E16 - Blue Robes and Uncommon Sense

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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.)
[00:00] Ferdinand
    Main has become a blue-robed apprentice
    priestess at the cathedral.
[00:04] Ferdinand
    However...
(Flashback) [00:05] Delia
    The high priest asked me
    to give you a headache.
(Flashback) [00:09] Gil
    You're just a commoner, not a noble, right?
(Flashback) [00:13] Fran
    The head priest just told you
     to discipline any misbehavior.
[00:20] Ferdinand
    The class discrimination,
    difference in values,
[00:23] Ferdinand
    and her retainers' rebellious
    attitudes leave her bewildered.
SIGN    Ascendance of a Bookworm
SIGN    Ascendance of a Bookworm
SIGN    Chapter Sixteen Blue Robes and Uncommon Sense
[02:09] Ferdinand
    Now...
[02:10] Ferdinand
    Let me give you a rundown on the
    work you're expected to do here.
[02:13] Main
    Sure.
[02:14] Main
    As I'm sure you're aware,
[02:17] Main
    blue robes are for born nobility.
[02:20] Main
    But you were granted them as a commoner,
[02:23] Main
    and you can assume that nobody
    looks favorably upon that fact.
[02:27] Main
    The high priest even refused
    to administer your oath-taking.
[02:31] Main
    As such, it has fallen
    upon me to supervise you.
[02:36] Main
    Does it not bother you that I, uh...
[02:41] Ferdinand
    Merit is what matters to me.
[02:45] Ferdinand
    Especially now, with the blue
    robes dwindling in number,
[02:49] Ferdinand
    and most of the work coming my way.
[02:52] Ferdinand
    I know I can count on you to
    handle paperwork with ease,
[02:56] Ferdinand
    so why would I ever hold
    anything against you?
[02:59] Main
    Did he investigate my
    work at the gate, too?!
[03:05] Main
    I'll do my best.
[03:07] Ferdinand
    Good.
[03:08] Ferdinand
    I'll have you file paperwork as my assistant.
[03:13] Ferdinand
    And then comes your work as a blue-robed
    priestess: prayers and mana dedication.
[03:17] Main
    Mana... dedication?
[03:20] Ferdinand
    Fran, bring us the dedication shield.
[03:30] Ferdinand
    Main, touch the magic crystal in the center.
[03:34] Ferdinand
    Imagine sending your mana into it.
[03:41] Main
    Whoa, a magic circle?
[03:44] Main
    Oh, my mana's being drained.
[03:47] Main
    So this is how I'm supposed to
    discharge and "dedicate" my mana.
[03:52] Main
    Wait, are those lighting up?
[03:57] Ferdinand
    Hmm... Seven small crystals' worth.
[04:00] Ferdinand
    How do you feel?
[04:02] Main
    Er, kind of refreshed.
    My body feels much lighter.
[04:07] Ferdinand
    I see.
[04:08] Ferdinand
    When you dedicate your mana,
    make sure not to strain yourself.
[04:11] Main
    Well, the mana offering doesn't
    seem like too much hard work.
[04:15] Ferdinand
    Your final task for now is to read
    the scriptures and memorize them.
[04:20] Main
    You've got it! I'll head over
    to the library right now...
[04:23] Ferdinand
    Before that, I'd like to
    discuss your donation.
[04:26] Ferdinand
    Arno, bring the account book.
[04:28] Main
    I get it! This is important,
    but I don't care!
[04:32] Main
    Right now, all I care about is the library!
[04:38] Main
    Library, library!
[04:40] Gil
    Why do you wanna go to the
    library? Are you stupid?
[04:46] Delia
    Seriously.
[04:47] Delia
    A poor, pea-brained kid wants
    to read? Give me a break.
[04:51] Gil
    What's with that look?
[04:53] Gil
    You're not all that different from us!
[04:55] Gil
    Where do you get off wearing
    blue robes and acting all bossy?
[04:58] Gil
    Those robes don't make
    you the least bit scary.
[05:01] Gil
    I have the high priest backing me up.
[05:04] Gil
    Must be nice having a real master, Delia.
[05:08] Gil
    I don't think of you as my master.
[05:11] Gil
    I won't listen to a word you say,
[05:13] Gil
    and I'll give you hell.
[05:15] Fran
    Gil!
[05:17] Main
    I'm glad we agree on that.
[05:19] Main
    I don't see you three
    as my retainers, either.
[05:23] Fran
    Lady Main... I'll have to report
    this to the head priest.
[05:27] Ferdinand
    Feel free. I bet that's your job, anyway.
[05:32] Main
    You can't just dump three strangers
    on me and expect me to trust them.
[05:55] Main
    I can smell the ink...
[05:58] Main
    and the old paper in the air.
[06:03] Main
    Paradise on god's green earth!
[06:06] Fran
    This is a copy of the scriptures.
[06:15] Main
    Whoa! It's like the book
    wants me to read it!
[06:23] Main
    How long has it been since
    I last read a book?
[06:41] Gil
    ...y.
[06:43] Gil
    Hey!
[06:44] Gil
    It's time for lunch!
[06:46] Main
    I don't need any.
[06:48] Gil
    Huh? Who doesn't need lunch?
[06:50] Main
    Go ahead and eat without me.
    I'm not your master anyway, right?
[06:54] Gil
    What the heck are you talking about?
[06:56] Gil
    Retainers have to be granted the
    gods' blessings by their master...
[06:58] Main
    Stop bothering me.
[07:05] Main
    All quiet now. Much better.
[07:11] Main
    Lutz!
[07:13] Main
    That wore me out!
[07:18] Lutz
    Oh, you do look a little pale.
    Good job fighting it out.
[07:22] Main
    Is Benno at the store?
[07:24] Lutz
    Yeah.
[07:25] Main
    I'll stop by, then.
[07:26] Main
    I need to talk about my donation.
[07:31] Main
    Uh, why are you following me?
[07:33] Fran
    Well, we're your retainers.
[07:35] Delia
    Meeting someone without your
    retainers is out of the question.
[07:38] Main
    You don't have to come along.
[07:40] Fran
    I'm afraid we're going to need to.
[07:43] Gil
    Fine, then. I'm out.
[07:45] Gil
    I'm starving thanks to a certain
    clueless someone, after all.
[07:51] Main
    Delia, Fran. You two may head back, too.
[07:53] Fran
    But Lady Main, when you're meeting someone...
[07:56] Main
    Delia, I want you to pass along a message.
[07:59] Delia
    Who, me?
[08:00] Main
    Yes, you.
[08:01] Main
    I'll be back with my donation
    whenever Benno's free.
[08:05] Main
    Tell the head priest that for me.
[08:07] Main
    I need this message to get
    across, so do it right.
[08:10] Delia
    Oh, you need it, do you? Very well.
[08:15] Fran
    I don't know about this.
[08:18] Fran
    I can go talk to the head priest, but...
[08:21] Main
    I have Lutz with me, so I'll be fine.
[08:34] Lutz
    You sure about this?
[08:35] Main
    Yeah. It seems like Fran would rather
    serve the head priest, anyway.
[08:42] Main
    Maybe that'll change if I become
    a better master than him,
[08:46] Main
    but what are the odds of that happening?
[08:48] Lutz
    None. You have zero gravity and presence.
[08:53] Main
    You can say that again!
[08:55] Benno
    Main, you complete and utter moron!
[08:58] Benno
    Please don't tell me you walked here
    from the cathedral dressed like that!
[09:01] Main
    I did... What's the problem with that?
[09:04] Benno
    Everything!
[09:06] Benno
    You're wearing blue priestess robes!
[09:09] Benno
    Blue robes are normally nobles,
    and nobles travel in carriages.
[09:13] Benno
    Do you know why that is?
[09:14] Benno
    It's because they get kidnapped for ransom!
[09:18] Main
    Kidnapped?!
[09:19] Benno
    If you understand, never wear
    that outside the cathedral again!
[09:21] Main
    U-Understood!
[09:25] Main
    After I changed,
[09:26] Main
    I told Benno that I was asked
    to bring in my donation.
[09:30] Benno
    Just do that, then.
[09:32] Main
    It's a lot of money. I'm scared
    of taking it all the way myself.
[09:36] Main
    So I want you to come with me.
[09:40] Benno
    Just have your retainers take care of it.
[09:42] Mark
    Come to think of it,
    where are your retainers?
[09:46] Mark
    I don't see them around.
[09:48] Main
    I can't trust them with this!
[09:52] Benno
    For someone so thoughtless all the time,
    you're being surprisingly careful.
[09:55] Benno
    I guess they must've assigned
    you some awful servants.
[09:58] Main
    Awful doesn't begin to describe it.
[10:01] Benno
    I can't say I didn't see it coming.
    They must really see you as a nuisance.
[10:05] Main
    I don't care as long as I get to read!
[10:11] Lutz
    Mister Mark, do you have a moment?
[10:13] Mark
    What is it, Lutz?
[10:15] Lutz
    I have a question about this product.
[10:19] Main
    Lutz...
[10:21] Benno
    The lad's giving his all
    to become a merchant.
[10:25] Benno
    He's asking questions about
    everything he doesn't understand
[10:28] Benno
    and trying to learn what's
    common knowledge in this trade.
[10:33] Benno
    How about you?
[10:35] Benno
    Are you trying to grow into your
    role as a blue-robed priestess?
[10:43] Main
    All I've done is complain.
[10:46] Benno
    Remember, you chose this path.
[10:49] Benno
    If you want to read your books in peace,
    learn to command your retainers first.
[10:52] Benno
    Learn how to act and speak like nobility.
[10:59] Main
    Got it.
[11:00] Benno
    So, when do we have to deliver the donation?
[11:04] Main
    I told them we'd do it
    whenever you were free.
[11:11] Benno
    You thoughtless nitwit!
[11:12] Benno
    That's basically saying
    we'll bring it at once!
[11:17] Benno
    Mark, hurry up and get things ready!
[11:19] Mark
    Understood, sir!
SIGN    Ascendance of a
     Bookworm
SIGN    Ascendance of a
     Bookworm
[11:40] Main
    The heck? I've never seen this place.
[11:43] Main
    Wait, is this the front entrance?!
[11:48] Fran
    Lady Main.
[11:50] Main
    Hey, Fra—
[11:51] Main
    Oh, right.
[11:52] Main
    I need to act like a noble.
[11:55] Main
    Mister Benno, please meet my retainer, Fran.
[11:59] Main
    Fran, can we see the head priest now?
[12:05] Fran
    Everything is ready for you.
[12:09] Main
    Fran actually responded to that.
[12:12] Main
    I guess speech and mannerisms
    really do play a big part.
[12:25] Benno
    Boy.
[12:27] Benno
    You're going to make the lady collapse.
[12:34] Fran
    My apologies.
[12:36] Benno
    You should pay attention
    to how fast you're walking.
[12:39] Fran
    I understand.
[12:43] Benno & Mark
    On this auspicious day, bathed in the
    light of the God of Fire, Leidenschaft,
[12:48] Benno & Mark
    we pray that the gods bestow their
    blessings upon this meeting they guided.
[12:53] Benno
    Nice to meet you, Head Priest.
[12:56] Benno
    I'm Benno of the Gilberta Company,
    and I'm here at Lady Main's invitation.
[13:03] Benno
    It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.
[13:06] Ferdinand
    I bless you from my heart.
[13:10] Ferdinand
    May the God of Fire, Leidenschaft, guide
    the Gilberta Company to greater heights.
[13:16] Main
    They call that "blessings"?
[13:18] Main
    I didn't know they used mana like that.
[13:25] Main
    How do I climb on like a noble?
[13:28] Main
    No way! Impossible!
[13:31] Main
    Whatever shall we do now, Fran?
[13:36] Fran
    Pardon me, Lady Main.
[13:41] Main
    Whoa, I got through to him.
[13:45] Main
    His attitude has changed a little.
[13:50] Main
    And then,
[13:51] Main
    after Benno presented my donation
    and a gift from himself...
[13:55] Ferdinand
    Since you're here,
[13:57] Ferdinand
    I'd like you to answer a few
    questions for me, Benno.
[14:03] Main
    I'm not sure what's going on, but I do
    know a brutal fight's about to break out!
[14:07] Main
    Don't lose, Benno!
[14:09] Main
    Bong!
[14:10] Ferdinand
    Here in the cathedral,
[14:12] Ferdinand
    the staff see Main as a loose cannon
    who let her mana go out of control.
[14:17] Benno
    Her mana went out of control?
    I hadn't heard that.
[14:22] Ferdinand
    Benno, I've heard that you're a man of keen
    insight who discovered Main's talents.
[14:29] Ferdinand
    I want to hear your frank opinion
    on what kind of person she is.
[14:34] Benno
    I am but a merchant.
[14:37] Benno
    I don't know much about mana,
[14:40] Benno
    but Lady Main is a genius, at least
    when it comes to product ideas.
[14:46] Benno
    However, she fails to realize that.
[14:49] Benno
    At Gilberta Company, we see her as having
    an easygoing and magnanimous personality.
[14:54] Main
    But he usually calls me
    careless and thoughtless...
[14:58] Main
    I guess wording can make all the difference.
[15:01] Ferdinand
    Magnanimous?
[15:03] Ferdinand
    Who, this loose cannon?
[15:07] Benno
    Yes.
[15:09] Benno
    She holds her family, friends, and books
    very dear, and refuses to compromise on them.
[15:15] Benno
    As long as you don't mess with
    those things, she's magnanimous...
[15:17] Benno
    Or, well, just indifferent.
[15:21] Ferdinand
    I see.
[15:23] Ferdinand
    Anything else that could
    make her mana go berserk?
[15:26] Benno
    Not that I'm aware of.
[15:27] Benno
    However, I need to bring something
    about her to your attention.
[15:33] Main
    Benno's going on the counterattack!
[15:36] Benno
    The lady is incredibly frail
    and unbelievably sickly.
[15:42] Ferdinand
    Sickly?
[15:44] Ferdinand
    Ah, yes. She said she needed
    someone to monitor her condition.
[15:48] Main
    Yes.
[15:49] Benno
    At the moment, one of our apprentices
    is the best man for the job.
[15:55] Main
    Stay on the attack, Benno!
[15:58] Ferdinand
    And this apprentice is a
    boy named Lutz, I take it?
[16:01] Main
    Correct.
[16:02] Ferdinand
    Can you do it, Fran?
[16:07] Fran
    Not yet, as ashamed as I am to admit it.
[16:11] Main
    It's impossible to figure it out so quickly.
[16:15] Ferdinand
    But we can't have that.
[16:17] Ferdinand
    Make sure you can do it before
    the knight order's convocation.
[16:20] Ferdinand
    Understood?
[16:22] Fran
    Certainly. I'll learn how to by the fall.
[16:25] Benno
    Also, Head Priest, the lady
    is highly intelligent,
[16:30] Benno
    but she has very little social experience,
[16:32] Benno
    and very little knowledge of the
    church's values and noble society.
[16:37] Benno
    So please...
[16:38] Ferdinand
    Yes, I'm aware.
[16:40] Ferdinand
    That's why I assigned Fran to her.
[16:43] Ferdinand
    He is one of my best retainers.
[16:47] Ferdinand
    She can ask him about anything
    she doesn't understand.
[16:51] Main
    Wait, did Fran not realize
    why he was assigned to me?
[16:58] Ferdinand
    Meanwhile, Benno, I hear
    that Main is your Fruhtrane.
[17:03] Ferdinand
    Can you explain that?
[17:05] Ferdinand
    I want to know exactly how you see her.
[17:10] Benno
    I'm not sure how to answer that.
[17:13] Benno
    I don't understand myself why
    people are saying that about me.
[17:19] Main
    Yikes, Benno's reeling!
[17:22] Main
    But Fruhtrane? Isn't that
    the Goddess of Water?
[17:26] Ferdinand
    What is it, Main?
[17:27] Main
    I hate to ask, but what is "Fruhtrane"
    being used to mean in this context?
[17:36] Main
    Would you tell me, Fran?
[17:40] Fran
    Well, uh, you see...
[17:43] Ferdinand
    Sweetheart, lover, one who moves their heart.
[17:47] Ferdinand
    That's the common usage of the name.
[17:51] Main
    No, no! No way!
[17:54] Main
    Not a chance!
[17:56] Main
    That's ridiculous.
[17:59] Main
    We could be father and daughter, you know?
[18:01] Benno
    As the lady says, it's absurd.
[18:05] Ferdinand
    That age gap isn't exactly uncommon, though.
[18:09] Main
    One of my retainers wants to
    be the high priest's concubine,
[18:13] Main
    so I get that it may be common here,
    but it's not a thing downtown!
[18:25] Mark
    Head Priest, I realize that
    it's not my place as a servant,
[18:29] Mark
    but may I be allowed to say something?
[18:32] Ferdinand
    Go ahead. What is it?
[18:34] Mark
    I need to state this to defend
    my master's good name.
[18:37] Mark
    The common usage of "Goddess
    of Water" doesn't apply here.
[18:42] Ferdinand
    How so?
[18:43] Mark
    Lady Main miraculously opens doors to
    one business venture after another.
[18:49] Mark
    She is our Goddess of Water, who brings
    great change to the Gilberta Company.
[18:54] Ferdinand
    Thank you. I understand now.
[18:57] Ferdinand
    Lastly, I would like to discuss the
    distribution of the Main Studio's earnings.
[19:03] Main
    Go, Benno!
[19:05] Main
    Benno wins!
[19:11] Main
    They settled on the church getting
    ten percent of the earnings.
[19:14] Main
    Just as I was marveling at
    Benno's negotiating skills...
[19:18] Fran
    Lady Main?!
[19:20] Ferdinand
    On your feet. You disgrace yourself.
[19:24] Benno
    This happens often.
[19:26] Ferdinand
    It does?
[19:30] Benno
    As I mentioned earlier,
[19:33] Benno
    she's very sickly.
[19:35] Ferdinand
    I see now...
[19:38] Benno
    We're profoundly sorry
    that you had to see this.
[19:42] Benno
    We would like to cut our farewells
    short and leave immediately.
[19:51] Fran
    Let me carry Lady Main!
[19:53] Benno
    I refuse. We're in a hurry.
[19:57] Fran
    But I'm her retainer.
[20:01] Main
    Fran?
[20:03] Fran
    I failed to understand the
    head priest's intentions
[20:06] Fran
    and took my frustrations out on you.
[20:09] Fran
    Please forgive me.
[20:12] Main
    It must've been painful.
[20:15] Main
    You felt like you'd been cast aside, right?
[20:19] Main
    But the head priest has absolutely
    no intention of letting you go.
[20:24] Main
    He was even giving you orders
    like nothing back there,
[20:28] Main
    even though I'm your master now.
[20:33] Fran
    Right.
[20:35] Main
    Fran?
[20:37] Fran
    Yes?
[20:38] Main
    I'll do my best to become a
    master you can be proud of.
[20:44] Main
    Will you help me out?
[20:46] Fran
    From now on, please feel
    free to ask me anything.
[20:54] Benno
    Don't you dare drop her.
[20:56] Fran
    I won't.
[21:01] Main
    While I was bonding with Fran, elsewhere...
[21:05] High Priest
    Oh, they're bringing in
    the donation, are they?
[21:08] Delia
    Yes, High Priest.
[21:10] High Priest
    Good. Keep bringing me information
    about that little devil, Delia.
[21:15] Delia
    Yes, sir!
(Flashback) [21:19] Man
    Gil, you have a master
    now. Have her feed you.
[21:26] Gil
    I can't eat anything thanks
    to that clueless idiot!
[21:30] Gil
    Stupid idiot!
[21:34] Gil
    Damn, I'm so hungry...
SIGN    Next Chapter Needs
[23:14] Main
    What did you make of the head priest?
[23:17] Benno
    He's still young, but for a blue robe,
    he has a decent look in his eyes.
[23:21] Main
    Wait, what? Young?
[23:22] Benno
    Yeah, I bet he's around
    twenty-two or twenty-three.
[23:27] Main
    No way! I was sure he was in his thirties!
[23:30] Benno
    Don't you dare let that slip in front of him.
[23:33] Main
    My lips are sealed.
SIGN    Illustration by Sand