Ascendance of a Bookworm - Chapter 123

Chapter 123

Proofread by Ruriko

"I don't think it's a problem for them to work in Maine's Workshop . As you said, they are making money and improving the environment of the orphanage . Merchants like Benno often get out of the temple, and go to the forest; I heard they have the chance to contact with the outside world, and are very happy . But in the temple, they just make a little contact with the outside world and do things according to the rules of the temple . It will be quite different if they really work outside the temple and act according to the rules there .

"That's right . "

I nod, and the Head Priest looks a little relieved for I can understand his analysis .

"Even if Benno can be a guardian, I still don't know him well . I don't know how to judge whether he is more reliable than those lower-class nobles who buy gray-robed priests for rough work . And I do not know whether a restaurant is an appropriate workplace for the priests, either . "

"Well, if you come to the tasting, you will see the environment and draw a conclusion . "

When I suggest it to the Head Priest with a smile, he shrugs his shoulders dully and shakes his head .

"I don't know what your plan is, but I can read through your face that it's not a good one . I hope you can learn how to hide your emotions . . . . Anyway, I will allow the merchants to enter Maine's Workshop, and allow them to increase their work . But I must forbid the priests from working outside the temple .

I have expected that my plan may be rejected, so I don’t feel so disappointed . I begin to think I just need to improve gradually, and maybe someday my advice will be accepted by the Head Priest .

" . . . I see . We still have some time to improve ourselves before we complete the restaurant . Mr . Benno can prove his personality to you by his hard work, Sir . "

"Isn't it your hard work?"

"Yes, it is . I will help with the restaurant’s matter to some extent, but meanwhile I have to work hard at a lot of other aspects . "

"I see . "

The Head Priest smiles, "The most important thing for you is to acquire noble behavior . "

. . . For me, the most important thing is to make a picture book for the baby .

"That's how the Head Priests rejected my proposal about letting gray-robed priests work outside . "

The day after I have the lunch with the Head Priest, I report the result to Mr . Benno at his store as usual . After talking about what I saw in the nobles' diet, I tell him that the Head Priest did not allow gray-robed priests to work outside .

"As expected," Mr . Benno also supposed so .

"Well, Maine . Because we are allowed to go to Maine's Workshop, why not open a waiter training center there?"

"Hmm, maybe it's the right time for earning money during the winter when we can't make paper . But I plan to let them do handwork . "

Winter is a season when we need lots of firewood and food . We can't find them in the forest, so we have to buy them . We cannot go out because of the heavy snow, so we can do some handwork to kill time, and more importantly, to earn some money .

"What do you want children at the orphanage to do?"

"We plan to make many toys . I would like to order a lot of planks from the woodwork workshop, but the workshop you know is busy with restaurant's interior decoration, right? Could you please introduce some other workshops?"

Besides, I wish Mr . Benno would think about the delay of the restaurant project . Although it is said to be normal here, I' cannot bear the fact that my plan is upset for it .

"Other workshop . . . "

"Because this is related to preparation of the orphanage for the winter, the delivery date is important . "

Benno is reluctant to introduce other workshops . But to be honest, it's also a problem to have my work delayed . Indeed, I need a workshop that can deliver the goods in time .

"If it's so difficult for you to introduce me in terms of relationships, is it ok to ask someone else for help?"

"You mean Frieda? No . " Mr . Benno said with his eyes wide open .

Of course, Frieda knows other workshops, just like Mr . Benno . But Mr . Benno rejects my proposal even before I speak out this name .

" . . . Well . Let me talk to the craftsman and ask him to introduce other workshops to you . "

"Well, then, I'd like an ink workshop first . I also need ink . It would be meaningless if I have boards only, without any ink . "

Ink, ink . . . As I demand with greater vehemence, Mr . Benno stands up after scratching his head several times . He suddenly holds me up, and strides out of the room .

“Mark, I will take Maine to the Ink Workshop and Woodwork Workshop . Lutz, come with us . "

"Yes, master . "

I go to an ink store, being held by Benno .

I check the price of the ink displayed on the shelf, and feel there is a long way to go before I can run a printing business for the over-high price of link .

"Are there any other inks?"

"They are not for sale here . If you really concern with, go to the workshop directly . "

I droop my head . Mr . Benno asks the clerk about the location of ink workshop . This time we are heading towards the artisan street .

When we get to the ink workshop of artisan street, a gust of miscellaneous smells rush towards us . Mr . Benno puts me down and I walk into the workshop myself .

" . . . A customer seldom comes here directly . Is there anything I can do for you?"

Only the wealthy people who can read and write need ink . So, they just order inks at shops, but not at the workshop . It seems that no customer comes to the workshop where the pungent smell like medicine’s is filling the air .

The boss of the workshop in his union suit stained with black paint and oil looks me up and down, with a suspicious face . Extracting the pigment and blending the ink is a delicate task . He looks like a sensitive man .

"Excuse me . I want to know the types of ink made here . "

"Types?"

Hearing my question, the boss stares at me with a deeper frown .

"Yes . How do you make it?"

"I cannot tell our method to others, girl . "

The boss gives a snort . As he is about to finish the talk, I hurry to explain,

"I don't mean to know the method . . . I want to know the type of ink . Is it Gallnut ink? or Lamp Black? Do you make the one with high viscosity . . . ? I want to know that . "

" . . . Ha? What?"

Since I don't know the name of the ink type in this world, the boss doesn’t seem to understand me at all . I try desperately thinking all the words I know about the type of ink, in an effort to get the ink-related information from my memory .

"Hmm, how many types do you handle here?"

"Ink is ink . There is only one type . "

The boss shrugs his shoulders, gesturing for me not to ask so childish a question .

"Well then, I have known the brief methods . So please tell us what kind of ink you make . "

"Ahh . "

He closes eyes, looks annoyed and then nods slightly .