# E4 - Forests and Clay Tablets
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GRZJE1JZ6/forests-and-clay-tablets)
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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] Main**
**[00:01] Ferdinand**
* Main began crafting paper as the first*
* step in her book-making process,*
**[00:05] Ferdinand**
* but her attempt to make*
* pseudo-papyrus ended in failure.*
**[00:10] Ferdinand**
* "I'll go to the forest and make*
* clay tablets in the spring."*
**[00:13] Ferdinand**
*Main now had her sights set on a new goal.*
***SIGN*** Ascendance of a Bookworm
***SIGN*** Ascendance of a Bookworm
***SIGN*** Chapter Four Forests and Clay Tablets
**[01:57] Tuuli**
Wow, what a feast!
**[02:00] Gunther**
Did you cook all of this, Main?
**[02:02] Main**
Yeah, since it was my turn to cook today.
**[02:06] Main**
Well, eat up before the food goes cold.
**[02:10] Eva**
I don't know... I'd never
seen anyone cook like that.
**(Flashback) [02:13] Eva**
What are you doing with the water
we used to boil the veggies?
**(Flashback) [02:17] Main**
Don't worry about it.
**[02:18] Tuuli**
Let's eat.
**[02:25] Gunther**
Delicious!
**[02:27] Tuuli**
This pome soup is really great!
**[02:30] Main**
* "Pome" being the unholy lovechild*
* of paprika and tomato.*
**[02:34] Eva**
You're right. This *is* delicious.
**[02:36] Main**
* In this world, it's standard practice to*
* dump the water used to boil veggies.*
**[02:41] Main**
Isn't it? The veggie flavors
really pack a punch, right?
**[02:47] Gunther**
This wine-steamed chicken is great, too.
**[02:49] Tuuli**
You must have a talent for cooking.
The paruecake was just as good, too.
**[02:54] Gunther**
Maybe you could become a
chef when you grow up.
**[02:57] Eva**
We'll have to find a place
that'll take her as apprentice.
***SIGN*** Apprentice
Chef
***SIGN*** Making Books
**[03:01] Main**
Crap! I won't get to make my books!
**[03:05] Main**
I need to go to the forest and
make clay tablets already!
***SIGN*** Apprentice
Chef
**[03:08] Main**
B-But I already have a goal in mind!
**[03:13] Gunther**
And what is it, Main?
**[03:15] Main**
I want to go to the forest.
**[03:22] Tuuli**
"Go to the forest," she says!
**[03:24] Eva**
Main, we're talking about work right now.
**[03:28] Main**
I'm serious!
**[03:30] Main**
I wanna make clay tablets! That's
why I need to go to the forest!
**[03:34] Gunther**
Clay tablets?
**[03:35] Main**
Yep! I'll write on them and make a book!
**[03:39] Gunther**
Write...
**[03:40] Tuuli**
You, going to the forest? No way.
**[03:43] Main**
Yes way! I haven't fallen sick lately!
**[03:46] Tuuli**
But you can't walk as far or
as fast as the rest of us.
**[03:50] Main**
I'll be fine! I can go all the way to the
well without being out of breath now!
**[03:54] Tuuli**
And what if you're only able
to walk part of the way?
**[03:57] Tuuli**
You'll be a burden to everyone.
**[03:59] Main**
Well...
**[04:03] Eva**
Tuuli goes to the forest all
the time. She knows best.
**[04:06] Eva**
You should listen to her.
**[04:11] Main**
What can I do to get your permission?
**[04:17] Main**
Build up your stamina and
strength. No forest until then.
**[04:25] Main**
Got it.
**[04:29] Main**
*With no means of going to the forest,*
**[04:32] Main**
* my desire for books could*
* only simmer inside.*
**[04:35] Main**
*But then, one day...*
**[04:38] Main**
Mister Otto's assistant? Who, me?!
**[04:41] Gunther**
He wants your help with files
that need lots of calculations.
**[04:45] Tuuli**
Can she even handle that job?
**[04:48] Gunther**
Yeah. She has worked with him
once before, apparently.
**[04:53] Gunther**
He said she was a huge help.
**[04:55] Tuuli**
She did?
**[04:57] Gunther**
But it's against the law to
employ an unbaptized child,
**[05:01] Gunther**
so officially, you'll be going there
to learn how to read and write.
**[05:05] Main**
What? Really?
**[05:07] Gunther**
Yeah.
**[05:08] Gunther**
He has to teach the apprentice soldiers,
and he'll teach you with them.
**[05:13] Gunther**
You should learn everything
you can from him.
**[05:19] Gunther**
You're a frail girl, Main.
**[05:21] Gunther**
But Otto said you were really smart,
**[05:24] Gunther**
and that you could make a good scrivener.
**[05:26] Main**
Scrivener?
**[05:28] Gunther**
Someone who helps people with paperwork
to send to nobility or public officials.
**[05:32] Gunther**
The work pays well and isn't
too demanding physically.
**[05:36] Main**
Dad!
**[05:37] Gunther**
Otto was in the traveling trade
before he became a soldier,
**[05:41] Gunther**
and he still has connections with merchants.
**[05:43] Gunther**
The jobs your mother and I can
refer you to wouldn't suit you.
**[05:49] Gunther**
So try to maintain a good
relationship with Otto.
**[05:53] Main**
Thank you, Dad.
**[05:56] Gunther**
Oh, before I forget, these
are the terms of employment.
**[06:00] Gunther**
You'll be paid in slate pencils and be
allowed to take time off when sick.
**[06:04] Gunther**
Otto was stressing how favorable these
terms were for him, budget-wise.
**[06:09] Gunther**
How can he be so petty with a kid?
**[06:13] Main**
He'll reap all the benefits of an assistant
without burning a hole in the pocket.
**[06:17] Main**
Once a businessman, always a businessman.
**[06:19] Gunther**
Anyway, walk to the gate for a while,
**[06:21] Gunther**
and once you're able to keep up with the
other kids, you may go to the forest.
**[06:25] Gunther**
Does that sound good to you?
**[06:27] Main**
Yep! I'll do my best!
**[06:37] Gunther**
Don't force yourself, okay? Take your time.
**[06:39] Main**
Yeah, I know.
**[06:46] Main**
* Ultimately, Dad had to carry*
* me to the gate from midway.*
**[06:51] Otto**
Let me introduce your new classmate.
**[06:54] Otto**
This is Main, the chief's daughter.
**[06:56] Otto**
Don't you boys dare mess with her.
**[06:59] All**
Yes, sir!
**[07:00] Otto**
Okay, let's begin.
**[07:03] Otto**
The basic alphabet consists of 35 letters.
**[07:06] Otto**
Let's start with practicing
how to write them.
**[07:21] Otto**
You really do learn these letters quick.
**[07:24] Main**
I much prefer this to physical activities.
**[07:28] Main**
That aside, Mister Otto,
**[07:30] Main**
I think it's time to move
on from the alphabet.
**[07:34] Otto**
What? Already?
**[07:35] Main**
Look, they're starting to fidget.
**[07:38] Main**
It shows that they've lost focus.
**[07:41] Main**
You should switch to a different subject.
**[07:44] Otto**
Oh, but...
**[07:47] Main**
That does it for the alphabet.
**[07:49] Main**
Next up is numbers.
**[07:55] Main**
That's all for today.
**[07:57] Main**
Be sure to memorize all the letters and
numbers you've learned today by next time.
**[08:02] Main**
If you come unprepared, you won't be going
home until you get everything down pat.
**[08:05] All**
Okay!
**[08:10] Main**
They got out of here fast.
Boys will be boys, I guess.
**[08:14] Otto**
Main, they won't learn anything
if I make it easy for them.
**[08:19] Main**
Oh, it's not that easy.
**[08:21] Main**
If they don't do their homework,
they won't get to go home at all.
**[08:25] Otto**
Yeah, but...
**[08:26] Main**
Mister Otto, you shouldn't
compare them to me.
**[08:32] Otto**
That's right.
**[08:33] Otto**
Guess I'll do things your way for
a while and see how it goes.
**[08:38] Main**
Thank you.
**[08:41] Otto**
Now, it's your turn.
**[08:46] Otto**
You should learn how the
alphabet works in practice.
**[08:51] Main**
Yahoo! Letra!
**[08:54] Main**
So many new things to learn!
**[08:57] Main**
New words!
**[09:01] Main**
* I meet up with Tuuli and gang on the way back*
* from the forest and head home with them.*
**[09:06] Lutz**
What are you even doing at the gate?
**[09:08] Main**
Paperwo... I mean, learning
how to read and write.
**[09:12] Lutz**
What? You can write?!
**[09:15] Main**
Only my own name so far, but yeah.
**[09:19] Lutz**
You're awesome! You can write your own name!
**[09:22] Main**
You think?
**[09:24] Lutz**
There are so many letters, right?
**[09:25] Main**
* In this world, just knowing*
* how to write is a big deal.*
**[09:26] Lutz**
Must've been hard to figure
out how "Main" is spelled!
**[09:29] Main**
* Of course Otto would want*
* me for an assistant.*
**[09:30] Lutz**
Do you know how to write "Lutz," too?
**[09:41] Main**
You guys... walk too fast.
**[09:43] Lutz**
You can take your time.
**[09:46] Main**
But...
**[09:47] Lutz**
Your father and Tuuli asked
me to take care of you.
**[09:51] Lutz**
I'll walk you all the way
home, so don't worry.
**[09:53] Main**
Thanks.
**[10:00] Main**
Why am I so tired when
I've only come this far?
**[10:06] Lutz**
I'm here with you.
**[10:09] Main**
Lutz...
**[10:10] Lutz**
Hang in there.
**[10:13] Main**
'Kay.
**[10:18] Main**
* And so, my days of commuting*
* to the gate began.*
**[10:25] Main**
* At first, I would go one day and*
* spend the next three in bed,*
**[10:31] Main**
* but later, I could go three days*
* and only take one day off.*
**[10:38] Main**
*And finally...*
**[10:40] Main**
I went to the gate on five
straight days this week!
**[10:43] Main**
Dad, may I go to the forest now?
**[10:46] Gunther**
Yeah.
**[10:49] Main**
Yay!
**[10:51] Eva**
She's on cloud nine.
**[10:53] Tuuli**
Well, she deserves it for her efforts.
**[11:01] Fey**
Found some over here!
**[11:03] Kid**
Same here!
**[11:03] Kid**
What? Where?
**[11:04] Kid**
You're right!
**[11:05] Kid**
We found a lot!
**[11:10] Main**
I wanna go... to the forest...
**[11:13] Eva**
You won't get any better if you don't sleep.
**[11:16] Eva**
Let me tell you a bedtime story.
**[11:20] Eva**
A long, long time ago, there lived
some little stars in the sky.
**[11:26] Eva**
Those little stars...
**[11:28] Main**
*I remember this.*
**[11:30] Main**
* Mom told me this story soon*
* after I became Main.*
**[11:35] Eva**
They liked coming down to the earth.
**[11:39] Eva**
On land, they met all kinds of people.
**[11:44] Main**
* When I finally got to go the forest,*
* it was the end of the spring:*
**[11:48] Main**
* three months after I started*
* commuting to the gate.*
***SIGN*** Ascendance of a
Bookworm
***SIGN*** Ascendance of a
Bookworm
**[12:05] Main**
It's the forest!
**[12:06] Lutz**
We're gonna gather firewood.
You rest up here.
**[12:10] Main**
Got it.
**[12:14] Main**
I finally made it.
***SIGN*** Clay Tablets
**[12:17] Main**
I can finally make clay tablets now!
**[12:19] Main**
Yahoo!
**[12:23] Main**
As if I'd come all this way
to go home empty-handed.
**[12:26] Main**
Show yourself, clay soil!
**[12:30] Main**
Rock hard!
**[12:34] Main**
I'm not giving up!
**[12:43] Main**
I'm not finding anything.
**[12:45] Lutz**
What do you think you're doing, Main?!
**[12:51] Lutz**
Did you forget the promise
you made your father?
**(Flashback) [12:54] Gunther**
The only goal today is to make
it to the forest and back.
**(Flashback) [12:57] Gunther**
When you get there, rest up and
aim to come back with the others.
**(Flashback) [13:01] Gunther**
Got that?
**(Flashback) [13:02] Main**
Yeah!
**(Flashback) [13:03] Main**
My goal for today will be to go to
the forest, rest up, and come home.
**[13:09] Main**
I-I know, but uh...
**[13:12] Lutz**
Bringing that thing means you never had any
intention of keeping your word, did you?
**[13:17] Main**
You see, I finally got to the
come to the forest, so I just...
**[13:22] Lutz**
You just?
**[13:24] Main**
...planned this.
**[13:26] Lutz**
So you lied, then?
**[13:29] Lutz**
Mister Gunther said that out
of concern for your health!
**[13:33] Lutz**
But look at you.
**[13:35] Lutz**
I never knew you could be so untrustworthy.
**[13:39] Main**
Sorry...
**[13:43] Lutz**
So what were you trying to do, anyway?
**[13:48] Main**
*When I told Lutz I wanted clay soil,*
**[13:51] Main**
* he took me to a spot with very*
* little vegetation or drainage.*
**[13:59] Main**
Why are you helping me out?
**[14:03] Lutz**
You made me those paruecakes
when I was starving, remember?
**[14:08] Lutz**
I made up my mind to help you then.
**[14:12] Main**
That's it?
**[14:13] Lutz**
Yeah. I said I'd be there for you, didn't I?
**[14:17] Lutz**
But you need to tell me
what you're trying to do.
**[14:20] Lutz**
Just trust me.
**[14:22] Main**
Okay. Thanks.
**[14:26] Lutz**
Here. Is this what you wanted?
**[14:30] Main**
Yeah, this is it!
**[14:32] Main**
Amazing, Lutz. This would've taken me days.
**[14:37] Lutz**
No boy could ever be weaker than you.
**[14:40] Lutz**
So, what will you do with all this?
**[14:43] Main**
Make a book.
**[14:45] Lutz**
A book?
**[14:50] Main**
Watch this.
**[14:57] Lutz**
Are these letters?
**[14:59] Main**
That's right.
**[15:00] Main**
When you write things down,
**[15:02] Main**
you can turn moments—words, thoughts,
**[15:05] Main**
and events that you'd forget—
into permanent ones,
**[15:09] Main**
and read them over all you want.
**[15:12] Lutz**
Huh...
**[15:13] Lutz**
A book is something that's
full of writing like that.
**[15:17] Lutz**
Books, huh...
**[15:18] Main**
Yeah.
**[15:20] Main**
With books, you can learn what
people in the past were thinking,
**[15:26] Main**
and experience so much more than you
normally could in an average lifespan.
**[15:33] Main**
Aren't books amazing?
**[15:41] Lutz**
Well, I gotta get back to firewood.
**[15:43] Main**
Okay. Thank you so much, Lutz.
**[15:47] Lutz**
Sure!
**[15:54] Main**
I did it.
**[15:56] Main**
Long live Mesopotamia!
**[16:00] Main**
I made more than I thought.
Wonder if they've dried yet.
**[16:03] Kid**
Hurry up!
**[16:05] Fey**
Hold up!
**[16:08] Fey**
Whoa, what are these?
**[16:09] Main**
Oh, they're...
**[16:11] Fey**
Hup!
**[16:12] Kid**
Me, too!
**[16:16] Main**
No...
**[16:17] Main**
Stop!
**[16:21] Fey**
What's wrong, Main?
**[16:29] Main**
My clay tablets...
**[16:32] Main**
Fey and him ruined them.
**[16:33] Fey**
What? Those were important?
**[16:46] Kid**
Hey, something's up with her.
**[16:49] Main**
Do you have any idea what
it took me to get here?
**[16:53] Main**
I went to the gate so many times,
had Lutz and Tuuli help me...
**[16:58] Main**
And yet... How could you do this, Fey?!
**[17:01] Fey**
I'm sorry. I didn't know.
**[17:05] Main**
I'll never forgive you!
**[17:10] Lutz**
Calm down, Main.
**[17:12] Tuuli**
You know they didn't do it on purpose.
**[17:23] Lutz**
I can see why you're upset.
**[17:25] Lutz**
You worked so hard to get here.
**[17:32] Lutz**
Main...
**[17:40] Lutz**
Let's dig up the soil and make these again.
**[17:43] All**
O-Okay...
**[17:49] All**
Do the rest tomorrow and finish it off.
**[17:54] Main**
Yeah...
**[17:56] Main**
*However, I was bedridden with another fever,*
**[18:00] Main**
* and it continued to rain*
* for a few days straight.*
**[18:06] Fey**
Th-The rain did this, all right?
**[18:09] Main**
I know that.
**[18:14] Fey**
If you have the time to cry, you have
the time to give it another try.
**[18:18] Main**
Yeah.
**[18:25] Main**
*The rest of them went to gather firewood,*
**[18:28] Main**
* but Lutz stayed behind*
* to help the whole way.*
**[18:32] Lutz**
Say, Main, is this what you wanna do in life?
**[18:37] Main**
Well, what I *really* want is to
live a life surrounded by books.
**[18:41] Lutz**
Surrounded by this stuff?
**[18:44] Main**
Wrong.
**[18:45] Main**
Real books are too expensive to buy,
so I'm using these as a substitute.
**[18:50] Main**
What do you want to do in life, Lutz?
**[18:52] Lutz**
Me?
**[18:53] Main**
Yeah. I'm sure you have a goal in mind, too.
**[18:58] Lutz**
I...
**[19:02] Lutz**
I...
**[19:05] Lutz**
I want to travel to other cities.
**[19:08] Main**
Other cities?
**[19:10] Lutz**
I wanna become a traveling trader
and see the world for myself.
**[19:14] Main**
A journey sounds good.
**[19:16] Lutz**
What? Do you really think so?
**[19:19] Lutz**
It'd mean leaving the city, y'know?
**[19:21] Main**
Yeah. It sounds fun.
**[19:24] Main**
You see, my dream at one point was
to visit libraries across the world.
**[19:28] Lutz**
Libraries?
**[19:29] Main**
Yeah. Places with lots of books.
**[19:33] Main**
That dream can never come true now, though.
**[19:37] Lutz**
Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll
do what you want to.
**[19:42] Main**
You should just do that, too.
**[19:52] Main**
All done.
**[19:56] Main**
It's a book.
**[19:58] Main**
* At first, I thought I wasn't meant*
* to live in a world without books.*
**[20:05] Main**
* But... I've found things*
* I hold dear here, too.*
**[20:10] Main**
*Now if I have my books, I'll be fine.*
**[20:13] Main**
* I feel like I've finally found a path*
* of life for myself in this world.*
**[20:19] Tuuli**
Main, what did you write?
**[20:22] Tuuli**
It's the story about the little stars.
**[20:25] Tuuli**
The story Mom told me on the first night.
**[20:28] Tuuli**
The first night?
**[20:31] Main**
Yeah. The earliest story I can remember.
**[20:35] Main**
*Unable to accept that I was now Main,*
**[20:39] Main**
*I found Mom's affection all too oppressive.*
**[20:42] Main**
*Even then, when I decided to make a book,*
**[20:45] Main**
* this story was the first*
* thing to came to mind.*
**[20:49] Main**
I wanna turn all of Mom's stories
into books so I never forget.
**[20:56] Main**
That way, I'll be able to
read them whenever I want.
**[21:02] Main**
* I feel like this is the first time I've*
* been able to smile genuinely as Main.*
**[21:10] Main**
* Now if I bake and harden*
* them, they'll be done!*
***SIGN*** Clay Tablets Explosion
**[21:24] Eva**
Main?!
**[21:27] Main**
No!
***SIGN*** Next Chapter
Baptisms and Strange Fevers
**[23:07] Main**
Clay tablets were a dead end, too, but
that's not enough to make me give up!
**[23:11] Tuuli**
What will you do next?
**[23:13] Main**
Next? Next...
**[23:17] Main**
O-Oh, right. Next up is your baptism.
**[23:21] Ferdinand**
If we're speaking of baptism,
it's my time to shine.
**[23:27] Main**
Sorry, Head Priest. No screen time for you.
**[23:31] Tuuli**
Main! You shouldn't talk to weird strangers!
***SIGN*** Illustration by Iida Seriko