M: {ED}
Flashback,Orp: Alms... of the gods?
F: The state of the orphanage shocked Main to her very core.
Flashback,F: I have a question.
Flashback,F: You're usually indifferent to people, so why do you want to help the orphans?
Flashback,F: You aren't one to take on trouble if there's nothing in it for you.
Flashback,M: It's so I can read my books with a clear mind, obviously.
Flashback,M: What... did you say?
Flashback,M: Main, talk to me in a language I can understand.
Flashback,M: As things stand, I'm too bothered by it all to focus on my books.
Flashback,M: That's why I made up my mind to help the kids.
Flashback,F: So, just to clear the way for your reading, you'll become orphanage director
Flashback,F: and run a workshop there?
Flashback,M: Exactly.
Flashback,F: You're a far bigger fool than I anticipated.
Flashback_M: I think the whole director thing is off the table now.
Flashback,F: That's all I wanted to discuss. I officially appoint you as orphanage director.
Flashback,M: What did you just say, Head Priest?
Flashback,F: I said, "I officially appoint you as orphanage director."
Flashback,F: As long as you're ready for it, I have no objections.
Flashback,M: Thanks a lot!
F: With the head priest's blessing, she took the post of orphanage director.
F: And now, the orphanage is on the verge of undergoing a rebirth.
Title Card: Ascendance of a Bookworm
Title Card: Ascendance of a Bookworm
Ep Ep Title: Chapter Nineteen Cleanups and Star Festivals
M: Under Fran's directions, the orphanage was given a total makeover.
M: It was performed under the pretext of cleaning it up for my first visit as director.
M: I decided to hand out rewards to kids who put in extra effort in the cleanup.
M: Are there any kids that seem ill or fatigued?
Fr: No, there are no health concerns.
Fr: It must be because Gil delivered food to them all this while.
M: Oh, I'm glad to hear it.
Fr: The children look up to Gil as their messiah.
Fr: And since he was going around saying he did it on your orders,
Fr: it's likely they see you the same way.
Gi: Lady Main, we're done cleaning up the boys' wing.
M: Good work, Gil.
M: Could you start preparing the meals, then?
Gi: Got it!
Fr: I'll come for you once everything's ready.
M: Okay.
D: So the kids are all right now.
M: Thanks to you overlooking the whole thing, yeah.
D: I was brought out of there on the day of my baptism,
D: washed from head to toe by a gray-robed priestess,
D: told I'd transform into a pretty lady,
D: and taken to the high priest.
D: Three of us were taken there that day,
D: but only I was chosen.
M: Delia...
D: Why?
D: Why weren't you there to help me?
M: Don't be absurd!
D: I know!
D: I know I'm being unreasonable...
M: Please don't cry, Delia.
D: I'm not crying!
M: Sorry.
D: Don't go apologizing to your retainer!
M: I'll make you a promise.
M: If you ever need help again, I will be there for you.
M: It's a pleasure, everyone.
M: On this auspicious day, bathed in the light of the God of Fire Leidenschaft,
M: I, Main, stand before you, appointed your director by the head priest.
M: You all graciously accepted my request and welcomed me with open arms,
M: and I couldn't be happier about it.
M: Hear me, rulers of the heavens.
M: Hear me, five eternal rulers of the earth.
M: To the Goddess of Water, Fruhtrane,
M: the Goddess of Wind, Schutzaria,
M: the Goddess of Earth, Geduldh,
M: and the God of Life, Ewigleben,
M: we give our prayers and thanks.
M: We offer the gods our prayers!
Orp: We offer the gods our prayers!
M: You've made the orphanage spotlessly clean for my visit,
M: and for that, I bring you rewards.
M: Whoever has their name called, please step forward with your plate.
M: Wilma.
W: Y-Yes?
M: I heard that you were the first to take the children and wash them up.
M: Thank you.
App: Why just Wilma? The alms of the gods should be bestowed equally upon all!
All: Yeah, yeah!
M: But these aren't alms of the gods.
M: They're rewards, and those aren't given out equally.
M: He who does not work, neither shall he eat.
M: You don't get rewarded if you don't work for it.
M: I hope you all keep that in mind.
M: Kai.
K: Y-Yes!
M: You're a very efficient cleaner, I hear?
M: Lutz had high praise for you.
K: Thank you, Lady Main!
M: And thus, the orphanage resumed normal operations.
M: Today, I had Dad and Tuuli take the kids to the forest.
K: It's amazing.
K: If we do as Lady Main says,
K: we can make soup for ourselves.
Gi: Only she would say something like that.
Gi: "If you want to have it, make it yourselves?" Are you kidding?
K: Right?
Gi: I'm really glad she became the director.
K: Gil, you sure changed your tune.
K: Just a few days ago, you were whining about having to serve a commoner runt.
Gi: It's 'cause she's not like all those other blue-robed priestesses.
Gi: She actually praises you, if you do your part.
L: Then do your part and make paper for her, okay?
Bo: You got it!
Orp: Find something to take back as a gift for Lady Main!
Gi: Hold it! I get to go first!
Gi: I'm Lady Main's retainer, after all.
G: You kids need to settle down.
G: You're not going to last until we get back.
T: The kids in the orphanage must really love Main, huh?
Orp: Lady Main!
Orp: We're back!
M: Welcome back.
M: Did you manage to gather lots?
Orp: Yeah!
Orp: I got the most out of everyone!
M: Really? That's impressive.
Orp: Praise me too, Lady Main!
Orp: I did my best, too!
Orp: These are for you.
M: Thank you... I truly appreciate it.
M: After that, I decided to reward the people who helped with the orphanage reforms
M: with gifts for their efforts.
M: Fran, this tablet is for you.
Fr: Wh-Who, me?
M: Yes, it's your reward.
M: You laid the groundwork for this entire orphanage thing with the head priest,
M: and have done so much for me. I'm really grateful to have your help.
M: You can write on this wax here.
M: It'll help you jot down notes even when you're outdoors.
Fr: Thank you.
Fr: This is an incredible item.
Fr: I'll do my best to learn to monitor your health better so I can be of more use to you.
M: I have something for you too, Gil, Delia.
Gi: Really?
D: Well, you'd better.
M: Use these to practice how to write.
M: Retainers also need to ghostwrite letters for their master, right?
Bo: Thank you so much, Lady Main!
M: I also decided to make flash cards to make learning the alphabet fun.
M: Wilma volunteered to draw the faces, since she was a good artist.
M: For the leisure-starved orphans, the flash cards became the ideal playthings.
M: Benno took an immediate liking to the cards and bought the rights to sell them.
B: Good job, Main! These will fly off the shelves!
M: That should give my finances some breathing room.
L: Oh, you did mention they were running low due to the orphanage reforms.
M: Yeah...
M: By the way, Lutz, do you and your brother Sieg not talk much?
M: When we went to the carpentry workshop to order the cards,
M: he didn't seem to know much about your work at all.
L: Merchant and craftsman work just have nothing in common.
L: Forget that. The Star Festival is coming up.
M: The Star Festival?
L: Yeah. Think you can come with me this year?
M: That festival involves playing with water, right?
L: Nah, not water.
L: People throw tau fruit at couples.
M: Do the orphans get to take part in the Star Festival?
Eyecatch: Ascendance of a Bookworm
Eyecatch: Ascendance of a Bookworm
M: To discuss the orphanage's and my role during the Star Festival,
M: I sought to make an appointment with the head priest.
M: It's because I was sternly told to watch my mouth around people.
M: But I didn't write anything that could get me yelled at in the hidden room!
M: This makes no sense!
F: You fool!
F: The Star-Binding Ceremony is the day after tomorrow.
F: You don't have the time to waste on all these formalities.
M: The "Star-Binding Ceremony"? Not the Star Festival?
F: That's what the church calls it.
F: It's a ceremony for adults.
F: Apprentices like you aren't allowed to take part.
M: Then I don't have to do anything, right?
F: Many townsfolk will be visiting the cathedral on that day.
F: Your job is to make sure none of the orphans leave the orphanage during the ceremony.
M: Huh?
F: Is there a problem with that?
M: Wouldn't it be more peaceful if we just let the orphans leave the premises?
F: We can't have complaints about letting orphans out into town.
M: Then can they be allowed to play strictly within the orphanage?
F: "Play"?
M: Yeah.
M: Star Festivals are celebrated downtown by throwing tau fruit at one another.
M: And I want the orphans to experience that.
F: As long as you clean up thoroughly afterward,
F: and promise not to be a nuisance to the townsfolk, I don't mind.
M: Thank you kindly!
M: Then came the day of the Star Festival.
M: I wonder if they've made it to the forest by now.
BR: Oh, if it isn't the plebeian who shamelessly wears blue robes.
BR: Children have no place in today's ceremonies.
M: The head priest has ordered me to keep the kids inside the orphanage
M: to prevent them from hindering the ceremonies.
BR: Taking care of orphans is the perfect job for a commoner like you.
BR: Good luck.
M: Thank you kindly for your encouragement.
Fr: Lady Main...
M: I'm fine, Fran.
M: They're only words. They can't hurt me.
M: Thanks, Lutz! Did you see how happy everyone was?
M: I wish I could've gone with you.
L: Wanna go take a quick peek, then?
L: You have time while the kids are eating lunch, right?
M: Of course! Let's go!
M: Wow! This is crazy, Lutz!
Kid: Hey, there's a completely dry pair over here!
M: Are you serious?
L: Run for it, Main!
M: What? I can't!
Kids: After them! Don't let them get away!
M: Brr!
L: Move your legs, Main!
M: By the time we got back to the orphanage, we found everything already good to go.
M: You must clean up thoroughly afterward.
M: You mustn't be a nuisance.
M: Finally, you must have fun without fighting or getting hurt.
M: Are we clear?
All: Yes, ma'am!
L: All right. Come get your tau fruit.
L: What's wrong, Main?
M: It's sucking up my mana.
M: This is creepy. What the heck?
M: Lutz, it's trombe!
L: Everyone here who's used to foraging, grab a Kn*fe!
L: When I give the signal, cut everything down.
Bo: Got it!
L: Main, toss it into the dirt.
M: Begone, sprouty sprout!
Gi: The hell is this?
L: Valuable material for paper.
L: Fran, take care of Main!
Fr: Certainly.
L: att*ck!
Gi: Yeah! We did it!
L: Okay, everyone else get to work!
All: Yeah!
M: In the end, everyone got in on the act
M: and helped us cut down three whole trombes.
M: Thank you!
M: Now I'll have more funds to spare for the orphanage!
L: Well, let's get to the fun and games with the tau fruit, then.
Orp: All right!
Gi: There!
M: Oh! We'll have to fix everything back up!
Fr: I'll take care of it, Lady Main.
L: Main?
M: Fran had to carry me back home that day.
E: So? Did you have fun at the festival?
M: Yeah. The kids were all smiles, too.
E: Really?
M: I'm so glad...
M: And lying in wait for me after I recovered from my fever was...
F: What in the world did you do?
M: What are you talking about?
F: When I went to check if you'd cleaned up like you said you would,
F: I found soil dug up, and part of the tiling sticking out.
M: You went to check?
F: I thought I told you not to be a nuisance.
F: What did you do to cause that mess?!
M: Like I'd told you beforehand,
M: we threw tau fruit at one another...
F: Didn't you also chop down plants for your paper?
M: Yikes. He knows.
M: Yeah. But we didn't do anything else to cause a commotion.
F: I don't think you can say that after you flipped whole tiles in your row.
F: Main, you will spend the day repenting in detention.
Fr: Head Priest, please reconsider this!
F: Offer the gods your prayers and reflect on what you have done.
Fr: Lady Main!
F: Hadn't she recovered?
Fr: You take her frailty too lightly.
Fr: This is why I asked you to reconsider.
F: You mean you were worried about her health, and not her losing face?
M: Before I could reflect on my actions,
M: it seems the head priest was left to deeply repent his choice to lock me up.
Title: Next Chapter The Path Ahead of Lutz
B: What?
B: Tau fruit turned into a trombe?
M: Yeah.
M: I think it could serve as a substitute for magical items!
B: You'd better not tell anyone that!
M: What? Why?
M: It could save the lives of so many kids with the Devouring!
B: Mana is the jurisdiction of nobility.
B: If word got out that tau fruit can replace magical items,
B: it could turn the church and noble society upside down!
02x05 - Cleanups and Star Festivals
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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.