Ascendance of a Bookworm: Hannelore’s Fifth Year at the Royal Academy Volume 2

Ascendance of a Bookworm: Hannelore’s Fifth Year at the Royal Academy Light Novel #2

by Miya Kazuki, Quof (Translator), You Shiina (Illustrator)

Hannelore awakens from her goddess-induced coma to find the entire country in a frenzy! Duchy after duchy vies for her hand, each hoping to best Dunkelfelger at bride-stealing ditter and claim the second divine avatar for themselves. Meanwhile, the schemes of a certain former prince—and even the involvement of the Zent—threaten to stir things up even further.

With an ever-growing list of suitors, including the archduke candidate Ortwin, Hannelore’s fifth year promises to be anything but ordinary. Will she stay in Dunkelfelger, or marry into another duchy? What future awaits the erstwhile Lady Crybaby, who blushes at every playful advance? Find out in the second volume of this love-battle fantasy, featuring two original short stories and four-panel manga by You Shiina!

Genres: Light Novel, Fantasy, Fiction

302 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 10, 2025

About the author

Japanese author (香月美夜)

Kazuki started writing novels when she was in her second year of junior high school. After taking an entrance exam, she entered into a national university before graduating and becoming busy with work, stopping her from writing. Once she was married and her child entered kindergarten, Kazuki had more free time, which she used to start writing again. From 2013 onwards, she started publishing her novel Ascendance of a Bookworm on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō which saw success. In 2015, she officially debuted with said series under the T.O. Books imprint.

Reviews

[Nowan Cano · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.49 stars. First time reading one of these newly published!

It was a solid installment. For a bit it seemed like not a lot was happening but in hindsight I guess a bunch did happen. Still it does feel a bit in-between since we're just waiting for the big ditter match and climax now, plus the full reveals of what's going on with Rozemyne. But it was still quite enjoyable to see her character developments and all the scheming. This really is a world where every word of every sentence has to be carefully thought through. Otherwise you wind up like Wilfried.

Speaking of Wilbur how tf is this guy still around. Deport his ass to IMMERDINK put him in a third rate noble sex dungeon next to Detlinde and never reference him again. Rozemyne has no shortage of good brothers and sisters to focus on as is. In general the check-ins with the rest of the cast, especially the new younger generation, were fun. Hildebrand is gonna have the mother of all mother-in-law complexes but I really think he and Letizia could be really cute. Also gotta see more about Lungtase, that girl smart.

I think what brought this book down a bit was not enough comeuppance for the annoying people. Which yeah it's expected for a middle installment but even so. Need to see Sigi suffer. Even the Raufereg thing wasn't as satisfying as it should have been. And ofc Wilbur still running around causing problems. That boy ain't right. And idk if unpopular opinion but I ain't an Ortwin fan. Bro is the potential man of his generation.

It was immensely fun to see the other duchies scramble once they realized what they signed up for tho. Overall a fun read. Not looking forward to the long wait for the next one alas.

[Pieter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great continuation of Hannelore's romantic trouble and the politics behind it. It is a great read when it comes to characters, politics, and pacing. I am struggling a bit with the romantic drama, not my normal genre, and the time travel plot taking place in the background poses its own irritation for me due to my dislike of the trope. At least the gods keep their distance in this volume. So, yeah, solid read, just not completely for me to be honest.

[Yessenia Andaverde · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book ended way to fast. It felt like many things happened but none at the same time. I mean, I still don't know who severed Ferdinand's thread. Was someone from Lanzenave? A god? Some other entity?
Maybe Urano's reincarnation is to blame and the universe is just trying to correct itself. I don't know.

Hannelore seems to finally have grown a spine. She's not Lady Crybaby anymore. Best of all, she's finally seeing Wilfried's true colors.

But who cares! I want more of my favorite couple and I didn't get enough. All our information about them is secondhand. I demand to know what conversation took place when Rozemyne healed Ferdinand in the past! What he felt when he was saved by the envoy of the Goddess of Time! Why am I certain she is related to Heidemarie's death? Myne had to have been there.

Making me wait for another installment in the story where I will learn about Myne and Doino is just too cruel. I knew I shouldn't have started this story until all books were released.

Also, that dressing down Charlotte gave Wilfried? *Chef0s kiss*

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greatly enjoyed this installment in Hannelore's adventures! While I do miss the restoration of lost knowledge and the building of economy we got in the main series, I love how Hannelore's POV gives us greater insights into interduchy relations and the mindset of "normal" nobles, things we don't necessarily get to see with Rozemyne.

In particular, the political maneuvering and navigating cultural differences between duchies is done so delicately that it hardly makes one envy the responsibilities of archducal families, but they do it so elegantly that it makes me admire the archducal ladies all the more. Hannelore is a wonderful contrast to Rozemyne in this regard, but I wouldn't change either of them. :)

And of course, we got lots of ditter! Cannot wait for the next volume where the ditter extravaganza comes to a head! Who will win Hannelore's hand in the end?

[Licho · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a fun continuation of the main Ascendance series, but I have to admit part of me misses the focus on restoring lost knowledge or introducing modern ideas and technology alongside the magic of the world that we became familiar with in Myne's stories.

I know I'm in the minority of this, but time travel shenanigans usually contain my least favorite tropes, and the two Hannelore stories draws heavily from them. So while fun as a supplement it doesn't hit as hard for me as the main story.

[Grey Mage · Rating 5 out of 5]

this feels like the middle of the early volumes. It's great.

While this side adventure is about Hannelore, it's immensely enjoyable to see how higher-ranked folks live their lives suffering, interact, and how nobles must conduct themselves.

The absolute best moment is when Wilfried gets a reality check.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannelore

I have come to respect her character so much more as she grows. Hanne-chan was a cowardly, crybaby who somehow never gave up when she set her mind to accomplishing a goal. It is a true pleasure to witness her grow into a strong, confident woman who understands her place in society.

[Rome Cowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This spin off series has a different feel than the main books, it is heavier on the romance with Hannelore trying to decide who to be engaged with. I do enjoy seeing her character develop as this goes along but I’m much more interested in what happens in the upcoming Ditter match.

[DW Rowlands · Rating 3 out of 5]

So much ditter and Dunkelfeger internal politics...I'm still enjoying this series, but this book felt like it dragged a little. And I still don't see how Hannelore can get a happy marriage outcome. (Plus, I am increasingly concerned about Lestilitat being an acceptable next Aub Dunkelfeger.)

[Astolfo Romero · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Branden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was thinking this was a 3.5ish until I got to hear about our favorite chaos gremlin rampaging through time in the epilogue.