The following contains spoilers for Episode 5 of Ascendance of a Bookworm Season 3, “The Gift from the Blue-Robed Priest and Going Home,” now streaming onCrunchyroll.
This week’s episode isanother relaxing breatherafter the relatively action-packed events of the previous episode. Myne finishes up the Spring Prayer with no more issues, and she even gets to go home after having to stay at the cathedral for several months. Things seem to be progressing on the bookmaking front, and being with her family makes Myne happier than she’s been the last few months.
At the same time, it can’t be said that the danger is over. Sylvester has proven himself a reliable ally, but his true intentions remain concealed. Meanwhile, the nobles looking to take Myne for themselves continue to make moves under the surface, and while they have yet to make a move, it’s clear that danger is coming to Myne faster than she realizes.
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“The Gift From The Blue-Robed Priest And Going Home”
Myne and her entourage arrive back at the cathedral, having finally completed the Spring Prayer. Almost immediately after returning, Ferdinand calls in Myne and has her guide him and Sylvester around the orphanage and the workshop. Sylvester also requests to go to the forest that the orphans go to get materials. Myne shows them both the renewed orphanage and her personal workshop, as well as the card games and books she has made. While Sylvester speaks with Benno about something important, Myne shows Ferdinand a prototype version of the printing press, which is already working quite well. While Myne is ecstatic about the printing press’s development, Ferdinand seems concerned.
Afterward, Sylvester accompanies Myne and her orphans to the forest, where he catches a shure for the kids. As the day ends, Sylvester gives Myne a protective charm as a gift. He puts it around her neck and tells her to always wear it at all times. He tells her that if she is ever in trouble, then she has to touch her blood seal to the stone, and he’ll come running.
Ferdinand has Myne meet with him in his secret workshop. There, he notes that the printing press would revolutionize bookmaking in the land, and he worries that the various industries that are involved in the process would fail if it were to be publicized. Ferdinand asks how mass book printing changed the world she came from, and while Myne admits that a mass spread of books often spurred on revolutions, since this world requires the mana of nobles, it’s unlikely to have the same effect here. Ferdinand nevertheless chooses to err on the side of caution, and tells Myne to hold off on mass printing until she is adopted by Karstedt, so that she can rely on his protection as a noble.
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Ferdinand then tells Myne that she can finally go home, which raises her spirits considerably. Myne’s family come to pick her up, and theyhave a quiet but happy reunion at home. Soon, Myne’s mother goes into labor, and Myne tells Lutz that she will be absent from the church for a while, and to let them know. Lutz tells Fran that Myne will be celebrating with someone she knows in the lower town, and that he should avoid telling Delia about it. However, Delia overhears them talking while doing chores outside. The child is soon born and is a boy named Kamil. Since Myne will likely be gone before he gets much older, she resolves to make picture books for him.
As this is happening, Delia once again reports to Jenni, the attendant of the currently absent High Priest. Jenni casually asks about Rosina, and when Delia informs her that she is living happily as Myne’s attendant, a flash of malevolence appears on her face. Jenni tells Delia that a noble interested in young children will be visiting soon. Delia sees this as a chance to ingratiate herself with a noble who will take her away from the cathedral, but as soon as she is out of earshot, Jenni reveals that he is only interested in children with the Devouring.
A New Life, And A New Danger
Myne’s progress in her dream of making books is going well with the invention of the first printing press. However, here is the first time Myne is presented with the ramifications of her introducing modern inventions to achieve her desires. The printing press would bring books to the public, but it would not only attract the attention of nobles who are already after her knowledge but also had the potential to cause an upheaval in society. This is the first time that being adopted by Karstedt might seem appealing to Myne, as that would allow her to print freely without incurring the ire of the nobles. This is the first roadblock Myne is unable to overcome by sheer willpower, and it might not be the last.
In addition, while Delia may not have ill intentions toward Myne, her continued contact with the High Priest’s faction is clearly putting Myne in danger. This new visiting noble is clearly a threat, and while we have yet to see his face, it is clear that he is up to no good. It remains to be seen how exactly things will unfold, but Myne may be in the most danger that she has ever been since the series started.
However, it is not all bad news. Myne has reunited with her family and has even received a new little brother. In addition, whileSylvester initially seemed grating and obnoxious, it’s clear that he wants to be an ally to Myne, and he’s quite a strong one as well. However, will it be enough to dispel the dangers threatening Myne? Only time will tell.
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