F: After learning that it would save her life,
F: Main decided to join the church.
F: But the negotiation with the high priest ended in failure.
Flashback,M: Don't you dare lay a hand on my mom and dad.
F: As a result, while she did get to join on her terms,
F: many trials and tribulations lay ahead for her.
Title Card: Ascendance of a Bookworm
Title Card: Ascendance of a Bookworm
Ep Ep Title: Chapter Apprentice Priestess
M: I am now an apprentice priestess at the cathedral!
M: Yahoo! I can finally read my books!
T: Settle down, Main.
E: You're going to get feverish again.
M: I can't have that.
T: There's still time until you join.
M: While my joining was confirmed,
M: it seems that various preparations need to be made,
M: meaning it'll be a while yet before I officially start.
E: You're going to see Benno tomorrow, aren't you?
M: Yeah. I need to tell him how the negotiations went.
M: Good day!
L: W-Welcome.
Ma: Lutz, you need to welcome customers with a smile.
L: What might you be looking for today?
M: I heard you sell hair ornaments here.
L: The hair ornaments are...
G: Lutz, got a moment?
L: Excuse me.
Ma: Thank you for helping Lutz practice his customer service, Main.
M: Don't mention it.
M: I see he's trying his best.
M: Unlike me, Lutz has already begun his apprenticeship,
M: and he has an early start.
M: He said he was overwhelmed by everything he had to learn
M: with a smile on his face.
B: So, how'd the negotiations go?
M: Long story short, they were a great success.
M: I'll be joining as a blue-robed priestess, and I can continue living at home.
Flashback,G: If you need Main's mana that badly,
Flashback,G: we demand that she be treated like nobility.
Flashback,G: Don't make her do grey-robed apprentice work.
Flashback,F: Very well. She'll be granted blue robes as an exception.
Flashback,F: Any other conditions?
Flashback,G: We're too worried to let her live here, where we can't see her,
Flashback,G: so we ask that she be allowed to continue living at home.
Flashback,E: Yes. She's frail, so we would like to determine
Flashback,E: if she's in condition to go to work every morning.
Flashback,F: No problem.
Flashback,F: She isn't an orphan, so she can commute from home.
Flashback,F: She doesn't need to push herself if she doesn't feel well, either.
Flashback,M: Uh...
Flashback,M: Even when I'm fine, I can't come without Lutz.
Flashback,F: Lutz?
Flashback,M: Yeah. I can collapse out of nowhere at times,
Flashback,M: so he monitors my condition for me.
Flashback,F: Oh, so you need a retainer.
Flashback,F: Every blue-robed priestess has a few, so that won't be a problem.
Flashback,M: Retainer...
Flashback,F: Anything else?
Flashback,M: Oh...
Flashback,M: I'm registered with the Merchant Guild.
Flashback,M: Is it okay if I continue running my studio?
Flashback,F: A servant of the gods needs no such thing...
Flashback,F: Or so the high priest would say.
Flashback,M: But it's an important source of income for me.
Flashback,M: I can hire the orphans and pay them for work,
Flashback,M: or donate a part of the revenue.
Flashback,M: Can we find a middle ground somehow?
Flashback,F: How much does she know?
Flashback,M: Excuse me?
Flashback,F: Just talking to myself.
Flashback,F: I'm lacking a lot of information, so let's discuss this another day.
Flashback,F: Anything else?
Flashback,G: No.
Flashback,F: She'll be tasked with maintaining magical items and,
Flashback,F: as she wished, the library.
Flashback,M: The library?!
Flashback,M: You're such a nice guy, Head Priest!
Flashback,G: Thank you.
B: So you got baited by the books, huh?
M: But he accepted all of our terms.
B: Yeah. I have no complaints on that end.
B: The head priest seems reasonable.
B: Go to him if you need any help there.
M: Yeah, I will.
M: Lutz was giving his all at work, Missus Carla.
C: Really? I was worried, so that puts me at ease.
C: By the way, what did you end up deciding to do?
C: You turned down the merchant apprenticeship, right?
M: I don't think I can handle work outside,
M: so I'll be helping out at the gate and at home like usual.
C: Oh, really?
C: Guess you have to focus on getting healthier.
C: Well, bye.
M: We're keeping my church apprenticeship a secret from our neighbors.
M: It's because a lot of them dislike the church's practices.
C: Oh, right.
C: There was a man going around asking about you.
M: Huh? Asking about me?
C: Yeah. About your studio and stuff.
C: I told him he had the wrong person and ran him off.
C: But stay on your toes.
C: There are all sorts out there.
M: I will. Thank you.
M: Only Benno and the guild master should know about the studio...
Bo: Our thanks to Wentoll!
G: Wow, you're going to be a father, huh?
O: Yeah...
G: So wait, why are you quitting when you have a child on the way?
O: The reason is Main.
O: The products she came up with are flying off the shelves.
O: So Benno asked me to help with the store.
G: Oh, Main's products...
G: The gods do love my Main.
O: She is Benno's Fruhtrane, after all.
G: Isn't that the Goddess of Water?
O: You must be overjoyed, too.
O: I'm glad you found a way for Main to survive.
O: Are you still not okay with her joining the church?
G: Do you really think I could be okay with it?
G: They say they'll treat her like a noble,
G: but knowing them, there's no way that's happening.
G: Even then, it's better than her dying on me.
O: Maybe the gods made you a soldier for this.
G: What do you mean?
O: Main possesses mana and the ability to earn lots of money.
O: And that puts her at risk of getting abducted by outside nobles.
G: Abducted?!
O: Shh!
O: It's your job to prevent that!
O: As gatekeeper, you can look into each noble that comes here.
O: Isn't that the perfect job if you want to protect Main?
G: You've got a point there.
O: I'll help you out too, Captain.
G: Thanks.
G: I'll protect my family along with this entire town.
B: A man who's going around investigating you?
B: It's probably the same guy who broke into the Merchant Guild.
M: Somebody broke into the Merchant Guild?
B: Yeah. I'm sure he got his hands on your studio's file.
B: I bet someone in the church is gathering information about you.
B: This has the nobility's stench all over it.
M: So this is what joining the church involves.
L: Don't worry.
L: I'm here for you.
M: Thanks.
M: After that, we went to show Corinna
M: my hairpin and dress alterations at her request.
M: That led to selling Benno the rights to the hair ornaments.
M: Welcome to the pound cake tasting!
B: What are you doing here?
M: H-Helping out... Ow...
M: Why do you think I'm suppressing all information about you?!
M: You're being way too careless!
M: Go get changed now.
M: Okay...
M: See? Isn't it delicious?
B: Why did you sell the recipe for something so yummy to Frieda?
M: Do you have the right to ask? I'm pretty sure you've been ripping me off.
M: I heard from Frieda that the rights to new products start from a large gold coin.
M: Besides, you don't have access to sugar and a chef.
M: Most of my snack recipes use sugar.
B: Then all I need is a cook and sugar?
M: Not any cook will do.
M: They need to go be good enough to serve nobles,
M: and have unlimited access to a oven.
F: What's this?
F: I'll buy up all of Main's recipes before you put all that together.
F: Toodles, Mister Benno.
I: Don't worry.
I: You can count on me to perfect Main's recipes.
M: Thank you, Miss Ilse.
B: Hold it.
B: I just need a cook, an oven, sugar, and creativity, right?
M: Mister Benno?
B: You said that if you couldn't get books, you'd just have to make them yourself.
B: Along those lines...
B: What can I do if I don't have a cook?
M: You can just train them yourself?
B: Precisely.
M: Benno being so gung-ho is just perfect in my book.
M: Having a dedicated oven will open the door to so many dishes!
M: Pizza.
M: Gratin.
M: Lasagna.
M: Quiche and pie will be on the table, too!
M: Let's just start an Italian restaurant!
T: What is she going on about now?
E: She has to go to the cathedral starting tomorrow, too. Will she be okay?
F: From my investigation into Main,
F: she's registered as a workshop owner with the Merchant Guild.
HP: A servant of the gods, running a workshop?
F: Yes. But it will help us gain income periodically,
F: so I believe letting her continue is the best choice.
HP: Hmm...
F: As for the retainers we'll be assigning to Main,
F: I'm planning to assign her one of my own and have him report to me.
HP: Good idea.
HP: Then I shall also send one of my own.
HP: For the last one,
HP: let the biggest problem child among the orphans give her a headache.
HP: Get as much money and mana you can out of her.
HP: That little devil isn't good for anything else.
F: Understood.
F: Well, that's certainly not ideal.
Eyecatch: Ascendance of a Bookworm
Eyecatch: Ascendance of a Bookworm
L: Main, don't get too excited.
M: I know.
M: But I can finally read books, you know?
L: Look, we're almost there.
M: Someone's waiting.
?: Good morning, Lady Main.
L: "Lady Main"? That sounds so wrong!
M: Hey, Lutz!
M: It's not that funny!
L: Sorry, I'll stop.
L: I'll come pick you up by the fifth bell, okay?
M: Uh... I'm sorry if that made you feel uncomfortable.
?: There is no need for you to apologize to me.
?: The head priest is waiting for you.
G: Out of my sight, plebeian.
M: So we really do live in a class-based society...
F: We shall now begin the oath-taking ceremony.
F: The spring is green,
F: the color of fresh life overcoming the harsh winter.
F: The summer is blue,
F: the color of the vast skies toward which life continues to grow.
F: The autumn is yellow,
F: the color of fat and ripened wheat hanging its head.
F: The winter is red,
F: the color of a fireplace that thwarts the cold and bestows hope.
F: Now, take your oath.
F: Repeat after me.
M: Got it.
F: Hear me, rulers of the heavens.
M: Hear me, rulers of the heavens.
F: The king and queen, the Gods of Light and Darkness.
M: The king and queen, the Gods of Light and Darkness.
F: Hear me, five eternal rulers of the earth.
Bo: ...five eternal rulers of the earth.
F: The Goddess...
M: The Goddess of Water, Fruhtrane.
M: The God of Fire, Leidenschaft.
M: The Goddess of Wind, Schutzaria.
M: The Goddess of Earth, Geduldh.
M: The God of Life, Ewigleben.
F: From the great heavens...
M: ...to the vast earth...
F: ...may the king and queen shine their powers...
M: ...and the eternal five bestow their favor...
F: ...on all the lives in these lands.
M: And to show my gratitude for thy blessing...
F: ...I offer you my heart, and believe in you, and worship you as the gods of gods.
M: To all the gods of nature,
M: I vow that I shall pray to you, thank you, and dedicate my life to you.
F: Blue is the color of the God of Fire, who aids in the growth of life,
F: and the color of the skies the supreme beings rule over.
F: The priests and priestesses
F: who vow to worship them and continually improve
F: are granted these blue robes.
F: O pious disciple, brought to us by the gods' guidance,
F: we welcome you with open arms.
M: From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for welcoming me.
F: Then pray.
M: Huh?
M: I offer the gods my prayers!
F: That's enough.
F: Just make sure to have it down by your commemoration.
F: Let me introduce your retainers.
Fr: I'm Fran. It's a pleasure to meet you.
M: Likewise. I'm very glad to meet you, too.
Fr: Main, you are a blue robe.
Fr: You aren't to humble yourself before grey robes.
M: S-Sorry about that. I'll keep it in mind.
D: The name's Delia. I'm eight.
D: As fellow girls, let's get along.
M: What a looker!
Gi: You're my master? This sucks!
Gi: You're just a baby!
M: Huh? Uh...
Gi: I'm Gil. Ten years old.
F: Gil is your retainer.
F: When he misbehaves, you must discipline him.
M: Who, me?
M: Uh, could you try not to be rude?
Gi: What? Are you stupid?
M: Uh, Head Priest, I've never had "retainers" in my life.
M: I don't need them.
F: No.
F: Every blue robe is duty bound to have retainers.
M: Is that so?
F: As their master, you are to show them the way with your actions and behavior.
M: I need someone to show me the way!
Ar: Head Priest, may I?
F: What is it, Arno?
F: Wait here.
D: God, I'd finally wormed myself into serving the high priest!
D: And now look at me! My charms won't work on a girl!
Gi: Seriously, this is a joke.
Gi: You're just a commoner, not a noble, right?
Fr: Watch your mouth, Gil!
Fr: Lady Main, the head priest just told you to discipline any misbehavior.
M: I have to show them the way, huh?
M: If you two don't like it, I can have you replaced.
M: Nailed it!
D: Please. There's no way that's happening.
D: The high priest asked me to give you a headache.
M: The high priest did what?
D: I'm going to make him recognize my wiles and become his concubine!
M: C-C-C-C-Concubine?!
Gi: Girls sure have it good.
M: Is that something to brag about?
D: Of course.
D: It's the position every woman wants most.
Gi: It's just common knowledge. How don't you know that?
Gi: You really must be stupid.
M: What's common to you religious folk
M: has nothing in common with downtown life or my life as Urano!
Fr: If this were the head priest,
Fr: he would do a better job putting them in their place.
M: Fran, who seems devoted to the head priest.
M: Gil, who only speaks in insults.
Gi: Is your head really screwed on right?
M: And Delia, who wants to be a concubine and has openly declared that she's a spy.
M: It looks like I've set foot in a world I want no part of.
Title: Next Chapter Blue Robes and Uncommon Sense
T: Say, Main.
T: Weren't you negotiating with Mister Benno the other day?
M: Oh, you mean for the hair ornament rights?
T: How much did you strike a deal for?
M: One large and seven small gold coins.
T: G-G-Gold?!
M: I didn't rip him off, okay?
M: It's absolutely a fair price for exclusive rights, okay?
T: Main...
T: Maybe you really should've gone into business instead of joining the church.
02x01 - Apprentice Priestess
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Anime series based on a light novel and manga series written by Miya Kazuki and illustrated by Yō Shiina.
Anime series based on a light novel and manga series written by Miya Kazuki and illustrated by Yō Shiina.