The Team Leader visibly froze, taken aback by Herta's words. Herta, meanwhile, continued to rattle off the list of 'Daily Magic' spells with a smile, as if reciting a menu.
It wasn't exactly useless—conjuring shaved ice or iced tea out of thin air might have some niche applications. But claiming it was genuinely practical would be stretching the truth.
If you wanted shaved ice, why not just use a shaved ice machine? And for iced tea, there were specialized shops.
Although Great Britain was a magic-dominated nation, that didn't mean it had completely abandoned technology. In fact, it would be stranger if they had forsaken the conveniences it provided.
The British drove cars, used computers, and carried smartphones just like anyone else. While you might occasionally see someone flying on a broomstick, for most people, daily life in Great Britain was remarkably similar to that elsewhere.
In this country, magic had essentially abandoned civilian applications entirely. Or rather, civilians simply didn't need magic to improve their quality of life. As a result, all magical resources were channeled into military purposes.
After all, Great Britain's history was one of decline. Once reduced to the British Isles alone, with all its other territories having declared independence, the nation was reborn when the queen accidentally gained magical power through a Dimensional Rift. She reorganized the military, reunified most of the Empire's territories, and restored much of the glory of the "Empire on which the sun never sets."
As for why "much" and not all, they were defeated by the White Eagle during their attempt to reclaim that territory.
Returning to the matter at hand, Great Britain's unique approach—normal technology for civilian use and magic exclusively for military purposes—meant that Herta's so-called "Daily Magic" held absolutely no practical value in this country.
Of course, this was entirely intentional on Herta's part.
The Team Leader struggled to believe her. "T-that's all?" he stammered. "No more practical, more powerful magic?"
Herta countered, "More powerful? Aren't these impressive enough?"
Soon, realizing Herta possessed no other spells, the Team Leader's lips visibly twitched.
As their conversation continued, Herta could clearly sense his waning interest. His initial deference quickly transformed into aloof indifference.
This was exactly the outcome Herta had hoped for, though she hadn't expected the Team Leader to be so easily fooled. She'd anticipated he would demand a demonstration of her fabricated "daily magic."
Not that she would have hesitated if asked. She could simply transmit a remote demonstration through the Chat Group.
As they spoke, the group passed through the Magic Gate. The Inner World beyond was virtually identical to the Outer World, like two sides of a mirror with the same overall structure.
The difference lay in the shops, now stocked with merchandise, and the bustling streets filled with pedestrians. Many lingered near the gate, furtively eyeing Herta and her companions as they emerged.
When Herta stepped out, several onlookers widened their eyes and whispered:
"Who is she? She's stunning!"
"Didn't the Enforcement Team leave with six members?"
"Idiot! She's not wearing their uniform. She's definitely not one of them. And since the team returned so quickly, the Dimensional Rift probably wasn't dangerous. They brought someone back with them—she's likely an Outsider!"
"Holy shit, is this for real?"
Herta noticed several people pointing their phones at her, undoubtedly taking photos. The Enforcement Team swiftly moved to disperse the crowd, shouting, "No photos allowed!"
Despite the Team Leader's obvious disappointment, he loyally carried out his duties, guiding Herta through the standard procedures for Outsiders. This included processing her Great Britain identity card, arranging accommodation, providing a bank card, and giving her some cash.
The entire process took less than an hour. After handing Herta a bag full of documents, the Team Leader waved dismissively. "Everything you need is in there: your ID, house keys, bank card PIN, and my phone number. If you run into any trouble, feel free to call me. Oh, you do know what a phone is, right?"
Herta ignored the idiotic question, muttered a curt "Thanks," and turned to leave.
Although her captor's initial motives had been strong, they grew impatient after realizing Herta was of little value. Regardless, they had at least completed their basic duties, earning them a simple "thank you."
But that was all she owed them. Their paths were unlikely to cross again.
After leaving the Enforcement Bureau, Herta didn't immediately head to her "New Home." Instead, she wandered aimlessly down the street, determined to test whether she had inherited the original Herta's innate talents.
As luck would have it, she soon spotted a bookstore. Without hesitation, she stepped inside.
The bad news: after browsing the shelves, she couldn't find a single book on normal science, let alone advanced mathematics.
The good news: no further testing was needed. She was now certain she had inherited Herta's "genius" aptitude.
In her hand, she held a genuine magic book titled Elementary Magic Theory. After skimming through it in about twenty minutes, reading ten lines at a glance, Herta realized she fully comprehended its entire contents.
It was a difficult feeling to describe. Herta simply felt the book was remarkably easy to understand, almost blindingly so. If she had to draw an analogy, it was as if she were reading a multiplication table: a quick glance was enough to grasp everything completely and memorize it instantly.
Afterward, Herta returned the book to its place. She murmured a few peculiar tones under her breath while slowly tracing an arc in the air with her right index finger. In the next instant, a small flame materialized out of thin air at her fingertip.
Remarkably, the Elementary Magic Theory textbook didn't teach any specific spells. Yet after absorbing its foundational principles, an idea spontaneously formed in Herta's mind. She felt that if she performed this precise sequence of actions, she could conjure magic. She followed through, and it worked.
It was akin to memorizing the multiplication table and then instinctively calculating "What is ten times ten?", "What is eleven times eleven?", and even "What is ninety-nine times ninety-nine?" without further instruction.