Part 1 Volume 1 Chapter 4: Books: Unobtainable

Books: Unobtainable (街中, Hon, Nyuushu Fukanou) is the fourth chapter of the Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 1 Volume 1 light novel series.

Summary
After buying some fruits and vegetable, Effa with Myne head deeper into the market to buy meat for winter preparations. The stand they reach has freshly butchered animals, like rabbits and chicken, hanging as well as bacon and ham. An unbearable stench comes from the stand, leaving Myne dumbfounded, unable to close her eyes or avert her gaze, while Effa proceeds unfazed. The butcher is about to slay a pig with a cheery crowd watching the spectacle. Myne could not bear anymore screamed and fainted.

Myne wakes up after having strong alcohol being poured into her mouth. She is held by Effa who has a wine bottle in her one hand. Relieved about Myne gaining consciousness again, she wants to depart for meat shopping again with Myne. The latter being slightly traumatised, immediately shakes her head and asks the old woman from the stall behind them whether she could stay with her until Effa finishes the shopping. Myne’s polite request gets granted, also due to Effa buying the alcohol for Myne before. The middle-aged man from the pawn stand next door offers Myne to stay behind in his stand so that she will not be kidnapped. She sits down on the floor, still feeling under the alcohol, and looks at the pawn stand’s items. Due to the lacking customers the man answers any question Myne directs at him. Many objects that are commonly used are unfamiliar to her and the previous Myne’s memories. Eventually, her eyes meet a bundled stack of paper with fine binding. It is an expensive, massive book a noble pawned and might not pay back in time. To Myne’s question about bookstores, the pawn stand owner just reacts confused that there are no because books are hand-written and therefore hold high value. Seeing this as her only opportunity to see a book, she grovels on the floor and pleads for permission to get closer to the book. This backfires and leaves the pawn stand owner grossed out by Myne’s gesture of sincerity; he deems it wiser to not let her any near the book. Before Myne could dispute his decision, Effa arrives with the shopping finished to pick her up. Upset about her lost chance, she parts way with the stall owners and the book. So, if she cannot get her hands on books, she just has to make them herself. Determined, she chooses to fight for her passion.

Appearances

 * Effa


 * Myne


 * Pawn Stand Owner

Highlights of the Chapter

 * Books exist


 * Myne is determined to make books herself.

Trivia

 * Stands selling meat are in the outer wall’s vicinity. Late autumn is the peak season for meat.


 * Farms butcher their animals until they have only so many left, they can afford to keep over the winter.


 * Animals tend to build up fat during late autumn for hibernation.


 * Winter is known for its terrible snow.


 * Almost no crops can be harvested during winter.


 * During winter, the number of market days is very low.


 * The old woman’s alcohol stand receives new fruit wine every year around this time, which makes her business thriving.


 * The book Myne finds, is about forty centimetres tall.

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 * It is not customary to bow one’s head for any occasion according to Myne’s memories.