“Benny! It’s a gift!”
“What are you, a cat bringing back cockroaches?! I don’t need it!”
After all the trouble of bringing a kobold’s head, Benny looked disgusted.
“That’s just mean.”
Feeling a bit down, I asked Benny’s shadow, “Would you like to eat it?”
———!
The shadow monster let out an indescribable sound and completely emerged from the darkness.
Countless mouths sprouted from its body, revealing sharp teeth.
“Yap!”
I tossed the kobold head toward the closest mouth.
Squelch!
With a sound of something breaking, it munched on the head a couple of times and swallowed it, swaying its tentacles happily.
Looks like my gift was a hit.
“Hehe. I’m glad you like it.”
As I stretched out my hand, the shadow eagerly extended the part that I assumed to be its head.
Soft and squishy, with a strange, surreal texture. I patted it frantically.
Grrrr.
After about ten seconds of petting, the satisfied creature let out an adorably fierce sound before vanishing into the shadows again.
Benny, witnessing the whole scene, shook her head in disbelief.
“Oh my. Why do you never listen to a word I say, yet you listen to Jonah so well?!”
“Maybe it likes men. You do too, right Benny?”
“I-I’m not like that!”
“Then do you prefer the ladies?”
“Shut up.”
I was just joking, but Benny looked serious as she denied it.
But then again, thinking about it, it makes sense. It’s kind of like asking a little girl if she likes sperm.
Just the thought sends chills down my spine.
Even though it was just a slip of the tongue based on my thoughts, I should probably be more careful about what I say.
“I’m sorry. Anyway, you said you wanted to see me fight? How did it go, Benny?”
“Hey, you…”
Benny spoke with an incredulous tone.
“How could I possibly answer that when you fought without using any magic? Sure, you fought well, but still!”
“Ah.”
Now that I think about it, she came to see how I used magic in action first-hand and set the lesson plan accordingly.
And just now, I beheaded a kobold without using any magic—only through powers and pure physical movements.
“I totally forgot about using magic. I haven’t had the need for it lately.”
“Yeah. It showed. I told you before, you fight well. To me, you already have your own style down. In fact, it’s quite polished. Using mediocre magic would just get in the way… what magic did you learn, again?”
“Huh? Oh, just a weak flame.”
“That’s basic magic. Can you show me?”
“Of course.”
I stretched out my vacant hand and gathered my mana. In an instant, the knowledge flowed in and aligned my mana brilliantly.
It ignited according to my mental visualization, size similar to a modest match flame.
“Weak flame.”
Whoosh.
“Oh! It may be basic magic, but this is surprising? The composition is neat. I wouldn’t say it’s the most efficient, but it’s definitely textbook stuff. Someone might mistake it as magic from the mythic era. It seems even the children of prestigious families would have to study at your feet.”
“Hahaha…”
Of course, it’s natural since it’s the magic bestowed by the Goddess of Love, a survivor from the mythic age through the gacha.
Still, it is quite fascinating. Magic is said to be commonplace now, but how is it still considered fragments of miracles?
Right now, it’s the power of a deceased God of Magic, yet why did it come out categorized as magic instead of divine powers?
While I pondered over this, Benny nodded with satisfaction.
“Your casting speed is fast, and using incantation alone without needing a full chant is neat too. The flow of mana is stable, so moving vigorously while using it shouldn’t be a problem. Yep, you’ve learned magic well.”
“Uh, thank you?”
She had been acting like a fidgety kid, but now discussing magic made her seem like a true expert.
As I bobbed my head dumbfounded, Benny muttered to herself while rubbing her soft chin.
“With this, you’re quite talented, aren’t you? And that stealth earlier? Your movements were definitely not at a basic level. Even the Goddess of Love’s…”
After musing to herself for a while, it seemed Benny suddenly came to her senses and looked up.
“Anyway, well done. Now show me your next magic.”
“I don’t have any?”
“…What?”
“No, I really don’t have any. This is the only magic I know how to use.”
“Just one basic magic is all you can do? Did you get kidnapped during your magic studies? Basic magic packs as a set with the four elemental magics and light!”
“Even if you say that, I’m telling you this is all there is.”
Scratching my head awkwardly, I noticed Lydia approaching with a somewhat complicated expression and tapping Benny on the shoulder.
“Benny.”
“Yeah? What’s up, Lydia?”
“You should just teach him what you don’t know. That’s what a master is here for.”
“What?! Just because I showed a bit of magic doesn’t mean I agreed to be a master… But I get what you’re saying. Did you mention being an orphan earlier? So you probably didn’t have the chance to learn magic formally. I’ll teach you the other basic magics.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. You can buy the magic books up to basic and 3rd circle at the Mage Tower with just money, and if you pay more, you can even get tutoring.”
“What about learning beyond that?”
“You’d have to enter the Mage Tower. That’s why I can’t use magic above 3rd circle.”
“…What?”
I know the Mage Tower has a monopoly on magic, but is that how it’s being enacted?
I asked with disbelief, wondering if Benny took my confusion as a question about why she didn’t join the Mage Tower. Benny sighed deeply and continued.
“Managing the old geezers at the Mage Tower is a hassle, it doesn’t suit me to be part of it, and most importantly, they try to feed off my research. I have no reason to bow down when I’m in good standing.”
“That’s true enough, but… Benny, aren’t you a high-ranking adventurer? I’ve heard that the mage of a high-ranking adventurer party can cast 4th circle magic and that real talents can throw out 5th circle magic with ease.”
“That’s accurate. But magic isn’t just about circle magic.”
“Huh? Is that so?”
I had created a setup in my mind where magic existed and was initially divine power, but now anyone with talent could learn it.
However, I hadn’t really thought about a specific magic system. Anything can change while writing, so I didn’t feel the need to set that in stone.
So now, I was even more curious. How did the people in this world fill in the gaps in the setting?
With anticipation, I waited for Benny to speak.
“Yep. Since the Mage Tower uses the circle system, everyone thinks that circle magic is everything, but in reality, circle magic is a completely flawed magic system.”
Goodness. Wasn’t dividing magic into circles the standard rule in fantasy?
While I hadn’t defined aspects like that to set up my world, I felt it must have reflected my subconscious.
However, after hearing Benny’s explanation, I could only admire.
“Originally, magic belonged to the realm of miracles. But when the God of Magic died, that power became available to everyone. With mana sensitivity, imagination, calculation ability, and willpower… an era has come where anyone with talent can use magic.”
“Yes. You mentioned that the last magic cast by the God of Magic before dying embedded their power onto the continent.”
“Exactly. Thanks to that, magic has continued to be handed down, but it has become a form that’s closer to technology than miracles.”
Not miracles, but technology. That phrase pierced my mind like a thorn.
“Do you understand the difference between miracles and technology?”
“…Not really.”
“It’s complicated, but simply put, it’s a difference of understanding. Miracles are things you don’t seek to understand. You just accept them, believe in them, and wish for them. So they are the purest form of power, but only a chosen few can enjoy them.”
“That truly is a miracle.”
“On the other hand, technology is different. It aims to understand the principles and reproduce them with your hands. The results are consistent, and the more you master it, the more efficiently you can use it. Once the theories are fully established, many can enjoy it, but… there’s no mystery. It means it can’t transcend its framework.”
Miracles can invoke much more powerful magic in response to avid heart and will.
However, magic as a technology cannot do that. You just input values like a formula to get predetermined outputs.
“The circles are just that framework and formula. While the circles’ benefit has indeed increased the number of magicians and commoners can access that magic, what I desire lies beyond that.”
Something beyond the set results.
I understood what Benny wished for, as she’d said it herself. She wanted to detach herself from the shadow monster intertwined with her.
In a world where magic exists that can ignite fire, there isn’t a magic that can separate the monster intertwined with oneself, so I understood her devotion to non-circle magic.
As she spoke earlier, there’s also that stubborn pride of not wanting to bow down just to enter the Mage Tower.
I stepped closer to Benny, my eyes shining.
“Benny, so what kind of magic do you use? You mean it’s not the typical kind of circle magic I often think of, right?”
“…Well, I was planning to show you eventually, so don’t rush me. For now, it’s your turn.”
“My turn?”
“Yep. This time, fight using magic properly. I know the power isn’t enough. I’m not saying you have to defeat it with just magic. I just want to see how you apply magic in combat, so there’s no need to push yourself.”
“Alright. I’ll try it on the next monster.”
Nodding, I resumed my exploration of the labyrinth.
*
With vision dimmed and dulled, my gaze focused on the freshly baked kobold head, still warm inside.
I rushed over holding the head.
“Tada! It’s a gift!”
“Ugh! Why do you keep bringing back heads?! I don’t need them!”
“What are you talking about. It’s not Benny’s gift, it’s a gift from the shadow.”
“…?”
“Oh come on. That’s overthinking things. You’re not the only one who’s a magician, you know.”
“Uaaaaah!”
As I clicked my tongue, Benny howled menacingly, stomping her feet in frustration.
It was a threat at the level of a kitten.
