《Villainess and Grimoire》Chapter 4 – Prologue Arc
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Later that day, 'let's read some more before dinner, system library.'
Notice: 10 mana has been deducted.
System Library:
World of Artana I, II
Fishing I, II
Baking I, II
Cooking I, II
'Let's try the world of Artana II, the first one was rather interesting.'
Notice: 50 mana has been deducted.
World of Artana II
Author Name: Sage John.
A very interesting topic about this world is what I've found out from the system.
It is composed of 8 laws, possibly more, but these are the ones I've figured so far.
Together they make me realize that humans will always be the weakest race as we're born inferior.
The reason is due to these laws, the strong will become stronger crushing the weak.
These 8 laws make the world a bit more balanced from what it used to be...
The leveling law where everyone starts at level 1.
The experience law where everyone can level up by killing other beings including their own race.
The status law where they can select their status points.
The skill law where they can learn skills with skill points.
The class law where everyone can get a class and level it up.
The title law where everyone can be rewarded for their achievements.
The grading law where everything is graded in a specific way.
The language law where everyone can understand each other with enough intelligence and wisdom.
Thanks to these laws when the other races build large enough armies, we're sure to be wiped out.
For those of the next generations, if you can don't hesitate on growing stronger.
Otherwise, you'll lose everything and everyone you love at some point in your life.
Notice: Experience has been unlocked in status.
Notice: Status points have been unlocked in status.
Notice: Skill points have been unlocked in status.
Notice: Grades have been unlocked in status.
Notice: Intelligence has been unlocked in status.
'This author really does sound threatening and serious. In the sentence where he says we're born inferior, does that means that other races are born with higher statuses than us humans? Is there possibly a way to outdo such natural growth? If that's the case I wonder what humans are doing to prevent such invasions. These books must be in every library through the lumen kingdom no?'
I look around my room as if looking for an answer fully knowing there would be no such thing.
'I somehow have a bad feeling. In this world, if we don't get strong enough we'll most likely die, won't we? Does that possibly mean that I have to level up a lot? It might also mean that I'm bound to die early... I want to live a long and happy life!'
'I'll have to kill things if I want to become stronger for experience and leveling up... Will I be able to achieve it? If it is to protect my family then... Best to think about something else for now,' I inhale and exhale deeply to relax.
'Some time has passed so I should have recovered a bit of mana.'
I retake my stare upon the screen and gaze upon the list in it,' let's go with baking I, even though it's probably a recipe book, there were a few of them back then as well..'
Notice: 50 mana has been deducted.
Baking I
Author Name: Baker Xuxu.
The art I make is baking; I use a skill that allows me to make a lot of different food.
My class is baker, one of the possible choices when we're peasants.
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Personally, I love it, I make the most delicious bread, cakes, pastries, pies, cookies, and other things.
I can also cook many meals a person with the chef class would be able to.
The difference is that I receive experience by doing these things and my skills level up faster.
I also can learn advanced skills from doing so, while chef ones I don't have access to.
Unless I learn how to make it with a chef or even create a recipe on my own.
It'll never be as good as a real chef, but it'll still be pretty good.
I'll be passing some of my recipes to future generations like the ash cake!
The first step is to build a fire and let it burn down to a thick layer of coals.
We’ll know it’s ready once the coals have become white ash.
We then make a thick dough made of flour adding only enough water so that it doesn't stick in the hands.
We can add wild fruits that you can find in the forest as well as chopped nuts or even wild berries.
Then roll the dough into small balls and smash them so they become plain circles.
Place them onto the hot ash, not on the coals, then it'll slowly become cooked and brown.
Once it's brown you can lift it, clean the rest of the ashes, and use butter or some jelly to eat it!
I hope you'll enjoy this recipe.
'Baker Xuxu her name sounds so adorable, it's truly fluffy like, makes me imagine the woman being a bit like an old lady, giving sweets to the children with a happy smile.'
'So doing the things our class is meant to, will allow us to grow stronger faster? If I get a class of producing something, it doesn't sound like I would become stronger. Acquiring more experience and skills certainly sounds like a goal.'
'It sounds important, to think I'd find such information in a baker book, despite the possible odds, I ended up with a pretty good ability or well skill.'
'Not only that, but I really want to try making this bread and tasting it now, hopefully, it's good. I'll try it when I get a chance and surprise my parents.'
"Iris!" I hear a loud voice calling for me from the direction towards the living room, just outside my room, and after a thin hall.
I head through my room door and collide with dad, bumping my head onto his soft and small belly.
"Ouch, didn't expect you there," I laugh lightly towards father who doesn't seem to be surprised.
"Hey princess, I wanted to know if you'd like to come to the blacksmith with me to buy the rod, and I always tell you to not go so fast through the house, you're bound to hurt yourself greatly otherwise, thankfully this time it wasn't one of them."
"Of course, I'd love to!" I shout energetically making him smile instantly at my attitude and happiness.
'I barely ever get a chance to go to the village, if not mistaken, since birth may have gone there like 2 times.'
"Alright let's go and see what we can find there, hopefully, something promising for you to become a master fisher."
"Yes, like a magical fishing rod capable of pulling any type of fish, no matter how big or strong they are."
"Don't take too long you two, I'll be preparing our dinner!" Mother shouted at us with a serious yet happy expression, making sure we would understand the idea, otherwise, punishment might befall the both of us.
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"Yes ma'am!" Father opens the door that is a little further ahead from the one I came through to the right, the exit one.
"Alright, mom!" I shout happily back stealing her a smile.
After 20 minutes of heading northwest, we arrive at the village.
'I see a wooden sign, it says Astia village, it is a pretty name.'
We walk for a bit more soon coming closer to a shop called the three hammers.
Upon entering it, we're greeted by two men," welcome, welcome to the three hammers blacksmith shop!"
"Thank you," we replied in unison, making us smile at each other and chuckle a bit.
I take a good look around finding all sorts of weapons, armors, helmets on top of tables used for display. They are sorted in what looks from the worst quality to the best one since the shinier ones are the furthest away.
'Shouldn't they place the best-looking stuff closer for more appealing? On second thought, perhaps since this is a village the people may not want to afford the expensive stuff.'
I find the balcony to be relatively close to the entrance, where I see one of them writing something while checking some equipment pieces. Perhaps something related to restocking them. I notice that the walls are dyed in a yellow tone, which corresponds to the color of the ceiling. It leaves the floor to be in a gray tone perhaps stone, which doesn't quite match the colors pallet. I take notice of mostly how it feels to be a house of one room alone, a long and wide enough one with lots of tables, barrels, two balconies, and some boxes. On top of the tables, there are some dressing objects possibly armor pieces, at least the helmet is easy to understand where it would fit. On a table next to that one different swords can be seen. The weapons have similar tones, but they're mostly grey, and the last two seem to be made of silver. Further to that table, there's a barrel and in it, lots of different-looking rods. We take a turn to the right and find a window, whose light shines on top of some pieces, but they're too far away. Furthest to the right there are some boxes and what looks like a treasure chest.
"How can we be of service today?" The man gazing at our happiness makes a big smile of his own.
"We've come looking for a fishing rod for my daughter."
"Did the little miss get her fishing class so early?"
"Ah... No. I believe she's just interested in trying it out."
"That's quite remarkable, come here young one, let me show you the medium rods we have since you're still small."
I walk closer and start gazing at the multiple rods on one of the wooden barrels where they're placed vertically.
'There're a few long ones that look very heavy made of light brown wood, some medium ones also made of a darker looking tone type of wood, and a few green ones, but no clue about the material.'
"What're the green ones made of?" I ask curiously taking a great and strange interest at them.
"They're made of bamboo, they are a bit flexible so they can bend, here let me show you."
He picks one and starts bending it softly without breaking it.
'That looks lighter and interesting,' I turn to dad and point at it.
"You're the one in charge Iris, how much is it?"
"For this enthusiastic little miss, I'll make it 400 copper."
Dad gave me the coins while smiling happily.
"Here you go," I give the coins to the shopkeeper, making them do some sounds in the man's hand, by dropping four of them each with a number 100 in them.
"Thank you for the purchase young miss, if you ever need it to be repaired let us know, and we'll make you a discount."
I smile at him in gratitude for all the kindness displayed.
System: The title Purchase has been received.
'A new title? Did dad give me the money on purpose for this to happen?'
I look at him and see him smiling kindly at me.
'I guess not, he just looks happy at me buying things with him, dad probably doesn't think much about titles.'
"Here you go little miss, I placed some paper around the hook so that you don't get hurt with it."
"Thank you for everything, I'll be careful with it."
I grab the bamboo fishing rod, it heights around 80 cm, dad helps me with it.
They have some very long ones double and even triple this size.
"Let's head to the general store for the bait daughter."
"Alright, dad," I swift the focus from Luke to the man and big my farewell," Bye-bye, and thank you for the rod!"
"Take care both of you!" The men from the blacksmith shop said in unison.
Three minutes later we enter the general store, I look around it once I enter noticing a woman behind a balcony in the furthest center end. Possibly to force people to go through the middle of everything she has to sell. Everything is inside either small bottles or boxes with a name label above them.
"Good afternoon," dad said smiling while looking at the lady from afar next to me.
"Hello..." I add softly gazing at everything while mesmerized without knowing what most things are.
"Welcome, how may I help?"
We walk closer to the balcony going through the middle of two tall wooden shelves with four shelf brackets dividing the different products.
"I'd like 4 boxes of worms for fishing."
"That'll be 50 copper each for a total of 200."
Dad gives me the coins once again.
"Here you go, lady," I give her two copper coins of 100 each.
"Thank you, young girl," the woman smiles at me while giving me the boxed carefully, so they don't open in an accident.
We leave the shop and then the village, having gotten everything we needed, and head back home.
On the way back dad asks, "will you be okay with killing the worms to feed the fishes?"
"Yes? Bugs don't bother me, I find them cute."
"If you take the fishes out of the water, they'll die too."
"I know, but they won't die without a purpose, I want to learn how to cook and make good dishes for you and mother."
'Seems like my daughter doesn't worry much about animal lives, I wonder if it was a different animal like a fluffy bunny or a dog. Perhaps a cat or a horse, I wonder how'd she look at death then. Innocence truly is bliss, I hope she doesn't get scared with the worms later or the slippery fishes.'
"Are you excited to be able to fish tomorrow?"
"Yes, father! I wonder if I'll be able to catch anything though..."
'I understand what father meant but after reading those books I'll have to resolve myself. There is a big need to be able to kill things to become stronger at some point, better earlier so I get used to it before it is too late. Otherwise when I face a monster and hesitate to kill it... it'll most likely kill me instead.'
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