M: {ED}
F: Main managed to survive, thanks to one of Freida's magical items.
F: However...
Flashback,Fr: A year, at most.
F: Having been told that her only way to live was to make an agreement with a noble,
F: she holds a family meeting.
Flashback,M: Can I stay right here with my family?
F: She chooses to die with her family,
F: and vows to make the most of the year she has remaining.
Title Card: Ascendance of a Bookworm
Title Card: Ascendance of a Bookworm
Ep Ep Title: Chapter Twelve Baptisms and Divine Paradises
L: Oh, so you decided not to work for Master Benno.
M: Yeah. When I spoke to Otto, he said...
Flashback,O: Since you'll bring massive profits to the store,
Flashback,O: you may be paid more than people who've worked there for more than a dozen years.
Flashback,O: It'll cause all sorts of issues, I'm sure.
M: And I can only go to work when I'm feeling good, too.
M: He said that'd cause a lot of friction.
L: That's true, yeah.
M: Sorry I can't work with you, Lutz.
L: I think it's better that way.
C: If Main isn't joining, that means you don't have to either, Lutz.
C: It's not too late to find a craftsman—
L: Stop it, Mom!
L: I want to be a merchant!
L: And I'm gonna be one, with or without Main!
C: Lutz, you...
C: Do you really think you can do it when your father and I are against it?
L: I'm ready to be a live-in apprentice, if it comes down to it.
M: You have to live in an attic, in atrocious conditions,
M: and you'll practically work for free until you become a pro.
M: That's how live-in apprenticeships work.
C: There's no way you're capable of that!
L: I am! And I've already started preparing for it, too!
C: Why do you hate the idea of becoming a craftsman so much?
L: I mean, things will stay the same forever, if I do that.
C: What do you mean?
L: My brothers will take everything,
L: leaving me nothing to call my own.
L: But if I become a merchant,
L: I'll be able to savor the fruits of my hard work.
L: I wanna see what I'm capable of!
C: If you've given it that much thought, go on and give it your best sh*t.
L: Really?
L: Thanks, Mom!
M: And so, by the time spring rolled in,
M: Lutz and I had our plans set in stone.
Ma: Blessed be the melting of the snow.
Ma: May the Goddess of Spring’s boundless magnanimity grace you both.
M: Uh, what was that?
Ma: A celebratory spring greeting among merchants.
Bo: Blessed be the melting of the snow.
M: May the Goddess of Spring’s boundless... what?
L: May the Goddess of Spring’s boundless magnanimity grace you.
B: For your first attempt, that was perfect.
M: Thank you.
B: I mean Lutz.
M: It was time to break the news to Benno.
B: Very well. I'll cancel your apprenticeship, Main.
M: I'm sorry.
M: What do we do about this?
B: Keep it.
B: Sign an exclusive contract with us,
B: and you can conduct your business the same as before.
M: That marked the beginning of some very hectic days.
M: The workshop we'd been using officially became the Main Studio,
M: I sold the paper-making process to Benno,
M: and the Parchment Guild butted in on our business.
vested,Sign: Vested Interest
L: Our paper's made from trees, so does that really apply?
M: If our plant-based paper took all the customers,
M: the parchment business would plummet, and they can't have that.
B: I applied to start a guild for plant-based paper to prevent any complaints,
B: but that old fart's just not approving it.
M: If we say official contracts have to be signed on parchment,
M: they won't complain since it'll secure their revenue some, right?
vested,Sign: Compromise
M: Good thing the guild master gave his approval, huh?
B: Yeah. Now we can build a new factory.
M: Oh, Dad.
B: I'm Benno, from the Gilberta Company.
G: Oh, so it's you!
G: Thank you for helping my daughter out.
M: Mister Otto?
O: Benno looks like such a dad with you two in tow!
B: I'm single!
G: Main's my daughter!
B: Let's go.
M: I didn't know you were a bachelor.
B: Is that a problem?
M: Well, it's just, you run a big business,
M: so I was thinking you must be under a lot of pressure to marry.
B: Back when I wanted to marry, I had my hands full taking care of Corinna.
B: And by the time she got married and I was a free man,
B: the woman I wanted to marry was dead and gone.
B: I'm not getting married because I haven't found a woman better than her.
B: That's it, really.
B: What are you doing?
M: Just felt like it.
M: And while I taught Benno how to make paper,
M: got the Main Studio up and running,
M: and made preparations for Lutz's apprenticeship,
M: the seasons warmed up to summer.
I: Welcome, Main.
I: I baked some pound cake for you.
M: Thank you, Miss Liese.
I: Let me know what you think.
M: The pound cake was already way more delicious than before,
M: but I traded information on how to improve it for a bag of sugar anyway.
I: Felsine peel, right?
I: Gotcha. I'll try it out.
F: With that out of the way...
F: Long time no see, Main.
M: I was so surprised when I saw you working at the Merchant Guild.
F: I'll be on my own when I open my store in the nobles' quarter,
F: so I've been apprenticing there to learn how everything works.
M: It's amazing how you think so long term.
F: You need to be thinking long term, too.
F: Common sense dictates that you should forget about Benno and join us.
M: Otto... Someone I know said the same thing,
M: that I should work for the guild master if I want to forge ties with nobility.
F: Then why aren't you?
F: I've been waiting for you!
F: Summer is almost here!
F: What are you planning to do?
M: You see, Freida...
M: I've chosen to perish by my family's side.
F: I don't believe it.
F: Why?
M: Because I can't make magical items, I guess?
M: "If I need it, I'll just make it."
M: That's how I've always gotten anything I wanted.
M: But I can't make magical items, right?
F: Right. That's why you need an agreement...
M: But I don't want to make an agreement with a noble.
F: Aren't you scared of dying?
M: I didn't choose to die.
M: I just chose to be with my family.
M: I've made them worry so much for so long.
M: So I want to make and leave them lots of money before I go.
F: Then I'll buy the recipe for pound cake from you.
F: You will let me do that for you, won't you?
M: Thank you, Freida.
M: I sold the exclusive rights to sell pound cake for a year to Freida.
F: A year, correct?
M: Yep. Once that year is passed, I'll make the recipe public.
M: That'll make a delicious sweet available everywhere.
M: Oh, I guess I'll have to still be alive then, huh?
M: If I'm not,
M: I'll leave the decision to you.
F: If you don't want me monopolizing it,
F: you'd best make it public yourself in a year.
Eyecatch: Ascendance of a Bookworm
Eyecatch: Ascendance of a Bookworm
E: You really do look like a rich girl.
E: And it seems you've grown a little.
E: The skirt is looking the perfect length now.
M: People keep calling me tiny, but I guess I have been growing.
T: Your swaying hair ornament is really pretty, too.
M: Thanks for helping me make it, Tuuli.
G: Main will be the prettiest girl at today's ceremonies!
M: Dad, you said the same thing for Tuuli's baptism.
G: Of course!
G: My daughters are the cutest in the world!
M: Lutz.
M: What's wrong?
L: No, uh...
C: My! You look like you belong to a wealthy family, Main.
M: Thank you, Missus Karla.
G: Okay, time to go.
O: Main! Lutz!
O: Congratulations!
B: A new hair ornament?!
G: Parents aren't allowed past this point.
G: Take care of Main for me, Lutz.
L: Sure, you got it.
L: Hey, Main.
L: That outfit and the hair ornament look really good on you.
L: You're so cute, it left me speechless.
M: Wh-Where did that come from?!
L: Let's go.
W: How cute.
W: It's like we're watching a little wedding.
G: No, Main!
L: Oh, they're doing the thing you hate.
L: Everyone's signing with their blood.
M: Ugh, you're right.
L: Looks like we're being registered for something.
M: Oh, citizenship!
F: Next.
F: Come this way.
F: Hold out your hand with your palm facing upward.
M: O-Okay.
F: Press your fingertip on that medallion.
F: You're all set.
L: Main!
L: Over here!
M: Yeah.
M: Coming.
G: The High Priest is here.
M: Lutz, a book!
M: I see a book!
B: That's a book?
B: It looks nothing like what you were making.
B: It seems really expensive.
M: It's a book...
HP: Let me tell you about the gods that created this world.
HP: The lonesome God of Darkness met the Goddess of Light...
N: The lonesome God of Darkness met the Goddess of Light,
N: and the two gave birth to the Goddess of Water,
N: the God of Fire,
N: the Goddess of Wind,
N: and the Goddess of Earth,
N: thus creating our world.
N: Later, the God of Life fell in love at first sight with the Goddess of Earth,
N: and the two of them married.
N: However, he stole her power and sealed her in ice and snow,
N: thus bringing winter.
N: The Goddess of Light thawed the ice,
N: and the Goddess of Water swept the ice and snow away along with the God of Life,
N: thus allowing offspring to bud in the spring.
N: The God of Fire helps the budding lives flourish in the summer.
N: While the Goddess of Wind keeps the God of Life at bay,
N: harvests are completed in the fall.
N: And then returns winter, the season of the God of Life.
HP: And then returns winter, the season of the God of Life.
HP: The God of Fire rules over summer,
HP: and bestows his divine protection through development and guidance.
M: I so wanna read this myself!
HP: We shall now demonstrate the right way to worship.
HP: Watch carefully.
HP: We offer the Gods our prayers!
M: It's the Glico running man pose! Why that pose?
M: Into a kowtow?!
M: Oh god, that's hilarious.
HP: Now, stand up and join us.
HP: We offer the Gods our prayers!
All: We offer the Gods our prayers!
M: No way! I can't!
L: Main? Why didn't you say you weren't feeling good?
L: Are you okay?
M: It's not that.
M: I-I'm fine.
G: What's the matter?
L: She seems to be feeling unwell. She suddenly collapsed.
G: We'll have her rest at once.
M: This is clearly a room meant for rich folk.
M: I bet my outfit is the cause.
M: I can't stay here forever.
M: I'll miss the ceremony.
M: Huh? I don't remember seeing this place before...
M: No, this isn't the right way.
M: Excuse me. I seem to be lost.
W: I see.
W: Please wait here. I'll take you to the prayer hall.
M: I will. Thank you very much.
M: So many books...
M: Part of it's like a chained library, too.
M: It's an actual library.
M: I offer the Gods my prayers!
M: I offer the Gods my thanks!
M: Now, then.
M: Pardon me...
M: Ugh!
M: Ow!
M: What is this?
M: An invisible wall?
M: But the books are right there...
M: No!
M: Hey, let me in!
M: I want in!
W: I can't.
M: I wanna read, but I can't get in!
W: Only cathedral staff have permission to enter.
M: You mean I can read these if I become cathedral staff?
M: I'll do it! I want to!
M: How do I join?!
HP: Could you tell me why you want to be an apprentice priestess?
M: Because this place has a library!
HP: A library?
HP: You seem to be misunderstanding something.
HP: The cathedral is a place of worship,
HP: and priests and priestesses are servants of the Gods.
HP: Besides,
HP: if a child from a family like yours wishes to work here,
HP: a sizable donation would be a good indicator of your passion.
M: A donation?
M: I guess they think I'm rich.
M: One large gold is the most I can offer.
W: L...
HP: A large gold coin?
M: Is that too much?
M: It's how much I'm free to spend.
HP: Uh... Have your parents agreed to your working here?
M: I'll have to talk to them now.
HP: If they object, come see me at once.
HP: I'll help you out.
M: Thank you.
HP: Also, you can read the scriptures stored here,
HP: so feel free to drop by anytime.
M: Really? Yay!
M: I offer the Gods my prayers!
M: I got too worked up...
Next_Chapter ,Title: Next Chapter The Choice to be an Apprentice Priestess
M: You finally got screen time!
F: My screen time doesn't matter.
F: I can't believe you charged headfirst into the cathedral's library.
F: Can't you be a bit more rational?
M: Impossible! I mean, it's a library!
M: A god-given paradise on earth!
M: How could I not get excited?!
F: Settle down. It's not certain that you'll be able to join yet.
01x12 - Baptism and Divine Paradises
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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.