Non-BL Reading List (BG novels, Non-Romance)

42. Ascendance of a Bookworm

Translator: Flying Lines

Chapters: 20 (LN); 677 (WN)

Status: currently reading Volume 4 (LN), Part VI, Chapter 278 (WN)

Tags: reincarnated in another world, sickly MC, family bonds, business, nobles society, magic

Synopsis:

A bookworm who had finally found a job as a librarian at a university was sadly killed shortly after graduating from college.

She was reborn as Myne, the daughter of a soldier in a world where the literacy rate is low and books were scarce. No matter how much she wanted to read, there were no books around. What is a bookworm to do without any books? Make them, of course.

Her goal is to become a librarian! So that she may once again live surrounded by books, she must start by making them herself.

Impressions: I was reading the light novel but I went ahead and MTLd the webnovel cos am curious what happens next.

So our MC is a bookworm in Japan, she got reincarnated into a child's body in another world after she died. Her new body is very sickly, their family is poor(?), food and hygiene are lacking, but its okay! as long as she has a book, she can endure anything! Problem is there are no books T_T Rather, they're all handwritten one by one so they're super expensive (even ink is super expensive) MC is a soldier's daughter / commoner so she can't afford it.

So she has to start from scratch, making stone tablets, wooden boards, faux papyrus but they all failed  for various reasons. Finally, she struck a deal with a merchant so she can start making proper paper. Next is MC coming up with different inventions and recipes etc. that she caught the eye of other merchants. She finds out what disease she has, which is having mana but no way to use it so it just accumulates on her body. MC makes up her mind to stay in her family and die with them rather than signing a subordinate contract with a noble and be their slave for life.

Then MC finds out about the temple! And the temple has a library!  So she offers to enter one. This is the beginning of her involvement to noble society, I guess. She can use the magic tools inside the temple to release mana so she won't have to die, but she'll also be serving as a priestess. MC is made aware of difference bet. nobles & commoners when it comes to treatment/mindset etc. Laters, she caught the eye of the Lord of their territory and became his adopted daughter.

Commoner MC has to 'die' to change her identity. She had to sign a magic contract with her family that they can never call/treat each other as family again, then MC dives into noble society making printed books (finally!) etc. Some politics/intrigue on nobles and MC is put into danger and she had to sleep for 2 years and when she woke up, everything has change... and she now has to attend noble school. This is the part where I stopped. It's a bit too long... so decided to read some BL as a change of pace before I get back to this.

Our MC has a one track mind, her head is just full of books, books, books, BOOOKS.... The story may have many arcs, twist and turns but her goal is ultimately still making books. I love her bond with her family. They were so sweet and caring to each other. And her Dad risks his life many times to protect MC. When they had to separate and sign a magic contract, it was very touching ╥﹏╥ Laters, they would sneakily see each other, like when MC is holding a ceremony at the temple, her family would stand outside the door so when the door is briefly opened after the ceremony, they can see each other for a little bit

About the ML, sigh, (WARNING: MAJOR(!?) SPOILER AHEAD) well, this doesn't have a lot of romance anyway, but sighhhhh, MC has a childhood friend that has been with her since forever (since her commoner days), and when she's scared or in danger, she calls for him. She can also unreservedly act like herself around him and I thought he would be the ML but he's not!! (╥_╥), This is why spoilers are badbadbadbad. I went ahead and read the last chapter cos 600+ chaps was a bit challenging and finds out that MC was engaged to a different guy and childhood friend as well to a different girl. And here I thought, they would overcome status barriers and get together. I guess in the 400 chaps I skipped, MC maybe... developed her feelings for the ML. Also don't know how childhood friend ended up giving up on MC. :((( So my motivation is a bit low to start rereading it again (Argh!!!! Why did I have to read the last chap!!!!????) but I'll read it from time to time cos am curious about MC's school life.

The anime adaptation for this started airing this season. And siiiigghhhh... why isn't childhood friend the ML!??? Hahahhaa... Sorry for the spoiler.