Villainess x Grimoire

A chilly sensation flowed down my eyes, leaving a watery sensation on its path. It felt no different than a tiny snail crawling atop my skin. Yet it was distinct, it felt icy and lighter.

My hands trembled as they reached out for my cheeks finding what felt to be the remnant of tears.

'Why is it so dark?' the curtains were open, allowing me to glimpse outside, finding out that it was nighttime.

'Did I sleep through the afternoon?' my body ached, and my head felt like a cracked egg.

Unlike me, Aurora was nowhere to be found, but I could hear the voices of my parents in unison with her own. Slowly, I reached out for my forehead, caressing off its pain as I did my best to stand.

Shaky steps took me outside the room, guiding me to the bathroom where I sat on the toilet.

With a quick jump, I managed to lower my trousers along with my underwear.

A stream flowed, relieving my inwards and weirdly enough decreasing a bit of my pain.

"Ah..." this sensation couldn't possibly be less than living in heaven. I had so much pee in me that the sound of it coming out was similar to frying chicken with oil in a pan.

After washing myself, I left wondering what to do today.

Luckily for us, my parents had allowed Aurora to live with us without any issues. Given the reasoning that our souls were connected was probably enough reason for them to not even think twice. Especially given the fact that she was a mysterious weapon with possibly some power.

"Good morning dad."

"Hello," he waved hurriedly entering the bathroom. It seemed he had been waiting for me to finish.

In a few steps, I returned to my room, meeting my fellow roommate.

"Aurora!"

Her gaze left the window falling on me.

"What would you like to do today?"

To my question she mumbled.

She looked terribly calm as if she was a lake that remained still and everything that lived in it was already dead.

But in my heart, I couldn't be happier with her presence. It was not everyday that I gained a family member.

"Yes, that sounds like a plan."

"What does?"

The vividness in her eyes returned as she acknowledged my presence once more.

"Sharing information. Let's start with my side," as soon as she said that, her form changed.

I approached her confused, taking hold of my weapon.

Notice: Grimoire compatibility with unique skill appraisal is 100%. Do you wish to register a new spell?

'Sure?'

I felt a piece of me subside and pass on to her blank page. In it, a black ink took hold an dry itself it drew an intricate circle. The appraisal was the page title. Inside the complex circular lines and triangular shapes, a blackened inked lotus flower appeared.

Notice: The grimoire can now answer your questions in exchange for tremendous amounts of mana.

'Status, how do I know if I have enough mana?'

Notice: With insufficient amounts, the skill won't activate.

'I understand.' My skill was pretty amazing in the way it explained my skills to some extent. Though there were a lot of other things that it didn't tell me a single word about. Thus, I started to wonder what kind of doubts this so-called spell could do for me. Yet, unsure if we even had enough mana I closed the book, permitting Aurora to return to a more human-like shape.

"Unexpected." She muttered.

"It's the first time I hear my skill say such a long word." I giggled, knowing it wouldn't be for naught. Ever since the days when I fainted from lack of mana, I took my safety with a lot more carefulness.

She moved next to me and caused a familiar panel to appear.

[

Entity: Aurora | Contract: <Master Iris> |

Weapon: Grimoire | Grade: Trash | Rank: 0 |

Durability: 10/10 | Mana container: 10/10 | Soul container: 0/???

Class: <empty> | Speciality: <empty>

]

All these new values made me open my mouth in shock.

"This is my information. I don't have a status skill like you, but I can still share a bit of me."

Without being able to hold myself back, I shouted. "There are so many things!"

Promptly, I analyzed all these peculiar numbers and letters.

'So, I did become her master,' I lacked a sense of superiority over others. Still, this reassured me. I was the one above—the one in control.

As naive as I often was, there was this strange sense of familiarity towards Aurora. It felt like our relationship was sheltered by something I couldn't quite put my fingers on.

"If I get damaged, I lose durability whereas you'd lose health."

I nodded at her words, showing that I could keep up with her explanation.

"Container here is the ability for me to receive your mana and keep it saved."

"That's... nice."

There hadn't been a single time where I could say I had enough mana to survive in the wild. But it was also true that no matter what I did, it would take a long time before I could increase my parameters through achievements. Or harder yet, by slaughtering humanity's enemies and acquiring experience points to level up.

Though, by the looks of it, the amount she could store was so low that it looked almost useless.

Knock sounds on my door caused us to become aware of someone opening it slowly.

"Dad?"

"Hey. I wanted to let you know that I spoke with Vicent during the night." His eyes fell on Aurora before continuing. "So that you can move through the village as a normal... girl. The story is that you were very ill since the day you were born having received no element."

"I understand."

Before allowing my dad to go on, I voiced in protest, "why the-"

But he interrupted me, following with a serious cold tone. "The church would hunt her if they knew what she has and what she is."

"The pope and the saintess..." she muttered with a dark expression as if the subject made her grief, showing awareness of their existence. Her eyes dimmed, was it hate boiling within her?

"Exactly." He yawned feeling somewhat relaxed despite suffering from lack of rest. His consciousness almost faded. "I need to go work, we'll talk later."

"Have a good day dad!"

Waking up early was not his forte. Still, we traded smiles while Aurora stood still, possibly pondering on one of these topics.

"Oh, right." I gave her, her own adventurer's card. "I'm not sure if it'll have any use for you but it's yours."

"Right..." she placed it on the table knowing there was no way to kill monsters on her own. As a grimoire, she was rather limited. "As much as I don't like this. I can't do much as I am now." Her eyes glanced in my direction.

"Sadly..." swiftly with pity in my tone, I responded, wishing to be able to do more for her, but unable to.

After remembering something and searching for it in the usual place, I stole a glimpse at her figure. "Were you my magical diary?"

"Yes."

"So..." I hid in embarrassment for the words I had written in it had been personal and intimate. Of course, she had copied my memories, but I still couldn't cope with it.

"Are you worried about what I know?"

I swayed my head to the sides.

"I'm on your side."

I looked innocently at her, expectantly and caressed by those words. They meant a lot to someone like me who had suffered at the hands of what should have been a good and fortunately very wealthy family.

"I'm as you saw. A trash-graded weapon in this world. But at least, you should be able to grow stronger."

Feeling the unease and worry in her tone, I gripped the fingers of my feet. "I won't abandon you."

She faced the window, becoming enveloped by its light.

"I am not a good person." She added without emotion as if those words meant nothing to her.

"I don't mind." She, too, attempted to save me. If she had been successful, Aurora would have been my first friend. I who sought people's warmth the most, couldn't possibly deny her existence in all this. I owed her just like she owed me, and I believed with all my heart that if our roles were reversed, she would have done the same for me.

"Very well. Let's work hard to get you a good class."

I couldn't believe what my ears had heard. After all, I had been trying my hardest to be helpful to other parties as a helper. In exchange, I learned what a few monsters were like. How they acted, and how to outdo them. I had worked so hard that I almost cried when I received the promotion. And now my twin wanted me to help me get what my dad had attained.

"How?"

"I'll gather some information while you focus on those quests." She pointed at her card.

"I'd need to make a party and-"

Elegantly, she interrupted me, "solo."

"But the guild rules..."

She picked up her card. "I'll team up with you."

"But you can't fight!"

"True, but you can." She smirked briefly before pointing at me, knowing the minimum party for any quest had to be two members. "Your level one with zero experience. I doubt the system would reward someone that has done nothing with a good class. If it was me, I would only give something useful to those who worked very hard by themselves."

"Yes, but..."

"You're not a child Iris. You're not allowed to whine either."

My eyes widened at her sermon yet I couldn’t bring myself to utter a single word back.

"I know your worries, but I've also learned about your conviction and dreams."

I nodded lightly at her words. As much as I wanted to contest them, they were right. Bad things had happened: people had died and were injured while I stood on the back watching. I had been mostly safe from harm. I had grown condescending and without realizing it, I became a supporting tool to others. I didnt even feel like a relevant side character. My main focus had been on surviving ever since the first accident with my party members.

A chortle left my despaired self. "I... I could have done more."

She faced me, causing her shadow to fall on me as if undergoing some sort of possession. And then, her arms extended to the sides, reaching out for my cheeks, and embracing them with her soft hands. "You can become more, so much more."

My eyes glittered, relieved of hearing such words. She had a strange way to captivate me. She was the opposite of Alicia. An immeasurable charisma and level of persuasion that enticed me in ways that I couldn't fathom to be possible.