Villainess and Grimoire - Chapter 120 – Training Arc

Year 5009 after the system day 72 of the flowering season at the entrance of the dojo two people could be seen seated.

“So Iris you’re saying that there’s someone who considers himself to be the strongest assassin in the world?”

“Yes master Ray, he’s been tasked to keep me safe even though I’m with you, so I don’t really feel in danger.”

“That Isabella woman is pretty delicate with her inaudible steps, I wonder just how good is this man you’re talking about,” I smile happily at that and then respond,” can’t be helpt teacher, there’s always someone stronger out there as the world is quite vast, the reason why I want to be the strongest one.”

“At least motivation and a firm goal you don’t lack,” he starts laughing while looking at the sky above us.

“I have a request teacher Ray,” I look at him with a serious expression which he takes notice gazing lower at me.

“What is it blondie?”

“Once I surpass you, you must promise to quit drinking, and tell me how you became a fallen noble,” I say as seriously as possible to what he replies rather calmly,” sure, that’s a good reward, even though I expected you to ask for my swords, I guess you’re nicer than I thought.”

I start laughing and after a while, I take a quick look around me eventually gazing at my teacher,” I could never steal your precious swords from you, plus I want to master one-handed swordsmanship, I need one of my hands always free.”

“You do? For what?” He asks curiously staring at my open hand.

“Since my left arm is slightly stronger than my right one, I’ll use the sword with it, and a magical weapon on my right one is the style I believe that could fit me the best.”

“Hum… I suppose in the future, I could buy you a short staff to increase your magical attack, it also helps with conducting your mana easier.”

“A staff… maybe I could use it to smack people’s heads the way you did on mine the other day with the sword,” as soon as I finish we stare at each other bursting with laughter.

“Ah… you’re really a foolish girl Iris.”

“I might indeed be a fool, but at the very least, everything I do is with my happiness in sight.”

“That’s the reason you wish to become stronger? To be happy?”

“Yes, protecting my happiness, and for that, I’ll certainly need an overwhelming power, how about you teacher, why did you wish to become stronger?”

“Back then my noble family fell off the rose top 8 due to the loss of a great investment where my parents were tricked by the head of the gray house, as such, instead of buying random things, they decided to fully support me with everything they could, ultimately giving me a strong base which I started refining, but of course, even then I wasn’t strong enough and the world made sure to show it to me, as such, things that I’ll tell you in the future happened, and my family fell off the charts.”

“I understand…”

‘To think someone tricked his parents, but looking at how old he is the parents must already be dead, in other words, the current head is that person’s successor, so not my place to meddle.”

I get up and charge my legs with mana, I can now hold 40 of it as I walk, and upon doing so,” seems like you’ve been improving slightly faster than I expected you to do, keep it up Iris, walking is the first real step babies take after crawling.”

“It sure is like that…” as I spend my mana slowly with each step Ray tells me something rather interesting.

“That sister of yours is rather eccentric, the speech she made recently, I received a copy of it, and I couldn’t help but wanting to fight some goblins after reading it.”

“My sister’s speech? Hadn’t that been a long time ago before the annual tournament even?”

“Apparently she made a new sole one to the great masses instantly spurring a lot of humans inner emotions, dare to know about it?”

“Of course, but read it for me, as I’m currently having a tough time handling mana,” he began laughing and then started reading it for me.

“They say destruction only comes at the hand of the powerful, thus the strong can’t help but extend their hands and break those around themselves. Do not forget that through the entire story of this world, it is mentioned that the weakest can’t help but cower in fear, for when those who are born superior decide to tear us apart, and steal from us everything we have, we end up with nothing but the darkness of death and the poverty of our souls. We’ve faced every possible defeat before the system was implemented, as the different races were born unequally, but even then ours was since birth inadequate, and utterly weaker compared to those around us,” he senses my mana going out of control sometimes while reading it.

“That was quite something teacher Ray…” I say rather excited and surprised by the words used.

“It was the beginning but it was an amazing start that would instantly make us humans feel extremely weak, which in a way is not absolutely right, since not all of us are this powerless, it was a manipulative speech right from the beginning to pull the dark side of humans out.”

I then defended my sister’s speech,” that would be true if there existed a human capable of defeating every other being on their own, but from what teacher Ray told me, that was not the case,” he started laughing remembering some peculiar opponents.

“Well perhaps she’s not absolutely wrong,” he notices a happy smile appearing on my expression as soon as his words end,” still that sister of yours is pretty charismatic, aside from already being a good leader, perhaps even good enough to rule the kingdom.”

“Aurora the queen… that would be quite strange as she’s not really into nobility, dislikes them even.”

“Yet she’s become one, isn’t that rather contradicting blondie?”

“That was the only way she could become the general of the army due to social class strife, so it can’t be helpt.”

“The truth is not that one my dumb student,” he chuckles confusing me.

“What do you mean by that?”

“The great existence Rizia, a peasant who never stopped being one, in other words, Aurora chose to ascend to nobility.”

My mana goes out of control and then I retract it stopping the training as I can no longer focus.

“You have a long way to go, Iris, if it was in the middle of a fight and someone told you something like this, you would no longer be able to control your mana resulting in your death, that’s not part of the bases I taught you.”

“Apologies teacher, but why the hell did she become a noble if that wasn’t necessary!?” I shout rather angrily startling my teacher who didn’t expect these emotions.

“To make an example for further peasants, showing that they too can ascend in the future to come, marking this a new era to fight the social classes gap, and possibly invoking the desires of such peasants to join her army, allowing the prince Julius to become the ruler.”

My emotions instantly go back to normal and I resume my training,” I understand she’s aiming for some sort of equality towards all humans,” once I start controlling my mana once more I hear something unpleasant.

“You could perceive it like that, yes, that girl is very odd, you should be wary of her.”

With a subtle coldness spreading from my gaze I take a few steps facing my teacher and then my lips move,” she’s my sister, I won’t tolerate disrespect towards my family.”

“It seems like my taunting worked, a cold emotion is what you need to control that aura easier, you just took four steps barely losing any mana,” he laughs while pointing at my legs,” plus it was just a prank, I don’t really care about a child, the only kid that is of my concern is you, my successor, also you’re a weakling if I’d like I could bad mouth your entire family and friends, and you wouldn’t be able to lay even a finger on me, you are trash, now go back training so at least in the future you might have a chance to talk with me in such a tone,” he laughs the entire conversation throwing it away to which I let it be since his words are rightful and I can’t do anything about it.

With a low tone I reply coldly,” just you wait, I’ll master this in no time and show you who the weak one is!”

“Yes, exactly, that’s the spirit, don’t forget that emotion while you train this, it’ll help you a lot in the future!”

‘Finding the person trigger is easily the hardest thing, but to think hers would be such a simple one, with this, as long as she can not be happy, she’ll go a lot faster… ironically it’s the opposite of her wish, a coincidence perhaps? No that can’t be so, this world works in a unique way, in other words, her true nature? A second one? Ice element which is essentially cold? That could be the case… both siblings seem to be rather interesting.’