E1 - A World Without Books

Source: Crunchyroll
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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names. This is handled on a best-effort basis depending on how the subtitle file was created so they may be incomplete or inaccurate. Dialogue is left as is.)
[00:22] Ferdinand
    Now, wear this.
[00:26] Main
    What is this, Head Priest?
[00:29] Ferdinand
    Can't you tell? It's a magical item.
[00:36] Main
    I'm asking what we're using it for.
[00:40] Main
    Please... tell... me...
[00:50] Ferdinand
    Main's the only one who uses
    this to tie her hair.
[00:52] Ferdinand
    And it's not just this hairpin.
[00:54] Ferdinand
    She has brought us all sorts of creations.
[00:57] Ferdinand
    But the most surprising thing of all
[01:00] Ferdinand
    is her passion for books.
[01:04] Ferdinand
    She treasures literature, and even wrote
    some picture books for children.
[01:09] Ferdinand
    Her obsession is clearly abnormal.
[01:12] Ferdinand
    Just what goes through that head of yours?
[01:18] Ferdinand
    I shall take a look into your past, Main.
[01:32] Main
    Before I was Main,
[01:34] Main
    I lived in a distant era as Motosu Urano.
[01:39] Main
    Psychology.
[01:40] Main
    Religion.
[01:41] Main
    History.
[01:42] Main
    Geography.
[01:43] Main
    Education.
[01:44] Main
    Folklore.
[01:45] Main
    Mathematics.
[01:46] Main
    Physics.
[01:47] Main
    Geology.
[01:48] Main
    Chemistry.
[01:49] Main
    Biology.
[01:51] Main
    Art.
[01:52] Main
    Health.
[01:53] Main
    Language.
[01:54] Main
    Fiction...
[01:54] Main
    Literature was my life.
[01:56] Main
    I loved books—laden with mankind's knowledge
    in all disciplines—with all my heart,
[02:01] Main
    and felt unbridled joy at living
    a life surrounded by them.
[02:05] Main
    But then...
[02:10] Main
    On the verge of death,
    I uttered a silent prayer.
[02:14] Main
    "O God, may I be able to read all kinds
    of books in my next life, too."
SIGN    Ascendance of a Bookworm
SIGN    Chapter One
    A World Without Books
[03:55] Main
    It's so hot... I can't breathe...
    I can't take this anymore!
[04:01] Motosu
    Yeah.
[04:02] Main
    It's so hot... Help!
[04:04] Motosu
    Yeah.
[04:05] Main
    Someone help me!
[04:07] Motosu
    Huh? The voice is fading.
[04:09] Motosu
    Wait!
[04:32] Main
    Where am I?
[04:35] Main
    Are these really my hands?
[04:40] Main
    Wait, I'm pretty sure I died.
[04:43] Main
    Am I having some kind of weird, dying dream?
[04:52] Main
    I'm not dreaming. What's going on?
[04:55] Main
    What am I doing here?
[05:00] Main
    Who is that?
[05:02] Main
    Her hair's green!
[05:06] Main
    What? I don't understand what she's saying.
[05:12] Main
    Someone's memories are
    bursting into my mind!
[05:21] Eva
    Main?
[05:23] Main
    No! I'm not Main!
[05:25] Main
    My name is Motosu Urano!
[05:28] Eva
    Main? Are you all right, Main?
[05:32] Main
    I can understand her now!
[05:35] Eva
    How are you feeling, Main?
[05:38] Main
    Mom...
[05:41] Narrator
    In this moment, Motosu Urano
    began her life as Main.
[05:45] Main
    And that's when I realized...
[05:48] Main
    My mother had been just as happy as me
    when I landed my librarian job,
[05:53] Main
    but now I would never see her again.
[05:58] Main
    Mom...
[06:02] Main
    I'm so sorry.
[06:07] Main
    If only I had a book to read...
[06:09] Main
    Yeah, as long as I have books,
[06:13] Main
    I can deal with things no matter where I am.
[06:16] Main
    No. I will deal with it.
[06:19] Main
    I just need my books.
[06:22] Main
    I wonder where I can find one, though...
[06:26] Tuuli
    Main? Are you okay to be up and about now?
[06:30] Main
    Tuuli, my older sister.
[06:32] Main
    Oh, I know.
[06:33] Main
    Hey, Tuuli, bring me a book.
[06:36] Tuuli
    A book?
[06:38] Main
    Yeah. I wanna read.
[06:41] Tuuli
    What's a book?
[06:43] Main
    Huh?
[06:44] Main
    Does she not know what a book is?
[06:47] Main
    Hang on a sec. How does that even happen?
[06:51] Main
    Maybe there are no books
    for kids in this house?
[06:55] Tuuli
    Are you okay, Main?
[06:58] Eva
    Main, how's your fever?
[07:01] Tuuli
    Mom, it looks like her head hurts.
[07:06] Eva
    The fever is starting to go down, but
    I guess you're still not feeling your best.
[07:11] Eva
    Sleep tight until dinnertime, okay?
[07:15] Eva
    Come help me, Tuuli.
[07:16] Tuuli
    Sure!
[07:22] Main
    Now's my chance to find some books.
[07:30] Main
    Books are worth it.
[07:39] Main
    Clothes, huh?
[07:45] Main
    What even is this?
[07:47] Main
    It would've been perfect if there
    were books in this very room,
[07:50] Main
    but I guess it's not gonna be that easy.
[07:53] Main
    Time to check the next room over, then.
[08:03] Main
    And we've already hit a snag.
[08:20] Main
    Whatever. Books are worth it.
[08:44] Main
    I made it!
[08:52] Main
    Ow!
[08:56] Main
    This pain will be my medal of honor!
[09:00] Main
    It's open.
[09:06] Main
    The kitchen, huh?
[09:09] Main
    No books in here, I bet.
[09:16] Main
    A storeroom, I think?
[09:19] Main
    It's locked. I wonder if it leads outside.
[09:24] Main
    I looked all over the house,
    but I couldn't find any books.
[09:28] Main
    Why?
[09:31] Main
    Wait, are books really
    expensive in this world?
[09:36] Main
    Even in the history of my world,
[09:38] Main
    books were rare and pricey till the printing
    press made them possible to mass-produce.
[09:44] Main
    If you weren't upper class, you would
    never get the chance to read one.
[09:49] Main
    Oh, well.
[09:50] Main
    There must be something to read, though.
[09:54] Main
    If not books, then newspapers or calendars.
[09:58] Main
    Nothing.
[10:00] Main
    Nothing.
[10:02] Main
    Nothing.
[10:03] Main
    Nothing.
[10:05] Main
    Nothing! Why is there no writing
    in any way, shape, or form?
[10:09] Main
    How the heck am I supposed to live here?
[10:18] Eva
    We're back.
[10:20] Eva
    Main? Didn't I tell you to
    stay in bed until dinnertime?
[10:24] Eva
    And look at this mess you've made.
[10:28] Main
    I can't find any books.
[10:34] Eva
    What's wrong, Main?
[10:36] Tuuli
    Does it hurt somewhere?
[10:39] Main
    I can't find any books!
[10:49] Main
    I want a book!
[10:51] Main
    I want to read!
[10:53] Main
    That's all I want!
[10:56] Main
    Who can I talk to that'll understand me?
[10:59] Main
    Someone please tell me!
[11:13] Main
    It's been three days since I woke up as Main.
[11:16] Main
    These three days have been hell.
[11:20] Main
    Also, life here seriously sucks.
[11:23] Main
    The "toilet" is a bedroom bedpan
    which is then dumped outside,
[11:27] Main
    and then "Dad," who I barely
    even know, changes my clothes.
[11:34] Main
    Good grief!
SIGN    Femininity
SIGN    Shame
[11:38] Main
    I have to abandon these
    things or I'll never last!
[11:41] Main
    Now I've given up and even
    get them to wipe me down.
[11:45] Main
    Tuuli thought that was weird,
    but it made me feel a lot better.
[11:49] Main
    And then...
(Flashback) [11:51] Tuuli
    What are you doing?
(Flashback) [11:53] Main
    I'm trying to tie up my hair
    'cause it's bothering me,
(Flashback) [11:55] Main
    but it's not working out.
(Flashback) [11:57] Tuuli
    Well, you do have really straight hair.
(Flashback) [12:00] Main
    Yeah. If I use a ribbon, it falls right away.
(Flashback) [12:03] Main
    Oh, right.
(Flashback) [12:07] Main
    Can I break this?
(Flashback) [12:09] Tuuli
    That's my doll!
(Flashback) [12:11] Tuuli
    You know it's important to me! You meanie!
(Flashback) [12:14] Main
    Uh, sorry.
(Flashback) [12:16] Main
    I want a hairpin... I guess you
    wouldn't know what I mean.
(Flashback) [12:20] Main
    I need a thin wooden stick
    like this doll's legs.
(Flashback) [12:24] Tuuli
    In that case, I could make one for you.
(Flashback) [12:31] Tuuli
    Will this do?
(Flashback) [12:33] Main
    Yeah! Thanks, Tuuli!
(Flashback) [12:38] Main
    How does that look?
(Flashback) [12:40] Tuuli
    Main, no!
(Flashback) [12:42] Tuuli
    Only grown-ups are allowed
    to tie all their hair up.
(Flashback) [12:45] Main
    Really?
(Flashback) [12:49] Main
    Is this okay, then?
(Flashback) [12:51] Tuuli
    Yeah, I think so.
(Flashback) [12:53] Tuuli
    But from here it looks like you've
    got a splinter stuck in your head.
(Flashback) [12:57] Main
    Oh, that's fine.
[12:59] Main
    Now what do I do about my hair?
    It feels so sticky and gross.
[13:04] Eva
    How are you feeling, Main?
[13:07] Eva
    Your fever's gone. Do you feel tired?
[13:11] Main
    Nope.
[13:12] Eva
    Do you want to go shopping with Mom, then?
[13:15] Main
    Shopping?
[13:18] Main
    I didn't find any books at home,
    but there might be a bookstore out there.
[13:22] Main
    If there is one...
[13:24] Main
    "I won't feel lonely if I have books.
[13:26] Main
    I'll watch over the house all you want!"
[13:29] Main
    That should get her to buy me some!
[13:31] Main
    Yep! I wanna go!
[13:34] Eva
    Oh? Where is all this energy coming from?
[13:37] Main
    I know it'll be fun!
[13:40] Eva
    Let's go shopping, then.
[13:47] Main
    Cold! Scary! Stinky!
[13:51] Eva
    Get on, Main.
[13:55] Eva
    You can't walk all the way to
    the market, right? Come on.
[13:58] Main
    O-Okay...
[14:03] Main
    I see.
[14:04] Main
    Main's body is pretty frail, so Mom's
    always given her piggyback rides.
[14:08] Main
    But I'm pretty sure I could
    handle this easily.
[14:18] Main
    Our building has five floors, huh?
[14:23] Main
    Wow, this area's full of townhouses.
[14:29] Main
    So that's where we get the water from.
[15:03] Main
    Amazing! It's like a Medieval European town
    straight out of all those photobooks!
[15:09] Main
    Mom, is that a castle?
[15:11] Eva
    It's the cathedral.
[15:12] Eva
    When you turn seven, you'll get
    to go there for your baptism.
[15:16] Main
    Huh...
[15:21] Main
    That's an awfully big gate.
[15:24] Eva
    That's the castle town gate.
[15:25] Eva
    Beyond it lies the lord's castle
    and the other nobility's mansions,
[15:31] Eva
    but it's kind of a different world to us.
[15:33] Main
    What about that wall?
[15:35] Main
    The city wall. It keeps us safe inside.
[15:38] Main
    Dad's a gatekeeper at
     the south gate, remember?
[15:46] Main
    Oh, right.
[15:47] Main
    Gatekeeper, yeah...
[15:50] Main
    But if there's a lord's castle,
    and it's surrounded by walls,
[15:55] Main
    then that means this is
    technically a big city.
[15:59] Main
    And yet,
[16:00] Main
    I don't see any writing
    anywhere in town, either.
[16:05] Main
    Do they not have a writing system at all?
[16:08] Main
    The thought didn't even cross my mind!
[16:11] Eva
    We've reached the market, Main.
[16:14] Woman
    Can I have three of these?
[16:16] Man
    Sure thing!
[16:17] Boy
    Hurry up!
[16:17] Man
    Fresh seasonal vegetables.
    Would you like to try any?
[16:27] Main
    I hadn't even considered that they
    might not have a writing system.
[16:31] Main
    If that's true, then they're
    not gonna have any books!
[16:39] Main
    Mom! What's that on that plank?
[16:42] Eva
    Oh, it shows the price, so you know
    how much you can buy something for.
[16:48] Main
    Numbers! They do have a number system!
[16:51] Main
    What does it say, Mom?
[16:53] Eva
    This is 20 lyon,
[16:55] Eva
    and that's 23 lyon.
[16:58] Main
    Is this 30 lyon, then?
[17:00] Eva
    That's correct!
[17:02] Eva
    I can't believe you picked it up so
    quickly. You're very smart, Main.
[17:08] Main
    What is this stench?
[17:18] Eva
    Main? What's wrong?
[17:20] Main
    Dead chicken!
[17:31] Eva
    Main? Hang in there, Main!
[17:37] Main
    Mom...
[17:39] Eva
    You fainted all of a sudden.
     I didn't know what to do.
[17:42] Eva
    Are you okay now?
[17:44] Main
    I'm... not okay.
[17:47] Eva
    Oh...
[17:48] Eva
    Oh, dear. I can't get any
    shopping done like this.
[17:52] Main
    No, go ahead. I'll wait here.
[17:55] Eva
    But...
[18:00] Main
    Ma'am.
[18:02] Main
    Do you mind if I wait here for a while,
    please? I'm not feeling very well.
[18:06] Main
    I promise I won't be any trouble.
[18:08] Woman
    Oh, my. Aren't you a polite young lady?
[18:13] Woman
    No problem. Go get your shopping done.
[18:16] Woman
    You don't want her fainting again, do you?
[18:18] Man
    If you're worried, she can
    wait inside the shop.
[18:21] Man
    Nobody's going to kidnap her
    if she's in the back.
[18:25] Main
    I'll be a good girl and wait.
[18:27] Eva
    Thank you so much. I'll be right back.
[18:30] Eva
    Stay right here, okay?
[18:32] Main
    'Kay.
[18:32] Eva
    Please take care of her.
[18:34] Main
    It's all too much for me to take in.
[18:40] Main
    Thanks for having me.
[18:53] Main
    Wait, could that be...
[18:58] Main
    Mister! What... What is that?!
[19:02] Man
    Oh, it's a book.
[19:06] Main
    Yahoo!
[19:08] Main
    I finally found one!
[19:10] Main
    There are books here!
[19:12] Man
    Is this your first time seeing one?
[19:15] Main
    Yeah.
[19:16] Main
    Hey, do you know a shop that
    sells books? Where is it?
[19:20] Man
    A shop? There isn't one.
[19:24] Main
    Huh? There are books, but no bookstores?
[19:27] Man
    Books have to be copied by hand, you see.
[19:31] Man
    They cost so much money that
    very few people can buy any.
[19:36] Man
    Even this one was pawned off by
    a noble who couldn't repay his debt.
[19:40] Man
    I haven't put it on sale.
[19:42] Man
    Only other nobles would even think
    about buying something so expensive.
[19:48] Main
    Damn those lucky nobles!
[19:51] Main
    In that case...
[19:53] Main
    Please let me hold that book!
SIGN    Kowtow
     In Japan, this is the most dramatic
    show of requesting or apologizing
[19:57] Main
    I know I can't buy it, so I'll
    make do with just holding it!
[20:01] Main
    I'd like to at least enjoy
    the sweet scent of ink!
[20:03] Main
    I beg you!
[20:08] Man
    I don't know why, but I get the feeling
    that it'd be risky to let you touch it.
[20:14] Main
    Please wait.
[20:16] Main
    I'll just flip through it, I promise.
[20:19] Man
    No.
[20:22] Main
    I understand.
[20:27] Eva
    Thank you for looking after my daughter.
[20:30] Eva
    Okay, Main. Let's go home.
[20:32] Main
    I didn't even get to hold it.
[20:43] Eva
    I got some raffle fruit, your favorite.
[20:46] Main
    Yeah...
[20:48] Eva
    Are you still not feeling well?
[20:49] Main
    Yeah...
[20:51] Main
    There are no bookstores in this town.
[20:56] Main
    In fact, there might be not be
    any anywhere in this world.
[21:11] Main
    I'm not gonna get any books
    if there are no bookstores.
[21:15] Main
    What can I do, then?
[21:17] Main
    I'll just have to make them myself!
[21:21] Tuuli
    Make?
[21:23] Eva
    Main?
[21:24] Gunther
    What are you going to make?
[21:25] Main
    Nothing. Never mind.
[21:29] Main
    Forget it. I don't care what it takes.
[21:32] Main
    I'm gonna get my books if
    it's the last thing I do!
[21:35] Main
    I won't let this world beat me!
SIGN    Next Chapter
    Life Improvements and Slates
[23:14] ---
    I see.
[23:15] ---
    So your obsession for books
    remained with you even after death.
[23:21] ---
    This is making my head hurt.
[23:23] ---
    Please don't say that with a straight face.
[23:26] ---
    You don't even get to show up until—
[23:29] ---
    No spoilers, fool!
SIGN    Illustration by Shiina You