Chapter 93: Second Floor (3)

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.

“Yap!”

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?”T/his chapter is updat/ed by nov(ê(l)biin.c/o/m

“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?”

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.