Part 2
"Hmm... I suppose I'm starting to get a little tired of reading this book..."
I murmured while reading the magic book I had open.
How many times have I read this book now?
Magic books are written with letters imbued with magical power, and by understanding them, one can manifest magic.
That alone would make it sufficient to read once or twice, but by reading it repeatedly and deepening the understanding, the level of mastery of magic increases dramatically.
Therefore, magicians read magic books over and over again until they fully understand them.
However, I have already completely understood all the magic books in the library, so at this point, I’m essentially just reviewing them.
Of course, reviewing is important.
If you don’t use the magic you’ve learned, you’ll forget it, and if that happens, your mastery drops significantly.
Well, that’s the daily routine I’ve been going through, but it’s starting to get a bit boring.
I’m starting to crave something new.
“Hahaha, Lloyd, you’ve been reading nothing but magic books. Why don’t you try reading something else for a change?”
Albert, who had been reading a book in front of me, said.
I shook my head in response.
"I’ve read every magic book in the library."
“…Oh, really? Well then, how about a little test?”
Albert smiled mischievously and asked me.
"Earth, Water, Fire, Wind. These are called the four basic types of magic. How many books in the library are related to them?"
"The main books on them total 145. Including those with subtopics, there are 232. Oh, but I’m not sure whether books on golems should be included... They’re part of the control system in my view, but the formation of their bodies involves the basic four types of magic, so… What do you think, Albert?"
When I looked up, Albert’s eyes were wide in surprise.
"Wait... you’ve really read all of them?"
"Ah, well... I haven’t really fully understood them yet... Haha, magic is really deep, isn’t it?"
That was close.
I thought reading all the books in the library would be normal, but judging by Albert’s shocked expression, it seems not.
Albert’s suspicious gaze was a bit painful.
"...I’m not sure whether I should be impressed or just exasperated... But I have to ask—aren’t you interested in any books other than magic?"
"I’m sorry, but..."
"Hmm, I see..."
It seems like the things I can do in the castle are becoming limited.
If I stick with Albert, sometimes I get to go to the shooting range, but even so, I can’t move around freely.
If only there were higher-level magic books available...
"...By the way, I think there’s a library in the castle basement."
At the words Albert casually let slip, my ears perked up.
"I’ve heard that the underground library contains many forbidden magical books, sealed away due to their extreme danger. Some of them are classified as forbidden books, and apparently, there are even books sealed away from the time when a demon nearly brought this country to ruin."
––Magical books are like magic tools with magical power embedded in the book itself, and they work no matter who uses them.
However, creating them requires a high level of magical knowledge and time, so their value is far beyond that of regular magic books.
Even books that seal low-level magic are rarely found in the market, and there are only a few in the castle, so I’ve never had the chance to study them closely.
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Especially magic imbued with immense power is treated as forbidden due to its extreme danger. It is strictly kept by the kingdom and only used in times of emergency.
I’ve heard that forbidden books were used in a past war. Apparently, when one of them was invoked, lightning rained down on the enemy army and wiped them out in an instant.
However, the caster was said to have aged over fifty years from the backlash.
I can’t even imagine what a forbidden book with magic capable of sealing a demon would be like.
What kind of magic patterns could it contain? I’m really curious.
“When I was little, my nursemaid used to scare me a lot. She’d say, ‘If you’re naughty, the demon sealed in a forbidden book will come and eat you...’ Heh heh.”
Now that I think about it, I had certainly felt an unusually strong barrier spreading beneath the castle.
I hadn’t paid it much attention, assuming it was just for important royal documents or the like, but if that’s the case, then it’s a different story.
I suddenly felt a rush of excitement.
“Albert, could you tell me more about that story? Please!?”
“Hey, hey, Lloyd, your eyes are sparkling. You’re not seriously thinking of going in there, are you?”
He immediately warned me, and though I was flustered, I tried to act casual and smiled back.
“Oh, no, no, of course not! I wouldn’t do such a thing, Albert.”
“You say that, but your smile looks a little forced...”
“It’s always like this, right? Haha, heh heh heh...”
I struggled to respond, but my awkwardness only made it worse.
I’m just not good at pretending.
Albert stared at me for a while, but then soon relaxed his expression.
“…Well, that’s true. The barrier in the castle’s underground was woven by ten of the kingdom’s magicians. It’s impossible to sneak in. Even I would need permission to enter.”
“! Albert, have you been inside?”
“Yeah, though only at the entrance. I couldn’t get any further. The ominous magical energy coming from deeper inside... Just remembering it makes me shiver. I can believe there are forbidden books that seal demons there.”
Albert shuddered slightly.
It wasn’t an act. His face had paled just a little.
It seemed like he was speaking the truth.
“So, that’s the story. Lloyd, you’re a little different, but you’re not the type to do something reckless. I don’t think you’d actually go in, right?”
“Yes, of course! I won’t go in!”
I nodded in response to Albert’s question.
And so, that night, I decided to head to the castle’s underground.
It pained me a little to betray Albert, who had trusted me, but that was nothing compared to the forbidden book.
I wanted to take a good look at it, touch it, and observe what kind of magic patterns were woven into it.
I thought that if I went in, took a quick look, and came back, it wouldn’t be a problem... probably.
In the middle of the night, I woke up, got out of bed, changed into some clothes that would make it easier to move, and stepped out into the hallway.
"Whoops, I should hide my presence so I don’t get found."
I muttered this to myself, and as I focused, a swirl of air wrapped around my body.
──Wind-type magic, "Invisibility".
This magic creates a lens in the flow of air, using the refraction of light to make oneself invisible.
Since it creates unnatural wind currents, it could be detected by skilled magicians nearby, but it’s perfectly fine against the castle’s soldiers.
By the way, the original "Invisibility" spell would be broken if the caster moved, but I’ve adjusted mine so that it stays active as long as I move slowly.
Of course, if I move too fast, it might leave an afterimage, but walking at a normal speed is no problem.
I passed by some soldiers on the way, but none seemed to notice me.
The journey went smoothly. I easily reached the stairs to the underground.
There were no guards at the entrance, so I began to descend the stairs.
As I descended the old spiral staircase, I was hit by a sharp, prickling sensation on my skin.
──So this is the barrier.
As I got closer, it became more apparent.
This barrier wasn’t so much designed to prevent intrusion from the outside, but rather to keep things from breaking out from within.
It seems certain that something dangerous is inside.
At the bottom of the stairs, I found myself surrounded by stone walls, with a small door directly in front of me.
This must be the center of the barrier. When I reached for it, I felt strong resistance.
First, I’d need to deactivate the barrier.
But I couldn’t just force it open. I couldn’t leave any traces of my intrusion.
The best approach would be to control the barrier and get permission to pass through.
"Before that, I should probably put up a barrier just in case."
If I create another barrier outside this one, I’d be safe in case anything happens inside.
As I focused, a bubble-like magical aura expanded around me.
──Water-type magic, "Waterfall Canopy".
This spell specializes in creating barriers that not only shield from external threats but also dampen impact and sound. Even if a large explosion happens inside, no one outside will notice.
I then slowly began to examine the structure of the barrier.
Hmm, it’s a very sturdy barrier, but it seems that if you’re of royal blood or someone authorized by them, it’s relatively easy to get permission to pass through.
I rewrote the control system of the barrier… and done. Now I could pass through without any issues.
Now, all that was left was to physically unlock the door.
I inserted the key I created with Earth-type magic, "Stone Substitute", and twisted it, and the door easily opened.
As I opened the door, an unusual atmosphere wafted out from the room.
A torrent of magical energy, in various colors, sounds, and smells… this is amazing.
Corruptive magic that poisons the earth… And there’s even forbidden evolution magic that mixes different species to create new life… Whoa, there’s even magic that manipulates diseases!
This is incredible. It’s like a treasure trove.
But what caught my attention the most was the ominous presence emanating from deeper inside.
If I had to describe it, it’s like a sweet, fragrant flower scent, masking the feeling of something sinister beckoning.
This must be the forbidden book Albert was talking about.
Now, what should I do... I thought to myself as my feet were unconsciously drawn toward the source of the presence, moving deeper into the room.
Oh, this is magic from the control system, huh? It’s got a very strong coercive force.
It seems like the magic is designed to restrict one’s movements by making them smell something.
The demon who’s using this must be responsible for this.
Anyone who enters this room without knowledge would likely be drawn to the forbidden book and accidentally break its seal.
I can understand why such a strong barrier was placed here.
Of course, that won’t happen to me.
The countermeasure against control magic is simple. Even if my body is controlled, I can calmly overwrite it from my side to break the magic.
So, I cast the control magic on myself, and my body became free again.
Now that I had regained control, I stepped deeper into the library.
"Hey, hey, hey, are you out of your mind?"
I heard a heavy, resonating voice.
Looking toward the source of the voice, I saw a mist-like figure on top of a pitch-black book at the far end of the room.
The figure had a humanoid shape, with glowing red eyes that shone brightly as they stared at me.
"To escape my control and still come toward me, huh? You must be either incredibly brave or just plain stupid… Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m the demon Grimoiree. Nice to meet you."
The black mist—Grimoiree—laughed cheerfully as it watched me.
"Huh, I’m surprised. Aren’t you supposed to be sealed inside that book?"
"Heh heh… After all these years, the seal has started to crack. So now, just a part of me can be outside."
Looking closer, the book Grimoiree was sitting on was indeed in tatters.
The seals woven into the book were falling apart, and it was only a matter of time before they lost their power.
"Hey kid, what’s your name?"
"Lloyd."
"Hmm, Lloyd, in a few years, I’ll break the seal completely and be reborn in my full form. When that happens, I’ll destroy this country. The magicians of this country sealed me, so I have the right to do that. …But Lloyd, if you listen to what I say, I might spare your life."
Grimoiree’s lips twisted into a grin as it pointed at the book with its finger.
"Would you mind breaking this seal for me?"
"What's the matter? What are you hesitating for? This seal is going to break in a few years anyway. If you're a magician, you can tell just by looking, right? If you break it now, I’ll spare your life. It’s not a bad deal, is it?"
Grimoire grinned at me, clearly thinking I would nod along.
Of course, my answer was already decided.
"I refuse."
"What...!?"
Grimoire's surprised shout echoed in the room.
I continued.
"I won’t let someone who wants to destroy the country go free. I'll redo the seal. It'll be good for at least another thousand years."
"Wa-wait! Wait a second!"
As I moved to touch the book, Grimoire hurriedly stopped me.
"...My bad. It's just been a while since I talked to anyone, and I got a little too carried away. Sorry, I apologize. You know, thinking about it, it was humans from hundreds of years ago who sealed me, not the people of this country. I don’t have any grudges against them. Of course, I’m not going to kill anyone!"
Grimoire said, looking serious.
I stared at him intently.
"Really?"
"Yeah, so if you undo the seal, I'll grant any wish you have! That's right, Lloyd, I’ll make you incredibly rich! I can create gold!"
Saying that, Grimoire opened his hand, and gold dust began to spill from it.
Interesting, a creation-type magic, huh.
"How about it? I’ll give you as much as you want, Lloyd!"
I picked up some of the gold particles, examined them, then nodded before crushing them with my fingers.
"What!?"
"...This isn’t exactly high-level creation magic. Did you force some stones to turn into gold? The purity’s too low, and the inside is hollow. Even a novice merchant wouldn’t be fooled by this."
Besides, alchemy that creates gold is forbidden.
And, well, I'm a prince, so I'm not exactly in need of money.
"Ugh, damn it... then how about immortality! I'll make you immortal!"
"Sorry, but I’m not keen on having someone else’s magic woven into my body. Especially something like immortality. Who knows what risks come with such a powerful spell?"
Magic isn’t all-powerful.
Low-level magic can be handled with just mana, but high-level spells put a huge strain on both the caster and the recipient.
Immortality would come with enormous risks, no matter how skillfully it was woven—things like severe nerve damage or even loss of limbs.
There's no way I’d accept a spell like that.
I must’ve hit a nerve because Grimoire's face twisted in frustration.
"...I guess I’ll have to reseal you. You seem dangerous."
"Wait! Wait, please! I'm not dangerous! I'm a good demon! I was just messing around when I got sealed!"
"Hmm... but you could be lying. I guess I'll just seal you again..."
As I reached for the book, Grimoire suddenly spoke.
"Then how about magic...?!"
The demon muttered under his breath.
"Ancient magic from hundreds of years ago! You’re a magician, so you must be interested, right? I’ll teach it to you! What do you say, Lloyd?"
I paused for a moment, then nodded.
"...That sounds interesting."
It goes without saying that I love magic.
Ancient magic, huh? I’ve heard legends of it shaking the earth, causing floods, or even splitting seas.
I wonder how much of that is true. I'd love to see it for myself.
Grimoire's face lit up as he heard my response.
"See, I knew you’d be interested! For a magician, unknown magic is like a treasure! I knew you'd want to learn it!"
"Yeah, will you really teach me?"
"Of course! So, Lloyd, break this annoying seal for me!"
"Alright."
I placed my hand on the book and opened it.
Since the seal was already weakening, the book opened easily and the pages began to turn rapidly.
The edges of the pages turned black and crumbled to dust.
The book fragments swirled around in the air, and a gust of wind swept them all away.
The seal had been completely broken.
"──Kuh!"
A muffled voice echoed through the room.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! Unbelievable! You really broke the seal!"
The black mist gathered in one place, gradually forming a more human-like shape.
Blue skin, two horns protruding from his forehead, bat-like wings, a dragon-like tail, a muscular upper body, and goat-like lower limbs—his inhuman appearance made it clear that he was a true demon.
"This feels amazing! I could burst into song! I'm free! I'm finally free! Hya-hahahaha!"
Grimoire let out a joyous laugh, reveling in his newfound freedom.
I called out to him.
"Glad to hear it. …So, shall we get started?"
"Hm? Ah, right. You wanted me to teach you about ancient magic?"
Grimoire grinned, then began gathering magic power in his right hand.
Whoa… that's some incredible mana. His reserves were incomparable to those of a human.
As expected of a demon. While I was admiring his power, Grimoire suddenly aimed his right hand at me.
My vision turned pitch black.
A deafening BOOOOM! erupted as an explosion shook the area, sending up a massive cloud of dust.
"──That was Black Flash Cannon. Not bad, huh? …Well, assuming you can still hear me."
Grimoire chuckled.
──Of course, I could hear him just fine.
I generated a gust of wind, blowing away the lingering dust.
Seeing me unharmed, Grimoire's face contorted in shock.
"Wha…!?"
"…Hmm. That was an interesting spell. So this is ancient magic?"
The structure of the spell was unusual—its mana flow, composition, formation, and even the activation method were all different from modern techniques.
Fascinating.
"Mind showing me more?"
At my request, Grimoire audibly gulped.
"Y-you took my Black Flash Cannon head-on… without a scratch…?"
"Yeah. I can put up a mana barrier, so don’t worry about it. Go ahead, show me everything you’ve got."
I reassured the still-shocked Grimoire.
After all, you can’t truly understand attack magic unless you experience it firsthand. Yep, yep.
Grimoire must have understood that as well—hence why he had no hesitation in firing at me.
It did catch me off guard, but now that I thought about it, I always had multiple mana barriers set up in standby mode. They were configured to deploy automatically against any impact above a certain threshold.
He must have noticed that, too. As expected of a demon, he had keen insight.
Nice job, Grimoire.
"Guh… Grrrr… Y-you’ve gotta be kidding me…!"
Grimoire clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in frustration.
…Huh? What’s wrong with him?
"Hey, Grimoire, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and show me the next one."
As I urged him on, Grimoire clutched his hair in frustration, then shot me a glare filled with resentment.
…Did I do something wrong?
"Tch… Damn it, fine! If you insist, I’ll show you! My ultimate spell!"
Shouting in anger, Grimoire spread his right hand before me.
I noticed a thin, writhing line running across his palm.
Then, the line split open—revealing a crimson tongue and sharp, gleaming fangs.
A mouth.
"Dual Incantation──"
Muttering those words, Grimoire began chanting two spells simultaneously, using both his human mouth and the one on his palm.
Whoa, demons can do something like that?
"Blacken, blacken, blacken all. Pierce and rend, my blade──"
As I watched in anticipation, waiting for him to finish the chant, Grimoire's body began to glow brightly.
"DIIIIIIIEEEE!! SPIRAL BLACK FLASH CANNON!!"
A roaring torrent of magic surged forth.
The sheer pressure of it pushed my body back ever so slightly.
Twin waves of black magic spiraled toward me in a vicious onslaught.
The moment they struck, my automatically deployed mana barriers absorbed the impact, generating an intense shockwave.
“Guh… grrgh…! Pierce through, damn it…!!”
Grimoire was straining hard, putting every ounce of strength into his spell.
As a result, its output seemed to be increasing little by little.
Of course, my mana barrier remained completely unscathed, but the fact that sheer determination could enhance a spell’s power was intriguing.
Still… what was it called again? Spiral something? He was deliberately shaping it into a spiral.
Was there a reason for that?
It just looked like an ordinary mana wave to me… Hmm, hard to tell from behind my barrier.
Might as well touch it directly.
I extended a finger beyond my mana barrier and lightly tapped the magic wave.
BZZT!
A sharp crackle rang out as a shockwave burst forth.
“Hah-haaa! You actually took my Spiral Black Flash Cannon with your bare body!? That’s it for you! Blow to pieces!!”
Grimoire roared in triumph, but meanwhile, the mana wave remained suspended at my fingertip.
I had stopped its movement to analyze its structure.
…Hmm, so neither the spiral shape nor the black coloring had any real significance.
Even so, its power had definitely increased.
It seemed to be one of those cases where a strong mindset could influence a spell’s strength.
It wasn’t uncommon for emotions like rage or determination to alter the nature of magic.
But that wasn’t always a good thing—it could sometimes cause unpredictable side effects.
That’s why such methods had fallen out of favor over time… but maybe ancient magic had evolved along those lines instead.
If it could produce this much power, then it was definitely interesting.
“Oh, time’s up.”
Since I had stopped the attack midair, it had been cut off from its caster’s mana supply, causing it to vanish.
Well, I’d observed enough. It wasn’t anything particularly complex.
Beyond the dissipating mana wave, Grimoire was frozen in shock.
“N-no way… That was my strongest spell…! Do you have any idea how many decades of effort it took me to master that…? And you just brushed it aside like nothing…!?”
Grimoire was utterly dumbfounded.
“I see. That spell certainly felt like the result of extensive trial and error.”
“…Tch! Damn right! I bled and suffered to perfect it!”
“──Must’ve been a lot of fun.”
Training in magic was always fun.
That was true for demons, too, right?
Humans and demons probably weren’t so different in that regard. Yep, yep.
“F-fun…!? Y-you… you idiot?!”
For some reason, Grimoire looked completely baffled.
Did I say something weird?
“Damn it! Stop screwing around! This time, for sure…!!”
Grimoire began chanting the same spell again.
Hmm, no need to see that one twice.
It wasn’t particularly high-level either.
Maybe ancient magic wasn’t all that focused on offensive power.
“Ah, no need for any more attack spells. I’ve seen enough. Show me something else.”
“…Something else…?”
“Yeah, anything’s fine, but… hmm, how about defensive magic? Oh, would it help if I attacked?”
Saying that, I raised my right hand and began gathering mana.
I’d start with a standard high-tier spell.
“──Flameburst Sphere.”
I condensed an enormous ball of fire at my fingertip and launched it toward Grimoire.
“GWAAAHHHH!?”
The flames struck him head-on, and he let out a scream.
Huh? Why didn’t he defend himself with a mana barrier?
“Hey, Grimoire. You okay?”
I called out in concern.
Through the flames, I could see a shadow shifting.
When I looked closer, I saw that Grimoire’s body was completely unharmed—not a single burn on him.
“Kh… Kuku… Trying to scare me, huh…? But you can’t defeat me, a demon, with magic! Too bad for you!!”
“What? Seriously!?”
“Damn right. Those priest bastards and their holy magic can do a little damage, sure, but some measly mage like you doesn’t stand a chance against me! Too bad for you, Lloyd! The moment you resurrected me, your fate was sealed— Gwah!”
I hit him with Cascade Torrent Sphere next.
A surge of water crashed into him like a raging waterfall, but just like before, Grimoire didn’t seem to take any real damage.
“H-hear me out, damn it…! I told you it’s useless— Gahh!?”
“Incredible. So it really isn’t hurting you?”
I muttered as I unleashed Quake Boulder Sphere.
A massive chunk of earth slammed into him, pinning him down.
Yet, Grimoire remained completely unscathed.
This was amazing. Were demons really immune to magic?
How far did this immunity go? I had to know—I had to test it.
“W-wait, hold on a second! What’s with those sparkly eyes!?”
“Let’s keep going!”
Time to try something more advanced.
Might as well experiment beyond just attack spells. Maybe poison magic would work?
One by one, I bombarded him with every spell that came to mind.
All it did was cause some smoke to rise from his body.
“Amazing! You’re seriously taking no damage, huh? Alright, let’s see how you handle this one!”
“W-wait! Stop! I said stop, damn it! HEY, CUT IT OUUUUUT!!”
I continued pelting Grimoire with every spell I could think of.
◇◇◇
"I'm soooooooorry!!"
Right in front of me, Grimoire dropped to the ground, pressing his hands against the floor.
"Whoa, what’s up with you all of a sudden? Why the sudden dogeza?"
"Please forgive me, Lloyd-sama! I won’t cause any more trouble! I swear! So, please—I'm begging you!"
Tears streamed down his face as he pleaded.
I mean… all I did was hit him with a few hundred spells. I don’t really get it.
"Anyway, let's move on. I still want to learn more about ancient magic."
"Hiiee!? W-wait! I can’t take any more!"
"Huh? Seriously? But I’m not even close to being satisfied yet…"
At my words, Grimoire suddenly went pale. He scrambled backward, then threw himself to the ground, bowing so deeply his head practically buried itself in the floor.
"I, Grimoire, solemnly swear to serve Lloyd-sama with utmost devotion! I’ll be your familiar or whatever else you want! So please! Just spare me already!"
"A familiar, huh…?"
I wasn’t sure what to make of it, but if he was willing to go that far, I guess I could let him off the hook for today.
If he became my familiar, I could conduct all the magical experiments I wanted.
…Yeah, that actually sounded pretty good.
I smiled and extended my hand to him.
"Alright then, how about we form a contract?"
"Yes, sir!"
Grimoire clung to my outstretched hand.
A brilliant light enveloped us, sealing the contract.
"…Damn it. I, the great Grimoire, reduced to a mere human’s familiar—what an absolute disgrace… But this guy's power is no joke. If I can gain his trust and manipulate him just right, I could use him to control the world from the shadows… Kehehe, I just have to bide my time until then…!"
"Hm? What are you mumbling about?"
"N-nothing at all! Not a single thing, Lloyd-sama!"
Grimoire flailed in a panic.
What a weird guy. Well, whatever.
And just like that, Grimoire became my familiar.
◇◇◇
"Oh, looks like the sun's about to rise. I should clean up before heading back."
The underground library was a bit of a mess after all the fun I had with Grimoire.
Thanks to the protective barrier I had set up beforehand, there wasn’t any real damage, but the bookshelves and furniture were slightly disorganized.
"Need a hand, Lloyd-sama?"
"That won’t be necessary… There."
As I activated my spell, the scattered books and artifacts floated up and returned to their original positions.
This was an original spell of mine.
By tracing an object’s memory and imbuing it with energy, I could make it return to where it belonged.
It worked on anything—books, magical tools, even dust and debris.
Even the book Grimoire had been sealed in, which I had destroyed, was now back to how it was before.
…Well, at least on the outside.
"Whoa! That’s some crazy magic!"
"It’s not really magic, just a spell. But it’s useful for finding things and cleaning up."
For the record, a spell was formed by weaving magical formulas together, while magic was when those spells were combined to produce a certain level of effect.
This wasn’t nearly complex enough to be called magic.
"By the way, Grimoire, that form of yours kinda stands out. Can’t you shrink down or turn invisible?"
"I… I could, but…"
Grimoire trailed off awkwardly.
Shapeshifting magic was high-level stuff, after all.
Not to mention, it wasn’t very practical, so it wasn’t widely used.
If he couldn’t do it, that was understandable.
"In that case, you can just live inside my body. Here, take my right hand."
I held out my right hand, and Grimoire’s face twisted in disbelief.
"Wh-what…? A-are you serious?"
"It’d be less conspicuous, right?"
Grimoire hesitated for a moment, then turned his face away—though I caught the smug grin creeping onto his lips.
"Kehehe… This guy’s unbelievable. Letting his familiar dwell inside him… Doesn’t he realize that requires absolute trust? If he’s not constantly on guard, he’s practically inviting me to kill him. He really is just a naive little fool… If he’s gonna let me use his arm, that means taking over his whole body will be easy. All I have to do is strike when he’s asleep…!"
"Hey, what are you mumbling about? Hurry up and get in."
"Y-yes, sir! Right away!"
Grimoire responded with enthusiasm before transforming into a black mist and attempting to enter my right hand.
"Wh-what the hell is this!? The density of magic inside your body is insane! It’s packed so tight, there’s no space for me at all…! Not in your right arm… Not even in your wrist… Damn it, not even a single finger…! UOOOOHHHHH!!"
With a roar, a thin line formed on my palm—then split open into a gaping mouth.
Grimoire panted heavily, gasping for breath.
"Haaah… Haaah… The best I could do was a single layer of skin on your palm…! What kind of absurd magic density is this…?!"
He kept mumbling to himself, but it seemed like he managed to squeeze in somehow.
"Oh, is that the same trick you used for dual casting?"
"Y-yes, sir! I knew you were interested in dual casting, Lloyd-sama! Of course, this body now belongs to you, so you can control it as you wish!"
"Really? That sounds interesting."
Dual casting, huh? That had all sorts of potential applications.
Yeah, I was getting excited. I’d have to try it out soon.
"I couldn’t take over his body… but if I play along for now, he’ll let his guard down eventually. No need to rush… I’ll bide my time and make my move when the moment’s right… Kehehe…"
"Hm? Did you say something, Grimoire?"
"N-nope! Not a thing! Oh, by the way, Lloyd-sama, you can just call me Grim!"
"Got it. Looking forward to working with you, Grim."
"Y-yes, sir! I’ll serve you with everything I’ve got!"
With that, the cleanup was finished.
I left the archive, returned to my room, and went straight to sleep.
——.
Volume 1 Part 3