本好きの下剋上 ～司書になるためには手段を選んでいられません～ [Honzuki no Gekokujou: Shisho Ni Naru Tame Ni Shudan wo Erande iraremasen] (Novel)

Ascendance of a Bookworm, Part 1 Volume 1 by Miya Kazuki, with illustrations by You Shiina and translation by Quof, introduces a quiet, detail-focused fantasy about books, magic, and everyday life. After a book-obsessed college student dies and reincarnates as Myne, a frail five-year-old in a poor family, she discovers a world where literacy is rare and books are luxury items far beyond her reach. Determined to surround herself with stories again, Myne methodically studies her new environment and begins experimenting with primitive methods to create paper and books from scratch. This first light novel volume follows her early efforts, friendships, and small discoveries in a low-magic, slice-of-life isekai setting as she pursues the distant dream of becoming a librarian.

It has been a year since our hero was reborn into a new world in the body of Myne, a sickly little girl from a poor family. She's been doing her best to fulfill her dream of making books, but her plans have been foiled at every turn.

But now Myne has a deal with Benno the merchant: With her friend Lutz's help, she will make a paper prototype that he can sell in his shop. In exchange, he will take her and Lutz on as apprentices. But making the prototype is filled with its own challenges, and can she trust a conniving merchant like Benno? And the most important question is, does Myne have the deadly sickness known as "The Devouring"?

Follow Myne's efforts to become this world's first librarian in volume 2 of this biblio-fantasy dedicated to book lovers!

Just as Myne gets her foot in the door of making paper, she collapses due to the sickness known as the devouring. She's getting better thanks to the help of those around her, but the devouring remains clouded in mystery. As the world expands, so too does her passion for making books! This volume is the conclusion to Part 1 and shows a glimpse into the future of the series!

With her baptism ceremony complete, Myne begins work in the temple as an apprentice shrine maiden. Awaiting within is what she always wanted: a room full of books! But her new life isn't quite the dream she was hoping for; she's surrounded by nobles who scorn her commoner origins, and even her own servants are causing her trouble. On top of that, she has to constantly battle the weakness of her own body. But with her love for books burning in her heart, she gives her all to her new apprentice duties. Thus begins part two of this bibliofantasy!

As Myne continues her busy life as an apprentice blue shrine maiden, some good news changes everything: Her mother is pregnant! Naturally, Myne immediately sets out to make a picture book for her future little sibling.

But there's still so much she doesn't know about the temple that doing anything is a struggle. She's forced into the education of a shrine maiden and has her hands full with her new attendants. She has a mountain of work as the orphanage director, too.

As always Myne has bitten off more than she can chew, but she charges forward with her love of books giving her strength. And as it becomes clear that someone with her level of mana will not continue to go unnoticed, the door to the world of nobles opens and the plot escalates dramatically!

Winter approaches, and a blizzard is about to fall upon this bibliofantasy!

An immense display of mana in front of the Knight’s Order has earned Myne the attention of nobles. The result? Yet more people appear hoping to exploit the young apprentice shrine maiden’s value. And so the High Priest decides to shelter Myne in the temple to safeguard her from the impending danger he foresees. But Myne’s main concern is still books, and she works to advance the printing process so that their price falls and more people can buy them. Her long winter in the temple away from her family begins, but everything changes as the harsh winter passes and the spring nears, offering a glimpse into what the future holds for this biblio-fantasy.

The long winter comes to an end and vibrant spring returns to Ehrenfest. The temple swirls busily as attempts to control Myne's future escalate and the High Bishop, fueled by hate, shrouds the city in the darkness of his nefarious plots. But Myne just wants everything to stay the same. Her little brother has been born, she's making new books thanks to her progress making ink, and she wants nothing more than to just keep spending more heart-warming time with her family and friends. The world, however, forces her to make a cruel and unbearable decision. To protect those she loves, she must begin walking a new road.

Part two of this biblio-fantasy concludes in this heart-wrenching volume! There's a collection of short stories following the shocking climax, as well as two completely original short stories and a four-panel manga drawn by You Shiina.

Following a disastrous encounter with a noble, Myne finally resolves to say goodbye to her family and friends in the lower city, changing her name to "Rozemyne" and beginning her new life as the adopted daughter of Ehrenfest's archduke. However, her days as an archnoble in noble society are brutal, as she is put through rigorous etiquette and magic training on top of her duties as High Bishop and forewoman. It all proves too much for a weak little seven-year-old girl... Or it would have, had the High Priest not offered her the keys to the temple's book room as a reward. If she could get her hands on those, she'd be able to read all sorts of precious books! Her name may have changed, but Rozemyne's passion for books remains the same as she charges into a whole new world!

The detailed setting expands as the printing industry grows in size. Here begins Part 3 of this bibliofantasy for book lovers everywhere!

Rozemyne, now both the High Bishop and the archduke’s adopted daughter, finds herself lost in a position of power she just isn’t used to. Preparing for the Harvest Festival, taking care of new orphans, dealing with the dissatisfaction of a neighboring town—her list of problems just keeps on growing. On top of all that, Ferdinand the High Priest is being as harsh as can be. Still, Rozemyne doesn’t give up! Encouraged by meetings with her lower city family and friends, she recharges by reading books in the temple! She’ll need as much energy as she can get as the yearly Night of Schutzaria is fast approaching, where Rozemyne will need to travel to the forest bordering Dorvan to gather materials...

This is the most action-packed volume of this biblio-fantasy yet! Being the High Bishop is hard, okay?!

In the midst of an approaching winter, Rozemyne the High Bishop is traveling between the temple and castle more than ever, participating in noble society, the baptism ceremony, and the Dedication Ritual. With her hands full teaching kids too young for the Royal Academy and even tutoring guard knights with bad grades, she's incomparably busier than last year.

Her influence in both noble society and the temple is increasing steadily, and her squad of Gutenbergs work on improving the printing press while she sells picture books in the castle. Her love for books keeps growing, and the mana within her is likewise becoming progressively stronger! She must hunt the Lord of Winter with the Knight's Order, then gather ingredients for her jureve potion during Spring Prayer.

This is another action-packed volume of this biblio-fantasy, where the Saint of Ehrenfest overcomes a winter of mysticism and battle! Including two lengthy short stories and a four-panel manga drawn by You Shiina!

Spring is the season when love blooms! Rozemyne's retainers are bursting with energy as they make clothes, attend their debuts, and shine in the new season.

The improved printing press is finally completed in the temple workshop, and the variety of available books is steadily beginning to expand. Picture books, collections of sheet music, knight stories—all are now being sold.

Their first aim is to further develop the paper-making industry in preparation for the spread of printing across the entire duchy. To this end, Rozemyne's party travels to Illgner, hoping to teach them how to make paper while also researching new materials to use.

As the environment around Rozemyne slowly improves, the archduke's older sister arrives for a visit, shrouding Ehrenfest in an air of unease.

Everything changes in this volume of this biblio-fantasy as nobles emotionally clash and the conclusion of Part 3 approaches!

Rozemyne now only needs the ruelle fruit she failed to gather last year. With it, she and Ferdinand can brew a potent potion known as a jureve, the power of which will finally make her a normal, healthy girl! Well, probably...

Her joy leads to a flurry of activity as she pours her all into advancing the paper-making industry and gathering more support, all so that she can create a world with more books for her to read. As the High Bishop, she eventually has to travel through the Central District for the Harvest Festival, and in the midst of all this, she even gets her first little sister.

But as everyone prepares for winter, the political struggle between nobles intensifies. Their plots sow discord within the temple, and what happens next will change Rozemyne’s future forever...

Shocking developments abound in this climactic conclusion to Part 3! This volume ends with a series of short stories leading into Part 4, alongside the now familiar four-panel manga drawn by You Shiina!

Rozemyne awakens from her two-year sleep to a world that isn’t as she remembers it. The strange sensation fills her with unease, but she has no time to rest—she is soon to be enrolled in the Royal Academy as an archduke candidate, where she will be taught how to control her mana, make magic tools, and perform the magic needed to rule as an archduke. She begins dormitory life with colorful teachers and students from other duchies, aiming to be the best big sister possible... but there is little chance things will go according to plan when there is a massive library on the premises. She charges there at once, the other archduke candidates and even the royal family disappearing from her mind entirely. She truly will do anything for books! Now begins a new chapter of this biblio-fantasy, with a school as its setting! This volume includes two original short stories, a four-panel manga drawn by You Shiina, and the results of the second popularity poll.

In her determination to access the library as soon as possible, Rozemyne put her absolute all into her studies from the moment she arrived at the Royal Academy. Unfortunately for her, she behaved so unusually in the process that her retainers and professors have grown increasingly worried.
Rozemyne finally clashes with the greater duchy Dunkelfelger over Schwartz and Weiss, and a game of treasure-stealing ditter is arranged between the two duchies’ apprentice knights. To make matters worse, she completely ignores proper diplomacy, accepting furtive consultations from the archduke candidates of other duchies and even giving the prince himself romantic advice! Her complete lack of foresight leaves the leaders of Ehrenfest in constant cranial agony.

After reuniting with Ferdinand and the others, Rozemyne returns to the temple and assiduously resumes her duties as the High Bishop. There is much for her to do—whether that be participating in the Dedication Ritual, supporting the printing industry, attending numerous meetings, or tackling a mountain of paperwork—and she soon finds her days as busy as ever.
Even as winter starts drawing to a close, Rozemyne’s world continues to change. The conclusion to her first year in the Royal Academy sees her forced into a tea party with all the other duchies, and the sixth-years among her retainers prepare to graduate. Discussions even begin to focus on Rozemyne’s future engagement, which will one day play a crucial role in the growth of the duchy.

Despite having recently been separated from her lower city friends, Rozemyne has no time to grieve. Her first year at the Royal Academy has ended, summer approaches, and there's much for her to do. She strives to continue making books as per her promise to Lutz, but the spring feast also sees the announcement of her engagement to Wilfried—one of many political maneuvers to resist influence from the higher-ranking duchies.

After turning the lower city into a true sight to behold, Rozemyne aims to continue her development plan and secure a greater influence over the country’s other duchies. As she needs the assistance of commoners to achieve this, she gets to work dismantling the wall that exists between them and the nobles. She tours the printing workshops in the Central District, holds a dyeing competition to unearth skilled craftspeople, and even fantasizes about designing her own library.
Not everything is quite so straightforward, however—a normal wedding is enshrouded in complex interduchy politics, and as Rozemyne prepares for her second year in the Royal Academy, she finds herself needing to stay on guard against the rebellious former Veronica faction.

With the advancement ceremony and fellowship gatherings complete, Rozemyne’s new year at the Royal Academy can properly begin. She goes on another library-inspired rampage and pushes the other Ehrenfest second-years to finish their classes on the first day, all while hunting for new allies to recruit into her Library Committee.

Somehow, Rozemyne manages to cause even more problems, and in quicker succession than the year before. She spends more time with the professors, the archduke candidates from top-ranking duchies, and even the Sovereignty’s third prince, much to her guardians’ displeasure. But as they agonize over interduchy diplomacy, Rozemyne blazes ahead on her own path. She charges forward with unbending focus and even hunts a ternisbefallen feybeast that shows up in Ehrenfest’s gathering spot!

After fainting at a tea party for bookworms, Rozemyne is forcibly returned to Ehrenfest. There, she reunites with her lower city associates and enjoys some long-awaited reading time in the temple... but as peaceful as these winter days may seem, a revelation in the bible threatens to turn her days of reclusion on their head.
Rozemyne’s second year at the Royal Academy draws to a close with interrogation and investigations, which she must face on top of a resolute apprentice who wishes to swear his name to her. Things only become more complicated when she attends the Interduchy Tournament for the first time, and a grave development causes more trouble than ever expected. Can she and Ferdinand manage the chaos so soon before the graduation ceremony?

Rozemyne returns to Ehrenfest once more following her second term at the Royal Academy. Her days are spent in harmony as she meets her new little brother, searches for a laynoble retainer, experiments with cooking fish, and delves into her grandfather’s past... but the undeniable fact remains that Ferdinand is acting unusually. At the heart of this mystery lies the mention of Adalgisa, and as Rozemyne ponders what it might mean, Ferdinand reveals a shocking truth.
“I should have died before my baptism.”
The secrets about his birth, his final promise with his father, and a bitter choice... How will Ferdinand respond when the very future of Ehrenfest rests on his shoulders? Find out in the newest volume of this biblio-fantasy, which includes two short stories and four-panel manga by You Shiina.

Rozemyne is busy studying for her next year at the Royal Academy and working toward the installation of the new High Priest, but beneath the surface, her heart swirls in turmoil. A decree from the king requires Ferdinand to leave Ehrenfest, and as their final days together draw near, she must face losing her greatest pillar of support since she first entered the temple.
As a farewell gift, Rozemyne treats Ferdinand and their retainers to a meal at the Italian restaurant. Dark clouds loom overhead, however, and an unexpected incident threatens to separate the pair even sooner than expected. Rozemyne can only fight back the tears as she utters a prayer for Ferdinand, blessing him one last time.
Part 4 of this biblio-fantasy concludes with this volume! Also includes a collection of short stories, three of which were written for this release, as a prelude to Part 5, as well as You Shiina’s classic four-panel manga!

Ehrenfest’s first winter without Ferdinand is colder and more oppressive than usual. A surprise betrayal within the former Veronica faction makes the purge even more urgent, and the few who know about Georgine’s destructive goals compare her to the Goddess of Chaos.
Meanwhile, Rozemyne throws herself into her third year at the Royal Academy, trying to stave off the loneliness eating away at her. She pushes to win over the students of the former Veronica faction, hoping to save their lives, and meets a new archnoble librarian sent from the Sovereignty.
Rozemyne also attends her first class of the archduke candidate course—though her personal ambitions mean she is taking the scholar course as well. In the midst of this balancing act, she finds that her environment has changed drastically once again!
Here begins Part 5, the final chapter of this biblio-fantasy—and the legend of the saint grips Yurgenschmidt to the core! Includes two short stories and four-panel manga by You Shiina.

As snow falls around Ahrensbach’s castle, Ferdinand, soon to be married to the duchy’s next archduchess, receives a concerning letter. Not only has Rozemyne been summoned by the royal family once again, but she is also being taken to the underground archive hidden beneath the Royal Academy’s library. Even as a third-year, she proves to be a source of constant headaches—and the chaos only continues when she manages to pull an unexpected figure into her joint research! The stakes are raised higher still when Lestilaut makes an astonishing suggestion, forcing her to participate in a game of bride-taking ditter with Leidenschaft’s spear in hand.
Rozemyne’s hand in marriage hangs in the balance in the newest volume of this biblio-fantasy. Includes two short stories and four-panel manga by You Shiina.

After yet another fever, Rozemyne awakes to some shocking news: the Sovereign knights captured for interrupting her ditter match might have been under the influence of trug. The suspicion brings to mind a recent incident with Lady Georgine... but Rozemyne decides to leave the matter to the adults. The Interduchy Tournament is just around the corner, and the students of Ehrenfest need to prepare to socialize with other duchies and the royal family.
As the end of the school term draws near, so too does a long-awaited reunion. Ferdinand is due to spend the night of the Interduchy Tournament in Ehrenfest’s tea party room, and as Rozemyne struggles to keep her emotions under control, she makes an unwavering declaration: “I will do everything in my power to welcome him!”
Rozemyne’s book-driven rampage continues and events happen back-to-back in the newest volume of this biblio-fantasy. Includes two short stories and four-panel manga by You Shiina.

Upon returning to Ehrenfest, Rozemyne is given a harsh choice to make. The winter purge has made the Leisegangs the dominant power, and their intentions sow distrust within the archducal family. Still, she continues to forge ahead, her way of life gradually inspiring change around her.

The feast in celebration of spring is drawing near, and there’s much for Rozemyne to do. The coming weeks bring a long-overdue meeting with the lower-city merchants, more divine protections rituals, the education of the next High Bishop... and a magnificent tale told at the closed country gate. It now falls to the archducal family to overcome history and the divide between factions.

Ehrenfest’s ambitious younger generation unites in the newest volume of this biblio-fantasy. Includes two short stories and four-panel manga by You Shiina.