02x05 - Cleanups and Star Festivals

[bunniefuu]

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 knife!

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: Attack!

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!