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Gray priests working in the Ehrenfest orphanage.
Orphanage (孤児院, koji'in) refers to an institution that provides for abandoned or orphaned commoner children.
In the city of Ehrenfest, the orphanage is managed by the Church. It accepts unbaptized orphans from the lower city, as well as the children of grey shrine maidens. Once accepted by the temple, orphans are raised to become gray priests who may be bought and sold as servants to the nobility.
Smaller towns and villages also have local orphanages that are not part of the temple. Any orphans are considered the collective property of the town, and they may be bought or sold at the discretion of the town's mayor.
Ehrenfest Cathedral Orphanage
The girls' wing of the Ehrenfest orphanage.
The Ehrenfest cathedral orphanage accepts unbaptized childen who are abandoned or orphaned in the lower city of Ehrenfest.
It also raises any children born to members of the clergy. While both blue and gray priests are (at least in theory) sworn to celibacy,[1] the blue priests often take concubines among the gray priests. It is also common practice to return concubines to the orphanage after they become pregant and select another attendant as a replacement.[2] After the child is born, it is raised at the orphanage, and those who reach baptismal age become gray priests.
Finally, the orphanage is home to all gray priests and shrine maidens who are not currently serving as attendants. Once a gray priest is selected to serve as an attendant, they will move out of the orphanage and take rooms in the administrative building near their new master. Likewise, if they are dismissed or their master dies, they return to live in the orphanage.
Regardless of age, those living at the orphanage are forbidden to leave unless they are appointed as attendants, are purchased by a buyer outside the temple, or have the express permission of the orphanage director.
Layout
The layout of the orphanage within the Ehrenfest temple.
The temple orphanage is split into two buildings on either side of the main chapel. Each has four floors. However, the ground floor is called the "basement," and the floors above it are labeled as the first, second, and third floors.[3]
Boys’ Building
- Basement: Originally used as storage space, the basement was later converted into the orphanage branch of the printing workshop. This is the only part of the boys' building that women are allowed to enter.
- First Floor: A gathering area and the living quarters for apprentice gray priests. The orphanage director's chambers are also on this floor, but they cannot be accessed through the orphanage.
- Second Floor: Living quarters for adult gray priests.
- Third Floor: Living quarters for adult gray priests.
Girl's Building
- Basement: Originally used as communal housing for unbaptized children and pregnant gray shrine maidens. Under Myne's management, it was converted into a kitchen and storage space.
- First Floor: Originally the living quarters for apprentice shrine maidens. It is now used for both apprentice shrine maidens and unbaptized children.
- Second Floor: The orphanage dining hall. This is the only area of the girls' building that men are allowed to enter.
- Third Floor: Living quarters for adult gray shrine maidens.
Management
The orphanage's primary source of food and necessities (such as soap, candles, and other supplies) is through the blue priests' surplus, which is passed down as Divine Gifts. The orphanage director also recieves a budget from the church to cover any other expenses.
Under Myne's management, the temple opened the printing workshop, which serves as an additional source of revenue. The children in the orphanage routinely go out to the commoners' forest to forage for supplies, while the apprentice and adult gray priests manage the work of printing and binding books.
On a day-to-day level, the organization of the orphanage and care of the orphans is provided by the gray priests and shrine maidens who live there. The current head caretaker of the orphans is Wilma, and the current manager of the printing workshop is Gil.
References
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 3 Volume 1. Chapter 10: Starbind Ceremony in the Noble's Quarter
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 3 Volume 5. Meanwhile at the Temple
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Fanbook. Q&A With Miya Kazuki