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"The Gift from the Blue-Robed Priest and Going Home" (青色神官の贈り物と帰宅, Aoiro Shinkan no Okurimono to Kitaku) is the thirty-first episode of the Ascendance of a Bookworm anime series, and the fifth episode of Season 3. It originally aired on May 9, 2022.
This episode was adapted from Part 2 Volume 3 of the Light Novel series (Chapter 17: The Wild and Uncontrollable Blue Priest - Epilogue).
Summary
Myne returns to the cathedral after Spring Prayer. Her attendants Fran and Rosina thank her for saving their lives when their carriages were attacked, remarking that most people would not value the lives of gray priests over tax-paying commoners. As Myne returns to church life, she also asks two new gray priestess attendants, Monika and Nicola, to help her chefs Hugo and Ella in the kitchen.
Myne is called to the Head Priest's office, where a lounging Sylvester informs her that he intends to have her show him around the orphanage and paper and printing workshop, and that he also wants to go to the forest with the orphans. She is reluctant to agree until the Head Priest assures her that he will be joining the tour as well.
Both Sylvester and the Head Priest are impressed with the cleanliness of the orphanage, and are startled when Myne explains that she created karuta to teach the children how to read and learn the names of the gods. They proceed to the workshop, where Sylvester shows immediate interest in Benno, who is visiting from the Gilberta Company. They depart to have a conversation, while the Head Priest watches the typesetting and printing process intently. With a serious expression, he warns Myne that they will need to discuss printing more in private.
Sylvester returns from his hunting trip in the commoners' forest with a big haul of fresh meat, which he donates to the orphanage. To Myne's surprise, he allows the orphans, Lutz and Gil to call him by the nickname "Lord Syl," suggesting he's better with children than she originally guessed. As the sun sets, Sylvester meets with Myne and gives her a black stone magic necklace to wear, telling her to use it in an emergency if she ever needs his help.
Later, Myne and the Head Priest meet in his hidden room. He warns her that her inexpensive printed books will destabilize the entire existing bookmaking industry, and that the lesser noble families who currently make a living through transcriptions will furiously oppose her once they realize the threat she poses. As a result, he forbids her from printing anything other than children's books until she is adopted by Karstedt at age ten and gains the backing of a noble herself. Although Myne is dejected at this news, she cheers up immediately when he tells her that with Spring Prayer over, she is allowed to return home to her family.
Shortly after Myne comes home to her family, her mother Effa goes into labor. Tuuli and the neighborhood women help with the birth, while the other neighbors prepare for the new baby's naming ceremony. Gunther and Myne pace anxiously outside by the well, and are overjoyed when Tuuli tells them the baby was born safely. When Myne holds her little brother Kamil for the first time, he bursts into tears; however, she resolves to be the best big sister she can.
Meanwhile, Delia overhears Fran and Lutz discussing the birth celebration in private and visits Jenni, the High Priest's attendant, to pass on the news. Jenni reflects nostalgically on the days when she served the blue priestess Sister Christine alongside Rosina, and envies that Rosina is able to live happily as Myne's harspiel teacher while she is forced to serve the High Bishop. She remarks to Delia that there will soon be a noble visiting the cathedral who has a special interest in Devouring children.
Characters by Appearance
Trivia
- In the anime, Myne is reluctant to show Sylvester the workshop in case he scolds her for making orphans work to achieve her selfish goal of having more books. However, in the light novel, she is more worried that he might take advantage of the women in the orphanage, as other blue priests have in the past.[1]
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 2 Volume 3. Chapter 17: The Wild and Uncontrollable Blue Priest