Ascendance of a Bookworm

Why Do I Need Artistic Cultivation (1)

Proofread by Ruriko

Before the bell rings 5 times, I put the bedclothes on my bed, and looks for a place to store the musical instruments and tools for maintenance of musical instruments . After I managed to tidy up my room, I give the wooden cases and cloth to the attendants .

As soon as the bell rings the fifth time, the Head Priest comes and Arnaud follows him . I meet and greet the Head Priest as Fran taught me . "Though it feels not quite sure, you"ve remembered it anyway," the Head Priest makes comments on my behavior .

"Sir, thank you very much for the comfortable futon . "

"You, just . . . "

Then we go upstairs . I show the bed and thank the Head Priest, but he holds his head .

"Is there anything wrong? I just said thank you, right?"

" . . . Yes . You just said thanks . But you didn"t have to say anything about the exact gift . From now on, when you say thank you, you should only use the vague expression like ‘nice gift’ or ‘my long-wished-for gift’ . "

"Ok . "

I repeat in the heart that the contents of the gift should not be spoken . The Head Priest put on a weird look as if he is chewing a bitter insect, and lowers his voice,

"Besides, don"t tell others that I present you with bedclothes as a gift . "

"Huh?"

"Usually, bedclothes are prepared for a mistress of a family or for . . . a fiancee . It can cause misunderstanding . "

"Huh?! "Why, why did you do the thing that might be misunderstood?"

The Head Priest is not as careless as me . He knows it misleading, but still presented bedclothes to me . I don"t know the reason .

The Head Priest answers my questions with sharp eyes .

"It"s your fault this time . "

"What?"

"You are weak and have fallen down in a faint in the temple several times, but you still leave your bed unmade," says he . "That day, when you fainted and Fran carried you, I could not believe my eyes when I saw the bed . "

The Head Priest doubts when I will have my bedclothes prepared if he does nothing at all . I do have a memory like a sieve . So he ordered the futon . I haven"t thought about this in my mind, and I turn my eyes softly .

" . . . Well, I am very sorry . "

The Head Priest coughs deliberately, and glances at the table . Remembering that I have not offered the seat, I invite the Head Priest to sit down .

"D-ampleur is Head Priest"s favorite . Do you like today"s tea?"

"Well, it has been long time since I had the tea made by Fran last time . "

Today’s guest is the Head Priest, so I ask Fran to make the tea, instead of Delia . There is not one drop wasted . Delia watches Fran serving the tea in a skilled way . Although the same water and tea leaves are used, Fran"s tea tastes totally different .

"Hm, it still smells good . "

The Head Priest narrows his eyes, intoxicated . Seeing his expression of enjoying the tea, Fran seems to be a little relieved .

Delia takes the plates from Gil and places them on the table .

"Please have some sweets . It"s cookies . The sweetness is modest for the gentlemen who do not like sugar so much . "

The Head Priest takes a mouthful of crisp cookie, widening his eyes slightly . After the Head Priest tastes one of the cookies, he takes another . According to his response, I don"t think it tastes too bad .

" . . . Maine, where do you get this?

"I just made it in my kitchen," I answer . "Could I have your comments? I"m going to sell it .

It will be prepared for Italian restaurant as tea cake after meal, or sold in small package as a souvenir . "

" . . . You not only make paper and essence in person, but also food, right?" says the Head Priest .

"Eh, I"m going to have a tasting party before the store opens," I reply . "So if your schedule permit, please come, too . I"m going to run a restaurant to serve food which the n.o.bles often eat . Fran can guarantee the taste, but I wish to experience a real n.o.ble meal . "

I gave him a hint gain and again with an expectant look . The Head Priest is good at reading the expression, and drops his eyes as if he gives in upon my tenacity .

" . . . I see . I will invite you for lunch soon . "

"Ok! I"m honored . "

Now that one of Benno"s tasks has been fulfilled, I would like to confirm the materials, the taste and the service of the Head Priest"s lunch .

After tasting the tea and cookies, the Head Priest cuts to the chase .

"So, do you mean that you"ve had a talk with Wilma?"

"I want Wilma to live in the orphanage after becoming my attendant . May I ask for your permission?"

"Why?"

The Head Priest frowns in confusion . The attendants as the name implies, shall serve the master by their master"s side . There are some people who wish to leave the orphanage, but none wishes to stay .

"Wilma herself wants to stay," I explain . "Because she thinks that children of the orphanage need someone to take care of . Usually, the little children who have not received the Baptism should be looked after by the grey-robed priestesses who have ever been delivered of a baby . But there is none of them at present, right? So, by my authority as the orphanage director, I want to make Wilma stay in the orphanage to take care of the children . "

"Sir, I also beg a favor of you," Fran adds . "There is no one to take care of the children now . They may get sick and sometimes have a fever during the night . Wilma is very worried about the children . "

"Hmm," on Fran"s words, the Head Priest strokes his chin .

"Anyway, it is a plausible excuse . . . , but if Wilma still lives in the orphanage, please take Rosina as your attendant as well . I"ve prepared the musical instruments for you . Thus, there would be no problem, right?"

The Head Priest looks at me with his sharp eyes .

"Sir, why do you insist that I should get artistic cultivation? As I said before, I don"t have any chance to perform at temple ceremonies, right?" I ask .

"There is no need to perform in the temple at all . There will be blue-robed priests who have no hobby in music," the Head Priest explains .

"Then why?"

The Head Priest takes out a small magic tool . It"s a magic tool to prevent eavesdropping . I know it by sight . We hold it in our hands together .

"You will definitely be involved with n.o.bles in the future . "

" . . . But I am not going to leave my families . "

Because of this, I join the temple but still live at home . The Head Priest knows I possess great mana, so he is supposed to understand my relationship with the families to some extent . He says, "It is not open to doubt", so anxiety creeps up on me .

"Maybe you don"t know, if mana is not balanced, people can"t have babies," he continues . "You are alright even after you offer 10 small magic stones, and your mana is great enough to get in my secret . That is to say, you can have children with no one other than a n.o.ble . So I don"t think you will get married in the Civilian Area . "

Speaking of this, I recalled that Delia did talk about magical balance before . Only the couple with equal mana can have babies . I was angry at the blue-robed priest"s inhumanity, so I was not aware of at all that the law surely applies to me .

However, I don"t think it will bring any effect on me .