“Chapter Nineteen – Cleanups and Star Festivals”
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):
With Myne now fully accepting her role of the orphanage director, she and her staff prepare to clean up the atrocious facilities, making the living quarters more acceptable and giving all of the children much-needed baths. Fran reports none of them are suffering much from health problems, mostly thanks to Gil delivering alms of the gods on a daily basis, and as such, they see him as a savior but also his master since she was the one who ordered the increase in rations. With meal preparations now underway, Delia has some quiet time with Urano allowing them to discuss the day she was taken in by the High Priest along with two other girls on the day of their baptism, but she was only one allowed to stay, provoking unresolved grief in why Myne wasn’t there to help her friends. While she knows this anger is unwarranted, it is then when her mistress promises the red-headed girl if she needs any help from now on, she will be there and all she need do is ask.
As everyone gathers within the main hall of her office, Myne leads the meal prayer and gives thanks to all who helped during the cleanup, singling out those who showed extra effort by rewarding them with consumable presents for their initiative in performing outside of what was expected. While there are some who object to this favoritism, pointing out that alms of the gods should be portioned out equally, the director then reminds them with her new maxim: those who do not work, shall not eat. It with this action that those who disagree are now motivated to work harder, hoping to win more food and indirectly praise from their new guardian, and they show this new promise the next morning. Lutz, Gunther, and Turi take the children into the forest to gather supplies for the Myne Studios’ orphanage workshop, showing all how to pick the right woods and which parts of the tree are best for making paper. When they return all show off how much they gathered, with the smaller kids surprising Urano with fruity gifts, but it is only now does the director wonder what they can do during their off times. It is then when Myne comes up with an idea for alphabet flashcards, which Benno promptly buys the rights, thus supplementing her currently dwindling funds. But as she and Lutz walk back, he reminds his friend it is nearly time for the Star Festival, to which the girl feels sad the orphans cannot participate in the fun, wondering if there is any way she can remedy this problem.
In Summary:
It is supremely rewarding to witness how Myne once again denies the inborn supremacy of nobles, helping those who are less unfortunate than herself, all as these snobs object to her stepping outside of an apprentice priestess’ authority. While it may monetarily consume her funds, the rewards are much more deserving, allowing her to build an acceptable workforce who will help in the long run, but only done so to put her mind at ease so as to read her books without any guilt. Although this may be the outward excuse, hopefully, we will see Urano’s desire to better the world expanding within future episodes, along with her welcomed warmth.
Grade: A+
Streamed By: Crunchyroll