Chapter 100: Self ? Study (3)

Chapter 100: Self ? Study (3)

Early morning. When I went downstairs after getting ready to go to the Labyrinth, Lydia and Benny were already there.

“Good morning. Did you all dream about me?”

“I sleep deeply when I drink, so I don’t dream.”

“Since I merged with Shadow, I only have nightmares.”

Lydia, clutching her head from a hangover, and Benny, for some reason, standing on the table again, answered casually.

Unable to bear the awkwardness, I let out a deep sigh.

“...Shall we just stick to saying good morning?”

“Sure.”

“Hi hi.”

-Grr.

A mini Shadow, which emerged from the small shadow cast at Benny’s feet, squirmed affectionately.

No, upon closer inspection, the end of the tentacle had been transformed to resemble its own form. Eyes, teeth, tongue, and so on. It had everything.

...Could it perhaps change into someone else’s form other than its own?

Standing next to Benny, I briefly chuckled, imagining something that resembled her.

I stood in front of the table where Benny was sitting and silently watched her.

“What, what is it?”

“Hm.”

I carefully examined Benny from her purple crown to the toes peeking out from the end of her clingy dress and chuckled.

“Benny. Could you call me the genius mage Jonny Boy?”

“...What are you suddenly talking about?! And what’s Jonny Boy supposed to be?”

“Well, you’re Benibeni, so can you really say that to me?”

Grumbling for no reason, I handed back the basic magic book that I had been using as a pedestal for the Goddess statue to Benny.

“I used it well. Thanks to it, my hand skills have improved.”

“Did you really master it all in one day? Even though it’s basic magic, is that even possible...?”

Seeing Benny’s wide-eyed expression made my conscience twinge a little... But admitting that I didn’t know anything at all was too much for my pride.

“Hmph! For me, this is as easy as stealing candy from a baby!”

“Why would you steal from a poor child?!”

“Because I’m that poor child, so it’s fine!”

“It’s not fine! Stop the crime cycle!”

Benny, jumping around like a freshly caught mackerel, insisted that it wasn’t okay. While enjoying her lively reaction, Ellie, dressed in her uniform, appeared from the back of the warehouse.

“Don’t worry, Benny. Jonah doesn’t pickpocket poor people or children in the first place.”

“...Really, Ellie?”

“Yeah. But he often picks the pockets of grown-ups.”

“...???”

Benny tilted her head as if she didn’t understand. I kindly explained to her.

“Think about it. How much can you get from kids, anyway?”

“That’s, true?”

“So, we should aim for adult wallets. Preferably from slightly bad adults. Usually, they carry more cash.”

“......”

“It’s a matter of efficiency. Ahem.”

“This, this is about ethics and crime, you idiot!”

Benny screamed and jumped up and down in place. I gently patted her shoulder to calm her down.

“Hahaha! Don’t get so worked up. If you get too excited...”

I stopped there and waved Benny’s wallet, which I had slipped out earlier, in front of her eyes.

“You might get pickpocketed like this, you know?”

“My wallet?! When did you take it?!”

Shaking my head, I reached out to Benny.

“Benny. Shall we go ahead by ourselves then?”

“I don’t mind that...but we should eat first.”

“Ah.”

“Ellie is behind us looking really down with a sandwich.”

“......”

Turning around, Ellie was looking at the sandwich with a sorrowful expression, her ears and tail drooping.

“...Indeed, one needs to eat to gain strength! Shall we eat heartily and then go?!”

Saying so, I quickly sat down in front of the counter.

Ellie’s sandwich was meaty, and it was delicious.



“So, shall we start by showing yesterday’s results?”

On the second floor of the Labyrinth, where we came down alone. Benny said this to me as I checked the number of the Safe Zone.

“Just a moment. This is... Zone 32. Yes. It’s done now. What did you say, Benny?”

“Basic magic. Show me what you learned yesterday. You seem quite confident, so I guess you must have mastered it... But being able to use it and using it well are different, right? How about starting with the moist water drop spell?”

“Ah, about that...”

I scratched the back of my head and laughed sheepishly.

“Actually, I couldn’t master any of the other basic spells.”

“...? Wait, then what was that about showing off when returning the book?”

“Instead, I can do something like this.”

I stretched my hand toward the air. Then, I released the surging magic from around my heart in an instant.

Boom!

With a sound of something exploding, an invisible shockwave shot forward.

According to the knowledge imprinted in my mind, it’s good for emergencies but not very efficient, so I didn’t have high expectations...

With this level of power, it’s stronger than a serious punch by swinging my arm. That’s enough.

Benny, who saw my Mana Discharge, widened her eyes momentarily, but soon had a nonchalant expression.

“Well... It’s clean. Given its nature, it’s a technique that is inherently quite wasteful, but it doesn’t feel like there’s any unnecessary leakage. But this isn’t magic.”

“Wait a moment. There’s one more.”

I kept my outstretched arm steady and focused my mind. The boiling mana circulates along a predetermined path. A vivid image emerges.

But this alone isn’t enough. This isn’t just a 1-star spell, but a 2-star spell.

So I added a bit of incantation.

“Devour the offering. Intense Flame.”

Whoosh!

A massive flame fiercely burns a short distance from my hand.

Moving or throwing it seemed impossible, but the flame, which was about the same size as my body, was threatening in itself.

It evolved from a match flame to a campfire level, just by advancing from 1-star to 2-star.

I turned my head towards Benny with a proud heart. There stood Benny, staring blankly with her mouth open. Those sharp shark teeth looked cuter the more I saw them.

“H-how did this happen? Suddenly it’s a 3rd-circle spell?”

“Oh, was this 3rd-circle? No wonder it felt strong.”

Well, the difference between 1-star and 5-star is just four stages.

But within those four stages, basic magic has to reach the level of grand magic, so it’s natural for the power to leap with each star.

I dropped the final bomb on the bewildered Benny.

“Oh, and I also awakened my aura.”

“That basic magic book I lent you, right?! Huh?! It’s not some ancient grimoire, is it?!”

Benny is bewildered!

But it’s okay because the way she frantically rummages through her inventory, with her butt sticking out towards me, is cute.

...That dress is really a cheat.