Ascendance of a Bookworm

Volume 6, Epilogue

Delia had filled a bucket full of water from the well and was in the midst of carrying it up to the second floor when Gil came bursting in. He didn’t usually return from the workshop this early. The only times he returned before Myne was when he needed to make a report from Lutz. Delia knew that he was back this time because Myne fell sick again.

Really, Sister Myne? What did you do this time?! You finally returned home and you’re sick again!

Delia continued lamenting how weak her mistress was on the inside while asking Gil if Sister Myne would not come to the temple that day. He jolted at her question and looked upstairs to where Delia was.

“Well… she’s not going to be back for the next few days. Oh, Fran! Wait…”

Gil was curt with his response and ran away to talk to Fran.

“Slow down, Gil. Please remember to speak properly when reporting matters to others.”

Delia continued climbing up with the bucket in tow, she was used to hearing Fran nag at Gil about the same things.

She had finally reached the top and saw that Rosina was done with the work tasked by Fran and was busy tuning her harspiel now. She looked so pretty when she focused on tuning the instrument (she was used to moving with grace). Her nails were always short so that she could tune her instrument, and her hands were soft and pale because she didn’t have to do any laborious jobs. Her job responsibility only consisted of music tutoring and paperwork, she didn’t have to work physically like carrying around buckets of water.

We are both such different people so it’s a given that we wouldn’t have the same job. It’s because of this that I need to work harder to pick up more skills, that way I will be favoured by the High Priest.

Delia was even more resolved on this whenever she saw the glaring difference between herself and the other gray shrine maidens. She barely managed to get out of that horrible orphanage as kids around her dropped dead every time. She was going to live the rest of her life comfortably by earning the temple’s most powerful figure’s love, that is the High Bishop’s. With that goal in mind, she was going to watch Rosina to learn how to become more graceful and refined-like.

I mean, Jenni managed to catch the High Priest’s attention and she used to serve Sister Christine.

Delia thought this to herself as she brought a pail to the washroom. She proceeded to lift and pour the contents of the bucket she carried in previously into the pail. Water was absolutely necessary on the second floor as it was needed to clean the place and to clear their excrements. Delia found the job of carrying the bucket from the well to this place the most tedious one.

“Hm, maybe we only need one more bucket?”

They didn’t need that much water when Myne wasn’t around. After checking that there was sufficient water in the pail, she left the washroom with the empty bucket in tow. Right then she witnessed Fran asking Rosina to find a cloth of a certain length.

“Would you like me to help out, Fran?”

“Pardon me if I am wrong, but I take it that you are not done with transporting the water, Delia. Please continue with that first,” Fran smiled warmly.

Delia was aware that Fran knew that she could find the cloth the quickest, yet he approached Rosina to do the task instead. She concluded that they were trying to hide something that needed to be hidden from the High Bishop.

What’s going on? Delia was curious about it but she didn’t try to dig any further. She knew that Fran wasn’t going to let the cats out of the bag no matter what she did. Her best plan was to feign indifference so that Fran would not be suspicious of her, she could ask Rosina more details later.

“Why do we need the cloth though, Fran?” Rosina probed.

“To pack meat. The cloth doesn’t need to be a fine one.” Fran answered back.

To pack meat?

The empty bucket kept swaying as Delia made her descent down the stairs. She strained her ears to eavesdrop on their conversation, but it was too soft to hear and Gil’s (who was in the kitchen) voice now overlapped it.

Strange. She thought that Gil would return to the workshop after passing the message.

“We would want to make it seem like Sister Myne is very thankful to the people in the lower city who have helped her,” Gil said.

“No problem, so how much should I pack?” Hugo asked.

“Uhm… I don’t know about that. I’m sure you can figure that out, Hugo. Anyways, Fran said that it needs to be an amount that won’t raise suspicion amongst those in the lower city…”

“Oh, so it needs to be an inconspicuous amount,” Ella interrupted them. She was so loud that her voice reverberated from the kitchen and out through the common corridor.

“Well, since it’s supposed to be a celebration we can give them lots of deer meat and use the guise that it’s a gift from the workshop.”

What celebration are they talking about?

The only events a gray shrine maiden would ever celebrate was their baptism and their coming of age ceremony. But Myne wasn’t going to celebrate any of them right now.

So something happened in the lower city. Something that calls for a celebration. Delia kept wondering about the possible events as she made her way out.

When Delia returned to the chambers, the dust had settled. Gil was gone with the meat for the celebration. Fran was back to work with his monotonous face and Rosina was helping him because she didn’t need to tutor Myne today. The kitchen door was also closed now.

On days when Myne wasn’t in the temple, Delia would be free for the day. She didn’t need to set out the table during meals, or steep the tea between meals. She didn’t have to help with the baths, or help with changing attires. Other than that, everyone would settle their own dishes and laundry with little issue.

However, Fran was always busy regardless if Myne was present or not. Rosina supported him by helping out with the paperwork, but she occasionally took breaks to play the harspiel. As of late, Gil was always in the workshop and orphanage. The workshop needed to continue operations even if Lutz was not around because he had other matters to tend to. Gil helped out because he wanted to learn and expand his skillset.

Delia was different though. She barely had any work to do. That was because she was planted her by the High Bishop so they didn’t want her finding out about important matters related to Myne.

Delia was disappointed that she was left out, even so she was still proud to be a part of the the High Bishop’s association.

“I will be going to the High Priest’s” Fran said this slightly after the third bell. He always left to help the High Priest even when Myne was absent.

After finishing her task with the documents, Rosina picked up the harspiel.

Delia was free until the fourth bell, so she took the chance to make her way down to the High Bishop’s chambers.

“It’s me, Delia. I would like to make my report to the High Bishop,” she declared to the gray priest stationed at the chamber’s doors. After a while, the door opened and Jenny was standing inside, grinning.

“Apologies, Delia. The High Bishop has left for the neighbouring lands.”

“Hasn’t the High Bishop handed the chalices over to the Noble’s District? Why is he leaving the city even though Spring Prayer is over?”

Delia was perplexed because it didn’t match up to the High Bishop’s schedule she had committed to memory when she was working to become his apprentice here.

Jenny said that she was unclear of the reason too, she only knew that there was an invitation from one of the southern lands. Apparently one of the nobles that owned the land there wanted a discussion with the High Bishop.

“Hence, I will be the one to receive your report,” Jenny continued.

Delia made her report that there had been a celebration of sorts involving Myne in the lower city, and that they prepared some meat as a gift.

Jenny scribbled down what she said onto a board before looking back at Delia with a smile.

“Delia, you look more graceful and refined than you were.”

Myne and Rosina always praised Delia for her hardworking spirit, but hearing it from Jenny was much more pleasing to the ear. That was because Delia looked up to Jenny who was her ultimate goal, that is being favoured by the High Priest.

“I want to be more like Rosina so that I can become the High Bishop’s concubine.”

“Of course, that’s an amazing dream. It’s been so long… I wonder if Rosina is doing well now.”

Delia shifted the conversation to talk about Rosina and what she did as Myne’s attendant. She would occasionally talk about Wilma who was staying in the orphanage too. Jenny listened on with a very pleased expression.

“Do take better care of your appearance, Delia. There might be a noble visiting soon.”

“Do you suppose the High Bishop will let me meet them? Oh no… Fran’s not going to let come though. He always does this.”

Delia’s pale blue eyes filled with glitter when she heard this piece of news, but it dissipated when she recalled her situation. Jenny gave her an amicable smile back.

“I believe that this noble likes children. Don’t worry about it. I’m sure the High Bishop will summon you over, Delia.”

If Delia caught the attention of this noble, there’s a possibility she could become a noble’s concubine and not that of the High Bishop. If she was that lucky, she could even leave the temple.

Though Delia knew that the chances of this happening was nearly impossible, she was still excited about it. She left the High Bishop’s room in high spirits, fantasizing about how amazing her life was going to be, so much so that she didn’t hear Jenny mutter under her breath.

“It would seem like the noble is looking for a child with the Devouring.”