01x09 - The Guild Master's Granddaughter

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F: The bond between Lutz and Main grew deeper as he accepted her for who she was.

F: They went on to complete their paper

F: and received a passing grade from Benno.

F: Now, the two of them are faced with new encounters...

Title Card: Ascendance of a Bookworm

Title ,Title Card: Ascendance of a Bookworm

Ep Ep Title: Chapter Nine The Guild Master's Granddaughter

L: Wow! I've never seen so much money in one place before!

M: Uh, I've never bought anything myself,

M: so I can't tell what's worth how much.

B: What? Are you kidding me?

L: She collapses at the drop of a hat, so she's never sent on errands.

B: Mark, teach her the various denominations of currency.

Mk: Certainly, Master.

Mk: One small bronze coin is worth lyon.

Coin ,Sign: Small Bronze Coin

Coin ,Sign: lyon

Mk: Ten small bronzes are lyon, equal to one medium bronze coin.

Coin ,Sign: Small Bronze Coin Medium Bronze Coin

Coin ,Sign: lyon lyon

Mk: And ten medium bronzes are , lyon, equal to one large bronze coin.

Coin ,Sign: Medium Bronze Coin Large Bronze Coin

Coin ,Sign: lyon , lyon

M: I see.

M: Then ten large bronzes are , lyon, which is...

Coin ,Sign: Large Bronze Coin

Coin ,Sign: , lyon , lyon

Mk: One small silver coin.

Coin ,Sign: Small Bronze Coin = lyon Medium Bronze Coin = lyon Large Bronze Coin = , lyon Small Silver Coin = , lyon Big Silver Coin = , lyon Small Gold Coin = , , lyon Big Gold Coin = , , lyon

M: Ten small silvers are , lyon, equal to one large silver coin.

M: Ten large silvers are million, equal to one small gold coin.

M: Ten small golds are million, equal to one large gold coin.

Mk: Correct. Very well done.

B: Now, let's discuss the payment for the paper prototype.

B: Your share is one small silver and eight large bronzes each.

L: This is money we earned, right?

M: It doesn't feel real, huh?

B: When spring comes, we'll mass-produce the paper.

B: You'll be able to make a small gold coin in no time.

M: Speaking of making money...

M: Would this make a decent product?

B: You were involved in that as well?

B: N-Nothing. Do you make these all by yourself, lass?

M: "I come up with creations, and Lutz makes them," so...

M: No. I make the decorations, and Lutz makes the pin.

M: Right?

L: Huh? Y-Yeah...

M: We're planning on making that our winter handiwork.

B: Sounds good.

B: Now, a question:

B: Do you two have the time and energy to go somewhere?

B: This is the Merchant Guild.

M: Merchant Guild, you say?

B: Anybody who does any kind of business must register themselves with the Guild.

B: Unless you do, you can't sell paper or even scraps of it.

B: If you do business without registering, you'll be punished severely.

B: The three of us are going upstairs.

G: Your card, please.

M: The gate vanished!

M: Is that a magical item, too?

B: Yes. This place has links to nobility.

B: I hope your registration goes smoothly...

G: A carpenter's son, and a soldier's daughter?

G: Please take a seat and wait.

M: A bookshelf!

B: Bookshelf? That's a file cabinet.

B: It only has scrolls and wooden plaques.

M: You don't call everything with writing a book?

M: Even plaques and scrolls?

B: Of course not!

B: Books are smartly bound, highly valuable items.

M: Not that I care, as long as I can read!

B: I should've seen it coming!

B: Knowing that old fart, he's going to find something to complain about!

M: "Old fart"?

M: Mercantile law, noble almanacs, and...

M: What's that?

M: A map!

B: This is Ehrenfest.

M: Ehrenfest?

B: Yeah.

B: Towns are named after their lords.

M: Where does the lord live?

B: In the noble quarters to the north.

B: To the east is the highway, and you'll find a lot of travelers there.

B: The south has farming villages, the forest, and a small town.

B: The river lies to the west.

B: Cross it, and you'll reach the neighboring domain.

B: The two lords are friends, so it's a busy route.

B: You'll eventually go there to stock up as well.

L: Really?

B: Yes, if we can get you registered.

M: Is it that difficult to get registered?

G: Mister Benno, the guild master would like to see you.

B: Let's go.

GM: Thank you for coming.

M: So that's the "old fart."

GM: Let's get right down to business, Benno.

GM: Temporary registrations are for unbaptized children to help their family business.

GM: I can't permit them for kids who aren't related to you.

B: There's a first time for everything.

B: What if I say it's for a clear objective?

GM: What do you mean?

B: You'll change your tune once you find out what these two have up their sleeves.

GM: What could these kids have?

B: You'll see. Main, show our Guild Master the thing.

M: Here you are.

GM: I-Is that...

GM: Is that your product?!

B: Weren't you looking for a hair ornament a lot like this?

M: Oh? I'm starting to see the big picture here.

G: Did you say that hair ornament?

GM: That's the next big thing! Find out who made it!

B: If this is indeed what you're looking for,

B: they plan to make more as part of their winter handiwork.

B: But since they aren't being allowed temporary registrations,

B: they regrettably can't sell them, even if they do make more.

B: What a crying shame, truly!

GM: I approve their temporary registration.

B: Thank you very much.

M: And so, Lutz and I were issued IDs—guild cards.

GM: Let me introduce myself. I'm Gustav, the guild master.

GM: My granddaughter Freida will be baptized in the winter.

GM: I would like the ornament before the ceremony.

GM: How does this sound?

B: There's only a month left until the winter baptism ceremony.

B: We can prioritize your order, but it will cost you.

GM: This is as high as I can go!

B: Thank you for your business!

GM: Then we have a deal.

GM: Make another like the one you showed me earlier before the ceremony.

M: Don't you want it styled to her hair color or her outfit?

GM: I don't want her to find out about it.

M: Oh boy. Not one of those unpleasant surprises.

M: Wouldn't your granddaughter be troubled if she'd already planned to wear something different?

M: If you're giving her a gift,

M: you'd want to see her smile rather than frown, right?

M: Besides, she'd wear it more lovingly if it were made with her opinions in mind.

GM: Main, was it?

GM: Why don't you work for me?

B: Rejected!

GM: My store is bigger than Benno's, and you'll be paid better.

M: Mister Benno has helped me so much, I could never fully repay him.

GM: I'll repay him for you.

M: U-Uh...

B: Main! Tell him in no unclear terms that you refuse!

M: I-I'm afraid I must refuse.

GM: I see.

GM: Of course you couldn't speak your mind next to such a scary escort.

M: After that, we made plans to meet with the guild master's granddaughter,

M: and then returned to the store.

Mk: Welcome back.

B: That old fart jumped on the hair ornament, so I took his order for this much.

M: Oh, what was that all about?

Mk: It means four small silvers.

LM: What? Four small silvers?!

M: That's daylight robbery!

B: If you can make money, make as much of it whenever, wherever, and however you can.

M: But...

B: You should study up on the value of things.

B: All of your creations are luxury items.

B: If you don't understand how they're priced,

B: you'll turn the market upside down.

M: Before leaving, Lutz and I decided to take a portion of the prototype money—

M: the small silver coin—and deposit it with the Merchant Guild.

M: The Guild also functions as a bank, apparently.

B: You go to w*r tomorrow.

B: Stay on your toes.

M: We're just going to see a girl, you know?

B: I've heard that Freida takes after the old fart the most among his grandchildren.

L: If she tries to recruit Main like he did today, prevent it at all costs.

L: Got that, Lutz?

L: Gotcha.

M: You don't have to be so wary.

M: See you tomorrow, then.

M: As Urano, I always looked forward to repaying my folks with my first salary.

T: What? How did you get this money, Main?

M: We finished our paper, so we had Benno buy it.

M: We have to stock up for winter soon, right? Use this money.

E: This is amazing, Main.

T: You must've worked so hard.

M: Lutz and I made it together.

E: Come to think of it, you two have been up to something.

T: Attagirl, Main!

Gu: I'm not sure I follow, but I'm proud of you anyway, Main!

M: That hurts, Dad.

M: Dad and Mom were over the moon.

M: How about your folks?

L: They were happy I made money,

L: but when I told my dad I made paper and sold it,

L: he started ranting about how I should be a paper craftsman.

M: Oh...

L: But I wanna work a job where I'll get the chance to leave this town.

L: You wanna hurry up and make a book too, right?

M: Yeah. When that's done, the next goal is a bookstore.

M: That's a long ways away, though.

L: I don't mind selling books with you, Main.

L: It hit me while looking at that map yesterday.

L: Booksellers can sell their wares to nobility across the lands.

L: Doesn't that sound great?

M: It certainly doesn't sound bad.

F: Would you be Main?

M: Oh, yes.

F: I'm Freida.

F: Pleasure to meet you.

Eyecatch: Ascendance of a Bookworm

Eyecatch: Ascendance of a Bookworm

F: I could tell immediately from your hairpin.

F: It was the perfect identifier.

L: I-It's nice to see you.

F: Allow me to show you to my home.

M: This girl exudes "well-bred rich girl" from every pore of her skin.

M: Looks like Benno's fears that she takes after her grandfather were unfounded.

F: We're here.

M: The Ottmar Company?

L: So this is the guild master's store.

M: He's gotta be really loaded.

F: Let us get right to it, then.

M: Sure.

M: Miss Freida, here's a sample of the hair ornament the guild master ordered.

F: Oh my! This is it!

F: You see, I've always loved watching the baptism day parade.

F: And this summer,

F: this hair ornament stood out from everything else.

F: So I begged Grandfather to get me one for myself!

F: I'll bring out the outfit right away.

M: So then, we sat down

M: and picked out a color for the ornament that'd suit the outfit.

M: She also gave me some of the thread used in the outfit.

M: But we did run into a snag.

M: If you're going to wear your hair like this on the day, you'll need two ornaments.

F: Oh, I suppose I'll have to double your pay.

M: No. You gave me thread to use as material,

M: so it's fine as is.

F: That won't do. I'll pay for two.

M: Oh, you don't have to.

F: But I will.

M: You really don't have to.

F: No, let me!

L: Then why not make the second one half-price?

L: Main wants to give a discount in return for the thread.

L: Freida wants to pay for the two ornaments.

L: Then let's split it down the middle and make the second one half-price.

M: You're a genius, Lutz!

M: Is that acceptable, Miss Freida?

F: I don't mind, but...

F: If you can make money, make as much of it whenever, wherever, and however you can.

F: Isn't that what business is all about?

M: Huh? Is she more than just an innocent rich girl?

F: It's colde water.

F: A drink made by mixing colde juice with honey and diluting it with water.

M: Oh, the fruit that looks like raspberries?

M: So sweet!

L: Yeah! It's so sweet and nice!

M: Did you make this, Miss Freida?

F: No, our cook did.

M: I guess you never need to cook, then.

M: How do you spend your time usually?

F: My favorite pastime?

F: Counting money, I guess?

M: Excuse me?

F: Not just counting it, but piling it up, too!

F: It gives me great joy to feel its pleasant weight fill up a bag.

F: And isn't the sound of coins scraping together the most delightful thing?

M: M-My piggy bank growing heavier used to make me happy, too.

F: You understand my hobby?!

F: Say, Main! Why don't you work for me?!

L: No!

F: Our store is bigger than Mister Benno's, and the pay will be better.

M: Mister Benno has helped me so much, I could never fully repay him.

F: I can repay him for you!

L: Main, turn her down in no unclear terms!

M: I'm getting déjà vu... I had this same conversation yesterday!

F: You haven't been baptized, meaning you're not officially his apprentice yet.

F: So join me. You love sweet things, don't you?

M: I do...

M: I-I must respectfully decline!

F: That's too bad.

F: But we'll see each other often at the Guild.

F: I can hardly wait.

M: Right...

B: What? You made the second one half-price?

B: Are you stupid?!

B: What if people now start demanding the second one be free?!

B: And I told you,

M: When we got back to the store,

B: "If you can make money, make as much of it whenever, wherever, and however you can!"

M: Benno gave us a real earful.

B: Well, whatever. As long as you charged for the second one.

B: So, how was the old fart's granddaughter?

M: She's a cut above even the guild master.

L: I thought she was kinda like Main.

M: What? In what way?!

L: The way she looks when she's talking about money

L: is just how you look when you're talking about books.

L: And you two are the same in terms of being cute but also total weirdos.

M: One month later...

F: My, how wonderful!

F: May I try them on?

GM: Of course.

M: Allow me.

F: B-But...

M: All done.

F: How do I look?

GM: Oh, very pretty, Freida.

GM: You look like a flower fairy right now.

M: It suits you very well, Miss Freida.

F: Thank you, Main!

M: The guild master and Benno left the room to discuss business.

M: Miss Freida paid for the ornaments herself.

M: Well, our job here is done.

M: Thank you very much, Miss Freida.

F: Main! We're friends now, so call me Freida!

M: F-Friends?

F: I have to say, you've come up with a truly intriguing concept.

M: What do you mean?

F: Well, we have cloth embroidered with thread to give it depth,

F: but nothing like these flowers—made out of thread alone, yet jumping out at you.

F: This could be revolutionary.

M: So this is what Benno was talking about.

M: I may have just made a huge mistake.

L: Main, we should leave.

M: Oh, I'm frail and fall ill often.

M: Lutz is monitoring my condition for me.

F: Huh?

F: Main, do you have the Devouring?

M: The what?

F: The Devouring. It feels like you have a fever inside that's eating away at you.

M: You know about my illness?

F: I do, because I have it as well.

F: See how tiny I am?

F: I was thinking you were pretty small yourself.

M: How can it be cured?

F: The Devouring...

F: can't be cured.

F: Because it's not a disease, exactly.

F: You can control the fever, but it costs a lot of money.

M: Money...

F: The Devouring won't do anything, as long as you're motivated.

F: But remember that it'll come back to bite you if you're ever aimless or lose heart.

M: Is that so?

M: Thank you very much for that information, Miss Freida.

F: Main.

F: You really should come work for me.

F: We'll make lots of money while figuring out interesting products.

F: Doesn't it sound fun?

M: Oh, Miss Freida.

F: That's Freida to you!

M: Freida.

M:

Title: Next Chapter To the Second Winter

F: So you've finally learned that you have the Devouring.

M: I have! And when I was told that I'd be fine as long as I was motivated,

M: I felt like I'd become a type of migratory fish.

F: Mygreatory fish? What does that mean?

M: A fish that dies if it doesn't keep swimming.

F: I've never heard of any such fish.

F: I would love to see one.

M: Forget about the fish and worry about me, Head Priest!