask you to cooperate?

"What's wrong with you?

He also asked for help with a serious lack of magic in neighboring territories where he was close to his lord, if he had any spare time.

"It's a good opportunity to sell thanks and gain an advantage. You'd better take it on, even if it's a little impossible."

"... er, friendly, what is it?

"Oh, good. That's why you'd always need a rush to keep it in good shape, wouldn't you?

... the political world, scared.

Still, if you consider defending your territory and keeping it in good condition, the friendship as I see it and the friendship between lords will be in a completely different state. It's an unfamiliar feeling, though understandable with my head.

I don't mind cooperating if the lord tells me you asked me to. At any rate, my magic is superfluous, and it is not such that I am free to use it without my own demonic stones.

"I am the one who created and paid the world and prayed and thanked the gods."

It will also magic the Little Holy Grail deposited with the Cleric Chief. In the middle of that ritual, the door opened with a giggling noise.

"Don't be so eager to pray"

I too rise and look back, being followed by the chief priest, who rose up and turned around in front of me.

The temple chief, who had never shown himself at all before, came in during the ceremony. A temple chief with a bag that seems likely to hold him walks slowly to the front of the altar.

"Chief Temple, what have you done?

Without trying to answer the clergyman's question, the temple chief lines up the cotton cotton with the little chalice removed from the bag.

The face of the temple chief, who had finished arranging about 10 little chalices and looked back at them in a curly fashion, had the same likable grin as before he knew I was a poor man.

"Come on, Mine. Put magic into this, too. This is what the lord asked me to do."

"I haven't asked you that?

The chief priest frowned, looking to the temple chief, but the temple chief only strengthened his gaze without breaking the face of the favorite.

"I didn't say anything about that. Non has told Mine. Even if you can hear the life of the chief priest, you can't hear the life of the temple chief, Noon?

I can either say no or put my face up. I just don't think it would be wise for me to refuse the immediate orders of the temple chief here, who has already bought all my anger. It's going to be a lot of trouble later. And I saw the chief priest, and entrusted him with judgment.

Apparently he noticed the intent of my gaze, the clergyman nodded slowly, making his expression a little more rugged.

"Today's ritual is over. Tomorrow, if you don't mind, let's do it."

Don't forget that word.

With the same slow footsteps that Niya and the laughing temple chief came into the room, he leaves between rituals.

The door closed, and the clergyman's sigh fell between Singh and the serene ritual.

"I chilled that you might run wild. … but this increased Little Holy Grail does not appear to be the Lord's command"

"I said I'd do it, what would you do? Although I don't mind anything more than putting my face up once in a while."

The chief cleric kept a difficult face on his face and had been thinking about it for a while.

"The ritual continues like this. I'm also going to contact my lord to check the back, but this snow won't gather any information right away. It is more convenient to be submissive for a while in order to swim. Can you ask for it?"

"Yes."

Thus my winter passes by filling the Little Holy Grail with a little more and more.

Ahead, in the spring, when prayer ceremonies begin to take place everywhere, rumors will twitch and spread in neighboring territories. There are powerful witch apprentices in the city's temples in Aerenfest, he said.

When the Chief Cleric noticed the rumor, it was widespread and it was too late.