The Secret of the Forbidden Grimoire
It was a night like a dream. To be completely honest, back when I was living under the bridge, food always came before sexual desire, so I could count the number of times I'd masturbated on one hand.
But yesterday... yesterday was truly amazing... A noble lady's masturbation was terrifyingly pleasurable. My entire body had flushed so hot, and such foolish groans had slipped from my lips. Was it really okay for something to feel this good?
Anyway, yesterday was yesterday. Waking up, I stumbled out of bed and scrambled into the bathroom.
"How... how do I use this?" My mind ground to a halt as I stared at the pristine, beautiful white fixture. Since it was in the bathroom, it had to be for bathroom business, but what on earth was its actual purpose? Don't tell me... because it was called a "powder room," did nobles only use it to wash up and apply makeup? Did they do their actual business somewhere else entirely?
"S-Seeing how there's clean water pooled inside, my guess might not be wrong..." But I was currently stark naked. I needed to shower before putting on clean clothes, but more importantly, I really had to go. It felt incredibly embarrassing for a noble lady to be standing here thinking, I really need to pee... and I felt deeply apologetic to the real Ramnusia Yuno, but I couldn't help it! It was a basic physiological need!
"...Keres!" In times like this, Keres was my only hope. The woman who had literally taught me how to mast... no, how a noble lady pleasures herself, surely wouldn't laugh at me for asking what a bathroom fixture was.
"Did you summon me, my lady?"
"Hyaaaah!" What—what the?! I didn't even hear the door open!
"K-Keres? How did you get in?"
"Did you summon me, my lady?"
"Uh... excuse me. What is this?"
Keres looked at where my finger was pointing and smiled gently.
"It is a toilet, my lady."
"A toilet?"
"Yes. You sit upon it to attend to your business."
"L-Like sitting on a chair?"
Keres nodded in confirmation.
"Uh... nobles sure are strange."
Keres merely offered a soft smile in response.
Ultimately, feeling incredibly awkward, I lowered my backside onto the pristine white toilet right in front of her.
"Ah, is it... um. Do I do it into this open hole...?"
"Yes, you are very clever, my lady. Your assumption is correct."
"...Well, at least I won't fall all the way inside."
Feeling thoroughly embarrassed, I went ahead and relieved myself.
—Tinkle, trickle, splash.
So this is what it feels like for a woman. It's definitely different from being a guy. It feels more like... a steady flow, I guess? There was no real way to put it into words, but the sheer novelty of the sensation filled my mind.
"Phew... Thank you for telling me, Keres."
I spoke as I began to stand up the moment I finished, but Keres suddenly grabbed my wrist.
"Lady Ramnusia?"
"U-Uh, yes? Did I do something wrong?"
"Yes, you did, my lady. Please sit back down on the toilet."
Keres spoke with absolute firmness, physically guiding me back down onto the toilet seat, which still retained a lingering trace of my body heat.
"After urinating, you must tear off some paper like this and wipe your private parts."
"Uh... why?"
"Otherwise, it will become soiled, my lady. The residual urine will cause an unpleasant odor."
"Nobles really are..." so high-maintenance. I swallowed the rest of my thought, but Keres looked dead serious. If this was what it took to live as a noble, I suppose I just had to endure it. I reached out, grabbed the toilet paper Keres was pointing to, and pulled. It tore off with a clean rip, and I smartly folded it over my palm.
"So I just, uh..."
"Good heavens."
The moment Keres saw me pinch the paper between my thumb and index finger and start awkwardly dabbing at my crotch, she pressed a hand to her forehead.
"My lady, you must do it like this."
Keres bent her knees slightly in front of me to mimic the posture, tore off some paper, draped it exquisitely over her palm and fingers, and demonstrated how to wipe the groin area.
"Surely you wipe after your bowel movements, yes?"
"...I'm not that much of an idiot."
"Unlike men, women possess a vulva, my lady. You must never wipe from back to front. Always wipe from front to back."
Keres's voice was incredibly solemn. It felt like she was teaching me the absolute fundamentals of human hygiene, so I had no choice but to listen intently.
"Like this?"
I demonstrated by wiping my wet folds. Keres smiled in satisfaction.
"Now, the other part I taught you as well."
"Ah... ugh... this is so embarrassing..."
I placed the paper between my two passages and wiped firmly back toward my tailbone.
"Excellently done, Lady Ramnusia. This is the most basic of behaviors; if you make a mistake in public, it will bring great shame upon you."
"...It feels a bit strange, but if it's the basics, I'll do it."
Accepting this, I stood up.
Keres naturally slipped the showerhead into my hand.
"Once you have washed your body and come out, I shall have breakfast prepared. Be sure to use the soap thoroughly, understood?"
"Yes, yes, Keres. Even an idiot living under a bridge knows how to wash their body, so don't worry."
With that, Keres closed the bathroom door and stepped out.
But was I the only one feeling self-conscious here?
We did that kind of stuff yesterday, and her expression hasn't changed a single bit...
Perhaps that was what they called the poise of a professional maid. Unable to even voice my sudden urge to touch her breasts, I kept my mouth shut and diligently scrubbed my body.
Well, if it's breasts we're talking about, my own are... ah...
Delicious. As expected, a delicious meal beats masturbation any day! The breakfast Keres had meticulously prepared was full of dishes I couldn't even name, but they were unbelievably delicious.
"Nom, nom... How can eggs taste... munch... this good? Nom."
As Keres watched over me with a warm smile, she would refill my cup whenever I slid it forward, pouring a mysterious liquid that burst with a refreshing, sweet flavor. The golden, glowing drink was absolutely heavenly.
"Phew... By the way, Keres, there's something I've been wondering about."
"What is it that you wish to know, my lady?"
Having finished my delightful meal, I picked up the dangerous grimoire with the crimson cover sitting on the desk—the Armonomicon—and showed it to Keres.
"Do you wish to learn the next stage of Command Magic, my lady?"
"Yes. No matter how much I think about it, I don't think I can get proper revenge on Laura with just Command Magic."
Thinking about it calmly, the fact that Command Magic had worked so perfectly on Aria and Luna was seventy percent sheer luck.
What if Aria hadn't already harbored a subconscious desire to punch Luna? What if Luna's personality had been just a bit more docile? They wouldn't have ended up tearing at each other's hair, and if they hadn't held those bizarre, repressed feelings for one another, they wouldn't have ended up whimpering and panting like they did.
"I'm going to get my revenge on Laura. And besides... I can't even force someone to commit suicide with Command Magic, right?"
"Is Lady Laura's life your ultimate goal, Lady Ramnusia?"
To be honest, I hadn't thought of a concrete end goal for my revenge.
"...She doesn't necessarily have to die, but... I did die because of her. I want to inflict a punishment on her that's fitting for what she did."
"I understand. Though you may not have a clear destination yet, a horse must run regardless, my lady." Keres smiled warmly. "Only when the horse runs can one arrive anywhere. If the horse before you lacks energy and has no saddle to ride upon, it is only natural to think of preparing it first."
"Ha, hahaha... You really are smart, Keres."
"However, Lady Ramnusia... the magic sealed within the Armonomicon cannot be learned one by one at your whim, like plucking apples from a bowl." Keres gently took my hand.
"...Ah? Is there really no way?"
"The Armonomicon is a terrifying grimoire imbued with the wisdom of the Demon King. While you will undoubtedly be able to learn the magic you desire, it will only happen when the book itself deigns to permit it."
"So it's impossible right now."
Did that mean I had to rely solely on Command Magic for my revenge? It might not be entirely impossible, but it was certainly frustrating.
"However, it seems that will not be an issue this time."
"Eh? What do you mean by that?"
"It appears the Armonomicon has been satisfied. It seems inclined to bestow a new spell upon you, Lady Ramnusia."
Keres took my hand and guided me to turn the pages of the Armonomicon.
"U-Uh, is there some kind of condition?"
"It seems the book derives satisfaction whenever you fulfill your sexual desires, my lady."
At that exact moment, a brief flash of violet light erupted from within the pages. It lasted only a split second, but instinctively, I felt that something had been 'granted' to me.
The Armonomicon acknowledges its master's carnal indulgence.
[NEW SPELL UNLOCKED: HYPNOSIS RUNE MAGIC]
"A new... spell... W-What is it?"
I looked up at Keres. Although she had been teaching me how to read, the script written inside the Armonomicon was still completely illegible to me.
"It is Hypnosis Rune Magic, my lady."
Keres gently took my hand and stroked it. Zzzzt. A tingling sensation of magic radiating from the Armonomicon seeped from Keres's hand into mine.
"Ah, haah... I can't... breathe very well..."
"Magic is normally acquired through immense effort and study. Since you are learning it as a natural talent—as easily as a child taking their first steps—some pain is inevitable, my lady."
"Ngh... I'll... endure it."
My heart hammered dangerously in my chest. But just as the sun must eventually set after it rises, the tightening pain in my chest naturally faded away.
"So this is... Hypnosis Magic."
"Indeed, my lady. It is a spell that allows you to carve a hypnotic rune—a sigil—wherever you desire."
Keres gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, then closed the Armonomicon.
"H-How is it different from Command Magic?"
"A target under the influence of Hypnosis Rune Magic is rendered completely neutralized. They cannot think of anything, nor can they act on their own free will."
"Then... just as an example, if I were to, say, lift their skirt or spank them... there wouldn't be any problem?"
"Indeed, my lady. As long as you can maintain the rune, you may do whatever you please without issue. However..."
Keres raised a single finger. This had to mean something incredibly important.
"Their memories will not be erased."
"Huh...?"
"Being neutralized simply means they cannot move or think. It does not mean the information entering through their eyes and ears ceases to exist."
Keres wagged her finger.
"You must keep this well in mind, my lady. The same applies to Command Magic. They merely do not remember the fact that they were subjected to Command Magic; the actual consequences of their actions will not vanish from their minds."
"Wait, what? Wh-What?! Oh! I-I mean, I did it on purpose, but...!"
Aria and Luna...! Did they remember everything? I had basically set them up to ruin their own lives just for the hell of it!
"Do not fret, my lady. In the case of those two young ladies, I have already cleaned up after you quite thoroughly. And while I do plan to assist you with such cleanups in the future..." Keres cleared her throat. "I have no intention of raising a spoiled young lady who cannot even put her own dirty laundry in the hamper. You must handle matters within your own capabilities yourself."
"I-I understand. So, if I make them look at this hypnosis sigil... can I use Command Magic to make them do absolutely anything?"
"Since their will is completely lost, most actions are indeed possible." Keres pondered for a brief moment. "Commanding them to strip or walk around naked is entirely feasible. However, commands like 'end your own life' are tied directly to their survival instincts, making them extremely difficult to enforce."
There were still some limitations, but this alone was more than enough.
"Heh, hehehe. Then Laura... that incredibly annoying girl won't be able to resist at all even if I kick or slap her?"
"Of course, my lady. If you blindfold her, she will not be able to see, meaning she won't even know what is happening to her."
"And I can do even worse things to Aria and Luna, right?"
Keres nodded, confirming that it was entirely possible.
"In that case, Keres..."
I swallowed hard and gripped Keres's hand tightly. I had never expected my revenge to be accomplished in a single stroke, nor did I think everything would end so abruptly.
"Tell me about Laura."
"...Pardon?"
"Laura... I need to thoroughly humiliate her and make her suffer, right? To do that, I need to know more about her."
Keres's eyes widened slightly.
"B-Back when I lived under the bridge, I had nothing to lose but my life. But nobles aren't like that, are they? There must be things they refuse to let go of! Secret, embarrassing habits! Weaknesses! They must have something, right?"
"It seems you are not merely dreaming of a simple revenge, such as slapping her cheek, kicking her between the legs, or making her wander the Academy naked, Lady Ramnusia."
"O-O-Of course not! Where's the fun in a revenge that ends so easily? I plan to play with her until she's crying...! Begging me... admitting she was wrong! I want to toy with her until she literally pleads for me to stop!"
"And you require information to achieve this?"
Keres stared into my eyes for a long moment. Then, with a very faint curl of her lips, she closed her eyes.
"I understand, my lady. If it is your wish, I shall tell you everything."