To sate her desire to make books,
Main completed her clay tablets.
But her attempt to fire them ended in another failure.
Then came summer...
And the day of Turi's baptism.
Ascendance of a Bookworm
Chapter Five Baptisms and Strange Fevers
My, Turi! You look adorable!
Congratulations, Turi.
Thank you.
It is customary in this world to throw a grand celebration for seven-year-olds.
The same day, they are baptized at the cathedral.
Must be nice to have girls.
You do only have boys, Carla. Ralph, Lutz, Sascha and Sieg.
What can I say?
It's so tiresome.
Wow...
You even did your hair up so nicely.
You look like a princess, Turi!
Main did it for me.
What? Main did?
So she has more to her than her unusual recipes.
Hey, look. I've never seen a hair ornament like this before.
You're right. It's so pretty.
How was it made?
Wow! Amazing!
The hair ornament I made is that unusual?
No way!
I'm not going to a meeting on such an important day!
Only the kids get to enter the cathedral, right?
It's a father's duty to wait at the cathedral's plaza during baptism.
Isn't it also a father's duty to go to work and provide for the family?
I know, I know.
Let's go down Central Avenue!
What?
Smile.
As long as you're smiling, you're prettier than anybody else.
Sheesh, Main. Don't lie to me.
Time to go!
Dad...
We need to go.
Turi...
You won't make it for the meeting!
You're late, Captain!
I told you about the meeting today, didn't I?
While Dad attended the meeting,
I was to practice writing.
Otto.
Mister Otto's in a meeting right now.
Hey, Main.
I forgot about that.
What do I do now?
Shall I read it for you?
You can read?
I know how to read identification papers and introductory letters from nobility.
Mister Otto taught me.
It's the latter.
Please.
He has a referral from Baron Bron,
and is going to visit Baron Graz.
This needs the captain's stamp,
but he's in a meeting.
Show him to the waiting room for lesser nobles.
A merchant with a noble's referral
should understand if we explain the situation to him.
We're going home, Main.
We're leaving before Otto catches us.
Wait, Dad!
I need to report something to him!
Main?
Oh, Mister Otto!
A merchant with a noble's referral is here!
I've had him shown to the waiting room for lesser nobles,
so please see to him immediately!
Well done! That's my assistant!
My daughter, you mean!
Dad...
Is that so?
Also, the cathedral was really beautiful and spacious!
Really? Good for you.
Yep!
Turi.
This is for you.
What is this? So cute!
And so yummy!
Those are some interesting shapes.
You may really have a talent for cooking, Main.
Thanks for making this.
And the hair ornament, too.
I was really happy today.
Turi is such an angel!
We have presents for you, Turi.
They're work clothes and tools.
Take good care of them.
Thank you, Dad, Mom!
Good luck being an apprentice seamstress.
Thanks!
Will she have to go to work every day?
Only for half the week at first.
For the other half, I'll go to the forest like always.
I see. Thank goodness.
Main's baptism is coming up next year, too.
Have you decided what to do for apprentice work?
Yeah. I wanna run a bookstore.
A bookstore?
Uh... I'd be selling books, so a merchant, I guess?
Well, I don't really understand,
but it's fine as long as you have a goal.
That aside, this is for you.
What is it?
You'll be helping with housework in Turi's place from now on.
You'll need this to get firewood and forage in the forest.
A knife!
Can't I use this to make wood tablets?
I'll chop wood into thin strips,
shave the surface to smooth them,
and write on them.
All done!
ABCDE
If I make a lot, they'll be a fine substitute for a book!
Thank you, Ancient China!
Yahoo!
This knife... is too heavy!
Lutz and Turi are amazing.
I should start with what I can do, too.
Well, that's how it goes at first.
This could work!
What are you making now to replace the clay tablets?
Lutz.
How could you tell these were a clay tablet replacement?
I mean,
you're having so much fun.
Looked like you were about to rub your cheek against the wood.
You were also fascinated by the clay tablets, remember?
I had no idea! That's so embarrassing!
So, what're you making?
Wood tablets.
Wood tablets?
You'll write on these this time?
Yeah. I need lots of these.
Okay, I get it. I'll help you.
Really?
Yeah! But in return...
Can you introduce me to this Otto person?
Mister Otto?
I wanna ask him about the traveling trade.
I'll ask when I go to the gate tomorrow.
But he's a busy man.
Sorry in advance if he refuses.
That's fine.
Thanks, Main!
Mister Otto.
How does one join the traveling trade?
Huh? You want to be a traveling trader?
Wait, is this my fault?
The captain's gonna kill me!
Oh, no! My friend does, not me!
Oh...
Then you should tell them not to bother.
Ah, I knew it.
You know what?
From the way he spoke, I figured it wasn't a popular profession.
Well, he'd probably catch hell from his parents.
Also, I thought that a life of constant travel
would be too hard on a city kid.
If you know that much, why not give him your own advice?
Rather than a city kid like me,
he'd probably listen if you gave him a dose of reality.
Hmm...
You have ties with merchants, don't you?
If he looks to become a merchant,
he can leave the town at times to stock up on goods.
If you're acting as a go-between,
you must like that kid a lot.
Lutz has helped me loads.
I want to repay him when I can.
I see. Hmm...
The next day off should be fine.
Thank you, Mister Otto!
Oh, right.
How do I write on the wood tablets?
Slate pencils won't work.
Mister Otto, can I be paid in ink instead of slate pencils?
You'd have to work three years for free. No advances.
What?!
Ascendance of a Bookworm
Mister Otto said he can see you on his next day off.
Really?
Thanks, Main!
I hope it proves to be a good meeting for you.
Now I just dry them.
Next up is...
Ink. Ink?
Should I go catch an octopus or a squid or something?
Now I can write!
Not! Where's the sea even supposed to be?!
Ash?
Ash could work!
Mom!
Can I have that ash?
No. It's used to make soap,
thaw ice, and do all kinds of things.
I see.
How about soot, then?
My! You'll clean the oven for me?!
Huh?
Good luck, Main.
So yeah, I did my best.
I was bedridden after that, though.
Bedridden again?
Are you okay?
I'm fine now.
Anyway, let's try using this soot to write.
Guess I'll try mixing it in water first.
The soot and water will probably separate.
Why not try writing with it?
Okay.
It's getting fuzzy.
This won't work.
What next?
I think mixing it with oil is the obvious choice, but...
No way you can get oil.
Mom won't let me have any.
What else?
It doesn't have to be a liquid. If I can make something like a crayon or pencil...
That's it!
Let's try mixing it with clay.
All right!
Done!
How long should we let these dry?
Beats me.
Wanna try firing them?
Don't try anything stupid. Do you want another explosion?
Urk.
Anyway, I can write on wood tablets with this.
I've taken a step toward my book-making goal.
I'll dry these in storage, too.
Huh? They're gone!
Why?
What's wrong, Main?
Mom! Do you know where the wood tablets here went?
Wood tablets?
They were wood pieces in all shapes and sizes,
but they all had their surface smoothed!
Oh, the firewood you brought home?
I used it, of course.
You used it?
Why?
You can finally help with housework,
and you tried so hard to bring that firewood home.
I wanted to turn your bedtime story into a book.
That's why I gathered those.
Oh, if you just want me to tell you bedtime stories,
I'd be glad to.
That's not... the point...
Main?
What's happening?
Main?
Main!
I feel like the fever's eating away at me.
I'm slowly fading away.
Main!
Lutz...
Are you okay, Main?
I heard you collapsed suddenly.
Sorry to have worried you.
I'll go get your mom.
It didn't work out again.
Mom burned... my wood tablets.
Ah... Well, they do look like pieces of wood.
I'm fated to never finish a book!
Don't beat yourself up.
Lutz?
You just need to pick a material that doesn't burn, right?
You're so nice, Lutz.
I-I need you to introduce me to Mister Otto!
So you have to get better no matter what. Got that?
Yeah. Thanks, Lutz.
But even the bamboo strips Lutz brought me...
What was that noise?
Mom, what happened?
I thought Lutz brought us bamnicht wood,
but apparently not.
You burned it?
You don't need to worry. Just rest up.
The anger at something I made being burned,
the frustration of that anger not being understood,
the reality that no matter how many things I try, I can never have my books...
I've had enough.
If my efforts will never amount to anything,
then I might as well disappear, right?
Main.
Main!
I'll help with whatever you want to do.
I need you to introduce me to Mister Otto!
So you have to get better no matter what. Got that?
That's right! I have to keep my promise!
I must get better and introduce him to Otto!
It's gone down.
The fever in my body is smaller now?
There's something wrong with this fever.
It attacks me from the inside
and keeps changing in size.
What illness does this body have, anyway?
Are you all right now?
The captain told me that your fever didn't go down for five days.
Yeah, but I'm fine.
You look pale in the face.
I've been racking my brain over something.
I've tried all sorts of things to make something I want,
but I just couldn't do it.
What would you do in my shoes?
You can just hire someone to do it for you.
Hire someone myself?
That sounds like a great idea,
but what if I don't have any capital?
Persuade someone who can do it into doing it for you.
If it goes well, you don't hurt your bottom line at all.
Once a businessman, always a businessman.
But I'll keep that in mind.
Oh, right.
About that meeting we had to postpone...
And so, we decided on a suitable day for Lutz and Otto to meet.
"Be at Central Plaza by the third bell."
He's a boy you're referring,
so I'm sure he'll be very amusing.
I'm looking forward to a fun day off.
Huh? What's that about?
Isn't it gonna be just a meeting?
Next Chapter Meeting
High Priest, is there anything special about the upcoming meeting?
Why would I know anything about the affairs of commoners?
Even you don't know, huh?
Unlike you, I do have a good idea,
but I'm not going to jump to conclusions.
What? Tell me if you have an idea!
Illustration by Yo Shimizu