《Villainess and Grimoire》Chapter 2 – Prologue Arc
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Six long years pass and I'm now seven years old living in a different room which is the closest one to the house exit.
The room is nothing special, it's medium-sized with a wardrobe where my clothes are stored, a bed big enough for three of my figure to fit next to each other's.
It has a small window on the white wall glued to my bed, which is directed north enabling me to see who approaches the house entrance, and has a view to the green plains outside.
There's a black curtain that I usually leave open as I enjoy to stare at the stars while I fall asleep, and it also helps me wake up with the sunlight. The floor is made of wood, oak type I believe that's what father once mentioned to me, everything else is white the walls and the ceiling.
The continuous sound of birds chirping at my window wakes me up, "hmm... is it morning?" I rub my eyes and look around opening them slowly, I get up and as I do, I accidentally push my cloth doll down.
It has been the gift I received for one of my birthdays. It has black ears and by that, I mean black stripes carefully stitched to the small head of it, a white bunny doll of sorts, with a black little nose and two similar brown buttons for eyes, and above them, on the forehead, it has a little grey bump.
It falls and a small noise echoes through the room, right after, I hear a voice, "hey Iris are you awake?"
'Hum...?' I wonder what's going on.
"If you are come have breakfast with us, before your dad goes to work."
I pick my doll and lay it on my bed, I put the white linens on top of it all the way to the neck and let it rest in my place.
I stretch my arms upwards while yawning then I put on some normal clothes and put my pajamas on top of the bed folded as best as I can.
"Alright, I'm ready!" I go to the door and open it.
Two voices in unison echoed loudly in front of me, "happy 7th birthday Iris!"
Tears run down my face, 'Ah... I had totally forgotten about it.'
"Thank you, dad, thank you, mom," I smiled greatly with all my heart bursting with joy.
My parents hugged me tightly, and I hugged them back the best I could as my arms aren't long enough and didn't go around them allowing my hands to meet each other.
'These past 7 years have been the best years I've ever lived.'
"We have a surprise for you baby girl," mom said while happiness radiated from her.
"A surprise? I wonder what it could be..." I giggle childishly acting like a big baby making them smile.
"Iris don't move," I see my mother taking a black cloth thing that slowly resembles a black bandana of sorts.
"Okay, mom," I smile as she places it around my eyes softly while dad holds my hair in a ponytail.
'My parents have been truly kind to me, and I've recovered a lot from that. Even though I've lived my past life till my 15 years, I'm still acting a bit like a soft child for their sake.'
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'I'm afraid they wouldn't cope with the fact I've reincarnated, and well I'm also their only child even though they've been trying for a long time to have more but it just didn't work out so far.'
"Can you see anything Iris?" Mother questions me happily with a big smile which I'm unable to notice.
"I can't see anything mom," I giggled while stretching my arms trying to find something to grab.
"Yes, my dear daughter it's a blindfold," Rosaline laughed happily," come we have a surprise for you," I felt my hand being grabbed softly, "come, Iris," I heard dad's voice as he releases my blonde hair making it fall naturally to the sides.
After we walk what feels like the outside of the house, and a bit further than that, I hear mother's voice," Alright, here we are, remove the blindfold, honey."
"Leave it to me, " replied Luke with a smile that I couldn't notice.
Dad then whispers in my ear," are you ready baby girl?"
I nod in agreement making dad remove my blindfold, with the sunlight directly hitting my eyes, I open them carefully, and when I do I'm unable to contain myself instantly letting out a smile.
"Happy birthday Iris," a lot of people from the nearest village where dad works were here to celebrate my birthday, as today it is a special one which I don't remember the reason why.
"Thank you, everyone!" I smile kindly at them while blushing from all the attention I'm getting.
One of the men patted the back of my dad, "would you look at that, such a lovely young girl it sure doesn't look like her father," the man joked at Luke teasing him as per usual.
The man's wife joined the conversation and said, "well that's true but she does look up after her mother, they're both beauties."
At their comments, I replied, "We might not be alike but dad's the best father in the world!"
Suddenly I'm grabbed and lifted, ending up flying in the air, when I looked down, I saw my dad, he raised me a bit higher and started spinning me around while smiling happily.
'Seems like he enjoyed me protecting him,' I match his smile without feeling sick from the spinning.
When dad placed me back on the floor, the woman who complimented me and my mother approached and presented a gift box making me look curiously at it.
"Here dear, a little gift from the two of us hope you'll enjoy it," she smiled while extending the gift box in her hands.
"It's a heavy box, "I replied while looking at her, "thank you though, can I open it?"
"You're very welcome and of course my dear, go for it."
After opening the box, I pick the rectangular-shaped item inside and take it out of the box.
A nostalgic scent was picked by my nose, the scent of a book.
I looked at it and read its title out loud," The tales of Artana, hey what's Artana?"
"Iris, you can read?" The lady that gifted me the book asked.
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"Yes?" I reply naturally forgetting that I haven't been taught beyond the basics of the words my parents would read at night.
"Most peasants generally don't learn reading till a lot of years later, if they learn at all. Seems like your parents have been teaching you rightfully!"
I look at my parents and see their surprised faces.
I look at the lady who gave me the book and speak," is that your daughter?"
"Yes, William please bring Elise closer for a minute."
"Alright, Olivia."
The man brought his daughter closer a black-haired girl with black eyes like her parents.
"Say hi to Iris dear, she's 7 years old today, three years younger than you."
"Hello Iris," she says shyly.
"Hi Elise," I reply smiling.
"Did you like the gift? I picked it when I was shopping with my parents in the village."
"Yes, I love books," I reply with a big smile.
"You probably still can't read books too well without the help of your parents, but I hope you like it when you do."
"Thank you!" I reply happily, and we smile at each other.
"If one day you drop by the village, I'm usually playing by the garden that surrounds the fountain with other kids."
"Sure! If the chance occurs we'll meet.
※※※
A voice pops into my mind.
System: Mana has been unsealed, skills Status, and System Library can now be used.
"That sure was a fun party!" Rosaline said excitedly despite being tired of standing the whole day.
"Yes! It was very fun!" I replied with a happy smile.
'After 7 years you finally decide to talk?'
"So, my dear daughter is there anything else we should know aside from you being able to read?" My dad asked.
"Ah..."I placed my hands on my lap and started rubbing my thumbs at one another.
"It's obvious to us that you're trying to hide something from us but we're your parents you can trust in us baby girl, we're here for you."
I see my mom kneel in front of me grabbing my hands with hers softly.
"I... may be able to fully read and also write and do the math," my hands started trembling due to feeling anxious.
My parents shouted, "what! How!?"
I stared at them surprised and fearful from their shout.
Dad hid his face with his hand and started laughing.
"To think we had given birth to a prodigy Luke," mother said proudly with her eyes beaming with excitement.
"She must've been blessed by the goddess-like some people are!"
"Exactly! Since you already know so much we could start teaching you swordsmanship and magic instead!"
"It is normal for the goddess to bless individuals with titles or skills, others with statuses, and some die without knowing what they were blessed with, though natural talents can also be given and in your case perhaps you can simply learn things faster," dad added.
'I've heard from time to time since I was born parents talking with one another about a thing called magic and mana.'
'As I grew older they'd always kept quiet about it, I guess they were waiting for something?'
"Why now?"
"What do you mean daughter?"
"You and father wouldn't tell me anything before so why do you want me to learn magic now?"
"Oh... That's because only at the age of 7 the system allows us to use mana, and skills, it locks it so that accidents don't happen."
'I suppose it was that message from earlier?'
"Right, Iris imagine what'd it be like if a baby would accidentally shoot a fireball and burn the house down with him in it."
"That's... dangerous..." I replied after thinking about the problems it could bring.
"Exactly! Not like that would be a problem since we humans don't start with any skills, but if the possibility exists it would refrain from such problems."
'We humans don't? I've always remembered myself of the two skills the system told me about.'
"I'd be happy to learn both things nonetheless! If dad and mother would like to teach me, "I smile innocently.
"We'd be more than happy!" They shouted in unison.
'Seems like I'll have a lot of fun ahead after seven years of not doing much.'
"For now you can go play in your room, we have a lot of cleaning to do from the birthday party."
"Alright, mother."
I head to my room and close the door behind me laying on the bed facing the ceiling.
I say lowly, "status skill."
Notice: 10 mana has been deducted.
System: The title Mana has been received.
Notice: Mana has been unlocked in status.
Notice: Wisdom has been unlocked in status.
Notice: Titles have been unlocked in status.
A yellow screen with black letters appears in front of the girl after all the messages voiced in her mind.
Status:
Mana: 10/20
Wisdom: 1
Titles: Reincarnated, Mana.
Skills: Status, System Library.
'Those were a lot of messages, but all together basically mean that I used this mana thing.'
'10 mana, so I can use status one more time. I'm not sure what wisdom is but it seems I have 1 of it.'
'Use wisdom 1,' I wait for a while after trying to use it mentally. Doesn't seem to do anything, let's check the rest.'
'Titles reincarnated since this is my second life it makes sense and mana from using it I guess?'
'Use title reincarnated,' a moment goes by and nothing, I try something different, 'use title mana.'
'Doesn't seem to work, I guess titles aren't usable either.'
'Skills status and system library, since status worked earlier let's try to focus on the skill system library.'
Notice: 10 mana has been deducted.
My eyes forcefully close while I hear voices in my head.
System: The title Mana Exhaust has been received.
System: The title Health has been received.
Notice: Health has been unlocked in status.
Notice: Stamina has been unlocked in status.
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