E18 - Orphanage Reforms

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[00:00] Main
    
[00:01] Ferdinand
    After Fran,
[00:02] Ferdinand
    Main then managed to win over
    the hostile Gil and Delia, too.
[00:07] Ferdinand
    However, she would soon come to face
    much bigger problems at the cathedral.
SIGN    Ascendance of a Bookworm
SIGN    Ascendance of a Bookworm
SIGN    Chapter Eighteen Orphanage Reforms
[01:53] Fran
    Well, Lady Main,
[01:55] Fran
    I'll take the alms of the
    gods to the orphanage.
[01:58] Main
    Yes, please do.
[02:04] Gil
    Huh? Did Fran leave already?
[02:06] Gil
    We have all this bread left over.
[02:08] Main
    The alms of the gods are
    running low now, aren't they?
[02:11] Main
    You should take the bread to the orphanage.
[02:14] Gil
    I'll do just that!
[02:15] Main
    Hey, Gil.
[02:18] Main
    Can I ask you for a favor?
[02:21] Main
    I just want to see what
    the orphanage is like.
[02:24] Gil
    I'll take you there.
[02:26] Gil
    I know a shortcut.
[02:28] Main
    Huh... Everyone eats together
    in the girls' wing?
[02:32] Gil
    Yeah.
[02:33] Gil
    Food's handed out to gray robes,
    apprentices, and then unbaptized kids in order.
[02:39] Gil
    Here we are.
[02:40] Main
    The basement?
[02:41] Gil
    Yeah. You'll find the unbaptized kids
    and gray-robed priestesses here.
[02:47] Main
    Wait...
[02:49] Main
    Are they locked inside?
[02:57] Main
    What's with this awful stench?
[03:12] Orphan
    Alms... of the gods?
[03:44] Main
    N-No!
[03:49] Gil
    I-I'll close the door now!
[03:58] Gil
    Lady Main?!
[04:03] Delia
    I can't believe you foolishly took her
    to the basement, you foolish fool!
[04:07] Gil
    How was I supposed to know
    it'd turned into that?!
[04:12] Gil
    Lady Main, you're awake?
[04:15] Gil
    Thank goodness.
[04:17] Gil
    I... I'm sorry.
[04:20] Fran
    Lady Main, I'm sorry you had to see that.
[04:27] Main
    That's the "orphanage"?
[04:31] Main
    That awful mess?
[04:33] Gil
    It used to be better when I was there.
[04:37] Delia
    But then they got rid of
     gray-robed priestesses.
[04:39] Main
    They did what?
[04:41] Delia
    Because of that, nobody was around
    to take care of the kids anymore.
[04:47] Delia
    And with the drop in blue-robed priests,
[04:50] Delia
    there weren't enough alms
    of the gods to go around,
[04:53] Delia
    and plenty of really young
    kids started dying off.
[04:57] Delia
    And that was a year ago, so
    it's probably even worse now.
[05:05] Gil
    Lady Main, help them out.
[05:09] Gil
    Please.
[05:10] Fran
    You mustn't get involved.
[05:13] Gil
    What?
[05:14] Main
    Why not, Fran?
[05:17] Main
    Life downtown and life in the
    church are very different.
[05:20] Main
    You've already experienced that firsthand,
    and run into trouble because of it.
[05:24] Main
    It's too risky to carelessly
    stick your nose into this.
[05:29] Gil
    Delia! You wanna help them too, don't you?
[05:56] Delia
    I want nothing to do with it. I don't
    want to remember life down there.
[06:01] Delia
    I just want to forget it all.
(Flashback) [06:07] Delia
    Anything but going back to
    the orphanage, please...
(Flashback) [06:14] Delia
    I'd rather die!
[06:16] Main
    She must've gone through hardships
    I can't even imagine.
[06:25] Gil
    Please, Lady Main, help them out!
[06:30] Gil
    I get to eat all I want
    now, but they're still...
[06:40] Main
    Forgive me, Gil.
[06:43] Main
    Fran's right. It would be too
    risky for me to make a move.
[06:48] Main
    There's basically nothing I can do here.
[06:50] Gil
    What?
[06:53] Main
    Instead...
[06:55] Main
    I'll ask the head priest to do anything he
    can to improve the orphanage's conditions.
[07:02] Fran
    Lady Main...
[07:04] Main
    Fran, could you get me a
    meeting with the head priest?
[07:09] Fran
    Certainly.
[07:12] Ferdinand
    I have to turn down your request.
[07:15] Ferdinand
    There's no need for improvement.
[07:17] Main
    But really young kids are starving
    and on the brink of death.
[07:22] Ferdinand
    We don't have money to spend
    on unbaptized orphans.
[07:26] Ferdinand
    Moreover, the church doesn't recognize
    unbaptized children as individuals.
[07:31] Main
    Are you saying it doesn't
    matter if they die?
[07:35] Ferdinand
    If they do, it is because
    the gods willed it.
[07:40] Main
    What's the orphanage even for, then?
[07:43] Main
    Is it not to raise children
    who don't have families?
[07:47] Ferdinand
    It is not.
[07:48] Ferdinand
    It is a place to raise servants for
    nobility, by the grace of nobility.
[07:53] Ferdinand
    A well-trained gray-robed priest
    can fetch a pretty penny.
[07:59] Main
    The way they think here
    is completely abnormal!
[08:03] Ferdinand
    If you want to help the
    orphans, then do it yourself.
[08:06] Main
    Is there anything I can do?
[08:11] Ferdinand
    You can take on the unwanted
    role of orphanage director
[08:14] Ferdinand
    and take personal responsibility
    for their well-being.
[08:19] Ferdinand
    Can you handle that responsibility?
[08:22] Main
    I can't.
[08:24] Ferdinand
    Don't you have the money?
[08:26] Ferdinand
    If you feed them well, you
    won't have to see them die.
[08:30] Main
    If I use my studio's capital, yes.
[08:33] Main
    But I don't have any personal funds left.
[08:37] Ferdinand
    So you can't take responsibility
    for them or spend any money?
[08:40] Ferdinand
    If you can't do anything,
    then keep your mouth shut.
[08:43] Ferdinand
    This isn't a matter you should meddle with
    out of a halfhearted sense of morality.
[08:56] Fran
    Lady Main, would you like
    to stop by the library?
[09:00] Fran
    It might help you feel a little better.
[09:04] Main
    You saw this coming, didn't you?
[09:08] Fran
    Well, it was part of my job to always
    know what the head priest was thinking.
[09:13] Fran
    Please forget about the orphanage.
[09:36] Main
    How am I supposed to forget about it?
[09:39] Main
    I can't even read like this.
[09:43] Gil
    How'd it go, Lady Main?
[09:45] Main
    The head priest denied my request.
[09:48] Gil
    Why?!
[09:49] Fran
    Gil, control yourself.
[09:51] Delia
    This is why it's pointless
    to expect anything.
[09:54] Main
    I'm sorry, Gil.
[09:56] Delia
    You too, Lady Main!
[09:58] Delia
    Fretting about it isn't going to help
    you do anything, so just forget it all!
(Flashback) [10:03] Ferdinand
    If you can't do anything,
    then keep your mouth shut.
[10:08] Main
    It's not like I can't do anything.
[10:10] Main
    If I use the Main Studio's capital,
    I can improve the conditions here.
[10:14] Ferdinand
    Can you handle that responsibility?
[10:21] Main
    Lutz!
[10:25] Lutz
    What's wrong, Main?
[10:30] Lutz
    What happened, Fran?
[10:33] Fran
    You see...
[10:36] Lutz
    Kids on the verge of dying?
    Yeah, that stings.
[10:39] Main
    All I want is for them
    to have enough to eat...
[10:45] Lutz
    If they have nothing to eat, why
    not just go forage in the forest?
[10:49] Main
    Oh, right!
[10:51] Fran
    Unfortunately, orphans aren't
    allowed out of the cathedral.
[10:56] Lutz
    But aren't you and Gil out and about?
[10:59] Main
    They're my retainers,
    so they're an exception.
[11:03] Lutz
    Then just make all the
    kids your retainers, too.
[11:07] Lutz
    That way, they'll get to go outside, right?
[11:10] Main
    Lutz, you're a genius!
[11:12] Lutz
    Just have them pull their own weight
    and gather foodstuff from the forest.
[11:19] Main
    He who does not work, neither shall he eat!
[11:19] Lutz
    He who does not work, neither shall he eat!
[11:22] Main
    But what about in winter?
[11:25] Main
    And it'd suck if the orphanage went
    back to square one after I'm gone.
[11:31] Fran
    Uh, Lady Main, you shouldn't rush
    to decide everything right now.
[11:36] Main
    Fran, am I allowed to send
    retainers out on errands?
[11:41] Fran
    You can, yes.
[11:42] Main
    Then I can have them gather the
    wood I need to make paper.
[11:49] Lutz
    You thinking Main Studio, Orphanage Branch?
[11:52] Main
    Exactly!
[11:53] Main
    If I turn the orphanage into a branch of
    my studio and have them earn their keep,
[11:58] Main
    then none of the kids will have
    to starve even after I'm gone!
[12:02] Lutz
    Right!
[12:03] Main
    Great idea, if I do say so myself!
[12:06] Fran
    I agree that it's a wonderful idea,
[12:09] Fran
    but it's far removed from the
    church's established practices.
[12:12] Fran
    Should anything go wrong, the orphanage
    director will be held responsible.
[12:16] Fran
    Are you prepared for that?
[12:18] Lutz
    You won't get anywhere worrying about that!
[12:21] Main
    But...
[12:24] Lutz
    Main.
[12:26] Lutz
    What's worse? Being held responsible, or
    watching kids die without doing anything?
[12:32] Main
    I'd be scared if I were alone,
[12:35] Main
    but if you're in it with me, I'll be fine!
[12:37] Lutz
    Great. That's that, then.
[12:39] Lutz
    Let's help the orphans together.
[12:46] Fran
    In that case, you should
    watch out for Delia.
[12:49] Fran
    She still works for the high priest.
[12:51] Main
    Fran...
[12:53] Fran
    Allow me to assist you, Lady Main.
[12:57] Main
    Sure.
SIGN    Ascendance of a
     Bookworm
SIGN    Ascendance of a
     Bookworm
[13:19] Main
    And so, we put our plan to help
    the orphans into action.
[13:33] Benno
    An orphanage branch of the Main Studio?
[13:36] Benno
    Why cause yourself headaches?
[13:39] Main
    Hey, you said it yourself.
(Flashback) [13:42] Ferdinand
    Say you want to use the Main
    Studio to provide work for the orphans,
(Flashback) [13:46] Ferdinand
    provide them a better environment,
(Flashback) [13:48] Ferdinand
    or some bull crap like that, and
    get them to accept your ownership!
[13:53] Benno
    I didn't expect you to actually do it.
[13:55] Main
    But if this works, we can
    mass-produce our paper!
[13:59] Benno
    Yes, but you'll need permission to set
    up a workshop inside the cathedral.
[14:05] Main
    You're being unusually cautious about this.
[14:08] Main
    I get it. I'll ask the head priest
    for permission as soon as possible.
[14:13] Main
    Ow!
[14:14] Benno
    You nitwit! Don't just
    jump straight into things!
[14:17] Benno
    When up against nobility, you need
    to prepare and lay the groundwork,
[14:20] Benno
    even if you feel it's a
    roundabout way to do things.
[14:23] Benno
    Hell, it may even be the
    most decisive factor.
[14:25] Main
    Groundwork?
[14:27] Fran
    Mister Benno is absolutely right.
[14:30] Fran
    You always try to jump straight into
    talks as soon as you decide on something,
[14:33] Fran
    but that goes against noble etiquette.
[14:37] Fran
    Normally, you must get an appointment
    beforehand by stating your purpose.
[14:44] Main
    An appointment just to talk to somebody?
[14:46] Fran
    Yes. You can't be hasty
    when dealing with nobility.
[14:50] Fran
    You must take your time and make sure you
    go into the talks with the upper hand.
[14:57] Main
    This just reminds me of
    corporate politicking.
[15:00] Fran
    Let me handle this, Lady Main.
[15:03] Fran
    Your distaste for the orphanage's
    state and the gray robes' treatment
[15:08] Fran
    is something the head
    priest shares as well.
[15:10] Main
    What? But...
(Flashback) [15:13] Ferdinand
    There's no need for improvement.
[15:15] Main
    It didn't seem that way to me at all.
[15:20] Fran
    The head priest hides his feelings so the
    high priest can't find fault with him,
[15:26] Fran
    so it's really hard to tell,
[15:29] Fran
    but he is annoyed by the
    present state of the church.
[15:32] Main
    Who, the head priest?
[15:34] Ferdinand
    A noble must never put
    his emotions on display.
[15:40] Main
    Tch. Darn noble.
[15:43] Main
    After this discussion, I decided to
    take the post of orphanage director,
[15:49] Main
    and Fran immediately went
    to work to make it happen.
[15:53] Main
    It seems I'll be appointed to the post
    following a meeting with the head priest.
[16:01] Ferdinand
    We'll talk here today.
[16:04] Main
    In bed?!
[16:05] Arno
    Head Priest?
[16:06] Ferdinand
    Hurry.
[16:08] Main
    O-Okay.
[16:23] Main
    Oh, it's a door?
[16:31] Ferdinand
    Come in.
[16:53] Main
    Head Priest... What's with this place?
[16:57] Ferdinand
    It's a hidden room only accessible to
    those with a certain amount of mana.
[17:01] Main
    A-A hidden room?
[17:03] Ferdinand
    Even retainers can't enter. It's the
    perfect place for a secret discussion.
[17:09] Main
    I get the feeling we're not going
    to be discussing the orphanage.
[17:13] Main
    Am I gonna get yelled at?
[17:16] Ferdinand
    Take a seat.
[17:18] Main
    Thank you.
[17:25] Ferdinand
    Do you understand why I brought you here?
[17:34] Main
    I-I don't.
[17:37] Ferdinand
    Because Fran advised me it was futile to
    expect noble-society subtlety from you.
[17:44] Main
    I'm sorry.
[17:46] Ferdinand
    I actually did feel as though I lost
    years of my life the other day.
[17:49] Ferdinand
    I can't believe you criticized the high
    priest's policies in front of his retainer.
[17:56] Main
    Huh? One of his retainers was there?
[18:00] Ferdinand
    There was also a blue-robed priest,
    who is one of his supporters.
[18:05] Main
    Oh, I think I remember seeing a blue robe...
[18:09] Ferdinand
    You should memorize the faces and names
    of the people you need to be wary of.
[18:13] Main
    Sorry.
[18:15] Ferdinand
    Also, you show no signs of
    reading between the lines,
[18:19] Ferdinand
    or of hiding your own opinions.
[18:22] Ferdinand
    This could prove fatal in noble society.
[18:25] Ferdinand
    You need to learn how nobles do things.
[18:29] Ferdinand
    As a blue-robed apprentice priestess,
    you're part of their society now.
[18:34] Main
    Okay.
[18:35] Ferdinand
    Now, let's discuss your becoming
    the orphanage director.
[18:40] Main
    Yes.
[18:41] Ferdinand
    I have a question.
[18:43] Ferdinand
    You're usually indifferent to people,
    so why do you want to help the orphans?
[18:49] Ferdinand
    You aren't one to take on trouble
    if there's nothing in it for you.
[18:52] Main
    It's so I can read my books
    with a clear mind, obviously.
[18:59] Ferdinand
    What... did you say?
[19:02] Ferdinand
    Main, talk to me in a
    language I can understand.
[19:07] Main
    As things stand, I'm too bothered
    by it all to focus on my books.
[19:11] Main
    That's why I made up my
    mind to help the kids.
[19:14] Ferdinand
    So, just to clear the way for your
    reading, you'll become orphanage director
[19:19] Ferdinand
    and run a workshop there?
[19:22] Main
    Exactly.
[19:25] Ferdinand
    You're a far bigger fool than I anticipated.
[19:31] Main
    I think the whole director
    thing is off the table now.
[19:36] Ferdinand
    That's all I wanted to discuss. I officially
    appoint you as orphanage director.
[19:42] Main
    What did you just say, Head Priest?
[19:45] Ferdinand
    I said, I officially appoint
    you as orphanage director.
[19:49] Ferdinand
    As long as you're ready for
    it, I have no objections.
[19:55] Main
    Thanks a lot!
[19:57] Ferdinand
    "Thank you kindly," you mean.
[20:01] Ferdinand
    That's how noble women express
    their gratitude. Keep it in mind.
[20:05] Main
    Got it.
[20:07] Ferdinand
    You'll also need a priestess
    to teach you how to talk.
[20:11] Main
    Head Priest, do you mind if
    I ask you a question, too?
[20:16] Ferdinand
    What is it?
[20:18] Main
    Why aren't you like all those other priests?
[20:25] Ferdinand
    Because, like you, I wasn't
    raised by the church.
[20:31] Ferdinand
    I grew up in noble society, but
    joined the church for certain reasons.
[20:37] Ferdinand
    Anyway, whatever you do from now
    on, make sure you report to me.
[20:42] Main
    Got it.
[20:47] Gil
    Thank you, Lady Main!
[20:52] Main
    Come, let's bring the kids
    the alms of the gods.
[20:55] Gil
    Yeah!
[21:00] Main
    Delia...
[21:08] Delia
    I'll keep this a secret from the high priest,
[21:11] Delia
    so you'd better not mess this up.
[21:18] Main
    Thank you, Delia.
[21:24] Main
    All right!
[21:25] Main
    Everyone out!
[21:27] Main
    We're going to get you all nice and clean!
[21:30] Main
    And then we'll eat until
    we can't eat anymore!
SIGN    Next Chapter Cleanups and Star Festivals
[23:17] Ferdinand
    Lady Main, if you want to let
    the kids out of the orphanage,
[23:20] Ferdinand
    it's going to be difficult to
    arrange clothing for all of them.
[23:23] Main
    Don't worry. I'll just get some
    old rags from a used clothes shop.
[23:26] Main
    Like these.
[23:28] Lutz
    The money she spent on your
    clothes should cover everything.
[23:31] Fran
    You used to dress like this, too?!
SIGN    Illustration by Suzunosuke