Ascendance of a Bookworm: Part 5 Volume 10 Part 5
Ascendance of a Bookworm: Part 5 Volume 10 Part 5
Rozemyne, Ferdinand, and their Dunkelfelger allies set out to subjugate the Adalgisa villa. But when Gervasio’s absence and a betrayal within the Sovereign Knight’s Order come to light, the party must switch its focus to the Royal Academy’s library.
I'm with Ferdinand on the issue of trusting Gervasio. Sure, he was not the one who came up with and ordered the massacre of the Ahrensbach nobles, but neither did he appear to try to stop it, or even mind it too much, beyond considering it distasteful. As the king of Lanzenave, he surely would have had the authority to order Leonzio to desist, regardless of the political factions and even if Leonzio hadn't listened, he is much stronger. I suppose it is possible he learned of it only after the fact, but I doubt it.
Also when Raublut talked about killing those who oppose him, right in front of him in the auditorium, he just started to belt out blessings, without a single word against the killing or any attempt to negotiate a somewhat peaceful settlement.
I am honestly pretty impressed by how neatly and completely Ferdinand neutralized Gervasio, while causing him no real harm.
Oh I don't know. With Ferdi shooting a hole through Gervasio's hand and then giving him a healing potion, I'd go with "no permanent" rather than "no real" harm. ^^
It was pretty surprising to me that Rozemyne even suggested it. But I think she's also a little caught up in a whirlwind and not really able to look at the big picture. Ferdinand's ability to take in the situation extremely quickly and react very tactically even on very short notice with unexpected changes is what makes him a genius in this world.
Mestionora has shot Rozemyne with spectral arrow and now everyone can see her through the walls.
So Ferdinand has made some huge moves to exploit Rozemyne's rampage and got all of Yurgenshmidt under his puppet strings. But really that is just to get some cozy lab to hole into.
"Did you skip autumn and call winter early without even greeting the supreme gods?" - Do I interpret this correctly that unmarried man is treated as family member? Of course it goes over Rozemyne's head.
Hartmut was such crazy truths that got imprisoned as a madman. Hannelore won't be present on the meeting with Royalty. That's good as Rozmyne can come up to mimic a chameleon and change her colour somehow.
“Did you skip autumn and call winter early without even greeting the supreme gods?” - Do I interpret this correctly that unmarried man is treated as family member? Of course it goes over Rozemyne’s head.
Yes, I interpret it the same way, that they see that he is acting as her spouse and they're kind of wondering what their relationship is now.
From my perspective: in the mana replenishment hall, Ferdinand made his decision. Rozemyne hasn't quite connected the dots as to what she agreed to or the various implications. That regardless of what their relationship looks like personally, that there's no real way for there to be the outcome she wants where they aren't married, at least by the norms of this society.
On the other hand, as a Zent candidate, Aub Ahrensbach, or Avatar of Mestionora, who's to say she can't change those norms if she pleases.
I agree that Rozemyne doesn't realize what she committed herself to... and that Ferdinand is gaslighting her constantly, to the point that she practically can't refuse their engagement anymore, without massive societal fallout is really scummy. When he uses this talent against enemies, it might be praisworthy, but using it against the person who saved his life, it's just such a low blow I sometimes find myself wishing that it would all blow up in his face, allowing Rozemyne to find a partner who's honest with her and doesn't manipulate her constantly, while Ferdinand spends the rest of his life as a single or gets a wife that is as manipulative and dishonest as himself.
I kind of love that everyone else is freaked out about her new aura but that Ferdinand didn't even blink, that we had no idea it had happened until other people were added to the mix.
Gervasio also seemed to barely react, so maybe it has something to do with having seen two literal gods (or one former and one current god at any rate), and/or having a true Grutrissheit, rather than it being solely his stoicism.