Apprentice Shrine Maiden Volume 2 (Premium)

by Miya Kazuki

  “While you’re here, could you show me what you mean? I would like to know what degree of artistic ability is expected from a noble.” I pointed at the instrument and asked him to play it. He sighed as he put the magic tools away.

  “Fran, bring me the harspiel.” The two instruments he had gifted me were apparently called harspiels. The larger one was for adults and the smaller one was for kids, as expected. It was like a combination of a lute and harp, most resembling a bandura. Its body was shaped like a pear cut in half, with the back half of it curving a bit. The front half had a sound hole like a guitar, which was as ornamental as it was functional. The adult-size one had straight lines decorating it, while the kid-size one had a pattern of growing vines.

  At a glance, they seemed to have about fifty to sixty strings strung on them. The pins of the instrument which all the strings were wrapped around were made from something like ivory, giving more color to the wooden instrument. The head was adorned by a carving of a horse’s head, which made me want to joke about it being a morin khuur (a Mongolian horse-head fiddle), but that reference was just too obscure. Not that they would understand what I meant in this world anyway.

  The High Priest adjusted his posture a bit, put his legs together, and rested the harspiel between his thighs a little. He supported the instrument’s neck with his left hand and plucked a string with his middle finger. The air trembled and music resembling a guitar’s reverberated through the room. He brushed his right hand’s fingers against the strings like one might play a harp, melting the air with high, clear notes.

  The instrument had seemingly already been tuned, so the High Priest lowered his eyes with the harspiel in its position. His right hand played the main notes while his left hand brought out the low notes that served as a bass. His longer fingers danced, starting a song I had never heard before. It was my first time hearing the instrument being played and I had never heard the song before, but I could immediately tell that the High Priest was an expert musician.

  ...He was good. The minstrels loitering around the east gate couldn’t even compare.

  Incidentally, I didn’t like minstrels too much. The music didn’t really resonate with me, and it was always hard to understand what they were singing. It felt like attending a fancy play as a child and catching nothing.

  “The vast blue sky...” The High Priest began to sing with the song. It was a song about growing plants and praising the sun’s blessing, and the lyrics readily brought forth images of a lively summer landscape. I had always thought he had a deep voice that carried well, but when he began to sing, it became almost frighteningly beautiful. Maybe this was normal for songs you hadn’t heard before, but I found myself absorbed in it and completely focused on listening to the lyrics. When the final chord was struck, I couldn’t help but let out an awed gasp. The High Priest handed the harspiel to Fran.

  “That should do it. What did you think, Myne?”

  “I think no girl would reject you if you sang a song of love to them.”

  “What is wrong with you?” The High Priest glared at me, which made me realize I had accidentally said what I was thinking with no filter. I hurriedly put a hand over my mouth and tried to recover.

  “It was such a beautiful song that I found myself absorbed in it. But I don’t think I’ll be able to play on that high of a level.”

  “Education is not accomplished overnight. You will need to practice on a daily basis. Give it a try.”

  I naturally had no way of escaping the studious High Priest, and thus a music lesson began out of nowhere.

  Rosina and Harspiels

  Fran handed me the smaller harspiel meant for children to practice with. Even so, it was surprisingly large given my small frame. The child’s harspiel had a lot fewer strings than the adult’s—probably around half as many—which gave it the range of a practice keyboard I had played in elementary school.

  I put it between my thighs as the High Priest had done and rested it on my left upper arm. It was mostly made of wood instead of anything too heavy, so I could hold it up just fine despite my weakness.

  “It will get increasingly heavy if you hold it diagonally. Try to keep it perfectly upright.” Maybe due to it being a practice instrument, one of the strings was colored. “This is the fundamental sound of the instrument,” said the High Priest while plucking that one string.

  On the “do-re-mi” scale, it was a do. Skip a string and the next was re, then skip another string and that was mi. The thin strings were lined up right next to each other, each a half-tone apart, but the way each one played a unique tone made it feel like plucking a piano’s strings directly. But unlike a piano, there were no black keys, which made searching for specific sounds incredibly difficult.

  “Consider this a musical scale. The sounds get increasingly high or increasingly low on each side.”

  I understood the musical scale by converting it to the do-re-mi scale I was more familiar with. I had been forced into it, but in my Urano days I had practiced piano for about three years. It would be difficult to get used to playing smoothly, but I would probably be able to play the more simple songs I remembered from back then.

  “Sah ee tah... Sah ee tah...” While matching this world’s language, I clumsily played the classic song “Tulip” and nodded in satisfaction.

  “What in the world was that song?” murmured the High Priest.

  “As you heard, a song about flowers.” No tulips existed here as far as I knew, but it would be fine. It wasn’t like the High Priest knew every flower to have ever existed. And sure enough the High Priest fell into thought, a finger on his chin.

  “...Perhaps, of all things, you have a talent for music?”

  “No, I don’t! Not even a little bit!”

  Oh no, oh no oh no oh no. I just raised his expectations super high! Making up a new song and playing it the first time you ever touch an instrument? From an outside perspective, that’s the kind of thing Mozart would do! Don’t look at me like I’m a genius. Please no. The only songs I have memorized are the school anthems and some basic piano songs. I don’t have any talent for music at all.

  “That is not something you can decide for yourself. To be honest, I was concerned that a commoner would struggle to play at all, but it seems it won’t be long before your music is presentable.” Despite my desperate denials, the High Priest began forming plans with the hint of a devious smile on his face. Plans that no doubt involved taking huge cuts out of my reading time.

  “Um, High Priest. I have no intention of letting my reading time get cut down any further.”

  “But daily practice is essential for learning to play an instrument.”

  “Yes, I know. I still won’t give up any of my reading time.” Between checking on the orphanage, keeping tabs on the Myne Workshop, helping the High Priest, and Fran being busy, I barely got any time in the book room no matter how often I came to the temple. My meal time was strictly managed and the books couldn’t be borrowed due to their chains, so I was reading a lot less in the temple than I had initially anticipated.

  “When I joined the temple, you said my work would be offering mana and organizing the book room. I’m only helping you with your paperwork out of the goodness of my heart. You can give up some of that time to make room for my harspiel practice, but I will never give up my reading time for it.”

  We glared at each other for a bit, and after weighing paperwork and music on an internal scale, the High Priest seemed to decide that music was more important. He told me to dedicate all the time up until third bell to practicing the harspiel after arriving at the temple.

  “Inform Wilma and Rosina of what has been decided today. As a note, I will occasionally come to check on your progress, so keep that in mind as you dedicate yourself to practice. I will find out immediately if you try to slack,” he said, driving his point home. The High Priest was right to expect no better from me; there was no way I would take music seriously without constant observance.

 
; After seeing him off, Fran and I had to go to the orphanage. “Gil, Delia. We’re going to the orphanage now, so please prepare a room for Rosina.”

  “You got it. That room’s gonna be spotless by the time you get back.”

  After arriving at the dining hall, we called for Wilma and Rosina. Everyone likely knew why they were being called. The orphans were looking at me anxiously.

  “Sister Myne, are you making Wilma your attendant? Is Wilma going to leave us?”

  “I am making Wilma my attendant, but as orphanage director, I will have Wilma keep working in the orphanage. Her job will be taking care of you all.”

  “Yaaay! Really? She’s not leaving us?” The cheering kids went racing towards Wilma, who had just come down to the dining hall.

  “She said you can work in the orphanage, Wilma!” The kids pulled Wilma’s clothes and arms as they flocked around her. She walked towards us with a happy smile, children hanging off of her. It seemed she meant a lot to the kids. I was really glad I managed to let her stay in the orphanage.

  I asked the kids to leave and remain quiet until our conversation was over. The kids lined up against the wall like a wave crashing against a cliff, but nonetheless stared in our direction with happy smiles.

  “I received the High Priest’s permission for your request, so I will make you my attendant. Your job will be to maintain the orphanage and draw art. Since that includes taking care of the young children, you will remain in the orphanage.”

  With that done, Wilma could continue living in the girls’ building of the orphanage. She wouldn’t be taken by any blue priests, nor would she be forced to offer flowers. Wilma’s peaceful brown eyes shined with happy tears.

  “I thank you ever so much. I will serve you with all I have, Sister Myne.”

  Just as things with Wilma settled down, Rosina arrived in the dining hall. She had chestnut hair that was wavy like Tuuli’s, braided in a half-up style. Her lively blue eyes were gleaming with hope and anticipation.

  “Sister Myne, I was told you wished to discuss something.” Rosina had the mature, pretty face of an adult. Her luxurious hair matched her graceful behavior, making her seem exactly like a dignified young lady from a wealthy family. From the way Wilma and Rosina carried themselves, I could imagine how their former mistress, a lover of the arts, probably behaved.

  ...The High Priest probably wants me to conduct myself like Rosina does. I knew that, but different people were suited for different things. Would I have to be trained until every move I made was beautiful, all the while being compared to my well-raised attendants? The thought made me give a heavy sigh.

  “Rosina, I would like to make you my attendant.” Rosina covered her mouth in disbelief, her cheeks blushing a rosy red. I lowered my eyes. If I did what she just did, people would laugh at me. “The High Priest is trying to educate me and suggested I make you my attendant. Your job will be to teach me to play the harspiel until third bell, then do whatever it is my other attendants are doing. What do you think?”

  “Certainly, I have no objection whatsoever. The harspiel is my most practiced instrument.” With the conversation over, I left the orphanage with a happy Rosina in tow as Wilma and the kids saw us off. She had no possessions in the orphanage. Orphans owned only their bodies and would simply move to their new room, where their master would prepare what they needed.

  After returning to my chambers and gathering my attendants on the first floor, Fran led introductions between everyone. It seemed that a master was not meant to see communions between their attendants and thus I waited on the second floor. Fran told me not to peep, even if I got curious.

  With nothing else to do, I started skimming a piece of sheet music that the High Priest had left behind. Learning to play this song was my first task. It wasn’t that long, but learning to play a song you weren’t familiar with wasn’t easy.

  Eventually, I heard Gil say “I’m gonna go check to see if the workshop’s cleaned and locked up,” followed by the sound of someone leaving. The introductions on the first floor were apparently over, and I could hear the others climbing the stairs to take Rosina to her room.

  “Oh my! A harspiel... Sister Myne, do you mind if I play at once?” Rosina’s voice dripped with emotion after she saw the two harspiels resting next to each other.

  “Geez, Rosina! The instruments won’t run away. You should get settled in your room first.”

  “I understand how emotional it can be to finally find what you’ve been looking for, but Delia’s right,” I said. “Please get settled in your room first. It shouldn’t take too long, as there isn’t much there.”

  I wanted to give Rosina permission to play since she reminded me of myself after finding the book room, but I couldn’t let her play while Delia was there to help her settle in. Rosina went inside her room while looking wistfully at the harspiels.

  “Sister Myne, may I play the harspiel?”

  Rosina had speedily finished setting up her room, so this time I nodded. Her blue eyes sparkled happily as she took the harspiel in hand. Her dainty fingertips stroked the strings, plucking one of them. A high-pitched sound reverberated through the room and Rosina shut her eyes, blissfully absorbing the sensation of the single note spreading throughout the air.

  Rosina sat on a chair and readied the harspiel. Her slender fingers were a bit beaten up from the menial labor she had done in the orphanage, but they nonetheless began to gently caress the string with a soft touch, playing a terribly faint yet beautiful sound. Despite playing the same instrument, the music sounded entirely different from what the High Priest had played, perhaps due to their different personalities, or perhaps due to the different songs. The song she sang in a high-pitched voice wasn’t one I knew, as expected, but her teary eyes and happy smile made it clear that she was overflowing with the joy of playing music again.

  “That was a spectacular performance, Rosina.”

  “I’m honored. I’m just so happy that I get to play again... I will serve you with all my heart, Sister Myne.”

  And so, I got two new attendants, at the cost of daily harspiel practice being added to my schedule.

  The next day, I went to the gate with Dad. Lutz was going to the temple ahead of us to get the orphans, and we planned to go to the forest after meeting up with them at the gate.

  “Is it a boy? Is it a girl? Which would you want, Dad?” As of late, my conversations with Dad always ended up being about the baby. I did the same to Tuuli, which was probably why she wouldn’t talk to me much, always telling me to go talk to Dad instead.

  “...Tough call. If it’s a boy, I’ll get an ally in the house, but if it’s a girl, she’ll be cute.”

  “I think either will be cute! I’m gonna make lots of picture books to read to them!”

  “You’re right, you’re right.”

  Not long after reaching the gate, Lutz arrived with the orphanage children in tow.

  “Lutz, take good care of Myne.”

  “I know. Today, that guy’s gonna carry her.” Lutz pointed at an especially tall boy among the orphans. I would be a nuisance if I walked at my normal pace, so after the tall boy crouched and let me get on his back, we were off.

  “This’s the first time you’re going to the forest with us, huh?” said Gil with excitement. I nodded. I hadn’t gone to the forest at all after becoming a shrine maiden. It would be too much of a burden on Lutz, who already had to watch over all the orphans. I could finally go this time since they were bringing someone strong enough to easily carry me, and because everyone was used to the forest now.

  “Let’s gather taues and harvest more wood. We need wood for the winter and money for food.”

  Winter preparations were a big deal just for a family of four, so who knew how much they would cost for an entire orphanage. They could compensate a bit with divine blessings, but I didn’t know how much of those they would need. It was only recently that they started gathering firewood in the forest, and putting aside thin branches, t
hick logs needed a couple of years to dry before they could be used as firewood. This year we would largely be buying the firewood.

  “Man, it’ll be great if we get to stay in a warm room all winter without starving. But the river’ll freeze in the winter, right? We won’t be able to make paper or go to the forest. What’ll we do then?” Gil pouted, annoyed. The children had spent their whole lives stuck in the orphanage. They had lately started going to the forest to make paper, but once winter came they would be stuck in the orphanage once again.

  “We’ll need to think about winter handiwork you can do in the orphanage.” Our contract with Corinna let Tuuli and Mom make hairpins for their handiwork, but it didn’t mention anything about the orphanage children. I would need to think of different handiwork for them.

  After arriving at the forest, I was stuck waiting at the meeting point like always. I killed time picking up nearby twigs and eating ripe fruit until everyone finished foraging and came back. They had found four taues. An enormous number of them were gathered during the star festival and the swollen, water-filled fruit would burst easily if stepped on by an animal, so not many were left.

  I took the taues they handed to me and poured mana in. By now I was kinda used to seeing them morph before my eyes. The kids all readied their knives and blades, prepared for battle.

  “Alright, I choose you! Stretchy tree thingy!” I threw the taue fruit and it started to grow, shooting seeds everywhere. That was the end of my job. I fell back and waited for everyone to take care of the rest.

  I sat on a large rock and started to think about winter handiwork, while feeling subtly impressed by how much the kids were used to chopping up wood now. First, I thought about what I did last year. I was pretty sure I had been busy making hairpins and teaching Lutz.

  ...Ah! Studying might be a good idea. Why not use all that time locked up to teach the kids to read? I could prepare stone slates and learning resources, then turn a room in the orphanage into a classroom for learning to read, write, and do math. They would have to learn all of that anyway once they became attendants, so starting earlier would be fine. Even if some of them didn’t become attendants, it wouldn’t hurt to know. The Myne Workshop would one day make books, and first I would raise the literacy of its workers.