02x01 - Apprentice Priestess

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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.