Gacha Addict in a Matriarchal World

Chapter 93: Second Floor (3)

“Benny! A gift for you!”

“You’re like a cat bringing a cockroach! I don’t need it!”

Benny was horrified and disliked the severed Kobold head I brought.

That’s too harsh.

In a slightly gloomy voice, I asked Benny’s shadow.

“Do you want to eat it at least?”

——————!

With an indescribable strange noise, the shadow monster fully emerged.

Numerous mouths on its body opened wide, revealing sharp teeth.

I threw the kobold head to the nearest mouth.

Crunch!

With the sound of something breaking, the monster chewed a couple of times and swallowed it whole, wagging its tentacles.

It seems it liked my gift.

“Hehe. I’m glad you liked it.”

As I reached my hand out, the shadow, as if waiting, extended what seemed to be its head…

Softness and squishiness. And a strange, alien texture that I couldn’t help but stroke.

Grrrr.

After caressing it for about ten seconds, the satisfied creature let out a cute, ferocious sound before disappearing back into the shadow.

Benny, who had been watching the whole scene, shook her head in disbelief.

“Unbelievable. You never listen to me, but why do you listen to Jonah so well?!”

“Maybe it likes men. You do too, don’t you, Benny?”

“N-no, not like this!”

“Then do you like ovum?”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

It was just a joke, but Benny denied it seriously.

But if you think about it, it’s understandable. It’s like asking a little girl on Earth, do you like sperm?

Just thinking about it makes me dizzy.

Though it was a stream-of-consciousness remark, I should be more careful about such things.

“I’m sorry. By the way, you said you wanted to see me fight, right? How was it, Benny?”

“Hey, you…”

Benny continued in a bewildered voice.

“You’re asking me how it was after fighting without using any magic at all? Of course, you fought well, but still!”

“Oh.”

Now that I think about it, she’s right. Benny followed me to see how I used magic in actual combat to set the lesson plan.

But just now, I took down the kobold using only my powers and pure physical movements without any magic.

“I forgot to use magic. I haven’t had much need for it lately.”

“Yes. It seemed that way. Didn’t I mention earlier? You fight well. In my opinion, Jonah, you already have your own style. It’s even quite refined. With mediocre magic, it would only get in the way… What kind of magic did you learn?”

“Sorry? Oh, it’s Weak Flame.”

“That’s basic magic. Can you show me?”

“Of course.”

I extended my empty hand and gathered my magical power. Mana quickly aligned itself according to the knowledge rapidly infused.

That unfamiliar power began to blaze according to my imagery. It was about the size of a large match flame.

“Weak Flame.”

Whoosh.

“Oh. Even though it’s just basic magic, this is quite impressive, isn’t it? The structure is clean. It may not be the most efficient, but it’s definitely textbook. It looks so classic that one might believe it’s magic from the Mythical Era. Even the descendants of long-established noble families would have to bow to you.”

“Ahaha…”

It’s only natural since it’s magic bestowed through a gacha by the Goddess of Love, a survivor from the Mythical Era.

But it’s somewhat fascinating. Magic may have become widespread, but it’s still a fragment of a miracle.

It’s the power of a now-fallen God of Magic, yet why was it drawn under the separate category of Magic rather than the Power category?

While thinking that to herself, Benny nodded with a satisfied smile.

“The casting speed is fast, and it’s good that you can use it with just the activation word without any incantation. The magic flow is stable, so there shouldn’t be any problems using it while moving vigorously. Yes. You’ve learned the magic well.”

“Th-thank you?”

Seeing her talking about magic like this, after only seeing her stomp her feet or huff and pant like a child, really makes her seem like an expert.

As I nod blankly, Benny mutters to herself while stroking her fluffy chin.

“Isn’t this quite a talent? Plus, that stealth from a while ago, and his movements were definitely not at a second-floor level. Even the Goddess of Love’s…”

Benny, who had been mumbling to herself for a while, suddenly raised her head as if coming to her senses and said,

“Anyway, you did well. Now show me the next magic.”

“I don’t have any?”

“…What?”

“No, really, I don’t have any. This is all the magic I know.”

“All you know is just one basic spell? What, did you get kidnapped halfway through learning magic? Basic magic includes the four elemental spells and light magic as a set!”

“Even if you say that, this is really all I’ve got.”

As I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, Lydia, who somehow looked a bit troubled, approached and patted Benny on the shoulder.

“Benny.”

“Huh? What’s up all of a sudden, Lydia?”

“If you don’t know something, you can be taught. That’s what a teacher is for.”

“What?! I said I’d help you a bit with magic, but I never said I’d be your teacher… But I get what you’re saying. You mentioned you were an orphan earlier, right? Seems like you never had a proper chance to learn magic. I’ll teach you the other basic spells.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You can buy magic books for basic magic and up to the 3rd circle at the Magic Tower if you pay, and if you pay more, you can even get lessons.”

“What do you have to do to learn beyond that?”

“You have to join the Magic Tower. That’s why I can’t use magic above the intermediate circles.”

“…What?”

There’s a setting where the Magic Tower monopolizes magic, but I didn’t expect it to be implemented like this.

When I asked again out of disbelief, maybe Benny thought I was asking why she didn’t join the Magic Tower. She let out a deep sigh and continued.

“It’s hard to please the old geezers at the Magic Tower, and being affiliated with something doesn’t suit me. Most importantly, they want to take the results of my research for free. I have nothing to lose, so why should I bow down?”

“That’s true, but…isn’t Benny a high-ranking adventurer? I heard that mages in high-ranking adventurer parties can cast 4th-circle spells, and the really skilled ones can even throw around 5th-circle spells.”

“You’re right. But magic isn’t only about circle spells, is it?”

“Huh? Is that so?”

I created a setting where magic exists and was originally a Power, but now anyone with talent can learn it….

I hadn’t thought out the specific magic system in detail. Those things can change as you write, so there’s no need to decide them in advance.

So I’m even more curious. How did this world… How did people fill in the gaps in the setting?

With a pounding heart, I waited for Benny’s words.

“Yeah. Since the Magic Tower uses the circle system, everyone thinks circle magic is everything…but actually, circle magic is a really baseless magic system.”

My goodness. In fantasy, isn’t it a given that magic is divided by circles?

I hadn’t explicitly set such details, but I thought it was a result of my subconscious.

However, I couldn’t help but be amazed after hearing Benny’s explanation.

“Originally, magic was in the realm of miracles. But the God of Magic died, and that power became everyone’s. Mana sensitivity, imagination, computational ability, willpower, and so on… As long as you have talent, anyone can use magic.”

“Yes. It was said that the last magic the God of Magic casted before dying was to engrave his power into the Continent.”

“That’s right. Thanks to that, magic has continued to exist, but…it’s become more like a technology than a miracle.”

Not a miracle, but a technology. That phrase somehow lodged in my mind like a thorn.

“Do you know the difference between a miracle and a technology?”

“…I don’t really know.”

“It’s quite complicated, but to put it simply, it’s a difference in understanding. Miracles don’t try to be understood. They are simply accepted, believed in, and hoped for. That’s why it’s the purest form but a power only a chosen few can enjoy.”

“Literally a miracle.”

“On the other hand, technology is different. It seeks to understand the principles and reproduce them with one’s own hands. The results are consistent, can be used more efficiently with skill, and once the theory is fully established, many more people can enjoy it…but there’s no mystery in it. It can’t go beyond its framework.”

Miracles can evoke much more powerful magic in response to earnest hearts and will.

But magic as a technology cannot do that. It just produces a predetermined result if you input the materials like a formula.

“The circle is the framework, the formula. Thanks to the circle, the number of mages has increased, and even ordinary people can enjoy its benefits… But what I want lies beyond that.”

Beyond the predetermined result.

I know what Benny desires. She has said it herself. She wants to remove the shadow monster fused with her.

Although there is magic that can ignite the world, there is no magic that can separate a monster fused with oneself, so it is understandable that she is absorbed in non-circle magic.

As I mentioned earlier, it also seems she dislikes simply bowing down to the Tower.

I took a step toward Benny with twinkling eyes.

“Benny. So, what kind of magic do you use? If it’s not circle magic, it means it’s not the kind of magic I usually think of, right?”

“…Well. Since I was going to show you at some point anyway, don’t be so impatient. But right now, you’re the priority.”

“Me?”

“Yes. This time, try fighting properly using magic. I know your magic lacks power. I’m not asking you to defeat them with magic alone. I just want to see how you use magic in combat, so don’t overdo it.”

“Hmm. Got it. I’ll try that with the next monster.”

Nodding, we resumed the Labyrinth exploration.

With eyes degraded and clouded, and a freshly baked, warm kobold head.

Holding the snout part, I ran over.

“Tada! A present!”

“Hey! Why do you keep bringing me severed heads! I don’t need them!”

“What are you talking about? It’s not a present for Benny, it’s for Shadow.”

“…?”

“Oh, that’s just overthinking it. As if anyone would doubt you’re a mage.”

“Argh!”

As I clicked my tongue, Benny roared menacingly and stomped her feet.

It was a threat on the level of a kitten.