Chapter 1

"This World."

"You know, you're looking kinda… not bad I guess?"

"Hmm…? What's that mean? You think I look good?"

"As if."

"Hey, hey. There's no need to be in denial, you know."

"Haha, hilarious, Kazuma."

"What? It is!"

"Nope."

Two figures are walking through the road in the middle of the town. So many activities are currently occurring within it. People bustled here and there as multiple negotiations and transactions occurred simultaneously everywhere. Servants pulling carts filled with boxes and craters as housewives roaming through shops and stands. Bodyguards patrol throughout the town as they saunter through every area within the town.

This town was named Axel.

What a bustling town.

He was pretty surprised the first time he arrived. For such a world, this feeling when he roamed through the market filled with shops and stands feels almost the same as when he went shopping with his mother. Well, except for a certain thing. Alright, not just a thing, but a lot of things.

Scales, horns, tusks, talons, weapons, potions… uhh…

There are too many! He couldn't specify them.

Currently, Chris was searching for a scarf. Saying she needs some spares and whatsoever. Honestly, Chris is a good girl, really, she is, BUT-

When it comes to shopping, she is terrifyingly unstoppable. Like… no common sense could breach her excitement to go buy the things she wants. She could go hours and hours! Just to buy something. And he's often perplexed, one time she was conflicted in choosing between a black-razor with a grey handle knife and a black-razor grey handle with a white-strip knife, and he just…

What?

No words.

"Ah! There it is! Wait for me Kazuma-Kun!"

Every single time she wanted him to wait, she would add that suffix. Not that he minded but it's an indication that hell will descend upon him. He sighed, ah… time to wait hours upon hours. And to make the matter even worse?

An impatient woman is waiting for him. What deeds he'd done to deserve such a life?

He watched as she strides into the building, a slight smile full of misery etched on his face. If he leaves, she will be disappointed, but if he waits, he will suffer from boredom.

Oh well, considering what she had done to him, such a small price to pay is insignificant.

He leaned on the wall of the building, observing the people passed by nonchalantly. Sweeping the hair on his forehead, he realized that the bangs have gotten long enough to annoy him. Maybe he will ask Chris to cut them later.

Shirtless men pulling carts, merchants with their carts and horses passed by, adventurers with their equipment and weapons walked as creaking sounds could be heard by their motioning armour, uhh…

Oh, and a girl within a bunch of adventurers with a face full of anxiety within the crowd, and the adventurers proceed to harass her-

Wait.

What?

He blinked, shaking his head a couple of times before directing his gaze to her again. And surprisingly, nothing changed. One of them proceeds to place his hand onto certain parts, his 4 buddies trying to block the scene off from the crowd.

Ah, interesting-

Yeah fuck interesting motherfucker what the fuck is thi-

With no hesitation, he swiftly ran through the gaps between the crowds, gracefully bending parts of his body to avoid knocking into people. This world might be shit, but that doesn't mean he was. He wouldn't say it was kindness, it was more towards the fact that it was such a moral degeneration action. As bad as he is, he could not stand such a thing.

Isn't that common sense though?

He saw a glimpse of the back of one of the adventurers he saw before. Ah, so it's him huh?

Within this town, at one of the corners, existed what most people called "Douche Adventurers." Which he genuinely thought was pointless, ridiculous, and pathetic. Their objectives? Seize anything with the materialistic value within them from adventurers who just completed their quests.

Like, he understands this world is bad and they gotta survive with every means. But, they are humans, not pests. Their excuses were always involved with poor backgrounds and such. But-

Isn't that what life is? Every person has their own background, and you have gotta pick a side. It doesn't matter whether they are poor, humble or honest. At the end of the day, if you find them unsatisfactory, just get rid of them. As long as they make an enemy out of you, then get rid of them.

Get the fucking rid of them.

Pity? Conscience? Sympathy? Empathy?

'I apologize, but I wouldn't have any of them, my dear enemies.'

It was such a cruel perspective but what makes it even cruller is that it's actually true.

Ah, yeah, he forgets about that for a moment there.

And what makes it different is himself. Will he feel guilty? Will he be merciful? Will he actually have a bit left of sympathy and let them go? Will he be considerate?

Such a cruel world to live in. A cruel system, a cruel life, a cruel fate.

In the end, what matters the most is your side. And he?

"AAHHH-!"

He knew which side he was on.

A kick to the top of the head of a towering figure, and with just a sole action, the figure collapsed. Head in-ground and blood spluttered. The rest of the people in the group immediately have their attention on the culprit, not that they could see him anyway.

The crowd makes space for them to fight. It seems such an occurrence often happens, from the way that people don't even faze and continue as if nothing happened.

"WHO DARES-?!"

A second, they're tense, head cautiously turned right and left to inspect their surroundings. But does it even matter?

Crunch!

"AAAAAHH!"

Another kick hit one of the guys, and the region it hits isn't light either. A kick to the crotch. A satisfying crunch booming through the road as the guy collapsed.

"Ooh!"

Within a crowd, there's always that one guy who comically stands out. And that guy who just cheered is definitely one of that kind.

"A-Ah…."

"W-W-Wait-!"

Just a moment ago they were acting high and mighty, and not even 3 seconds after and they already looked like they would bow down before the person who assaulted them.

Of course except for the girl within them. With a pair of bright, big crimson eyes, she just frantically turned her head in every direction possible to look at the one who had done such a cool deed.

Well, it looks cool for her.

Soft breezes tickled their ears, and they got what they deserved as buccaneers.

A second, nothing more, nothing less. And it ends.

Three adventurers collapsed with their eyes bled out, their shrieks ringing through the town, but everyone just passed them as if they were air. Parents covered their children's eyes as people stared at the 5 figures in mock and ridicule. The girl is already gone, so people nearby guessed that the group had harassed someone they weren't supposed to.

Although, the truth is…

"...Kazuma, I left you just for a moment and you brought a girl… am I not enough for you?!"

"Shush Chris, if you were me, I bet with all I have that you would do the same as me."

"Oh yeah?!"

"Hey, hey, what's with that challenging tone? Relax my dear Chris."

"Alright, flirter. Tell me what happened?"

In certain circumstances, she will talk aggressively. In such a state, she is… what we called it? Ah, yes, insane. Not that kind of insane, mind you. But she's just, so forward. It was worrying and pretty amusing.

What a savage girl she is, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"To summarize it, a bunch of douches decided to make themselves look bad and they degenerated the moral."

"Wait, don't tell me that they…?"

Chris genuinely has some sort of extreme hatred towards such people, he noted that months ago. Not only molesting, she too despised pillaging, massacring, and confiscating people with no valid reasons.

Well, both of them technically did… those, except for molesting mind you. But they have valid reasons. Extremely, excessively, very, really, good reasons.

Yep, they definitely are.

He merely nodded and turned around, a face she made currently was something he rather not saw, mmm, no. When he turned around, he nonchalantly stared at the girl he 'saved'. She was currently hugging her staff, staring at the 'insane-looking' Chris.

'Heh, look, Chris, it's not only me, even the girl was terrified.'

When the crimson-eyed girl glanced at him, it brought his attention to her and he came out with one thing out of her.

'Huh, so she's a mage.'

Hmm… crimson eyes, black slick hair, and profession: a mage…?

"Ah! You're a Crimson Demon right?"

It seems like Chris has returned to normal, as she strides before the girl and smiles kindly. The girl merely nodded and bowed before her.

"Thank you very much for helping me in such a dire circumstance! I offer my sincere gratitude!"

"Oh, haha! It's not much, little girl-"

"W-Wait! Y-You're mistaken! I'm 13 years old, I'm not a little girl by any means!"

...13 years old?

Are you fucking with him?

A preteen, who just has been through some hormonal changes, already experienced such a thing? Don't get him wrong, he himself is merely 16 years old. But 13! 13 fucking years old!

Are there more people out there who's the same as her?

Such a thing occurs in this world, and he admitted, he was caught off guard. How about Chris? Well…

"...W-What?"

"Yes Ma'am, I'm an adult, a 13 years old!"

"...Kazuma…"

Ah, there she goes. He already bet on it, he knows what she's gonna say, and she will keep pestering him about it. It's so obvious, too obvious! Excessively obvious-

"I want to take her in. And don't be mean! You douche!"

...Yep.

"...Whatever, you take the responsibility, and stop calling me douche, you screw loose."

"What did you say?!"

"Uh… no-"

"Say it again! Come on Kazuma, I dare you!"

She rarely swears, but she sure as hell is one chaotic girl.

"U-uh… M-Ma'am, what did you mean by taking me in?"

"Well, I heard the rumours that Crimson Demons are pretty powerful. And since you are one, I bet you will be a powerful asset to our team!"

"...y-you two are adventurers?"

"Isn't that obvious though?"

"Kazuma!"

"N-no, I mean, wasn't I just saved you?"

Ah, to think that he got whipped. What is this? He wasn't even being mean!

"To be more precise, we are a group of adventurers consisting of 3 people. And since you are a Crimson Demon, I dare say that you will play a big role in our team. So… wanna come with us?"

Those 4 words, and he witnessed as the girl stared blankly forward, before bursting into tears. Hugging and clutching her staff tightly, she was just shaking there. Chris, being the kind girl she is, of course came forward and hugged the girl.

He just stands there, staring at the scene before him. And he admitted, seeing such a spectacle managed to form a smile on his face. The girl is another victim of Chris's kindness. And while he sometimes got annoyed by it, he could say that it brightens his world more than he wants to admit.

Such a trait is so rare within this despicable world.

He genuinely wanted to give his all for such a thing. To give his all, his everything, to protect such a person.

It did sound cheesy, but it sure as hell was a genuine feeling.

"What's your name?"

"...M-Megumin."

He turned around from the scene and looked at the sky. This world is a shithole, but he is often confused. Why is the sky, especially at night, so beautiful? Why is nature, the towering mountains, the green forests, the flowing rivers, the bustling waterfalls, the mystic phenomenons, so mystifying?

Isn't this world supposed to be a shithole? Then why? Why is it so beautiful?

And when he saw this girl named Megumin literally burst into tears just because of mere happiness from the news Chris gave her. He admitted he felt happy. Maybe this is his conscience? And seeing others happy makes him happy too?

Then he realized, within such a world, there are always some things that oppose its notions. This place, this world is a shithole, and it's a fact. But if he sees it in another way, he could see what makes those heroes sacrifice themselves for such a world.

And he understood, other than a shithole, this world is surprisingly a wonderful place.

A wonderful world.