Part 1 Volume 1 Chapter 3: Exploring the City

Exploring the City (街中, Machinaka Tansaku) is the third chapter of the Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 1 Volume 1 light novel series.

Summary
After crying the entire day until the next day, Myne feels more relieved and overall better. During breakfast, her mother Effa asks her, whether she would want to go to the market with her. She took a day of leave to look after Myne, worried that she feels lonely, and giving Tuuli the opportunity to go foraging with the other children. Myne eagerly accepts Effa’s proposal in hope to acquire a book, or at least anything written. Tuuli leaves happily before Myne and Effa. When they were ready, Myne takes Effa’s hand and they would leave the house together. Her first experience outside her home was an overwhelmingly unpleasant one. It is cold even though she wears layers of clothing to the point that moving is difficult and everything stinks. Right in front of the door are staircases leading down outside. Even though Effa holds Myne’s hand, every step they take make Myne anxious due to her small size. After finally arriving outside, Myne is out of breath, making Effa carry Myne on her back. Following the narrow alleyway, they arrive at the large street. While searching for a bookstore, Myne asks Effa question after question. She tells Myne about many things, like the temple, the gate, her father’s job and that they are poor commoners who cannot afford going to stores, which is why they do their shopping primarily at the markt. Simultaneously, Myne also observes that the store signboards have no letters on them, but simple drawings. Meanwhile they approached the market, which has many stalls and people doing their shopping. When they come across a fruit stall, Myne finds little boards with something written on them. Effa is surprised by Myne’s sudden enthusiasm, but nonetheless teaches her about them. With Myne connecting the new learned knowledge about the numbers with the knowledge she already had, she got a good grasp about the numbers written on the boards, surprising Effa even more.

Appearances

 * Myne
 * Effa
 * Tuuli

Highlights of the Chapter

 * Myne leaves the house for the first time since becoming Myne.
 * Visiting the market.
 * Written numbers exist.

Trivia

 * It is currently the busiest season for dyers.
 * Myne feels a bit guilty because of her good-willed family.
 * It is common for children to go foraging to help their family, due to society’s poverty issues.
 * There are no schools but an apprenticeship system.
 * It is Myne’s first time wearing anything other than pyjamas.
 * Myne’s clothes are hand-me-downs from Tuuli.
 * Myne has to wear all her clothes to fend off the cold. Wearing all her clothes is heavy for Myne.
 * Myne is about the size of a three-year-old toddler.
 * Myne’s home is in a stone building on the fifth floor, with stairs made of wood after the second floor upwards. They are arranged spiral-ish throughout the seven floors of the building.
 * A well is in the middle of a small stone-paved plaza, surrounded by tall apartment complexes, one being Myne’s. Only one dark and narrow alleyway leads to the large street.
 * Myne’s new world looks like old Europe.
 * Stores near ground level primarily sell products for the rich.
 * Children go to the temple to get baptised when they turn seven.
 * There are castle ramparts/inner walls, which surround the lord’s castle and nobles’ mansions, and outer walls, that protect the city.
 * Gunther works as a guard at the southern gate.
 * The number system has ten distinct symbols and uses base-10 math.