The Reason for a Supporter's Existence (1)

...

....

However...

Had the Heavenly Demon's beginner's luck run out already?

The Heavenly Demon, who had been so hyped up and full of self-praise, had spent her last coin, seen the screen display 'Beer x1', and was now staring at the machine with a gloomy aura, radiating a "don't come near me" vibe.

"..."

"Heavenly Demon..."

"..."

"For now, I'm holding onto all the items you've pulled."

"..."

"I'll take a look at what you've managed to get."

"..."

The Heavenly Demon, who still said nothing... she was clearly feeling that intense post-gacha clarity that hits you when you don't get what you want.

...I knew all too well what kind of post-gacha depression she was feeling, so I didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bother trying to comfort her any further.

As I watched her wallow in that clarity, a detail about the items I had seen earlier suddenly bothered me.

When I used the coin to check the items, surely...

It should have displayed some kind of rarity—blue, red, or yellow—but when I looked earlier, there was absolutely no grade indicated.

My Gacha ability was clearly modeled after something, so the key was which game system it was based on...

In most of the games I played back on Earth, if you did a 10-pull, the system would show flashy effects if there was a high-grade item, or use creative methods like a character smiling to show off golden teeth to build up the player's anticipation. In other words, if there was nothing like that, it meant I really hadn't pulled anything important.

If it was designed to keep the tension and anticipation high even if you luckily pulled a decent item...

Then it was truly a devilish system.

But if it wasn't that, and it was the former...

Then the Heavenly Demon, currently in a state of mental instability, might snap and blame me—the one who egged her on to pull—instead of her own choice to roll the gacha.

Obviously, the blame would fall squarely on me... and it was a foregone conclusion that I'd be belittled for having such a useless ability, causing the favorability I'd worked so hard to build up to plummet into the abyss.

But still...

Even so...

It’s an item that bestows random abilities...

If it doesn't even have a grade...

I can't even begin to imagine how many better items must be rolling around in the dirt like dog crap.

Anyway, worrying about it alone would only complicate my head, so I called out my status window to check the inventory as I had told the Heavenly Demon.

"Status Window!"

A moment later, a rectangular status window unfolded before my eyes.

!!!

What? It’s there??

In the inventory I checked, there were a whopping 3 Item Enhancement Tickets.

No, why didn't it show them if they were there...

Were they really such worthless items?

But they bestow abilities?

I turned my head to let the Heavenly Demon know that the item she wanted had appeared, but she was still exuding a gloomy atmosphere, glaring at the machine.

Just as I was about to call out to her to cheer her up, saying the item had appeared...

"Oh? What’s this?"

Merlin’s voice, full of curiosity and completely oblivious to the mood, drew both my and the Heavenly Demon's attention.

I turned to look, and Merlin was pointing at the bottom of the machine, where a toggle switch was attached.

????

Wasn't that a part used for ON/OFF functions?

Could it be...

I bent down, checking the toggle switch just in case.

Ah~ of course, it must be the power ON/OFF function...

Huh?

As I got closer to check...

The toggle switch had ON and OFF written on it, and right above it, it said 『 Effect 』.

An Effect ON/OFF button?

But... the switch was flipped to the OFF position...

Then... that means it was turned off...

Wow... so she rolled the gacha with the effects turned off... that’s why no effects appeared...

But still, the items should have had grades...

They didn't...?

This makes no sense...

It doesn't add up logically...

Then there ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was only one answer.

Hide it!

I’ll choose to deceive everyone for my own safety.

If only I know, then what?

There’s no need to go through the trouble of telling them, right...?

Guilt washed over me for trying to deceive the Heavenly Demon, but to hide the truth for my own sake, I quickly pointed to the side of the machine, thought of a few items, and pulled them out of the sub-space.

"Open Sub-space."

*Squelch—*

A black form surged up next to the machine.

A moment later, as the black form vanished, health potions in luxurious red glass bottles, mana potions in blue bottles, various fruits, and things presumed to be red ginseng-shaped elixirs were revealed.

"Hmm... although it's a pity we didn't pull what you wanted... let's take a look at what came out first."

I declared the Heavenly Demon's first gacha challenge a failure in a regretful tone and quickly diverted their attention to the items that had appeared.

As I stepped down from the machine, the Heavenly Demon and Merlin followed.

Now is the time!

I need to hype this up quickly!

I scurried over, picking up the items one by one and putting them back down to build interest.

"Oh my...!!! Looking at these luxurious glass bottles, they seem to be recovery potions? Oh! This looks like an elixir!"

"E...lixir?"

Perhaps interested in the word "elixir," which often appears as a stroke of luck in the Murim world, the Heavenly Demon began to poke around me and examine the items.

"Elixir? What’s that? Is it something you eat?"

Curious Merlin asked.

My, my... how should I explain it so she understands quickly...

Ah, I can just use a common fantasy trope.

"If you think of it simply... Mandragora? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Isn't it like that..."

"Hey! Bring that here. Hurryyy!!"

Merlin immediately cut me off and shouted for me to hand it over.

Where does that bratty temperament come from? She's a total bandit.

Ah, in times like this, I should use the Heavenly Demon shield.

I tilted my head and tattled to the Heavenly Demon.

"Heavenly Demon~ Merlin says she’s going to snatch the items that we pulled together!"

"W, we?"

"..."

"Ah~ those items are the result of the Heavenly Demon and me working together while Merlin was napping. Since the Heavenly Demon has a very large stake in this... you’ll need her permission..."

"He, Heavenly Demon! I, I want that too... that... that!"

"...Ha— wait a bit. Got it?"

"..Okay."

The Heavenly Demon, who silenced the restless Merlin in one go, picked up the apple-shaped elixir, examined it for a moment, and brought it to her small mouth to take a bite.

*Crunch—*

*Munch munch*

The Heavenly Demon closed her eyes and chewed slowly, then swallowed and remained silent.

...?

...?

"Oh!!"

"..?!"

"..!?"

When the Heavenly Demon suddenly widened her eyes and shouted in surprise, Merlin and I, who were next to her, were startled and flinched ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as well.

"What? What’s wrong?"

"...My internal energy has increased."

"..Internal energy? You mean your mana increased?"

"Uh... this is insane. It’s not a huge amount, but... it definitely increased. I’m sure of it."

Yes!

The effect guaranteed by the Heavenly Demon was clearly amazing.

Because all the other heroes who had been loitering near the campfire were now swarming around us.

"Young master? By any chance... could I try one too?"

The monk, Judang...

"Young master. Could I perhaps have one?"

Hwaryeon of the Mount Hua Sect...

"Could... could I have one too?"

King Arthur...

Ah, except for one hero.

Lancelot just looked over as if she found it interesting, but didn't come over.

"Please ask the Heavenly Demon."

I, who hated being bothered, used the Heavenly Demon shield once again.

Watching the heroes, who had become as noisy as a marketplace in an instant, I quickly approached the machine and flipped the Effect button to ON.

My alibi is perfect...

Can I finally blend in with the heroes now?

"Ahem...!"

When I cleared my throat loudly, the heroes turned their heads to look at me.

I have to get their confirmation in front of everyone now.

"Um... can I finally become your comrade now?"

...

....

It’s cold... A dagger flies and pierces my heart. But don't worry. The effect of the items is certain. One for the Heavenly Demon... one for Merlin... one for the other heroes...

"Why are you asking that? That's right. You're our comrade. You're a comrade recognized by this Heavenly Demon."

"..Ah?"

"Hey hey hey... how is that fruit?"

"This monk... would like to have this fruit."

"I want this one!"

"No. This is mine. I won't give it to you!"

"Ah, whyyy!"

The heroes had no interest in me at all; their eyes were only fixed on the elixirs.

Ah... I was accepted too easily compared to the process.

In a way, should I consider that fortunate?

Hmm?

Wait a minute...

Ah, but why don't I feel any hunger at all?

Come to think of it, I hadn't felt any hunger since I came here.

When you don't know something, you have to ask.

"Heroes?"

?

The heroes turned their heads to look at me again.

"Um... by any chance, do you know why I don't feel hunger?"

*Pfft...*

*Puh-pfft—*

*Bahahahaha!*

As soon as I finished speaking, the heroes all covered their mouths and burst into loud laughter.

No...

Don't just laugh, tell me!

I'm serious!

Merlin, who had been laughing for a long time, pointed at my body and said.

"The reason your body doesn't feel hunger is simple. It's not your real body. Your body isn't here. When you came here, the angels created your body for you. In other words, your body is no longer human."

?

Wait, what is she saying right now?

I’ve heard this somewhere before...

Could it be the Matr...x?

Merlin's answer gave me a sense of confusion.

My body is fiction?

A fabrication...?