Chapter 16: Grimoire
Villa of Ariad, South Thread City, South Ariad Marquisate.
Inside one of the lounges, in a luxurious bedroom situated beside her mother's, Olivia, with her entire body etched with fatigue and numbing pain from getting beaten up and repeatedly stabbed, slumped on her spacious white blanketed bed as various thoughts surged in her mind, recalling the otherworldly and cruel experiences that she and the other three maids had undergone through during their first night of training under their Young Master's guidance.
"Young Master, as far as I know, is categorized as an 'Irregular' based on the Seven Churches, but how is he already so powerful?" Her curious utterance filled the chilling air hovering through the cold night.
According to common knowledge, an "Irregular" who had just woken up from deep slumber wouldn't be able to draw out one's power and experience to its full extent and would only partially manifest; one would need an ample amount of time for the subject of Divine Abandonment to recover the high amount of one's ability and fighting proficiency.
It was the reason the two deceased Guardians, Emric and Racan, were painted with outright bewilderment during their unexpected confrontation against the concubine's son. After all, it hadn't been a day or even half a day since Zero had opened his eyes.
To put it simply, his inexplicable circumstance was similar to someone in a deep coma for ten years, who surprisingly and miraculously adapted to the functions of his unmoving body concerning mobility just after waking up.
However, in the case of the Seven Churches, the 'delayed manifestation' of an Irregular's total recovery was something to be continuously exploited, allowing them to capture these subjects of irregularity with ease, who had gone rouge due to the fear of prejudice or for some 'other' reasons.
These "Irregulars" were Explorers who had their freedom turned into illusion. Even though the freedom to roam the continent exists, their societal privileges were limited to a superficial state of society and only few to none would want to interact with the likes of them unless, similar to Yura En Adessa, they were bound by the Explorer's Contract.
With this flooding her mind, a provoking, terrifying thought struck the temporary head maid, as she continued to open her mouth whilst her golden eyes remained fixated on the whitish ceiling, "W–what if... Young Master manifests all of his strength?"
Olivia was then reminded of "MAI" in Zero's arsenal. As every maid only perceived this new maid as their Young Master's summon, who shared Zero's partial overall power, it was bound for the temporary head maid to assume that Zero possessed a monstrous strength.
Recalling how they were helpless on how swiftly Mai moved from one place to another, a chill ran down Olivia's spine.
"Moreover, that weapon..."
She was a curious daughter of the head maid. Even though every maid vowed not to pry into wisdom that exceeded their comprehension or encompassed the internal affairs of the Ariad Household, it would be different if such matters were proactively revealed to them.
It was similar to being invited to a murky plane of mysteries with one's protection rather than going in through its door unguarded and without one's permission.
"When I think about it, it means we truly died the first time... Or perhaps not?" Olivia pondered. The ambiguous function of the Umbra Sword of Path, though was stated as similar as one would expect in a common labyrinthian artifact, was somewhat confusing her mind.
"What does it mean... to 'deceive'?"
"You have a good mindset."
"Wh–wha—"
Thud.
A sudden familiar cold voice entered Olivia's auricular sense, causing her to instinctively and subconsciously roll through her bed, falling on the floor with her back.
"Agh– M–miss Mai?! Wh–what?"
"Oi. Stop being so shocked. But your amusing reaction was strikingly similar to Hanna and Skaya.
"By the way, I've come to deliver these under Master's order."
Olivia gripped the side of her bed, helping herself to get up as she found herself sitting on its fluffy cushion. Seeing her composure, Mai, with her back leaning with her arms crossed, sauntered towards the temporary head maid. She then swiftly retrieved something from the planar pocket and handed it to Olivia.
Olivia's scrutinizing golden eyes received two things, prompting her to mutter:
"A journal... and a pen from the Young Master?"
"Master has ordered the four of you to write whatever you've learned.
"Your mindset of being curious will help you understand some things as time passes on. But as of now, whatever you learned during your training or what you are curious about after, write it in the journal."
"Ah– I see. Young Master's truly considerate, isn't he? Thank you, Miss–?"
Unable to finish her expression of gratitude, Mai's presence already disappeared.
"...I guess I will thank her later?"
Putting the journal and pen both inscribed with inexplicable runic characters Olivia had yet to see, Olivia muttered:
"I wonder how Azel's doing?"
Remembering this particular maid's tears stemming from her unknown history, an idea found itself in the temporary head maid's mind.
***
Grimoire — an enigmatic book containing the 'wisdom' of the Seven Labyrinth of Wonders, proven to provide the Explorer with a specific ability upon absorbing its fragmented contents.
Sitting in a lotus position, Azel's cerulean eyes opened as Zero retracted his hands from her back, completing the former's wisdom absorption of the Grimoire he had gifted her.
"It's done. If you have any questions, just ask." Zero said. He then went to the lone tree and lay underneath it, his thoughts unknown.
On the other hand, Azel cast her gaze on the hazy blue screen, which continuously showed her a stream of information. Her expression was of absolute wonder because such texts were eerily unfamiliar. But there's also a mix of anticipation and great appreciation painted on her face, receiving something unexpected from her Young Master.
[You have read the Grimoire: Something That Shouldn't Be Read, Chapter 1 – The Visage of Arcana...]
Normally, this exclusive Grimoire would outright burn the soul and kill any Explorer who dared to open and absorb its fragmented wisdom in ignorance. However, with Zero's assistance and presence, Azel became qualified to access and absorb such lost wisdom.
[You have read the Grimoire: Something That Shouldn't Be Read, Chapter 2 – Conflicting Tears of a Man...]
[You have read the Grimoire: Something That Shouldn't Be Read, Chapter 3 – Beginning of Inevitability.]
[You have grasped and absorbed the wisdom of the Grimoire: Something That Shouldn't Be Read!]
[Chapter 1 – The Visage of Arcana has been grasped!]
[You have received an Explorer's Ability: Keybody.]
[Chapter 2 — Conflicting Tears of a Man has been grasped!]
[This Explorer's Ability has been sealed.]
[Explorer's qualification unsatisfied! Raise your Mana Attunement to unseal.]
[Chapter 3 – Beginning of Inevitability has been grasped!]
[This Explorer's Ability has been sealed.]
[Explorer's qualification unsatisfied! Raise your Mana Attunement to unseal.]
***
"T–this is... Young Master?!"
Her gaze sought Zero, who at this moment was comfortably lying on the grass beneath the lone tree. Hearing Azel's voice, he asked, "What's the matter, Azel?"
"U–uh! Young Master, I–I didn't expect it to be a 3-Chapter Grimoire! How can you hand me something so precious? I–I thought it was just going to be the most common 1–Chapter!"
Chapter of Grimoire — the determinant of a Grimoire's value as each chapter corresponded to an Explorer's Ability. The more chapters it contained, the harder it was to find or even receive within the confines of mighty labyrinths.
"A–and it's the first time I've seen or heard of a Grimoire that's numerically arranged... All the time it's random."
As far as Azel was aware, a Grimoire's chapter of wisdom was all random. It could have more than one chapter but its contents would deviate from order. Sometimes a Grimoire could arbitraryly reveal Chapter 333 or Chapter 665 of the fragmented story and the higher the number of the stated chapter, the stronger the ability an Explorer could expect.
Even in the current era, these Grimoires were among the greatest mysteries, along with the existence of the labyrinths. Some of the ancient ancestors had these questions in the vast Labyrinth Records:
— "What are these fragmented stories? Are they just imaginations borne from the power of labyrinths? Or are they stories that are lost in time? Who knows, maybe it's something that shouldn't be solved." — A certain Angel-borne ancestor.
— "Have the Seven Deities crafted these stories to pass on 'Their' power through these mysterious books?" Who knows, maybe it's something that we should unveil." — A certain Vampire ancestor.
— "Oh, fascinating! You fools must know that some things in the dark must never reach the light." — A certain Dragonblood ancestor.
***
"Why? Isn't that enough?" Zero, without looking at Azel as his gaze focused on the expansive night sky, addressed the puzzled maid.
"N–no! It's more than enough and I'm truly grateful, Young Master! It just fascinates me that such a Grimoire exists.
"All in all, I'm just thankful that as a Keysmith, I would have a fighting ability."
But that delight was short-lived as Azel inspected the Ability: Keybody.
"Uh, Young Master, h–how do I use this?"
——————————————
[Keybody]
Description:
It opens the possibility for a co-existence that shouldn't be possible.
Category: Class Specialization Ability
Rarity: [?]
Function: [Let's be Friends!]
Opens the Explorer's body to be possessed by a Spirit with the same strength. Possessing this ability will grant the Explorer a high resistance against unwanted possession.
Beware! Not every Spirit leans on the good side of the world.
Status: Useful [+Caution]
——————————————
Hearing her anxious query, Zero said, "Earlier, I handed you a key. That should answer your question." Pausing for two seconds, he continued, "You see, it's a very dangerous ability. But in the right hands, it will be extremely useful.
Dumbfounded, Azel retrieved the ancient-looking key. Holding it in her hand, she verified its information.
—————————————
[Key Fragment of the Veiled World]
Description:
A manifestation of 'something' that has been broken, closing the door of the other side.
Category: Artifact
Rarity: [?]
Function: [Hanging Schism]
Makes your soul vulnerable to immaterial beings to see the other side.
Beware! It must only be used when the Explorer has the ability called "Keybody!"
Status: Useful [+Keybody]
—————————————
***
"Y–young Master, but how do I use this key?" Azel queried, feeling an inexplicable sense of exhilaration in the midst of the artifact's ominous function.
"You want to try it now?" Zero replied, his gaze alternated for a moment, casting it on Azel and the serene sky.
Feeling embarrassed, "U–uh, it's midnight. S–sorry, Young Master!"
"No, it's fine. Mai can help you instead."
"N–no, Young Master! I will go rest, see you tomorrow, I mean later!" At that moment, as if Azel had forgotten her status as a maid, she ran off towards the house, leaving her Young Master with a blank expression.
Witnessing her fading figure, Mai's voice coming atop the lone tree echoed, "Master, should I have gone easy on them?"
Zero chuckled.
***
Main House of Ariad, Central Ariad Marquisate, Arin City.
A week since Elizabeth's son opened his eyes; three weeks before Zero Ariad–Fragmenta's nullification of his temporary protection. In her lavish, figurine-filled room, Icaria sat on a refined wooden chair, savoring the afternoon glow as if she were waiting for someone.
A moment or two later, several knocks were heard, causing Icaria to flash a genuine smile. What entered was a pale-skinned, lithe woman in her early twenties, around twenty to twenty-one years old; she had a pair of golden brown eyes and platinum long hair, donning a white shirt tucked in a pair of brown pants.
Seeing her, Icaria raised her body as she muttered, "I miss you, Isanna, my daughter."
Isanna Ariad, the fourth child of the Patriarch of Ariad, smiled.
Icaria opened her arms wide, prompting Isanna to take a step back, "M–mother! I'm in my combat training uniform, unbefitting to make physical contact with you!"
"Sigh. You know if it's the five of you, I don't mind how you present yourselves to me. Okay?" Before Isanna could react, Icaria lunged towards her, who couldn't react in time.
"Syaaa—! How I miss this girl! Sigh. Why is the Labyrinthos Academia busy even during vacation? I can barely see my children!"
Being released from her mother's embrace, Isanna asked, "Mother, I miss you, too. But why have you summoned me as if something's urgent?"
Hearing her, Icaria caught a deep breath, her delightful expression suddenly turned serious, "It's about your sibling."
"Huh? What did my little sister do again?" Isanna referred to Patriarch's sixth child, slightly older than Zero's little sister.
Letting out an expressive sigh, Icaria's next words froze her daughter's countenance:
"It's about your half-brother, Zero."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone