The four of them shouted Teleport. Tanya felt a brief wave of dizziness…
But as the world stopped spinning, Tanya couldn't help but grin as they were welcomed to the village and Megumin was welcomed home.
Oh, that introduction was quite… over-the-top. But she'd endured much worse – on the more tame end, that photo-shoot especially lingered in her mind – under orders. This time, she was doing it because she would be getting quite the reward if everything went well.
Considering the number of dramatic speeches she'd given, a bit of faffery was well worth the-
"Hey! Warn a lady before you just teleport us like that!" came a shout from behind her. Tanya turned…
Her eyes widened, and she glared at the self-proclaimed defense force. She'd forgotten Lorelei's disdain for that particular travel method. Before she could open her mouth to berate them, however, they simply said they'd continue their patrol and disappeared. Tanya clicked her tongue.
"They're like a group of combat experts," Kazuma said, his voice filled with respect. Tanya simply raised an eyebrow – did she and Viktoriya not count?
"You think so? The four of them must be smiling gleefully nearby having heard that," Megumin commented as she surveyed the view before them.
Tanya's eyebrows furrowed as Kazuma looked at her in confusion. "…Nearby?"
"That chant didn't sound exactly the same…" Tanya commented. Megumin scoffed.
"They just used Light of Reflection. Using Teleport consumes a lot of mana, so they probably just wanted to look- oof!"
Megumin was cut off by a small rock hitting her head, and Tanya saw Kazuma deflate somewhat.
Tanya just nodded. These people could turn completely invisible. Tanya would be hard pressed to recreate such a thing in the midst of battle with just her illusion spells.
"On a side note, light refraction magic deploys a barrier a few meters around a specific person or object, obscuring the view of the inside of the barrier from the outside… And so, you can see them if you go nearer."
Tanya raised an eyebrow. It wasn't just limited to the user?
She supposed that her explanation made some sense within the boundaries of spells Megumin had established back in Alcanretia…
But the things she could do if she could cast a spell and not have to worry about fueling it with magic…
She shook her head as Aqua ran away, chasing after the invisible quartet. Tanya dropped back to promise Lorelei they'd extract apologies from the four of them as she surveyed the town.
She turned around to find that wide open plots of land for farming stretched out behind them, while the road gently sloped upwards ahead of them, with houses stretching out in front of them.
Meanwhile, Lorelei seemed somewhat mollified. "Fine. It's just… you know how I am with that spell," she said, and Tanya nodded, waving away the explanation. "Of course. Megumin seemed familiar with him, so we'll get her to help," she said.
With that, they continued onwards. Tanya could see a number of things that would require much more investigation later.
"Hmpf! Tomorrow, I shall show you all the wonders of my village! There are many different tourist attractions here that you couldn't find anywhere else in the world!"
Tanya nodded, smiling, and only a bit exasperated. If Megumin's usual behavior was indicative of how most other people in the village acted, then she was sure quite a lot of what they would see would be overblown.
On the other hand, Tanya was hopeful that she could learn a few spells here, in addition to all of her other plans.
The only thing that could have made the trip better would be to have Yunyun with them – she vaguely recalled that she was the daughter of the leader, which would be a very useful connection to have for some of the things she had planned.
But for the moment, they simply made their way through the village, greeting people as they passed by.
"I can't wait to see what a real Crimson Demon is like… think they'll do a demonstration?" Kazuma mused to Darkness.
Considering his mocking tone, Tanya got the feeling, as she walked next to their cart, that he was really talking to-
"When you say real, you're implying there are fakes. Hey, tell me, where are the fake Crimson Demons?"
They'd made their way to the outskirts of town, past the dwellings and businesses of the people who did 'essential jobs' according to Megumin – Tailors and Shoemakers and other things that Kazuma claimed made no sense for an Archmage to do.
As the two began to bicker, the home of Megumin came into view.
Tanya was not enthused. She had known that whoever sold Wiz those absolutely terrible products must not be terribly wealthy, considering the economic straits of the woman who'd been selling quite a lot of his work.
Still. The cottage seemed especially small compared to the rest of the town, and the winter weather this far north, despite not being as cold as one would expect, did not help the place seem as warm and inviting as one usually expected a home to.
Megumin stepped forward, despite her fatigue, and knocked on the door. A short while later, Tanya heard the soft sound of someone running come from inside. The door into the house was opened gently, and Tanya steeled herself, ready…
She blinked. It was not Megumin's father, but a small girl who looked like a younger Megumin peeked her head out.
"Oh, Megumin's sister, huh? Such a cute kid." Darkness smiled brilliantly at the small child, and Tanya did her best to set herself at ease.
She was not the best at interacting with children.
"It feels like a mini Megumin. Hey little Megumin, want some sweets?" Aqua said, offering a hand to the girl. Presumably, she was offering her some sweets, but Tanya hadn't the faintest idea of where she'd gotten them.
"Komekko, I'm home. Have you been a good girl?" Megumin said to the child gently.
Tanya felt an eye twitch at the name… and then she schooled her expression. She really could not be seen thinking these people's names were anything other than natural.
She wasn't going to let anything go wrong on this excursion, even if Being X decided to stick his nose into things. That meant she wasn't making a single misstep.
The small girl turned stiff as she saw her sister, looking up towards her face as her own eyes widened.
Her mouth opened as she took in a deep breath and-
"Dad! Onee-chan brought a man back with her!"
She spun back around and ran back into the house. "Wait, little miss! Let me explain!" Kazuma shouted.
Tanya wasted no time and began to chortle at his expense. She was not alone, and Megumin and Kazuma glared at the rest of them as they rushed into the small hallway beyond the entrance to the home.
Tanya nodded, taking a moment to steel herself. She was going to get what she wanted, and she wasn't going to take no for an answer.
-OxOxO-
"– That concludes the report. The crisis has been resolved."
Zesta nodded, taking a deep breath to calm his wildly beating heart.
When he'd heard that all of the hot springs had been purified and were no longer poisonous, he'd been sure he was probably going to get thrown out as the Head of the Axis Cult.
He looked up to the two occupants of the room. One was a Priest who was surprisingly good with things like details and numbers for an Axis Cultist, while the other was Ezra Juab, the old man who defended the hot springs.
Both undoubtedly felt the same as him: unrelenting joy.
"Purifying the hot springs of an entire city by herself. On top of that, the toxin from all of the Deadly Poison Slimes was destroyed and kept contained."
As he read the report, Zesta's voice trembled.
"You both know it would have taken most of the Archpriests of the Axis Cult months to cleanse those hot springs. To do so in but a single night…"
The Priest who was good with numbers nodded. "That's right, and the appearance of that great person…"
Zesta could only smile as he looked at the Priest. His voice was trembling. "Blue hair; blue eyes; wearing a hagoromo with a dignified and beautiful appearance."
He nodded again, mostly to himself. Honestly, he was trying not to pass out from the joy.
"What should we do next? Should we announce this to the cultists in the city…" Ezra proposed.
"Of course, we will," Zesta began. Despite their reputation among Eris Cultists, Axis Cultist could figure out that the Archpriest who'd been snooping around the poison dispensaries had something to do with everything being cleansed.
"However, we'll need to inform them in private," he continued, "That great person might visit this city to play again. When the time comes, we need to tell them not to behave too respectfully, and not talk to her too casually… Also, what about the water source that's been purified?"
Ezra seemed somewhat mournful. "No more poison, which is unfortunate…"
The other Priest smiled. "If I'm not wrong, the water can now heal wounds, and is very effective against undead monsters?"
Ezra nodded his ascent. "Yes, the holy water's very strong too… Simply put, instead of operating poison dispensaries, the profits from selling this holy water would be equivalent, at least, if not more profitable."
Zesta nodded. That was obvious. The profit that would come in from having holy water blessed by Aqua herself…
It was only natural, of course, for it to be stronger than normal holy water the Axis Cult could create, but just having her name attached to it would bring in even more followers of the faith.
"Considering we ran her out of town and banned her from coming back…
Zesta replied immediately. "We'll send an envoy to Axel… that is where they came from, yes?" he asked the Priest. He nodded – their travel from Axel to Alcanretia had been recorded by the Guild, even if none of them had done any quests.
He nodded. "Yes, we'll send an envoy… someone who's already familiar with the city. We'll have them take over the Church there to keep a closer eye on the city. They'll contact her as a matter of course – Archpriests of the Axis Cult are rare – and inform her that it was all a misunderstanding."
He sighed. "Hopefully, she won't realize we know her identity, for the sake of her peace of mind should she choose to bless our city with her presence again."
Both of the people opposite his desk nodded and left to carry out his orders. He bowed his head towards the report of Aqua's actions, as if it would bring him closer to her.
There was the problem of those who preferred the poison to the holy water, but they were far from his mind as a grin split his face.
"I offer you my most sincere thanks on behalf of the cult, Lady Aqua!"
-OxOxO-
Tanya could understand what the man in front of her was feeling, to an extent. She imagined it was at least similar to what she'd felt knowing Viktoriya was going on a date with Mitsurugi.
Considering he was under the impression Kazuma was dating his daughter, at least, then she felt the comparison was at least somewhat apt and gave a good reason for why his introduction had been so incredibly stilted.
She tried to ignore Aqua's magic trick she was doing to distract Megumin's sister. They were loud, so it wasn't exactly easy, but the tension between Kazuma and Megumin's parents was attention grabbing in its own right.
Speaking of the girl, she was laying down – apparently, Kazuma hadn't given her too much mana, as she'd been tired by the walk over. Still, judging by the troubled look on her face, she didn't appreciate this any more than Kazuma did…
Though, he seemed entranced by Aqua's magic trick, to the consternation of their host.
She fought the urge to curse Kazuma out – if he ruined her chances…
Tanya cleared her throat. "Ah, Sir. Perhaps I could break the tension? I've brought some gifts?"
The man paused, seeming to see Tanya for the first time. His gaze jumped from her hair to her eyes, and his eyes widened. "Ah, so are you the girl my Megumin has claimed to be a worthy rival?"
Tanya nodded, trying to ignore the urge to scoff at the childish appellation. "I suppose so. It's actually funny… a competition with her is what gave me the idea to bring you these gifts for your hospitality. I know what it means to be hungry," she said, thinking back to her time in the orphanage and on the eastern front as she opened up the box at her feet.
It was one of many boxes they'd lugged all the way from Axel. She really hoped this would help set Megumin's family at ease, considering how much easier things might have been if they hadn't needed to protect it while traveling.
From inside, she brought out many different versions of her Ready-to-Eat meals, as well as some new frozen dinners she'd designed. Considering Megumin claimed everyone in the Village had a refrigerator, she hoped her eye for longevity would go appreci-
The boxes she'd placed on the table had been snatched, in an instant, by both of the people sitting opposite of Kazuma at the same time.
"…Dear, this is a gift from this bright haired-girl to me. Please let go."
"Oh, really now hubby. You don't even remember dear Tanya's name from our daughter's letters? This is dinner. Unhand it."
Tanya gulped down a groan. Great, she'd made the situation worse and sparked a domestic dispute! At this rate-
"Food? Hey, that's solid food, right? Not porridge so thin you can't even see the rice, but something that'll make you full?" Komekko said, piping up from where she'd been playing horsey with Darkness.
…Perhaps their situation was worse than Tanya had feared.
Kazuma brought out a set of food he'd managed to pick up from Alcanretia. Not to be outdone, Tanya piped up. "Ah, we have some more rations in the wagon-"
"Wagon!?" they both exclaimed.
"Really… It isn't much…" Kazuma muttered.
Tanya begged to differ by raising an eyebrow towards him. To someone who didn't know if they'd be getting regular food, this much food could probably last a month or two.
"You came at the right time, Kazuma! My dear, serve him our best tea!"
"There's only one type of tea in the house, I'll brew some right now, a moment please!"
"Ah, please don't waste any on me. I prefer coffee," Tanya said, quickly declining.
"I'll make some!" Viktoriya said, quickly following Megumin's mother. Considering how cramped the room was with ten people in it, it felt nice to have some breathing room.
Soon, everyone was drinking their preferred drink, and Tanya was trying to figure out Megumin's father.
He wasn't as eccentric as she'd feared – considering the last person she'd known who had produced deeply flawed magical equipment, Tanya could only thank her usually poor luck – but she needed to get through his tough façade if she was going to get any work done.
She looked between their daughter and Kazuma, and her eyes widened in understanding. Of course, they were concerned for her.
She nodded, smiling. Then, she should assuage their fears.
"You don't have to worry about Megumin and Kazuma getting involved. They are just friends, I can attest to that," she said. She felt a trickle of mana flicker into her gaze as she caught Kazuma's eyes, making sure he knew there would be consequences if he got up to anything.
He nodded. "Yep! We've only really known each other for… wait, less than two months?" he said, confused as he counted out the time on his fingers. "Man, time flies…"
They seemed shocked. "Really? From her letters, I got the sense that you were very close," she mused.
"Wait a sec, may I ask what was written on the letters?" Kazuma interjected. Megumin's mother began.
"Well, she says you've 'admired the scene of her being covered in goo,' and that you ask things like, 'Did your bust grow bigger?' while giving her a piggyback. She says that sexual harassment has become commonplace-"
"Has she?"
Kazuma felt his pulse quicken, and his gaze creaked towards Degurechaff. "Is it commonplace? Kazuma? I did not pay you to keep her away from Axel to cop a feel."
He prostrated himself – more towards Tanya than Megumin's parents, which only ratcheted up her irritation – and started to apologize when Hyoizaburo continued where his wife had left off.
"Even so, my daughter still thinks you're an important comrade she can't just ignore. She wrote that even though you're a pervert who is full of poor combat skills, vulgar language, and a lack of common sense, she can't leave you alone because you'll die easily if she doesn't keep an eye on you. My daughter already said this much, so I think there must be something…"
Tanya's anger quickly retreated. Even if she found Kazuma's advances deplorable to the highest degree…
Megumin's parents seemed fine, for the moment, and acting 'weird' about it might lose her a chance to work with Hyoizaburo.
So she'd swallow her anger.
He continued. "According to my daughter, she's the main damage dealer in Kazuma-san's team; the team won't be able to function without her. And she was the one who defeated the Undead Mage Evan, forcing him out of his castle and making huge contributions to his defeat."
Tanya raised an eyebrow at the girl laying on the ground. Of the people instrumental in Evan's defeat and the subsequent cleanup, Tanya would hardly consider her 'instrumental,' especially considering she was the one who'd caused the undead mage to attack with her Explosion spells.
Things were quiet as her parents basked in their daughter's fame…
"Of course! Without her help, the entire town would be lost without her," Tanya chimed in, watching as Megumin turned towards the wall, apparently feigning sleep.
If she wanted to lie to her parents, who was Tanya to stop her? Tanya would even aid her, if it furthered her own goals.
She glanced at Kazuma, who let himself grin maliciously at Megumin's back. "Right, what the governor said. Where would we be without an Archmage who knows dozens of spells and can take care of the monsters surrounding Axel without any help?"
"You've truly raised an exemplary daughter, Mr. Hyoizaburo."
Her parents basked in the appreciation. Tanya and Kazuma – and, now that she noticed, all the other visitors – were looking at Megumin's fidgeting back.
Megumin's mother cleared her throat. "Well, regardless. We're still somewhat concerned about the team our daughter is in. There can't be too many quests difficult enough for her to take on. As adventurers, your finances aren't always the best, yes? We'd help… if we had the resources to spare."
Kazuma shrugged. "Ah… not really. I've recently made a deal with Tanya here, so money shouldn't be an issue for too much longer," he said, confident. Tanya merely rolled her eyes.
Then she realized the pair were looking at Tanya inquisitively. "Ah, I happen to be an inventor, somewhat like your husband here. I've made quite a lot of money, and Kazuma believes he can contribute."
"If anything you have is worth money, he'll be getting a large percentage of however many products he's able to sell. Considering I've already made a few million Eris-"
"A few million?"
Megumin's father surged forward. "Ah, Kazuma, how about staying here for the night? You're my daughter's comrade, so we must treat you well! How about staying here from now on? As an adventurer, you're probably wandering around without a fixed home, right?"
Their mother nodded rapidly.
"Yes! Komekko, sleep with me and dad in the living room tonight! Those two can just sleep in our room! But our house is small, so there's only our room and Megumin's old room… It's a bit cramped for so many people to stay here… Hey hubby, how about…"
Kazuma seemed somewhat overwhelmed.
Tanya's eyes narrowed.
"Oh, he doesn't need to stay here. He's got a mansion in Axel," she casually announced.
"Mansion!" they exclaimed. Kazuma glanced towards her angrily, but she didn't care…
Until he got a conniving look in his eyes that she unfortunately recognized.
"Oh, well, that's nothing on Megumin's rival. She's the Governor of Axel."
Stiffly, they turned towards Tanya. "H- How much…"
"She said she's already made several million…"
They looked towards Megumin's sleeping body and then back towards Tanya, who felt entirely too confused-
"Well, we've heard quite a bit about you too. How you're her rival in magic, how you've shared your deepest memories with each other, and how you've yet to acknowledge her prowess…"
Hyoizaburo nodded sternly. "Indeed. Perhaps what they say, about rivalry breeding strong feelings-"
"I'm taken," Tanya said stiffly, looking back-
Her face contorted. Komekko was sitting on Lorelei's shoulders, pulling her ears, and having her mock battle against Viktoriya, Aqua, and Darkness.
She cleared her throat. "Ahem. Yes, I am quite taken."
They turned back to Kazuma, who looked back and was also stunned by the scene occuring behind them.
He'd find no aid in talking to Megumin's parents from them.
-OxOxO-
"Sena…"
Gerrard was feeling incredibly worn out by the woman. She was good company and was frighteningly competent in all of the legalities of Belzerg, as befitted her position as a royal prosecutor.
Despite that-
"She is not going to be arrested! How many times do I have to tell you that?" he asked her for what felt like the thousandth time.
As the head of Axel's police, Gerrard himself was quite the stickler for the rules… ignoring the single glaring exception that was the Succubi. Still, even he knew when the law really did not matter, and prosecuting Wiz when she would likely be instrumental in any defense Axel was supposed to mount against Wolbach was a waste of resources…
Perhaps he could accuse her of treason? Maybe that would…
"Oh, she is going to be prosecuted. The guards have already arrested her-"
Gerrard's head snapped up. "They what? Walter wouldn't-"
"I didn't ask Walter. I convinced Aloerina that the law should be followed, even in times of crisis," she said.
With a groan, he rose, putting his hat on as they began their trek out of the police station. "Where is she?" he asked Sena. She wouldn't tell him, of course, but any answer she gave may shed light. As it were, the police would start looking out for-
"They're taking her to the northern gate."
He stopped, looking at her. "Lying to me-"
She held up a very familiar item, and Gerrard glanced between it and Sena… who still seemed quite smug.
Gerrard gulped and turned back around, hurrying faster. "Go get some adventurers from Luna. Have them meet us at the northern gate," he barked at a nearby officer. The man saluted, and Gerrard gathered with him any officers passing by him as they made their way to the entrance to the station.
He had a feeling he knew why Sena was still so smug, despite having told him what he wanted to know. He prayed to Eris he was wrong but…
-OxOxO-
"Aloerina, as head of the police of Axel, I am ordering you to release Wiz."
He was standing in front of some police officers armed with clubs, as well as a few adventurers Luna said would aid him. They didn't look entirely comfortable facing off against the guards…
Who, by contrast, seemed completely unfazed by having to face off against human opponents. "And as head of the guards of Axel and its surrounding lands, I refuse. By her own admission, she has committed a crime, whether it was an accident or not. If the police will not pursue justice, then we shall."
His head held high and his gaze staring right into his opposite's eyes, Gerrard fought the urge to sigh and curl up on the ground. Their conversation had been going in circles, and people had begun to gather, both outside the gate and within the city.
Didn't she realize this was doing more harm than good? People might start to panic if their leaders were bickering like this…
Though, he was sure she felt the same way and wanted him to just take Wiz into custody and get this out from under everyone's scrutiny.
He licked his lips. Perhaps he could have her imprisoned for a short while, have a talk with the prosecutor assigned to her case – not Sena – and have the trial rushed through. Sena might be upset things didn't go her way, but-
"Make way! Make way! Ignis Ford Dustiness arrives!"
Gerrard felt his eyes widen and turned around to find that, no, someone was not playing a prank. He really was coming.
Sena had indeed gotten the head of the family considered the Shield of Belzerg involved.
Gerrard ordered his men to move, and they jumped to the side of the road, their heads bent down. Gerrard himself stood only a step closer than his men, while the various adventurers and people were looking on.
As was the case with most nobles, Lord Dustiness was rarely seen by the people of Axel, but in his case it was more acute. Some thought that he wasn't even actually in the town due to how rarely his procession was seen…
But Gerrard had never put much stock in those rumors…
Ignis was, after all, his former commander.
Gerrard looked up to find that…
His pupils shrank into pinpricks. He was wearing his armor?!
The guards in front of Ignis had all lowered their heads, with some even bowing. Gerrard glanced between them and Ignis…
To find Ignis's gaze focused squarely on Gerrard. "Ah, Gerrard! Good to see you again," he said jovially, strolling over and past his various servants, retainers… and quite a few knights, from what he could see.
Gerrard bowed his head down again. "A pleasure as always, sire-"
"Now none of that today. I want this matter between the guards and police sorted out quickly. Come, come."
Gerrard smiled widely, making sure to stay in lockstep with his former commander.
Oh, the memories this was bringing back that he wished would stay dead and buried.
Gerrard soon found himself standing in a small group with Ignis, Sena, and Wiz. Introductions were quickly made, and Ignis worked to cut right to the heart of the issue, as he was renowned for doing as the 'Treasured Sword of the Kingdom.'
"So, you simply want the law followed?" Ignis said, somewhat bemused. Sena nodded, self-assured. "Of course. Whether or not what she did was an accident, laws need to be followed."
He then turned to Gerrard. "Old friend, why are you refusing their requests, then?"
Gerrard fought the urge to let his aging voice quiver as it often did when in the presence of the nobility. "Sire, as one of Axel's most potent fighters, we could not punish her unless she willingly allowed herself to be punished… more than that, if Axel is attacked by the forces besieging the city, we will need her aid."
Ignis nodded sagely. "Ah, I see…"
He let out a bark of laughter. "Ha! I'll clear this whole mess up then."
"Miss, what is Wiz being charged with?" he asked.
Sena, blinking at being addressed so suddenly, stammered as she retrieved a roll of paper from one of her pockets. "Well… Uh, Wiz has been charged with aiding and abetting a General of the Demon King, and with destruction of noble property. Both are due to her usage of Random Teleport to transport Coronatite within the Mobile Fortress Destroyer away from Axel. We have multiple witnesses claiming she and Wolbach worked together to do it."
He nodded once. "Well, miss Wiz, did you know who Wolbach was?"
The woman… who Gerrard finally noticed seemed to be even more nervous than he was, stuttered out a reply of her own. "Ah… um, no, while I had heard of her, I had no clue who she was."
Ignis nodded once more. "Well, I believe you. Then, addressing the second charge, did you destroy noble property?"
She began to tear up slightly. "Y- yes, but… I had no idea it would destroy Tanya's home!"
Ignis raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You know the Governess?"
She nodded rapidly. "Y- yes. She's… um, she is a business partner of mine, and I consider her a friend."
Ignis sighed and turned to Sena. "Well, she did admit it. What is the punishment for her crime?"
Sena blinked, looking between Ignis and Wiz. "Ah… about aiding Wolbach-"
"Oh, drop that charge. I believe her. I'm an excellent judge of character!"
She looked like she wanted to say something, but she simply gulped at the fatherly air Ignis was giving off. "Of- of course, sir. Ah, the law is very specific," she said.
With that, she rattled off all the nuances of the law. The offender was to owe debts that would be calculated based on the damage done to the property, to be calculated with their offender's tax bracket, intent to harm, and the scale of damage all acting as multipliers. Some mandatory jail time was also calculated with those variables in mind.
"Admittedly, I haven't yet gotten back the relevant documents on the value of the Governess's mansion… as most of those documents were stored on the property, and-"
Ignis cut her off with a contemplative hum and a stroke of his chin. "Perhaps the governess is not nearly as unfamiliar with ruling as I believed her to be…"
They all digested that information, but Sena was the fastest to respond. "Ah, sir. Are you sure I should drop the first charge? We have yet to take her to court-"
He was one of his gauntleted hands through the air. "As I said, I am an excellent judge of character, Royal Prosecutor Sena. There will be no need."
Again, it looked as if she wanted to say more, but Ignis breezed past her concern, ruffling through the bag hanging at his waist-
Gerrard's eyes bulged. "Here are a few Mithril Eris, miss Wiz. Sena, do you think these will be enough to cover the debts she owes?"
Sena seemed struck into silence, while Wiz was trying not to drop any of the coins as she fumbled the coins.
Gerrard looked up to Ignis's face…
His brows furrowed. Ignis had a stony expression on his face as he looked at the coins he'd just given Wiz-
And then it was gone. "Wonderful! Wiz, this is a gift from me to you for saving the city."
"Bu- But sir! The law!"
Ignis smiled at Sena. "What about it? It seems that Wiz has at least some of the money to pay for the damages. The Dustiness estate shall take care of the rest of the costs."
She still seemed stunned, while Ignis turned to the gathered crowd. "People of Belzerg! There are no quarrels here! Both Gerrard and Sena simply wanted to do what they felt was the right thing, and in the end, both of them were indeed right! Justice has been served today!"
He let out a hurrah, and the knights who'd been with Ignis followed suit. The crowds around them began to cheer, and Gerrard watched as Ignis turned again to Wiz.
"About the matter of the mandatory jail time… would you mind if instead of being confined to Axel's prison, you were instead kept at one of my properties in the city? I know it is an imposition… but considering your power, no one would believe you were being punished if you were kept at the prison. My maids and chefs would be up to the task."
"Of course I don't mind, sire," Gerrard said, although he knew the question had not been aimed anywhere towards him.
Wiz – still struggling with the coins – seemed at a loss for words. "Um… I guess I wouldn't mind-"
"Wonderful! Some of my servants will escort you to your choice of abode."
He then turned back to Gerrard. "So. Up for another battle with your old commander?" he asked, smiling.
Gerrard did his best to smile as well. "Sire… I believe we should wait."
He raised an eyebrow, and Gerrard continued. "While supplies are tight, we do have an agreement set up with her to trade adamantite from the Mobile Fortress Destroyer. Additionally, she wants Degurechaff back here for some reason."
He nodded curtly. "Yes, I recall from the reports Walter was given."
Gerrard nodded fervently. "So, should we not wait? The party your daughter is a part of and Degurechaff's party are very strong. I say we should wait as well. While you might be able to win with the aid of the adventurers, having them here would guarantee it."
Gerrard… wasn't sure if he believed his own assertion, not entirely. But if waiting increased their odds of success, then why force things through?
Ignis seemed contemplative, for a moment, and then he looked out of the gate. "You recall how I've dealt with servants of the Demon King before?"
"Of course, sire."
"While their King may be too crafty to underestimate even a horse fly, his generals are always blinded by something," he began. He let out a low bark of laughter. "Perhaps it is a curse from Eris for their hubris to strike out against her?"
He shook his head. "Whether it is greed, or anger, or even naivety, they always believed they would win. As if belief in the supposed 'superiority' of their cause meant things would just go their way…"
He nodded as he looked out to the refugees. "It seems that Wolbach is blinded by her pride – not unexpected for a supposedly fallen Goddess. When Degurechaff returns, she will have no choice but to fall."
With that, he turned back to his servants. "Take some time to figure out what the refugees need. I want it provided to them, whatever the cost."
And with that, Gerrard's past left to much fanfare. Gerrard found himself at a loss of what to do…
And then he motioned for his police to go back to the station, with a look over his shoulder at Aloerina. Their problem had been resolved.
And while she looked plenty relieved, Gerrard couldn't help but feel anxious over the future.
-OxOxO-
"And so, though I had disproven his lies, the charlatan Sanzai Ektsu cursed me, changing me forever! I am sure I'll have to live with the curse for the rest of my days… or I was."
Tanya finished the story of her 'curse' on a somber note. They'd all been telling stories around Megumin's parent's dining table – though half of them had to stand around instead of sitting down – and the topic of why they'd made the journey in the first place had come up.
Now that dinner was winding down, people were taking turns with their baths. Yuiyui seemed to be mothering over everyone – which was to be expected, considering her family's position and her husband's seeming refusal to make practical items.
"I… my Crimson Demon soul is alight! I haven't felt this inspired in years! Governor, no matter what paltry curse has been laid upon you, I'm sure I can convince others to help you undo your curse! We aren't some of the strongest Archmages in the world for nothing!"
Tanya smiled widely at Hyoizaburo. She felt that things had been going well so far… but now came the crucial point.
Megumin had made it seem like her father would have hang-ups in regards to giving Tanya an item that could change her body. Tanya had come prepared, but there was no telling when people would let their emotions and feelings cloud pure logical judgment…
So Tanya was playing on Hyoziburo's emotions by making her situation seem all the more unfair by spinning the story of her first meeting with 'Sanzai Ektsu.'
Smiling, she began. "Well, I was actually cursed to look as I do now. I was wondering if I could work with you to make an item to change my body-"
The jovial look on his face snapped away, and he looked to his daughter – the first time since dinner started, considering Megumin's three relatives had been fighting over food the entire meal – and then towards Tanya, suspicious. "She didn't put you up to this, did she?"
Tanya opened her mouth to speak, but she was beaten to the punch. "Ah, Tanya is not actually Megumin's age. She just recently turned seventeen."
Tanya opened her mouth to ask why exactly that was relevant… until his look of suspicion became softer and turned to pity.
Repressing the urge to sigh that, once again, she was being mistaken for a grade schooler, she moved on. "Then, are you absolutely sure…?"
He shook his head again. "I'm sorry. Even if Megumin didn't put you up to this, I still can't-"
"Not so fast, sir. I heard tell of your skill from a mutual acquaintance: Wiz, owner of Wiz's Magic Tool Shop."
"I've seen what some of your inventions can do in the right hands, and some of your work has inspired me. As I said earlier, I think of myself as something of an inventor, though I must admit I'm having quite the hard time wrapping my mind around magic items in particular," she admitted. He seemed somewhat surprised she'd heard of him through Wiz.
"Regardless, I have more I'd like you to make than just the item to undo my curse," she concluded. He seemed to become more conflicted.
Tanya felt Yuiyui's presence over her shoulder, and a quick glance showed that she seemed to be looking into her husband's eyes imploringly.
Hyoizaburo scoffed. "Humph! I am flattered, but I simply cannot. Such items are extremely expensive-"
"Then it is good that our tales are not simple boasts! I've brought many rare gemstones, some adamantite, and mithril, plenty of gold, and several million Eris to properly reimburse you for the jobs I want you to undertake."
Yuiyui didn't wait a moment. "Of course, Tanya! My husband would be happy to help you make the items you want!" she said, accepting on her husband's behalf.
Tanya smiled, relieved. Negotiations about the exact number of Eris would undoubtedly come later, but she was honestly happy to give them the money.
Considering her discussion with Megumin, she would have even taught them her flight spells to get their help. It would be doubtful they could use them anywhere near her ability without a Computation Jewel anyway…
And she really did want her dick back.
Of course…
"I don't want you to feel pressured," she claimed, looking again at Hyoizaburo, "If you'd like to think over the matter tonight and discuss it with your wife, I won't take offense…"
"Although," she warned, "I won't wait longer than tomorrow. If you won't help me, then I'll need to find someone willing to aid me-"
"Oh, no need to worry about that! I'll be sure to straighten my husband out!" Yuiyui said.
He nodded stiffly, and Tanya got up. She looked to Aqua who'd just finished with her bath and quickly went off. "Well, I'll leave you two to discuss things. There's no need to make too much room for my party in here – we'll be fine in the wagon."
Lorelei looked up sharply from where she'd been playing a game of cards with Kazuma and Viktoriya looking very much like she'd like to disagree…
"Or, if they'd rather, they can sleep in here. I think we'll have more room in the wagon, Lorelei," she commented.
She rolled her eyes. "Tanya, if the last few days are anything to go by, I doubt you and Viktoriya will be getting a lot of sleep out there."
Tanya sputtered, her face heating up, while Kazuma made a wolf-whistle. Finally, she decided that humility was the better part of valor and ducked out of the house's main room to take her bath.
Honestly! It wasn't like they were doing anything besides kissing.
Loudly. And Energetically.
Tanya shuddered – both anticipating what was to come and dreading how much her self-control had been degrading since her birthday party. Just a few more days. She could make it a few more days…
-OxOxO-
Kazuma looked down at Megumin's sleeping form. Degurechaff and Serebryakov were nowhere to be found, but he'd watched Yuiyui put Darkness to sleep and been unceremoniously shuffled into her daughter's room.
He'd been locked inside.
There wasn't anywhere else for him to sleep.
It was the middle of winter, meaning it was freezing.
He had the blessing of both of Megumin's parents…
On the other hand…
He'd known her for maybe two months, Aqua and Darkness and Megumin would never let him live it down…
And Degurechaff would probably murder him if-
Knock knock.
He blinked and looked up to the window. What?
He crept closer-
"KAZUMA!"
He jolted back. "De- Degurechaff!" he cried out. Speak of the devil and he'll appear and all that but really-
She smirked through the glass. "Just wanted to let you know I parked the wagon outside of this room."
She turned back around, and he muttered, "But her parents don't care."
She heard, apparently, as her form spun around and stalked right back up to the window. "And I don't care that they don't care. You know better. Maybe, once upon a time, I would have lauded your actions, as they follow all of the laws and rules of society here, but in this instance, I absolutely will not let you do anything with her on my watch."
He rolled his eyes at her, but he did mutter an agreement. She went right back to her wagon, and Kazuma grumbled as he walked next to Megumin's bed.
He wouldn't try anything – no matter if he had her parent's blessing, Degurechaff was Governor of Axel. She'd come down on him like a fifteen ton stack of bricks.
He wasn't going to do anything, but he wasn't going to freeze his dick off because Degurechaff had PTSD…
Ok, that wasn't the nicest way to put it, but still-
He saw Megumin begin to stir, and he lightly shook her shoulder. Although he had a great idea for a way to mess with her, he wasn't taking his chances.
"Hmm?"
"Hey. Your mom locked us in here."
"Wah- Kazuma! Did you-"
"Of course not. Not with Major Hard-ass around."
It took a bit more convincing, but she did agree to let him sleep next to her.
"What was I thinking? You may sexually harass us and crack jokes, but you'd never go all the way."
Kazuma fought the urge to turn around and clock the little twit for badmouthing him, but she could shout out to Tanya and claim he'd tried something, and he'd have no chance of explaining himself before he was wiped from the face of the Earth…
"If I have to say I won't do anything one more time…"
There was silence, for a moment, and then-
"… You really won't do anything? It's just the two of us here."
Kazuma licked his lips and opened his mouth-
Whatever he'd been about to say was quickly dashed to pieces when he heard the godforsaken sound of those two horny bastards kissing right outside Megumin's window.
He was very glad he was not facing Megumin, as he was sure she was just as mortified as he was… although, with how small her house was and how thin the walls were, it stood to reason that Megumin had heard her parents-
"Are they seriously doing it again?" she complained.
"I know, right? We can't even make them stop."
"Oh, the window's probably open. You could leave if you wanted," she said casually.
Kazuma stood up immediately. "Great. I'm going to go find an inn. Have fun sleeping here!"
"Don't abandon me! At least tell them to shut up!"
And so Kazuma jumped out of the window and went into town to find somewhere quiet to sleep, and those two didn't stop kissing the hell out of each other for half an hour.
-OxOxO-
"Well, this is where I stop," said Zach.
"Oh?" Lolisa asked. She was stalling for time.
Now what?!
He nodded. "Yes. I've been following Governor Degurechaff… she's actually the one who inspired me to make changes to the Eris Church…"
He trailed off, looking at her in concern. They had fought side by side through quite a number of monsters, and his temporary ally meant… something to him.
If nothing else, she'd given him plenty of questions he was still grappling with.
He was concerned about her, however, because she appeared to be choking on the air. "Is something the matter?"
She shook her head. "N- nope! Not at all. See you around!"
And then she took off into the sky-
He sighed at that. She could have easily left him to rot after they got out of Alcanretia, and she'd honored their bargain, both the spirit of the agreement and its lettering.
With a sigh, he began to trek into the Crimson Demon Village. Perhaps demons were not as faithless in their agreements as the Eris Church taught…
With a shake of his head, he trekked forward. He'd visit the branch of the Eris Church in the village in the morning. For now…
He began to search the landscape for the grove of trees he'd been told to look for. The group of men who'd claimed to be the town's nightly defenders had said that the best combination inn and pub in the village was around here located next to a groove of-
His mouth fell open as he saw the sign for the establishment, lit up in the night.
"Succubus Lingerie Pub?!"
-OxOxO-
Tanya smiled over her third cup of coffee.
Everyone else had already left for the day – Megumin had claimed she could give them the best tour of the Crimson Demon Village they'd ever seen, and the others had been mostly game. Darkness had bowed out, claiming she was going to visit the blacksmith.
Tanya had also declined, for obvious reasons, although she'd told Viktoriya to make a list of all the places they should visit together, later.
Hyoizaburo had been staring her down for the past hour, and Tanya was meeting his gaze with a bright smile only Visha's coffee could give her.
"I am willing to make your items," he said. Tanya fought the urge to shout out in glee – he wasn't done.
"There will be restrictions, however," he said. Tanya nodded quickly – hopefully, it wouldn't be anything too bad-
"You want an item that can change your body?" he asked, and Tanya nodded. "Yes."
He nodded back. "Fine. But! It will be one time use, and you must swear to use it in front of me so I know you didn't just give it to my daughter."
She waited only a moment. "As long as the change is permanent."
He winced at that, and Tanya raised an eyebrow. "Well… anything that can be done with magic can be undone with even stronger magic. For every Inferno spell, there is a Water Cocoon," he explained.
Tanya… couldn't fault him for that. She had no idea what the upper limit of Being X's power, but expecting someone to be able to whip something that could resist his power in a week would be unfair.
"Fine. I won't give it to your daughter," she said. If Lorelei wanted one to change herself back, however…
She quickly got into the details of her other items – the magic rings she wanted made for herself and for Viktoriya. Having a stopgap against Being X and Johanna's influence would be invaluable, to say nothing of the other ring.
When she was done laying out her requirements, he seemed… frustrated. "I could make them to your specifications… but couldn't I add in some experimental-"
"Hyoizaburo," she began with a patient smile, "I understand the desire to make an excellent product, but the goals I have are very specific. At the most… perhaps if you run them by me first and wait for my say-so, I might agree."
She wasn't going to shut him down completely – he could still turn around and say he wasn't doing it anymore – but it was best to limit the 'genius' of this second mad scientist she'd met.
The conversation soon turned from her rings to their construction.
"As far as your viewing of how I make your items," he began, "I am… hesitant."
She nodded in understanding. If she ran off with his techniques, part of what made the Crimson Demon Village such a boon to the war effort of Belzerg – their ability to produce magical items of a high quality at a faster pace than anywhere else in Belzerg – might spread around and make their village that much less enticing economically.
"Not to worry," she said as she pulled out a few pieces of paper. "I have contracts for nondisclosure-"
"Bah!" he said, waving his hand, "I couldn't care less about flimsy pieces of parchment…" he said, trailing off.
Then, he got a slightly wild look in his eyes. "You'll just have to prove yourself!"
Oh, she didn't like how he'd said that.
"I'm… sorry?" she began, but he just nodded to himself. "Yes… I can see it now! Several trials will await you, designed by me… maybe some of my friends? Or, why not get the whole village involved?"
"Do you all really have the time for that?" she asked, grasping for something to keep him under control.
Her question didn't daunt her. "Ha! With winter setting in, there isn't a whole lot to do."
He shrugged. "Really, the whole town's getting bored. The Demon King hasn't attacked the village in a long while, the frontlines have settled in for the winter. The Demon King's forces have been more quiet than they usually are…"
He looked up from his musings. "Ah! I forgot to ask Megumin…"
He sighed. "Ah, oh well. I was going to invite her with me and some of the others to go attack the Demon King's castle," he said wistfully. He looked at her expression and began to apologize. "Ah, you wouldn't happen to want to go with us-"
"I'd rather not," she said.
Perhaps she should have found someone else to make the item for her? Perhaps she could have asked Iris or Revi to use their vast wealth and positions at or near the top of their Kingdoms to help her…
"No problem, that's quite fine! We'll be gone for a few hours. You can familiarize yourself with my workshop while I'm gone… I think I even have a few aesthetic designs for rings somewhere in here if you'd like to take a look," he said as he rose from the table.
Tanya fought the urge to sigh. Yes, this was probably going to get complicated, but what choice did she have?
-OxOxO-
After eating their breakfast at a cafe Megumin had apparently worked at once – she'd quickly brushed over the topic and ignored the jeers from some of the other patrons – she'd begun the tour with a visit to the town's various shrines.
Some were in disrepair, with their goddesses apparently having abandoned their followers. There were shrines to both Aqua and Eris, as well as…
"What is this?" asked Kazuma.
Viktoriya looked between him and the little… well, it looked like some kind of odd doll, though its proportions were different from any other doll she'd seen – it hardly had a nose, while its eyes and mouth were fairly large. With those features in mind, the cat ears on top of its head and its clothing hardly registered.
"This is the holy relic of this village…" Megumin said, looking curiously at Kazuma.
"No matter how I look at it, this is a figurine of a cat-eared girl in swimwear." Kazuma delivered the line with a complete lack of emotion and seemed to be expecting a similar reaction from everyone else.
No one was. Megumin was baffled by his reaction and gave a short explanation for its presence, while Aqua was complaining about it being in a shrine equal to her own.
She looked between Kazuma and the 'figurine.' "Ah… is this some internet thing, Kazuma?"
He blinked, curious. "How do you know about the internet?" he asked.
"Tanya explained it, once."
He scoffed. "Oh please. I'm sure she didn't even know about half of the things-"
"I am equally sure that she doesn't know half the things you know about the internet, if it's anything like what she described," she said, grimacing.
As they left – with Aqua still complaining and Lorelei leaving behind a small donation as an offering as she had with the other shrines – Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "I feel like you have a skewed perception of me."
Viktoriya rolled her eyes. "What gave you that idea?"
He merely glared at her. As they moved through the next few attractions, Viktoriya couldn't help but feel that having Megumin as a guide was making the tour less fun than it would have been if they were on their own.
She showed them a sword in a stone that could only be pulled out by the chosen hero, and a 'Wishing Fountain' that supposedly had a chance of a goddess of gold and silver blessing people who threw in weapons…
Only for her to immediately reveal that it was a farce designed to draw people in: the first had been set up four years ago, while the second was also set up by the blacksmith.
As they walked to another attraction Viktoriya was sure would turn out to be a let down, she asked Megumin, "Why is the blacksmith running those tourist traps?"
The small girl shrugged. "Ah, well, they mostly sell weapons and armor… which aren't highly sought after items in a town full of Archmages."
"I think Tanya was right to say that this whole town doesn't have an ounce of intellect when it comes to selling things if Megumin's father is anything to go by," Kazuma commented.
The girl made an affronted sound. "I mean… Considering Wiz, are you sure this entire country has any business sense?" Viktoriya shot back.
"I take affront to that," Lorelei chimed in. Megumin started to thank her-
"I'm not defending you. I got told bedtime stories about Crimson Demons being the bane of the Demon King's existence… and then I met you and realized you were all insane."
The Archmage grumbled some more – something about getting them kicked out of town – when they arrived at…
A modern building. Pipes were exposed, and parts of it jutted out into the air. It didn't seem like any kind of architecture she was familiar with…
Kazuma seemed to think it looked more like a bunker, but she was familiar with bunkers, and this was not that. "And what does nuclear mean?" Viktoriya asked.
He opened his mouth… and then trailed off as Megumin posed in front of the imposing building. "Eh, nevermind. Have Tanya explain."
Megumin started her speech. "This is the underground facility that seals the 'weapon that might destroy the world'. No one knows when it appeared here… I heard that this facility was built at the same time as that mysterious facility over there…"
She pointed into the distance, and Viktoriya saw… were those smokestacks? And was that more concrete?
Kazuma asked the question on her mind. "What do you mean by 'mysterious facility'? What's that building used for?"
Megumin shrugged. "I mean it's literally a mysterious facility. Even after going inside to investigate, we still don't know who built it, for what purpose or even when it was built. So, we call it the 'mysterious facility' and it has been like this all this time."
Kazuma only stared listlessly at the girl, and Viktoriya could only feel somewhat similar.
Lorelei was marveling at the building. "It looks like those pictures you and Tanya showed me!"
Kazuma began to talk to himself as Lorelei walked around the perimeter of the building. "Well, the 'weapon that might destroy the world' sounds really scary, but this entire village are experts in magic, so the seal won't be undone so easily. It was a good choice to seal it away here."
"Hey Megumin, are there any other amazing things being sealed here?" Aqua asked.
Megumin shook her head. "You came too late; there was the 'tomb of the evil god' and 'place where the unknown goddess was sealed'. But something happened and their seals were broken."
"Is this really a safe place for a weapon that might end the world?" Viktoriya asked.
Megumin was quick to assuage their worries. "No, no problem. To unseal the place, you need to solve a riddle and input the correct answer. The riddle is written in an ancient language no one understands… So, there are no problems, trust me on this!"
Kazuma looked just as doubtful as Viktoriya felt… although this, at least, was something she was sure Tanya would be interested in.
Viktoriya smiled to herself. And considering how far this place was away from the village proper, there was no telling what one could get away with with no one being the wiser.
Viktoriya would keep waiting, of course. She wasn't going to push Tanya into anything…
But perhaps she could steal a moment away for herself later tonight. For no reason in particular…
-OxOxO-
"A Tailor shop!?"
"Er, yes?" Megumin said. Lorelei's eyes were sparkling as the Crimson Demon pushed the door into the shop open.
"Welcome… Hmm? Megumin, are these two outsiders?" the man standing behind a desk asked while studying them with sharp eyes.
Aqua was frightened by his gaze and hid behind Kazuma, while Viktoriya only looked at Kazuma and Aqua in confusion.
Was something wrong? The man's gaze seemed a bit prickly, but not that mean, all things considered.
Megumin nodded her head, answering his question. In response-
The shop owner jumped up and flicked his cape nimbly inside the cramped shop.
"I'm Chekera! An Archwizard that wields Advanced Magic! Shop owner of the number one tailor shop in the Crimson Demon Clan!"
After stating his name and title in all seriousness, the shop owner smiled with satisfaction.
"Once again, welcome to my shop! Oh, it's been so long since I saw an outsider! How long has it been since I made my grand introduction? Thanks to you, I'm much more relaxed now."
Viktoriya and Kazuma made their own introductions, and-
"Hohoho! I am Lorelei, a former Tailor turned adventurer by my unfortunate luck!"
She immediately struck up a conversation. "So, you're an Archmage, but you're also a Tailor?"
He nodded. "Sure am!"
"Why not take the Tailor job?"
He scoffed. "Ha! Anyone who wasn't an Archmage would be the laughingstock of the town. Besides, what do I need the job for when I can learn everything by hand?"
"Hey, could I get what I came here for?" Megumin asked. Lorelei blinked, coming back to herself. "Er, sure. Ah, Chekera, could I stay and speak with you when they leave?"
He nodded happily and took Megumin's order for an extra robe. "My old one's starting to wear out," she said, gesturing to the frayed edges of the cloth hanging from her neck.
As Chekera went outside and got down a robe from his laundry pole, Viktoriya asked, "Why do you all wear those robes? It isn't just a style thing, right?"
Megumin scoffed. "Of course it's a style thing! It looks majestic and intimidating! Plus, the robes Chekera makes can enhance your mana."
Viktoriya's gaze, idly looking out the window at Chekera, with Lorelei nearby talking nonstop, snapped to Megumin. "It does what?"
Megumin also looked away from Chekera. "Hmm? Oh, you didn't know?"
Viktoriya sighed. "I suppose not."
She chuckled to herself. "Heh. Another victory for me! Once again, I prove that I'm the better mage! Soon, Degurechaff will have no choice but to kneel down before me…"
As Viktoriya made a mental note to do some research into items like Megumin's robe, she fantasized about having to kneel down in front of Tanya…
And then her gaze, staring out of the window, saw the laundry pole that Chekera was getting his robes down from, and her eyes widened to comical proportions.
-OxOxO-
While Lorelei stayed at the Tailor shop to converse with Chekera more, they all went up to a small hill to look down at the village. While the rest of them conversed, Viktoriya could only sigh as Megumin told her story about a couple being bound together by a 'curse of the demon god.'
"Hey, there's a disturbance at the edge of town. Should we go…?" asked Kazuma.
Viktoriya sat up, her musings about being bound to Tanya and also the laundry pole at the Tailor's shop forgotten. She scanned the horizon…
She shook her head. "Why bother? It looks like the Defense Corp is up to the task. Besides, if they needed more help, they'd ask, right?"
Kazuma shrugged, and they went on with the tour. They saw a sparkling magic circle… that Aqua and Megumin confirmed was a fake display. They visited a few more shops, met up with Darkness at the blacksmith, and continued to stroll around town.
"I don't suppose we could go on a quest?" Kazuma asked. As fun as the sightseeing was, he'd seen his fair share of tourist traps back in Japan…
Or, he'd looked them up online, anyway. But that was almost the same thing!
Megumin shook her head quickly. "In the middle of winter? Remember how only strong monsters come out around now?"
He nodded quickly. "Besides, around this village, the monsters are much stronger on average than the ones near Axel."
"Alright, I get the idea," he said, shaking his head.
He was going to get very bored here. Maybe they could go home early?
…On the other hand, he could probably get away with quite a bit of sitting around doing nothing with the excuse of 'strong monsters' on the tip of his tongue. Maybe he could see how fast a cup of ice melted in this world compared to his last one?
As they went into the 'best' shoe shop in the village and were told that the Orc village a few hills over was up in arms over something and was pushing closer to the Crimson Demon Village, he wondered if he could entertain himself by messing with Degurechaff…
Considering how he'd already had two nights of sleep impacted by her and the woman he was walking next to, it was only fair play, right?
-OxOxO-
The planning had gone better than she could have expected, to say nothing of what she'd been learning.
When she'd consulted with others – that dragon, a few of Alderp's books, one of Revi's advisors, and even Megumin – had not, in fact, told her the first step…
Which also turned out to be most people's first step when they performed magic, which was to channel their magic. Specifically, if you were performing a spell, you channeled your magic into either your hands or the item you were using to cast the spell. If you were making an item, then you channeled your magic into the item.
Tanya, however, always channeled her magic into her Computation Jewel first. Perhaps, if Viktoriya hadn't shown up, she might have figured it out after having to continue to use staffs and wands to perform her spells, but her adjutant's arrival meant that avenue was closed to her…
Until Hyoizaburo had helped her figure it out.
After that, things went much more smoothly. She would, of course, need to confirm everything she'd been taught at a later date… but when she had it all confirmed, through both her own experiences with the man and others back in Axel…
She was going to have quite a bit to do.
On the other hand, the things he had apparently decided to get her to do in order for her to 'prove' herself were… elaborate. She'd do it all, of course.
"Anyway, how was your day?" she asked.
Everyone seemed to be giving her odd looks after the way she'd said she'd have 'quite a bit to do,' but Lorelei spoke up immediately. "I had a blast! I learned so much from Chekera…"
Kazuma shrugged. "Eh, the place is commercialized to hell… kinda like Japan."
He went on to talk about all of the tourist traps the place was filled with – not that Tanya cared too much. She wasn't in charge of their tourism department, and the Crimson Demons had the strength to ensure anyone who got legitimately angry about being duped wouldn't have any way to reconcile their grievances besides sucking up their anger and moving on.
Honestly, considering the strength of the Crimson Demons, she was glad they weren't on the Demon King's side. If the cost of that was a few tourist traps, she'd gladly have a bit of fun laughing at how many people had fallen for them.
"Hey, the Orcs are acting up again," Megumin mentioned to her parents.
"Hmm?"
"Yeah, the shoe maker was talking about them."
"Hey, maybe I could wipe them out to prove myself," Tanya suggested.
Megumin's parents blinked… and then they chuckled nervously. "Ah, are you familiar with-"
"Very."
Silence dominated the adult table – Komekko and Aqua were eating in the corner – and Hyoizaburo cleared his throat. "Well. They may be monsters, but they live in towns and such, which means other, more dangerous monsters target them. They distract more animalistic monsters from the village."
He shook his head. "Besides the BMM will protect us from them, like it always does."
Tanya opened her mouth to ask what, exactly, the BMM was, but Darkness broke the silence first. "Ah, I got to meet the person who's been making my armor all these years. What about you, Megumin?"
She nodded. "Yes, it was quite nostalgic to see everyone in the village again-"
"I had fun too!" Aqua chimed up, looking up from the small kids table she'd been seated at…
Only for everyone to stare at the piece of art she'd been carving into the surface of the table.
Before anyone else could speak, Viktoriya piped up. "Ah, Tanya. I wanted to discuss something with you. Outside."
Slowly, she nodded. She dropped her plates off in the sink and ignored a hardly-whispered comment from Kazuma about her going to wrestle Viktoriya.
She ignored the comment, of course. Viktoriya hadn't sounded the least bit interested in that from her tone of voice.
They quickly sequestered themselves in the wagon, and Viktoriya took out her Type 97. A image quickly formed above the jewel…
And Tanya eyes widened. "This…"
"Kazuma called it a 'nuclear bunker.' Apparently, there's also a 'mysterious facility' nearby that is similar to it in architecture, but…"
The image quickly changed. She saw a few robes, swaying in the wind…
And the pole they were hanging on was a rifle.
"Chekera said that its a relic that never rusts that's been passed down in his family for generations. When I sent a few spells at it to figure out if it was magical… they all disappeared."
Tanya's eyes narrowed. "Curious."
Then she let out a long sigh. When had her life gotten so busy?
For a moment, she wanted to lay out exactly how much she'd been doing, and exactly how much she'd have to manage when she got back…
But then she felt Viktoriya's hand under her chin, stroking the side of her face while also lifting her head to look into Viktoriya's eyes…
And Tanya felt the urge to gripe about her situation fall away like a loose scarf caught in the wind.
-OxOxO-
A/N 1: So here we are. Chapter 50, one day after the three year anniversary of the story. Or, when I first started posting the story.
Time sure does fly, hmm?
Anyway, I hope you all have enjoyed reading what I've made so far, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story far into the future. I think I've got at least another fifty chapters of story to write, so I hope you're looking forward to it!
A/N 2: If you'd like to donate to support me monetarily, gain access to the monthly poll, and gain access to my (very long) summary of the KonoSuba Light Novels, search for Sugarcane Soldier on the website of the Patrons.
A/N 3: Many thanks to lekille, Afforess, and Twin for being Super Patrons,
And a big thank you to WarmasterOku for being an Ultra Patron.