02x04 - Orphanage Reforms

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M: {ED}

F: After Fran,

F: Main then managed to win over the hostile Gil and Delia, too.

F: However, she would soon come to face much bigger problems at the cathedral.

Title Card: Ascendance of a Bookworm

Title Card: Ascendance of a Bookworm

Ep Ep Title: Chapter Eighteen Orphanage Reforms

F: Well, Lady Main,

F: I'll take the alms of the gods to the orphanage.

M: Yes, please do.

Gi: Huh? Did Fran leave already?

Gi: We have all this bread left over.

M: The alms of the gods are running low now, aren't they?

M: You should take the bread to the orphanage.

Gi: I'll do just that!

M: Hey, Gil.

M: Can I ask you for a favor?

M: I just want to see what the orphanage is like.

Gi: I'll take you there.

Gi: I know a shortcut.

M: Huh... Everyone eats together in the girls' wing?

Gi: Yeah.

Gi: Food's handed out to gray robes, apprentices, and then unbaptized kids in order.

Gi: Here we are.

M: The basement?

Gi: Yeah. You'll find the unbaptized kids and gray-robed priestesses here.

M: Wait...

M: Are they locked inside?

M: What's with this awful stench?

Orp: Alms... of the gods?

M: N-No!

Gi: I-I'll close the door now!

Gi: Lady Main?!

D: I can't believe you foolishly took her to the basement, you foolish fool!

Gi: How was I supposed to know it'd turned into that?!

Gi: Lady Main, you're awake?

Gi: Thank goodness.

Gi: I... I'm sorry.

Fr: Lady Main, I'm sorry you had to see that.

M: That's the "orphanage"?

M: That awful mess?

Gi: It used to be better when I was there.

D: But then they got rid of gray-robed priestesses.

M: They did what?

D: Because of that, nobody was around to take care of the kids anymore.

D: And with the drop in blue-robed priests,

D: there weren't enough alms of the gods to go around,

D: and plenty of really young kids started dying off.

D: And that was a year ago, so it's probably even worse now.

Gi: Lady Main, help them out.

Gi: Please.

Fr: You mustn't get involved.

Gi: What?

M: Why not, Fran?

M: Life downtown and life in the church are very different.

M: You've already experienced that firsthand, and run into trouble because of it.

M: It's too risky to carelessly stick your nose into this.

Gi: Delia! You wanna help them too, don't you?

D: I want nothing to do with it. I don't want to remember life down there.

D: I just want to forget it all.

Flashback,D: Anything but going back to the orphanage, please...

Flashback,D: I'd rather die!

M: She must've gone through hardships I can't even imagine.

Gi: Please, Lady Main, help them out!

Gi: I get to eat all I want now, but they're still...

M: Forgive me, Gil.

M: Fran's right. It would be too risky for me to make a move.

M: There's basically nothing I can do here.

Gi: What?

M: Instead...

M: I'll ask the head priest to do anything he can to improve the orphanage's conditions.

Fr: Lady Main...

M: Fran, could you get me a meeting with the head priest?

Fr: Certainly.

F: I have to turn down your request.

F: There's no need for improvement.

M: But really young kids are starving and on the brink of death.

F: We don't have money to spend on unbaptized orphans.

F: Moreover, the church doesn't recognize unbaptized children as individuals.

M: Are you saying it doesn't matter if they die?

F: If they do, it is because the gods willed it.

M: What's the orphanage even for, then?

M: Is it not to raise children who don't have families?

F: It is not.

F: It is a place to raise servants for nobility, by the grace of nobility.

F: A well-trained gray-robed priest can fetch a pretty penny.

M: The way they think here is completely abnormal!

F: If you want to help the orphans, then do it yourself.

M: Is there anything I can do?

F: You can take on the unwanted role of orphanage director

F: and take personal responsibility for their well-being.

F: Can you handle that responsibility?

M: I can't.

F: Don't you have the money?

F: If you feed them well, you won't have to see them die.

M: If I use my studio's capital, yes.

M: But I don't have any personal funds left.

F: So you can't take responsibility for them or spend any money?

F: If you can't do anything, then keep your mouth shut.

F: This isn't a matter you should meddle with out of a halfhearted sense of morality.

Fr: Lady Main, would you like to stop by the library?

Fr: It might help you feel a little better.

M: You saw this coming, didn't you?

Fr: Well, it was part of my job to always know what the head priest was thinking.

Fr: Please forget about the orphanage.

M: How am I supposed to forget about it?

M: I can't even read like this.

Gi: How'd it go, Lady Main?

M: The head priest denied my request.

Gi: Why?!

Fr: Gil, control yourself.

D: This is why it's pointless to expect anything.

M: I'm sorry, Gil.

D: You too, Lady Main!

D: Fretting about it isn't going to help you do anything, so just forget it all!

Flashback,F: If you can't do anything, then keep your mouth shut.

M: It's not like I can't do anything.

M: If I use the Main Studio's capital, I can improve the conditions here.

Flashback_F: Can you handle that responsibility?

M: Lutz!

L: What's wrong, Main?

L: What happened, Fran?

Fr: You see...

L: Kids on the verge of dying? Yeah, that stings.

M: All I want is for them to have enough to eat...

L: If they have nothing to eat, why not just go forage in the forest?

M: Oh, right!

Fr: Unfortunately, orphans aren't allowed out of the cathedral.

L: But aren't you and Gil out and about?

M: They're my retainers, so they're an exception.

L: Then just make all the kids your retainers, too.

L: That way, they'll get to go outside, right?

M: Lutz, you're a genius!

L: Just have them pull their own weight and gather foodstuff from the forest.

M: He who does not work, neither shall he eat!

L: He who does not work, neither shall he eat!

M: But what about in winter?

M: And it'd suck if the orphanage went back to square one after I'm gone.

Fr: Uh, Lady Main, you shouldn't rush to decide everything right now.

M: Fran, am I allowed to send retainers out on errands?

Fr: You can, yes.

M: Then I can have them gather the wood I need to make paper.

L: You thinking Main Studio, Orphanage Branch?

M: Exactly!

M: If I turn the orphanage into a branch of my studio and have them earn their keep,

M: then none of the kids will have to starve even after I'm gone!

L: Right!

M: Great idea, if I do say so myself!

Fr: I agree that it's a wonderful idea,

Fr: but it's far removed from the church's established practices.

Fr: Should anything go wrong, the orphanage director will be held responsible.

Fr: Are you prepared for that?

L: You won't get anywhere worrying about that!

M: But...

L: Main.

L: What's worse? Being held responsible, or watching kids die without doing anything?

M: I'd be scared if I were alone,

M: but if you're in it with me, I'll be fine!

L: Great. That's that, then.

L: Let's help the orphans together.

Fr: In that case, you should watch out for Delia.

Fr: She still works for the high priest.

M: Fran...

Fr: Allow me to assist you, Lady Main.

M: Sure.

Eyecatch: Ascendance of a Bookworm

Eyecatch: Ascendance of a Bookworm

M: And so, we put our plan to help the orphans into action.

B: An orphanage branch of the Main Studio?

B: Why cause yourself headaches?

M: Hey, you said it yourself.

Flashback,F: Say you want to use the Main Studio to provide work for the orphans,

Flashback,F: provide them a better environment,

Flashback,F: or some bull crap like that, and get them to accept your ownership!

B: I didn't expect you to actually do it.

M: But if this works, we can mass-produce our paper!

B: Yes, but you'll need permission to set up a workshop inside the cathedral.

M: You're being unusually cautious about this.

M: I get it. I'll ask the head priest for permission as soon as possible.

M: Ow!

B: You nitwit! Don't just jump straight into things!

B: When up against nobility, you need to prepare and lay the groundwork,

B: even if you feel it's a roundabout way to do things.

B: Hell, it may even be the most decisive factor.

M: Groundwork?

Fr: Mister Benno is absolutely right.

Fr: You always try to jump straight into talks as soon as you decide on something,

Fr: but that goes against noble etiquette.

Fr: Normally, you must get an appointment beforehand by stating your purpose.

M: An appointment just to talk to somebody?

Fr: Yes. You can't be hasty when dealing with nobility.

Fr: You must take your time and make sure you go into the talks with the upper hand.

M: This just reminds me of corporate politicking.

Fr: Let me handle this, Lady Main.

Fr: Your distaste for the orphanage's state and the gray robes' treatment

Fr: is something the head priest shares as well.

M: What? But...

Flashback,F: There's no need for improvement.

M: It didn't seem that way to me at all.

Fr: The head priest hides his feelings so the high priest can't find fault with him,

Fr: so it's really hard to tell,

Fr: but he is annoyed by the present state of the church.

M: Who, the head priest?

F: A noble must never put his emotions on display.

M: Tch. Darn noble.

M: After this discussion, I decided to take the post of orphanage director,

M: and Fran immediately went to work to make it happen.

M: It seems I'll be appointed to the post following a meeting with the head priest.

F: We'll talk here today.

M: In bed?!

Ar: Head Priest?

F: Hurry.

M: O-Okay.

M: Oh, it's a door?

F: Come in.

M: Head Priest... What's with this place?

F: It's a hidden room only accessible to those with a certain amount of mana.

M: A-A hidden room?

F: Even retainers can't enter. It's the perfect place for a secret discussion.

M: I get the feeling we're not going to be discussing the orphanage.

M: Am I gonna get yelled at?

F: Take a seat.

M: Thank you.

F: Do you understand why I brought you here?

M: I-I don't.

F: Because Fran advised me it was futile to expect noble-society subtlety from you.

M: I'm sorry.

F: I actually did feel as though I lost years of my life the other day.

F: I can't believe you criticized the high priest's policies in front of his retainer.

M: Huh? One of his retainers was there?

F: There was also a blue-robed priest, who is one of his supporters.

M: Oh, I think I remember seeing a blue robe...

F: You should memorize the faces and names of the people you need to be wary of.

M: Sorry.

F: Also, you show no signs of reading between the lines,

F: or of hiding your own opinions.

F: This could prove fatal in noble society.

F: You need to learn how nobles do things.

F: As a blue-robed apprentice priestess, you're part of their society now.

M: Okay.

F: Now, let's discuss your becoming the orphanage director.

M: Yes.

F: I have a question.

F: You're usually indifferent to people, so why do you want to help the orphans?

F: You aren't one to take on trouble if there's nothing in it for you.

M: It's so I can read my books with a clear mind, obviously.

F: What... did you say?

F: Main, talk to me in a language I can understand.

M: As things stand, I'm too bothered by it all to focus on my books.

M: That's why I made up my mind to help the kids.

F: So, just to clear the way for your reading, you'll become orphanage director

F: and run a workshop there?

M: Exactly.

F: You're a far bigger fool than I anticipated.

M: I think the whole director thing is off the table now.

F: That's all I wanted to discuss. I officially appoint you as orphanage director.

M: What did you just say, Head Priest?

F: I said, I officially appoint you as orphanage director.

F: As long as you're ready for it, I have no objections.

M: Thanks a lot!

F: "Thank you kindly," you mean.

F: That's how noble women express their gratitude. Keep it in mind.

M: Got it.

F: You'll also need a priestess to teach you how to talk.

M: Head Priest, do you mind if I ask you a question, too?

F: What is it?

M: Why aren't you like all those other priests?

F: Because, like you, I wasn't raised by the church.

F: I grew up in noble society, but joined the church for certain reasons.

F: Anyway, whatever you do from now on, make sure you report to me.

M: Got it.

Gi: Thank you, Lady Main!

M: Come, let's bring the kids the alms of the gods.

Gi: Yeah!

M: Delia...

D: I'll keep this a secret from the high priest,

D: so you'd better not mess this up.

M: Thank you, Delia.

M: All right!

M: Everyone out!

M: We're going to get you all nice and clean!

M: And then we'll eat until we can't eat anymore!

Title: Next Chapter Cleanups and Star Festivals

F: Lady Main, if you want to let the kids out of the orphanage,

F: it's going to be difficult to arrange clothing for all of them.

M: Don't worry. I'll just get some old rags from a used clothes shop.

M: Like these.

L: The money she spent on your clothes should cover everything.

Fr: You used to dress like this, too?!