Ascendance of a Bookworm - Chapter 128

Chapter 128

"Dad, please!"

"What's up?"

The fever was not gone, and I lay on the bed with my hands folded, begging my father who brought me water . I wrote some mirrored letters on the cut surface of the wood that I could just hold and asked him to carve a seal .

"What are you going to do?"

"Oh, test the oily pigments . "

" . . . Okay, but even if I'm done, I won't show you until you're healed . "
Two days later, I was finally able to get out of bed, but Lutz and my family began to discuss whether I could go out . Some people thought that if I went to the workshop today, I would be too excited, so it was better to observe my physical condition; some people thought that I would be excited to have a fever again anyway, it was better to let me go out .

"Um . . . I think . . . "

"Don't talk! You will definitely say you want to go out!"

After Tuuli said, everyone agreed, so although I was the one who caused their discussion, I couldn't express my opinion . Boredom led me into the storeroom to rummage, and finally found a piece of thin wood . When everyone was discussing in the kitchen, I nestled in the corner, wrapped this wood with rags and bamboo leaves, so as not to scratch the paper .

Great, baren was ready, and it should be useful for printmaking .

When the baren was done, my family also came to the conclusionthat my physical condition still needed to be observed today, and I would be allowed to go to the temple tomorrow .

Today I was full of energy! Bringing the seal my father made for me, soap, and old clothes that could be discarded directly after getting dirty, I was ready to go out .

"Lutz, I wish I can fly to the workshop!"

"I'm sure you do so . "

Lutz also seemed to be looking forward to making something new . I don't know if it was an illusion, but his eyes seemed to be sparkling .

"Tell me what to do . You can't do it yourself, right? Can you explain it to me first?"

Since the blue-robed trainee priestess could not actually work in the workshop, I began explaining the steps to Lutz .

"Don't be anxious when making the pigments, you need to batch a small amount so that you can mix more evenly . First, pour the soot on the marble table, then make a groove in the center with your fingertips, drip a bit of linseed oil into it, and stir with a spatula . If the oil is not enough, just drip one drop at a time . When the soot is stirred well, keep grinding with a grinding rod . "

As I explained, I measured the amount of soot and oil by hands, but Lutz frowned .

" . . . you said to 'keep grinding', how long does it last?"

"I'm not sure, it depends on the pigments . It took me twenty minutes before . . . well . . . it was about the same time as boiling the water in the soup pot . But people who grinded different pigments were not able to complete the work within this time . I think this is the difference . "

The pigments needed to be ground until it shone,even those who are motivated and patient would feel tired . After I compared grinding time to cooking time, Lutz's eyes widened in surprise .

" . . . You really did it in the past?"

"Because my previous strength was healthy and lively . People used to say that I was an energetic girl as long as I had a book . I even got the 'Library Attendance Award' because I went to the library every day . "

"But now there is no trace of health . "

I nodded hard . I couldn't help feeling again, if this body was not so weak, I could do more .

"Then I'll go to the workshop first . Maine, take your time . "

Lutz handed me over to Fran at the entrance of the temple and walked to the workshop at a brisk pace . As I had been in bed for several days, I went first to the Dean's Office . After greeting the attendants, I intended to go to the workshop .

"Master Maine, I don't know what you're going to make, but you should practice fespiel before going to the workshop . "

I could not wait to rush to the workshop immediately but was stopped by Rogina with a gentle smile on her face . Finally got the permission to go out, my mind was all about making pigments, but now I encountered an unexpected ambush!

"But Rogina . . . "

"For playing the fespiel, the most important thing is to practice every day . You have been resting for five days, in order to get the feel back, you should practice more than usual . Since you've had five days off, how about a fivefold increase in practice?"

With these words, Rogina's blue eyes lit up with delight .

She was serious .

Rogina really wanted to increase my practice amount fivefold . Just as I could enjoy reading books all day, Rogina was the kind of person who could survive with music .

I shook my head in a hurry .

"No! Please let me practice as usual! I will try my best!"

"So, let's begin . "

Rogina smiled and handed me the fespiel . I took it and started playing the first etude as a review . But as Rogina said, since I hadn't practice for five days, my fespiel skill, which was not great in the first place, had deteriorated further .

Now I couldn't start practicing the second etude at all! I broke out in a cold sweat and practiced hard until the third bell .

"You were very focused in practice today . "

After the third bell rang, Rogina praised me with a smile . Being praised by a beauty was always a joy . OK, this time I must go to the workshop! I just came up with this idea, Fran appeared and I was stopped again .

"Master Maine, you have been ill for several days, so the official duties of the Head Priest are stagnant . Besides, he is worried about you . Let's go to him together . "

Fran apparently would not budge . I was absent for five days, the Head Priest would definitely worry about me, but I really wanted to go to the workshop . If only I could leave the Head Priest's official duties out of the clouds, I just wanted to make oily pigments .

"Ah . . . Fran . . . "

"If you want to go to the workshop this afternoon, I will not stop you . "

"Do your best, Master Maine, to learn not to be upset under such circumstances . Moreover, there are many things you have to do even if you are not good at or willing to do . "

In front of Rogina, who was not good at calculations, there were a stack of bills that Fran had ordered to be calculated before noon, so I could not refute her advice, but bowed my head in dismay . It's too difficult for me to smile in this circumstance . Although I thought so, I still suppressed my bad mood and forced a stiff smile .

"Rogina was right . I see . I'll go to the Head Priest's Office . . . "

I walked dejectedly to the Head Priest's Office . It's not that I hated to help the Head Priest with his official duties, but I was too eager to go to the workshop today .

"Ah, you finally recovered! Maine, come here . "

When the Head Priest saw me, he immediately handed over the magic tool to prevent eavesdropping . I held it in my palm and heard the voice of the Head Priest .

"The grey-robed priests of the orphanage were all dispatched a few days ago . They cleaned the stove and chimney earlier than in previous years . What are you up to?"

"Please don't worry . I won't do anything out of line . I just want to make pigments suitable for writing on plant-made paper . They just helped me collect the soot, because that's what makes pigments . "

After listening to my reason, the Head Priest sighed with his hand against his forehead .

"I understand you're trying to make pigments . But be aware not to offend the Temple Chief by making too much noise . "

" . . . Okay . "

I hadn't seen anyone recently, so I forgot it completely, but there was indeed a troublesome figure here, the Temple Chief . But it seemed that no matter what I do, he would feel offended . Was I the only one who felt so?

After helping the Head Priest finish his official duties and lunch, I was finally able to head to the workshop . Lutz seemed to have expected that I would be stuck all morning, so he was directing everyone to make paper .

"You have been absent for five days, so you must have a lot of mess to clean up . You're so excited about making pigments, you just need these daily tasks to calm you down . "

" . . . I am completely calm . "

Neatly placed in the workshop were the soot collected by everyone, the linseed oil purchased by Benno, the lime purchased by Lutz, and three sets of tools .

"I heard that everyone helped collect soot, thank you very much . Today I plan to make pigments, but this job requires strength . So, with the exception of the adult grey-robed priests, everyone else can concentrate on making paper as usual . "

After expressing thanks and assigning tasks, we started making oily pigments .

"Lutz, please . "

Lutz took the lead . He must have memorized the steps I explained . He poured the soot on the marble table, made a groove in the center with his fingertips, dripped a bit of oil into it, and then started to stir with a spatula . With the memory of making oily pigments, I didn't think I would fail . Just because the materials are not so particular, the quality of the pigments may not be very good .