Is it wrong to have a Celestial Grimoire in the Dungeon ?

–

"Lord Ouranos, it seems the unusual man has entered the Dungeon once again," said a figure draped in a long black robe, their entire body concealed beneath the heavy fabric. They stood beside an older man seated on a grand throne, both gazing into a glowing crystal ball.

"What a strange ability this man has," Ouranos said, his voice deep and thoughtful. "At first, I sensed immense malice in him, but now… it has diminished. It is far less than before."

"He is unlike any normal adventurer," the robed figure replied. "His very nature sets him apart."

"Fels," Ouranos said, turning his attention to his companion, "you've witnessed him using his magic. How does it compare to your own?"

"Completely alien, Lord Ouranos," Fels answered, shaking their head slightly. "His magic operates on laws entirely different from those of this world. It doesn't align with any of our understanding."

Ouranos nodded, his expression grim yet intrigued. "I suspected as much. He truly is an anomaly. And unlike others, he seems to avoid forming ties with any Familia, as though the Falna holds no significance to him."

"He seems motivated solely by the monetary rewards the Dungeon provides," Fels observed.

Ouranos leaned back in his throne, humming thoughtfully before a faint smile touched his aged face. "Then perhaps we should offer him something that aligns with his goals. If it's money he seeks, the Guild can easily accommodate him. It may be worth asking if he wishes to work for us."

Fels studied the god for a moment, then gave a slow nod. "It would be wise. And perhaps… he and I could exchange knowledge on magical matters. His insights could even help me finalize that spell."

Ouranos's gaze remained fixed on the crystal ball, his smile lingering. "Indeed, Fels. This man may prove to be far more valuable than we first imagined."

–

'What the hell is this horrible feeling?' I thought, my stomach twisting into knots. It was like someone was watching me—not casually, either. This felt intense, like someone was drilling into me with their gaze.

Oh god, did I do something to draw attention to myself? I've only used magic once! Don't tell me some super mage or god-tier wizard picked up on it and decided to spy on me. Just my luck.

A goblin lunged at me, claws swinging wildly. I dodged and countered, slicing it clean in half with Beowulf. Its tiny stone dropped to the ground, and I grabbed it, shoving it into my new bag—a surprisingly handy purchase I'd made with the leftover money after booking a room for the night.

I had planned to go deeper into the Dungeon today to bring back more stones, more money. But honestly? I needed to test my magic again. If I was going to survive this place, I had to get better at it.

I spotted a group of monsters coming my way—a mix of goblins and kobolds, seven in total. Perfect.

'Shadow Bolt,' I thought, focusing my energy. The Winds of Magic churned around me, chaotic and dangerous, as I channeled it through Beowulf. A dark, arrow-like projectile formed at the sword's tip and shot forward with a crackling burst of energy. It struck the first monster dead-on, exploding outward in a wave of force. The goblin at the center was obliterated, reduced to nothing, while the blast left the others wounded, though not dead.

'Damn, that spell ate through so much mana,' I thought, feeling the drain on my body. My reserves had plummeted. From what I remembered, Shadow Bolt wasn't supposed to cost that much—it was just this body. My mana pool was pathetic right now.

'Guess I'll finish the rest the old-fashioned way,' I muttered, gripping Beowulf tightly as I charged forward.

I moved like a blur, my prescience kicking in as I weaved through their attacks. With each swing, Beowulf cut through them like they were nothing, the blade leaving trails of faint energy in its wake. Without my prescience, I would've been overwhelmed for sure. It had saved my ass too many times already, letting me predict every movement they made before they even tried it.

By the time I was done, the monsters lay in pieces around me, and I stood there catching my breath. 'Not bad,' I thought, flicking Beowulf clean. But one thing was clear: I had a lot of work to do if I wanted to survive deeper floors.

"Hello."

The androgynous voice echoed behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I spun around like a madman, Beowulf at the ready, only to come face-to-face with something straight out of a nightmare—a freaking Nazgûl look-alike.

"I mean you no harm, child," the figure said, their voice strange and otherworldly. Everything about them screamed creepy. The way they moved, the way they spoke—it was like they were made to unsettle people. And worst of all? They'd probably seen me use magic.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack!" I snapped, my grip on Beowulf tightening as I stepped back slightly. "What do you want?"

"My master wishes to speak with you," they said, completely calm, as if this was a normal thing to say.

"Your master? What are they? Some big bad villain with a horde of Nazgûl look-alikes like you?" I shot back, half expecting the creepy figure to get angry.

Instead, they chuckled softly, the sound somehow even creepier than their voice. "If you believe the leader of the Guild operates such a force, that is your assumption," they replied smoothly.

My blood ran cold. The Guild? Oh, crap. "T-the Guild ?," I stammered, my mouth running ahead of my brain. "I'll come immediately!"

What the hell was I doing? Why was I suddenly being so formal? I'd just insulted the people paying me for those damn Dungeon stones. What if they decided to cut me off? I cursed under my breath as the robed figure motioned for me to follow.

We walked in silence for a while, weaving through the Dungeon corridors until they stopped in front of a blank section of wall. Without a word, they raised a hand and touched it. Runes flared to life, glowing faintly, and then—click—a hidden door slid open right in the stone.

"What the hell?" I muttered, staring at the passageway that had just appeared. "Why am I wasting my time with those boring stairs when there are secret doors like this everywhere?"

The figure turned their head slightly, as if amused. "Not many people know about these passages," they said. "This is a gesture of trust from my master."

Trust? Sure, that's what this felt like. Not ominous or shady at all. Still, I stepped through the door, unable to shake the feeling that I was stepping into something far bigger than I'd signed up for.

We kept walking, turning through endless passages. We ascended, then descended, then ascended again. It was a damn maze—who the hell could possibly know all of these hidden routes?

Finally, the robed figure stopped in front of another wall, touching it just like before. The runes lit up, and the door slid open to reveal a staircase leading upward.

"This is where I leave you," the figure said, their tone as calm and eerie as ever. "My master awaits you at the top."

"Well, thanks," I muttered, my voice laced with sarcasm as I eyed the stairs.

With a deep breath, I started climbing, nerves twisting in my gut. Who the hell was this "master"? The Chief of the Guild? Were they some kind of terrifying monster who'd snap my neck if I said the wrong thing? Considering my track record with running my mouth, that was a real concern.

When I reached the top, the staircase opened into a vast chamber. The room was massive, with high vaulted ceilings and a faint, otherworldly glow that seemed to come from nowhere. At the center of it all was an imposing man seated on a grand stone throne, his expression calm and unreadable.

"Welcome," the man said, his deep voice reverberating through the chamber. "I am Ouranos, Chief of the Guild."

I froze for a moment, staring at him. So this was the big boss? His presence was overwhelming, like I was standing in the shadow of something far greater than myself.

"Well," I said after a beat, forcing a smile despite my nerves. "Nice place you've got here."

An awkward silence hung in the air, and I cleared my throat. "Ah, sorry. My name's Almus."

"Starting the conversation with a lie is never a good idea," Ouranos said, his voice calm but firm.

"Huh?" I blinked, confused. That's… literally my name.

"I wasn't talking about your name," he said, almost reading my mind. "I was talking about your compliment. We gods can discern truth from lies as easily as we breathe. But fear not—I mean you no harm."

His words caught me off guard, and I let out a nervous chuckle. "Oh. Well… good to know," I muttered, feeling both relieved and a little embarrassed. Great start, Almus. Real smooth.

"I have an offer for you, child of another world," Ouranos said, his deep voice cutting through the stillness. My eyes widened in shock.

"Wait—you know?" I stammered.

"Yes, I knew the moment you cast your magic yesterday. I already had my suspicions, but the way you use magic… it's completely alien. It defies the natural laws of Tenkai. It shouldn't even be possible in this world."

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah… I come from another world," I admitted quietly. "But I don't know how to get back to it."

"This can be achieved," Ouranos said calmly. "But it will take work—not just from you, but from others as well. Fels, the one who escorted you here, is perhaps one of the most skilled mages to have ever walked this world."

I stared at him, a flicker of hope lighting up inside me. Sure, seeing another world was incredible, but deep down, I missed my family. The guilt of being here without them lingered, no matter how much I tried to bury it.

"So, I have a proposition for you, Almus of the other world," Ouranos continued, his gaze steady. "Work for me. Not as one of my children, necessarily, but as an ally. I will provide you with the money and resources you need to find your way back home—and ensure you never have to worry about anything along the way."

"I'm guessing there's a catch," I said, narrowing my eyes.

Ouranos chuckled softly. "There is. When I call on you for a mission, you must answer—just as Fels does."

I thought about it for a moment, then looked back at him. "What does becoming your child actually mean?"

"Not much from your perspective," he replied calmly. "You'll gain strength through the Falna I grant you. As the leader of the Guild, I'll ensure your existence is hidden from the rest of the world, just as I've done with Fels."

"There's really no downside here," he added. "I don't impose much on those who serve me. All I wish to see is Orario thriving and the Dungeon kept in its place."

He spoke with a quiet conviction, and while his offer seemed straightforward, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd just stepped into something far bigger than myself. Still, it didn't sound like a bad deal. Not yet, anyway.

"So, why me?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Because you are an anomaly, child," Ouranos said, his voice steady. "And if I hadn't approached you first, others with far less noble intentions would have."

"Like who?" I pressed.

"Freya, without a doubt," he replied without hesitation. "One of her abilities is to see the souls of mortals, and I don't doubt that yours would stand out to her—whether she finds it appealing or revolting depends entirely on her perspective."

His words sent a chill down my spine. The last thing I wanted was some crazy goddess hunting me down like a prize.

I mulled it over. What could go wrong? Maybe he was lying, sure, but what choice did I really have? If he kept his end of the bargain, I'd have everything to gain. And if he didn't? Well, I'd probably end up dead anyway. At this point, it was a gamble—and who wins without taking a risk?

"Alright," I said, nodding. "I'll become your child."

For the briefest moment, I thought I saw something flicker across Ouranos's usually impassive face—was that surprise? Amusement?—but it was gone as fast as it came, replaced by his usual stoic expression.

"Then remove your clothes from your torso," he said, his voice calm and matter-of-fact.

I blinked. "I beg your pardon ?"

He said nothing. Just stared at me in that unnerving, silent way gods apparently like to do.

"Alright, alright," I muttered, throwing up my hands. "Fine, I'll do it. But for the record, I don't usually strip in front of strangers. This is a first. Glad we're making memories."

As I started pulling my shirt off, I couldn't help but grumble to myself. "Next thing I know, he's gonna tell me to turn around and cough…"

Ouranos nodded as I reluctantly pulled off my shirt, muttering under my breath about how weird this all was. The room felt colder without the thin layer of fabric, and I shivered slightly, standing there awkwardly.

"Lie down," he instructed, his voice calm and steady.

"Of course," I mumbled, laying down on the cool stone floor. "Totally normal Tuesday for me."

Ouranos approached, placing his hand on my back. I felt a strange warmth spread across my skin, followed by the unmistakable sensation of something being etched into it. It didn't hurt, but it was… unsettling, like someone was writing directly onto my soul.

"It is done," he said after a moment, stepping back.

I sat up, pulling my shirt back on as quickly as possible. "That's it?" I asked, a little skeptical.

He handed me a small piece of parchment. "These are your stats," he explained.

I took the paper, my eyes scanning over the details.

–

Name: Almus

Level: 1

Strength: I0

Endurance: I0

Dexterity: I0

Agility: I0

Magic: I0

Skills:

Mark of Tzeentch: The Changer of Ways has taken notice of you. Beware—his gifts often come with corruption.

Lore of Ulgu: The Grey Wind bends to your will, granting you the power of shadow magic.

–

I stared at it, dumbfounded. "Wait, hold on. Zero? Across the board? Not even a pity point?"

"Every adventurer starts at the bottom," Ouranos replied, his tone as calm as ever.

"Yeah, but this isn't just the bottom. This is rock bottom," I muttered, folding the paper and stuffing it into my pocket. "Great. Guess I'll be punching goblins for breadcrumbs for the foreseeable future."

Ouranos didn't say anything, just watched me with that same calm, unreadable expression. I sighed, standing up and rubbing the back of my neck.

"Alright, thanks… I guess," I muttered. "So, how do I level up?"

"Kill monsters and survive dangerous encounters," he said plainly. "Fels will explain the details to you. You can find him by touching the glowing block at the end of the tunnel. Good luck, my child. Now go—someone else will be arriving soon, and I'd prefer you not be seen by them."

I frowned but nodded, waving at him half-heartedly as I headed toward the tunnel he mentioned. "Sure, just point me toward more mysteries. Why not?" I mumbled to myself.

At the end of the tunnel, I spotted the glowing block he'd mentioned. I reached out and touched it, and with a faint hum, a hidden door slid open.

On the other side stood Fels, the same shrouded figure who had escorted me earlier. He was hunched over a table, two bubbling alchemical flasks in front of him, clearly in the middle of some magical experiment.

"Great," I muttered under my breath. "Mad scientist vibes. Just what I needed."

Fels chuckled softly, his voice dripping with amusement. "If only you knew."

"So, what's the plan?" I asked, stepping closer and glancing around. My curiosity got the better of me as I scanned the room. It was cluttered with strange equipment—flasks bubbling with who-knows-what, scattered notes, and runes glowing faintly on the walls.

Without a word, Fels slid a book across the table toward me. It stopped right in front of me with a soft thud.

"First, you'll need to read this," he said.

I looked down at the title: Adventurers and Falna: A Comprehensive Guide.

I let out a long sigh, picking it up. "Of course. Homework. Great."

Fels said nothing, simply watching me from behind that shrouded hood as I resigned myself to flipping through the first page. "Alright, let's see what I got myself into…" I muttered.

I sat in silence, flipping through the pages as Fels tinkered with his experiments. The bubbling of flasks and faint hum of magical energy filled the room, but I ignored it, quickly skimming the book. I'd gotten a decent grasp of this language by now, so it wasn't too hard to piece things together.

After a while, curiosity got the better of me. "So, what brought you here under Ouranos?" I asked, glancing up from the book.

Fels paused for a moment, his hood tilting slightly in my direction. "Like you, at first, it was the resources," he said, his voice calm and measured. "He offered me the means to continue my research. But over time, I realized there's more to him. Beneath that steel demeanor of his lies someone who truly cares—unlike many other gods."

I raised an eyebrow at that, surprised. "Huh," I muttered, looking back down at the book. That wasn't what I expected to hear, but it gave me something to think about.

"We have much in common, Almus," Fels said, carefully adding something to the bubbling flask in front of him. "Except you haven't made the foolish mistakes that I once did."

He paused, watching the reaction in the alchemical mix before continuing. "I hope to be a good enough mentor to make sure you never repeat the ones I made."

I glanced up at him, feeling a strange warmth in my chest at his words. Why did he care so much? We'd only just met today. Maybe this was what being in the same Familia was like—some kind of bond I wasn't used to.

Then again, who was I kidding? That was too naïve, even for me. He probably cared because Ouranos told him to. Nothing more, nothing less. Still, it was… nice to hear. Even if it wasn't real.

"I hope we'll be able to work together," I said, closing the book for a moment. "So, who else is part of the Familia? Any big shots? Level 5s or 6s?"

"Just the two of us," Fels replied calmly, adding something else to his alchemical mix.

"Pardon?" I blurted, my voice raising a bit too much.

"Ouranos didn't tell you?" he asked, almost amused. "We're the only two tied to this Familia. Well… technically, you're the only official member."

I frowned, confused. "Wait, what do you mean by technically?"

Fels paused for a moment, then reached up and pulled back his hood. My entire body froze as I saw what was underneath—a hollowed skull, its empty sockets glowing faintly with an eerie light.

"I am already dead," he said, his voice unnervingly calm.

I swear I felt my soul try to leave my body. "You're WHAT?!" I choked, stumbling back a step. Forget everything I thought about being calm and collected—this was nightmare fuel.

"Calm yourself," Fels said, and I could swear I heard a chuckle in his voice. "You're going to make me ruin my concoction."

I let out a shaky sigh, running a hand through my hair. "What kind of bizarre Familia have I gotten myself into?" I muttered, shaking my head.

Still rattled, I tried to refocus on the book in front of me, though I couldn't quite shake the unease creeping up my spine. Undead? Dead? I wasn't sure what Fels even was. Maybe some kind of lich? Yeah, that seemed like a good guess, but honestly, did it even matter? This was just my life now, apparently.

'Wait a minute, where's my skill for today? Don't tell me the Falna screwed up the thing that gives me gifts!' I thought, panic setting in for a brief moment.

[CP: 600]

'Oh,' I muttered inwardly, feeling the tension drain out of my body. 'Guess I just needed to complain a little.'

[Tsukihime: Dream Manipulation]

[Dream Manipulation: 200 CP]

'You've unlocked the power to manipulate dreams—an ability usually reserved for succubi. You can create vivid, lucid dream worlds for yourself or others, completely tailored to your liking. If you have enough magic and time, you can even make convincing recurring dreams where the dreamer doesn't realize they're still asleep. But keeping these dreams going gets draining fast, and over time, the dreamer's subconscious might start poking holes in your illusion.'

'You can also transfer magical energy while they sleep—either giving them a boost or siphoning their reserves for yourself. Be careful, though—if you take too much, it'll wake them up, and they might sense the danger before that happens.'

'As a bonus, you can shapeshift into a small, domesticated animal of your choice—like a cat, dog, or something else you'd find on modern Earth. You pick what animal you can turn into when you get this perk. It's a mix of stealth, illusion, and utility, perfect for messing with people or sneaking around.'

'Well, this is definitely an upgrade,' I thought, already turning the possibilities over in my mind. 'It's not Beowulf-level destructive, but it's got so much potential.'

I paused for a moment, imagining the chaos I could create with dream manipulation. And the shapeshifting? Yeah, there was no contest.

'I take cat. And of course, I take the perk!'

–

And that'll be all for the third chapter ! 

Frankly joining Ouranos is like the best way of living in Orario, the guy is mostly chill and Fels is here in case things go awry. And anyway, Almus have just to answer to missions once in a while and Ouranos is not dumb enough to send him to die anyway.

Anyway hope you liked the chapter

[CP:400]