WARNING: The following article contains discussion of sexual assault.
Ascendance of a Bookworm takes the isekai anime genre in a different direction. It's rare to break away from the typical dungeon-crawling adventure party motif, and even rarer to feature a female protagonist, but Bookworm has pulled it off. Focusing on the world Myne has found herself in and dripping information to the audience, it has a slower pace that makes every accomplishment feel hard-earned.
Season 2 goes even deeper as she adapts to the noble society her life in the church has led her to. She's seeing systemic political issues first-hand and has learned to trust very few in this circle -- and all she wants to do is read books in peace. With Season 3 of Ascendance of a Bookworm set to premiere in spring of 2022, there is plenty of the world and characters left to explore. Here are a few questions Season 2 raised that fans would love to see answered.
Who is the noble who hurt Wilma and will he strike again?
In Season 2 Episode 7, Rosina tells Myne the reason why Wilma refuses to leave the orphanage: she's terrified of men and has been for a long time. It turns out Wilma "was tricked by a blue-robed priest and forced to offer her flower to him." She makes it very obvious what happened without outright saying the words, and Myne does her best to accommodate Wilma's fears. She gains some confidence to step outside as she works with Myne, and the issue is treated as if it's resolved.
However, this man's identity is a mystery. The only glimpse of him the audience gets is a silhouette when Wilma flashes back to her trauma. Judging by the image, this incident happened when Wilma was younger, but it's possible the priest in question is still in the church. If he is, then he may have more victims -- and with Myne being moved into the church for the duration of winter, she could become a target.
How far is Schicicoza's reach?
In Season 2 Episode 11 of Bookworm, Schicicoza is introduced as a knight tasked with protecting Myne on the battlefield but ignores his job because of her status as a commoner. Instead, he assaults her and makes the mission more difficult for everyone. Enraged at what happened, Ferdinand declares that he and the knight order will be punished for the transgression.
In Episode 12, though, the audience learns this declaration is meeting resistance. Schicicoza's mother is intervening and contacting anyone she can think of to prevent his punishment. Depending on his family's connections, this incident could be brushed aside. It isn't hard to believe, as he's bragged about being of higher nobility than his comrades. How high his family is will determine the effect of this plan and what can be done in his favor. Perhaps he could even have Myne sent elsewhere.
Who, exactly, is Ferdinand?
Ferdinand is a man of many secrets in Ascendance of a Bookworm. He's the head priest at the church, despite not having been raised within it. He's a former knight who still has authority within its ranks and is an expert on magic. Yet, he refuses to give Myne more than the bare minimum of knowledge on it. Like her, he also has a large well of mana.
Aside from a few choice facts, little is known about Ferdinand. One certainty is that Myne has a powerful ally in him. He's doing everything in his power to protect her while keeping up appearances within the church. Perhaps he has come to look at her as a daughter or something else, or maybe he sees some of himself in her because of their similar circumstances.
Just how similar are they, though? Some fans theorize that Ferdinand is from another world like Myne, but others think he would have told her by now if he was. This wouldn't be too farfetched, though, because Bookworm has hinted at others being brought to this world like Myne was. Certain gestures, like the pose made when offering prayer, are details she remembers from her past life. So it's possible there are others like her -- and Ferdinand may be one of them.
