Ascendance of a Bookworm Chapter 111

Dispute Between Delia and Rosina

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I need some boards for wood engraving . So I go to tell Mr . Benno to order 10 boards .

"Good morning! Mr . Benno . "

"What gets you here this time?"

I go there in high spirits, but meet such doubtful eyes . However, I'm excited by the thought of making books . So I don't care of his attitude, and raise my hand .

"I'm going to make books with woodcuts . "

"Woodcut?"

"Yes . When we carve the wood, marks will be left, right? If I wet it with ink and press it on the paper, then the bulges, wetted by the ink, can print letters or pictures on paper .

I take out a stone board, and draw a cross section of the wood on it . Then I draw a line representing ink over the cross section, and a line representing paper over the ink line . Mr . Benno frowns while looking at the stone board .

"… I know what you mean, but the ink is too expensive, right? How much ink do you need?"

I go pale on hearing Mr . Benno's words .

A small bottle of ink costs four silver coins . Though paper is cheaper than parchment, it still costs too much . I'm excited by the thought of making books, but I neglect an important thing – considering the high cost, it's impossible to make so many books . At the best, I may make some printed paper for children, instead of textbooks .

"I haven't considered the cost . "

"Foolish! Is there any merchant who does not count the cost?!"

"… Look, I am an apprentice priestess instead of a merchant . "

I murmur . He pinches my cheek . He doesn't even make allowance for a little girl .

"Hurt! hurt!"

"Noisy child . "

I think Mr . Benno often acts like a child . I stroke my cheek when he finally he loosens his pinch, and ask him to introduce me to the ink workshop .

"I have to consider both quantity and cost . Please introduce a good ink workshop to me . "

"Ok, I see . "

"… In the worst case, we have to make ink by ourselves from the first step . Because I'm not sure whether there will be suitable ink for printing …"

There seems to be a long way to go before making a book . My excitement vanishes with a sigh .

"You also know how to make ink?"

"… I know the method . Let's make it and the paper . We did not have the materials prepared before . Now I think I am able to prepare them one by one . Besides, I have so many partners . . . We might make some mistakes in allocating the proportion of the materials . But if we have enough time, I think it manageable . "

"Well…"

When I'm leaving the workshop, Mark comes to tell me that he has given Lutz the cardboard for the orphanage .

Then I sign the receipt, and take the cardboard to the temple . Because I need to give it to Wilma and let her draw the pictures . I go there not only to ask her for pictures, but also see her smile, a saint-like smile which can always comfort me .

When I arrived at the temple, Gil is waiting by the gate . Fran is not there . Recently Gil always goes to Maine's Workshop, and seldom come here .

Gil seems relieved when he sees me .

"Good morning, Miss Maine . "

"Good morning, Gil . It has been a long time since I met you here last time . What brings you here?"

"… From now on I will come here often . Delia is waiting for you fretfully . "

He says, shrugging his shoulders . Hearing this, I feel as if the air around me has stopped .

"Though Fran is pacifying her, I'm still afraid when she will lost control . She just keeps complaining . "

"… What happened?"

"The new attendant named … Rosina, right? She is a little troublesome," Gil sighs tiredly .

Yesterday, we went to the forest . What happened to Delia and Rosina? It's a little like when one buys a new pet, it is necessary to care for the old one . They may fight for the space possession .

I haven't fed any pet, and just learn only a little from books . While I walk to my room, I begin to think about an appropriate way to deal with it .

Gil opens the door for me as usual . The beautiful sound of Fespiel comes out of the room .

… The two of them are just like cats, instead of tame dogs . For example, Delia's attitude changes according to the surrounding situation, just like a tortoiseshell . Rosina is quiet and virtuous . Can you feel that?

Well, thinking of these questions, I go upstairs . Delia does not rush out before I enter the room . There is even no sign of a quarrel inside, so I'm completely off-guard .

On the second floor, Delia flies into a rage suddenly .

"Nuisance––!"

"What?"

"What's wrong with you? Rosina!"

Delia lets out a loud "Nuisance!" when we see each other . I'm surprised and thinking, "What's wrong with Delia?" I look around the room . Rosina still sits in the chair, playing the Fespiel, and doesn't cares about the "What!" .

"… Good morning, Delia . Excuse me . I don't understand . Can you explain?"

"Rosina almost does nothing at all!"

Pointing at Rosina, Delia bursts out the word "Nuisance!" again . I glance at Rosina . She is still looking at the Fespiel .

"Good morning, Rosina . "

"… Miss Maine, good morning . It's a good day today, right? It's sunny and cool . "

As she says so, she finally stops playing Fespiel and looks at me . Rosina acts as if she has not seen Delia . So, I understand they are angry with each other .

"Rosina, Delia seems angry . Why don't you do your work?"

"Well, she is smearing my good name by telling others that I don't do my work . Aren't I practicing the Fespiel?"

Rosina says, tilting her head to one side in a gentle manner . Delia clenches her teeth while taking out the blue robe, saying,

"Have you done anything other than practicing your Fespiel?"

"Because I'm an attendant of Miss Maine, I do it for sure . "

"What ----!  Miss Maine, this is all that Rosina can say . It's ridiculous . She even doesn't listen to Fran! Please do something!

Chapter end