A Bookworm's Journey in the cardinal world ||Tensura X Ascendance of a Bookworm

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Elvira's POV

I was presently seated with Karstedt, enjoying the evening tea our retainers had poured for us. We had emptied the room so that we could have a private talk.

"Well," Elvira started, her voice calm but laced with a trace of frustration, "that meal might have gone better. Trudelide didn't even attempt to disguise her disgust for Rozemyne."

Karstedt sighed, placing his cup down with a quiet clink. "Yes, while she managed to hold herself this time, I worry that her restraint may not last much longer. Rozemyne's views towards nobility aren't good. After all, Bezewanst and Veronica have done a lot to harm her."

Elvira nodded, her fingers beating softly on the porcelain of her cup. "Indeed. Rozemyne's scorn for the nobles is reasonable, considering what she has undergone. We have not been the least bit empathetic towards the commoner's position; nonetheless, it makes exchanges like these all the more risky. If they push her too much, they will feel her wrath. Trudelide is merely waiting for an opportunity to act on their animosities. I really feel sorry for her, as she doesn't even know who she is provoking."

Karstedt's eyes squinted as he weighed the consequences. "It wouldn't surprise me if Trudelide, in her hubris, feels she can provoke Rozemyne without consequence. And should she ever make the mistake of trying to kill Rozemyne or her sister, I can only picture the wrath that would unleash."

"Indeed," Elvira responded, her tone sharpening as she set her cup aside. "Rozemyne may appear delicate outwardly, but we are well aware that her strength far surpasses that of any noble in Ehrenfest—she is, without question, the most formidable individual inside Ehrenfest perhaps only rivalled by Lord Bonafitus . And that's without even accounting for her flame spirit Ifrit. Trudelide's reckless arrogance could easily precipitate not only her own downfall but also Ehrenfest's ruin as a whole. Should we betray Lord Rimuru's trust again, I doubt he will be as lenient a second time."

"I don't even want to think what would happen if that came to pass."

Elvira sighed with frustration on her face. "They know nothing of the severe tribulations she has undergone... or the reality that Rozemyne is not just the temple-born daughter of some noble daughter. Viscount Joisontak will also not sit still after learning about Rozemary's supposed daughter. If they knew her genuine origins, they would be up in arms, not understanding who precisely they are provoking. She is already taking measures to bring some of them down right about now." Karstedt concluded with a hoarse snarl in his voice. "Her roots are a gift and a burden. "One mistake by these idiots, and they may put into motion events far beyond their control."

"Trudelide's disdain is but a symptom of a deeper disease within our ranks," Elvira continued, her eyes blazing with resolution. "They are blissfully oblivious to the power that Rozemyne possesses, not only in magic but also in knowledge and connections. If she is pushed too far, if someone were to threaten anything she holds dear, I don't even want to think about the implications."

"She would go on a bloody rampage." Karstedt agreed, his face gloomy.

"She despises the nobles, and if pushed too far, she may not hesitate to murder them all. Although she loathes murder, it didn't stop her from killing all the knights who attempted to assault her family, and that was even before she evolved into a demi spirit. I don't even want to imagine what may happen now. She is fiercely protective of the people she loves. We only need to ensure that she also protects Ehrenfest in the same way. After all, she will be here long after we die."

Elvira's lips curled into a bitter grin. "It's almost ironic, isn't it? They regard her as a modest little girl from the temple who was abandoned by her birth parents, although the fact is that she wields enough power to topple them if she so desires."