Ascendance of a Bookworm

"Touri, what do you mean? What happened to you? Is Rutz okay?

As I lay down in bed with Baba, I asked him early in the arrow, and Touri gave me the look of failure. Frowning like trouble, stroking my head again and again.

"I'm sorry, Mine. I had to tell you after the fever went down...... Mine shouldn't get excited. The fever's going up again."

"Touri, tell me"

When I shook Touri's hand and asked him to tell me over and over again, Touri sighed as if he had no choice.

"... I'll get Ralph, Mine's asleep. Okay?"

When I nodded, Thuri turned herself over and left the room. The doors of the front door open and close, the sound of locking, and the footsteps of the touri become smaller. I was listening with my ears clear as I lay down in bed with it.

I began to hear mild footsteps approaching me as I waited for Touri's return in a twitchy mood for him to come back soon. The front door is unlocked and the door opens and closes.

"... Ralph, where's Lutz?

Ralph, who was brought to Touri, sighed when he saw my situation, where the fever was not down and he could not move out of bed.

"I thought Mine was hiding it..."

"I told you earlier, didn't I? Mine has been sleeping for three days now. There's no way you know about Lutz, who jumped out of the house last evening."

Pumped and outraged, Thuri says. "I'm sorry I doubted you," Ralph turned to me, apologizing to Touri.

"Yesterday, when I came back, Lutz yelled at my father. Why are you interrupting me? That. I've been patient, but I'm leaving this house already! With great momentum and face."

Ralph's words showed what caused Rutz to run away from home. I'm sure Benno asked me why I can't take you to the extra city. So I was just a little relieved. Maybe Lutz should be protected at Benno's. Even if it wasn't an immediate adoption, he would be treating me as if it were equivalent.

"My mother's a dick, but my dad's gonna be home soon anyway, so leave me alone, I'm telling you. I thought we'd be back when we were hungry, too, but we wouldn't be back in the morning or noon, so I'm just worried. Mine, do you have any idea where Lutz is?

When I heard Ralph's words, my anxiety pressed against my chest. By the way, Benno, if you were protected, you'd be doing your job. You can't possibly not know where Lutz is.

"He said he doesn't know where he is... Lutz, he hasn't even gone to work?

"That's... I don't know where he works..."

Makes Ralph wander his gaze like he's in trouble with my question.

I didn't immediately understand the word that I didn't know where I worked. It's about February and a half since the baptism ceremony, but the Gilberta Chamber of Commerce has been in and out of the store since before he became an apprentice, so Lutz has already been involved for nearly a year.

"I don't know, why? Gilberta Chamber of Commerce, right?

"... I've got a name. You've been in Zeke's workshop before, haven't you? But Zeke doesn't know where the store is either."

"If Lutz and I hadn't gone to Sieg's workshop... could it have remained unknown?

Ralph turns away uncomfortably from my words, which I have confirmed terribly. Touri said to Ralph like that, "I can't believe it!" He raised his voice.

"Hey, Ralph! You don't even know where your brothers work? We're gonna talk about the workplace together, right?

Wouldn't this be a little terrible, though I don't think the same brothers have the same mouth count and speaking content between women and men? I don't know if it feels like I'm indifferent to them or if I'm willing to ask them, but it would be a problem if I ran away from home and couldn't find them.

I reach out to Ralph and grab the hem of my clothes.

"... Hey, Ralph. It might be an extra favor, but I need you to talk to Lutz a little bit more."

"Lutz won't talk. By and large, I'm the one who's patient. How much my family disagreed with me, Rutz got the job he wanted to do, and even on his day off, he doesn't go to the woods to collect whatever he wants. What the hell is Lutz putting up with?

When he shook my hand away, Ralph opened his eyes diligently and yelled.

"Ralph, don't be abusive to Mine! The fever hasn't gone down!

"Wow, bad..."

I follow Lutz when I feel like I'm swinging my holiday lutz, thinking that the shout sounds like a cancer to my head.

"Lutz going out on his day off is work, though? When Mr. Benno calls you in, and I'm swinging around, your salary's out, right? I'm not playing anything else."

There really seemed to be no conversation between the brothers, and Ralph shook his head gently after keeping an eye on him as a little surprised.

"... I don't know that."

Because of little conversation, Ralph is worried about Rutz, who seems to be screwed, but doesn't return. There is no mistake in that. And it's not me who has to talk to Ralph, it's Lutz.

"Touri."

I looked up at Touri. Touri has been there to buy clothes with him, so he started Benno and met several of his employees face-to-face. It would be better than Ralph suddenly getting in alone.

"Take Ralph to the Gilberta Chamber of Commerce. If Rutz seems fine, I don't have to take him home, so I just want him to make sure he's okay. Please."

"I'm worried about Lutz, too, that's fine. Let's go, Ralph"

Ralph, trying to leave the bedroom with Thuri pulling his hand, looked back once and for all to care about how I was doing. I looked at this one worryingly. I'll just give Ralph a powerless grin back.

Ralph has been a good looking after brother for a long time, and even though he still thinks Lutz can do whatever he wants, he's worried.

Even though neither Rutz nor Ralph are bad at the fundamentals, their brothers are totally screwed. I closed my eyes, hoping that Ralph and Rutz, who went to see how things were going, could face each other properly and talk.

When I woke up, I was hanging out at dusk. I wake up when the dazzling light that shoots my eyes stretches straight out of the window and hits my face.

Touri already seemed to be back from the store, and the sound of preparing dinner was in the kitchen. I was thirsty, so as I grabbed the wooden cup and moistened my throat, I felt signs of movement, and Touri looked up from across the open door.

"Mine, are you awake? You think you can eat it?

And when I get up, even if I snort, Thuri brings the bread porridge to bed. While I was eating in the first place, Thuri told me what happened after I went to the store.

"There was Lutz at the store, and he was doing his job right. She seemed fine."

"Oh well. Good."

I stroke my chest down that after I left the house I was involved in a case, that Benno wasn't protecting me and I had no place to be, and that was the worst thing that happened.

"Ralph, who found Lutz, tried so hard to bring him back that he was just leaving, but don't interrupt me while I'm at work, and Lutz told me. Looks like you got blood on your head up to Ralph. After the bickering, take it easy! I yelled and left the store.... Ralph's father says to leave him alone more than he's at work."

The little crack that was in Rutz's family is irrevocably cracked, and he seems to be being shown to go broken, making his heart feel tight.

"I know you're worried, but if Mine doesn't get better soon, you can't even go check on him, okay?

"... yeah"

The next day, it wasn't Lutz who picked me up, it was Gil. They asked Lutz to go instead for a while. He came because of me, but the fever hasn't dropped yet, so I can't go to the temple.

Seeing me asleep in bed, Gil peeks worryingly.

"Master Mine, you still haven't lost your fever?

"Yeah. I'll see how things go the day after I step back, so will you come back in three days?

Gil, who nodded apprehensively, knelt on my pillow, and took my right hand, and put his face close as if to mouth the armor. It was Gil's forehead that hit Kotsun and my back, and prayer complains emerge as it flows.

"May Master Mine have the blessing of Lungshmer, the goddess of healing"

"Thank you. May Gil also have God's blessing"

Gill, who went home with a face that pulled her hair behind her, picked me up three days later, as promised.

My fever dropped and my family gave me permission to go out, so I'm leaving the house with Gil. The lack of Lutz feels kind of weird and restless.

Going down the stairs and out of the building, I saw Aunt Carla, Lutz's mother, doing laundry in the well square. Running over with patties, I ask.

"Aunt Carla, is Lutz here yet?

Aunt Carla shook her head silently. It was good width, chatty, no compelling, happy aunt appearance, and it looked like she was done and tired.

"Mine... don't you know how Lutz is?

"I heard from Ralph and Tulli, because I, I've been sleeping with heat. I was going to go to the store today to see how Lutz is..."

"Yes. So, how are you, will you let me know?

"Yeah, okay"

I wish I had gone to see for myself then, but I accepted, and I went out of the square with Gil.

"Gil, I want to see how Lutz is doing, so why don't you stop by the store?

"If Master Mine wants to go, fine. Even that aunt doesn't have to worry so much. You don't have to be a parent to live. There are no parents in the orphanage."

"... right"

When I first stepped into the orphanage, I swallowed the words that there were children who could not live. Because the orphanage kids who live without their parents didn't have to think, "I'm fine without them," because they felt like they couldn't live.

When I arrive at the Gilberta Chamber of Commerce, Marc greets me with a nicely smiled face. Behind it was Lutz, writing something on the bookboard.

"Good morning, Mine. Are you feeling well now?

"Good morning, Mr. Marc. The fever is finally down. I heard Rutz ran away from home..."

"Please tell me that story in the back. In the last few days, Lutz officials have been disturbing the store and the employees are a little concerned."

Marc blocked the words with a gentle smile. Apparently, besides Ralph, he came to the store and tried to bring Lutz back.

The image would not be good if the quality and luxury of the aristocratic opponent came to the store of the sale and the poor, who cared nothing about their shape, made a scene day after day. As it is, Lutz's position in the store is not good either. I whispered and nodded.

"Sir, Mine wants to talk to Lutz, so I'll let you in here."

"... this isn't a talking room, or a consultation room?

"Yes, sir."

I'm laughing, but Benno admitted to the sigh mix in the form of being pushed by an atmospheric marc who wouldn't let me say yes or no.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Benno. I could have gone outside..."

"No, talk inside. Lutz's mother came to us last night, not at the store, and she yelled at me for treating me like a kidnapper. Marc ran out and drove him back."

"Excuse me, sir"

Imagine being yelled at with Aunt Carla's usual force, and I was slackened. Shortly afterwards, he is wary of the word that Marc is broken. What the hell happened to being able to drive Aunt Carla back? Maybe Marc's anger was the reason people were tired and screwed like they changed.

Feeling better not to ask for details, I turned to Lutz.

"How's Lutz doing now? Are you at Mr. Benno's?

"How do you live in the attic where you keep your stuff? So I didn't know my mother was here until this morning..."

Apparently, Aunt Carla was driven away by Marc without seeing Lutz. I feel complicated knowing why you wanted me to see how things were going.

"... what? Attic?"

"'Cause, you know, I got nowhere else to go, right?

Lutz said he lives in the attic where he kept it. That's exactly the same treatment as a resident apprentice. I thought you said you were thinking of adopting. It would be that Benno is not giving any assistance.

"What do you mean, Mr. Benno!? Didn't you adopt Lutz?!?

"... am I my husband's adopted son? What's that supposed to mean?

From the bewildered look of Lutz, Benno doesn't seem to have told Lutz anything.

When I glanced up at Benno, Benno also looked down at me with angry eyes and said, "You idiot!," he thundered.

"Even if you want to adopt me, there's no way you can get along on your own without parental permission! This is the path Lutz chose as a result of explaining the situation to Lutz. How many times do I have to tell you to stop saying things without thinking!? In a situation where you can't get permission from your parents, let them talk about your adopted son!

"... ah"

Shit, even if I hold my mouth, it's too late.

Lutz's eyes glowed dark. Since I ran away from home, I guess the harshness of living alone is on the verge of hissing. Lutz's eyes, which were always positive, are rough, as he found someone pointing the spearhead of dissatisfaction.

"Maybe Mine knew?

"I talked. To get information about your environment and your parents."

"Sir..."

Lutz's eyes shake slightly at Benno's words. Lutz looked at me with his lost eyes searching for his place.

"But then... if you know, why didn't you tell me?

"Because I thought Lutz would pop out like this. Because I thought I'd turn my back on my family. I didn't want to break Rutz's family because my family was important."

I didn't want to do anything that would break Rutz's family, but still, if I was uncomfortable in the house and Mr. Benno would accept Rutz... if he would adopt me, I thought I could do what Rutz wanted.

With Benno, I thought it couldn't be the kind of situation I would endure in a harsh environment until I became a living apprentice and an adult who could move freely on his own without interference from his parents.

In reality, however, Lutz is supposed to pop out of the house, not be able to adopt without parental permission, and spend time in the attic as a living apprentice. I guess life alone for a child is tough even in just about 5 days, Rutz's eyes were darkening.

"Mine says I'm bad, too? I'm sorry I popped up..."

Maybe the family I brought back said the same thing about Ralph. I asked Touri that Ralph had said things like, "Come home without saying anything to me," "Don't do anything unsolicited," "You're the one who's bothering the store," and "I'd already care."

If Lutz apologizes and goes home, he should be able to live the same life again as before. "Look, look. I knew I couldn't live in an apprenticeship," my family told me, "and I was the one who did it. I can live with dissatisfaction in my chest that I have no choice but to endure.

I didn't want to see Lutz like that, so I immediately denied it.

"I'm not saying Lutz is bad. There's no way you're gonna tell me, is there? I know how hard Rutz has worked. I know I've put up with a lot."

"Oh well..."

Lutz exhaled small as he was horrified. Peek into the jade-like eyes of such Lutz, and stare, and I will continue.

"Whatever happens to me, I'm on Lutz's side. I'm here now because Lutz told me I could stay here as I am."

I also have the experience of feeling like I don't have a real ally around me, so I became stuck in my shell. It was Lutz who connected me by saying, "You're fine with my mine," feeling anxious and without a place to stay, even if I wasn't comfortable living. I hope Lutz feels just a little of the relief I felt then.

"So I will tell Lutz, too. Lutz just have to stay lutz. I will definitely be there for you. Just as Lutz helped me, so I will do everything I can to help Lutz, so lean back in the hard times."

Emerald eyes moistened and a lutz with a crying face hugged me.

"Ha ha... I don't depend. You're on my side. Mine's going to crumble better when I lean in."

I pound and gently slap Lutz on the back with a muffled swell as he nearly squashes me by his tearful Lutz.

"... I can help you a little bit."

"For example?"

I can hear you sniffing all the time in my ear. Still, I feel Lutz's voice is much brighter.

"Like having lunch with you...? The attic doesn't have a cooking alley, so you can't cook rice, can you?

"... eat with me, make it, not mine."

"That's very helpful, isn't it, Lord Mine?

Lutz laughed and looked up. reassures me that my usual positive smile is back. It might have helped Lutz a bit.

"... hey, enough?

Benno, with his cheekstick on the desk, called out with a very disgusting face. I lean my neck with Lutz's back pumped.

"... okay, what is it?

"No, if you're ready, get back to work"

Rutz rushes away from me and leaves the room to Benno's words, waving, just scattered.

I also greeted him and tried to spare him, opening his mouth as he looked at the door where Lutz had left.

"Mine, I agree you want to do something about Lutz's environment soon, but the adoption thing doesn't seem like there's much more to discuss when you think about yesterday's mother's sword screen"

Benno, who is calmly judging the situation, caught the back of his throat like he swallowed a bitter object.

"It's going to be a life like this for a while, and now my heart is rough if my life is rough, even if it's good. Lutz's family, they kidnapped him, they cheated him, and if you ask me, it's about the reputation of the store, so I can't handle it right now. If you're on Rutz's side, help him as much as you can."

"... Yes"

Rutz should have been able to adopt Benno even when he left the house and punch him into the job. I was supposed to go to the city of leeway to set up a workshop to make vegetable paper and make my dreams come true.

I can't believe I've become a living apprentice and struggled harder than ever before......

As Benno says, if a tough life continues, Lutz will be rough. I blame myself for what I did wrong, and I may resent my family for not accepting me.

Is there anything I can do, as Lutz supported me? I couldn't think of any effective means, and I exhaled a heavy sigh.