Yurgenschmidt

Light Novel

Web Novel

This Article is based on the Official Translations of the Light Novel series! The Light Novel series is the source material for the adaptation of the Anime and Manga series. The information and terminology on the article will be based on the source material rather than the adaptions.

Info History and Story

Yurgenschmidt (ユルゲンシュミット, yurugenshumitto) is the country in which almost all of Ascendance of a Bookworm takes place.

General Information

The country is ruled by an absolute ruler called the Zent. Technically, both men and women can become Zent, however, due to the nature of mana and the peculiarities of noble pregnancies, men are generally preferred for the position. The same holds true for the position of Aub, the archdukes and archduchesses who rule over the duchies.

Under normal circumstances, both Zent and Aub positions are hereditary. As the absolute ruler, the Zent naturally has the right to take away the title of Aub and appoint someone else, though in practice this is only done in cases of treason by the Aub.

For the position of Zent, there is technically a selection process that would allow archduke candidates not related to the current ruler to win the title, but this practice has been out of use for so long that most nobles in the modern day aren't even aware of this anymore.

Located at the center of Yurgenschmidt is the Sovereignty, the seat of royal power and the home of the Zent. The rest of the land is divided into duchies, each governed by a ruling Aub.

The country is shaped like a circle and bordered by a magical wall, which can only be passed through using specified gates. Likewise, each duchy is defined by a magical border around its territory. The barriers between duchies allow free passage to animals and people, but will block most forms of magic and instantly inform the archduke of a duchy if a person above a certain mana-threshold passes through in any place other than a border gate.

The country of Yurgenschmidt does not count their years in a single continuous system like Anno Domini on most parts of Earth, but instead uses a system that splits time into eras based on the rule of the kings, similar to how Japan measures their time by the eras of their Emperors.

According to the former god Erwaermen, Yurgenschmidt was founded as a sanctuary for those persecuted by Ewigeliebe, and indicated that this meant all mana-wielders from "various outside worlds."

Like the duchies, the country itself also has a Foundation Magic. It's entrance is in the Royal Academy, behind the Mestionora statue on the second level of the Royal Academy Library. Unlike the duchies however, the keyhole does not accept just a single key, but can be opened by any High Bishop's Bible key.

Geography

Map of Yurgenschmidt

Before the recent civil war, Yurgenschmidt was comprised of 25 duchies (領地, Ryōchi). However, those on the losing side of the political conflict became defunct, and the land was reorganized into 21 duchies.

Each duchy has a ranking relative to the others, determined by its population, economy, political influence, scientific and magical research, new trends or fashions, and the performance of students at the Royal Academy. In addition to its numerical rank, duchies are classified as "greater," "middle" or "lesser". Although the Sovereignty is technically a duchy, it even ranks above Greater duchies (大領地, Dai Ryōchi).
Currently there are four greater, nine middle and seven lesser duchies.

Spoiler from Fanbook 5
The designation of greater, middle or lesser duchy depends on a combination of the duchy's size, population, history and value to the Sovereignty. In the past, when smaller wars were more common, victories in such conflicts also played a role.

The higher the rank a duchy holds, the more power and influence it wields. Lower-ranking duchies (下位領地, Kai Ryōchi) must show deference to those above them, and all must defer to the Sovereignty and the royal family.

Travel Realities

In Yurgenschmidt, traditional travel calculations don't quite apply. The journey from Fontedorf to the Goddesses’ Bath prompts a question about the apparent vastness of the distances covered. While conventional speeds are mentioned, the unique conditions of this realm make these calculations less relevant.

The terrain, characterized by a snowy forest and a lack of paved roads, slows down the characters. The absence of stagecoaches and inns complicates the journey, with the group spending daylight hours on essential tasks like setting up camp. The season further limits travel time, and encounters with feybeasts, especially for commoners, extend the journey.

A notable factor introduced is the the road's complexity varies based on the visitors' gifts and attitudes. Rozemyne's group may have taken the shortest route, but the narrative suggests that not all travelers would follow suit. This adds an intriguing layer to the travel dynamics in the world of Ascendance of a Bookworm.

Duchies

Sovereignty

The center of the country is called the Sovereignty, and houses, among other things, the Royal Palace and Royal Academy. Since it is the seat of the king and under the direct control of the royal family, it is always considered higher than even the highest-ranking duchy and thus is not included in the duchal rankings, despite generally being treated as a duchy in most ways.

List of current Duchies

Name	Status	Color	Heraldic Animal/Symbol	Details
Alexandria	Greater	Navy Blue	Books, Library Magic Tools and the Cape of the God of Darkness	Directly south of Ehrenfest. Ahrensbach's successor duchy, after the latter committed treason and had it's foundation stolen by Lady Rozemyne
Blumenfeld	Greater	Grey	TBD	A new duchy just formed after the Lanzenave invasion and the crowing of Zent Eglantine, formed from territories of duchies (all of old Scharfer) dissolved after the civil war, primarily northern part of old Werkestock and ruled by the former Zent Trauerqual.
Dunkelfelger	Greater	Blue	Hawk Spear	Known for their skill in ditter, Dunkelfelger's students typically win the Interduchy Tournament at the Royal Academy.
Drewanchel	Greater	Emerald-Green	Three Snakes	In the mid-east of the country. Known for skilled scholars & research. Home to a wide variety of feyplants.
Klassenberg	Greater	Red	White Wolf Chalice	North of Ehrenfest. Known to have more power and influence than any other duchy. A rocky duchy that spends more than half of each year encased in ice and snow with extensive feystone mines and massive underground cities.
Ehrenfest	Middle	Ochre	Lion	Rozemyne's home duchy.
Frenbeltag	Middle	Light-Blue	Boar	Southwest of Ehrenfest. The duchy Frenbeltag was on the losing side of the Civil War and is now supported by Ehrenfest due to both Sylvester and his wife being related to the first wife and Aub Frenbeltag respectively.
Gaussbuttel	Middle	Brown	Alligator	Holds the major trade route between Klassenberg and the Sovereignty.
Gilessenmeyer	Middle	Dark Brown	Cow	A middle duchy who's rank shot up to it's current position due to the civil war at the north-western edge of the country. Birthplace of Zent Trauerqual's first wife.
Hauchletzte	Middle	Purple	Unicorn	Once famous for it's maritime goods, but the closure of its country gate is causing its ocean to shrink. Birthplace of Zent Trauerqual's second wife.
Immerdink	Middle	Dark Green	Bear	Scholarly inclined duchy aiming to be the second Drewanchel.
Jossbrenner	Middle	Cream	Black Dog	Klassenberg's breadbasket. Rich in dairy products.
Lehmbruck	Middle	Yellow-Green	Tiger	Holds a trade route between Gilessenmeyer and the Sovereignty.
Neuhausen	Middle	Reddish-Violet	Sheep	On the losing side of the civil war.
Berschmann	Lesser	Dark Purple	Elephant	On the losing side in the civil war.
Kirschnereit	Lesser	Green	Leopard	Dreams of reclaiming the country gate that Hauchletzte stole hundreds of years ago.
Lindenthal	Lesser	Bluish-Green	Horse	On the losing side of the civil war.
Lortzing	Lesser	Orange	Cat	Heavily influenced by Klassenberg.
Losrenger	Lesser	Bluish-Violet	Turtle	Neutral in the civil war.
Ossvault	Lesser	Reddish-Brown	Mountain Goat	Lost in the civil war. Struggling economically due to its ocean shrinking.
Quandtreeb	Lesser	Pale bluish-green	Deer	Lost in the civil war. Struggling economically due to its ocean shrinking.
Korinthsdaum	Unknown	Reddish Brown	TBD	A new duchy just formed after the Lanzenave invasion and the crowing of Zent Eglantine, formed from territories of duchies (all of old Trostwerk) dissolved after the civil war, ruled by the former First Prince Sigiswald.

Duchies Defunct due to the Civil War

• Scharfer
• Trostwerk
• Werkestock
• Zausengas

Other Defunct Duchies

• Eisenreich - Former greater duchy, abolished for treason against the king. Part of its territory was given to its neighbors, like Klassenberg, and what remained - now reduced to a middle duchy - was given to the Ehrenfest family and given their name.
• Unknown Duchy - This former greater duchy was disbanded and its territory split into the lesser duchies of Kirschnereit, Berschmann, Lindenthal, Ossvault and Quandtreeb as punishment for treason against the crown.
• Ahrensbach - A former greater duchy, deeply involved with an invasion by the neighboring country of Lanzenave. During the counter-push, Lady Rozemyne of Ehrenfest stole their foundation and after the end of the conflict, Ahrensbach was remade into Alexandria, under her rule.

Duchy Ranking

Yurgenschmidt's Duchy Rankings in AM 11

*"AM #" refers to the number of years after Myne's birth. See timeline for more details.

Duchy	Pre-Civil War	Post-Civil War	AM 11	AM 12	AM 13	AM 14
Ahrensbach	?	?	6	6	?	6
Drewanchel	?	?	3	3	3	3
Dunkelfelger	?	?	2	2	2	2
Klassenberg	?	?	1	1	1	1
Ehrenfest	?	Higher than pre-civil war	13	10	8	8
Frenbeltag	?	?	15	15	?	?
Berschmann	?	?	14	?	?	?
Gaussbuttel	?	?	7	?	7	7
Gilessenmeyer	?	?	4	4	4	4
Hauchletzte	?	?	5	5	5	5
Immerdink	?	?	10	11	12 or lower	?
Jossbrenner	?	?	8	?	10	?
Kirschnereit	?	?	9	?	9	?
Lehmbruck	?	?	11	?	?	?
Losrenger	?	?	16	?	?	?
Lindenthal	?	?	18	?	?	?
Lortzing	?	?	12	?	?	?
Neuehausen	?	?	17	?	?	?
Quandtreeb	?	?	20	?	?	?
Ossvault	?	?	19	?	?	?
Scharfer	?	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Trostwerk	?	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Werkestock	?	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Zausengas	?	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Foreign Relations

Lanzenave

Yurgenschmidt retains good relations with its southern neighbor Lanzenave, and the two countries maintain flourishing trade. Among other goods, Lanzenave is Yurgenschmidt's primary source of sugar. Furthermore, the countries have an arrangement in which a princess of Lanzenave will move to Yurgenschmidt to give birth to the future kings, so they can attend the Royal Academy to obtain a schtappe and be educated in magic.

After their invasion and collusion with Georgine and Detlinde, the country gate was permanently closed and will either remain this way, or be connected to a different country, thus cutting of Lanzenave from Yurgenschmidt for good. Due to the Goddes of Wisdom Mestionora personally forbidding any further killings, King Gervasio and the other Lanzenavians who invaded Yurgenschmidt, are instead sentences to imprisonment and having their mana drained regularly for the rest of their lives.

Bosgeiz

Bossgeiz is a country to Yurgenschmidt's east and a former trading partner. In the distant past a Zent created a country gate that functions as a teleportation circle, so that travelers wouldn't have to traverse the desert separating the countries. Apart from the highly coveted feystones, the Bosgeiz also imported large amounts of metal from the border duchy of Eisenreich.

A bit over 200 years ago, the Bosgeiz government managed to convince Aub Eisenreich to attempt to usurp the crown. This caused the Zent to close the country gate, and it has remained shut ever since.

Religion

Religion in Yurgenschmidt is based on worship and prayers to a pantheon of gods and goddesses.

• Gods and Subordinate Gods are the deities worshipped by the people of Yurgenschmidt.
• The Temple is the primary religious institution.
• Priests and Shrine Maidens comprise the hierarchical clergy.
• Religious Ceremonies form the cornerstone of Yurgenschmidt's calendar and mark milestones of life such as baptism and marriage.
• Blessings are a form of prayer and magic used by nobles.
• The Bible is the central religious text, and the original bible traditionally held by the king or queen is called Grutrissheit.

Despite the faith's many mythological and fantastical elements, the gods and goddesses of Yurgenschmidt have a concrete, measurable impact on everyday life and the natural world. Prayer and blessings are shown to influence not only magic, but also agriculture, governance, and strength in combat. As a result, while some are more or less devout, the people of Yurgenschmidt do not generally question the existence of the gods.

Religion is closely associated with the practice of magic by the nobility, since gods are invoked in magic circles, blessings, and spells. Mana also plays a key role in many religious ceremonies, such as Spring Prayer and the Dedication Ritual.

History

See History and Story Tab

Story

See History and Story Tab

Trivia

• As a result of Ehrenfest overtaking Immerdink, Rozemyne noticed that the dark green capes that used to gather in front of them were behind them during their second term.

Etymology

Name	Japanese	Romaji	Assumed Etymology	Assumed Translation	Comment
Ahrensbach	アーレンスバッハ	Aarensubahha	Ähre (DE) Bach (DE)	Ears of Corn Stream/Creek
Blumenfeld			Blume (DE) Feld (DE)	Flower Field
Dunkelfelger	ダンケルフェルガー	Dankeruferugaa	dunkel (DE)	dark
Ehrenfest	エーレンフェスト	Eerenfesuto	Ehre (DE) Feste (DE)	Honor Stronghold or Fortress; historically common ending of fortress names.
Hauchletzte			Hauch (DE) Letzte (DE)	Breath/Breeze/Whiff/Hint Last
Immerdink			immer (DE)	always
Jossbrenner			Brenner (DE)	Burner/Distiller
Kirschnereit			Kirsche (DE) or Kürschner (DE) reiten (DE)	Cherry or Furrier to ride
Klassenberg	クラッセンブルク		Klasse (DE) Berg (DE)	Class Mountain	While the duchy is consistently translated as Klassenberg in the English novels, the katakana actually resembles Klassenburg more, with Burg being the German word for Castle.
Lehmbruck			Lehm (DE) Bruck**	Clay Bruck is either the entire name, or part of the name of several villages in Germany and Austria.	Bruck comes from the Mittelniederdeutsch (one of the precursers to modern German) brōk or brūk, which meant a lowlying wooded area, broken through by water
Lindenthal			Linde (DE) Tal (DE)	Lime (tree) Valley
Neuhausen			Neu (DE) Haus (DE) or hausen (DE)	New House or to live	Neuhausen is the name or part of the name of many villages and cities in Germany, as well as a few in Austria and the Swiss
Yurgenschmidt	ユルゲンシュミット	Yurugenshumitto	Jürgen Schmidt or Schmied (DE)	Common German first name Common German last name/Smith

Additional References

• Cambridge Online Dictionary
• Namensforschung.net