Ascendance of a Bookworm

As soon as I returned to the temple, I pushed myself to the priest's room. I want to compliment myself for being able to say, "Let me tell you a story" without being frightened by the vicious looking clergyman.

In a move that I know well that I hate, the chief cleric opens the door of the workshop, and I enter the workshop. As usual, I quickly cleaned out the long chairs in the workshop with a lot of mess and conditioning equipment and materials to make sure I had a place to sit.

"Glad to finally be able to talk to you"

You're the only one who's happy, and the chief cleric sits in a chair, whilst slapping his hatred.

"So, what the hell do you want to hear?

"Firstly, I would like to know more about the current situation in Arlensbach. The Chief Cleric is on his way."

You thought they'd ask you about Adalziza, only a little power falls off the shoulder of the clergyman you were in.

"Thought we'd already talked about it?

"It's not enough. We've heard that Aub Ahrensbach hasn't been around long, but there's a chance that Yustox's information might come off and live longer, right? Like my great-grandfather. If so, can Master Dietrinde really be the next lord? I think Letitzia, who gave it to her adopted daughter from Drevanhell, has a stronger back shield and faction, and deserves the next lord."

Retizia with the patronage of the late First Lady's faction, who was originally supposed to be in Arlensbach, and her real mother, Drevanhell. Georgine from Aerenfest, who suddenly became the First Lady from the Third Lady, and Dietrinde, who was not seen as a successor until she became the First Lady. If you ask me which one is worthy of Ahrensbach's next lord, I think I'll get an easy answer.

"You're absolutely right. The king has no choice but to drop his two sons by Solemn Qing into a senior nobleman. He is supposed to save Ahrensbach by letting Ahrensbach adopt the granddaughter of Drevanhell, and by letting his son-in-law, Prince Hildebrandt, who is fit for the year."

Hildebrandt's entry into Arlensbach as son-in-law after adulthood was announced when Hildebrandt was unveiled at this Lords' meeting, he said.

"I wish Aub was alive and well until Retizia was an adult. But you must have found out you weren't around long. What happens if Aub dies before Retizia's adulthood?

"Uh, if you don't have an adult Lordship candidate, the First Lady will relay it and the person will be next Aub when the Lordship candidate grows up. In the case of Arlensbach, Mr. Georgine will relay it until Mr. Dietrinde becomes an adult, and you will be in Aub at the same time as the adult."

The chief clergyman nodded, "Fine," in response to a reminder of the succession he had learned in his preview of the Lordship Candidate Course.

"When lords change in Arlensbach, until then, there is a decision that lord candidates will be made senior aristocrats. If Dietrinde takes office in the next Aub, Retizia will become a senior aristocrat. I need an adoption with Aub to stay a Lordship candidate. In other words, the role required of me is to marry Dietrinde, adopt him with Retizia, and relay and educate Prince Hildebrandt until his son-in-law comes in"

They're supposed to adopt Retizia at the same time Dietrinde becomes Aub and educate her so she can be Aub's successor.

"I have to take over the oral biography to my successor a little sooner, but there's no way I can support Arlensbach on my own with Dietrinde, who wasn't originally educated to be my next lord. Even though Aub Ahrensbach will be relaying Dietrinde, making him the next lord seems like a tough plan."

We need someone who has the ability to support Arlensbach, and if possible, it's good to have someone who seems to be able to educate Retizia as well. He is the guardian of the Virgin of Aerenfest, and the clergyman with the achievement of greatly improving Aerenfest's grades seems to be an ideal person.

"Master Retizia is pathetic. Give him as much relief as you can. Don't treat me like I do."

"Why are you worried about Arlensbach's Lordship candidate?

"Wouldn't it be tough if you crushed an important Lordship candidate with the chief priest's Bishibishi education? Philine, who had been ordered to do it again and again with a sharp gaze, was in tears."

"... Was I?

Now seems to be the time to get used to it, but Philine's depression was terrible when she started coming to the temple. Haltmut and Darmuel used to comfort him.

"So what did the king say to the chief cleric and let him take it on? Anyway, if you're the spouse of the next lord, few people know you're the spouse of the relay and want to go, right? I think there are more reasons why you can refuse."

"To summarize briefly, Aerenfest's loyalty was tested"

Even though he's neutral and never on his side, Aerenfest is a mass of disbelief from the king and center. He crushes the plan that he should have been able to connect with Classenburg by making Eglantine, whose blood is darkest in royalty, the spouse of the next king, and refuses the king's request that he crack into and bless the relationship between the central temple and the king because of the biblical affair.

"... you know, isn't that because of me the majority of the reasons for not believing?

"One thing about Prince Anastasius is your solo walk entirely, but that one seems to think as if I'm manipulating you in the back overall. Is it right to say that this son-in-law thing is testing my loyalty rather than Aerenfest"

After saying so, the chief clergyman glanced at me. Now I laugh nicely at the gaze that I think you might be deluded.

"Does the fruit of Adalziza have anything to do with the part called the loyalty of the chief cleric?

"... that's what I'm talking about. It wouldn't be surprising or anything to tailor you to the Virgin, dramatically stretch Aerenfest's grades, sprinkle the seeds of discord around the royal family, pull the fruit of Adalziza away from Aerenfest, who seems to be up to something, and want to keep it tied up somewhere?

As I said so without a choice, the clergyman's thin golden eyes looked at me. I can tell it's a fairly deep and untouchable topic for the Cleric Chief in his vigilant eyes like he's carefully exploring whether he's an enemy or an ally.

"Hey, Chief Cleric. What is Adalziza's fruit in the first place? It's not even in the Bible, and it's not a very common word, is it?

"What did you think? I thought you had some thoughts, so you didn't even ask questions around?

I also stare and observe how far I realize, what I know, the clergyman I am exploring as I stare, whether not deluded or hidden.

"I didn't understand right away when Papa talked to me, but after much reflection, the clergyman would have returned that his Gedurleach was Aerenfest, wouldn't he? So I thought it would be about where you came from. The chief of the central knighthood knows and speaks where the others are, so I thought it might be a hidden word indicating somewhere in the center."

The chief cleric made a laugh. Oh, you're right, I exhale softly.

"I heard that the chief cleric was brought to the castle during the baptism ceremony, but I don't think I ever heard of it before. You must have grown up in a place where the central knighthood chief would know, right? Is there a place called Adalziza?

To my question, the chief cleric shuts his mouth in silence for a while. I know it's an attitude I don't want to tell you, but there's no point in bothering to talk in the workshop if you back off here. As I waited still for the answer of the chief priest, the chief priest lay his eyes down and opened his mouth as he had lost his roots.

"... Adalziza is the name of the first princess to give a certain outlying house. I wonder if that Knight Commander is one of those knights who used to guard the outhouse. I honestly was surprised because I didn't think anyone would know I was there"

I was not particularly surprised because I thought it was somewhat royal in that I was from the center. One way or another, I knew it, as much as I thought. Beginning with the amount of magic, in various respects the clergyman is too heterogeneous in Aerenfest.

"Is a princess named Adalziza the mother of the clergyman?

"No, it's not. Adalziza gave it away hundreds of years ago, so it's someone else, but it's something similar."

"On you?"

As I tilted my neck, the chief cleric waved gently.

"So far, it's completely irrelevant."

"I want to hear it. Isn't it unfair that the Chief Cleric should know secrets by peeking to my memory?"

"It's not unfair, it's a good thing you don't know. Gilvester doesn't know I grew up in the center until the christening."

"It doesn't matter if my adoptive father knows. I want to know about the Chief Cleric."

Humph, and to make him angry, the chief clergyman looked so disgusted that he turned that way.

"... Adalziza is a detached house where the princess of Lanzenave comes in once in a few generations. I won't tell you any more."

"Lanzenave is a country of sugar, right?

"Sugar...... I'm not mistaken, but your perception is very divergent from mine and a little confusing"

The chief cleric held the temple.

"I have a headache talking to you, so this concludes the discussion"

"Wait a minute! It's no use running away. When it's over now, we'll have to talk about it again. Uh, does growing up out of the palace mean that the clergyman is a royal family with foreign blood in it, no doubt?

When I questioned him, he exhaled slowly.

"I draw royal blood relatively thickly, but I am not royal because I did baptism at Aerenfest. I don't have a mother, my father is Aub Aerenfest."

"Why did you have the baptism ceremony at Aerenfest?

"Let's lead the goddess of time.... That's what your father said"

"Yes?"

I do not see it as a word that comes out of the chief cleric's mouth, and I raise my bare voice unexpectedly. The chief cleric said, "Isn't that strange?," he said quietly, lowering his eyes gently to remember something.

"I would have died before the christening ceremony if I had been there"

"Huh?"

According to the Chief Cleric, if Adalziza's fruit were a woman, she would be raised as the princess of Jürgenschmitt, but if she was a man, only one would be returned to Lanzenave, and since it would be difficult for many princes to remain in positions likely to be involved in the throne, she would otherwise be secretly disposed of.

"If the father takes it, he can also survive, but often refuses to take it. I don't even know if it's really my child from a man's side, but I usually have a wife and she's the source of discord."

Apparently my predecessor Aub Aerenfest only answered the question, "It's a guide to the goddess of time."

"It's bound to be for Aerenfest," she said.

"Well, it's a strange story, but in fact, there wouldn't have been a current Aerenfest without the presence of the Chief Cleric, so you're not wrong about what the goddess of time said"

That's the goddess, and when I nod several times, the chief priest looks at me as if he had been poked in the void.

"Do you trust such absurdity?

"Huh? I don't think it's absurd or anything in a world where if you pray to God, spring will come, and if you pray to God, there will be wonders about weapons changing"

And now, when I blink, the chief priest sees me with eyes that see things that are incredible.

"I should have known it was useless to think deeply about you, but don't be surprised"

"Really? So, what did they say about the fruit of Adalziza?

When I returned, the clergyman groaned abominably, "Haven't you forgotten?"

"I just said how much I am from Aerenfest and cannot be described as royal and have no interest in the throne, and for a king now without a gluthris height, the blood of the royal family is thick and it does not change that I appear to be making him look for gluthris heights through the Virgin"

"Huh?"

"You told Prince Hildebrandt, didn't you? Talk about a library that only royalty can enter."

"Is it my fault again!?

Oh, and when I held my head, the clergyman exhaled lightly, seemingly with no choice.

"If you show the king how to be respectful, he told you to show it in action. Will I line up Zilvester to be Aub Aerenfest or will I join my son-in-law in Arlensbach"

If you become a lord, you cannot return to the royal family. I've heard that from Eglantine, who was searching for a way out that he didn't want to be involved in the royalty. Apparently the chief cleric was told to choose between becoming lord of Aerenfest and spouse of Aub in other realms in order to cut off the path leading to the royalty.

"... so if Kyou-sun can show, why not be Lord of Aerenfest in the form of a relay between his adoptive father and Brother Wilfried, without having to join his son-in-law in Aerensbach? Me, I want the Cleric Chief to stay at Aerenfest all the time, and the Cleric Chief might feel better than marrying Deatrinde, who looks like Veronica, right?

If I take the story to my adoptive father as a proposal to keep the chief cleric at Aerenfest, maybe he'll ride it.

But the chief clergyman shook his head and said clearly, "Then no."

"It's better to stay away from Aerenfest than the king knows I'm the fruit of Adalziza. I don't know when or what I'll get caught up in. I'm sorry I got Aerenfest involved."

That's what the chief cleric said and exhaled slowly.

"Rosemaine, I promised my father. With Zilvester as Aub, I will devote myself to Aerenfest as his assistant. I am not willing to break my last promise to my father. If it's enough to line up Zilvester with this hand to become Aub Aerenfest, then it's better to join my son-in-law in Arlensbach. So don't ever tell me that there was a way out if you became Aub Aerenfest"

Knowing how much I cherish my memories and promises to my father, I was unable to come up with words to retain the Chief Cleric.

"What the Chief Cleric really wants to keep is his promise to your father, right?

"... right. I care about my promise to my real family. You can understand my feelings a little bit."

The promise I made to my father was to "keep my family for every Aerenfest". Touri promised to "be a first-rate needle and work on the costume". I remember, though it's hard to say that I can keep my promise to my mother. It's an important promise, important enough to make me cry just in retrospect.

"I understand. I hate to be gone, Chief Cleric, but I know how important that promise is."

"Why are you crying?

"If I remember what I promised my fathers, and I thought I had to send them out properly no matter how much I didn't like the Chief Cleric going away, it would be - on my own..."

After sighing harshly and extremely troublesome, he gently spread the arms that the clergyman was putting together. I cling to myself and to the chief cleric's lap. Recently I exhaled relief in my contact with someone else who was really gone and the peace of mind leaning on someone else.

"... is it good?

"This is how I promised to compliment you if you took the best. This will be the last time."

After a little time and feeling calmed down, the clergyman ahead became very worried. I feel like I'm just going to look at my promise to your father and put up with it all by myself, even in terrible pain and circumstances.

Would someone ask for help when a clergyman who doesn't even divulge it around him finds himself in a difficult situation in Arlensbach, even though his job is difficult?

... Impossible. But you can keep what you promised me.

"If you've settled down already, get off," said the clergyman, thinking hmm.

"Wait a minute. I will blackmail the Chief Cleric because there seems to be no more opportunity for the two of us to speak alone like this."

"What are you talking about, you?

I laugh nicely as I look at the clergyman in the face.

"Promise me you won't give up everything and put up with it for your promise to your father, but you will ask for help when it is painful or hard. I will do everything in my power to help the Chief Cleric."

"... I don't know what that means. I'm going to Arlensbach, right? Are you going to come and help me if I turn Arlensbach over to my enemies?

Don't be ridiculous, I nodded to the clergyman with a frightened face.

"That's right. On the contrary, Arlensbach, if you turn the king and the center against the enemy, I will go and help the chief priest."

"Wait a minute."

After the chief clergyman opened his eyes wide once, he held his temples as if they were really confused.

"I took my family away from you, forbade contact with the people of Lower Town, and took up a place to rest? Why are you here to help me like that? That would be crazy, wouldn't it?

... This guy, seriously, has no idea what he is to the people around him and how worried he is.

Maybe not half of it conveys my concern about my adoptive father or father or mother or me or my desire not to let me go to Arlensbach. It's best for Aerenfest, so there's been indescribable anger in it against the clergyman who only thinks it's perfectly fine.

"Chief Cleric, are you serious about what you're saying?

"Keep it down, Rosemaine! The color of my eyes is about to change. The magic is going wild!

The clergyman probes his waist in a panicked manner, and takes out the demon stone. With enough momentum to sound gotten the demon stone on his forehead, the pain and the demon stone sucked him out calmed the outburst of magic a little. Of course, anger is ongoing.

"You know, the Chief Cleric teaches me a lot as my guardian, takes care of me, runs away, right? You make my pills, prepare amulets, the most noble of the nobles... from my adoptive father, from my adoptive mother, from my fiancée Brother Wilfried for once, will you care more about me than anyone else? Of course I care about the Chief Cleric as much as my family, don't I? Why don't you know?

He did not even point out the disturbance of my words, and the chief priest looked at me as if he were pompous.

"Or do you think it's just like family?

"That's right. Cleric chiefs are pretty dull when it comes to favors from other people like that, aren't they?

"... I certainly didn't realize, but I basically don't want you to tell me dull"

That's what I say, the chief cleric holds his mouth and deflects his face. I kept on saying the words, thinking it was a look I'd never seen.

"Anyway, that's how much I care about the clergyman, so if you want to lay down your royal life to help the clergyman, you can get me, Gluthrithheit, and be king."

"What are you going to say, you idiot!

The chief clergyman opened his eyes a little and got angry, but I think it's a good idea. Only help the Cleric Chief, and when you've finished reading, I think everyone would be happy to give the King the Gluthris Height, which is no longer in use.

"A civilian, soldier's daughter was adopted by a lord to protect her family. Compared to that, it's not a big problem for a Lordship candidate to get a Gluthris Height and become a king. Every Jürgenschmidt, if you keep Aerenfest, you won't break your promise to your father."

"You'll have a problem! What's going on with your common sense!?

The Chief Cleric is a lot more emotional. It is a good trend. I want to take my word for it at this rate.

"I will do my utmost to read many books in peace of mind. That's my way of life."

"... you said something similar when saving an orphan"

"That's right. You shouldn't be worried about me in order for me to enjoy reading books. I mean, the chief cleric has to be happy, too. Wouldn't it be hard if you were worried about reading out of hand? So please contact me regularly even if you go to your son-in-law. If you don't hear from me, I'll do everything I can to help you."

The chief cleric turned into a real troubled face in my words.

"I have witnessed you storm off over and over again about your body. You gonna apply that to me, too?

"That's right. You said blackmail first, didn't you?

"It sucks. It sucks that I don't know the talent that's going to hold you back when you say you're going to help me."

My adoptive father, my father, my mother, probably won't stop. Instead, he's going to recommend "come help".

"If the Chief Cleric gets unhappy, I don't know what to do, do I? Choose between being absolutely happy or honestly asking for help if anything happens"

"... that's an unexpected and inevitable threat"

Worst, said the chief cleric, laughed small and promised to write to me regularly.