He continued, “As per Erwaermen’s and Mestionora’s wishes, we shall first dye the foundation with Rozemyne’s mana. That should satisfy the gods, who so strongly wish to resolve the mana shortage and prevent the country’s destruction. History has proven that once the foundation is filled, dyeing it will prove simple. I know not whether the presence of divine power will complicate the matter, but we are only in this situation because of the royal family’s ignorance. Lord Anastasius and you have no choice but to press on.”
“So it shall be done.”
Because this was the only time they had to speak, Ferdinand explained everything that would need to be done for Yurgenschmidt’s future. Eglantine desperately tried to memorize it all.
“Redraw the borders and establish the new duchies before the Archduke Conference,” he said. “Otherwise, Lords Trauerqual and Sigiswald will not be able to become aubs. Consider that your most urgent duty. If you can first retrieve the divine instruments from the former duchies, it will spare you the burden of needing to create the instruments anew.”
I’m glad to have all that divine power out of my system, but...
Back when I’d dyed Ahrensbach’s foundation, I’d needed to swig a rejuvenation potion halfway through. Yurgenschmidt’s foundation was so much larger... so why wasn’t I even close to running out of mana?
“Um, Ferdinand, we have a problem...” I said. “I’m pouring as much of my mana into the foundation as I can, but it doesn’t seem to be going down. Is this going to be enough to drain me? If not, what should we do next?”
I noted that it felt like a more extreme version of when I’d performed the divine protections ritual and lost control of my mana, which made Ferdinand fall into thought. “Not even filling the country’s foundation is enough?” he mused. “Hmm... You sound much better than before. How fares your health?”
“Fine, actually. I was able to channel out the divine power, which lowered my fever. I just worry about what might happen if we can’t find another outlet for my mana.”
“I see. In that case, I would advise you to join Lady Eglantine when she redraws the borders. You cannot be involved in the creation of the new duchies’ foundations and temples, as Lady Eglantine needs to discuss those matters with the aubs and reinforce her authority as the Zent, but the new borders are more or less set in stone. It should all go smoothly enough.”
Eglantine nodded. “I would very much appreciate your assistance. That said, there has been a slight amendment to what we agreed upon. After reviewing the situation with Aub Drewanchel and Lady Adolphine, we have decided that a portion of the land we set aside for Lord Sigiswald will instead be given to Drewanchel.”
Sigiswald and Adolphine’s divorce had now been formally arranged, as the promises tied to their marriage had not been kept. As a penalty for this breach of contract, Sigiswald was being made to forfeit part of his future duchy—land that was currently in the Sovereignty—to Drewanchel.
“Which portion?” Ferdinand asked.
“From north Lindenthal to Drewanchel,” Eglantine replied, indicating an area that was roughly the size of a lesser duchy. Drewanchel would receive an impressive expansion while Sigiswald’s land would shrink dramatically.
Ferdinand adjusted his map accordingly.
I paused to consider. “I suppose this means Lord Sigiswald will become the aub of a middle duchy.”
“Though the duchy will rank highly at first—having its first aub come from the royal family will do much for its reputation—it is far from Lady Nahelache’s home duchy of Hauchletzte and unlikely to receive much support. From next year onward, things are likely to become rather stressful for them.”
I shrugged. “Lord Trauerqual might have Dunkelfelger’s support through Lady Magdalena, but he is bound to have a much harder time ruling his portion of Werkestock and its many traitorous nobles. Lord Sigiswald is receiving land from the Sovereignty and should count his blessings as a result.” The mana everyone had provided during the Royal Academy’s Dedication Rituals had gone toward the Sovereignty and the land it managed, so I sincerely doubted Sigiswald would encounter any serious problems. He needed only to do his job as an aub.
“It would seem that Lady Adolphine intends to serve as a giebe upon returning to Drewanchel. She took great inspiration from you, Lady Rozemyne, and plans to turn her province into a ‘research city.’”
Adolphine’s failed marriage into royalty meant she would struggle to find another partner outside her duchy. Thus, following her divorce, she planned to return to Drewanchel and become a giebe. Her duchy had the largest archducal family in the country and would soon be awash with returning Sovereign nobles, and she planned to marry someone from among them. I’d worried about her future, so it was good to hear she was moving forward.
“Rozemyne, if you have finished filling the foundation, redraw the borders,” Ferdinand said. “The process is the same as when aubs redraw the borders for their giebes. Reference my map as you work. Oh, and Lady Eglantine—I do not mean to impose, but please grade her performance.”
“Grade her...?” she repeated.
“You are the professor of the archduke candidate course, are you not? I was told that Rozemyne disappeared partway through winter and did not finish her Royal Academy lessons. I ask that you grade her redrawing of the borders and destruction of the medals in Ahrensbach. I would also appreciate you speaking to her whirling teacher and arranging for Rozemyne’s performance today to be graded.”
“You are demanding too much,” I protested, speaking for my own sake as well as Eglantine’s. “An impromptu exam now, of all times, is much too cruel. And does Lady Eglantine not deserve some time to prepare?”
Ferdinand scoffed, a stern glint in his eyes. “You should easily be able to pass if you remember everything I went out of my way to teach you. Do not tell me you forgot it all.”
“N-No, I remember everything!”
Probably!
“Then I do not see the issue. In the first place, whom will you inconvenience most by delaying things?”
Trying not to think about the cold eyes bearing down on me, I took a moment to consider my answer. “You, Ferdinand. Then our retainers.”
“Correct. I shall schedule your remaining exams and negotiate with your professors during the Archduke Conference. You need only to pass all of your classes at once. For now, however, focus on redrawing the borders.”
I formed my schtappe and did my best to help Eglantine. Though my usual sandbox had been replaced with the country’s foundation, as a divine avatar with divine power, I successfully redrew the duchy borders and passed with flying colors.