Attendant's First Job

“Welcome, Lady Ottilie. I am Norbert, the one in charge of the attendants.”

I had arrived at the castle before third bell as Elvira instructed, and Norbert had come to welcome me. Norbert is the aub’s head attendant, and I have heard from my husband, Leberecht, that he is also in charge of the attendants for the entire archducal family. Despite his gentle demeanor and peaceful smile, his purple eyes didn’t miss even the slightest of movements and I could feel myself being appraised by him.

“I have been informed that you are going to be one of Lady Rozemyne’s attendants based on Lady Elvira’s recommendation. Is my understanding correct?”

“Indeed. All of my children are now old enough to have attended the Royal Academy, so I thought that this would be a good time to return to work. I certainly did not expect that Lady Elvira’s daughter would be adopted by the aub, however.”

Lady Veronica had made significant efforts to keep the Leisegang family at a distance. I never anticipated that she would be ousted and arrested by her son, Lord Sylvester, or that he would take in Lady Rozemyne, a member of the Leisegang family, as his daughter.

“As you will be serving Lady Rozemyne, I will henceforth refer to you simply as “Ottilie”. You may call me “Norbert” as well.”

“Understood.”

“The aub has appointed Rihyarda as Lady Rozemyne’s head attendant. Since she is currently busy overseeing the servants, I will escort you to the northern building. Let’s start by going to the waiting room to meet Lady Elvira.”

I followed Norbert to the waiting room, and upon seeing us, Elvira put down her teacup and rose from her chair.

“Ottilie, how do you do? I am sure being Rozemyne’s attendant will not be easy, but I am counting on you nevertheless. Norbert, could you please guide us to the northern building?”

We made our way to the northern building, with Norbert taking the lead. The northern wing of the main building housed the archduke’s living quarters. Having never served a member of the archducal family, I had never ventured into that area before. The hallway we were traversing was quite lengthy, but the northern building, where the archduke candidates resided, apparently lay even farther ahead.

“This is the corridor that leads to the northern building. It’s secured by a barrier, so access is limited to the corridors on the first and second floors. Only those with permission from the archducal couple are allowed entry.”

“I see that the northern building is under very strong protection. I was not aware of this.”

“Apart from the archducal family’s retainers, I’m sure only a few people are aware of this. I’ve been informed that the barrier is in place to safeguard the aub’s heir in case anything happens to the aub.”

We walked through the corridor while listening to Norbert and opened the door that led to the northern building. Upon entering, a staircase caught my eye. The corridor stretched in both directions, and a guard knight stood at a door to our left.

“The second floor houses the boys’ rooms, while the girls’ rooms are on the third floor, mirroring the setup at the Royal Academy. This room on the second floor is being used by Lord Wilfried. Typically, the more spacious rooms on the left are reserved for the children of the first wife. Lord Wilfried has chosen this room on the left, and it’s anticipated that Lady Charlotte will opt for one on the left on the third floor as well.”

I was aware that Lady Florencia had other children apart from Lord Wilfried, but I did not know their names. Even Leberecht only referred to them as “Lady Florencia’s children” and never addressed them by their names.

“Are you sure you should be divulging information about unbaptized children?”

In a somewhat bewildered tone, I posed the question, and Norbert, smiling, explained as he began ascending the stairs that I would need to familiarize myself with the archduke’s children now that I would be working at the northern building.

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“On the right side of the staircase is Lady Rozemyne’s room.”

The room Norbert pointed to had its door wide open, and I could see several servants carrying all sorts of items inside.

“Rihyarda, I’ve brought Lady Elvira and Ottilie—you two, please go ahead and enter the room. I’ll be taking my leave.”

After calling out to Rihyarda, Norbert quickly turned around and left. We followed his instructions and entered the room. The red wallpaper and the feminine, brightly-colored atmosphere of the room brought a smile to my face. Since all three of my children were boys, I had never had the chance to prepare such an adorable room.

“Was it Lady Rozemyne who picked out the wallpaper for this room?”

“No, I was the one who selected it. I have ensured that her room at our estate, the temple, and the castle all have a similar ambiance. I thought it might help Rozemyne feel more at ease in a new place if the interiors were familiar, wouldn’t you agree?”

Lady Elvira said that while casting her eyes across the room. I could sense her joy at having the opportunity to set up a space for a girl. Recalling how she had expressed delight in choosing outfits for Lady Rozemyne, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy.

“I am Rihyarda, the head attendant. I hope that we can work well together as Lady Rozemyne’s retainers.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Rihyarda. What manner of work is planned for today?”

“Now that the wallpaper is done, the next step is to bring in the larger pieces of furniture. The space near the main door will be more public, while it gets more personal as you go further inside.”

While we chatted, workers were assembling a bed at the far end of the room from pieces that had been brought in. Once the bed was in place, the plan was to add a bench or armchair along with a low table to create a cozy personal space. Following that, a desk and bookshelf would be brought in for Lady Rozemyne’s studying and official duties. Finally, a table for entertaining guests would be positioned near the main door.

“Is a space to entertain visitors really necessary, considering only those with permission from the archducal couple can enter the northern building?”

“Indeed. The archduke candidates will have tea parties with each other as part of their socializing practice, and the archducal couple will also visit on occasion to review how the candidates are spending their time in the northern building. However, it is their retainers who will use this space the most. We will most likely use it frequently when helping our lady with her studies or her official duties.”

According to Rihyarda, Lord Sylvester had frequently used this space for meetings with his retainers to strategize on “How best to sway Lady Florencia’s heart” when he wasn’t at the Royal Academy.

“The hidden room’s door will be positioned behind the bed, and the one opposite the fireplace opens to the changing room, restroom, and bathing area. Here is the antechamber for attendants, with the clothing room behind it. Ottilie, I’ll guide you on using the attendants’ antechamber later. Lady Elvira, is this the luggage you requested?”

Rihyarda indicated a pile of boxes that had been placed in a corner of the room. Elvira checked their contents and nodded in confirmation.

“The bedding is in this box, the curtains are in this one, and the towels and other fabrics are in that one.”

“In that case, please take this box to the changing room. Ottilie, let us decide on where to place the linens. In the meantime, Lady Elvira, please put the covers on the cushions.”

After instructing the servants to transport the box with bathroom and changing room items, Rihyarda and I discussed the placement of towels and other necessities for our convenience. A washstand had already been arranged, accompanied by a feystone pitcher beside it.

“This pitcher is connected to the water pot in the basement. I assumed that we would need it starting today, so I prepared it in advance. For hot water, we’ll utilize the one over there when necessary. The restroom here is exclusively for Lady Rozemyne, and her attendants will need to exit the room and utilize the restrooms on the northern side of the staircase.”

While I listened to Rihyarda’s explanation, I continued to stow away the items. However, there weren’t many fabrics to start with. Glancing around the bathroom, I noticed that no flowers or fragrances had been brought in yet, making it feel insufficient as a personal space for a woman.

“When shall we prepare flowers and other necessities?”

“That can wait until just before Lady Rozemyne enters the castle, no? If we prepare them too early, they won’t be fresh when she arrives.”

Even though we were rushing to prepare the rooms, Lady Rozemyne had not yet completed her baptism. It seems we’ll be leaving the necessities for after the adoption is formally completed.

While we finished organizing the towels and the like, Elvira had the servants start attaching the curtains. With the curtains in place, the room exuded a brighter and more flowery ambiance.

”…It turned out just as you feared, Rihyarda. Rozemyne didn’t have any time at all to oversee the setup of her room. Lord Ferdinand mentioned that she may not enter the castle until just before the Starbinding Ceremony.”

I was curious about their conversation, but Rihyarda explained it to me as we headed towards the clothing room.

“Usually, the archduke’s children oversee the setup of their rooms as a learning experience, but I was concerned that Lady Rozemyne might find it challenging. Since she hasn’t undergone her baptism yet, she won’t be allowed to enter the castle, let alone the northern building. We also considered having her stay in a guest room temporarily until she gets her room in order. However, if we are to announce the adoption to the nobility during the Starbinding Ceremony, we need to start treating her as an adopted daughter by then rather than a guest. She wouldn’t have nearly enough time to prepare her room on her own, correct?”

Lady Elvira expressed her agreement with Rihyarda’s words and, with a troubled expression, placed a hand on her cheek before releasing a small sigh.

“According to Lord Karstedt, Rozemyne will assume the role of High Bishop right after her baptism. Even following the Starbinding Ceremony, she won’t be spending much time in the castle.”

“Oh dear. Why is Lady Rozemyne being appointed as the High Bishop even after her baptism and adoption by the archduke?”

It would have made sense if the aub tried to conceal Lady Rozemyne’s temple upbringing, considering the adoption, but I can’t comprehend why he would send her back to the temple and appoint her as the High Bishop after adopting her. Lady Elvira also tilted her head upon hearing my question.

“From the limited information I’ve gathered, it seems essential for Rozemyne to stay in the temple, but Lord Karstedt has been evasive in providing a straightforward answer. Could Lord Ferdinand have played a role in making this decision as well?”

While chatting about these matters, we completed organizing the extra bed sheets and pillow covers in the clothing room. Strangely, the room was completely devoid of any outfits.

“Oh dear, Lady Elvira, it appears the outfits haven’t arrived yet…”

“I’ve instructed the seamstresses to work on them promptly, so I’ll send the outfits over as soon as they’re ready. The fabric used for the outfits will also be delivered with them.”

As I surveyed the nearly empty room, the servants updated us on the bed assembly. We supervised the mattress placement, and soon after, the bench and table were also brought in and positioned according to Rihyarda’s guidance. Following that, the harspiel stand and chair, along with two bookcases, were introduced to the room.

“Wouldn’t it be better to hold off on setting up the bookcases until the study desk is brought in?”

“No, Rihyarda. The study desk will have a bookshelf next to it, so let’s position these bookcases here, near the bench.”

Lady Elvira instructed the servants to position the bookcases as she had indicated. Rihyarda gazed at the two bookcases near the bench, wearing an astonished expression.

“Lady Elvira, just what manner of child is Lady Rozemyne? It seems unusual for a child who has recently completed their baptism to have an immediate need for bookshelves or bookcases…”

A room’s private space usually holds items that the owner uses for relaxation, reflecting their personality. However, the bookcases that were brought in were not placed near the study desk but in the private space of the room. Both Rihyarda and I were left surprised, blinking in confusion.

“Rozemyne is an avid book lover. When Lord Ferdinand brought in some study materials, she was thrilled, hugging them close and expressing that she feels most at ease when immersed in books. Due to her weak constitution and frequent need for rest, she can’t visit the book room often. Therefore, I was informed that she requires bookcases in her room.”

It seems Lady Rozemyne is a kind and book-loving child. Unlike my children, who, thanks to their father’s education, often spend their time gathering information and strategically considering how to lead opponents into traps, I have a longing for gentle and obedient little girls. I’m starting to look forward to meeting Lady Rozemyne in person.

“It appears Lady Rozemyne is deeply committed to her studies. Given that Rihyarda has been selected as one of her retainers, could this imply that Lady Rozemyne is the frontrunner to become the next aub? Rihyarda has previously served Lord Karstedt, Lady Georgine, and Lord Sylvester, fueling rumors that she plays a crucial role in training the next archduke or archduchess.”

This was a highly significant development. The dynamics of my role as her retainer, interactions with the Leisegang nobles, and my husband’s position among Lady Florencia’s retainers would all undergo a profound shift depending on whether Lady Rozemyne was being evaluated as a potential future archduchess or not.

In response to my inquiry, Rihyarda shook her head with a wry smile.

“That’s not accurate. I serve as one of Aub Ehrenfest’s attendants, taking on various roles within the archducal family as directed by the aub. While it might appear that I am involved in training potential aubs based on my past assignments, my primary duty is to assist members of the archducal family who do not have enough retainers of their own.”

It seems that Rihyarda’s first assignment in this capacity was with Lady Gabriele, who entered the duchy through marriage from Ahrensbach. Although the marriage wasn’t favored by Ehrenfest, the acceptance of an archduke candidate from a greater duchy left little room for refusal. Given the scarcity of nobles available for such service, Rihyarda took on the responsibility, likely involving information gathering. She served Lady Gabriele until her departure from the castle.

“At the aub’s behest, I also served Lady Veronica when she came to the castle for education before her marriage. This decision stemmed from her strained relationship with the Leisegang nobles, leaving her without trusted attendants. With few confidants to discuss matters related to Lady Gabriele, she specifically requested my service.”

It seems Lady Veronica had insisted on having Rihyarda as her personal attendant after her marriage. However, the aub at the time declined the request, as Rihyarda retained the position of the aub’s attendant.

“Even when I served Lord Karstedt, it was at the behest of Aub Ehrenfest. As there was a shortage of male members of the archducal family at the time, it was arranged for Lord Karstedt to reside in the northern building post-baptism. However, prior to that, he was brought up in Lord Bonifatius’s estate. Hence, I was assigned to be his educator during that period.”

It seems this was done to establish a connection for Lord Karstedt with the castle even before his baptism and to provide him with the necessary training to become a member of the archducal family rather than a typical archnoble. Consequently, once he began residing in the northern building and developed trusting relationships with the retainers chosen by Lord Bonifatius and the Leisegang nobles, Rihyarda’s role concluded.

“In that case, why did you serve Lady Georgine and Lord Sylvester? It seems unusual, given their positions—they should have had no trouble finding their own retainers.”

“When Lady Veronica’s husband assumed the role of aub, she insisted that I oversee Lady Georgine’s education, determined to train her into an archduke candidate who could rival Lord Karstedt. As a result, I became Lady Georgine’s attendant under the directive of Lord Adelbert, the aub at that time.”

Apparently, it was the result of Lord Adelbert granting Lady Veronica’s selfish wish. After all, it was inconceivable for Lady Georgine to lack sufficient retainers.

“Upon Lord Sylvester’s birth, I received an immediate order to become his attendant. This likely led to the misconception that I was responsible for training the next archduke. Nonetheless, the aub has clarified that my service to Lady Rozemyne aligns with my main purpose.”

“Is that truly the case?”

“Indeed. There seem to be various complexities surrounding her adoption, and since she grew up in the temple, there’s a desire to shield her somewhat from the Leisegang nobility until she becomes more accustomed to noble society. Additionally, finding retainers for her has proven challenging due to her association with the temple.”

Rihyarda flashed me a cheerful smile, and Elvira joined in, expressing that they had no desire to jeopardize Lady Florencia’s standing. It was clear they hoped I would convey to my husband, a retainer of Lady Florencia, that Lady Rozemyne wasn’t being considered for the position of the next aub and to work with Lady Elvira to keep the Leisegang nobles under control.

”…It seems to me that Lady Rozemyne is in quite a difficult position.”

“Indeed. Which is precisely why, in the future, when suggesting potential retainers for her, exercise utmost caution. We wouldn’t want anyone attempting to push Rozemyne into the role of the next aub against her wishes.”

“Understood”

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Little did I know that after Lady Rozemyne’s baptism, my youngest son, Hartmut, would develop a burning desire to become one of her retainers. Nor did I realize that my primary task as her attendant would involve keeping my son at a safe distance from her.

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Yesterday was the fifth anniversary of the web novel’s completion. I had completely forgotten about it, so I decided to finish up one of the stories that had been rejected as a thank you to all the people who celebrated this milestone. (Originally posted on March 13th, 2022)