Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho

Grimoire of Zero unfolds in a world where humans and witches have been locked in constant conflict, and where the feared "beastfallen" are cursed humans born with the appearance and strength of animals. Their unusual physical power makes them valuable as fighters, but it also leaves them hunted, distrusted, and shunned by both sides of the war. Many beastfallen survive as sellswords, taking dangerous work by hunting witches just to make a living. At the center of the story is Zero, a lighthearted witch who enlists one such beastfallen, whom she calls "Mercenary," to serve as her protector. He travels with Zero and Albus, a young magician, as they search for the Grimoire of Zero, a powerful spell book that could be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. Along the way, the Mercenary’s guarded nature gives way to unexpected compassion, and he begins to show sympathy toward both humans and witches. What begins as an uneasy arrangement gradually becomes a shared journey of trust, survival, and quiet change as the unlikely companions grow together.