Ascendance of a Bookworm

Chapter 128: Black Oily Pigment (113.1)

"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, ven 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.