Of course, those same duchies had probably removed their students from the registration before their return to the Academy. At least for the winter, it made more sense to replace them with an adult who could actively contribute to the foundation and ease the burden on everyone else.
“As well as that,” Lady Rozemyne continued, overjoyed, “we plan to sort the books received from the palace library, organize any duplicates, and start distributing Sovereign documents. Most appropriate work for a committee member, is it not?”
Pleased though I was to see my dear friend so excited, my concern got the better of me. “But what of your retainers? You will not be there alone, will you?”
Lady Rozemyne might have padded out her retinue with nobles of Old Ahrensbach, but that did not change the fact they were students. They could escort her to the library before lessons but would not be able to stay with her.
“Your retainers have their own classes, do they not?” I pressed. “Have they also passed them all...?”
“Oh, no. I would not thrust that upon them.” Lady Rozemyne stuck out her chest, brimming with pride as she declared, “Rather, I shall rely upon the mighty retainers that Ferdinand made for me.”
Retainers he... made for her?
As I cocked my head in confusion, Lady Rozemyne suddenly clapped her hands together. “Ah, that reminds me!” she exclaimed. “Lady Hannelore, how shall we give you your hairpin order? I could have an attendant deliver it to your dormitory, or we could wait until a tea party.”
At once, my mood brightened. The hairpin I had ordered in Ehrenfest was designed to match Lady Rozemyne’s, and its colors would complement my hair. I had wanted one ever since seeing the hairpin my brother had given to Eineliebe.
“If you would not mind, then having it sent to my dormitory would be wonderful,” I said. “I cannot wait to see it, and the longer we can match, the better.”
Winter was an important season for aubs to gather intelligence. For that reason, I suspected that by the time I was done with my classes and could start holding tea parties, Lady Rozemyne would already be on her way home.
“In that case, I shall send it as soon as today’s classes are done,” she declared. “We can match from tomorrow onward.”
Archduke candidates would complete their shared written lessons within two mornings. They would not obtain the same grades, but they would all pass, at the very least. It was crucial to focus one’s time at the Academy on practicals, as they could not be completed elsewhere. Therefore, one normally finished studying for the written lessons at home in one’s duchy.
Still, Lady Rozemyne stands in a league of her own. To think she would pass the rest of the practicals she needs to graduate without even being able to practice them.
She had also obtained perfect scores in her written lessons, but that was to be expected. Our fellow students were more taken aback by the maturity of her appearance and the number of ornaments she wore. I assumed the latter were proposal and courtship magic tools meant to show her partner’s obsession, but Lady Rozemyne had insisted they were all protective charms.
She claims that Lord Ferdinand made them as a precaution, as not even an aub can bring adult guard knights to the Academy, but he went too far. He used chains made of mana because they were “easiest to manipulate”? Merely an excuse, to be sure!
I elected not to voice my suspicions—it would only be rude when Lady Rozemyne thought otherwise—but I could not blame the other students for looking uncomfortable as a result.
“Lady Rozemyne.”
We had just finished our morning lessons when Lord Wilfried called out. Lady Rozemyne turned to look at him.
“It feels so... strange for you to call me that,” she said. “Is there something that you need?”
No sooner had the pair started speaking than they seized the attention of every other student in the room. Some took their time putting away their mana pens, while others feigned checking for any belongings they might have missed. I, too, listened in on their conversation.
“Do you intend to gather more stories this year?” Lord Wilfried asked. “Philine and the other apprentice scholars are concerned about where the compensation will come from...”
“Philine might be my retainer, but she is still a member of Ehrenfest,” Lady Rozemyne replied. “This is a problem best resolved quickly. Shall we settle it at lunch or dinnertime the day after tomorrow? I will invite you, Lady Charlotte, and my retainers.”
“That will do. I shall inform them.”
Contrary to the rumors, they seemed to get along as well as ever. How glad I was to have been proven right; from the start, I had expressed my doubts that Lady Rozemyne would “abandon” him.
That afternoon, we started our practical lessons. Lord Anastasius was our teacher, while Zent Eglantine was in charge of the archduke candidate course for sixth-years. Never had I expected the ruler of our country to remain a professor.
“As it turns out, the archduke candidate course was first conceived as a way for the Zent to educate their successors,” Professor Anastasius said, explaining why he and his wife were teaching. He then gave us our first task: in only four days, we had to recreate the end state of our garden boxes from last year.
“So we need to create a city with entwickeln, correct?”
“Should we expect to register feystone citizens again?”
The other students spoke among themselves. For the past few years, I had stood beside Lady Rozemyne. Now that she was done with her practicals, however, I would need to perform the lesson without any company at all.