Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! Part 4: Founder of the Royal Academy’s So-Called Library Committee, Vol. 1 by Miya Kazuki, You Shiina
Series Name: Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! (Light Novel)
Genres: Fantasy, Isekai, Magic
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: J-Novel Club
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 9781718356122
Rating: 4/5
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Description from the Book
Rozemyne awakens from her slumber to a world not as she remembers it. Unease stirs her heart, but she has no time to rest—she is soon to be enrolled in the Royal Academy as an archduke candidate. There, she’ll need to master controlling her mana, creating magic tools, and performing the magic necessary to rule as an archduke. Rozemyne has to handle eccentric teachers and students from other duchies, all the while aiming to be the best big sister she can be. With a massive library on the premises, however, there is little chance things will go according to plan. She feverishly delves into its collection, forgetting all about the other archduke candidates and even the royal family. She truly will do anything for books! So begin Rozemyne’s student days in this biblio-fantasy! This volume also includes the results of the series’ second popularity poll, two original short stories, and four-panel manga by You Shiina.
Personal & Info
I can’t believe I waited so long to circle back around to this series. It’s been more than two months since I read a volume. This series is a comfort read for me, and it’s currently one of my favorite things to the point I’m already looking forward to a series reread.
Part 4 has a total of nine volumes.
The second fanbook can be read following this volume. If you haven’t checked out the fanbooks and want more Ascendance content, I highly recommend them. A review for the second fanbook should be up soon. Fanbook 1 already has a review available, if you want some insight into the contents.
Characters
The cast of characters keeps getting larger and larger. To cut down on space, I’m only going to list the people who actually appear, and leave out the ones who only get mentions.
The Archduke’s Family
Rozemyne, is the main character. Now that her Devouring is under control, she mostly just suffers from poor health and low stamina. Her memories of her past life, and her upbringing as a commoner with merchant experience, give her unique ideas and perspectives unlike anyone else in Ehrenfest.
High Priest Ferdinand is Rozemyne’s guardian, and the illegitimate younger brother of the archduke. He is a workaholic who handles the majority of the work that keeps the temple running, and must also occasionally assist the Knight’s Order, as well as assist the archduke whenever there is a request.
Sylvester is the eccentric archduke of Ehrenfest and Rozemyne’s adoptive father.
Florencia is Sylvester’s wife, Rozemyne’s adoptive mother, and mother to Sylvester’s three children.
Wilfried is Sylvester’s oldest son and Rozemyne’s older brother. They are in the same grade at the Royal Academy.
Charlotte is Sylvester’s daughter and Rozemyne’s younger sister. She will be attending the Royal Academy next year.
Karstedt is the captain of Ehrenfest’s Knight’s Order. He’s also Ferdinand and Sylvester’s cousin, as well as Rozemyne’s noble father.
Elvira is Karstedt’s first wife and Rozemyne’s noble mother.
Bonifatius is Sylvester’s uncle, Karstedt’s father, and Rozemyne’s grandfather. He covers for Sylvester while he is away at archduke meetings. Bonifatius absolutely adores Rozemyne and usually stays away from her for her safety. He loves cute things, but will never admit to it.
Rozemyne’s Retainers
Rihyarda is Rozemyne’s head attendant in the Noble’s Quarter and Royal Academy. She is an archnoble who previously took care of Ferdinand, Karstedt, and Sylvester when they were children.
Ottilie is one of Rozemyne’s attendants at the castle. She is an archnoble and friends with Elvira. Hartmut is her son.
Angelica is a sixth-year apprentice medknight serving as Rozemyne’s guard. She hates studying and wants other people to think for her.
Cornelius is Karstedt’s third son and Rozemyne’s noble brother. He is a fifth-year apprentice archknight serving as Rozemyne’s guard while she is in the Noble’s Quarter and the Royal Academy.
Lieseleta is Angelica’s younger sister. She is a fourth-year apprentice medattendant who likes cute things.
Brunhilde is a third-year apprentice archattendant. She loves starting and keeping up with fashion trends.
Hartmut is Otttilie’s son, and an apprentice fifth-year archscholar. He is dedicated to spreading Rozemyne’s reputation as the Saint of Ehrenfest.
Philine is a first-year apprentice layscholar. She is determined to gather stories for Rozemyne.
Leonore is a fourth-year apprentice archknight. Part of her job as Rozemyne’s retainer is to help teach Traugott and Judithe.
Traugott is Rihyarda and Bonifatius’ grandson. He is a third-year apprentice archknight.
Judithe is a second-year apprentice medknight who admires Angelica.
Rozemyne’s Personnel
Rosina is Rozemyne’s personal musician.
Royal Academy Professors
Hirschur is the Ehrenfest’s dorm supervisor. She previously taught Ferdinand, and they share several mannerisms and personality traits. She teaches and assists with mana control classes.
Primevere is the Klassenberg’s dorm supervisor.
Rauffen is Dunkelfelger’s dorm supervisor. Rozemyne identifies him as a loud gym teacher stereotype.
Fraularm is Ahrensbach’s dorm supervisor. She teaches the highbeast class.
Solange is a mednoble and the Royal Academy’s librarian.
Royal Academy Students
Roderick is an apprentice medscholar from Ehrenfest. His family is part of the former Veronica faction, and he was involved in getting Wilfried into trouble in Part 3.
Anastasius is the Sovereignty’s second prince. He is a senior, so Rozemyne will only be at risk of dealing with him for one year.
Detlinde is Georgine’s daughter, Wilfried’s cousin, and an archduke candidate from Ahrensbach.
Rudiger is an archduke candidate from Frenbeltag, and Wilfried’s cousin.
Royal Academy Miscellany
Schwartz and Weiss are magic tools for the library in the shape of bipedal shumils, which look like rabbits.
Other Nobles
Oswald is Wilfried’s head attendant who accompanies him to the Royal Academy.
Moritz is Wilfried’s teacher in the castle and an archnoble. Part of his responsibilities include managing the winter playroom.
Temple Attendants
Fran is Rozemyne’s head attendant. He is in charge of managing the High Bishop’s chambers.
Zahm helps manage the High Bishop’s chambers. Like Fran, he was trained by Ferdinand.
Monika is a cook who helps in the High Bishop’s chambers.
Gil is in charge of the orphanage workshop along with Fritz.
Nicola is a cook who helps in the High Bishop’s chambers. Her real passion is cooking.
Wilma is in charge of running the orphanage. She also draws any art necessary for the workshop projects.
Lower City Merchants
Benno is in charge of the Plantin Company. He assists and advises Rozemyne in her merchant endeavors.
Lutz is a leherl apprentice. He helps make sure the Rozemyne workshop is in order and acts as a go-between for scheduling merchant relevant visitors. Lutz also helps the workers at the orphanage understand how to use and make the things Rozemyne thinks up
Corinna is Benno’s younger sister. She is the head seamstress of the Gilberta Company.
Lower City Family
Gunther is Myne’s father. He works as a soldier and guards the city’s East Gate, which gets the most traffic.
Effa is Myne’s mother.
Tuuli is Myne’s older sister, who now works at the Gilberta Company with Corinna.
Kamil is Myne’s younger brother, now almost four years old.
Story & Thoughts
The first hundred pages feels like a recap, because if you read Part 3 Volume 5, you already know everything they are discussing. The previous volume bonus stories cover the important events during the time Rozemyne is asleep. This chunk of content is restated as an explanation to Rozemyne for everything she missed. As a web novel, this would be the first time we learn any of this, but since the bonus stories are new to the light novels, it feels like a recap.
This volume is a little longer than usual, so the recap content doesn’t take away from it too much. Once the plot gets moving, Rozemyne must prepare for, and attend, the Royal Academy. The book focuses on her adjusting to life at the Academy and laying out her goals for the school term. Of course, her main goal is to be able to go to the library. People put conditions in place to restrict her access, so she does what is expected and blazes forward to clear her task list.
It definitely feels like an introductory volume, which makes sense, since it’s the first in Part 4. The start feels a bit slow, but once things get going, it’s interesting to see how the school operates. I suspect there’s something extra special about the room where she finds her Divine Will. I’ll be surprised if nothing else about that comes up later. The library isn’t in this one much, but it probably will be in the others a lot more, since this one focuses on Rozemyne doing everything she is told to get done.
I like seeing the practical classes. The teachers are eccentric, but but the fact she is actually learning magic now makes the story feel more fantasy than it has been.
I wasn’t expecting Georgine’s daughter to be at school. Nothing good could possibly come of that. The impending political drama gives me a feeling of anticipation. Rozemyne is drawing so much attention to herself and she doesn’t even care. As usual, I can’t wait to read more and see what happens. It’s hard to believe I went a few months without reading any volumes. This series is so addicting.
A Productive Earthday
This bonus story is in Lieseleta’s perspective. It takes place on the day Rozemyne must stay in bed to absorb her Divine Will. We learn a bit more about Lieseleta’s relationship with Angelica and her family. In order to affordably be Rozemyne’s retainers, they choose to share a room, and both only have one attendant each.
What I take away from this story is that Rozemyne makes it a difficult job to be one of her retainers. They essentially have to follow her lead in order to meet her needs. Rozemyne wants to ace all her exams quickly to be able to go to the library, but she’s not supposed to go places without her retainers. In order to have them with her, they have to pass their own exams almost as quickly as she does her own. The fact she has so many makes it more likely someone will be available for anything she needs, but they still have to account for everything she wants to do and plan their own time entirely around it, even if it’s unfair or difficult.
It certainly seems like not just anyone would be able to meet the requirements for the job. Most of the people Rozemyne chose for her retainers were recommended to her, so i’m sure her family made sure they would be capable enough to do the job. There are some exceptions of course, but they seem to like Rozemyne enough to work harder for her, not that they have much choice with their family reputations on the line if they fail.
Myne Awakes
This is Effa’s perspective on the day Lutz sees Rozemyne after she awakes. It covers how Myne’s family has been feeling and dealing with the knowledge of her long sleep. Kamil is almost four, so it’s a little strange to see him walking and talking after he was just a baby not long ago.
It’s tragic that they can’t tell Kamil about his sister. I think Tuuli is right in regards to all of this, though. Kamil doesn’t associate with nobles in any way, and likely won’t for a really long time, if at all, so he can’t possibly understand the danger associated with the situation. Plus, he’s still very young, and children aren’t the best at keeping secrets. It would probably break Rozemyne’s heart to find out Kamil doesn’t know who she is, but she’d likely understand.
When Lutz met Rozemyne after she woke up, she gave him a letter for her lower city family. That note makes no appearance in this story. I don’t know if it was forgotten or if it will get a mention in a later volume. I thought for sure he would give it to them during this visit.