A hair ornament sale expanded Main's world some more.
Meanwhile, the Devouring was threatening to ravage her body.
Ascendance of a Bookworm
Chapter Ten To the Second Winter
A year has passed since I came to this world.
It's pork stocking day again.
Soon, my second winter here will arrive.
Three days, huh?
I haven't been bedridden for this long in a while.
I thought I'd been getting better lately, but here we are.
Stay away, Devouring Fever!
Stuff it in a box, shut the lid on it,
and we're good!
It's so strange.
A little anxiety was all it took for it to return.
The Devouring won't do anything, as long as you're motivated.
That's right. I should distract myself with fun things.
Benno told me to go through this. I wonder what it's about.
We're home!
Look, Main!
Oh, bacon!
I'll make you some soup right away.
Thanks, Turi.
Hey, Main.
Lutz?
Turi told me your fever's gone down, so I stopped by to see how you're doing.
You missed out on pork stocking again, huh?
Actually, I'm rather glad I did.
I got worried cause your fever lasted so long this time.
It's gone now, so relax.
I don't know anything about this "devouring" thing Frieda mentioned,
so I'm not sure I did a good job monitoring your condition.
Nah, you were perfect.
It's thanks to you that I've stopped collapsing in public.
Glad to hear it.
I can go to the store tomorrow.
By the way, take a look.
One...
One: Smarten up your appearance and learn how to greet people
Smarten up your appearance and learn how to greet people.
Two...
Learn how to read and write all the basic words and numbers.
Two: Learn how to read and write all the basic words and numbers
Three...
Three: Learn how to use a calculator
Learn how to use a calculator.
It's the training process for new apprentices.
Listen up! Get this done over the winter!
All of this over the winter?
No way!
The biggest issue is the appearance part.
Is your fever gone?
Yes. Sorry I caused you trouble.
Thank you for giving me this.
It says to smarten up our appearance, but what exactly are you looking for?
For starters, you'll need work clothes and shoes.
Ten small silvers should get you to passable levels.
Ten small silvers? I don't have that kind of money!
Remember those silvers we deposited with the Guild?
We can just use those.
Oh, we did that for times like these?
And as capital for when we start making something new.
Remember when we were stuck needing nails?
Basically, you need money for anything and everything.
I see.
I always thought you should take all your earnings home,
so I felt guilty toward my folks.
It's not a bad thing to save up money you made for yourself.
Man, I feel better now.
Thanks, Main.
That takes care of the appearance issue.
Next... Lutz, you need to learn some manners.
You can't serve customers talking like you do now.
For starters,
it'd be nice if you could add "please" and "thank you" to your sentences.
If you could, please.
Oh, uh, I guess I can do that...
Please!
Come on, Mister Benno...
I don't know how much you can improve over the winter,
but give it your best shot.
By the way, we've run into a problem with the Simple All-In-One Shampoo.
What happened?
I'm having a workshop make it for me,
but they're not getting the same results despite following your instructions.
Would you have any idea why?
I mean, it's as simple as crushing the fruit and extracting the oil.
I can't sell it like this.
And that would violate the contract magic.
What happens when the contract magic is violated?
In the worst case, it could threaten our very lives.
Why didn't you tell me that?!
And so we made our way to the workshop at once.
Oh, I get it now.
What was it?
What was the problem?
The cloth you're using to wring the oil out.
The cloth?
You're using a nice smooth cloth here, which has tiny pores by nature.
Smooth
Rough
But the cheap rough cloth back home is way more porous.
Wringing the fruit with it leaves fruit fiber and seed pieces in the oil.
Those play a crucial role in removing the impurities in your hair.
I see. We need rougher cloth, huh?
That means we can't use everything we extracted so far.
Of course we can. Not using them would be a huge waste.
You just need to make them scrubs... I mean, put in abrasives.
If you select the ingredients carefully, you'll be able to make high quality stuff.
Wow, missy. You know a lot.
And she probably knows a lot more than she's letting on.
Crap! If this keeps up, it'll be the Lutz situation all over again!
Main.
I absolutely can't say any more!
Any more information will cost you.
I'm not giving it out for free.
Very well.
Mind if we borrow your meeting room?
S-Sure, go ahead.
Huh? Wai...
Main!
Hey!
We're just going to talk.
Everyone stay away.
Two small golds.
Excuse me?
I'll pay you two small golds.
Give me information: any improvements, substitute ingredients,
and everything else you can think of.
Two small golds?
Three small golds.
Three small golds?
"If you can make money, make as much of it whenever, wherever, and however you can."
Isn't that right?
Three small golds, was it? That's as high as I can go.
W-Wait a minute!
Just take it and save it.
Money is the only thing that can stave off your Devouring.
How did you know?
I always considered the possibility,
but the old fart confirmed it the other day.
He said Frieda told him you had the Devouring.
She's survived because she's rich and has ties with nobility.
All I can do for you is pay for your information.
Mister Benno...
Sit down.
Even if you have to sell everything you know, do it and save up money
for when the time comes.
What do you mean?
When your fever can't be suppressed anymore.
I thought the fever had grown more active lately.
So I wasn't just imagining it.
It took so much to get this far...
I don't wanna die yet.
I want to...
No, I will survive!
I understand. I'll take the three small golds.
I sold the methods to improve the Simple All-In-One Shampoo to Benno,
including how salt can act as an abrasive,
and how citrus makes it easier to remove impurities.
Hmm... Did you try all of this out?
No, I couldn't. The ingredients are too valuable for my family.
You couldn't try them, and yet you know they work?
Just who are you?
That's a secret.
No amount of small golds will get me to talk.
I was ready for this when I decided to give you all that information.
But...
Will you give me the boot because you find a child like me creepy?
Nah. Since you're so profitable,
I'll try even harder to ensure nobody else gets their hands on you.
I'm a businessman, after all.
Mister Benno...
Oh, also, Simple All-In-One Shampoo is too long and complicated.
Can we call it AIO Shampoo instead?
Sure, but is that really the best you've got?
How about SimSham, then?
AIO Shampoo is fine.
We're going to make and sell loads of AIO Shampoo and hair ornaments!
You've got it!
Ascendance of a Bookworm
What? More hair ornaments to make?
Yeah.
People heard about Frieda's and ordered some for themselves.
So you're asking us to move our winter handiwork up?
This is such a busy time, too.
That's why I got us an advance!
Two medium bronzes for each flowery decoration.
Two medium bronzes each?!
I used Rush! It was super effective!
Do I make the hairpin part?
That's Lutz's job.
Lutz again?
Dad, I want to visit the gate tomorrow. Can we go together?
What? Of course!
I heard you fell sick again, Main.
Yeah, but I'm fine now.
I see.
We have a trombe!
They were saying trombe's dangerous...
It's been happening a lot lately.
We got a bunch of trombe branches.
I didn't expect us to be making paper again so soon.
Benno'd yell at us if we let this trombe go to waste.
Brr! So cold!
Makes me want some piping hot buttered potatoes.
We'll need butter for that.
You want me to enter the river in this cold?
Let's work with well water tomorrow.
Can we? Thank goodness!
Yeah. Just don't forget the butter.
Butter? What for?
Huh? Did I not say?
By the way, did the handiwork go well?
Yep. Dad wanted to join in, and I didn't know how to refuse.
How about your place?
No good.
I asked Ralph and the other guys for help, but they didn't care.
You just need to cast the Rush spell on them.
The Rush spell?
Here you go, Lutz.
That's five medium bronzes for five hairpins.
Five medium bronzes?
For those sticks Lutz was making?
Each one of those is worth one medium bronze?!
It doesn't have to be Lutz, right? Can we help?
Merchants are all con men! Why would anyone ever want to be one?
I don't know what to do with Lutz.
Well, their boss doesn't seem to be a bad guy.
He is paying for our handiwork.
I can't help but worry, though.
Why take such an unstable job?
We're off!
See you.
Take care out there.
I'm so grateful to Lutz.
He's always taking care of Main.
Really? Main seems to be doing okay lately, too.
Much better compared to before, yes.
I just hope she grows up healthy.
Ugh, karffel?
Don't you want it?
I'll eat it.
It's so good! What the heck?
They don't steam their food here, after all.
Of course you wouldn't know how yummy steamed potatoes with butter are.
Bark Peeling
We then got to work on the trombe bark.
Bark Drying
Now that that's done, we can do the rest in the spring.
I'm done putting the tools away.
We'll have more trombe paper—
Why? I wasn't anxious, let alone losing heart!
Main? What's wrong?
You're burning up!
Your fever came out of nowhere?
Main, you okay?
The fever's... gone...
What the heck was that?
The Devouring.
What? But there weren't any signs of your condition worsening!
And you said you were all right the other day!
It flares up suddenly these days.
Before, it only used to happen when I got worked up.
Main...
Man, that scared me.
Can't we do anything?
Remember what Frieda said? It costs a lot of money.
Benno said the same thing.
I'll give you a ride.
That's about all I can do for you.
"That's all"? But you're doing so much for me!
Just hurry up and get on.
Okay...
Welp.
Even with all the books I've read,
I can't find the right words to say to him right now.
Lutz is just too damn nice.
He stands by me even when I'm such a burden,
and he accepted me even after finding out I wasn't Main.
Hey, Lutz?
Even if I do collapse, you don't have to feel responsible, okay?
Also, I'm not gonna give in.
I haven't finished any books yet.
Main, you stay here. Lutz, come with me.
Save Main, Master Benno.
I can't do it. I can't do anything.
I would gladly do anything I could, but...
Then don't make Main look out for you.
That lass is way more mature than she seems.
Even if she's in pain, she has the wherewithal to smile for you.
If you're a man, make sure Main doesn't have to worry about you!
You had the gall to say you'd make everything Main thought of,
so make and sell one thing after another!
Make as much money as you can!
Now that's a good look in your eyes.
The next time I saw him, Lutz had gone back to his usual self.
I was thinking we'd be lucky to make ten,
but we've gone and doubled that!
Selling this many should help a little.
You need money to deal with the Devouring, right?
Lutz...
Do you have any other product ideas?
I'll make anything and everything you can think of!
Thank you.
That completes the delivery of the hair ornaments.
Sure does.
Okay, here's your pay.
Do you think we could sell these as well?
I made one during winter handiwork last year.
It was you again?
Did every bizarre product I've encountered in the last six months come from you?
Uh... Sorry about that.
Do you have anything that'd generate more revenue than baskets?
Something consumable, like the AIO Shampoo.
Well... How about colored and scented soaps or candles?
Do you know how to make those?
I do, though it'll need some trial and error.
All right. Experiment all you want come spring.
I will.
We have to make more paper, too.
If we add candles to that, things will get busy.
Main!
Main?!
You okay?!
This is bad! Mark, ready the carriage!
Next Chapter Life-or-Death Choices and Family Meetings
Do something, Master Benno!
The guild master will know what to do, right?
I've already negotiated with him.
All hail Master Benno!
Apparently, he still has some of the magical items he bought for Frieda.
A one-use magical item, for just two small golds.
G-Golds?!
Consider it an investment in you.
Investment? You're such a...
You don't have to be so grateful.
I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart!
Give me back my preview time.
Illustration by Waon