# E17 - Needs
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GR79EW846/needs)
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**[00:01] Ferdinand**
* Even at the cathedral, it was her*
* way or the highway for Main.*
**[00:05] Ferdinand**
* But when she saw Lutz doing his*
* best as apprentice merchant,*
**[00:09] Ferdinand**
* she realized her folly at not trying*
* to fit in with the church's ways.*
**[00:13] Ferdinand**
* That led to her finally*
* winning Fran's trust, but...*
***SIGN*** Ascendance of a Bookworm
***SIGN*** Ascendance of a Bookworm
***SIGN*** Chapter Seventeen Needs
**[02:04] Fran**
Welcome home, Lady Main.
**[02:06] Lutz**
Welcome... "home"?
**[02:09] Main**
I'm commuting, but the
cathedral is home to them.
**[02:13] Main**
Isn't that right, Fran?
**[02:15] Fran**
That is right.
**[02:17] Lutz**
Makes sense.
**[02:18] Gil**
You didn't even know that?
**[02:21] Delia**
Don't bother.
**[02:23] Delia**
Let them put their feet in their mouth.
**[02:26] Main**
Gil, Delia, could you keep it down?
**[02:30] Main**
I'm talking to Fran here.
**[02:33] Fran**
I know when I'm unneeded.
**[02:35] Fran**
Bye.
**[02:36] Lutz**
What's her deal?
**[02:38] Main**
That was Delia, my retainer.
**[02:40] Lutz**
Even people like her can be a retainer?
**[02:44] Fran**
Delia's a special case.
**[02:46] Lutz**
What about this guy?
**[02:48] Gil**
What about *you*?
**[02:49] Gil**
Don't just waltz in here and act like
you own the place, you outsider!
**[02:53] Fran**
You can think of Gil as a special case, too.
**[02:56] Lutz**
So you're the only decent
retainer she's got.
**[02:59] Main**
Fran's an excellent retainer, and he comes
with the head priest's recommendation.
**[03:03] Lutz**
I'm Lutz, with the Gilberta Company.
**[03:05] Lutz**
I was told to come pass on my tricks
for monitoring Main's health.
**[03:10] Fran**
Thank you for coming.
**[03:12] Gil**
Hey, runt! You still haven't
told us about this guy!
**[03:16] Gil**
Don't ignore me!
**[03:23] Lutz**
You moron!
**[03:25] Lutz**
What if you hurt Main?!
**[03:28] Gil**
Wh-What do you think you're doing?
**[03:30] Lutz**
A retainer who lays a hand on his
own master? I don't believe you!
**[03:34] Gil**
Let me go!
**[03:37] Main**
* If this were downtown,*
* Gil would have it coming.*
**[03:42] Fran**
Please stop Lutz, Lady Main!
**[03:44] Fran**
This is the cathedral!
There can be no violence here!
**[03:50] Main**
There we go again! What's normal
downtown is abnormal here!
**[03:55] Main**
Lutz, drop it.
**[03:59] Lutz**
Just fire this moron!
**[04:01] Fran**
If you want him disciplined,
**[04:02] Fran**
he can be thrown in detention
or denied the alms of the gods once.
**[04:07] ---**
The alms of the gods?
**[04:10] Gil**
That's right! You failed
to give me what I need!
**[04:14] Main**
What you need?
**[04:17] Fran**
Masters must look after their
retainers' daily needs.
**[04:22] Fran**
Usually, they give retainers
their leftovers from meals.
**[04:27] Fran**
And whatever's left over from that goes
to the orphanage as the alms of the gods.
**[04:32] Main**
But I haven't done that
because I commute from home?
**[04:37] Gil**
You finally realized, huh?
**[04:40] Gil**
Because you're such a clueless idiot,
I'm about to starve to death here!
**[04:44] Gil**
What's wrong with you?
**[04:45] Lutz**
What's wrong with *you*?!
**[04:47] Lutz**
You don't work, and you
nearly hurt Main, too!
**[04:50] Lutz**
And you think you deserve
food and clothing?!
**[04:53] Gil**
The alms of the gods are
bestowed upon all equally!
**[04:56] Fran**
Lutz is right, Gil.
**[04:59] Fran**
Don't think that you can partake of the alms without working for it.
**[05:04] Gil**
Like you'd ever understand.
**[05:06] Gil**
I bet the head priest's been
feeding you the good stuff.
**[05:11] Fran**
I haven't moved from the
head priest's quarters.
**[05:15] Fran**
Delia's likely living at
the high priest's, too.
**[05:21] Main**
What about Gil, then?
**[05:22] Gil**
I became your retainer because
I thought I could eat my fill.
**[05:28] Gil**
I thought I wouldn't have to share what
little food I got in the orphanage anymore!
**[05:34] Gil**
If I'm not getting the alms of the gods
anyway, I quit being your retainer!
**[05:38] Lutz**
Well, that makes things easier. Right, Main?
**[05:41] Main**
It's my fault.
**[05:43] Lutz**
What do you mean?
**[05:46] Main**
I requested to continue living at home
because I didn't want to leave my family.
**[05:51] Main**
If you're bearing the brunt of that, Gil,
**[05:56] Main**
then I'll take responsibility for it.
**[05:59] Main**
I'll think of a way to make
sure you're well fed.
**[06:02] Main**
So could you give me some time?
**[06:06] Gil**
Can you even do that?
**[06:11] Main**
* While wondering how I could ensure*
* that Gil got the alms of the gods,*
**[06:16] Main**
* I headed to the head priest's office*
* to take care of paperwork.*
**[06:22] Ferdinand**
Why aren't you wearing your blue robes?
**[06:24] Main**
I was told I'd be kidnapped
if I wore them downtown.
**[06:29] Ferdinand**
Kidnapped?
**[06:31] Main**
Yes. So I planned on changing
into them once I got here.
**[06:35] Main**
Give me a moment, please.
**[06:43] Ferdinand**
That's improper.
**[06:44] Ferdinand**
Change in your own quarters.
**[06:47] Main**
You'll give me quarters?
**[06:50] Ferdinand**
Oh... I take that back.
**[06:52] Ferdinand**
We preferred to have you live at
home rather than in the noble wing.
**[06:58] Ferdinand**
That is why your request to
commute from home was approved.
**[07:03] Ferdinand**
We can't afford to give you quarters.
**[07:06] Main**
Is that so...
**[07:08] Arno**
Head Priest.
**[07:10] Arno**
How about the orphanage director's office?
**[07:12] Arno**
It's far from the noble wing,
**[07:15] Arno**
and since it was always meant for blue-robes,
it's fit to receive guests as well.
**[07:23] Ferdinand**
Very well.
**[07:24] Ferdinand**
Main, you can use the orphanage
director's office.
**[07:28] Ferdinand**
From now on, change and
welcome guests over there.
**[07:33] Main**
I'm very grateful.
**[07:36] Main**
That takes care of the shelter in
"food, clothing, and shelter"!
**[07:43] Ferdinand**
It has remained unused for a long time.
**[07:45] Ferdinand**
You'll need to clean it
up if you want to use it.
**[07:49] Main**
Then I'll have Gil clean up
while I help with your work.
**[07:57] Man**
She wants to let Gil handle it?
**[07:59] Man**
I heard he kept getting thrown in
detention for not cleaning the chapel.
**[08:04] Ferdinand**
Are you really going to have Gil do it?
**[08:07] Main**
I can't evaluate him fairly
if I don't give him a chance.
**[08:15] Main**
Gil, you said you didn't
see me as your master,
**[08:19] Main**
but would you be willing to work for food?
**[08:23] Main**
If you clean up the director's office
for me, I'll compensate you for it.
**[08:27] Gil**
Huh? Compensation?
**[08:30] Main**
Reward for your work.
**[08:33] Main**
Money, wages.
**[08:36] Gil**
Wa... ges?
**[08:38] Main**
He who does not work, neither shall he eat!
**[08:41] Gil**
He who what?
**[08:43] Main**
I'm not willing to hand out food and
clothing to someone who doesn't work,
**[08:46] Main**
but if you do your job,
I'll take care of you.
**[08:50] Main**
So, can I trust you to clean up?
**[08:53] Gil**
If I clean the place, you'll pay
me these wages or whatever,
**[08:57] Gil**
and I'll be able to eat all I want, right?
**[09:00] Main**
Yes, I promise.
**[09:03] Gil**
Fine. I'll do it.
**[09:06] Main**
I look forward to seeing
what you can do, Gil.
**[09:23] Gil**
Gross!
**[09:31] Gil**
Whoa.
**[09:43] Gil**
Just you wait, you runt!
**[09:48] Fran**
The orphanage lies on either
side of the chapel,
**[09:52] Fran**
split into boys' and girls' wings.
**[09:55] Fran**
The director's office lies to
the left, in the boys' wing.
**[09:58] Fran**
Let me take you there.
**[10:09] Fran**
It hasn't been cleaned.
**[10:12] Lutz**
I knew it was too much for him after all.
**[10:16] Gil**
I haven't cleaned the first floor yet.
**[10:19] Main**
What part did you clean up, then?
**[10:22] Gil**
Your room, duh.
**[10:24] Main**
Huh? My room?
**[10:26] Fran**
It's upstairs.
**[10:30] Main**
It's shining!
**[10:31] Fran**
The staircase does seem
to have been cleaned.
**[10:34] Gil**
Get up here already!
**[10:40] Gil**
How d'ya like that?
**[10:55] Main**
It's spotless!
**[10:57] Gil**
Of course it is. I cleaned it.
**[11:01] Main**
Thank you, Gil.
**[11:11] Main**
Gil, can you kneel for me?
**[11:15] Gil**
Like this?
**[11:21] Main**
Good job. Well done.
**[11:26] Main**
You're really a good boy deep down, huh?
**[11:39] Main**
*What Gil needed most from me*
**[11:42] Main**
*was actually just thanks and praise.*
***SIGN*** Ascendance of a
Bookworm
***SIGN*** Ascendance of a
Bookworm
**[11:58] High Priest**
Unbelievable!
**[12:00] High Priest**
How dare he decide this
without checking with me?
**[12:03] High Priest**
Who does that mere head priest think he is?
**[12:06] High Priest**
Delia! Why didn't you report this to me?!
**[12:09] Delia**
What are you talking about?
**[12:11] High Priest**
The little devil was given the
orphanage director's office!
**[12:16] High Priest**
How were you going to get me any useful
information sitting around here?!
**[12:20] Delia**
Huh? U-U-Uh...
**[12:25] Delia**
Please wait, High Priest!
**[12:26] Delia**
High Priest!
**[12:38] Delia**
*This is all her fault!*
**[12:41] Gil**
Whoa, we're outside!
**[12:44] Fran**
You even prepared outfits for us?
**[12:47] Main**
Well, it's my duty to
provide you with clothing.
**[12:50] Main**
And Benno told me not to walk around
wearing the church's uniform,
**[12:55] Main**
so wear these whenever I have to go downtown.
**[12:59] Fran**
Sure.
**[13:00] Main**
Then let's go have lunch, shall we?
**[13:11] Lutz**
I got us buchlettes.
**[13:16] Main**
Time to dig in!
**[13:18] Gil**
O mighty King and Queen
of the endless skies...
**[13:22] Gil**
who doth grace us with thousands
upon thousands of lives to consume,
**[13:27] Gil**
O mighty Eternal Five who
rule the mortal realm,
**[13:32] Gil**
I offer thanks and prayers to thee, and do
take part in the meal so graciously provided.
**[13:39] Fran**
That's the prayer before a meal.
**[13:42] Lutz**
Really? I've never heard it before.
**[13:45] Main**
I'm going to have to learn it, right, Fran?
**[13:50] Fran**
I can help you with it.
**[13:51] Main**
Please do.
**[13:53] Main**
For now, let's eat!
**[13:55] Main**
Aren't you going to eat?
**[13:57] Fran**
Retainers eat what's left over
after their master's meal.
**[14:03] Main**
Oh, right.
**[14:04] Main**
This is an order, then.
Eat up while it's still hot!
**[14:07] Gil**
Yay!
**[14:12] Main**
What's the matter, Fran?
**[14:15] Fran**
Uh, do I eat this with my hands?
**[14:17] Main**
Yep. That's what's common downtown.
**[14:20] Main**
It's not like the church.
**[14:24] Fran**
I understand.
**[14:29] Main**
Do you like it?
**[14:30] Fran**
It's delicious!
**[14:32] Gil**
I don't care as long as it fills me up.
**[14:34] Main**
Are the alms of the gods that unsatisfying?
**[14:38] Gil**
With fewer blue-robes blue robes around,
we receive less as alms of the gods.
**[14:43] Gil**
On top of that, all their gray-robed
retainers had to come back to the orphanage.
**[14:47] Main**
Well, stuff yourself today, Gil.
**[14:50] Gil**
Yay!
**[14:51] Gil**
I offer the gods my prayers!
**[14:54] Main**
Hey, Gil! Don't offer your prayers here!
**[14:57] Main**
That's a cathedral thing!
**[15:04] Gil**
Hey, I'm sorry.
**[15:06] Main**
For what?
**[15:08] Gil**
For calling you clueless.
**[15:12] Gil**
Downtown, I'm the clueless one.
**[15:15] Lutz**
We're both clueless about each other.
**[15:18] Lutz**
So you tell Main whenever you
think she's doing something wrong.
**[15:22] Lutz**
And I'll keep a look out so
you don't do anything weird.
**[15:25] Lutz**
Okay, Gil?
**[15:29] Gil**
Sure, Lutz.
**[15:34] Benno**
What? You found a oven?
**[15:37] Main**
The orphanage director's office
I was given had an oven.
**[15:43] Benno**
Great job, Main!
**[15:44] Benno**
A kitchen that was actually
being used by nobles
**[15:47] Benno**
will help big time with this "Italian
restaurant" you were talking about!
**[15:50] Benno**
Let's have our cooks practice there.
**[15:52] Main**
You already found cooks?
**[15:55] Main**
Then let's have them make my recipes.
**[15:58] Main**
The food they make can also be alms
of the gods, so it's two birds with one stone!
**[16:03] Benno**
"The alms of the gods"?
**[16:05] Main**
My retainer's meals. And whatever's left
over after that goes to the orphanage.
**[16:15] Main**
* And that's how I came to meet Hugo*
* the cook and his assistant Ella.*
**[16:22] Hugo**
"Put the used vegetable water in the stew instead of throwing it away"?!
**[16:40] Main**
Look, pizza!
**[16:42] Main**
I'd thought I would never
get to eat it in this world!
**[16:45] Main**
Viva pizza!
**[16:50] Main**
I offer thanks and prayers to thee, and do
take part in the meal so graciously provided.
**[16:56] Both**
Thanks for the food.
**[17:03] Main**
So good!
**[17:07] Main**
Do you like it?
**[17:09] Benno**
This is way better than I expected.
**[17:12] Benno**
I can't believe it, ma'am.
**[17:14] Main**
I'm lucky I already had homemade baker's
yeast because I wanted soft bread.
**[17:19] Main**
Good job, past me!
**[17:21] Main**
Fran, I bestow upon you the alms of the gods.
**[17:25] Fran**
Thank you.
**[17:29] Delia**
This is all your fault!
**[17:32] Delia**
Why'd you have to go and get this office?
**[17:34] Delia**
Because of it, the high priest
thought I was incompetent!
**[17:37] Fran**
Delia!
**[17:38] Gil**
Knock it off!
**[17:41] Delia**
Because of you, I was thrown out
of the high priest's quarters.
**[17:45] Delia**
What are you going to do about it?!
**[17:49] Main**
Does that mean the high priest cut you off?
**[17:55] Delia**
N-Not yet.
**[17:58] Delia**
Who would cut off someone as cute as me?
**[18:03] Fran**
The reason Delia was assigned
to you was because,
**[18:06] Fran**
as a girl around the same age, she could
get friendly with you and gain information.
**[18:11] Fran**
That was the idea, or so I've heard.
**[18:15] Fran**
But with how brazen she was,
she's made you wary of her.
**[18:20] Fran**
The high priest no doubt sees
her as a major disappointment.
**[18:25] Delia**
No...
**[18:26] Delia**
But hey, a priestess without a
female retainer is just unheard of.
**[18:31] Delia**
Aren't I right?
**[18:33] Fran**
We've had absolutely no
issues in your absence.
**[18:38] Benno**
Main, if she's not up for
the job, let her go at once.
**[18:43] Main**
I don't know what I should do...
**[18:45] Delia**
Are you going to throw me out?
**[18:58] Gil**
Crocodile tears aren't gonna help.
**[19:00] Main**
Wait, what?
**[19:04] Delia**
I'm not crying crocodile tears!
**[19:05] Gil**
She who does not work, neither shall she eat!
**[19:09] Gil**
There's no food or shelter for
those who don't work here.
**[19:14] Gil**
Ain't that right, Lady Main?
**[19:17] Main**
Gil is indeed right.
**[19:20] Main**
I have nothing to give a
retainer who doesn't work.
**[19:26] Delia**
Fine. You just want me to work, right?
**[19:35] Delia**
Surely you need some womanly charms in here
if you don't wish to put off your guests.
**[19:41] Main**
*I see.*
**[19:43] Main**
* Smiling and fawning over guests has*
* been her job all this while...*
**[19:51] Benno**
I don't need that crap.
**[19:53] Delia**
Are you kidding me? How is that possible?!
**[19:57] Delia**
What am I supposed to do, then?
**[20:01] Delia**
I can clean and do the laundry!
**[20:04] Delia**
I can even maintain your room!
**[20:11] Delia**
I'll do my job from now on.
**[20:15] Delia**
So please don't throw me out.
**[20:21] Delia**
Anything but going back to
the orphanage, please...
**[20:28] Delia**
I'd rather die!
**[20:32] Delia**
Please don't say you don't need me.
**[20:54] Main**
Delia.
**[20:59] Main**
You can stay here.
**[21:02] Main**
You'll look after me as my retainer, right?
**[21:10] Delia**
Lady Main...
**[21:18] Delia**
What's this I hear about you changing in
front of the head priest? How immodest!
**[21:22] Delia**
You're going to ruin yourself as a woman!
***SIGN*** Next Chapter Orphanage Reforms
**[23:14] Gil**
Yay, yay!
**[23:16] Fran**
A gift from Lady Main!
**[23:18] Delia**
No fair! What's with the clothes?!
**[23:19] Gil**
No clothes for someone who doesn't work.
**[23:23] Main**
There's some for you, too.
**[23:24] Main**
You will work hard for me, won't you?
**[23:28] Delia**
What choice do I have?
You're so hopeless without me!
***SIGN*** Illustration by Shuri Yasuyuki