In my continuing adventures of finding quotes in every Bookworm volume for a new web forum, I’m finally over the hump and have started Volume 2… AKA the volume where it gets good.

On a side note, I read this on the new Clara BW, while it’s a marginal improvement over the Clara 2e, there’s a weird bug which prevented me from highlighting lines near the sides and top. This also impact the Clara Color, which is fun. Oh well.

---- Review ----

While Volume 2 is leagues better than Volume 1, it still took me a couple of days to get through it. Better than the multiple weeks that Vol 1 takes me, but not as gripping as future Volumes. I am looking forward to re-reading the swap day.

What’s good about this volume is that Myne becomes likeable, as her attention moves away from Books to making paper… to make books. Look she’s getting there, and she’s evolving into a budding Chaos Gremlin. This is also the start of the Merchant chapters, and the beginning of the battles of whit. Which is just sooooo good.

The bad, is that the pacing is still about as slow and expositiony as the first volume. It’s necessary for first time readers, and I remember lapping it up after watching the anime. But during re-reads it’s easy to skim read, and potentially missing something I missed the first time.

But man that cliffhanger is a doozy, I do wonder what will happen next. /s

---- Quotes ----

Prologue

  • …and explained that in the first place she wasn’t expecting much from Myne’s efforts. Her expression said that she was dead confident that Myne would fail. [Ouch, Myne does deserve this from Effa, but you should have some faith]

  • “…It feels like Myne isn’t Myne lately. She still gets sick and passes out all the time, but she doesn’t cry about this being unfair anymore.” [Oh crap, they’re onto you Myne! Quick run… I mean walk… umm, never mind, you OK kiddo?]

  • “She’ll become more capable over time, more understanding of her limits, and eventually she’ll stop pushing herself too far.” [… ummm no she won’t and I have Lutz here with evidence to the contrary]

Chapter 1

  • “How could I not be excited? I mean, we’re making paper here! Paper! I can make books with paper. Ahahah yes!” [As you can see from the evidence she will never calm down, all you can do is prepare to weather this storm]

  • “…Myne, alright, we’re making paper. But how are we gonna do it? I’ve got no clue myself. Don’t we need toold or something? Is this gonna work?” Lutz calm questions threw a bucket of cold water over my excitement. [Good on you kiddo, this is why you are the Myne manager]

  • “Welcome back. Don’t feel bad Myne. You’ll Be useful to someone Someday.” [Ouch that one hurt me, who let Tuuli play with fire]

  • “Bwuh? Tuuli, what’s going on?” [Number 1, our first Bwuh of the Volume]

  • The problem with making tools? We didn’t have the tools to make tools. [Wise words from someone who rarely thinks far enough ahead]

  • If anyone wanted the shampoo, it would be a girl… A girl?! His wife?! If his beloved wife wants the shampoo, it all makes sense. [Otto your simping so hard even a 6 year old realized it.]

  • “A merchant has a lot of things he heeds to keep secret so…” “…Can’t I start practicing with something easier?” [Myne dear, Lutz is right, having Lutz hide things from Karla is like sending a lv.1 hero to fight the end boss]

Chapter 2

  • And you can’t decline this invitation anyways. If you do, your mom and older sister will probably get fired from their jobs." [Ouch, poor Effa, I am sure Corinna is doing this to good reasons]

  • “Fear not, Captiain. I take full responsibility for your daughter and will ensure she remains safe.” [Unless my wife’s involved and I get scammed by a 6 year old. Then it’s anyone’s guess what happens]

  • “Oh my, was it not boorish to observe a woman while she’s prettying up?” “… I just said that because I didn’t want him flirting with you while I was working.” “Oh my! Aha, I do wonder how Otto behaves outside of the house, if a little girl such as yourself would fear that from him.” [Corinna, you can I both know you don’t need to “wonder” to get your answer]

  • Despite claiming to be so busy, he handled all of the budget season work himself, negotiated with the merchants that came to sell equipment and commodities, exploited his position as city guard to obtain as much information as possible, and so on. [Is Otto what Ferdi would be if he was a Commoner?]

  • “It’s fine. Otto’s giving me nails in return for all this.” “…Nails? Truly? Is he not selling you short?” [Yes he is sweetie, and no she won’t ever realize it]

  • “Listen, Myne. Would you do me a favor and remember some important errands you have to do?” [Gunther getting an unexpected urge that he should beat up Otto when he gets back]

  • “If you give me all of them I might be able to think of an excuse that will convince Dad.” [And Otto this is why you lost her to Benno]

  • “Oh? Lutz? What’re you doing here?” “Myne?! That’s my line! What are you here? Wha? Are you alone?!” [Imagine finding your Grandpa who’s stuck in a wheel chair and needs nurses on them 24/7 just sitting in the middle of a kids park and you’ll understand Lutz freakout]

Chapter 3

  • His mom, Karla, was constantly on his back saying that he had given up on becoming a travelling merchant, so why couldn’t he give up one more and become a carpenter? [… mother of the year. And the answer is because that sets a bed president and he’ll give up on that too, probably out of spite]

  • Otto lived on the third floor of Corinna’s family home, and that has been arranged because her older brother was worried for his cute little sister. In other words. Corinna was Benno’s little sister, which makes Otto his… “…You’re his brother-in-law?” [Funnily enough 5 parts in and she is still this gullible]

  • Benno was sitting at an administrator’s desk behind which was a shelf crammed with wood boards and pieces of parchment. …Wait, is that a bookshelf?! [Oh lord, the gremlin is loose! Who forgot the leash?!]

  • “…Thinking’s your job, ain’t it? Whatever you want to do is fine with me, Myne.” [Lutz you fool, what have you done]

  • “…Um, did he just way contract magic? That’s what it sounded like. Wha? Wait, has this been a fantasy world all along?” [Geeze this was what gave it away for you? Not the rainbow of hair colors, or the fantasy plants that bleed. Lord she’s dense]

Chapter 4

  • "Myne, do you know what tools and materials you need? " “Yes, don’t worry.” [This is when you want to worry]

  • “Myne, you have pot written here, but how large of a pot do you want?” “Ummm… I was thinking a pot about as big as the second-biggest pot at my home.” Mark’s brows furrowed deeper [Why did you think this answer his question, you fool]

  • I somehow managed to write supply orders for everything except the screen, which Mark gave up on. [Dear gods, she reach this man’s limit. I can’t imagine the headache he has to have right now]

  • My excitement for a fantasy world full of magic shattered in an instant. Seriously…? A power only nobles have? [Careful what you wish for sweetie]

  • “Bwuh?! It’s fine! The contract has our exact agreement written on it, there’s no problems at all.” [It took a while for Bwuh Number 2.]

  • “Your turn” …No thanks! This magic’s just scary! [Side eyeing P5V9]

  • “Bwuuuh… Hyah!” Holding back tears, I put blood on my thumb and stamped my name. [Number 3]

  • “You… You are Myne, right?” [My boy, there are questions you are better off not asking.]

Chapter 5

  • “…Can you manage that?” “I’ll be fine.” I clenched my fist to show strength. [I can’t believe like myne I miss understood what Lutz asked here]

  • “I’m afraid not. Those who deserve trouble shall receive it.” “Noooo…” [Corinna would make a good mom]

  • “Bwuh?! I Couldn’t ask him to do that I’ll apologize to him and then go home on my own!” [Number 4, and sweet lord she needs Ferdi to call her a fool. Good new is Benno will call in the thunder]

  • “WHAT IS! WRONG! WITH! YOU!” “Bwuh?!” “I said go home!” “Kyaaah!” [Benno used Thunder… it was super effective against Myne. Number 5]

  • “You are no longer allowed in my store without the boy! If you’ve got a brain in that head, don’t forget” [Myne, meet leash, leash meet Myne, and never let go]

  • “But y’know, now I get it. You collapse in no time. You’re smart but careless, you’re weak, you’re tiny, and thinking about it, there’s a ton of things you can’t do. Now you can’t even go into the store without me” “So mean, Lutz! I’m useful to people too, sometimes!” [Myne just take the L this time]

  • “Bwuh?! I can carry stuff too! I’m a lot stronger than I used to be.” [Number 6, while yes you can carry things. He’ll need to carry you home if you did]

  • “Myne, I know that look. You’re just pretending to agree, aren’t you? You’re not listening to us at all.” He… He saw through me?! [And has for a while now you fool]

Chapter 6

  • That made me so happy I immediately pumped my fit and said “Let’s go!”, only to get hit on the head from behind by Lutz. [Oh my sweet boy is growing up so fast]

  • “It seems that Myne wishes for me to carry her today as well.” “Bwuh?!” [Number 7, and Mark you are truly a gentlemen]

Chapter 7

  • It’s a weird fantasy fruit! Apparently, the red fruit was brother to those weird ingredients I sometimes had to fight with to make supper. [In a far off land, there lies a former God, who felt a great disturbance in the force]

  • “I was gonna ask why you didn’t go to the other side of the river, but… I’m guessing it was too much for you.” “…It was too much.” I was breathing a lot harder than Lutz [Honestly this is an amazing feat, she didn’t just pass out Lutz, you should praise her]

  • Over time I had gotten better at managing fires so they didn’t get too bug, but I often would take my eyes off it just long enough for it to get out of control. [Oh gods, who’s bright idea was it to let the gremlin manage a fire, this is almost as dangerous as those red fruits]

  • “This one’s no good. It’ll make your limbs tingly and you won’t be able to move for three days. This is no good either. It’ll make your stomach hurt for two days. This is worse, you’ll froth at the mouse and die if you eat it.” [Ferdi in the background taking notes]

  • Incidentally, twenty percent of those mushrooms were poisonous. …I just don’t get it. How does this keep happening… ? [I’ll take this as the will of the gods of chaos reminding you, that you have more important things to do, Benno still has his hair]

Chapter 8

  • “Bwuh?! Ah, uummm, yeah. Pretty good right?” [Number 8, and girl, you need to keep your act together, he’s already suspicious and you’re just digging yourself into a deeper hole]

  • “Yeah! You can trust me! I’ve done this before.” “…When, and Where said Lutz Sharply [In your eagerness to appear useful, you’ve made things worse, you only have yourself to blame here]

  • “Ngh? U-ummm, th-that’s a girl’s secret! Don’t even think about prying!” [And Myne has thrown water onto that oil fire]

  • …Oof , that look hurts. He’s definitely figured me out. [You think! He figured you out a very long time ago]

  • “Alright. Hey… Eh, scratch that. I’ll say it after the paper’s done,” [Hey babe, we need to talk levels are coming from Lutz]

Chapter 9

  • “Are we going to talk out here? Do you want to go into the storage building” [Oh shit Myne’s gloves are off]

  • Urano just followed her whims and read the books around her, which was nothing like who I had become. [I feel that has more to do with the lack of books than anything else]

  • “Th-That was just… I wasn’t trying to make you own me or anything, I just… gaah, crap!” “Why did you say it, then?” “Don’t ask me that! Let it go! Forget about it!” [Awww, I wonder how red he is here, and only if our future romance novelist was here]

  • “Myne won’t come back even if you leave, right? And if you’ve been her for a whole year, then the Myne I know is mostly just you,” [This is sooo sappy I love it. Now I wonder how a certain noble would write this out as]

Chapter 10

  • “It’s really too bad we can’t just grow trombes ourselves.” “Don’t even think about it!” [Lutz what’s the worse that can happen?]

  • “Bwuh?! They’re that dangerous? It didn’t look like that happened with the one we saw” [Number 9, & Myne just remember the geneva convention doesn’t exist here, so you’re good to go ahead]

  • “If you really want to throw in something extra, how about… information on some kind of new product to sell, or something like that?” [If a future reflection Otto remember the exact moment he lost Myne to Benno forever]

  • “…H-Holy crap. How’d you turn paper into this? I have no idea what you just did.” [I’m looking at the step by step guide here Lutz and I too don’t get it]

  • Wait… How much is this origami crane worth, from a materials perspective? [I mean from your end not much, from a “how much I could’ve sold it for” more than what your dad makes in a month I recon]

  • “If you want to sell hair stick, what about that other kind? The thing you made Tuuli for her baptism.” [this was the exact moment Myne went from working at the Castle Gate to working at Benno’s store]

  • “Do we pass? Will you take on Lutz as your apprentice?” [Very nice wording Myne. I am surprised that Benno didn’t ask about your apprenticeship after this]

Chapter 11

  • “You’re slow! This is a waste of time,” and picked me right up [I’m shocked that there was no Bwuh]

  • “That’s right. It’s powerful and greedy. You gotta pay to register an apprentice, you gotta pay more if you want to start a new business, and basically anything you do there will have some kind of fee attached” [I can see Benno demanding less taxes]

  • “Keep quiet and don’t say anything unnecessary” [Benno you are asking the impossible from Myne here]

  • “The first floor here is used for parking carriages and carts” [You know, I don’t think we’ve ever seen this. Since it’s in the Ivory building I wonder what it looks like?]

  • Immediately, the gate shone with a white light and then melted into thin air until it was gone. “Bwuh?! What was that?!” “It’s a magic tool. Lutz, don’t let go of my hand. It’ll knock you back” [Number 10, and oh oh, I know how this tool work… neat]

  • “Wait, is that a bookshelf?!” [Oh lord she’s loose Benno call in Lutz to try and stop her!]

  • “If you get too excited, you’ll pass out before getting to read anything.” No… Anything but that [Fhew, Crisis adverted]

  • “This one, Ehrenfest. The family name of the area’s lord is used as the name of the city” [I wonder if Lord is no longer the correct term here, or that commoners just associate all nobles under the same banner]

Chapter 12

  • The only time Tuuli had worn this hairpin was during her baptism. What had happened then? [Everyone saw the angle which Tuuli is, and wanted to imitate her image. Fredia just so happens to have the money to pay for it]

  • …Lutz, no fair! Why do you get to hide behind Benno?! [What not like you’d throw him to the wolves if you had the chance.

  • The second I did, Benno clicked his tongue. …Bwuh?! What’d I do wrong [Open your mouth… which appears to be a frequent occurrence, also Number 11]

  • “Bwuh?! Blood?!” Was blood essential to make magic work? [Number 12, should we tell her?]

  • …Magic tools were convent, but scary. [The further in we go, the more this statement rings true]

  • “Sh-She resembles her grandfather?” I tried imagining a little girl with the guidmaster’s face, but it just didn’t work.” [Lutz please smack this fool for me]

Chapter 13

  • “Are you Myne, pray tell?” “Bwuh?! Ah, yes! That’s right. Are you Frieda?” [I believe it is customary amost chaos gremlins to give a customary greeting of Bwuh as we see here with this startled one. Number 13]

  • “I see. I thought that maybe Grandfather has been surprisingly considerate, but in reality, you have him from himself.” [F, I don’t think he’ll survive burns that severe]

  • “Oh, that’s no issue. I can just repay him for you.” “Bwuh? Ummm…” [I wonder if they are deliberately miss interpreting “repay”, or that’s not a phrase here. Number 14]

  • The rumours were all true. Benno’s fears hadn’t been unfounded. … She is just like the guildmaster! She’s saying the same things, just in a different tone. [Watch as she never says this to anyone else]

  • …Banno, I’ll stop whining about you ripping people off, so please save meeee! [After this, Myne still whines about Benno ripping people off.]

Chapter 14

“Also, uh… I thought she was a lot like Myne.” “Bwuuuh?! How?!” That’s just… unbelievable! I demanded an explanation for his shockingly bad opinion. [Number 15, and Lutz, you are a brave man for challenging Darth Myne.]

  • “…I’m sorry. I feel a little regret now.” “You should be feeling a lot of it.” [Yeah she won’t change anything folks]

  • “Welcome back, Myne. How was the girl you weere meeting today? Are you friends now?” [Awww Tuuli you are such an angel. Thinking that a fly caught in a spiders web can be friends with said spider]

  • “You’re an angel, Tuuli. The healer of my hear. You’re the greatest older sister in the world” [Keep the praises to Tuuli coming]

  • “…but I’m a weird little sister who acts way different from how she looks. Sorry, Tuuli.” “Haaah… You just now realized?” Tuuli sighed [Damn, Frida’s not the only one playing with fire today]

  • After the much more lively than expected meal was over, I caught Mom and asked her to return the needles I used for thread.” “What for?” [The sewing gremlin is up against the chaos gremlin, the will be no winners only losers]

  • “Please show me that thread, dear.” My mom, a dyer by trade and a skilled seamstress, didn’t even try to hide how interested in the thread she was. [Myne the difference between you and her is the fact she can control herself.]

  • Dad who was drinking while keeping an eye on us, called out to Mom, who was eagerly watching my hands. “Hey, Effa. If you’re that interested in all this, want me to make another needle?” “Dada, I want one too! Can you me two?” Mom’s enthused hug and Tuuli’s cure request put Dad straight into a good mood. [When Gunther asking, you know you have a problem]

Chapter 15

  • “Aaah, hold it. You two will be eaten alive if you go there alone. I’ll go with you.” Surely he was exaggerating? We were just going to make an appointment. [You fool did you forget what happened just the other day]

  • “One moment please. The guildmaster said that if children by the name of Myne and Lutz were to come, let them in immediately” “Buwh?!” [Told, you see I told you. Number 16]

  • Wow… Freida made her first friend, huh? I don’t know who it is but congratulations [Man she’s dense]

  • “… You ended up friends with that geezer’s granddaughter?” “Bwuh?! Me?! Umm… I wonder about that” [Number 17, and lol]

  • Ngh… Curse you, rich people. [You know, I’ve been hearing this a lot lately]

  • “I’ve accepted the products and paid their price. Now we can become friends without any hesitations.” [And the triangle peg goes in the… you right the square hole.]

  • Maybe this kind of thing was never discovered because nobles, those who bought most luxury goods, just compensated with magic. [This is certainly a chicken and egg scenario]

Chapter 16

  • Um, Mom? Do you not trust your daughter at all? [Ummm, why do you think they pay Lutz to keep an eye on you]

  • “At times like these, you never know when you’re fine” And at times like these, you’re so stubborn that you never give in. [Yeah, sweetie when he does you feint, or get to the verge of death so suck it up]

  • Usually it’s less. You’re making a little more since we’re not dealing with the boss of any shops, but still. “Bwuuuh?! Not even a single middle copper?” [Number 18, and poor Myne all that hard work for nothin]

  • Benno grimaced, rubbing his temples “…You again?” “Bwuh?” What does he mean, me again? [Benno don’t expect the natural disaster which will remake the market anew to know what they did. Number 19]

  • “Lutz, don’t take your eyes off this idiot. I get the feeling she’ll try to read the card on her way home and end up in an accident.” [Wise words indeed, Truck-kun was almost the reason she was brought here in the first place]

  • “Lutz, why all the thread?” Mom… why are you asking that to Lutz and not me, your daughter. [Is she a goldfish, how does she keep forgetting things, like how you are so untrustworthy that they need to play Lutz to keep an eye on you]

  • Tuuli started to laugh, but then she froze in place and pointed behind me, blinking rapidly. I turned around to see Mom, who was standing still with her hand on her cheek. She was thinking really hard about something “Myne. Should I join you two after finishing your special dress?” …Um, Lutz? Mum mom looks really pumped about starting this. We might need more pins. [Myne you have unleashed the sewing gremlin. While I would ask you to reflect, and how your own actions can impact other like this. But we know you’ll forget this by the morning.]

Chapter 17

  • It was pig day. Unlike last year, my family trusted me just enough to leave me at home alone, so they left early in the morning without me. [And Gunther also increased his home insurance for some unknown reason]

  • I pushed it down into me, visualizing a cover being put onto a pot, and let out another sign. [It’s a surprise tool that will help us later]

  • “…how much would link cost?” “About 4 small silvers.” “Bwuh?!” [Number 20, and poor myne, you have your paper, but nothing to write on it with, taking bets on Myne destroying the ink market]

Chapter 18

  • …because he was both unable to think of a better name himself and used my original name for it, he settled on shortening it to “rinsham.” Um… Is that really good enough? [Hey it’s better than what they came up with in the Anime]

  • “Myne, it sounds like you know a lot more than you’ve been letting on, huh?” I did, but I wasn’t about to dig my hole any deeper. […0_0 did she learn from last time… no that can’t be right. The chaos gremlin can’t be taught… right?]

  • The moment the foreman answered, Benno hefted me up and abducted me into the conference room. “Bwuhbwuhbwuh?!” [Number 21, and wow 3 whole bwuh’s in one word… sadly it only counts as 1]

Chapter 19

  • He told me with slumped shoulders that it was easier to do all the work himself than run the risk of pointing out the mistakes of his superiors. [Yeah Otto is totally commoner Ferdi]

  • “I am positively delighted to receive such lavish praise from one of your esteem.” [Suckup]

  • “Huh?! What?! Butter?! Why butter?! What for?!” Waaait, did I not tell him about it? Whoops, whoops. [Proceeds to not explain herself. Classic Myne]

Chapter 20

  • Mom pointed at the eighty-percent-finished hairpin and gave a troubled smile. That wouldn’t take long at all given how fast she worked. Tuuli and I tip-toed into the bedroom, making sure not to wake Dad. …So why where there two finished hairpins on the table when I woke up? Did you stay up late Mom? Tuuli’s mad since she wanted to keep working too. [Yeah know, I get this a feeling Myne gets at least some of her impulses from Effa]

  • Thiiis isn’t good. The power of money is simply too strong. I didn’t expect them to speed up this much. [Ahhh the power of Capitalism, with the addition of not one but two gremlin’s and it’s unstoppable]

  • “Okay. Want me to cast a magic spell on your family too?” [And by magic she mean narcotics]

  • Benno let out a sigh as he walked up to me, then immediately hefted me up and literally tossed me to mark’s direction “Bgyaaaah?!” [We need a “Handle with care” sticker for Myne]

Chapter 21

  • “Actually I remember you calling the pins stuppghpph!” Zasha clamped his hands over Lut’s mouth and glared at him. “You didn’t tell us nothing about the pay.” [Ah boys will be boys, and by that I mean not listen until you see it in front of your face]

  • “Get fired up! Do you wanna die!” [consider what this chapter is called, it’s a real possibility]

  • “Sproutday, Fireday, Leafday, Winday, Fruitday, and Earthday alternate on a cycle, yeah?” [I keep forgetting this order.]

Echapter 1

  • but her fever just kept going up, to the point where it felt like her body was about to melt. In fact something resembling yellowish vapor was rising off her body like steam. [Oh that’s how you know it’s about done. Just wait 10-15 more minutes of until she’s golden brown]

  • “Listen, Lutz. This girl’s not as young as she looks. At the very least, she’s mature enough to smile and take care of others when she’s suffering herself. Don’t let her fool you. Don’t take advantage of her help.” [Damn Benno, not even her family recognized that]

Echapter 2

  • The guildmaster was a petty man who proposed to my mother in the immediate wake of my father’s death, and upon being refused, began harassing us in small but infuriating ways. [So let propose to do this again, who know maybe 4th time lucky.]

  • “If my brother cannot find a wife due to this, perhaps I shall have Myne take responsibility?” I suggested with a laughter of my own. [Oh lord no, don’t I can feel the Thunder coming down.]

Echatper 3

  • “I’ll go hurry her up and start getting ready myself. The things I do for her…” [Man Tuuli, you got some sas]

  • It seemed that Myne has pleasant dreams whenever she fell asleep with a fever, and she was never as happy as she was when talking about the wold of her dreams. [That’s heavy man]

  • Inspired by the tales of knights in minstrel stories as he was, he mimicked a knight when courting me. He got on one knew before me and held up a magic stone he had obtained after slaying a feybeast. [I hope Effa can tell this story to Myne one day]