E8 - Lutz's Main

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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] Ferdinand
    After tense negotiations,
[00:02] Ferdinand
    Main secured the rights to
    produce and sell her paper.
[00:05] Ferdinand
    However,
[00:06] Ferdinand
    that made Lutz suspicious of her.
[00:10] Ferdinand
    With his unspoken doubts
    still up in the air,
[00:13] Ferdinand
    the two were about to dive headlong
    into the process of paper making.
SIGN    Ascendance of a Bookworm
SIGN    Ascendance of a Bookworm
SIGN    Chapter Eight Lutz's Main
[01:58] Mark
    This will be your workshop.
[02:02] Mark
    It's already been given a quick cleanup.
[02:04] Mark
    You can see your pot and ashes right there,
[02:07] Mark
    and we'll have your materials brought here
    as they're delivered to the company.
[02:11] Main
    Thank you, Mister Mark.
[02:13] Lutz
    Let's carry the stuff
     we brought from home inside.
[02:17] Main
    Okay.
[02:20] Main
    Lutz is interacting with me like usual.
[02:24] Main
    I was worried that he'd figured out
    that I wasn't really Main.
[02:28] Main
    I'm glad we've made up.
[02:33] Mark
    I have to return to the store.
[02:36] Mark
    Here is the key to this place.
[02:38] Mark
    Be sure to lock up and
    return the key every day.
[02:42] Main
    Understood. Thank you for everything.
[02:48] Lutz
    So, what are we doing today?
[02:51] Main
    Hmm... Decide what size the steamer will be,
[02:54] Main
    take another look at the order forms, and...
[02:57] Main
    Oh, we also need to make bamboo sticks.
[02:59] Lutz
    Bamboo sticks? For what?
SIGN    Drainer
[03:02] Lutz
    We'll put a bunch of them
    together to make a drainer.
[03:06] Main
    It's part of the deckle,
    used to screen the paper solution.
SIGN    Deckle
[03:12] Lutz
    It broke again.
[03:14] Main
    These are really difficult to make.
[03:17] Main
    Maybe we should just decide on a length
    and have someone else make it.
[03:22] Lutz
    We're going to the lumberer's to order
    the steamer and stuff tomorrow.
[03:25] Lutz
    We can ask then.
[03:27] Main
    Yeah...
[03:29] Craftsman
    Huh?
[03:30] Craftsman
    What kinda wood did ya say ya want?
[03:32] Main
    U-Uh... To make a steamer...
[03:37] Craftsman
    Yeah, so what kinda wood?!
[03:39] Main
    E-Er... It should be hard and dry
     so that the steam doesn't alter its shape.
[03:47] Craftsman
    Okay, good. You do know your stuff.
[03:52] Craftsman
    I'd say you want hedwan,
    tworso, or peditree.
[03:55] Craftsman
    Which will it be?
[03:56] Main
    How am I supposed to decide?
[03:59] Main
    Do you know, Lutz?
[04:01] Lutz
    Hedwan is probably the easiest to use.
[04:04] Craftsman
    Do ya have a size in mind?
[04:06] Main
    Yes, it's on the order form.
[04:09] Main
    We would also like a mallet to pound fibers.
[04:13] Main
    Something Lutz can hold and swing.
[04:16] Craftsman
    Pound fibers?
[04:18] Craftsman
    What for?
[04:20] Main
    Unfortunately, I can't tell you that.
[04:24] Craftsman
    Striking the right balance between
    hardness and weight will be key.
[04:27] Craftsman
    What ya use as a base
    will also change things.
[04:30] Main
    A base?
[04:32] Main
    I hadn't considered that.
[04:35] Main
    Can we have the mallet and
    the base made together?
[04:38] Main
    I'll write another order form now.
[04:40] Craftsman
    Sure, that's not a problem...
    But you're gonna write the form?
[04:45] Main
    Yes.
[04:47] Main
    Will this do?
[04:51] Craftsman
    Y-Yeah...
[04:54] Craftsman
    Unbelievable. This looks good.
[04:56] Main
    Oh, one last thing.
[04:59] Main
    We want bamboo sticks like this one.
     Can you make them?
[05:03] Craftsman
    Hmm... Precision work
    like this is beyond me.
[05:08] Craftsman
    You should ask a craftsman.
[05:09] Main
    Understood!
[05:11] Main
    Thank you for all your help!
[05:14] Craftsman
    Sure. Drop by anytime ya need anything.
[05:18] Craftsman
    Bamboo sticks, eh?
[05:19] Craftsman
    Does it have to be wavy?
[05:22] Main
    I was trying to make it
    nice and straight, actually.
[05:26] Craftsman
    Then coming to me was the right decision.
[05:29] Craftsman
    Is that all you need?
[05:31] Main
    Can you also make a drainer for us?
[05:35] Main
    It's a screen of sorts, with the bamboo
    sticks tied up in a row like this.
[05:39] Craftsman
    That seems like a pain,
    but it's not impossible.
[05:42] Craftsman
    However, I will need
     really sturdy thread for it.
[05:45] Main
    Sturdy thread?
[05:47] Craftsman
    Like in spinne webs.
[05:49] Craftsman
    I can pick something out for you
    if we can go to a thread seller now.
[05:53] Main
    Absolutely!
[05:54] Lutz
    Hey, don't push yourself.
[05:56] Lutz
    You'll go down first.
[05:58] Main
    I'll be fine! I'm not exerting myself...
[06:01] Mark
    Then I'll bring her there.
[06:04] Mark
    It seems she's once again
    in the mood to be carried.
[06:12] Main
    Sorry to make you do this again and again.
[06:14] Mark
    Oh, it's nothing. Please don't worry about it.
[06:17] Main
    A month and a half later,
[06:19] Main
    we had everything in place
    to start making our paper.
[06:23] Main
    Blue skies! White clouds!
[06:26] Main
    'Tis the perfect day to make paper, Lutz!
[06:33] Main
    Lutz?
[06:34] Main
    Are you okay?
[06:36] Main
    Do you want me to carry the steamer?
[06:38] Lutz
    Nah, you can't handle it.
[06:48] Main
    Maybe you should take a break, Lutz.
[06:51] Lutz
    Nah.
[06:52] Lutz
    Once we start steaming, we'll have to sit
    around and wait for a bell's time, right?
[06:56] Lutz
    That can be my break.
[07:00] Lutz
    Okay.
[07:01] Lutz
    I'm gonna go chop some wood.
[07:02] Lutz
    You watch the pot and rest up.
[07:06] Main
    But you need the rest more than I do.
[07:09] Lutz
    I can't have you falling sick
    before we finish the paper.
[07:13] Lutz
    You can pick up twigs or whatever around here,
     but don't try to do too much.
[07:17] Lutz
    And yell if anything goes wrong, okay?
[07:21] Main
    Got it.
[07:28] Main
    We're out of twigs.
[07:30] Main
    Guess I'll go pick up some more.
[07:39] Main
    What is that?
[07:46] Main
    That is one red fruit.
[07:48] Main
    Is it edible?
[07:55] Main
    Ow, hot!
[08:10] Main
    H-Huh? What's with this sprouty thing?
[08:15] Main
    Lutz... Lutz!
[08:17] Lutz
    What's wrong?
[08:18] Main
    What is this?
[08:20] Lutz
    Trombe!
[08:22] Main
    Trombe? What's that?
[08:25] Lutz
    I'll explain later!
[08:27] Ralph
    What's the matter, Lutz?
[08:29] Lutz
    We have a trombe!
[08:32] Lutz
    You run away!
[08:33] Main
    Okay.
[08:48] Ralph
    See any more sprouting?
[08:50] Kid
    There shouldn't be.
[08:54] Main
    What the... What a weird plant.
[08:59] Lutz
    Are you okay?
[09:01] Main
    Yeah... Lutz, what was that?
[09:05] Lutz
    A trombe.
[09:07] Lutz
    If it's not weeded out as soon
    as it starts sprouting,
[09:09] Lutz
    it'll suck up all the nutrients
    in the soil and grow in a flash.
[09:13] Main
    So that's why it sprouted so quickly.
[09:16] Lutz
    Yeah. It becomes a real danger
     if it gets too big,
[09:19] Lutz
    and the knight order
     would have to be called in.
[09:21] Main
    They have a knight order?
    Sounds like a fantasy world, all right.
[09:25] Lutz
    But that's weird.
[09:27] Lutz
    It's not trombe season yet,
    and it was growing really fast.
[09:31] Lutz
    But it hasn't affected the soil here much.
[09:35] Main
    Huh...
[09:37] Lutz
    What? Don't you find it strange?
[09:42] Main
    Well, I've never seen one before.
[09:46] Lutz
    Right.
[09:48] Lutz
    You only started coming to
    the forest this spring.
[09:54] Main
    I have an idea!
[09:55] Main
    Why don't we try make paper
    out of that trombe?
[09:58] Main
    There's a bunch lying around, and you
    chopped it down right after it sprouted,
[10:02] Main
    so the fibers should still be soft.
[10:06] Main
    And so we started making the paper with trombe.
[10:13] Lutz
    Will this do for the steaming part?
[10:16] Main
    Probably.
[10:18] Main
    Let me try peeling the bark off.
[10:26] Main
    Oh, wow!
[10:28] Main
    It came off!
[10:29] Main
    This might be the perfect
    material for paper!
[10:33] Lutz
    I'm surprised you can tell.
[10:36] Lutz
    So, what next?
[10:39] Main
    We stretch it out and let it dry.
[10:42] Main
    When it's fully dried,
    we wash it in the stream again.
[10:45] Lutz
    Hey...
[10:47] Main
    What?
[10:50] Lutz
    Never mind. We'll talk about it
    when we finish the paper.
[10:55] Lutz
    You can never predict
    when trombe will grow.
[10:58] Lutz
    We'll have to try other plants as well.
[11:02] Main
    Is Lutz still suspicious of me?
[11:11] Main
    The paper making process
    continued to go smoothly,
[11:14] Main
    but I couldn't tell what was on Lutz's mind.
[11:20] Main
    Today, we boil the dried bark!
[11:24] Lutz
    We just have to let it boil for a bell, right?
[11:26] Main
    Yeah, but we also need to stir it...
[11:31] Main
    Gah! I just remembered
    another thing we're missing!
[11:35] Lutz
    What is it?
[11:36] Main
    Lutz, make me two long sticks
    to stir the pot.
SIGN    Basically...
[11:41] Main
    Bamboo would be nice.
SIGN    Chopsticks
[11:46] Lutz
    Will this do?
[11:47] Main
    Yeah! Thanks, Lutz!
[11:55] Lutz
    It's impressive that you can
    hold them like that to stir the pot.
[11:58] Main
    U-Uh... Yeah, aren't I cool?
SIGN    Ascendance of a
     Bookworm
SIGN    Ascendance of a
     Bookworm
[12:17] Main
    Today's work involves
[12:19] Main
    me removing any knots and bruises in the fiber
[12:23] Main
    and Lutz beating the fiber down.
[12:26] Main
    Once the edile fruit mixed in water
    produces a sticky starch,
[12:31] Main
    we mix the fiber in it,
[12:33] Main
    completing the paper solution.
[12:36] Main
    We finally got to a stage I'm familiar with!
[12:40] Main
    You see, I made paper out of milk cartons
    back when I was Urano.
[12:44] Lutz
    Are you really familiar with it?
[12:46] Main
    I've done this before. I got this.
[12:48] Lutz
    When and where?
[12:52] Main
    I, uh... I-I...
[12:53] Main
    It's a girly secret! No prying!
[13:05] Lutz
    Why are you shaking it like that?
[13:08] Main
    It balances out the thickness of the paper.
[13:13] Lutz
    Huh. And you know that
     because you've done it before?
[13:22] Main
    Lutz...
[13:24] Main
    Please don't glare at me like that.
[13:28] Main
    A few more days passed...
[13:31] Main
    Everything went smoothly,
[13:33] Main
    and we finished our first pieces of paper.
[13:39] Main
    It's paper.
[13:40] Main
    It's actually paper.
[13:43] Main
    We really did it.
[13:47] Main
    It'll be dry by sunset.
[13:50] Main
    Once it's dried, we have to
     peel it off carefully so it doesn't tear,
[13:53] Main
    and we'll be all done.
[13:55] Lutz
    So it's as good as finished, right?
[13:59] Lutz
    I said we'd talk when
    we finished the paper, remember?
[14:05] Main
    Do you want to do it out here
    or inside the workshop?
[14:09] Lutz
    Here is fine.
[14:12] Main
    So, what did you want to talk about?
[14:17] Lutz
    Tell me...
[14:19] Lutz
    Who are you?
[14:23] Lutz
    You know how to make paper,
     and even said you'd done it before.
[14:28] Lutz
    There's no way you're Main.
[14:33] Main
    You're right.
[14:36] Lutz
    Then if you're not her...
[14:42] Lutz
    Where is the real Main? Give her back!
[14:52] Main
    Okay.
[14:54] Main
    I don't mind giving her back,
[14:56] Main
    but it'd be better if I did it back home.
[15:01] Lutz
    Why?
[15:03] Main
    Because I'm pretty sure
     only a corpse will remain after I'm gone.
[15:11] Lutz
    Y... Wha... Wh... What are you saying?!
[15:14] Lutz
    You mean she's gone forever?
[15:18] Lutz
    She's never coming back?!
[15:22] Main
    I think so.
[15:31] Lutz
    Answer me this:
[15:33] Lutz
    did you devour Main with your fever?
[15:37] Main
    That's half-right and half-wrong.
[15:41] Main
    I believe that the real Main
    was consumed by her fever, too.
[15:45] Main
    But I am not the cause of the fever.
[15:49] Main
    Hell, it's eating away at me, too.
[15:55] Lutz
    What does that mean?!
[15:57] Lutz
    Isn't this all your doing?!
[15:58] Lutz
    Didn't Main disappear because of you?!
[16:01] Lutz
    Tell me I'm right!
[16:04] Main
    You know...
[16:07] Main
    It's not like I wanted to be Main!
[16:11] Main
    I lived and died in a different world,
[16:15] Main
    but suddenly I found that
    I'd become some child!
[16:18] Main
    If I had the choice, I'd never have
    picked such a sickly body!
[16:24] Lutz
    You didn't want to take Main's place?
[16:31] Main
    Would you want to?
[16:34] Main
    Her body is so frail, just walking a little
    leaves it bedridden the next day.
[16:45] Main
    Is that fever gonna eat you alive,
     just like Main?
[16:50] Main
    Yeah, probably.
[16:54] Main
    So if you want me gone, just say so.
[16:58] Main
    I'll go away anytime.
[17:01] Lutz
    Why are you telling me that?
[17:03] Main
    Because I would've been long gone
    already if it wasn't for you.
[17:09] Main
    I fell sick after Mom used
     my wood tablets as firewood, remember?
[17:16] Main
    At the time, I didn't mind if
    the fever swallowed me whole.
[17:21] Main
    Try as I might, I was never getting
    my books, so I didn't care anymore.
[17:27] Main
    But then...
[17:29] Main
    I saw your face,
[17:32] Main
    remembered the promise I made to you,
     and came back to myself.
[17:37] Lutz
    What promise?
[17:39] Main
    To introduce you to Otto.
[17:43] Lutz
    Oh, but that was...
[17:44] Main
    We met Otto and Benno,
    so I fulfilled my promise.
[17:48] Main
    I even managed to make paper.
[17:50] Main
    I do still want to complete a book,
[17:54] Main
    but if you want me gone, I'm okay with that.
[17:59] Lutz
    That's just absurd!
[18:02] Lutz
    Since when have you been Main?
[18:06] Main
    What do you think?
[18:08] Main
    When do you think I stopped
    being the Main you knew?
[18:13] Lutz
    Why, you...
[18:22] Lutz
    Was it when you started wearing that thing?
[18:27] Main
    Yeah, that's correct.
[18:32] Lutz
    That's almost an entire year ago!
[18:36] Lutz
    The family hasn't realized?
[18:40] Main
    They have noticed that I'm weird,
[18:43] Main
    but I don't think they've ever considered
     that I might not be Main.
[18:46] Main
    Besides, Dad was saying he was happy
    just seeing how active I'd become.
[18:55] Lutz
    I see.
[19:03] Main
    Lutz?
[19:05] Lutz
    I don't think it's my place to decide.
    It should be Main's family.
[19:11] Main
    Are you saying things
     can stay like this for now?
[19:14] Main
    And you're okay with that?
[19:15] Lutz
    Again, it's not my place to decide!
[19:21] Main
    Are you sure you don't want me gone?
[19:24] Main
    I'm not the real Main, you know?
[19:34] Lutz
    It's fine.
[19:36] Lutz
    It's not like Main will come back
    once you're gone.
[19:40] Lutz
    Besides, if it's been you for an entire year,
[19:44] Lutz
    most of my memories with "Main"
    are actually of you.
[19:58] Lutz
    So... You can still be Main to me.
[20:06] Main
    Lutz's words made everything
    fall into place deep inside of me.
[20:12] Main
    It may have only been a tiny piece,
[20:16] Main
    but it was the final piece of the puzzle
    that is my life here.
[20:24] Main
    And as the river grew colder,
[20:26] Main
    and paper-making became that much harder...
[20:29] Main
    Mister Benno, we've brought
    prototypes of the paper.
[20:33] Benno
    Oh?
[20:34] Main
    We've made three samples of varying
    thickness each from two plants.
[20:39] Benno
    Let me see for myself how good it is.
[20:47] Benno
    Wow, it works.
[20:50] Benno
    It's easier to write on than parchment,
    but it does blot the ink a little.
[20:53] Benno
    It's not that big a problem, I suppose...
[20:56] Main
    So, do we pass?
[20:58] Main
    Can Lutz be your apprentice?
[21:03] Benno
    You pass.
[21:06] Main
    Yay!
[21:08] Main
    We did it, Lutz!
[21:10] Lutz
    Yeah!
[21:11] Benno
    This one is higher quality.
[21:14] Main
    We made those from trombe.
[21:16] Benno
    What? Trombe?!
[21:19] Main
    Hmm... It'd be nice if we could
    mass-produce paper from it.
[21:23] Lutz
    No way! Not with something that dangerous!
[21:26] Benno
    Do you want to turn the forest
    into a wasteland?!
[21:29] Main
    Huh? We can't use it?
SIGN    Next Chapter The Guild Master's Granddaughter
[23:09] Main
    How do you like that, Head Priest?
[23:11] Main
    I went and finished my paper!
[23:14] Ferdinand
    Good. Now you can finally
    start making books.
[23:18] Main
    U-Uh, no. There's a lot left to do yet.
[23:22] Main
    Apparently, you need some kind
    of license to sell paper.
[23:26] Main
    And the next step in the book-making
    process will need even more capital...
[23:31] Ferdinand
    I see you still have a long, long way to go.
SIGN    Illustration by Hachikawa Kyu