PrePub - Ascendance of a Bookworm

I think I owe Wilfried an apology. His active goal has been to sabotage their engagement and loose his spot for the Aubship. All of his recent self destructive behavior suddenly looks productive.

Having said that, I wonder if Rozemyne will give her retainer's another talk about loyalty. During the Trugote incident, Rozemyne dug into Hartmut for hiding things from her and acting behind her back. Now, she learns that basically all of her retainers were doing the same thing.

Still, a good reminder to her that she cannot always trust even her most loyal retainers.

Of course, Rozemyne is still sitting their thinking the problem with her Aubship is her past as a commoner, not her complete unsuitability to be in charge of anything important.

Rozemyne would surely rather spend time with her blood mother than her adoptive one.

This comment hit me hard. It's probably a good thing Rozemyne was not around to hear it. Especially because she can't even get visibly angry about it.

they were only daring to act in the first place because, without their aubs, their medals could not be used to distribute proper punishment.

Remember back when the Hasse executions happened. The J-Novel forums had pages of discussion about the mechanics of how it worked and would be applied to nobility. Now, books later, we have our answer in a throw away line. Conservation of pointless lore questions demands that new pendanticness takes its place: The execution magic is somehow tied to a specific aub, not merely knowledge learned in the AC lessons. Since Ferdinand was able to do it, it is clearly not specifically the aub. Maybe anyone registered with the foundation? For this to make sense, it would also mean that they have been unable to locate the foundations of the deposed duchies, as it should be possible to dye them and become aub, even without the G-book.

Were we not in our current predicament, she would not have shown so much resistence ... yet she had no choice

So, not even Florencia thinks that Rozemyne wants to stay in Ehrenfest. Rozemyne, who had to be pulled kicking and screaming out of the temple.

you can just tell that she's fundamentally different form the rest of us. I'm told she prioritized the things she wants to do and puts off whatever doesn't interest her.

Gee, doesn't this sound a lot the young Sylvestor we have heard about. Also, quite like the current Sylvestor, although less so now that he does not have Ferdinand to shove work onto.

She [Dedlinde] was no longer the only known Zent candidate

Thankfully, the Royal family only considers one of the Zent candidates to be credible, so no risk of a succession crisis.

I'd say I did a much better job as aub that last year, when Ferdinand met with the king behind my back and agreed to leave without securing Ehrenfest anything of value.

What do you mean you did better. As far as you are concerned, the exact same thing happened this year. Rozemyne met with royalty behind you back, and you agreed and you just accepted what she agreed to (minus what any reasonable person would assume was her sacrificial demand).

They weren't my requests, they were hers.

You're happy to take credit for the negotiations when it is a benefit to you. But as soon as someone objects, you point the finger at Rozemyne.