Main went to the cathedral for her baptism,
where she got lost and stumbled upon a library.
So many books...
Part of it's like a chained library, too.
With her heart set on reading all those books,
she met the high priest
and asked to join the church as an apprentice priestess.
Ascendance of a Bookworm
Chapter Thirteen The Choice to Be an Apprentice Priestess
What did you do, Main?
Uh... I got lost looking for water and collapsed.
There's more, isn't there?
I found a library and got too excited.
Huh? A library?
Yes, a library! A god-given paradise on earth!
A room with lots of books!
Okay, never mind. I get it now.
You left out the most important part.
She said she wanted to become an apprentice priestess to read the books.
She collapsed while talking to the high priest about it.
What's wrong with you, you moron?!
Sorry...
We're leaving before you get up to any more stupidity!
Okay...
Even I know I should've been more rational.
But now I know how to become a priestess,
and they said they'd let me read the scriptures,
so all's well that ends well, right?
You really stood out during the march today.
Of course she did! She's so cute!
Hey, Dad.
What is it?
I'm thinking of becoming an apprentice priestess at the cathedral.
What? I dare you to say that one more time!
I wanna be an apprentice priestess...
Screw that! I'm not letting my daughter go to the church!
Wh-Why are you getting so mad, Dad?
Priest and priestess apprenticeships
are the last resort for orphans who have nowhere else to turn!
They're not fit for you!
The last resort for orphans? Really?
Really! Now never bring it up again!
Gunther, Main didn't know. Go easy on her.
You're right. Sorry.
Why do you suddenly want to become an apprentice priestess?
The cathedral had a lot of books.
That's what gave you the idea, huh?
But you'll have to forget about those books.
Stick to what you've been doing and make your own.
Would you rather cut ties with us and live with orphans to read those books
or live with us like you always have?
Huh? Cut ties with you?
Why?
Apprentice priestesses live at the cathedral and are worked to the bone.
You're not cut out for it when you can't even stay on top of your health.
Besides, books are very valuable.
Do you really think becoming an apprentice will guarantee that you'll get to read them?
Do you wanna be a priestess that badly?
Didn't you promise to stay with us?
Nah.
I just wanted to find a way to read those books.
I don't wanna be a priestess, if it means parting with you.
Thank goodness!
So you'll stay with us, right?
Yeah! I'll go turn the high priest down when I feel better.
I'm so glad you understand.
You're my little girl. I'm not letting the church have you.
She's starting to develop a fever!
She must've relaxed too much, since the discussion's over and all.
Go to bed, Main.
Okay...
In my Urano days, books took priority over everything.
I guess I love my family too much for that now.
But...
I finally found some books.
I wanna read them!
It wasn't until two days later that the fever got back under control.
The master said he wants to talk to you.
But you still look pale.
I'll visit the cathedral tomorrow and then go see Benno.
Will you come with me?
Sure, but why the cathedral?
To read the scriptures.
And while I'm there, I'll worm my way out of the whole apprentice priestess thing.
I see.
I mean, you're clearly not cut out for life there.
Yeah.
The next day...
Later. I'll come pick you up at the fifth bell.
Thanks, Lutz.
Don't you dare wander off.
Gotcha!
Pardon me.
Would you be Main?
Yes.
I'm the head priest here.
The high priest has told me about you.
Take a seat.
Thank you very much.
I've been asked to read the scriptures to you until he returns.
Sit there and listen.
U-Uh, Head Priest...
I...
If you have something to say, spit it out.
I don't want to listen! I want to read it myself!
And why is that?
Do you not want to learn more about the gods?
I do, but I also want to learn all these new words.
I see.
But these are the holy scriptures.
Do you promise not to lay a hand on them?
I promise!
Thank you so much!
I'll start reading now.
The God of Darkness spent an unbelievably long spell of time all by himself,
I finally get to read a book myself!
but one day, he...
Head Priest, does this say "Goddess of Light"?
That's right.
Is this "God of Darkness," then?
Correct.
That was quick.
If you're such a fast learner, teaching you will be worth my time.
Oh, did I make you wait long?
The head priest read the scriptures with me, so I had a lot of fun.
I truly appreciate it.
That's good to hear.
Thank you, Head Priest.
So, what did your parents say?
They yelled at me, saying becoming a priestess is for orphans.
It's not only orphans. There are nobles, too.
Of course, orphans are the majority,
but that's because they have nobody to take care of them or refer them to other jobs.
I want you to understand that it doesn't take an orphan to be a priestess.
But I'm frail and sickly, too.
A live-in apprenticeship is impossible for me.
So you didn't collapse the other day because you were unwell,
but because you're sickly by nature?
That's right. I have the Devouring...
The Devouring?
Yes, what about it?
Bring it here!
I know.
Huh? Wh-What's going on?
I offer the gods my prayers!
Wh-What's happening?!
Try touching this grail.
Huh? May I really?
Yes. Hurry up.
Whoa! What's going on?!
Main, we would like to speak to your parents.
I'm sorry, Dad, Mom.
Looks like this has become some kind of big deal!
Ascendance of a Bookworm
Lutz!
What's the matter?
Did you mess up again?
I'm not sure what I did,
but I feel like I did mess up, yeah.
Urk. Not again.
Anyway, Master's waiting.
He told me to drag you there by the collar if I had to.
N-No!
It's been a while, Main!
Y-Yes.
Now, you will come clean.
Tell me everything that happened after you collapsed during the baptism.
Depending on that, I may have to rethink our business relationship.
So I met the high priest and asked to become an apprentice to gain library access.
Use your brain a little, you thoughtless nitwit!
O-Ow!
And? Did you get permission?
When I went home and spoke to my parents,
they yelled at me, saying becoming a priestess was for orphans.
The head priest was saying there were nobles, though.
Didn't you notice the two different church uniforms, blue and gray robes?
The blue is for nobility, and the gray for orphans.
The orphans get ordered around by the nobles and work for no pay.
Since you're not a noble, you'll be a gray-robed apprentice priestess.
Of course your parents wouldn't allow it.
Oh, so that's why Dad got so angry.
So? Were you able to worm out of it?
Well, when I told them about my Devouring,
they gave me a formal invite for my parents.
They're totally out to reel you in.
The silver lining is that you can still negotiate with the high priest.
You're in luck.
What do you mean?
And then Benno filled me in on the current situation with the church.
A few years ago, there was a coup and political purge in the capital.
The number of nobles went down drastically.
That reduction in the political class meant a downturn in the nation's power.
That's where the blue-robed priests in the church came in.
Noble Society
They had fallen out of favor with their parents and been dumped in the church,
but now they returned to noble society.
That meant the church lost the blue robes' obligatory donations.
They were also the ones employing the orphans,
who were now out of work and having a hard time surviving.
That sounds like a disaster!
There's an even bigger disaster.
The grail you touched is actually a magical item.
A magical item?!
That's right.
Normally, the blue robes stored their mana within it,
but a lack of supply could mean smaller harvests.
What? Mana even affects the size of harvests?!
Yeah. That's why, with fewer nobles around now,
the church is in dire need of people with the Devouring.
Uh, what does mana have to do with the Devouring?
Wha... You didn't know?!
Most commoners have next to no mana,
but the few who are born with a lot of it suffer from the Devouring.
Ah! That raging fever is actually mana?!
Before the coup,
nobles despised those with the Devouring for possessing mana as commoners.
But things have changed.
The church needs my mana?
Correct. If you join the church, you'll be able to live on.
But at the same time, it's risky.
As you possess both mana and money, nobles will see you as fine prey.
So, Main, how about you sign a new contract with magic?
A contract for what?
One that states Lutz will sell everything you make.
Even if a noble tries to steal you away,
this contract will guarantee that you can contact us.
Forge an unbreakable pact with Lutz while you still can.
An unbreakable pact with Lutz...
But what if that puts Lutz in danger or hurts him?
Your survival is more important.
Besides, if I sent you off alone, I'd have a constant headache
worrying about what you might do.
Jeez.
Listen up. If you already have your invitation,
that leaves you very little time.
First, officially register the Main Studio with the Guild,
and secure an outlet for your goods.
Got it.
If money can buy you better treatment,
have a revenue stream ready before you negotiate with the church.
Prepare all the means you can think of to survive in that world.
Rather than getting exploited after you join,
find someone there to have a give-and-take relationship with.
Consider each and every aspect of your situation.
Fight with all you have to live on!
Uh...
Why are you getting so worked up for me?
The longer you live, the more products you'll create,
and the more profits for us.
Master's worried about you, since you're always walking a tightrope.
Shut up, Mark!
I won't go as far as saying he sees you like his own daughter,
but he is genuinely concerned for you.
Of course, so am I.
Thank you, Mister Mark.
Just him?
Of course I'm grateful to you too, Mister Benno.
Please help me with the contract magic and registering with the Guild.
Oh! You want to register Main Studio?
And here I thought you would be an apprentice merchant at the Gilberta Company.
I gave up because merchant work would be too physically demanding.
In that case, would you divert Main Studio's products to our company?
Hey, I gave you the pound cake, remember?
You did. And Ilse's obsessively trying out different flavors for it.
You should come taste them.
Not with Lutz, but your older sister.
If you want to estimate the demand for a product,
you should canvas opinions from a wide range of people.
A wide range of people, you say?
I know! How about throwing a sampling party?
You prepare bite-sized portions of various pound cake flavors
and ask the guests which ones they liked best.
That sounds like the perfect idea!
Things are about to get busy!
I'll send word as soon as we set a date!
Toodles!
See? Isn't she just like you?
She sure is.
What's up, Lutz?
Are you really gonna join the church?
Yeah, probably.
Oh...
Look, Lutz. If you wanna say something, out with it.
I don't wanna. It'll make me sound lame.
I see.
You liar.
You said we'd make and sell books together.
I'm sorry, Lutz.
You don't have to apologize.
I know I can't do anything for you.
But...
It still hurts.
You said you'd run a bookstore with me...
I really wanted to make books with you.
I know...
But I won't give up on making books even if I join the church.
I'm not giving up on my ambition so easily!
What, to live a life surrounded by books?
Exactly. Let's both do our best to make our dreams come true.
I... I was only able to give my all because you were with me.
And I wanted to keep it up at Master's store with you.
I wanted to do so much more with you!
Don't worry.
Nothing will change if I join the church.
Whenever I wanna make something, you'll be the first person I ask for help.
But people already know your creations are valuable.
They'll be lining up to help you.
Even if I do work with someone else, I get the feeling it won't go so smoothly,
and that I'll end up calling on you anyway.
Will you help me?
You're gonna bring all my ideas to reality, right?
Yeah! I'll make anything and everything you think up!
Next Chapter Conclusions
Take that! And that!
Next up, we answer the summons from the church!
Take that! And that!
What are you doing?
I need to fight to secure the best treatment for myself!
Leave that to your parents. You can't handle it.
No, but I need to fight for myself...
I warned you.
Illustration by Tamaki Nozomu