Ascendance of a Bookworm

The empty journey to Hasse is short and will arrive soon. I descended first to the small temple, unloading flanks and exclusives other than Fran.

"Now please prepare your room or meal here"

"Yes, sir."

And as soon as I finish carrying my stuff, I head to Hasse's Winter Hall. Over the winter hall, I frowned.

... Is that it? No one?

At last year's harvest festival, festivals were prepared in squares like athletic fields, where a large crowd of fussy people were waiting in twists. This year, however, there are no signs that the festival is ready, and there are no signs of people.

... Date, did I make a mistake?

I have sent out a letter in advance saying, "I will be there on this day," but did I write the wrong date, or did I misread it?

Brigitte, who was running before me leaning her neck, pointed softly down and descended the horseman. Several figures can be seen where they hit the main entrance of the winter hall. When he gazed, Richt and the mayors of each countryside knelt and waited.

"Welcome aboard, Chief Temple."

When I unload them all, Fran, Ahim and Egon unload and stack each crate packed with luggage. There is surprisingly a lot of luggage with two necessities and a wooden billboard box for education and entertainment supplies.

And I cleaned up the horseman, and inquired of Richt.

"Richt, will you not have a harvest festival?

"... it was solemn to do so on a large scale, since Hasse is in a state more admired than his lord. If you only do the taxes and rituals,"

According to Richt's explanation, there was also the gaze of neighbors and passing merchants, and the festival as usual was in a difficult state to manage.

Still, they decided to do it secluded in a hall in the winter hall because there was no way they wouldn't have a baptism, bar mitzvah, or wedding.

"... Really?"

I frown a little, considering the sentiments of the inhabitants who have endured without blessing for a year, without the festival, which is an annual pleasure, and under the watchful eye of the Acting Temple Chief, the Grey Cleric.

...... is it okay to put the two of you in a winter hall with so much dissatisfaction?

Somehow turning his gaze to the two Ahim and Egon, Fran took a step forward and began introducing the two to the Richters.

"This is the gray cleric who will be staying here during the winter."

My name is Ahim.

"My name is Egon"

Ahim and Egon cross their hands in front of their chests, dropping their hips gently.

Tension ran on the faces of the Richters who saw the two of them. Though he is a gray cleric, he is a teacher on my behalf. I guess you're wary of who you know will dictate the end of Hasse.

"Richt, will you show us both to our rooms? You're right, you have to put your stuff down, and I want to see where you two are staying."

"Yes, I did. This way, please."

I went into the winter hall and began to walk into the room used by Ahim and Egon. Side service with crates, escort knights and Justkus follow behind.

One of the village chiefs, instructed by Richt, rushed out as if to touch. At the same time, the noise and shaky children's voices eventually calm down.

... I feel my gaze from here and there.

As I went up the stairs making noise with the guillotine and into the residential area, I saw the faces of the children asking about this one from the shadows and bends of the door. I tried to laugh because my eyes met, but they looked surprised or hid me perfectly. Seems to be recognised as something very scary.

... nobility should recognize it as something scary, so I'm sure it's not wrong, but I can't help but be anxious to see how to approach a boy with a tenacity test.

Occasionally the doors are open or there are gaps and there is a room where you can see inside. From that feeling, I think the atmosphere is similar to my house in Lower Town. That, too, is old.

They basically seemed to use one room on a family basis, and the room varied in size. Some rooms about the size of a classroom had a dozen people living in a futon with straw, while others were not large but had beds.

"This will be your two rooms. I have prepared the closest room to my office. … so as to reduce contact with residents"

What Richt showed me was a room for two. Even considering the two beds are ready, I think they have a relatively superior room ready for me.

Fran, Ahim and Egon frowned lightly as they unloaded the crate, all three of them.

"I'm afraid I want to set up a room, so can you tell me where the cleaning tools and wells are?

It will be unbearable to those who know only the temples and orphanages that are cleansed every day. In that room in Lower Town too, the first thing I did when I was well was clean.

I lay down my shoulders lightly when I saw one of the village chiefs go to ask a woman where the cleaning tools were while making her eyes black and white.

"Ahim, Egon. I don't mind making it a little easier for us to spend time in this room. But don't force the way the temple does when it comes to outside our room. This is not a temple."

"Yes, sir."

When I saw the cleaning tools brought to me by one of the village chiefs, all three frowned. You might want to pay for cleaning tools as a necessity as well.

"Ahim, Egon. Let us carry a set of cleaning tools from the small temple tomorrow. If you need anything else, tell Fran."

"Thank you for your concern"

I'll be patient tonight and it looks like the two of us have decided to clean up tomorrow morning. It's a little funny that the three gray clerics are discussing with a serious face that in addition to the cleaning tools, they may also need a wash to clean themselves up, do they have the tools needed for laundry?

"Richt, are you ready for the ritual?

"Yes, Master Rosemaine. Come to the hall."

Unlike the great hall of the castle, the winter hall had no high ceilings, and whether it was a place where banquets were well held, or some sort of juice or oil stain painted a pattern on the walls and floors. It smells a little weird, overall dirty, but unbearable.

... Maybe I still cleaned this desperately.

The festival is usually held outside, so it must have been unexpected for clerics and tax collectors to enter the indoors of the winter hall.

A stage is also set up in the hall so that you can go up on the stage. Just like last year's harvest festival, me and the tax collector Justkus, two escort knights, Fran, who also assists in the ritual, came up on the stage.

Though it took place indoors, there is no great difference in the ritual itself. Raise the child on the stage to receive the baptismal ceremony, do the story of the gods in a picture book, and celebrate. The same applies to mitzvahs and weddings.

However, everyone who should have reached a milestone is pale and the atmosphere in the hall is tightly heavy.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Hasse, I think you've worked well in the absence of blessings this past year. The lord said," Are you sure you don't have any objections, or to look closely at everyone in the winter hall, "and decided to send two gray clerics over here. It's Ahim and Egon. They are my surrogate watchmen and your teachers at the same time."

Having completed all the rituals, I present to the stage Ahim and Egon who sent me to the Winter Hall. The word "teacher" made the hall seem deliberate.

"Recently, there was a great deal of inadequacy in the exchange of documents with Hasse. If it was addressed to other nobles, there were words that wouldn't be strange to buy anger. The failure of the former mayor was also due to his lack of knowledge of how to deal with the nobles, but Hasse was again trying to make the same mistake without offense."

The angry voice rises, full of surprise that he will buy the wrath of the aristocracy again, and what is the mayor doing?

"From now on, lest the people of Hasse repeat the same failures, I have decided to send a gray cleric who is familiar with my interactions with the nobles and educate the mayors. If the mayors learn seriously, there will be no future failures."

The anger of the residents is drawn by the fact that there is no punishment and educational opportunities have been given. I have to stab the nail just big where I feel safe.

"The Grey Cleric is certainly an orphan, but he is my surrogate, the head of the temple. If anything too offensive happens, I'm telling you to head to the little temple. I do not believe the people of Hasse will do such foolishness at a time when the punishment is coming to an end, but be careful"

I understood perfectly just from the top of the stage that the faces of the people gathering in the hall were full of dark expressions and emotions such as "Will this punishment really end" and "How long will it last?"

... I've been working so hard for a year without blessing. I guess we should have some fun.

I return from the center of the stage to Brother Eckhardt waiting at the edge of the stage, thinking with my lips pointed.

"Eckhardt"

"What is it, Master Rosemaine?"

"Can I give you permission for the Volfe? I don't think it's spiritually good to be too smug."

"If you do something of your own accord, Master Ferdinand will scold you," Brother Eckhardt looked bitter, but Justkus said, "Breathing is important, and conveying that you had the princess's forgiveness will dramatically change the sentiments of the inhabitants. I think I'm good," he laughed funny. Ordinary aristocrats don't care about the emotions of civilians or anything like that, though.

Having adopted the opinion of Justkus, I took Ahim and Egon to Richt.

Then, after letting Ahim and Egon stand behind Richter, "Stay with Richter," he dives his voice and asks Richter.

"Richt, the solemnity of the festival is fine, but if you don't let it dissipate to some extent, won't it make winter life harder for you to get stuck?

"... may be so"

"I hear from Richt in the conference room. I'm sure you won't notice if Hasse's people make a scene outside. You can't blame me if you don't touch your eyes, can you?

Seeing what sense to take, Richt in need, I turned my gaze to Ahim.

"Ahim, I'm working fast. Tell Mayor Richt what I mean by my words."

"Can't this get through," Ahim muttered after blinking in wonder. Egon also looks lightly at his eyes as surprised.

"The Hasse people have already made a lot of mistakes, so you just won't be confident in the interpretation. It's not that I don't know anything about it."

"Really? Mayor Richter, Lady Rosemayne has told us that while we talk in the conference room, we will be overwhelmed with noise outside."

"I got permission from the Volfe."

To the words of Ahim and Egon, Richt breaks his face.

"I'm afraid so. There are so many young people with a lot of blood, they'll be happy."

He leaves the partition of the Volfe Games to one of the village chiefs, and Richt leaves the hall behind to lead us to the conference room. Shortly after we left the hall, a loud voice echoed from behind.

"The temple chief's forgiveness is out! Get ready for the Volfe!

"Ooh, ooh!

It's a rough roar like the dissatisfaction and emotions that had been repressed exploded all at once.

As freaked out, Ahim and Egon shook their shoulders and looked back, looking towards the hall. I guess I was sincerely surprised because I would never hear such a roar in the temple that the building was about to shake.

It is what we want the residents of Hasse to exercise fully outside and dissipate their grievances so that their future lives may be at all peaceful.

In the conference room there was a story about this year's harvest and taxes, and the amount of donations to me.

Though the harvest was lower than in the surroundings, it seemed to be a pretty hard work harvest for lack of blessings.

As last year, tomorrow morning, Justkus will send it to the castle of Aerenfest, and it was decided that part of the donation to me shall be for the winter support of the two priests, and that the rest shall be carried to the small temple, not the castle, as a material for the winter support of the small temple of Hasse.

Looks like the Volfe tournament is over outside. It conveys an adorable and whimsical voice and air. The voice sounds bright and plays a little fun, so it seemed worth allowing Volfe.

After this, they say it's dinner in the hall. Seeing how the gray cleric solidified in Ilkner, I decided to eat with him. I'll have to teach you how to live here.

When the dishes are lined up on a low table with a plate over two crates, they sit back on top of a basket of straw and everyone starts eating as they please. A knife is placed on the side of the dish for cutting meat, but the only other cutlery is a spoon like a wooden servant, mostly eaten by hand except when eating soup-like juice.

As expected, Ahim and Egon are shocked and solidified by strange worlds. I was serving Justkus with Brother Eckhardt, but I was surprised to see him open and my hands were stopped.

That's the same for Brother Eckhardt. Until now, I hadn't seen it very close because it was on the stage of the square and far from the stage, and, moreover, when the sun started to fall and the meal came out at dark hours. He frowns like the first cleric to see the dining landscape of Hasse's orphans.

"If you're offended, you should keep it out of your sight. Because this is normal for them."

Fran, my servant, flaunted his shoulder lightly.

"You can't put it in sight, but you can't prevent the sound"

"Dear Rosemaine, where should we eat from now on?

Ahim and Egon asked with an anxious face. We have tables and chairs prepared as noble seats, but not in gray clerics.

"It's going to be hard to get used to this habit all of a sudden, so if you don't think you can, you should eat in your room. I will ask Richt to prepare the table and chairs so that we can have them ready. Use this table to eat after us today, just like the temple."

"I'm afraid, Master Rosemaine"

Ahim and Egon stroked their breasts down as if they were in despair.

It may be difficult to send a gray cleric to the Winter Hall, even though it is for Project Grimm. It's hard to set up a living environment for gray clerics.

"Richt, you two write, so you need a table and a chair. Put a table in the room, or use a room with a table as the office for two."

"Yes, sir."

"Then the grey cleric, who grew up in a closed place called the Temple, doesn't know how to do it outside so that Richt doesn't know how to do it. One way to eat, one way to clean, is completely different. As far as possible, keep your eyes open."

By the end of my meal, which I ate quite modestly, so that I could turn to Ahim and Egon, the people of Hasse were also getting alcoholic and their mouths slipping. A little dissatisfaction begins to arise as to whether we are getting bigger or not in sight because we are on the stage.

"In the meantime, I saw an orphan sold to the temple, but the orphan who went to the temple seemed to be eating better than us. He looked much better and was fat."

"Ha, you're jealous. If you're hungry, I'd like to go to the orphanage."

I hear those words and shake my eyebrows like Fran's upset. On the contrary, I let my eyes shine in anticipation, and put my hands together before my chest.

I moved four people to Hasse, but I still want the effort. My nostalgia is warm now because the books I made sold well for the nobility. If you are treated like an orphan, you will be completely discriminated against, so no one is odd enough to want to go into an orphanage. If anyone wants to move on and get into an orphanage, I'd love to.

I called out from the top of the stage, trying to persevere and solicit.

"Please don't want it. You're welcome. Actually, there's more printing presses, so I was hoping to increase my effort."

"Huh?"

You didn't expect a reply from the temple chief, or the people you were talking to on the spot would instantly look like their drunkenness had cooled down, and they'd gradually look pale.

Nevertheless, I have decided to appeal diligently to the good in the orphanage.

"When you enter the orphanage, you will be given three meals, as well as a bunk and clothes. Education is thorough, so I think language and standing behavior will be a lot more sophisticated. If you're a child around the age of finishing your baptism ceremony, you'll be able to serve the nobility in a few years. What a 10% literacy rate for children who grow up in orphanages and celebrate baptism. Anyone can write a letter, and it can be as simple as a calculation. We also have picture books, cartas and cards to remember letters and calculations"

When I hear just this, it seems like a very good environment, but it also has its drawbacks. I'm not going to hide that and solicit it. I want you to tell me the truth honestly and, on top of that, come to the orphanage.

"Of course, there are shortcomings. When you enter an orphanage, the public scorns you as an orphan. Besides, as clerics and witches, you will always be concerned about noble trends and live under noble instructions. It seems completely different from rural life, and the first orphans who came in here struggled a lot with the difference in common sense."

"Uh."

"Um, Temple Chief...?

I wonder if I have forgotten to tell them that I am bewildered.

"And then, yeah. In the Orphanage of the Temple you will not get an adult or a field, you will not be allowed to marry, there will be no earthly days or holidays, every day for the noble Blue Clergy. Suddenly, it's not uncommon to be sold to strange nobles, and there's no veto for orphans about it."

"... na"

"Huh?"

My complexion changes from confusion to fear.

"Now that I am an orphan dean, food is also prepared to fill my stomach to some extent, but before I became an orphan dean, I was in terrible condition. If I am no longer the temple chief, I do not know what the life ahead will be. That's where orphanages are, so there's very little hope. If you wish, I welcome you wholeheartedly!

Come on, Camon! And I spread my hands and tried to express my welcome.

Yet my invitation to sincerity, which has not been uttered at all, such as lies, was refused with all my might to everyone on the spot.

"Yes, no, because I'm getting land in Hasse. Huh?"

"Oh, I'm getting married next year. You can't make him cry."

"Oh, oh, whatever you say, it's the best land I'm used to living on."

I know how it feels not to leave Hasse, who I'm used to living in. I had no intention of leaving Lower Town either. No matter how inconvenient and poor you are, you can't leave.

"I can understand how you don't want to leave your hometown. It's a shame you can't be in the orphanage, but you can't help it."

When I retreat as sorry as I am, everyone who was on the spot will have a distinctly horrible face. And with a squeaky atmosphere, he took the cup in his hand to re-drink it.

The banquet landscape overlooking the stage reminds me of the gathering of the lower town, and I grab the sleeves of my clothes all the time.

... Something is making me miss my father so much right now.

"Richt, it's time for me to step back to the temple."

Brother Eckhardt, who heard my words, knelt as he did against the Lord.

"With Brigitte, the escort will be fine. Come here tomorrow morning to travel for your donation."

"Yes."

Then, when I told Richt my spare time, I took Fran and Brigitte back to the small temple.

Dinner parties were also celebrated in the small temple.

Left my care to Monica and Nicolas, and Fran went to eat. Apparently, he was patient to eat here.

I went from the room to the dining room with a notebook and a pen made of white paper, and asked Monica to bring a chair near the soldiers' table.

"Gunter, I, I'm collecting stories right now to make a book. May I ask what stories we hear about growing up in Lower Town?

I made a collection of my mother's bedtime stories, but I haven't heard much about my father. "Speaking of which, my mother told me a story when I was young," my father, who had been thinking about it for a while, raised his face.

"I had a very close sister and brother somewhere. My sister and brother's names are Touri, Mine and Kamil..."

Starting with such an outpouring was the story of a sister and brother named Tulli and Kamil going to help Mine exposed to forest demons.

"... thus, Mine could return to his family and lived with his sister and brother for a long time"

"What a good story"

When I write down my father's story as I moisten my eyes with emotion and make my nose say Gusgus, the other two soldiers also try to fight ahead and teach me the story.

By the time I wrote down all three stories, I was a little past my bedtime. Speaking to Fran, I take my seat.

"Good night, gentlemen"

"Good night, Temple Chief. Sweet dreams."

On that day I dreamed.

Back in Mine it was a very happy dream, when I went home in the lower town and laughed at each other with my family.