In that year, a single thesis appeared.
Later, people began calling it Cain's Book, named after its author.
Its formal title reads:
"An Examination of Causality in the Ley Lines and Holy Power within the System of the Barrier Maiden, and Verification of the Holy Power Transfer's Role in Extending the Term of Office."
The thesis delves into the nation's founding, revealing that every first-generation Barrier Maiden hailed from the bloodlines of the Six Great Territory Nobles.
Why were only noble descendants chosen? Several theories emerged:
As repayment for the territories they received.
To integrate regional clans into the Empire.
Because they volunteered from pure devotion.
Because they were not truly related by blood.
Or, because something required that specific lineage.
Among these, the last theory—that it had to be that bloodline—was the most accepted.
From the nation's founding onward, all Great Territory House Crests remained unchanged, except for the Grand Duke's. While names sometimes shifted over time, the bloodlines themselves did not. Even the Grand Dukes, descended from Imperial lines who renounced their titles, retained imperial blood. The lineage never broke.
Holy Power manifests in seven distinct colors, each tied to a specific magical property: red for fire, orange for metal, yellow for earth, green for wood, blue for water, purple for darkness, and white for light.
Each Great Territory House Crest aligns with one unique color; none overlap.
The Imperial Clan is famous for bearing white and purple.
The author, from the Emmental Count Family, inherited blue.
While rare individuals possess multiple Holy Power colors, such cases are beyond the scope of this analysis.
Returning to the central question—why were the first Barrier Maidens exclusively noble-born?—the thesis proposes a magical explanation.
The barrier's magic operates through the ley lines' energy interacting with each maiden's holy power via a magical formula.
Across the six great territories—seven, if one counts the Imperial Territory—each land housed a family with a matching, strong holy power color.
By appointing a maiden from that bloodline as the keystone, the formula could reach its full potential.
Ancient records confirm that many early maidens came directly from these bloodlines. Their term of office averaged forty years—remarkably long.
In the middle ages, maidens were no longer direct heirs but still daughters of noble houses.
As the nation stabilized, the average term of Barrier Maidens plummeted to twenty years—a stark decline from the forty-year terms of their ancient predecessors.
In modern times, maidens no longer come from noble houses at all.
They're often daughters of lesser families, sometimes with weak holy power.
Consequently, the average term of office fell to ten years.
Some lasted only three.
Two main causes emerged:
First, a general decline in holy power.
Second, incompatibility between the maiden's power and the ley lines of her assigned region.
Holy power colors both reinforce and oppose one another.
For instance, red (fire) overwhelms green (wood). But if blue (water) joins green, the balance shifts—green strengthens and fire weakens.
As an exception, white (light) harmonizes with every color, while purple (darkness) rarely favors any.
Scholars extended this principle to ley lines themselves.
They noted that in the Emmental Territory, the ley lines' color is blue, matching the lord's holy power, while the maiden's was yellow.
Water muddies and blocks earth—hardly a harmonious pair.
That mismatch, they concluded, weakens the bond between ley lines and maiden.
And from that imbalance, the decline began.
When a maiden's power obstructs the ley lines, her term of office tends to shorten.
The Southern Great Territory's maiden suffered the same fate. The territory, rich in mines, belonged to a Marquis family. Records say the maiden of that age was the daughter of a nearby quasi-Baron, and her holy power was fire.
If the land's natural energy matched its lord's house crest, its color would be orange—the power of metal.
Metal melts under fire. The thesis argued that because of this elemental mismatch, the maiden could not exert her full strength.
To resolve this imbalance, the thesis proposed holy power dedication.
In Emmental, the situation improved after a supporter created a sacred stone matched to the land's element and offered it through dedication.
Whether this stone had to come from the lord's family or could be crafted by another noble house remained under study.
Ancient records note that nobles once offered annual prayers of gratitude at the church.
The author speculated that these prayers involved dedicating sacred stones.
That ancient custom, they suggested, evolved into the Holy Stone Dedication Ceremony performed each New Year by the Imperial Clan.
In that ritual, the Imperial Clan nurtures sacred stones through the year.
The largest and most radiant one is offered to the First Saint.
Imitating this, nobles began gifting sacred stones to loved ones—a practice that became a symbol of affection.
Thus, Imperial Nobility must master sacred stone crafting before graduating from the Academy.
They gift their sacred stone to a fiancée or beloved as a proposal.
Knights, in turn, present one at the end of their Ritter Schlag ceremony, declaring, "This is my heart."
Young nobles spend their academy years crafting and nurturing their stones little by little.
A stone too small—say, half a pinky nail—could make one a laughingstock at tea parties.
One tale tells of a Baron's son whose tiny offering led to a broken engagement and a lonely life.
Among the nobility, rumor set the proposal standard at least the size of a thumb's nail.
Some said the size of one's sacred stone measured the size of one's love.
Others claimed even a small stone was precious—if it came from someone they adored.
When first published, Cain's Book caused a sensation.
For the great territorial nobles, the shortening term of office had long been a vexing issue.
Producing a maiden brought both prestige and substantial rewards from the crown.
Yet when maidens' terms ended early, costs soared.
Some desperate nobles offered their daughters for the reward money, but most sent them out of duty, often in tears.
Even noble houses weren't infinite; eligible young women weren't either.
If one generation lost too many, the entire nation could collapse demographically.
The thesis arrived like salvation.
The first to respond was the lord of the Southern Marquis Territory, whose Present Head had grown weak.
He quickly partnered with the House of Emmental to conduct joint research.
The results were remarkable—maiden terms lengthened significantly.
The study revealed key findings:
As long as the sacred stone's color matched, it worked regardless of its maker or origin.
When the stone held the holy power of light, it provided an auxiliary effect.
Even old stones retained potency.
Following these results, each great territory now performs an annual sacred stone dedication, expecting measurable improvements.
Additionally, during Maiden Selection, officials now ensure each maiden is assigned to a land whose natural power complements her own.
Notes:
• Cain - Eldest step-brother, eight years older. A magical genius, often traveling between home and the national academy. The heir.