Episode 28

"The Story About Winter Stays and the Future" is the twenty-eighth episode of the Ascendance of a Bookworm anime series, and the second episode of Season 3. It originally aired on April 18, 2022.

This episode was adapted from Part 2 Volume 3 of the Light Novel series.

Summary
Myne begins her winter stay at the cathedral, where she is still kept near her quarters for her own safety. When she teaches Delia arithmetic, Fran is startled to learn that she plans to open a classroom at the cathedral to teach the orphans how to read and write.

Myne is excited to see Lutz when he comes to visit, and she works with him to create a design for some board games. After he leaves, Gil offers to hug her like Lutz does, but is sternly reprimanded by Fran. Tuuli visits shortly after and tells Myne bedtime stories, but Myne feels even more homesick after she leaves.

After the first snowfall of the year, Myne arranges to have Benno deliver her new ceremonial robes while Karstedt is visiting the temple. During the meeting with Benno, the Head Priest, and Karstedt, the knight Damuel also arrives. He pays for part of the cost of the robes as his punishment for the trombe incident.

After Myne recieves permission to sell her board games, Karstedt, Benno and the Head Priest discuss the danger presented by Wolf, the head of the Ink Guild. Benno explains that Wolf dangerous individual with ties to the nobility, and suggests his aim may be to kidnap her, sell her to a noble, or force her into a Devouring submission contract.

The Head Priest explains that Damuel has been demoted to an apprentice knight and will serve as Myne's bodyguard for the next year as part of his punishment. He also tells Myne how much danger she is in from predatory nobles, and outlines his plan to have her adopted by Karstedt for her protection.

However, Myne is frightened and dismayed at the prospect of leaving her family and flatly refuses. She panicks and loses control of her Devouring, forcing the Head Priest to use a feystone to drain her mana. When the feystone is insufficient, he relents and gives her a hug to calm her down.

Although Myne remains reluctant to leave her family, the Head Priest insists that she must be adopted by a noble by the time she turns 10 years old, since children older than 10 cannot enroll in the Royal Academy. He also warns her that if she loses control of her mana again, she will be put down before she can endanger anyone around her.