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"Ominous Developments" (不穏な動き, Fuan na Ugoki) is the thirty-fourth episode of the Ascendance of a Bookworm anime series, and the eighth episode of Season 3. It originally aired on May 30, 2022.
This episode was adapted from Part 2 Volume 4 of the light novel series (Chapter 6: Challenging Wax Stencils, Chapter 8: Both Sides of the Story - Chapter 10: The Shadow Falls.)
Summary
Delia listens to Myne's explanation.
As Delia and Fran explain their argument, Myne learns that Arno gave Delia a message meant for Fran about Dirk's prospective adoption, sending her into a panic. She accuses the Head Priest of trying to tear her family apart, just as he took Myne away from her family during the winter. However, Myne corrects her and says that she was the one who initially asked the Head Priest to help her look for an adoptive family, fearing that raising him would be too much of a burden for her attendants. She reassures Delia that there are no plans to have Dirk adopted right now, and that they can remain together at the cathedral.
Heidi celebrates becoming a Gutenberg.
Lutz and Gil succeed in making the fixing agent for the ink, and testing at the ink workshop with Heidi and Josef proves successful. Happy to finally have usable colored ink, Myne agrees to continue funding Heidi's research as one of her Gutenbergs, along with Johann the smith, Benno and Lutz the merchants, and Ingo the carpenter. Heidi is thrilled at the chance to continue pioneering new types of ink. Later, Myne goes to the smithy to order bells for baby toys.
Gunther warns Myne to be careful.
While Myne is walking in the city streets, an emergency signal goes up from the east gate. Damuel rushes Myne home, with Lutz and Gil chasing after. He leaves her at home with her mother Effa and regroups with the Knight's Order to find out more about the situation. Later, Gunther returns home and tells the family that a foreign noble attempted to enter the city without a permit signed by the ruling lord, unaware that older permits were no longer authorized, and was turned away. Although the situation was resolved successfully, he tells Myne to be cautious and pay attention to her surroundings.
The High Priest is furious that his permit was refused at the gate.
At the cathedral, the High Priestis in a drunken rage. He hurls a wine glass at one of his gray priestess attendants, injuring her badly, while Jenni watches on in silence. At home, Myne and Tuuli make baby toys for Kamil. Meanwhile, Fran and Damuel meet with the Head Priest to discuss the situation, and learn that the noble who was denied access to the city had been carrying a permit signed by the High Priest.
Dirk is adopted by a foreign noble.
When Myne returns to the cathedral a few days later, she is surprised at how quiet and empty her chambers seem. Fran and Rosina deliver the unwelcome news that Delia has left Myne's service and returned to the High Priest, taking Dirk with her. Although the circumstances are unclear, it seems that the High Priest arranged for Dirk to be adopted by a foreign noble on Delia's request. Because adoptions to foreign nobles do not need the approval of the ruling lord, the Head Priest had no choice but to authorize the request.
Fran begs Myne to be on guard against Delia and remove her from her service immediately, explaining that the High Priest was the one behind the foreign noble's attempted entry into the city. She agrees, but she also wants to speak to Delia in person to understand her motivation.
Delia celebrates Dirk's adoption.
Delia arrives in good spirits and happily explains to Myne that, while Dirk will be adopted by the foreign noble, he will continue to be raised by her in the cathedral under the High Priest's guardianship. She accepts Myne's dismissal without hesitation and returns to Dirk. However, Myne finds the story doubtful, and wonders why the High Priest would go to such great lengths for a Devouring orphan.
A noble enters the city with a forged permit.
Shortly thereafter, a noble shows a permit to the city guards and enters the city. Tuuli and Lutz come to pick Myne up from the cathedral at the end of the day, and Tuuli proudly declares that she'll keep her little sister safe. However, Myne explains that the larger the group is, the harder it is for Damuel to focus on protecting her, and asks her not to come next time. As they walk home together, Otto catches sight of them and remarks that it's a relief to see Myne safe. He explains that after the noble was allowed to enter the city, the city guards realized that it had been forged. Otto and the other soldiers were dispatched to track down the intruder.
Damuel immediately lashes out at Otto for not alerting the Knight's Order, and sends up an emergency flare of red mana. But as Myne turns around, she realizes that Tuuli is missing. A moment later, she too is seized by kidnappers, who make their escape with Damuel in pursuit.
Characters by Appearance
Trivia
- In the light novel, Myne explains to Delia that she began looking for an adoptive family for Dirk before Delia came to view him as family. However, in the anime, the order of events is reversed: Myne suggests Delia treat Dirk as her brother in Episode 32, and then goes to the Head Priest to discuss adoption anyway in Episode 33.