Konrad

Konrad (コンラート, Konraato) is Philine's younger brother. Although he was born a laynoble, he entered the Ehrenfest temple orphanage to escape his stepmother's abuse and became a commoner.

Konrad was born in the city of Ehrenfest as the laynoble son of Kashick and his wife Theresia, and he is the younger brother of Philine. After their mother died, their father remarried to Jonsara, a harsh-tempered woman who treated both Konrad and Philine coldly. When she gave birth to a boy with more mana than Konrad, her dislike of her stepchildren became abusive.

When Philine left for the Royal Academy, Jonsara was left was alone at home with the two youngest children. She physically abused Konrad with her schtappe, leaving him battered and traumatized. She also took his magic tool away and gave it to her own child, effectively leaving Konrad to die of overexposure to his own mana.

When Philine returns from her first year at the Royal Academy, she is horrified to discover how badly her brother has been abused in her absence. Jonsara confiscates the money Philine earned from Rozemyne and confines her in the family home, then sends an ordonnanz to the castle claiming that her stepdaughter has fallen ill.

However, Rozemyne's understanding of Philine's family situation and the muffled shouts in the background of the ordonnanz lead her to personally investigate, accompanied by Ferdinand and several of her retainers. Upon their arrival, Rozemyne's retainers go to collect the money and check on Philine in her place. They soon return, rushing out with the battered siblings in their arms.

Kashick and Jonsara explain the family simply does not have the money for a second magic tool or to support Konrad as a blue priest. Kashick is pained to admit that they have no choice but to place their family's hopes on the child with the larger mana capacity, while Jonsara is somewhat triumphant in her decision.

Since both parents are willing to let Konrad die, Rozemyne insists on taking him into her custody as the orphanage director and giving him shelter at the temple, where he will eventually become a grey priest. Jonsara easily accepts, while Kashick seems to have mixed feelings.

Before they go to the temple, Rozemyne attempts to heal Konrad; however, his memories of being abused by Jonsara send him into a fit of panic at the sight of her schtappe. Seeing his fear, she dispels her schtappe and proceeds to heal him with just her magic ring. After matters are settled, Rozemyne leaves with the two siblings. Philine vows never to return, leaving Jonsara happy and Kashick devastated.

Konrad takes to his new life in the orphanage quickly, showing none of the usual arrogance and prejudice against grey priests and the temple that are common among the vast majority of nobles. He still shows signs of trauma, panicking even at the sound of footsteps. However, he soon begins to adjust to his safer, more caring environment.

Konrad quickly forms a friendship with Dirk, one of the only orphans near his age. For his part, Dirk takes it upon himself to teach Konrad about life at the orphanage. Over time, Konrad starts to smile and laugh more often, getting rather energetic and keeping his primary caretaker Delia quite busy.

In the winter of Rozemyne's third term at the Royal Academy, Aub Ehrenfest enacts a purge of the former Veronica faction. Thanks to Rozemyne's compassion, the children of the executed nobles too young to swear their names to the archduke or his family are not executed with their parents, but instead are taken in by the temple. As a former noble who has gone through a very similar experience, Konrad plays a key role in getting the new arrivals used to life in the orphanage. He also experiences for the first time what it feels like to win at Karuta, since he was never able to beat Dirk in it.

Prior to this point, Konrad had no interest in music, but with the other former noble children diligently training in playing the harspiel as part of the chance to earn their place in noble society back, Konrad and Dirk join in the practice of the instrument.