What They Say:
Avid bookworm and college student Motosu Urano ends up dying in an unforeseen accident. This came right after the news that she would finally be able to work as a librarian like she had always dreamed of. When she regains consciousness. She was reborn as Myne, the daughter of a poor soldier. She was in the town of Ehrenfest, which has a harsh class system. But as long as she had books, she really didn’t need anything else. However, books were scarce and belonged only to the nobles. But that doesn’t stop her, so she makes a decision … “If there aren’t any books, I’ll just create some.”
Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
After meeting with her family and discussing of how to cure the Devouring, Myne decides she will spend her last year not in the service of some noble in order to live but in the company of the people who love her the most – her family. Now resolved in this solution, she and Lutz go to his mother Carla to explore the future without his friend since Myne was the main reason they decided to become apprentice merchants under Benno from Gilberta Company. While the young girl could have still worked to earn money, thanks to advice from Otto they learned in the short time she would have been employed the earnings would be well above anyone else’s wages and could have caused great friction and jealously. But with his partner no longer joining, there was no reason for the boy to go either and his parent boldly stated this fact, however, Lutz was resolute to continue his dream since if he became a craftsman, his elder brothers would gain all the success while he lived with almost nothing. Such was his determination he would even deem to be a live-in apprentice, with poor wages and pitiful living conditions, all if he could gain what he wanted and not live in his siblings’ shadows. Seeing her son’s steadfast persistence, Carla gave her permission to continue this pursuit, with the condition he could return if he did not succeed.
With Myne’s mind now made up, they returned to Benno to deliver the bad news, with their employer understanding the want of needing to stay with her family, but they agreed she would sell the exclusive rights to produce the plant-based paper to Gilberta Company. Although they did have some problems from the Parchment Guild of their new product monopolizing the market with a cheaper alternative, the trio was finally able to convince Guild Master Gustaf to issue a charter to sell the new merchandise. After teaching Benno the basic methods of how to create this writing material, summer quickly approached and it was finally time for Myne and Lutz’s ceremony of passage – the Baptism. With the young girl dressed in an altered version of Tulle’s dress plus a new hair ornament, Carla happily stated she looked more like a rich family’s child than one of a poor soldier. As the whole towns assembled to watch the parade of children approach the temple and Gunther left them behind at the door, the pair made their way into main hall to be greeted by several clergy, as they became official citizens of Ehrenfest. It was only then as the high priest closed the ritual by telling the assembled about this world’s creation myth, Urano finally saw what she wanted ever since she came to this land – the elder man was reverently gripping a red leather-clad book firmly between his hands.
In Summary:
While it was heartbreaking to watch as this seven-year-old girl accepted her impending death, one could also understand the true meaning of not wanting to extend her life at the cost of never seeing her family again, and thus we can painfully accept the decision. However, it is the meaningful preparations that Myne makes to provide for her family’s wellbeing, which makes this episode so warm, and touching, even though we know in the back of our minds this cannot be the end for our delightful heroine. As the sadness threatens to overwhelm us, it is the delight which flashes within Urano’s eyes which gives us some hope there is a chance for life as she sees the truth within the temple – what she has wanted all this time … books.
Grade: A+
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
