Gacha Addict in a Matriarchal World

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.”

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?”

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“My wallet?! When did you take it?!”

“When I patted your shoulder earlier. I took advantage of the moment your mind was focused on my hand, and slipped it with the other hand.”

“Even if I didn’t notice, Shadow wouldn’t have any blind spots… Ah! You’re an accomplice!”

Only then did Benny realize that Shadow had pretended not to notice my sleight of hand. She started patting the shadow lightly.

Of course, Shadow seemed annoyed and took a few hits, then disappeared into the shadows.

“You two seem to get along well?”

“What?!”

“Better than yesterday, right?”

“…When you put it that way, I have nothing to say.”

Certainly, they seemed more comfortable than before. It must be because the fear of having to forcibly control Shadow or the fear of the impending erosion had lessened.

Probably, Shadow would also be less likely to raise its hackles towards Benny.

The erosion might not have completely disappeared, but I believe we have succeeded in significantly slowing its pace.

“By the way, Benny. Why did you come today?”

“I called her.”

The one who answered my question was not Benny, but Lydia.

Sipping the honey water Ellie handed her while struggling with a hangover, she let out a deep sigh.

“Jonah. Today, you have to go to the Labyrinth with Benny.”

“What? Why? Don’t tell me… Are you already tired of me, Miss Lydia?!”

“…Don’t say weird things. It’s just that something urgent came up.”

“Something urgent?”

“Yes. There was a summons from the Guild.”

High-ranking adventurers receive various benefits from the Guild. In return, the Guild can also request help from high-ranking adventurers in the event of emergencies…

Although they say it’s a request, it’s practically semi-compulsory. If you refuse, you have to give back all the benefits that come with the title.

“What was it about?”

“A crazy mage caused trouble in the Tower and ran away. It’s a common occurrence.”

“Is it common…?”

Lydia’s calm reaction left me blinking, and Ellie, who had just lit a Magic Herb cigarette, provided a detailed explanation.

“Accidents happen daily in the Tower. Most of them can be handled within the Tower, so outsiders are usually unaware.”

“Heh…”

“But if the accident was caused by a high-ranking mage, it’s a different story. The scale of cleanup becomes larger, right? If it ends within the Tower, it’s fine, but if the damage extends outside, they call in other adventurers for a swift resolution.”

“So, Lydia, you’re the fixer for this?”

“That’s right. Lydia, with her robust physique, can handle various weapons, allowing her to adapt flexibly to any situation. Hence, she often gets called in for sudden situations like this.”

“Oh…”

When I turned my head towards Lydia, she made eye contact with me and, despite her hangover, displayed a V sign with her hand.

“Yay.”

Her soulless bragging was just a bonus.

“Are you sure you’re okay with the hangover?”

“Yeah. It clears up quickly when I circulate my aura.”

“…Then why aren’t you clearing it now?”

“Using aura to sober up is lame.”

“Isn’t it just foolish?”

“There’s a world that a minor like Jonah wouldn’t understand.”

“……”

Even recalling my 20-year-old self in my past life, when I had just become an adult and drank excessively, it seems clear that Lydia is the odd one here.

Looking at me with a pitiful gaze for a moment. Misunderstanding my gaze, Lydia made a V sign with both hands this time.

“Yay.”

It was a double peace sign with a blank expression.

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.