Episode 21

"New Retainers" (新しい側仕え, Atarashii Sobadzukae) is the twenty-first episode of the Ascendance of a Bookworm anime series, and the seventh episode of Season 2. It originally aired on May 17, 2020.

This episode was adapted from Part 2 Volume 2 of the Light Novel series (Prologue - Chapter 3: An Attendant's Job).

Summary
Myne learns that her mother, Effa, is pregnant, so she wants to create a picture book for the new baby as a gift. Though she initially only wanted a gray-robed retainer named Wilma to help her draw and paint, Myne is given an additional retainer named Rosina to teach her music.

As a precursor, Ferdinand teaches Myne to play the harspiel, a bandura-like instrument, so that she can blend more into the nobility. Myne retrieves Rosina, who appears to be loyal and honest, but it soon becomes apparent that she asks others to do her work due to her previous retainership.

Myne holds a meeting between all her retainers, including input from Wilma who worked alongside Rosina with their previous mistress, to discuss how to move forward with Rosina. Myne gives Rosina the ultimatum of working and serving or returning to the orphanage, and she decides to stay and work while still teaching Myne music. After successfully playing a song for Ferdinand, Myne discovers that Wilma is uncomfortable around the presence of men due to a traumatic event in her past.

Characters by Appearance

 * Myne
 * Effa
 * Tuuli
 * Gunther
 * Ferdinand
 * Wilma
 * Rosina - Debut