01x14 - Conclusions

[bunniefuu]

M: {ED}

F: The staff at the cathedral learn that Main has the Devouring.

Flashback,F: Main, we would like to speak to your parents.

F: Benno suggests using contract magic to protect her from the nobles,

F: and Main makes up her mind to join the church.

Title Card: Ascendance of a Bookworm

Title Card: Ascendance of a Bookworm

Ep Ep Title: Chapter Fourteen Conclusions

M: I'm home.

G: Main!

G: So, what happened at the cathedral?

M: Well, I asked the high priest to forget about my apprenticeship,

M: but once they found out I had the Devouring,

M: they said they wanted to talk to you

M: and gave me this invitation for you.

M: They want to meet at the third bell two days from now.

G: What the hell did you do, Main?

M: They made me touch a grail.

M: And when it shone, they asked to see you.

M: After that, I went to see Benno,

M: and he told me a bunch of things about nobles and the Devouring.

M: Apparently, the Devouring's fever is actually just mana.

G: Mana?

M: He said that since the shining grail proved that I possessed mana,

M: I can no longer run from the church or the nobility.

E: No!

M: But the church has magical items, so I can live on if I join.

G: Is that true?

T: But you won't be able to see us if you join, right?

M: If things stay the same, yes.

G: I don't want to give you up to the church.

G: If I sent you there alone...

M: Hey, Dad. Do you know what's been going on in the capital?

M: Have you heard that there was a purge that drastically changed the situation with nobles?

G: What does that have to do with anything?

M: Actually, since the nobles have dwindled in number,

M: it seems the church is in desperate need of mana.

M: That's why they want me.

G: From what I've seen and heard at the gate,

G: the nobles certainly are scattering in all directions.

M: What Benno said was true.

M: Then this may work out.

E: What do you mean, Main?

M: He said I was in luck.

M: That with careful negotiating,

M: I could secure treatment close to that of a noble.

G: Tell me more.

Flashback,B: First, envision the ideal result for yourself.

Flashback,B: What concessions do you need from them to achieve it?

Flashback,B: What can you offer them?

Flashback,B: What do they want?

Flashback,B: Figure all that out.

Flashback,M: What I want...

Flashback,M: is permission to enter the library and read the books there.

Flashback,B: It's almost impressive that you can be so single-minded now.

Flashback,M: I-It's just the ideal result!

Flashback,M: If I'm being greedy, you know?

Flashback,M: What I can offer them is mana and money.

Flashback,B: That's right.

Flashback,B: As long as you don't sell those short, you can secure better conditions.

Flashback,B: If things go well, you could get accepted as a blue-robed apprentice priestess.

Flashback,B: To ensure this, register the Main Studio and secure a revenue stream.

Flashback,M: By the way,

Flashback,M: I've heard that you can't join the church if you're registered with the Guild.

Flashback,M: Can I actually register myself as studio head?

Flashback,M: The high priest said he'd negotiate with the guild master...

Flashback,B: Don't leave your fate in someone else's hands!

Flashback,B: If you can't get them to accept that you're already registered,

Flashback,B: throw some money around and get them to allow your studio business!

Flashback,B: You will be the only one in the church who can deal with the Guild!

Flashback,M: Right!

Flashback,B: If needed, say you want to use the Main Studio to provide work for the orphans,

Flashback,B: provide them a better environment, or some bull crap like that,

Flashback,B: and get them to accept your ownership!

Flashback,B: Also, sell the fact that you're physically frail,

Flashback,B: and try to secure the best treatment possible.

Flashback,B: Don't care about how it looks! Fight to live!

Flashback,M: I understand. I'll try.

M: There you have it.

G: So there's room to negotiate.

M: I think so.

M: That's why Benno told me to fight to live.

G: "Fight to live," huh?

G: You could say there's hope for us, right?

M: Right.

M: What we can offer is mana and money.

M: And then we have to emphasize my frailty

M: and get me treated almost like a noble.

M: We also have to get them to allow me to run my studio,

M: and continue to live at home.

M: If they agree to these three demands, I think it's safe to say we have won.

G: I'll give it a shot.

G: I became a soldier to protect my family!

E: What's wrong, Tuuli? Can't sleep?

E: What's the matter?

T: Can you really negotiate with nobility?

T: Don't they k*ll people just for talking back to them?

T: If anything happened to you, I'd...

E: Tuuli!

T: Mom!

T: Please come back home with Dad!

M: Two days later, it was time for the negotiations at the cathedral.

M: Dad, fight for me, okay?

G: You got it.

HP: This must be the will of the gods.

Gu: Main and her parents are here.

M: Hello, High Priest.

HP: Oh, Main. Welcome.

HP: Who are these two, Main?

M: My parents.

HP: What? Your parents?

HP: What work do they do?

M: My father's a soldier, and my mother's at a textile workshop.

HP: A soldier?

HP: Ah... I never thought they'd be poor.

HP: What a waste of time.

G: Please take your seats.

HP: No need! They can stand!

M: What's with his sudden change in attitude?

HP: Let's just get this over with.

HP: I believe you're aware that Main wants to be an apprentice priestess,

HP: and that you're against it?

G: That's right.

G: I don't feel like giving my daughter up to live like an orphan.

HP: But she has the Devouring.

HP: She can't live on without access to magical items.

HP: The church is graciously taking her in to save her life.

G: Main's body is too frail to survive if she's forced to live like an orphan.

G: I would like you not to put her to work as a gray-robed priestess.

E: That's right!

E: She's a very frail girl even without the Devouring!

E: She can't survive at the cathedral!

E: Please... Please let her live at home.

HP: Insolent knaves!

HP: You dare complain about our compassionate offer?!

HP: Shut up and hand over your daughter!

M: What? This is a noble?

G: I must refuse.

G: I will never throw my child into an orphanage.

E: That's right! Please, have a heart!

HP: How dare you!

HP: Hold these insolent parents down and lock Main up!

Eyecatch: Ascendance of a Bookworm

Eyecatch: Ascendance of a Bookworm

HP: Hold these insolent parents down and lock Main up!

G: Stand back.

HP: Oh? You want to resist?

HP: If you dare raise a hand against a priest,

HP: I'll have you ex*cuted in the name of the gods!

G: I was ready to die the moment I decided to fight for Main!

HP: Curses! Get Main!

G: Let's hold the man down first.

HP: Why, you!

HP: You could take down a couple,

HP: but how long will you last against so many?

HP: A mere commoner thinks he can defy the church?

HP: To the guillotine with you!

HP: You will die a dog's death.

HP: Get him!

M: Enough.

E: Main?

M: Don't you dare lay a hand on my mom and dad.

M: You invited us here to have a discussion.

M: Is this what you call a discussion?

HP: H-Help!

F: Main! Your mana's leaking out!

F: Control your emotions!

M: How am I supposed to?

F: Like... I'm sure... you always do.

M: How am I supposed to quell my rage toward a man who wants to execute my father?

HP: S-Stay away!

F: Hold it! If you keep going, you'll crush his heart!

M: He was ready to k*ll a person.

M: I'm sure he was ready to risk his own life, too.

F: Main!

M: Move.

F: Calm down! Let's talk things out!

M: "Talk things out"?

M: Using force? Or...

M: Using mana?

F: You mustn't k*ll him.

F: If you k*ll the high priest,

F: your parents will be accessories to the m*rder of a noble.

F: I know you wouldn't want that.

M: Even my family will get hurt because of me?

F: I see you've returned to your senses.

F: Let's have the exact discussion you came to have.

M: You mean you'll accept all our demands?

F: Yes.

F: But before that, you must get your raging mana under control.

F: Can you do that?

M: I have to trap it inside, like I always do.

E: Main!

G: Are you okay?

M: I'm fine.

M: I'm used to it, and I'm in control of myself now.

G: You're used to it? You mean it's happened before?

M: Not to that extent, no,

M: but it used to happen pretty often.

G: I didn't know.

M: Um, are you okay, Head Priest?

F: This is my punishment.

F: I had this coming for not stopping the high priest from antagonizing you.

F: I didn't expect your commoner parents to defy a noble's orders.

G: Main's my daughter. I've said so countless times.

F: Main.

F: I envy you for having such loving parents.

F: Be they orphans or nobles,

F: everyone in the church was cast aside by their parents.

M: After that, we moved to the head priest's room to talk things out.

G: What was that thing Main did earlier?

F: Do you mean the Crushing?

G: It's called the Crushing?

G: Main's eyes turned rainbowy,

G: and her body was emanating some kind of aura.

M: What the heck? I didn't know I'd turned into some kind of oddity!

F: It happens when one with the Devouring lets their emotions go out of control.

F: Their mana activates, courses through their body,

F: and "crushes" their enemy.

F: It happens often to kids since they can't control their emotions.

F: Haven't you seen it before?

E: I did notice her eye color change a bunch of times.

E: It always happened during tantrums, but it'd go away soon.

G: Oh yeah, now that you mention it...

M: Really?!

M: I'm amazed they raised such a bizarre girl with so much love.

F: I'd heard that those with the Devouring have lots of mana,

F: but I never foresaw that you could push the high priest to the brink of death.

F: This might be a strange question,

F: but how are you even still alive?

F: The stronger your mana, the stronger your will needs to be to control it.

F: It makes no sense that you're still alive given how much mana you possess.

M: I should already be dead, actually.

M: But some kind people let me use a dying magical item.

F: Didn't you try to form an agreement with a noble through them?

M: Living life chained to a noble would be pointless.

M: I wanted to stay with my family.

M: I wanted to make my books.

M: If I can't live my life the way I want, then there's no point to living.

F: I fail to comprehend that mindset.

F: Main, I want you to join the church.

F: This is a request, not an order.

F: I'm the one in charge of the daily affairs around here.

F: I'll provide you the best environment possible.

F: Of course, the events of today will be forgotten as well.

M: The head priest kept his word and accepted all of our demands,

M: and I was to become a blue-robed apprentice priestess.

G: It's over.

M: Yeah.

M: Dad, Mom. Thanks for fighting for me.

G: Hey, you're the one who saved our lives with that Crushing thing.

M: My fever just went out of control because I was so angry.

M: Honestly, I don't remember much of what happened.

G: But the real battle has yet to come.

M: Yeah.

E: Still, I'm a little relieved now.

E: So long as the head priest is there, I think you'll be just fine at the cathedral.

M: The head priest? Why?

E: I mean, he stopped you, remember?

E: It's important that you have someone to stop and scold you when you lose control.

M: Yikes! I get the feeling he'll be scolding me a lot!

L: Main will definitely be fine.

L: She's got your dad and mom with her.

T: Yeah...

M: Tuuli!

M: Tuuli!

T: You guys!

L: Main!

T: Main... Welcome back.

M: I'm home...

M: Tuuli!

Title: Next Chapter Apprentice Priestess

M: Woohoo!

wood,M: Part One Complete

M: We've hit the grand finale of Part One!

M: The negotiations were a great success, and I can keep living with my family!

M: Head Priest, you'll be seeing me at the cathedral soon!

M: I can finally read some books! Yahoo!

M: The way you're celebrating only makes me worry.

F: You seem to be thinking of nothing but books.

sfx,F: Nag Nag

F: Do you realize you're joining the church as an apprentice priestess?

F: You'll have so much to do and learn.

sfx ,: Poke Poke

F: Also, you've been made a blue robe despitebeingacommoner...

M: No! It's too soon for all this!