E21 - New Retainers

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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.)
[00:01] Ferdinand
    Main somehow managed to help
    resolve Lutz's family issues.
[00:05] Ferdinand
    However, she starts to have
    concerns in her own home.
[00:10] Main
    Are you still not feeling well,
    Mom? Are you really okay?
[00:16] Eva
    Main...
[00:19] Eva
    You see,
[00:20] Eva
    Mom has a baby in her belly.
[00:25] Eva
    You're going to be a big sis.
[00:30] Main
    I'll make a picture book
    for the little one, okay?
[00:34] Eva
    Picture book?
[00:35] Main
    Yeah, picture book!
SIGN    Ascendance of a Bookworm
SIGN    Ascendance of a Bookworm
SIGN    Chapter Twenty-One New Retainers
[02:19] Lutz
    Picture book?
[02:20] Benno
    Picture book?
[02:22] Ferdinand
    What is a "picture book"?
[02:24] Main
    This is now the third time.
[02:27] Main
    Picture books are literally books
    for kids, with pictures in them.
[02:30] Ferdinand
    Books are expensive as it is.
[02:33] Ferdinand
    And you want to make them for
    babies, who can't even read?
[02:35] Ferdinand
    What are you thinking?
[02:38] Main
    I'm going to be a big sister.
[02:41] Fran
    It seems Lady Main's family
    is expecting a child,
[02:45] Fran
    so she wants to give the baby a present.
[02:48] Ferdinand
    I see. I understand now.
[02:50] Main
    There you have it, so
    please let me have Wilma.
[02:53] Ferdinand
    Fran?
[02:55] Fran
    Making a picture book needs an artist,
[02:58] Fran
    so she has identified a gray-robed
    priestess who's good at drawing
[03:00] Fran
    and is requesting permission
    to make her Main's retainer.
[03:03] Main
    Honestly, I wanted to draw it myself...
[03:10] Benno
    Your handwriting's good, but your art sucks.
[03:14] Main
    Please, Head Priest.
[03:19] Ferdinand
    That baby will prove to be
    a huge weakness for you.
[03:24] Main
    Where did that come from?
[03:27] Ferdinand
    You hold your family extremely dear,
[03:31] Ferdinand
    as shown by the time you tried to take
    on the high priest to protect them.
[03:36] Ferdinand
    Who knows what he'll do
    when he learns of this?
[03:40] Ferdinand
    Surely you understand that
    this can't be laughed off
[03:43] Ferdinand
    by saying you can't just
    hide your emotions.
[03:47] Main
    I do, yes. I'll keep that in mind.
[03:49] Ferdinand
    Take this as an opportunity to accustom
    yourself to noble mannerisms and culture.
[03:55] Main
    "Culture"?
[03:57] Ferdinand
    I mean music.
[03:59] Ferdinand
    It is one of the nobility's favorite pastimes.
[04:02] Ferdinand
    Do we have anyone suitable?
[04:05] Fran
    How about Rosina? She used to
    be Lady Christine's retainer.
[04:10] Ferdinand
    Main, if you want an
    artist as your retainer,
[04:13] Ferdinand
    you will also take in one
    who is proficient in music.
[04:17] Main
    One moment! You can't make
    the decision for me!
[04:20] Main
    I don't even have any instruments!
[04:23] Ferdinand
    I see.
[04:25] Ferdinand
    Of course you can't practice
    without an instrument.
[04:28] Main
    As such, I really only want
    Wilma to be my retainer.
[04:34] Wilma
    I truly appreciate your kind offer, but...
[04:38] Wilma
    There'll be nobody left
    to take care of them.
[04:40] Wilma
    I'm the only one who does.
[04:42] Wilma
    I would like to remain in the orphanage.
[04:46] Main
    In the church, all retainers move
    into their master's rooms.
[04:51] Main
    Is there any way I can make Wilma my
    retainer and let her live in the orphanage?
[04:57] Main
    I decided to ask the head priest for advice.
[05:01] Main
    And, on the day I was to
    have that discussion...
[05:04] Fran
    The head priest sends
    these gifts with his regards.
[05:07] Main
    Wow.
[05:08] Main
    I turned him down because I had no
    instruments, but they've found their way to me.
[05:12] Fran
    These are harspiel.
[05:15] Main
    Harspiel, huh?
[05:16] Fran
    It seems the head priest is set
    on having you learn music.
[05:25] Main
    Welcome, Head Priest.
    I've been expecting you.
[05:29] Main
    Those are cookies my cooks made for you.
[05:31] Main
    They'll be part of the menu in Gilberta
    Company's upcoming restaurant.
[05:37] Ferdinand
    I didn't know you were
    dabbling in food, too.
[05:40] Main
    Well, I am. So I want to experience
    real noble cuisine before we open.
[05:46] Ferdinand
    I shall invite you to lunch sometime soon.
[05:52] Ferdinand
    So...
[05:54] Ferdinand
    You said you wanted to make Wilma your
    retainer, but let her stay in the orphanage?
[05:59] Main
    Yes. She's the only one who can take
    care of the unbaptized kids there.
[06:05] Main
    The young ones fall ill easily, and
    sometimes even develop fevers late at night.
[06:13] Ferdinand
    If Wilma's going to stay
    back at the orphanage,
[06:16] Ferdinand
    that's all the more reason
    to take Rosina in.
[06:18] Ferdinand
    I even arranged for your instruments.
[06:20] Ferdinand
    You should have no objections now.
[06:22] Main
    But is there any need for music
    in the church's ceremonies?
[06:35] Main
    Here we go again with that
    magical item again.
[06:42] Ferdinand
    The reason music is essential to you is
    because it is a vital part of noble culture.
[06:46] Main
    You said that the other day, too.
[06:49] Main
    But I am not a noble.
[06:52] Ferdinand
    You will surely be part of
    noble society in the future.
[06:57] Main
    But I have no intention
    of leaving my family.
[07:01] Main
    According to the priest,
[07:04] Main
    when nobles or those with
    the Devouring get married,
[07:06] Main
    their partner has to be of a comparable
    mana capacity or they can't have kids.
[07:11] Main
    What's more, a child's mana is
    heavily influenced by its mother's.
[07:16] Main
    With noble numbers dwindling now,
[07:19] Main
    it's apparently easy to picture young nobles
    flocking to me once I come of age.
[07:25] Ferdinand
    However, they'll only see you as a
    tool connecting them to high society.
[07:30] Main
    So I'll be a convenient baby maker?
[07:33] Ferdinand
    That's up to you.
[07:36] Main
    Huh? Up to me how?
[07:38] Ferdinand
    Whether or not you're only seen
    as a tool to produce children
[07:43] Ferdinand
    will depend on how well you can
    conduct yourself as a noble.
[07:48] Ferdinand
    You must educate yourself in
    their ways to protect yourself.
[07:52] Main
    I understand.
[07:54] Main
    I'll also make Rosina my retainer and
    learn as much as possible from her.
[08:01] Main
    After that, I asked the head priest
    to show me the right way,
[08:06] Main
    so he played the harspiel for me.
[08:12] Main
    He's so good!
[08:14] Main
    The minstrels around the East
    Gate can't even lace his boots!
[08:21] Ferdinand
    From the vast blue skies
[08:27] Ferdinand
    Come the rays of light
[08:32] Ferdinand
    The blessings of Leidenschaft
[08:37] Ferdinand
    So shine the leaflets
[08:39] Ferdinand
    So sweet the wind smells
[08:41] Ferdinand
    So burns the flame of life
[08:44] Ferdinand
    In summer
[08:55] Main
    That was wonderful!
[08:57] Main
    If you were to sing love songs, you would
    have no shortage of women falling for you!
[09:02] Ferdinand
    What are you saying?
[09:05] Main
    It was a compliment, honestly.
[09:07] Ferdinand
    Anyway, you give it a try.
[09:10] Main
    What? Now?
[09:19] Ferdinand
    This is the most basic note.
[09:23] Main
    Oh, hey, that's do.
[09:26] Main
    Re.
[09:28] Main
    Mi.
[09:29] Ferdinand
    This is what you call a musical scale.
[10:05] Ferdinand
    This is a surprise.
[10:07] Ferdinand
    I wasn't sure how much a commoner
    could really understand about music,
[10:11] Ferdinand
    but it seems you'll pick it up soon enough.
[10:14] Main
    Yikes! I went and made
    it harder for myself!
[10:18] Ferdinand
    Make sure you practice playing
    the harspiel every day.
[10:22] Main
    May I take time out of helping
    you with work for it?
[10:26] Ferdinand
    Spend less time reading instead!
[10:29] Main
    I will defend that time with my life!
[10:32] Main
    In the end, we settled on reducing
    the time I spent helping him.
[10:37] Main
    All right.
[10:39] Main
    The head priest gave his permission,
    so I'm making you my retainer.
[10:44] Wilma
    I shall do my very best
    to serve you, Lady Main.
[10:48] Main
    By the way, is Rosina here?
[10:50] Wilma
    I'll go get her for you.
[11:01] Main
    Whoa.
[11:02] Main
    Talk about a pure mademoiselle!
[11:05] Main
    I guess this is how the head priest
    expects me to conduct myself.
[11:11] Ralph
    Lady Main, you wished to speak to me?
[11:15] Main
    I'm making you my retainer at the
    head priest's recommendation.
[11:21] Main
    Your main job is to teach me
    how to play the harspiel.
[11:25] Main
    Aside from that, you will share
    the duties of my other retainers.
[11:30] Main
    Do you have any objections?
[11:33] Ralph
    How could I ever?!
[11:35] Ralph
    The harspiel is my best instrument!
[11:40] Main
    Rosina moved into the director's office
    as soon as she got everything ready.
[11:45] Ralph
    My, look at those harspiels!
[11:47] Main
    Could you play it for me?
[11:51] Ralph
    May I?
[11:52] Main
    Of course. Please do.
[11:55] Ralph
    Please bring me my harspiel, then.
[12:05] Ralph
    I can't believe I get to play again.
[12:09] Ralph
    Could you get me my chair?
[12:18] Main
    Something seems off.
[12:20] Main
    What is it?
[12:47] Ralph
    Lady Main, I promise to serve
    you with all my heart.
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     Bookworm
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     Bookworm
[13:03] Delia
    Oh, honestly!
[13:04] Delia
    Lady Main!
[13:06] Main
    What's the matter, Delia?
[13:08] Delia
    Rosina's not working at all.
[13:10] Rosina
    Goodness! It's rather rude of
    you to accuse me of not working.
[13:15] Delia
    She doesn't do a single thing other
    than play that instrument of hers.
[13:19] Delia
    She won't even get up in the mornings.
[13:21] Main
    Is that true, Rosina?
[13:23] Rosina
    My job is to teach you
    the harspiel, Lady Main.
[13:28] Rosina
    Now, let us practice.
[13:32] Main
    Delia, I have to practice now.
    I promise I'll hear you out later.
[13:39] Delia
    Oh, all right.
[13:47] Main
    Thank you.
[13:49] Rosina
    Could you kindly take my harspiel, as well?
[13:52] Main
    She's doing it again.
[13:56] Main
    Rosina.
[13:58] Main
    Why are you giving Fran orders?
[14:01] Rosina
    Why?
[14:02] Main
    Fran is my head retainer.
[14:05] Main
    Don't forget that.
[14:07] Rosina
    What?
[14:08] Main
    I'm going to go help the head priest now,
[14:11] Main
    so I ask that you fetch some
    water with Delia, Rosina.
[14:14] Rosina
    Whatever are you saying?
[14:17] Rosina
    Isn't that the work of
    a gray-robed priestess?
[14:19] Main
    What?
[14:21] Rosina
    I may damage my fingers doing
    servant work like that.
[14:26] Rosina
    Just have the apprentices
    over there take care of that.
[14:30] Main
    Rosina, I will not allow you
    to talk down to my retainers.
[14:35] Main
    And I'm certain I asked you to
    perform other duties, as well.
[14:39] Rosina
    But Lady Main, I'm different
    from other retainers.
[14:44] Rosina
    Why is that so hard to understand?
[14:47] Rosina
    It appears that you've misunderstood your
    position as a blue-robed apprentice priestess.
[14:51] Main
    I'm wrong?
[14:52] Delia
    You're the one who's wrong, Rosina!
[14:54] Fran
    Delia!
[14:57] Main
    I'm still not familiar with all of
    the ways of the church.
[15:00] Main
    I'm going to listen to
    what everyone has to say
[15:03] Main
    before deciding if you are
    right or wrong, Rosina.
[15:09] Fran
    Wilma and Rosina's previous
    master, Lady Christine,
[15:14] Fran
    was a blue-robed apprentice priestess
    who loved nothing more than art.
[15:17] Fran
    She favored retainers who
    showed talent in the arts.
[15:22] Fran
    Rosina was favored by her master
    because she excelled in music,
[15:27] Fran
    and the servant work was all done by the
    other gray-robed apprentice priest retainers.
[15:31] Fran
    And I believe that is why she looks down upon
    gray-robed priests as well as their apprentices.
[15:37] Main
    That's going to be a huge issue.
[15:41] Ferdinand
    The word of the head retainer
    is the word of their master.
[15:44] Ferdinand
    You do not need retainers who refuse to
    understand this, so return them to the orphanage.
[15:49] Main
    But then I won't be able to
    practice the harspiel, would I?
[15:53] Ferdinand
    We just need to find you someone else.
[16:01] Main
    Head Priest, I know I may be
    out of line for asking this,
[16:04] Main
    but may I be excused for the day?
[16:08] Main
    I'd like to hear what all
    of my retainers have to say,
[16:10] Main
    so I'd like some time to talk to them.
[16:14] Wilma
    You want my opinion?
[16:17] Main
    Yes. I heard that under Lady Christine,
[16:20] Main
    the servant work was only
    done by the gray-robed priests.
[16:24] Main
    Do you agree with that statement, Wilma?
[16:27] Wilma
    After Lady Christine returned to noble
    life and I was returned to the orphanage,
[16:33] Wilma
    that was when I found out
    my treatment had been special.
[16:38] Main
    So it's just Rosina...
[16:42] Wilma
    Lady Main, if you could, please give Rosina
    time to reflect upon herself, as well.
[16:50] Main
    I hear you loud and clear.
[16:52] Main
    Thank you.
[17:00] Main
    And then, we had our discussion.
[17:03] Gil
    Her instrument is so loud, she doesn't listen
    to anyone, and she doesn't work!
[17:07] Gil
    Haven't you ever heard of, "He who
    does not work, neither shall he eat"?
[17:10] Delia
    How am I supposed to work
    with someone like her?
[17:13] Delia
    Fire her already, Lady Main!
[17:15] Rosina
    It's only obvious that I dedicate
    everything I have to my art,
[17:18] Rosina
    since it is my duty to teach Lady
    Main how to play the harspiel.
[17:22] Rosina
    I'd like for you to broaden your horizons
    for the arts a bit more, Lady Main.
[17:28] Main
    Rosina, I can't have you expecting the
    exact same treatment you had before.
[17:32] Rosina
    What?
[17:33] Main
    If you're going to be my retainer, I need
    you to attend to duties other than music, as well.
[17:39] Main
    I understand that your hands are very
    important when it comes to handling your instrument,
[17:43] Main
    so perhaps you can work on some paperwork.
[17:45] Rosina
    But I've never done anything of that nature.
[17:52] Main
    If there are things you don't
    know or you think you can't do,
[17:54] Main
    this is the perfect
    opportunity to learn them.
[17:56] Main
    When Gil and Delia first became my
    retainers, they weren't able to write letters,
[18:01] Main
    but after some hard work,
    they were able to learn how.
[18:07] Main
    But I have no use for retainers who
    refuse to do any work from the start.
[18:19] Main
    Rosina, I am not Lady Christine.
[18:25] Main
    You can either accept these terms
    or go back to the orphanage.
[18:29] Main
    Please make your decision by tomorrow.
[18:54] Rosina
    I guess I can't go back
    to how things used to be.
[19:00] Wilma
    If you work hard, Lady
    Main will acknowledge you.
[19:25] Rosina
    I would like to put in the effort
    to be your retainer, Lady Main.
[19:30] Ferdinand
    Oh?
[19:31] Ferdinand
    So you decided to keep her?
[19:34] Main
    Yes. She'll be doing paperwork.
[19:38] Main
    Though I'm sure that her desire to play the
    harspiel is what drove her to this decision.
[19:42] Ferdinand
    Well, that works in our favor.
[19:45] Ferdinand
    Because I wanted to see how
    your practice is going.
[19:50] Main
    I-In ten days?!
[19:54] Main
    And so began my hardcore lessons.
[20:15] Main
    Let us understand happiness together...
[20:35] Ferdinand
    Well done.
[20:38] Main
    It's all thanks to you, Rosina!
[20:40] Rosina
    No, it's because you're a
    quick learner, Lady Main.
[20:50] Main
    What?
[20:51] Main
    Wilma doesn't like to be around men?
[20:54] Rosina
    You had no idea?
[20:57] Rosina
    I thought that was the reason that
    Wilma remained at the orphanage.
[21:04] Main
    I wonder if there's a reason why...
[21:09] Rosina
    Wilma was tricked by a blue-robed priest,
    and forced to offer her flower to him.
[21:15] Main
    Huh?
[21:16] Rosina
    Thankfully, no other harm came to her...
[21:20] Rosina
    But she has been afraid of men ever since.
SIGN    Next Chapter Wilma and Holy Scriptures for Kids
[23:02] Main
    The head priest sent me bedclothes
    along with my harspiel...
[23:07] Main
    Is this common for nobles?
[23:11] Fran
    I believe he sent it to you to apologize
    for making you faint in the detention room.
[23:17] Ferdinand
    Do not mention this to anyone.
[23:19] Ferdinand
    Because you usually only
    receive bedclothes
[23:22] Ferdinand
    from your family, betrothed, or lover.
[23:24] Main
    Wait, why would you do something like
    this that'd give people the wrong idea?!
[23:27] Ferdinand
    It's your fault for not having bedclothes prepared
     for yourself when you pass out all the time.
[23:31] Main
    Can I return that lecture
    along with this gift?
SIGN    Illustration by Sagara Riri