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E19 - Cleanups and Star Festivals

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[00:00] Main
    
(Flashback) [00:09] Orphan
    Alms... of the gods?
[00:27] Ferdinand
    The state of the orphanage
    shocked Main to her very core.
(Flashback) [00:31] Ferdinand
    I have a question.
(Flashback) [00:33] Ferdinand
    You're usually indifferent to people,
    so why do you want to help the orphans?
(Flashback) [00:38] Ferdinand
    You aren't one to take on trouble
    if there's nothing in it for you.
(Flashback) [00:42] Main
    It's so I can read my books
    with a clear mind, obviously.
(Flashback) [00:49] Main
    What... did you say?
(Flashback) [00:52] Main
    Main, talk to me in a
    language I can understand.
(Flashback) [00:56] Main
    As things stand, I'm too bothered
    by it all to focus on my books.
(Flashback) [01:00] Main
    That's why I made up my
    mind to help the kids.
(Flashback) [01:04] Ferdinand
    So, just to clear the way for your
    reading, you'll become orphanage director
(Flashback) [01:09] Ferdinand
    and run a workshop there?
(Flashback) [01:12] Main
    Exactly.
(Flashback) [01:15] Ferdinand
    You're a far bigger fool than I anticipated.
[01:21] Main
    I think the whole director
    thing is off the table now.
(Flashback) [01:26] Ferdinand
    That's all I wanted to discuss. I officially
    appoint you as orphanage director.
(Flashback) [01:32] Main
    What did you just say, Head Priest?
(Flashback) [01:35] Ferdinand
    I said, "I officially appoint
    you as orphanage director."
(Flashback) [01:39] Ferdinand
    As long as you're ready for
    it, I have no objections.
(Flashback) [01:44] Main
    Thanks a lot!
[01:47] Ferdinand
    With the head priest's blessing, she
    took the post of orphanage director.
[01:52] Ferdinand
    And now, the orphanage is on the
    verge of undergoing a rebirth.
SIGN    Ascendance of a Bookworm
SIGN    Ascendance of a Bookworm
SIGN    Chapter Nineteen Cleanups and Star Festivals
[03:39] Main
    Under Fran's directions, the orphanage
    was given a total makeover.
[03:45] Main
    It was performed under the pretext of
    cleaning it up for my first visit as director.
[03:54] Main
    I decided to hand out rewards to kids who
    put in extra effort in the cleanup.
[04:03] Main
    Are there any kids that
    seem ill or fatigued?
[04:06] Fran
    No, there are no health concerns.
[04:10] Fran
    It must be because Gil delivered
    food to them all this while.
[04:14] Main
    Oh, I'm glad to hear it.
[04:16] Fran
    The children look up to
    Gil as their messiah.
[04:21] Fran
    And since he was going around
    saying he did it on your orders,
[04:24] Fran
    it's likely they see you the same way.
[04:30] Gil
    Lady Main, we're done
    cleaning up the boys' wing.
[04:33] Main
    Good work, Gil.
[04:35] Main
    Could you start preparing the meals, then?
[04:38] Gil
    Got it!
[04:41] Fran
    I'll come for you once everything's ready.
[04:45] Main
    Okay.
[04:48] Delia
    So the kids are all right now.
[04:50] Main
    Thanks to you overlooking
    the whole thing, yeah.
[04:55] Delia
    I was brought out of there
    on the day of my baptism,
[04:59] Delia
    washed from head to toe by
    a gray-robed priestess,
[05:01] Delia
    told I'd transform into a pretty lady,
[05:04] Delia
    and taken to the high priest.
[05:08] Delia
    Three of us were taken there that day,
[05:12] Delia
    but only I was chosen.
[05:17] Main
    Delia...
[05:20] Delia
    Why?
[05:21] Delia
    Why weren't you there to help me?
[05:24] Main
    Don't be absurd!
[05:26] Delia
    I know!
[05:27] Delia
    I know I'm being unreasonable...
[05:32] Main
    Please don't cry, Delia.
[05:34] Delia
    I'm not crying!
[05:36] Main
    Sorry.
[05:37] Delia
    Don't go apologizing to your retainer!
[05:43] Main
    I'll make you a promise.
[05:44] Main
    If you ever need help again,
    I will be there for you.
[05:50] Main
    It's a pleasure, everyone.
[05:52] Main
    On this auspicious day, bathed in the
    light of the God of Fire Leidenschaft,
[05:55] Main
    I, Main, stand before you, appointed
    your director by the head priest.
[06:00] Main
    You all graciously accepted my request
    and welcomed me with open arms,
[06:05] Main
    and I couldn't be happier about it.
[06:09] Main
    Hear me, rulers of the heavens.
[06:14] Main
    Hear me, five eternal rulers of the earth.
[06:19] Main
    To the Goddess of Water, Fruhtrane,
[06:22] Main
    the Goddess of Wind, Schutzaria,
[06:25] Main
    the Goddess of Earth, Geduldh,
[06:27] Main
    and the God of Life, Ewigleben,
[06:30] Main
    we give our prayers and thanks.
[06:34] Main
    We offer the gods our prayers!
[06:36] Orphan
    We offer the gods our prayers!
[06:40] Main
    You've made the orphanage
    spotlessly clean for my visit,
[06:45] Main
    and for that, I bring you rewards.
[06:51] Main
    Whoever has their name called, please
    step forward with your plate.
[06:55] Main
    Wilma.
[06:57] Wilma
    Y-Yes?
[06:59] Main
    I heard that you were the first to
    take the children and wash them up.
[07:04] Main
    Thank you.
[07:09] Kid
    Why just Wilma? The alms of the gods
    should be bestowed equally upon all!
[07:12] All
    Yeah, yeah!
[07:14] Main
    But these aren't alms of the gods.
[07:17] Main
    They're rewards, and those
    aren't given out equally.
[07:23] Main
    He who does not work, neither shall he eat.
[07:26] Main
    You don't get rewarded
    if you don't work for it.
[07:29] Main
    I hope you all keep that in mind.
[07:32] Main
    Kai.
[07:33] Kai
    Y-Yes!
[07:36] Main
    You're a very efficient cleaner, I hear?
[07:40] Main
    Lutz had high praise for you.
[07:45] Kai
    Thank you, Lady Main!
[08:03] Main
    And thus, the orphanage
    resumed normal operations.
[08:17] Main
    Today, I had Dad and Tuuli take
    the kids to the forest.
[08:23] Kai
    It's amazing.
[08:24] Kai
    If we do as Lady Main says,
[08:26] Kai
    we can make soup for ourselves.
[08:30] Gil
    Only she would say something like that.
[08:32] Gil
    "If you want to have it, make it
    yourselves?" Are you kidding?
[08:37] Kai
    Right?
[08:38] Gil
    I'm really glad she became the director.
[08:43] Kai
    Gil, you sure changed your tune.
[08:45] Kai
    Just a few days ago, you were whining
    about having to serve a commoner runt.
[08:51] Gil
    It's 'cause she's not like all those
    other blue-robed priestesses.
[08:54] Gil
    She actually praises you,
    if you do your part.
[08:58] Lutz
    Then do your part and make
    paper for her, okay?
[09:02] Both
    You got it!
[09:07] Orphan
    Find something to take back
    as a gift for Lady Main!
[09:10] Gil
    Hold it! I get to go first!
[09:13] Gil
    I'm Lady Main's retainer, after all.
[09:15] Gunther
    You kids need to settle down.
[09:18] Gunther
    You're not going to last until we get back.
[09:21] Tuuli
    The kids in the orphanage
    must really love Main, huh?
[09:35] Orphan
    Lady Main!
[09:37] Orphan
    We're back!
[09:38] Main
    Welcome back.
[09:40] Main
    Did you manage to gather lots?
[09:42] Orphan
    Yeah!
[09:43] Orphan
    I got the most out of everyone!
[09:45] Main
    Really? That's impressive.
[09:48] Orphan
    Praise me too, Lady Main!
[09:49] Orphan
    I did my best, too!
[09:51] Orphan
    These are for you.
[09:56] Main
    Thank you... I truly appreciate it.
[10:08] Main
    After that, I decided to reward the people
    who helped with the orphanage reforms
[10:13] Main
    with gifts for their efforts.
[10:20] Main
    Fran, this tablet is for you.
[10:23] Fran
    Wh-Who, me?
[10:25] Main
    Yes, it's your reward.
[10:29] Main
    You laid the groundwork for this entire
    orphanage thing with the head priest,
[10:32] Main
    and have done so much for me.
    I'm really grateful to have your help.
[10:37] Main
    You can write on this wax here.
[10:40] Main
    It'll help you jot down notes
    even when you're outdoors.
[10:43] Fran
    Thank you.
[10:49] Fran
    This is an incredible item.
[10:52] Fran
    I'll do my best to learn to monitor your
    health better so I can be of more use to you.
[10:58] Main
    I have something for you too, Gil, Delia.
[11:01] Gil
    Really?
[11:02] Delia
    Well, you'd better.
[11:06] Main
    Use these to practice how to write.
[11:09] Main
    Retainers also need to ghostwrite
    letters for their master, right?
[11:16] Both
    Thank you so much, Lady Main!
[11:20] Main
    I also decided to make flash cards
    to make learning the alphabet fun.
[11:26] Main
    Wilma volunteered to draw the faces,
    since she was a good artist.
[11:33] Main
    For the leisure-starved orphans, the
    flash cards became the ideal playthings.
[11:40] Main
    Benno took an immediate liking to the cards
    and bought the rights to sell them.
[11:45] Benno
    Good job, Main!
     These will fly off the shelves!
[11:52] Main
    That should give my finances
    some breathing room.
[11:56] Lutz
    Oh, you did mention they were running
    low due to the orphanage reforms.
[11:59] Main
    Yeah...
[12:00] Main
    By the way, Lutz, do you and your
    brother Sieg not talk much?
[12:07] Main
    When we went to the carpentry
    workshop to order the cards,
[12:11] Main
    he didn't seem to know much
    about your work at all.
[12:18] Lutz
    Merchant and craftsman work
    just have nothing in common.
[12:21] Lutz
    Forget that. The Star Festival is coming up.
[12:25] Main
    The Star Festival?
[12:26] Lutz
    Yeah. Think you can come with me this year?
[12:29] Main
    That festival involves
    playing with water, right?
[12:33] Lutz
    Nah, not water.
[12:35] Lutz
    People throw tau fruit at couples.
[12:41] Main
    Do the orphans get to take
    part in the Star Festival?
SIGN    Ascendance of a
     Bookworm
SIGN    Ascendance of a
     Bookworm
[12:58] Main
    To discuss the orphanage's and my
    role during the Star Festival,
[13:03] Main
    I sought to make an appointment
    with the head priest.
[13:06] Main
    It's because I was sternly told
    to watch my mouth around people.
[13:18] Main
    But I didn't write anything that could
    get me yelled at in the hidden room!
[13:22] Main
    This makes no sense!
[13:28] Ferdinand
    You fool!
[13:31] Ferdinand
    The Star-Binding Ceremony
    is the day after tomorrow.
[13:34] Ferdinand
    You don't have the time to
    waste on all these formalities.
[13:37] Main
    The "Star-Binding Ceremony"?
    Not the Star Festival?
[13:42] Ferdinand
    That's what the church calls it.
[13:45] Ferdinand
    It's a ceremony for adults.
[13:48] Ferdinand
    Apprentices like you aren't
    allowed to take part.
[13:52] Main
    Then I don't have to do anything, right?
[13:55] Ferdinand
    Many townsfolk will be visiting
    the cathedral on that day.
[13:59] Ferdinand
    Your job is to make sure none of the orphans
    leave the orphanage during the ceremony.
[14:06] Main
    Huh?
[14:08] Ferdinand
    Is there a problem with that?
[14:10] Main
    Wouldn't it be more peaceful if we just
    let the orphans leave the premises?
[14:15] Ferdinand
    We can't have complaints about
    letting orphans out into town.
[14:19] Main
    Then can they be allowed to play
    strictly within the orphanage?
[14:25] Ferdinand
    "Play"?
[14:26] Main
    Yeah.
[14:27] Main
    Star Festivals are celebrated downtown
    by throwing tau fruit at one another.
[14:31] Main
    And I want the orphans to experience that.
[14:42] Ferdinand
    As long as you clean up thoroughly afterward,
[14:45] Ferdinand
    and promise not to be a nuisance
    to the townsfolk, I don't mind.
[14:50] Main
    Thank you kindly!
[14:54] Main
    Then came the day of the Star Festival.
[15:05] Main
    I wonder if they've made
    it to the forest by now.
[15:15] Blue Robe
    Oh, if it isn't the plebeian who
    shamelessly wears blue robes.
[15:20] Blue Robe
    Children have no place in today's ceremonies.
[15:23] Main
    The head priest has ordered me to
    keep the kids inside the orphanage
[15:28] Main
    to prevent them from
    hindering the ceremonies.
[15:32] Blue Robe
    Taking care of orphans is the perfect
    job for a commoner like you.
[15:35] Blue Robe
    Good luck.
[15:37] Main
    Thank you kindly for your encouragement.
[15:42] Fran
    Lady Main...
[15:44] Main
    I'm fine, Fran.
[15:46] Main
    They're only words. They can't hurt me.
[16:02] Main
    Thanks, Lutz! Did you see
    how happy everyone was?
[16:08] Main
    I wish I could've gone with you.
[16:11] Lutz
    Wanna go take a quick peek, then?
[16:13] Lutz
    You have time while the kids
    are eating lunch, right?
[16:17] Main
    Of course! Let's go!
[16:30] Main
    Wow! This is crazy, Lutz!
[16:34] Kid
    Hey, there's a completely dry pair over here!
[16:38] Main
    Are you serious?
[16:40] Lutz
    Run for it, Main!
[16:42] Main
    What? I can't!
[16:44] Kids
    After them! Don't let them get away!
[16:45] Main
    Brr!
[16:47] Lutz
    Move your legs, Main!
[16:52] Main
    By the time we got back to the orphanage,
    we found everything already good to go.
[16:56] Main
    You must clean up thoroughly afterward.
[16:58] Main
    You mustn't be a nuisance.
[17:00] Main
    Finally, you must have fun without
    fighting or getting hurt.
[17:03] Main
    Are we clear?
[17:05] All
    Yes, ma'am!
[17:06] Lutz
    All right. Come get your tau fruit.
[17:11] Lutz
    What's wrong, Main?
[17:16] Main
    It's sucking up my mana.
[17:18] Main
    This is creepy. What the heck?
[17:25] Main
    Lutz, it's trombe!
[17:33] Lutz
    Everyone here who's used
    to foraging, grab a knife!
[17:41] Lutz
    When I give the signal, cut everything down.
[17:44] Both
    Got it!
[17:46] Lutz
    Main, toss it into the dirt.
[17:48] Main
    Begone, sprouty sprout!
[18:00] Gil
    The hell is this?
[18:01] Lutz
    Valuable material for paper.
[18:03] Lutz
    Fran, take care of Main!
[18:05] Fran
    Certainly.
[18:14] Lutz
    Attack!
[18:27] Gil
    Yeah! We did it!
[18:31] Lutz
    Okay, everyone else get to work!
[18:33] All
    Yeah!
[18:36] Main
    In the end, everyone got in on the act
[18:38] Main
    and helped us cut down three whole trombes.
[18:41] Main
    Thank you!
[18:42] Main
    Now I'll have more funds
    to spare for the orphanage!
[18:45] Lutz
    Well, let's get to the fun and
    games with the tau fruit, then.
[18:49] Orphan
    All right!
[18:54] Gil
    There!
[19:04] Main
    Oh! We'll have to fix everything back up!
[19:06] Fran
    I'll take care of it, Lady Main.
[19:19] Lutz
    Main?
[19:22] Main
    Fran had to carry me back home that day.
[19:29] Eva
    So? Did you have fun at the festival?
[19:32] Main
    Yeah. The kids were all smiles, too.
[19:37] Eva
    Really?
[19:40] Main
    I'm so glad...
[19:47] Main
    And lying in wait for me after
    I recovered from my fever was...
[19:52] Ferdinand
    What in the world did you do?
[19:55] Main
    What are you talking about?
[19:58] Ferdinand
    When I went to check if you'd
    cleaned up like you said you would,
[20:01] Ferdinand
    I found soil dug up, and part
    of the tiling sticking out.
[20:06] Main
    You went to check?
[20:09] Ferdinand
    I thought I told you not to be a nuisance.
[20:12] Ferdinand
    What did you do to cause that mess?!
[20:14] Main
    Like I'd told you beforehand,
[20:15] Main
    we threw tau fruit at one another...
[20:20] Ferdinand
    Didn't you also chop down
    plants for your paper?
[20:24] Main
    Yikes. He knows.
[20:27] Main
    Yeah. But we didn't do anything
    else to cause a commotion.
[20:32] Ferdinand
    I don't think you can say that after
    you flipped whole tiles in your row.
[20:40] Ferdinand
    Main, you will spend the
    day repenting in detention.
[20:45] Fran
    Head Priest, please reconsider this!
[20:49] Ferdinand
    Offer the gods your prayers and
    reflect on what you have done.
[21:04] Fran
    Lady Main!
[21:07] Ferdinand
    Hadn't she recovered?
[21:11] Fran
    You take her frailty too lightly.
[21:14] Fran
    This is why I asked you to reconsider.
[21:20] Ferdinand
    You mean you were worried about her
    health, and not her losing face?
[21:26] Main
    Before I could reflect on my actions,
[21:28] Main
    it seems the head priest was left to
    deeply repent his choice to lock me up.
SIGN    Next Chapter The Path Ahead of Lutz
[23:11] Benno
    What?
[23:12] Benno
    Tau fruit turned into a trombe?
[23:14] Main
    Yeah.
[23:15] Main
    I think it could serve as a
    substitute for magical items!
[23:18] Benno
    You'd better not tell anyone that!
[23:20] Main
    What? Why?
[23:21] Main
    It could save the lives of so
    many kids with the Devouring!
[23:24] Benno
    Mana is the jurisdiction of nobility.
[23:27] Benno
    If word got out that tau fruit
    can replace magical items,
[23:30] Benno
    it could turn the church and
    noble society upside down!
SIGN    Illustration by miyo.N