Iserin was full of curiosity.
No, just that alone wouldn’t capture the extent of her curiosity.
Iserin had curiosity that was very, extremely, excessively abundant.
Truly abundant, I say.
That wasn’t a bad thing.
When curiosity fixates in one direction, it can lead to becoming a scholar or an expert.
Someone curious about languages becomes a linguist, one fascinated by cultures may become a cultural anthropologist or a travel expert, and those interested in animals might turn into researchers or veterinarians—such is the way of the world.
The world begins with curiosity, moves forward through curiosity, and develops by stacking up the facts learned from curiosity.
Iserin was no different.
Just like a baby puts things in its mouth to figure them out, or an immature child pokes a wonderful thing with a stick while walking down the road.
She simply became increasingly curious.
However, unlike others, where her curiosity didn’t stick to one direction.
Most of Iserin’s curiosity was directed towards everything.
But that meant it was merely wide, not necessarily deep.
Thus, unlike alchemists who seek the truths of the world, she did not study, nor did she torment herself like practitioners or ascetics in pursuit of enlightenment. She merely peeked at things just enough to satisfy her curiosity.
Of course, it’s undeniable that such behavior could seem a bit creepy.
To explore curiosity widely and thinly meant, in other words, to wander around to know all sorts of hidden things.
Considering that hidden things are generally referred to as “secrets,” it was clear that Iserin’s curiosity had quite the sinister and gloomy aspect to it.
When did her curiosity take such a form?
Was it when she was a baby?
As a kindergarten student?
While in elementary school?
Or perhaps it began when the Grimoire came to be with Iserin?
Nobody knows.
Even if a renowned psychologist were to be brought in, their opinions would surely differ.
They wouldn’t know Iserin’s life, her daily existence.
They wouldn’t know how she became this way at every stage.
Only the Transcendent Being, Grimoire, who looks at Iserin with gentle eyes as if gazing at a cute cat, knows that.
Not her parents, nor Iserin herself—only Grimoire.
[Contractor, is this truly what you desire?]
To know everything essentially means to have the power to manipulate freely.
Knowing possesses a power of its own.
Just like experts can extract uranium through “the right methods” from stones that ordinary people see lying around on the ground.
Grimoire could also make Iserin act however she wished and could lead her interests and hobbies to transform her into what Grimoire wanted.
However, just because it could be done doesn’t mean it must be done.
Grimoire had no intention of manipulating Iserin at will.
There are transcendent beings who don’t hesitate to lead their contractors for their own amusement, but Grimoire was confident that she was different from those beings.
It wasn’t merely a simple story about what is artificial and what is natural.
Grimoire simply loved humans.
Loved their potential, loved their actions, loved everything from their souls to their essence.
And among all those people, the most beloved and precious being was Iserin, her contractor.
[So cute, so very cute.]
Just looking at humans brought Grimoire joy, and Iserin, who made her think, “I must protect that cute being,” was invaluable. A sparkling existence that shone like a jewel, one that deserved to be protected from those full of evil intent and horrifying powers.
A cute human, in personality, temperament, and behavior, matched perfectly with Grimoire herself.
For Grimoire, Iserin was the most precious gem among humans, an egg too precious to let go, the kind of creature deserving of overflowing love, and a child who must be guarded with absolute tenderness even more than her own powerless blood.
But protecting something doesn’t mean one simply grants all desires.
Especially since Grimoire wasn’t there to indulge Iserin whimsically, but rather to protect her and keep her from danger.
Thus, even if Iserin gazed at the truth with eyes full of curiosity and expressed a burning desire to know more, Grimoire could not permit that.
Wouldn’t that just spoil her?
Certainly, that is one reason.
However, the truth was there were issues that made Grimoire reluctant to investigate the truth.
[Contractor, my contractor who wants to peek at the secrets of her non-blood-related brother. No matter how I think about it, it seems best to stop here.]
“Why?”
[Because there are problems.]
“Why?”
Iserin tilted her head at Grimoire’s repeated discouragement.
Grimoire rarely spoke against her wishes.
Even when she dug into the secrets of students and upperclassmen who had grievances against her sister, Iarin, or when she uncovered the secrets of those who looked down on her father, Lee Yang-hoon, at gatherings and spread rumors.
Even when she wondered about the secrets behind couples suddenly fighting loudly on the street.
Even when she investigated the secretive actions of people featured on the news.
Grimoire didn’t stop Iserin but instead provided assistance.
Secrets existed to be known, and she had the power to sneak a peek at those secrets.
Though Iserin didn’t have much power, that was more than enough to satisfy her curiosity.
And if that power was lacking, Grimoire had even helped indirectly so that she could access those secrets.
Yet now Grimoire was repeatedly advising Iserin against it.
‘When did I ever stop you like this?’
Iserin recalled the times Grimoire had restrained her.
‘So…’
When she had tried to use her power to figure out what a harmful website, which was blocked from even entering as a child, was about.
When she was curious about what was happening in her parents’ locked bedroom.
When she realized that a kindergarten teacher was dating four men and wanted to investigate the matter further.
When she was on a school trip to Japan and wanted to know about the ‘paid channel’ she couldn’t even access or purchase…
“Ah.”
Iserin suddenly recalled Grimoire’s interventions and looked at her in surprise.
She stuck out her tongue, seeing the face of a camel moistening its lips with saliva, and asked.
“Really?”
A question that only comprised two words.
Yet within it lay myriad meanings.
A curiosity of what kind of provocative secret could possibly warrant blocking it even now at her age, a subtle sense of betrayal for realizing that her non-blood-related brother had something to do with it, a rebellious inclination against preventing her from knowing something she felt mature enough to understand, and a mixed feeling of joy for Grimoire’s gentle protection.
All of that was bundled up in her question.
Grimoire, upon hearing Iserin’s multifaceted inquiry, trembled her lips in delight as she couldn’t resist her cuteness. As if that wasn’t enough, she made a sound reminiscent of blowing her nose, laughing to the point it was hard for her to contain herself, and bursting into laughter while tapping the ground with her hooves.
[How incredibly cute and adorable! Imagining such things—puhehehe!]
“Um….”
Iserin momentarily froze at Grimoire’s reaction before her mood slightly soured due to being teased by the annoying camel that continued to call her cute. She pouted her lips indignantly and turned her gaze while twisting the long strands of her hair around her finger.
That was her gesture of advertising, “I’m sulking, so I won’t talk to you.”
Of course, she wasn’t genuinely sulking.
It was merely a cute complaint that could lead to her genuinely sulking if silence persisted, and it was behavior akin to showing a childlike charm towards Grimoire, who had become closer to her than her own family over the long time they had spent together.
Grimoire smiled at Iserin’s adorable charm and moved closer to let her lean against her. Then, she elegantly brought her long neck in front of Iserin and spoke.
[Alright, I will tell you.]
Grimoire explained the ‘reason’ why she had stopped Iserin, who was looking at her intently as if asking for a reason.
[I don’t want my cute contractor to set foot in dangerous places.]
“D-Dangerous?”
Danger.
A two-character word but one with weight.
Iserin tilted her head at the mention of danger and asked.
“Does that mean my brother is involved in dangerous matters?”
Grimoire silently watched Iserin as she stumbled over the word “brother.”
In her eyes was a bit of awkwardness toward the non-blood-related man who had suddenly appeared and claimed to be her brother and an overwhelming mixture of worry and fondness that eclipsed that awkwardness.
[No. It wouldn’t be dangerous for your brother, but if my contractor, who lacks ability, gets involved, it could become dangerous.]
Thus, Grimoire told the truth to her cute contractor, Iserin.
So she wouldn’t step into danger.
So she wouldn’t get entangled in dangerous matters and with dangerous people.
