Haldenzel’s Spring Prayer

Haldenzel’s Spring Prayer

Haldenzel’s Spring Prayer

“You must all be tired. Please rest in your rooms until Spring Prayer tonight,” Countess Haldenzel said. She hadn’t accompanied us on the tour, but she nonetheless came forward to serve as an excellent hostess. Our attendants had already prepared our rooms and unpacked our luggage for us.

Philine, Angelica, and I entered the room I was guided to, where we found that Lieseleta had prepared my bathwater after having finished unpacking everyone’s luggage. “Will you be wearing your ceremonial High Bishop robes during Spring Prayer?” she asked while she was bathing me.

“Indeed. I will be participating as the High Bishop and the one who brought the small chalices, so I will want my ceremonial robes,” I replied. I personally believed that my work here was done now that I had handed over the chalices, but it was probably best for me to play it safe and wear my High Bishop robes for Spring Prayer.

Lieseleta had apparently been speaking with the countess, and she informed me that Spring Prayer was going to start at sixth bell. We had been asked to gather in the dining hall before then, and from there we would move to the plaza.

Once I was wearing my ceremonial robes and spring hairpin, I climbed into my Pandabus. I was still pretty tired from our tour that day, so I had gotten permission from Giebe Haldenzel to travel around the castle in my highbeast.

“Ah, Lady Rozemyne. That makes everyone. Now then, shall we move to the plaza?”

It seemed that I was the last to appear in the dining hall. Upon my arrival, Giebe Haldenzel stood up and started escorting his wife to the plaza.

“Under normal circumstances, Lord Wilfried would similarly escort you, but unfortunately...” Elvira trailed off and instead asked Wilfried to walk on my right as I traveled in my highbeast. Behind us was Charlotte, then Karstedt, who was escorting Elvira, and then our scholars and attendants, who were lined up in order of status. Our guard knights were surrounding us in a protective formation, with Angelica walking directly to my left.

Giebe Haldenzel and his wife leisurely descended the stairs. I was starting to wonder why they had called the place they were going to hold Spring Prayer a plaza rather than a grand hall, but then I remembered that Illgner’s Harvest Festival was held not in a noble estate, but rather in public, with the commoners and giebe celebrating together. Perhaps having shared celebrations was also common in Haldenzel.

I was already aware that the commoners had their own living space underground, and indeed, there was a long ivory hall with evenly spaced doors. It looked entirely like the hallway that linked the Royal Academy’s dormitories. The white walls seemed to be glowing faintly, but aside from that, our surroundings were dim.

We soon arrived in a large plaza. The commoners were already gathered, but aside from that, this was nothing like Spring Prayer at the winter mansions in the Central District. There was a large cylindrical stage positioned in the center of the plaza, atop which was a stand and a shrine that held offerings to the gods and the small chalices.

During the Harvest Festivals in Hasse and Illgner, there were seats on the stage that looked down upon the commoners. Here in Haldenzel, however, there were round tables near the stage where the province’s nobles were already seated. There were also several other round tables positioned right in front of the stage, but these ones were empty. I could guess that the table closest to the stage was for those from the archducal family, while the seats that were a little farther away were for Giebe Haldenzel and his wife.

“Here you are, Lady Rozemyne.” Giebe Haldenzel pulled out a chair for me, and a tremor immediately shot through all those around me; it seemed that this development had come as too much of a surprise for them to completely hide their feelings. I glanced over at Karstedt and Elvira, unsure whether I should actually sit down, and they shook their heads ever so slightly. It was presumably a signal that I should refuse.

“My apologies, Giebe Haldenzel, but could you offer a seat to Wilfried first? I must put away my highbeast,” I said, indirectly refusing his offer while leisurely descending from Lessy. Giebe Haldenzel gave a noticeably broader smile in response before guiding Wilfried to his seat. He then led Charlotte to hers, and the tension in the air drained at once.

“Here you are, Lady Rozemyne.” Giebe Haldenzel repeated himself and pulled out the chair again once I had put away my highbeast. It seemed to be fine for me to sit now, so I obliged him. The seat was just right, with the height of the cushions having been adjusted for my sake.

Wilfried and then Charlotte were seated to my left, while Giebe Haldenzel and then his wife were seated to my right. Karstedt and Elvira were sitting across from me. It seemed that everyone was now in their designated seats, so our scholars and attendants sat down as well. Only our guard knights remained standing behind us. Our attendants would need to work again once Spring Prayer began.

It soon reached sixth bell, indicating the start of Spring Prayer. As each chime echoed through the plaza, the previously bustling commoners all fell silent.

“High Bishop. Please come to the stage,” Giebe Haldenzel said as he stood with his wife and headed up the stage. I promptly did the same and followed after them, my head spinning at the sudden request.

Hold on a moment. I never heard anything about this. I thought my work here was done after handing over the chalices! Ferdinand! Help! Fran! Hold up a sign telling me what to say! AAAAAAH!

“This is the celebrated High Bishop, known to all as the Saint of Ehrenfest. She is the daughter of my little sister, Elvira, and we celebrate her return to our homeland!” Giebe Haldenzel declared, causing the gathered commoners to erupt in cheers. It seemed that the people of Haldenzel intended to treat me as family entirely because I was Elvira’s daughter, even though they had never actually met me before.

Giebe Haldenzel extended his hand, raising it as high as his shoulder. His gesture quieted the crowd, allowing him to then break that silence with a declaration spoken in a heavy and profound voice.

“Today, the Saint of Ehrenfest has brought spring to Haldenzel. Once again, Flutrane the Goddess of Water’s clear streams have pushed away Ewigeliebe the God of Life and rescued Geduldh the Goddess of Earth.” Giebe Haldenzel pointed at the chalices on the shrine, paused for a moment to look over the crowd, and then continued in a louder voice. “Sing so that the gods might hear your prayers! Dance so that the gods may know your gratitude! Blessed be the melting of the snow!”

Again, the crowd started to cheer. The passion of the citizens who had eagerly been awaiting the end of winter was overwhelming to behold, and thus began Haldenzel’s Spring Prayer.