Church Hierarchy

**Temple Priests and Shrine Maidens** are considered a distinct social group from nobility and commoners. The clergy of Ehrenfest fall into one of two broad categories: the noble-born blue priests, and the commoner-born gray priests.

Members of the church are generally held in contempt by outsiders. Nobles view both blue priests and gray priests as commoners, while commoners view gray priests as unwanted orphans.

# Senior Roles

## High Priest

**The High Priest** (神殿長, *shindenchou*) is the highest authority in the church in Ehrenfest. This position can only be held by a blue priest or priestess. Alternatively, a unmarried noble may be appointed to the role at the discretion of the ruling archduke.

The High Priest's duties include, but are not limited to:

* Authorizing any major decisions on behalf of the church.
* Conducting religious ceremonies.
* Serving as a caretaker of the bible and bible key.

The current High Priest of the Ehrenfest cathedral is Bezewanst.

## Head Priest

**The Head Priest** (神官長, *shinkanchou*) is the second-highest authority in the church in Ehrenfest. He or she serves as the head administrator, manages the blue and gray priests, and handles many of the day-to-day practicalities of running the temple.

The position of Head Priest can only be held by a blue priest or priestess, not a gray priest or priestess. Alternatively, an unmarried noble may be appointed to the position at the discretion of the ruling archduke.

The Head Priest's duties include, but are not limited to:

* Overseeing the temple's budget.
* Overseeing the temple's inventory.
* Managing the temple's official correspondence.
* Handling the assignment of gray priests as attendants.

The current Head Priest of the Ehrenfest cathedral is Ferdinand.

## Orphanage Director

**The orphanage director** (孤児院の院長, *koji'in no inchou*) is in charge of overseeing the orphanage. They are assigned a budget by the Head Priest with which they are supposed to cloth and take care of the orphans. Food expanses are not traditionally part of this budget, because of how food is handled in the temple by being made for the Blue Priest and the leftovers tickling down the hierarchy as "Alms of the Gods".

The living conditions of the orphanage can change drastically depending on the person entrusted with managing it. For example, the Ehrenfest temple orphanage suffered a great deal under the directorship of Sister Margaret, who embezzled the orphanage's budget for personal use. By contrast, Sister Myne allocated the orphanage's budget carefully and sought out additional streams of revenue to provide for the orphans' food, clothing, and winter preparations. The Ehrenfest temple's orphange director's quarters are located above the boys' wing of the orphanage

Known Ehrenfest temple orphanage directors include Margaret (former) and Myne (current).

# Blue Priest

**Blue priests and priestesses** (青色神官, 青色巫女, *aoiro shinkan, aoiro miko*) are clergy who were originally born into noble families. Most of them are sent to the temple at a young age due to having insufficient mana to support their family's standing in noble society.

They typically have not attended the Royal Academy and are not considered nobles. On the rare occasion a noble becomes a blue priest voluntarily, he or she renounces his or her noble status and becomes a a commoner. On the other hand, if a noble was assigned to serve the temple under an order, s/he gets to keep his/her noble status.

It is extremely rare (perhaps unprecedented) for a commoner to be admitted to the temple as a blue priest or shrine maiden. The only known instance of this is Myne's acceptance as an apprentice blue shrine maiden, made possible by her unusually high mana and personal wealth combined with the temple's dire shortage of both mana and funding.

Known duties of blue priests and shrine maidens include:

* Dedicating a small amount of mana to the Divine Instruments all year long.
* Dedicating large amounts of mana during the Dedication Ritual.
* Perform religious services outside the capital at the Harvest Festival in their assigned provinces.
* Perform the Spring Prayer in their assigned provinces.
* Go to noble's mansions to perform baptisms, if selected.
* Assist the Knight's Order by performing the Healing Ritual after a successful trombe extermination.

Known blue priests and shrine maidens at the Ehrenfest temple include Christine (former), Egmont (current), Ferdinand (former) and Margaret (deceased).

## Apprentice Blue Priest

**Apprentice blue priests and blue priestesses** (青色神官見習い, 青色巫女見習い,*aoiro shinkan minarai, aoiro miko minarai*) are children from noble families baptized in the church as blue priests. Until they come of age, they learn the duties expected of their new role and are educated in reading, writing and other basic skills.

Duties may include:

* Dedicating a small amount of mana to the Divine Instruments all year long.
* Dedicating large amounts of mana during the Dedication Ritual.
* Assisting with paperwork and administrative tasks.
* Managing temple books, documents and artifacts.

Many of the duties Myne filled during her time as an apprentice blue shrine maiden, such as participating in healing rituals and managing the orphanage, are not considered standard for apprentices.

# Gray Priest

**Gray priests and priestesses** (灰色神官, 灰色巫女, *haiiro shinkan, haiiro miko*) are typically born as commoners near the temple.

Children orphaned or abandoned by their parents with no other person to care for them are accepted into the cathedral orphanage where they are trained to become servants to the clergy and nobility. Some gray priests and priestesses are unwanted children born to the concubines of blue priests and nobles, but they are still considered commoners.

Regardless of their standing within the church, gray priests live in forced servitude for their entire lives. They can be bought and sold by nobles to serve as servants or concubines, and they do not have any control over their careers or futures.

Due to growing up in the cathedral, most gray priests have only a limited understanding of how outside society works. Because food and supplies are shared equally and service is obligatory, most gray priests don't understand the concepts of money, property, compensation, or paid work. They are also unfamiliar with the concepts of family, marriage, and relationships.

## Church Retainers

**Church retainers** (側仕え, *sobadzukae*) are gray priests and priestesses who serve as attendants to blue priests in the temple. Despite having the same name and similar duties, this job is not the same as that of a noble attendant.

Duties may include:

* Preparing and serving food for one's master, helping them dress and undress, drawing baths and cleaning their living quarters.
* Scheduling meetings, sending messages, running errands.
* Accompanying one's master on trips out of the temple.
* Providing sexual services, including entertaining guests and serving as a concubine.

An attendant's job is ultimately to do whatever is asked of them. Depending on their master's priorities, attendants may play music, produce artwork, work as chefs, or handle business affairs.

Church retainers live in rooms adjacent to their master's chambers so they can always be available when needed. When an attendant is dismissed, or when their master dies or leaves the temple, they return to the orphanage as orphanage gray priests. Attendants may also be sold to a noble outside the temple. In such a case, they remain in forced servitude to their new master unless they are intentionally emancipated.

## Apprentice Church Retainers

**Apprentice church retainers** are gray priests and shrine maidens who have been baptized, but have not yet come of age. They manage many of the same duties as an adult attendant, but may be supervised or trained by someone more experienced. It is not known whether an attendant apprenticeship continues until a child comes of age.

Duties may include:

* Preparing and serving food for one's master, helping them dress and undress, drawing baths and cleaning their living quarters.
* Accompanying one's master on trips out of the temple.
* Sending messages, running errands, and collecting information.
* (Apprentice shrine maidens.) Entertaining and flirting with male guests..

Apprentice attendants mainly learn to do the tasks their master requires of them, so their education and training may progress very differently depending on whom they serve. However, all apprentice attendants learn the general etiquette and protocol that nobles expect of their servants. They are also familiar with noble euphemisms.

## Orphanage Gray Priest

**Orphanage gray priests and shrine maidens.** Regardless of their age, gray priests who are not currently serving as attendants stay in the orphanage, where they recieve meager but equal access to food and shelter.

Their duties include:

* Cleaning and maintaining the orphanage and public areas of the cathedral.
* Caring for the children currently living in the orphanage. (Mainly gray shrine maidens.)

Because retainers tend to recieve more and higher quality food, better accommodations, and otherwise preferential treatment, most gray priests in the orphanage are eager to secure a position as an attendant.

## Unbaptized Orphan

**Unbaptized orphan.** This group is made up of children of grey priestesses and children from the lower city who either lost or were abondoned by their families and had no one else to care for them.

In the eyes of the church, a child does not become a "living person" until they are baptized. They have no rights or legal protection, and their treatment is entirely dependent on the goodwill of those around them. Unbaptized orphans are strictly forbidden to leave the orphanage without the express permisison of the orphanage director.

Orphans who survive to the age of seven are baptized and become gray priests and priestesses. At that point, they either serve as apprentice retainers or remain in the orphanage.

# Trivia

* Ceremonial robes worn by clergy are a rare exemption to the rules about hem length. Despite being underage, Myne wears ceremonial robes that extend to her ankles. Her daily robes, however, have the typical hem length expected for a girl her age.
* "Alms of the Gods" are called "Divine Gifts" in the light novel and manga.

# References

1. ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Fanbook. Temple Tour by Miya Kazuki
2. ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 2 Volume 1. Chapter 11: Delia's Job