Villainess and Grimoire - Chapter 114 – General Aurora Arc

Year 5009 after the system day 88 of the sun season outside the outpost in the north section.

“I wish Iris could be here riding these cute horses with us, don’t you agree Momo, Lady Aurora?”

“Yes, Lady Alicia that would certainly be fun, she could even see the vast fields everyone working hard on,” Aurora looks around her seeing how much everything and everyone progressed since she became a general.

“At this pace it might become a city of its own, seeing as every day more peasants come for teacher Aurora, looking for a job either in the army as a soldier or as a farmer, aside from other professions depending on what they know how to do,” Momo declared paying special attention to everyone that goes in and out of the territory, as she’s busy helping with the selection.

“Most peasants don’t have particularly defining classes, so they’re as useful as they can be,” Aurora mentioned particularly unbothered expecting a few of them to have rare or even unique classes towards crafting.

“Maybe the summoned from Aria, you could procure information regarding them,  since they’re forced to place their hand when they arrive, maybe you’ll even want to recruit them for the future engagements we’ll have to do against the goblins.”

“That’s actually a useful piece of advice lady Alicia,” Aurora smiled gratefully since despite her brightness she doesn’t have time to think about everything.

“Don’t worry teacher, I’ll make sure to keep finding information about Iris and the different human outposts, perhaps my skill will prove to make good use of it, also why did you stay behind after that war?”

“I had a feeling I would see something interesting if I stayed there…”

With curious faces, the girls asked in unison,” and did you?” They look at each other awkwardly as they acted the same way causing Momo to blush and Alicia to smile naturally.

“Actually I did, I got to confirm the existence of the giant goblins as tall as the walls of that day, truly incredible and frightening too,” the girls gulped at the same time but this time not leaving their gazes from Aurora who looked seriously at them both.

“I saw a tall goblin wearing crown possibly the king, next to the one wielding a staff, the one I and Momo met when they sent an envoy, and then some very strong looking creatures along with the giants.”

“If they had a million then at the very least they’re down by around 350 thousand goblins from all the things teacher achieved, possibly a bit more from the help of the other two armies,” Momo said and then pulled the reins which the other two copied riding side by side with Aurora in the middle.

“You sure have interesting ideas Lady Aurora, it makes me wonder just how you even think of such things without having a special skill of sorts that could help you in some way.”

“Imagination and creativity don’t require a skill, neither does exercising the brain lady Alicia,” Aurora replied with a mocking tone ending up teasing her, and Momo chuckling lightly unable to hold her laughter.

“Buh, you two are evil,” Alicia hits the horse dorse with the back of her boot while pouting making it move.

Seeing that the other two smiled happily and followed her.

A while later, they arrive at a small lake surrounded by grass and a few trees, and two boulders where they dismount and allow the horses to drink water while they rest.

“That’s the horse you took with Ava the girl who reached the max level? She’s become quite famous ever since the incident there have even been recruit attempts from the other two armies whom she refused despite better wage,” Momo said after sitting on the grass while stretching her back and arms upward.

“Yes this is the one, a light brown horse who was closeby to the massacre done by Ava, it’s a very smart horse so I took a liking to it, I named him brownie,” the horse does a neigh feeling prideful startling both girls, to what Aurora adds,” See I told you he’s pretty smart,” she pats the dorse softly while complimenting him.

“It really does look like it, it even received more compliments from you than I have…” Alicia said while feeling frustrated s Aurora always bullies her for some reason without understanding why.

“This reminds me of something, did you successfully assimilate yourself fully with the first hero soul fragment?”

“Yes, but my body can’t keep up with the movements from her memories, they were truly outstanding, so I still have a long way to go.”

“Sounds like our generation will truly cause a change in this world, and together with the thirty summoned humans, perhaps even get the humans a peaceful world under the goddess Aria.”

“I don’t believe it’ll be that easy Momo, but we’ll do our best to see it happen, right Aurora?” Both girls look at her who’s playing with the horse ignoring them.

On a low tone, Alicia says,” being a noble lady is very tough, especially one such as myself, but I can’t possibly imagine the burden it’s going through her, perhaps the one you share Momo.”

“Well, I do a lot less than Aurora, since I’m working of the base foundation she created, I couldn’t possibly discipline everyone the way she did, the speeches written by those delicate small and tired fingers, and or course, thinking on all the tactics I was taught, without all of that, with my skill and memory alone, I would’ve long lost, but since there’s already a base and time to learn, I’ll be able to shine at some point providing the support she needs, to take her leading a level beyond.”

Aurora smiled faintly hearing her words without the girls being aware of it as they were looking into one another, to what Alicia added,” if only I had some years more I would be able to reach a better stage becoming able to lead the first line, instead of having my father and the shield line forced to defend every time it’s necessary.”

“Take your time growing, Iris is also taking hers, eventually everything will change one way or another, and all the races will get to know the humans, and how evil they can be,” Aurora said with a calm tone showing an unusual state of mind related to such topic.

“Sometimes it feels like you changed a bit Aurora ever since the day you punched the bell, there’s been a funny rumor of it, how the bell has a print of your fist on its surface,” Momo said comparing Aurora behavior to all the images she has of her from before that day.

“Did you really punched one of those bells? They’re really tough!” Alicia says with a surprised expression making Aurora lightly chuckle placing a hand in front of her mouth hiding the laughter, and then with a cool eloquent tone, Aurora speaks.

“That day felt like I woke up from a very long dream, an everlasting one lasting more than eternity itself.”

Alicia chuckled and said,” that really does sound long, so does that mean that your class awakened or something like that?”

“Not exactly… that has yet to happen.”

“Aren’t you like half as strong as the Saintess in what comes to mana? Just how much stronger are you planning on becoming?” Momo said feeling left out as both of them were extremely capable.

Feeling the sadness in her tone Aurora’s horse approached and started rubbing his face to hers consoling the girl who felt surprised, ending up patting the muzzle softly and a big of the other cheek that was free, and then Momo added,” thank you brownie you’re a good horse,” the words made him neigh happily.

With a friendly tone, Aurora declared,” don’t worry my silly student, out of the three of us, you’re bound to be the one getting the most achievements, and also have the biggest role in the future to come, though there’s a chance I won’t be there to see it, so make sure you protect Momo, Alicia.”

Noticing how strange Aurora’s words were, and also the fact she didn’t request that with the use of formality, Alicia took it as a warning, and from that day onwards she would keep an eye on the general student.

“Also, I will disclose some confidential information that is only shared between me and my master Iris.”

“Master?” Alicia asks curiously but also confused about the way her friend was addressed.

“Are you really telling her? She’s a hero Aurora,” Momo said with a cold tone unbefitting the entire personality she had shown till now.

“Tell me what?” An unease and fearful feelings joined together with the other two inside her heart, preparing herself to draw the blue sword if necessary.

“The truth is that Iris class isn’t a wizard-like she told you before, she’s a witch, and not just any type, a unique type called Babel witch, granted to her by the evil god and the god of chaos, she’s the reason the black robes support us, apparently she’s called the one, the human who will bring them to the promised land, which was deprived of them as they were constantly exiled by the white robes, in other words, the church.”

Upon hearing those words her body relaxed as the new law, had already been approved by the queen and the royal siblings regarding the disgrace class, since it was already in effect there was no longer anything to worry about.

“It’s not like Iris chose to become the leader or part or whatever of the criminal organization right? Fairly speaking, the law makes them innocent now, unless there’s an issue about her class that you didn’t tell me? Since I’ve never heard about a Babel class, not to forget that includes the first hero knowledge which is extremely vast.”

“To be honest, I was hoping that by telling you about it, you would be able to teach us something, but it seems like that wasn’t the case, and it is like you said, you and Momo know about her true class which makes her a special person to some extent, however, the information I gathered from the white and black robes, don’t have anything related to the Babel part itself.”

“Then how do they know Iris is the one?” Alicia asked while gripping the hands into each other feeling worried for her friend.

“Apparently they have an artifact that guides them to her, no matter where she is, and it only works for her when the one is mentioned.”

“Shit, that’s truly fucked up, having all the weird black robes chasing over her… especially since they were once criminals, even if it’s not for the disgrace class, they still managed to do a lot of other crimes.”

“I agree, even if I’m cursed myself, at least, I never harmed anyone before!” Upon hearing that Alicia grabbed Momo’s hands who were shaking from the conversation, as she was scared for Iris too, and in a way all her life due to the way the body looked like.

“It seems like I’ll have to gather information a little deeper, also Alicia, Iris told me that your class and hers are nemeses, so if the day comes where one of you has to live, I’ll make sure that my sister is the one who prevails.”

Feeling the shock and the pressure from Aurora’s words, Alicia says,” she’s my friend, I won’t allow anything to control me, and force me to think otherwise! Not to forget I overcame the soul fragment gaining a couple of useful things.” Upon hearing the words next to her Momo tightened the grip of Alicia’s hands while smiling softly happily.

“Very well, the next two places I’ll have to look at is the royal family library and the secret archives of the pope, both places that I can’t possibly reach yet.”

“Wouldn’t the Prince allow you?” Alicia asks surprised as in her eye they seem quite close.

“His own library is fine, but the one I would like to see is the late king’s one that only the heir has the permission to enter, it should have a lot of interesting secrets and knowledge,” Aurora’s eyes shone making Alicia burst in laughter.

“Sometimes I forget that you’re a child like us Aurora, even with the memories of the first hero I was able to keep my personality mostly intact, except when it comes to swordsmanship, I get to have something like an assistance showing me the next step.”

“Well… yes, I’m currently younger than you Alicia, so that’s a given.”

“A suspicious break,” Alicia says in a joking tone making Aurora smile and Momo chuckle.

“Speaking of which, it is time to get going, still have some more dresses to try, even though I found a very interesting one.”

Upon hearing that Momo and Alicia’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.