Ten silver per day.
Itâs certainly a suspicious offer. Especially when itâs coming from a magician who controls grotesque shadow monsters and the job description is unclear.
But do you know why high-paying scams exist?
The answer is that there are always people who fall for them. Just like me right now.
âWhat should I do first?â
Smiling with the grin of capitalism, I said that, and Benny took half a step back with a startled expression.
âWhatâs with that weird smile all of a sudden?â
âNo, I was just asking. What you want me to do for you, Benny.â
âWhat I want you to do for meâŠ?!â
As if imagining something, Bennyâs eyes momentarily glazed over.
Then, turning her head slightly, Benny glanced over at me.
âUh, youâll really do anything?â
âOh my. Benny. What were you thinking? I was just talking about work!â
âHuh? âŠWhat?! No, thatâs not it! Itâs not what you think, you perverted pinkette!â
Bennyâs face turned red as she screamed. Tears started to well up in her eyes.
âHuh? Benny, are you crying?â
âN-no, Iâm not!â
She was like that when she first mistook me for a rattlesnake, and now too. It seems she tends to cry a lot.
But for Benny, who comes from a world with reversed gender roles, it seemed to be a sensitive issue.
Benny wiped her face repeatedly until her skin turned red, then continued speaking clearly.
âI said Iâm not crying.â
âI never said you were.â
I understand her feelings. She doesnât want to show any weakness. Or, more precisely, she probably canât afford to.
In this world, women are not the ones being protected but rather the ones who protect others. Showing tears is no different from revealing weakness.
âŠOn the other hand, to someone like me who has memories of Earth, a crying woman, especially one who looks like a child, like Benny, stirs up a lot of guilt.
I carefully reached out and touched the corner of Bennyâs eyes.
âHold on. Stay still, Benny.â
âUgh!â
Benny flinched as my fingers touched her. However, she stayed still as instructed, and I gave her a gentle smile before closing my eyes and concentrating.
A power is a complete force in itself. As long as you have enough mental strength, you can use it as much as you want.
Thatâs why adventurers go crazy over powers. Who wouldnât want to perform miracles with minimal effort?
However, divine power is a miracle of the gods. Whether it is the power of a dead god or the living Goddess of Love, they all draw from divine energy.
Naturally, divine power can also be more potent and versatile if divine energy is consumed.
Basilieusâ original power is to accelerate my growth, similar to investing divine energy to rapidly grow plants.
The recently acquired divine power, Moist Skin, wouldnât deviate from this principle.
A beauty power that keeps the skin moist at all times. At first glance, it seems trivial, but the principle behind it is quite advanced.
Itâs the power to maintain the most ideal skin condition at any time.
The reason why the fragrant body odor disappears when it needs to be hidden is the same. Strictly speaking, itâs because it maintains the ideal body scent for the situation.
I havenât tested it yet, but the speed of recovery for wounds on the skin should have increased dramatically.
Smooth, unblemished skin is the ideal.
Itâs not called divine power for nothing.
And now. Iâm trying to apply this effect to someone else by pouring divine power into this moist skin.
Wooong-
A warmth resonating with my will from deep within my body. I pulled it out and concentrated it on my fingertips.
Then I opened my eyes.
Fingertips emitting a subtle light. The swollen skin starts to subside where it makes contact.
âHeal-ing? Ellie was telling the truth.â
âWhen did you learn divine magicâŠ.â
Benny, touching her eyelids in a flustered voice, and Ellie, shaking her head in disbelief while holding a shaker.
I shrugged at the two of them.
âItâs not divine healing magic, but an application of power. It can only heal skin wounds, so please donât expect too much.â
At best, it should be considered a substitute for the Lowest-grade Healing Potion. Of course, this efficiency is based on applying it to others.
If I limit the effect range to myself, it would be about the level of a low-grade potion.
âŠEither way, itâs not that impressive.
Perhaps because it was my first attempt, I felt a bit tired from the lack of concentration. I buried my head on the counter and turned my head slightly to look at Benny.
âSo? What is it that you want to do with me?â
âHuh? Uh, well, when you touched my shadow just now, instead of being attacked, it seemed to like it, didnât it?â
âYes, it did. It even had a surprisingly cute side. âŠBy the way, from what youâre saying, it seems Benny isnât controlling it directly.â
âHow nice it would be if that were possible. Iâm just making requests. For it to listen to me.â
âItâs a good kid.â
It looks terrible, but its personality is gentle.
I tilted my head and reached my hand out. Then all sorts of parts rushed forward. Stroking the eyeballs, poking the horns, and scratching the tentacles made it shiver as if it felt good.
Benny, who was watching, shook her head with a disapproving voice.
âGood? How nasty it is. If it were someone else, one of their arms would be gone by now.â
âOh. Itâs a pair with Ellie!â
ââŠIâm really sorry to say this to someone I just met, but are you crazy?â
âBenny isnât sane either, so isnât it fair?â
âIâm sane! âŠFor now.â
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Benny, who had a moment of frustration, let out a deep sigh.
She opened her mouth wide, revealing sharp shark teeth, and continued speaking.
âDo you see this? Ever since it was grafted into my shadow, itâs been slowly taking over my body. At this rate, Iâll completely transform into a monster and become part of this thing.â
ââŠCould it be that each of these traces was originally a person?â
âYes. This horn is Marek, these teeth are Melonia, the carapace is Frey, and the eye was Jamit. I donât remember the names of the others because I wasnât close to them, but they were probably all people too. Maybe when I assimilate, itâll grow another eye? One with a heart, perhaps.â
Benny said this with a self-mocking laugh. Glancing at Ellie, wondering if it was a joke, she too was looking at Benny with pitying eyes.
My goodness. Itâs real?
Nodding with a somewhat solemn heart, Benny looked me straight in the eyes.
A gaze filled with strong determination. However, that determinationâs name was surely desperation.
âIâm currently researching ways to separate myself from this guy. If thatâs impossible, Iâm thinking of at least slowing down the erosion rate.â
âOh? You want me to help with that experiment, right?â
âThatâs right. As I mentioned earlier, this guy doesnât exactly obey my commands but listens to me. Because of that, there are times when it doesnât listenâŠâ
âSo, the experiments are limited because of that, I see.â
âYeah. When I try to confirm something seriously, it either hides in the shadows or tries to bite me. It doesnât bite hard, though.â
âAlright. I understand the reason, and I know what you want from me. You want me to coax it into participating in the experiment, right? But, can I attach one condition?â
âWhat is it? Are the funds insufficient? Itâs not like Iâm asking you to do something extraordinary, so paying more would be a bit much.â
âNo. Iâm satisfied with the compensation. However, the problem is the time I need to invest.â
âHmm?â
Benny blinked her purple eyes, which had a heart shape in them. I gave her an awkward smile in response.
âI have some circumstances that require me to go up to the third floor. Thereâs something Iâm looking for there. Well, thereâs no guarantee I can find it, but shouldnât I at least try as much as I can?â
âI understand what youâre saying. Youâre worried that spending too much time on my experiment will slow down your growth, right? Isnât ten silver enough?â
âNo. But if you raise the payment to three times the current amount, then I can spend the whole day with you.â
Was asking for 30 silver too much? Benny frowned and began to ponder.
But honestly, I canât help it either. If I want to substitute getting stronger in the Labyrinth with gacha, I need to ensure at least this much.
Benny, who was whining like a platypus whose tail had been stepped on while sleeping, let out a deep sigh.
âI canât give you more payment. I need to have money for the experiment. But if your goal is to get stronger, I think I can help.â
âHow?â
âFirst, Iâll go into the Labyrinth with you and assist in various ways.â
âLydia is already doing that for meâŠ.â
âWell. It might be different?â
Benny, pretending to be nonchalant, pushedoutheirflatunwaveringchest as if she was disappointed.
âI heard you know a bit of magic? Iâll teach you the basics of magic. If you use it in the Labyrinth, youâll improve quickly.â
ââŠThat sounds like a good deal. So, letâs go back to the first question. What should I do first?â
âRightâŠ.â
Benny nodded and said with a serious face.
âFirst, could you take your clothes off?â
ââŠ?â
You said you wouldnât make me do anything lewd.