(Proofreader & Vice-Editor: Goku0)
KonoSuba Volume 18: Chapter 1
Home-Wrecking These Adventurers' Home!
Part 1
"Kwazumahhhhhh!"
"Aqua calm down!"
The sound of a Goddess' cry that was all too familiar suddenly erupted as the front door opened, followed by the sound of Darkness's voice.
Ah, so they're back.
Even though it has been "my turn" for the past week, I was just finishing up some food for the others in the kitchen.
That is until Aqua suddenly barged into the kitchen.
"Waaahhhhh!"
She tightened her hands on my shoulders and jerked me back and forth, forcing the contents of the pot I was holding to pour all over my brand-new shirt.
Even though it was the same kind of shirt that I've always worn in this world, This shit was new!
"What! What is it?!"
She raised an eye to meet mine, which was filled with tears as usual.
"I-I never imagined that my adoring fans would be such a bother! Agh! The "party that killed the Demon King's" popularity is entirely to blame. Trashzuma, why? Why, why, why?!"
You were the one who ran away to kill him, you idiot, so how is this my fault?
"Hey... get off me."
She refused to let go.
Megumin entered the kitchen, followed by Darkness.
"Kazuma, don't you think you can take pity on her for once and try to help her out? I've never seen Aqua this frantic before."
I gave Darkness an uncanny look.
"First things first, how am I supposed to help? She caused this fully on her own by leaving the house on her own just days after we defeated the Demon King. And secondly, hasn't she always wanted this? Hm?! Aqua?!"
"Wahhhhhh! You're so mean Kwazumahhh!"
It didn't seem like my comments were helping.
"I-I only wanted to buy some booze when all of a sudden, a crowd surrounded me! I didn't mind it at first, but when they became very touchy, I told them to back off, but they wouldn't leave me alone! Wahhhhh!"
Get ahold of yourself...
"She was supposedly able to escape thanks to your friend Dust, who diverted the attention from her."
"... What specifically did… Dust do?"
I brought my attention back to Darkness after hearing her words.
"... He started sexually harassing the waiters."
Yup.
Sounds like him.
"Aqua, get off of me already and just... I don't know?! Go play with Emperor Zell or something."
When I finally got Aqua to let me go, her snot and tears had ruined my shirt even more.
Can it get any worse today...
"I'm going to take a bath."
I turned away from the three and headed down the hallway towards the bathroom.
I pushed open the bath door and stepped inside, taking off my clothes and wading into the warm water, burying myself beneath the bubbles that covered the surface.
"Ahhhh..."
This was nice—
"Kazuma?"
Following knocks on the door, the voice of Darkness could be heard.
Oh?
"If you're trying to join me in the bath, it's not going to happen, so pay attention. I'm a taken man, and no amount of busty women will convince me otherwise-"
"S-Shut up! That's not why I'm here!"
Oh well.
"Listen, I believe you should be nicer to Aqua. I mean, you could try to be more tolerant of her. I know there are times when you can't stand dealing with her, but you could give it a shot, at least until this period of "popularity" passes?"
… It's not like I wasn't doing it to begin with.
"Please keep in mind that it's new for all of us."
My arms outstretched onto the bath handles as I sighed.
"All right, all right, gotcha."
There was a brief moment of silence after that. Neither of us attempted to resume the conversation.
"You know Kazuma..."
Hm?
As I lifted my head slightly above the water, my gaze was drawn to the doorway.
"You chose to stay with us even after you killed the Demon King. Even when you had the chance to return to your previous world in a future life..."
Hey... Isn't this conversation getting kinda serious?
"... Why?"
Darkness fell silent once more after asking.
"T-That's okay you don't have to answer—"
"You guys make me happy."
"..."
"I-I mean, I enjoy being around—No! I mean—!"
"We love you too Kazuma."
My words were cut off by Darkness, and as I exhaled and slid back under the water, my ears began to burn bright red.
To be honest, I couldn't think of anything to say.
… Kazuma the tsundere.
What a sight.
"... Thank you."
Darkness didn't say anything, but I could tell she was content.
I only hope she wasn't becoming lewd about it.
"Don't worry about finishing the rest of our lunch; I'll do it for you. Just remember to come back when you've finished your bath. We also had a letter addressed to you left in our mailbox this morning, but I didn't open it."
The sound of a paper being slid across the floor could be heard.
"I slipped it under the door; don't keep us waiting."
Steps behind the door could be heard getting progressively quieter before disappearing. I sat there in the bath, baffled by what had just happened.
"..."
H-Hey calm down buddy!
My 'Holy Excalibur' started to become a little excited for some reason.
Part 2
I walked back into the kitchen yawning, a towel half-wrapped around my neck like a scarf.
As Darkness had said, the three were waiting for me.
Well...
Two of the three... Aqua was already digging into her food, as expected.
On her lap sat Emperor Zell.
… Oh she took me seriously.
"So what was that letter about Kazuma?"
Megumin murmured as she ate, crumbs spilling from her mouth.
"Mmm nothing much. Just an invitation from Iris to the royal capital."
For some reason, Darkness went completely still.
"... What is it?"
"Kazuma... I'm sure you remember what I said about you or Mitsurugi not dealing the final blow?"
"I can't say I recall...?"
Darkness groaned.
What the hell am I missing?
"Kazuma, to maintain the bloodline of legendary heroic status, the individual who manages to defeat the Demon King will be required to wed the royal princess."
"..."
Megumin abruptly rose, slamming her fists flat down onto the table while leaning her head in such a way that her eyes were hardly visible.
"Ehem! Kazuma is my man so there's no way I'm letting this happen."
Eh? Does this mean we're now together exclusively?
Like an exclusive boyfriend/girlfriend relationship?
… I still didn't understand this.
"Hold on, you two. First of all, we're not even sure that's why we were asked to travel to the capital. Consider it, I mean Darkness, since the Demon King's death, haven't royal traditions changed considerably? If that is the case, it seems natural that the Royal Family in this country will follow suit. And if that's the case, they've probably abandoned that dumb idea. Plus there's no way Iris would go along with something like that!"
Actually, I'm not sure about that; perhaps she suffers from a big brother obsession that I'm not aware of.
The tension from before appeared to have almost entirely disappeared as they both appeared to settle down considerably.
"O-Of course! I mean we shouldn't just assume the worst. You're right Kazuma, thank you."
"Yeah, they probably just want to praise the legendary Crimson Demon who, with her lethal explosion, wiped the Demon King and his army into oblivion!"
Hey... Wasn't I the one who killed him...
"Hm whel Kwazumamph is far too mwach a pwerv to seriously consider mwarrying somewhamn."
This goddess didn't know how to speak with food in her mouth…
… Emperor Zell didn't seem too pleased to have crumbs sprayed on him either.
I heaved a sigh and leaned back in my chair.
I was the one who was now tense for some reason.
Why?
Looking at my food, I realized I wasn't hungry anymore.
I set my hands on the table, hoisting myself up.
"We should get some sleep for the trip tomorrow, so I think I'll go to bed now."
The three gave me strange looks.
"Kazuma, are you feeling okay?"
I glanced at Megumin.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"Why are you so tense?"
Eh?
I noticed that my hands were clenched when I looked down at them.
Hey, what the hell?
I dismissed Megumin's worry and made my way down the hallway.
I finally got to my room, where I raced to the nearest mirror and looked at myself again.
To be honest I did look a little tense.
Maybe I'm pent-up sexually.
… Should I order a succubus tonight?
"..."
No, I can't.
After letting out a sigh, I walked to my bed and promptly fell in, sprawling out like a starfish.
I closed my eyes.
Maybe all I need is a good night's rest. There's really no reason to worry about it, right?
Hey.
Why am I freaking out about this—?
"Kazuma."
"Kyahhhh! Don't kill me! I'm still a virgin—Oh Megumin, what are you doing here?"
Megumin curled up next to me after somehow sneaking in without me knowing.
"Kazuma, what's wrong?"
I looked down at our joined hands as she wrapped mine with hers. I felt a feeling of anxiety sort of wash over me.
"I..."
"Stop being a tsundere and tell me what's wrong."
"Hey, how do you even know what that means."
"I learned it from you."
"Oh."
We laid there looking into each other's eyes.
"..."
I think I would have been horny if I wasn't so out of it.
… Probably not the time to be thinking about that.
"I think I just... I'm not sure. I just want things to stay the same. I just want to hang out with you, tease Darkness, and yell at Aqua... You know, like always?"
Megumin nodded and tightened her grip on my hand.
"I don't want things to change either Kazuma."
We stayed silent for a little more.
"Hey, even if it is what we think it is, what's stopping you from outright saying no? They can't force you to get married, right?"
I guess she has a point.
"Thank you Megumin."
I gave her a small smile, which she returned.
It was nice to spend time with Megumin; who knew I'd be drawn in by this psychotic explosion maniac?
… Maybe I'm being a little too harsh.
My eyes remained closed as I held Megumin close until I felt my tracksuit getting wet.
"... Megumin?"
When I looked down at her, I was surprised to see her crying.
"M-Megumin? Hey, are you okay?"
I shook her gently as she clenched my hands even tighter.
"I-I don't wanna lose you Kazuma..."
Oh boy.
I don't know how to handle this situation.
"H-Hey I'm still here! There's no need to freak out—"
"I'll blow up the Royal Family if they force you to do it!"
Ah, there it is.
But still...
I feel some kind of responsibility for her happiness.
"It'll be okay, I promise."
I squeezed her hand softly.
The future is uncertain, but no matter what happens, I'll make sure Megumin is happy.
"..."
Hey, this totally makes me sound like a Shoujo MC. Am I… maturing?
Is that what this is?
Maybe it's finally time I throw out my porn magazines?
… No.
I can't bring myself to do that.
For the rest of the night, we both fell asleep in each other's arms.
Well… We would have, but Chomusuke thought it would be a good idea to lie on my head and join us.
Part 3
"Aqua hurry up!"
We were standing outside our house, waiting for Aqua to finish whatever she was doing.
"All right, hold on! Let me just say good-bye to Emperor Zell! Goodbye, my dear dragon!"
… Seriously?
I keep telling her it's a chicken, but she's not buying it.
"All right, let's go—Wahh!!"
… Aqua tripped and fell as she ran out of the house.
"Don't worry Aqua!"
And somehow Darkness managed to slip herself in between Aqua and the ground…
"Mmph!"
As Aqua slammed against Darkness' back, her prestige bag fell to the ground, making a clanging sound.
Eh?
I approached the source of the clanging and picked up her bag, first rattling it around and hearing more clanging sounds. I sighed and gave Aqua a death stare.
… This alcoholic.
"Aqua, we're not bringing booze with us."
"Well, if I can't bring alcohol, you can't bring these! Hyah!"
Aqua grabbed my bag and yanked it off, causing the stacks of pornographic magazines to spill out.
"Eh?!" x2
"…"
Eris, I want my wish back.
"Scumzuma…"
"Pervert…"
Darkness and Megumin didn't seem too happy with me.
After failing to defend myself, we ended up teleporting to the capital, as I had set up a teleportation mark here a little while ago for easy access to visit Iris whenever I wanted.
… Neither Aqua nor I were able to bring what we wanted.
"Kyahhhh!~ it's the party that defeated the Demon King!!!"
Oh right.
I forgot that we were 'popular' now.
Just as I was about to suggest that we run, a line of royal knights blocked the incoming 'traffic.'
Huh?
"Backup, backup, backup! The heroes can sign your merchandise later!"
"Big brother Kazuma! I've missed you—Huh?! You don't need to jump like that!"
In addition to the royal knights, Iris could be seen poking her head out of a royal carriage that approached us.
"Lady Iris, how did you know we'd be here at this time?"
True, it was strange that they were prepared for this as soon as we arrived, I thought as I glanced at Darkness.
"Hey... do you have a tracker on me?"
"We would never put a tracker on someone like you."
Claire stepped out of the carriage, retorting to me.
Hey…
I started walking towards her.
"Hey if you have such a problem with me—"
"That's not what I meant—Ah! I'm sorry, don't hurt me!"
Claire raised her arms to shield herself, her eyes closed as if I was about to roundhouse kick her.
… Eh?
Stop acting like I'm some kind of domestic abuser…
"Big brother Kazuma! Come on, let's go!"
Iris grabbed my hand and tried to pull me into the carriage with her, but Megumin grabbed our conjoined hands and stopped her.
"Hey… Don't get too buddy-buddy with my man."
There she goes again!
What exactly is our relationship now?!
"B-Boss! I erm… I was just excited to see big brother Kazuma, that's all!"
"I'm sure you were, now shoo. You may be my subordinate, but this is a line you do not want to cross."
"E-Eh?"
Geez.
Megumin's starting to be a little scary.
I didn't sign up for a scary lover!
"All right, you two, the king is waiting for us, so let's go. Are we ready, Claire?"
Claire jumped at the sudden question by Darkness and quickly nodded; we soon climbed onto the carriage, which was quite spacious for looking so little outside.
Iris sat on one side of me, Megumin on the other, and to be honest, I didn't like the situation.
"…"
The silence was soon broken by the sound of Aqua snoring, which was strangely loud for a 'Goddess.'
Seriously, how does she sleep like that?
"So Lady Iris, what's the reason we were summoned to the capital today?"
Darkness asked what we were all thinking.
"Hmm, to be honest, I'm not sure. My father just told me he needed to see you guys soon, which I guess was today."
"…"
"Wait, he said 'guys,' like he wanted to see all of us?"
"… Yes?"
I mentally slapped myself.
"So he didn't mention anything about an arranged marriage between you and Kazuma?"
Iris' face turned bright red, which she tried to hide.
"A-Arranged marriage?! W-With big brother Kazuma?! I mean… Big brother Kazuma did say something like that a while ago about how he'd be happy to be my groom. If this is what that is, then I guess—"
"N-No this isn't what that is!"
I panicked as I tried to calm down the situation.
"O-Oh! Then why did Darkness suggest—"
"We were just worried that's what we were called here for."
"Nyah!"
Megumin cut Iris off coldly as Chomsuke supported her as she poked her head out of Megumin's shirt.
… Seriously, she's starting to scare me.
We talked about little things for the rest of the ride, only occasionally interrupted by Aqua's loud snoring.
Seriously, someone get this girl a mouthpiece!
We eventually made it to the castle's front gates, where we quickly made our way inside.
We arrived at the throne room after what seemed like an eternity of walking through hallways and different rooms.
There we were greeted by the sight of the king sitting on his throne, looking down on us.
"Ah, my boy Kazuma! And your friends! It is great to see you all again."
… Eh?
My… boy?
Has my influence on Iris spread over to the king?
"Your Majesty, it is an honor to meet you again."
The King turned his attention to Darkness and gave a small smile.
"Ah, Lalatina, it's good to see you again. How are you and your family doing?"
"E-Ehm, they're doing well, your Majesty..."
For some reason, Darkness' face turned bright red as she squirmed in place.
Hey wait…
Is she getting off on being humiliated by the King?!
"Please excuse my rudeness, your Majesty, but we were told there was a reason we were called here?"
The king returned his attention to me, took a deep breath, and stood.
"Ah, yes… it does relate to some important issues we need to discuss."
Oh boy.
"Okay… so what is it…?"
"I know this is a ridiculous question, but—"
"Gah! Just tell us whether or not Kazuma and Iris are getting married! And if that is the case, I'm going to blow up this whole place, so don't even think about making him!"
Megumin jumped forward, pulling out her staff and pointing it at the King while shouting.
"M-Megumin stop!"
"Darkness stop! I must—Mmmph!"
Darkness jumped on Megumin, pinning her to the ground and separating her from her staff.
"N-Nyah?!"
Chomusuke seemed agitated that Darkness was troubling her owner.
"Huh? Marriage?"
As he descended the throne's stairs, the King scratched his head in confusion.
"If this is what I believe, the answer is no. The idea that the person who defeated the Demon King would marry the royal princess was abandoned, even long before the final assault on the Demon King."
"…"
I gave Darkness a dirty look.
"H-hey I didn't hear anything about this so how was I supposed to know?!"
When the King finally made it down the stairs, he sighed and placed his hand on my shoulder.
"Kazuma Satou—"
"That's me."
"I called you and your party here for a request."
I glanced up at him.
"… Okay? What is it?"
The King placed his other hand on my shoulder, causing me to flinch.
"Kazuma, my boy."
Seriously stop saying that.
"… Would you mind letting Iris stay at your place for a little while?"
"…"
That's it?
"Oh. Uhm, yeah, sure, but… why?"
The King sighed.
"... The Demon King's daughter is alive and well, and she intends to rebuild her father's empire."
"…"
Yup.
There's the bad news I was anxiously anticipating.
Part 4
We all climbed into the carriage, followed by Iris who was carrying a large bag full of personal belongings.
We would have teleported back like any sane person, but…
For some reason, I decided it would be a good idea to show Iris my new skills while we were catching up and having fun.
So I'm out of mana.
... And no one wanted to volunteer for drain touch.
"I can't believe the Demon King's daughter is actually attempting to rebuild his empire..."
A shiver ran up my spine.
I'm gonna be in a world of pain, especially if she knows what I did to her father.
"Honestly, we should just ignore this whole thing. It's not our responsibility since we're no longer trying to get me back to heaven—Ow!"
"Self-centered bitch…"
I smacked Aqua on the head.
"Don't worry, I've been leveling up my explosion magic recently, so she'll have no chance against me. I'm going to blow her into the shadow realm!"
I looked at Megumin in disbelief.
I felt a tug at my sleeve on my side, which urged me to look down just to see Iris, who was smiling at me.
"What's got you all happy?"
"A-Ah no, I'm not happy about this whole situation, but I'd say I'm glad I get to spend time with all of you."
We all smiled as Iris, as she always warmed our hearts.
It didn't make sense to me at first for Iris to stay at our place.
But when the King explained how they are expecting a frontline assault from the Demon King's daughter any time now, I couldn't really argue with that.
So here we were.
Claire sat in the front of the carriage to drive it, only occasionally checking back on Iris.
After a little while of waiting, we were finally off.
It was a nice change of scenery here in the capital. Sure, it was a little too crowded for my taste—
"Kwazumahhh! Sign my panties! And pwease use your legendary steal after returning them!"
A woman with an incredible arm managed to throw a new pair of lingerie through the carriage window, landing on my lap.
"…"
Hey.
"Let me out, let me out! I belong here! I—Ow!"
Megumin smacked me on the back of the head.
She wasn't too happy.
The ride was mostly uneventful, except for a few moments when Megumin gave me dirty looks.
We eventually returned to our mansion, which was exactly as we had left it.
… Porn magazines and expired booze scattered across the lawn.
"... Big Brother hasn't changed a bit."
"L-Lady Iris! Let us go inside and set up your room!"
Darkness was quick to act as she hurried Iris into the house.
"Eh... Sir Kazuma, you have... Such bold decorations..."
A wave of embarrassment washed over me as I looked at Claire.
"Don't lie to me…"
We eventually made our way inside, with Aqua settling into the couch, Megumin heading into the kitchen, and Claire…
"What are you doing?"
Claire seemed to be having a good time carrying Iris's belongings in.
"I-I uhm! I'm just carrying my lady's stuff inside! There's nothing else going on!"
She quickly hid something in her pocket as her face flashed with a deep red that she desperately tried (and failed) to cover up.
I sighed and ignored her as I made my way into the kitchen to speak with Megumin.
"Is it my 'turn' to cook again tonight?"
"Yeah, but I think I'll help you."
I shrugged and moved to stand next to her, reaching up and retrieving the kitchen items we'd need.
"... Kazuma?"
I set the pots and pans on the counter, lit the stove with tinder, then faced Megumin.
"That's still me."
She giggled at my usual reply, but she quickly fell silent, avoiding eye contact with me.
… Eh?
"N-Nevermind! Let's just figure out what we're going to make!"
"Wait, Megumin, what were you going to say—?"
"It's nothing! Please... just... drop it?"
My face scrunched up in emotional pain; To be honest, Megumin has been acting strangely lately, but I'm not sure what I was supposed to do.
"Megumin—"
"WHAAAAA!"
A loud scream erupted from the living room.
We both sighed and then made our way out of the kitchen to investigate what was causing all the commotion.
"G-Get off of me!"
"Nyahhh!"
Chomusuke had pounced on Claire for some reason, while Aqua, who was sitting directly behind them, was playing video games.
"Hyah! Hey, move it! I'm almost done with this level— Wha?! Noooo!"
I turned off the GameGirl and gave Aqua a disappointed look, while Megumin helped Claire, who was still shaken from Chomusuke's 'attack,' get to her feet.
"T-The cat tried t-to k-kill me…"
I gave the 'defeated' white lady a confused, amused, and pitying look.
"Poor girl… Ow!"
Megumin jabbed me in the side.
Part 5
"Psst… Kazuma!"
As a feminine voice called out to me from outside the room, the door creaked open slightly.
"Mhm… Megumin, just get in... you don't... Yawnnn. You don't have to ask."
I was too tired to even open my eyes as I yawned and spoke while half asleep.
"…"
"Ow!"
My cheek was pinched hard.
I eventually managed to 'wake up,' and to my surprise, it wasn't Megumin who stood before me, but Aqua.
Eh?
"What are you doing here?"
"Look outside!"
It was probably very early in the morning, so it was almost pitch black outside.
But I eventually made my way to the window.
… A little girl?
"… Oh?"
Did no one else notice her? It makes sense for Aqua because of her "newly unlocked goddess powers," but seriously? No one else? What if my Fanclub begins taking photos of me through my windows?!
I sighed and went downstairs.
I eventually made it to the front door and was about to open it when Aqua grabbed my arm and stopped me.
"Huh?"
"Kazuma, do you know who that is?!"
"... A fan of mine?"
Aqua tried to maintain a whisper, which I picked up on.
"No way, you moron! It's uhm... W-Well I-I'm not sure who she is, but I do know she's bad."
… Hm?
"What exactly do you mean—?"
The front door was blown open.
We were both blasted back into the living room as rubble blanketed us.
Fortunately, as any normal person would, everyone who was sound asleep prior heard the huge BOOM and came downstairs rushing to the situation.
"… S-Shit!"
I clutched my side in agony as I looked over at Aqua, who appeared to be doing just fine.
… Hey, did she use me as a shield?!
"K-Kazuma! Aqua!"
Megumin yelled from the stairwell, leaping over the railing as she made her way toward us.
"A-Ah! Heal Heal! Heal!"
Ah, finally our priestess was being helpful—Eh?
Why weren't my wounds healing?
"Kyahahahaha!"
The little girl maniacally laughed.
Darkness eventually made her way towards us as well, forming a shield in front of us all while Iris and Claire stood beside her with their weapons drawn.
"Oh, you pitiful people. Do you really believe you have a chance against me?"
I clutched my side, looking down to see blood pouring out as if something had sliced the side of it.
To try refocusing my eyes, I activated my night vision.
What I saw was a little girl about half my height, dressed in a robe with a hoodie that covered her face.
"Identify yourself you evil-doer!"
Claire screamed angrily as she gripped her sword tightly in front of her.
The little girl let out another small laugh.
"Kyahahaha! Her Majesty appointed four Demon Queen generals, and I am the third in rank! My name is Foltzbick!"
"…"
"… Pfft!" x5
"That's… That's so cool!"
The rest of us were struggling to keep our laughter in check.
… However Megumin was the only one who thought whatever that speech tried to be, was cool.
"Ugh! The last thing I need is you Crimson Demons praising my name!"
Foltzbick clenched her fists in frustration.
"… What'd you say?"
As she approached Foltzbick, Megumin's mood shifted dramatically.
"Heal, Heal, Heal! My magic isn't working on you, K-Kazuma!"
Aqua panicked as blood continued to flow from my side.
It was an agonizing experience.
… I'm not sure if I was crying or not.
I returned my attention to Foltzbick, who, to my surprise, was now holding a weapon just beneath her robe.
I couldn't see it before because her robe completely obscured her body, and it was extremely dark.
However, with my night vision turned on and Foltzbick's robe slightly torn at a certain angle, I could just make out the tip of the weapon.
… Wait.
I looked down at the gash in my side before turning my attention to Aqua, who was frantically trying to heal me with no success.
Returning my gaze to Megumin, I noticed she was still making her way towards Foltzbick.
… It finally clicked for me.
Shit!
That weapon inflicts wounds unhealable by magic!
Megumin doesn't know that!
"I'll teach you a thing or two about disrespecting Crimson Demons..."
Darkness stood guard over Aqua and me, while Iris and Claire surrounded Foltzbick.
Iris to her left and Claire to her right.
Megumin took out her staff and pointed it at Foltzbick, causing a strong gust of wind to blow through the room.
As she reached into her robe, Foltzbick's hands began to sweat.
"S-Stay back!"
"You dare to strike us while we were sleeping, injuring my Kazuma, and then try to avoid a fight with me?"
Get up Kazuma!
"Darkness blacker than black…"
"W-Wait Bos—Megumin! We're inside a house! I don't think this is such a good idea!"
Iris tried to persuade her but was clearly unsuccessful.
I clenched my fist around my side, trying to keep the blood from the deep gash from spilling out.
"You pathetic excuse for a mage, I'll kill you!!"
Foltzbick reached deeper into her robe, grasping her weapon firmly in preparation for an attack.
"Get out of the way, Megumin!"
"… And darker than dark—"
"Die!"
Foltzbick completely drew her weapon with a manic smile, allowing me to now see that her weapon was a scythe.
She swung it.
A massive mana blade sliced through the air, heading straight for Megumin.
"I beseech time—Wha?! Oomph!"
Megumin collapsed to the ground as I tackled her.
I had managed to force myself to get up and run towards Megumin, thankfully making it in time.
… But.
Crack!
Megumin's staff fell to the floor…
Shattered.
"W-WHAAAA?!"
Part 6
What had just happened had taken all of us by surprise.
"Exterion!"
Unfortunately, we were the ones being protected by Iris, who was assisted by Claire as they forced Foltzbick outside.
Ironic, given that WE were supposed to be protecting her.
"Ah, there we go. I think this will hold."
Aqua had finished wrapping a tight bandage around my stomach to keep my wound from getting worse.
"M-My… Staff…"
"It'll be fine, Megumin; we can always go back to your village and fix your staff—"
"No, we can't."
As I exhaled, I cut Darkness off, still clutching my side.
"W-Why not Kazuma?! It can't stay broken forever, can it?!"
I could see tears welling up in Megumin's eyes as she gripped my shoulders.
"Listen, if what I saw is correct, anything her scythe strikes renders whatever was injured incapable of being repaired or healed with magic."
As I broke the news, I could see the life drain from Megumin's face.
Great.
I felt terrible and had no idea what to say.
"But my staff… K-Kazuma! Does that mean you—?!"
"I'm fine. Wounds can heal themselves."
We all sat there for a second, trying to figure out what to do next.
The sounds of the fight continued.
Darkness fidgeted with her hands as she stared at the ground.
"I-I'm going outside to help Lady Iris and Claire!"
"Hold on a second, Darkness! You're not even able to hit anything—and she's already gone…"
Darkness bolted outside before she could even hear what I said.
… That damn Crusader.
Does no one wanna listen to what I have to say?!
We sat there in silence until the outside suddenly lit up with light, which was recognizably due to the sunrise.
"GAH! I-I have to get out of here!"
We heard Foltzbick yell from outside.
"Remember what I'm saying, Kazuma Satou! I'm going to kill you! I'll go to considerable lengths to bring you down!"
… This chick is a nutcase.
Foltzbick jumped away from the three and prepared her arms.
"And tell that damn priest to stay away from me! Teleport!"
"We won't let you get away!"
As the three of them reached for Foltzbick, she vanished.
Finally.
… Wait.
Hates the sunrise, is dressed in a robe and is even afraid of Aqua...
That little girl is definitely a vampire!
Or maybe she's just a shut-in NEET.
… No, she's definitely a vampire.
I exhaled a sigh of relief now that it was all over.
"Finally, she's gone... I can only handle so many crazy girls per... day—Oh."
When I looked at our front door, all of my relief vanished.
We're gonna have to fix that…
"Kazuma, Kazuma!"
"Y-Yup… That's me."
I returned my attention to Megumin, who maintained her wary expression.
She approached me and gently squeezed my hand.
"I-I'm sorry…"
… Hm?
This girl is making me flustered.
"Well, whatever... I couldn't let you get hurt like that, so be smarter next time, jackass."
My face felt hot.
Megumin lowered her head even more as Iris, Claire, and Darkness returned inside.
"We weren't able to apprehend her, but we should report back to His Majesty and explain what happened."
Darkness spoke as she kneeled beside me to assess my condition, with Iris and Claire standing behind her.
"Yeah... W-We're not going to be safe here any longer now that they know where we are—Agh!"
I managed to mutter a few words before grabbing my side in pain once more.
"Big brother Kazuma! We need to get you to a doctor!"
When I looked down at my side, I noticed that the bandages were no longer keeping the blood in as it was now leaking through them.
"Y-Yeah, I think we should... Leave... soon–"
"K-Kazuma!"
My world went black.
The next thing I knew, I was awake in a bright white room, and I was...
Naked?!
I quickly rubbed my eyes and looked around while covering my 'important' bits.
Where am I—?
"Kazuma Satou."
"Kyah!!!"
As a loud voice boomed through the room, I jumped in surprise.
"D-Don't be concerned, no one can see you! We were just taking x-rays!"
The mysterious voice echoed throughout the room once more.
I hugged myself tightly because I was still uncomfortable being fully naked in a strange room.
… Is this how girls feel when I use steal?
"The X-rays have been completed. In a few moments, a pair of clothes will fall from the tube above you."
"Uh okay, thank you—Oomph!"
The clothes were shot directly in my face.
After getting dressed, I made my way through the plain grey doors which were the only thing that stood out in the room.
I blinked a few times to take in my surroundings as my vision adjusted to the surrounding light of the room I walked into.
"Kazuma!"
Megumin ran up to me and hugged me tightly.
I was taken aback because I hadn't expected to see her so soon and as I looked around, I saw that everyone else was there as well.
... But they were sleeping on the benches outside my room.
"… Hey Megumin, where are we?"
Megumin drew her face away from my chest and back up to my face, accompanied by Chomusuke, who sat beneath her chin in her shirt.
"We're back in the capitol. You passed out back at our house, so we had to go to Vanir and Wiz's store and ask Wiz to teleport us here."
Oh.
"... Well, we would've arrived sooner, but Aqua almost got into a fight with Vanir when leaving Zell with Wiz, so..."
… I'm not surprised.
"…"
Wait.
"How does Wiz have a teleportation mark here?"
"Beats me, maybe because she's always looking for those weird things to sell."
That makes sense, I guess.
Megumin took in my presence for a second, clutching the bottom of my shirt.
"You know… We were all so worried about you."
Megumin's eyes welled up with tears as she bowed her head down again.
"Hey, don't worry, I'm fine—Hey, stop wiping your snot on me!"
The sound of our conversation must have woken up the others because we heard footsteps approaching us.
"Big brother Kazuma, you're all right!"
Iris ran up to me and hugged my arm. I smiled and patted her on the head, like some stereotypical anime big brother.
She eventually let go and backed up, after which she pointed around the area where we were standing.
"I welcome you to the capital's new and improved medical field!"
… Eh?
I finally took in all of the details I had missed by looking around us.
The place was packed with doctors, who scurried their way through the corridors that connected each room. Above us were more rooms that were linked together using "elevators" (platforms that were lifted with magic).
To be honest, it was pretty advanced for a world like this—
"W-What do you mean spread my legs and strip?! H-Hey, get away—Kyahh!!!"
Someone's terrified screams could be heard coming from an open room.
"…"
… Okay so it's not as advanced as the hospitals in Japan, but it's an improvement.
"Oh, the agony of being forced to do something so humiliating against your will... I-I wonder how it must feel!"
"Down girl."
I silenced Darkness' strange fantasy.
Part 7
"I had no idea this world had x-ray machines."
I whispered to Aqua as we followed Iris on our way to the King.
"Well of course! With the number of people I sent here, there had to be some smart ones."
Aqua scoffed at me while arrogantly playing with her hair.
"I heard that some Japanese guy wanted to peek at some girl's underwear but only saw bones, so he freaked out and tried to cover his tracks by claiming it was an X-ray machine, a device brought from his homeland to help see internal injuries…"
"…"
Why does every Japanese guy who gets reincarnated here have to act like that?
We kept walking until we arrived at the throne room, where, to our surprise, the king was not present.
"Eh? Where has His Majesty gone—"
"I-I'm here, I'm here!"
With toilet paper under his shoe, the king burst through the door that stood behind the royal throne...
"Ehem! It's a truly unfortunate situation for everyone, but all we can do is adapt and try to overcome it."
The king eventually sat down and addressed all of us.
"So... what's the plan?"
Everyone turned to face me as I asked the question that we were all probably thinking.
"Well, we'll have to figure out Foltzbick's weakness—"
"Aqua."
"Eh?!" x4
Everyone looked at me as if I were insane, while Aqua, who was probably in her own world and not paying attention, eventually caught on and looked my way.
"As expected of Kazuma, he has finally seen me for the powerful goddess I am. Besides, it's not like I was going to let an undead walk away after intruding on our house and damaging our stuff!"
"…"
We all ignored Aqua's arrogance.
"There's no doubt about it: that little girl is a vampire. So all we need to do is get Aqua to use her priest powers on her, and she'll be gone."
Hmm... sometimes my genius scares me.
"That's... really smart, Kazuma."
"… What's that supposed to mean."
Darkness's remark made me wince.
"Well, we don't have to deal with her solely through Lady Aqua; we have a whole team of priests—"
"Nope, it has to be Aqua."
"Eh?!"
My suggestion once again surprised the king.
"W-Why Kazuma my boy?"
Please.
… Stop calling me that.
"Well it's actually because—"
Oh shit, the king won't believe me if I tell him that Aqua is a Goddess.
"—Aqua is the only one who knows... She's the only one who knows how to quickly deal with vampires! I-I mean, she easily purifies liches, she destroyed the destroyer that threatened Axel and uhm... even the Demon King's barrier!"
"…"
… That was such a bullshit excuse.
"Awwww~! I knew you would recognize my importance sooner or later!"
I ignored Aqua once again.
"Ah, I guess that makes sense. Very well then, I will support this decision."
He believed it?!
"Now there's the issue of your living quarters. I have prepared rooms for the three of you. Rain will take you all to your rooms in a moment."
… Eh? Three?
We all turned our attention to Rain, who stood in the doorway as if she was just walking in.
"O-Of course. If you will all follow me, I will show you the way."
She appeared normal, but when I caught a glimpse of her face as she turned around, I knew she was terrified.
… Why are all these nobles terrified of me?
Claire and Iris were asked to stay behind as we left because the King had some business with them.
Iris didn't seem too happy about that.
Claire, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind at all.
… She seemed relieved?
The three of us followed Rain through corridors and past servants. Eventually making it to where we would be staying for however long.
"All right, so this is where you'll be staying; feel free to ask around if you need anything... But, Sir Kazuma, if you come to find me, please bring someone with you…"
"…"
When will the Kazuma slander end?
"V-Very well then, I'll be on my way—!"
"Wait a minute, there are only three rooms and four of us."
I stopped Rain before she could walk away.
"Oh? His Majesty mentioned that you and Lady Megumin slept together?"
"…"
Hmm.
"Well, I guess we should start getting ready for bed!"
With a smug grin on my face, I creaked open the door to my and Megumin's room.
I returned my gaze to the three who, for some reason, did not appear to be affected.
"…"
… Eh?
Is no one gonna stop me?
Megumin shrugged and walked inside, brushing up against my shoulder, as did Chomusuke, who wagged her tail in my face as she passed by as well.
"You've tainted our poor Megumin far too much, Kazuma."
"Actually, I was well-versed in this—"
"Hush Megumin, just remember that if you feel harassed by him, I'm across the hall."
Aqua took a verbal jab at me while speaking with Megumin as she and Darkness walked to their respective rooms.
"So even adventuring young women can find financially stable partners..? Isn't that lovely..."
Rain spoke in a hollow tone as she walked away.
"W-Wait! Are we seriously sleeping together?"
I called back to Megumin, who had settled into the royal bed that stood out in our room.
"Yeah? Do you not want to..?"
Oh no, I'm back in this situation.
"N-No, I don't mind, it's just that—"
"Take off your shirt."
… Huh?
Megumin stared at me after making such a demand.
"W-Wait, Megumin, is it really a good idea to try it here? I mean Chomusuke is here and—Kyah!"
Megumin stood up and grabbed my wrist, pulling me onto the bed with her.
"Here let me help."
She grabbed the hem of my shirt and slowly lifted it up.
K-Keep it together Kazuma! This is your chance to finally—!
"I-I'm sorry…"
"…"
Wait what?
Megumin traced her finger up and down the wrap that was keeping my wound from bleeding any further.
Oh.
She then rested her head on my shoulder.
"If I hadn't been such an idiot, you wouldn't have been hurt..."
Hey.
"Look at what I've done... I destroyed my staff and ended up hurting the person I care about the most in the process—"
I hugged her tightly.
"Stop… That's all irrelevant to me. The only thing that matters is that you're okay."
"…"
Chomusuke rubbed her head against Megumin's arm, adding to the comfort I was attempting to provide.
"I-I'm so glad I have you Kwazumahhhh!"
"Hey, don't use me as a tissue! That's gross!"
Megumin ended up crying and wiping her snot on my shoulder.
Part 8
The bed was a mess when I woke up.
I blinked several times as I felt a wet sensation around my abdomen.
When I looked down to see what was causing the sensation, I was met with the sight of Megumin drooling all over my stomach while hugging me.
... Including Chomusuke, who, as usual, sat on my head.
"…"
I couldn't decide whether this scene was cute or annoying.
I attempted to lift myself up but was met with the disappointment that my physical strength stats were lower than Megumin's, so she outweighed me in this situation.
But I eventually managed to slip under her without waking her up.
When looking around the hallway and seeing no one, I rubbed my eyes and went about my business.
I decided to look at the art on the walls and noticed some familiar pieces. Outdated anime references that were drawn as lavish oil paintings...
… These Isekai guys had a lot of free time.
After looking around I gently rubbed the wound on my side, flinching in pain because the area was still so fresh.
I recalled the fight Foltzbick had brought to us that day.
… Hey.
If Foltzbick is ranked third out of four…
I felt a shiver run up my spine.
What the hell is the first-ranked general going to be like—?!
"A-Ah, Sir Kazuma! Good morning."
I almost bumped into Claire as I turned the corner of the hallway.
"Oh, Claire. What's up?"
"Please accept my apologies for leaving so early last night. I was needed by his Majesty, but if I had been available, I-I would have gladly offered my assistance."
Claire fidgeted with her hands, her expression wary.
… Right.
"Hey what's the deal with you and Rain—"
"Kazuma!"
Claire and I both turned to look at the source of the sudden voice, to which we were met with the sight of Aqua running towards us.
I sighed.
"Kazuma, Kazuma—!"
"Yup, still me."
"I can't find food anywhere! I'm starving!"
"The food court is down that way; please help yourself to whatever we have available."
Claire pointed down the next hallway just as I was about to insult Aqua for being so needy.
"N-Now I'll be on my way!"
Claire then sped away from us, while Aqua and I looked at each other in confusion.
"…"
"Look, now she's terrified of you too."
"She is not!"
We made our way down the hall, seemingly lost despite having only been given directions just minutes ago…
Aqua took the lead and led us through some very fancy doors, where we were greeted by—
"What is this wonderful-smelling bag you're carrying?"
Aqua spoke with a chef who was carrying a large black bag.
... Oh.
I kept quiet because I already knew what it was—
"Erm... ma'am, it's yesterday's garbage..."
"…"
"S-See Kazuma! I told you they would pass the test!"
…Mhm.
I looked around and took in our surroundings; it appeared that we had entered the kitchen through the back doors.
"O-Oh, the brave heroes who rescued Belzerg! Please accompany me to the dining hall; I will show you around the kitchen later."
Aqua was saved from the awkward situation by the head chef, whom I recognized from when I crashed here.
Though… I think he was just mainly worried about Aqua purifying all of his dishes, as I recall telling him about her 'issue' once.
He eventually led us out to the food court, where we were greeted by the aromas of a variety of exotic foods.
"A-Amazing! There are so many different foods! And this is only for breakfast?!"
I forgot what it was like to live in the palace…
This is something I could get used to again!
"Ah, my masters, welcome to the breakfast feast! Please enjoy some lightly sprinkled puff pudding!"
A servant suddenly noticed us and approached us, inviting us to try a special plate of today's special.
Aqua and I exchanged a smirk as we prepared for what would be this world's equivalent of 'heaven.'
For what seemed like forever, we both stuffed our faces with the various foods that were scattered on the tables, while receiving many looks from the various servants who roamed the room.
"Augh… My… stomach…"
"Burp… I t-think I'm gonna throw up—"
"K-Kazuma! Aqua!"
We both turned our attention to the source of the voice, only to be met by Darkness, who looked at us as if we had committed high treason.
I looked at myself, then at Aqua, who was violently vomiting rainbows.
… I need to learn to stop getting carried away with Aqua.
Darkness had to drag us both out of the room, down a secluded hallway where no one else could be seen.
"I-I can't believe you two!"
Darkness' face flushed a deep red from the embarrassment we both caused her.
"..."
"Sorry, Lalatina."
Darkness's face turned a brighter red as I teased her.
"G-Gah! Where's Megumin when you need her…"
That is a valid point.
… Where is Megumin?
Shouldn't she have woken up by now?
"Hm, if it can't be helped, I'll go get her. Just make sure Aqua doesn't do anything stupid, Darkness."
I mean, it wouldn't hurt to have SOMEONE on my side instead of just letting Darkness continue to yell at me.
Turning away from the two, I waved my hand and made my way down the hall.
I walked past the paintings on the walls once more, this time coming across an oil painting of some strange blue-haired bowl-cut anime chick in a maid dress.
"…"
Something about that character seemed vaguely familiar…
I can't remember her name though.
I continued on my way to our room. When I finally arrived, I quietly creaked open the door and poked my head inside.
"Hey Megumin, breakfast is ready. Why aren't you up yet?"
"..."
The room was empty.
... Except for Chomusuke, who took Megumin's spot on the bed.
I made my way to the bed, where I discovered a note with scribbled handwriting.
'Hi Kazuma, I'm sure you're wondering where I am right now. Please don't be mad, but I left to confront Foltzbick myself. That girl is my arch-enemy and I will not let her destroy my staff and harm my man without consequences! But don't worry! I'll be back, and to make amends, I'll give you—'
"THAT IDIOTTTTT!"
I threw the note back on the bed.
"Nyah?"
… Oh how I wish I was clueless as you Chomusuke.
Part 9
"... Huh?" x2
"Yup, crazy explosion girl has done it again, okay now let's go—"
"Wait Kazuma! We don't even know where she's gone!"
Darkness grabbed my shoulder as I tried to rush us out of the palace.
Although in response, Chomusuke tried to swat at her from my other shoulder.
"... I guess you're right."
I sighed as I leaned up against the wall, returning my gaze to the two.
"So… Have any ideas?"
"..."
"Well, we could look around the Crimson Demon village. I mean, if she wants to 'take on Foltzbick,' she needs to find a new staff."
Aqua broke the silence by speaking up.
… Wow.
"W-What?! Why are you two staring at me as if I said something strange?"
"No, it's not that... It's just that it's extremely rare for you to suggest anything that's actually a good idea."
"Wahhhh! Take it back, take it back!"
Aqua shook my shoulders back and forth, trying to persuade me to retract my remark about her intelligence.
"Well, now that we've decided, we should inform His Majesty of what has occurred; since he's allowing us to stay here out of the goodness of his heart, we should inform him of our plans."
Darkness' suggestion earned a nod from me.
We then proceeded to the throne room where we were met with the sight of the king sprawled on his throne.
… Asleep.
"E-Ehem! Y-Your Majesty?"
Darkness spoke up trying to get the king's attention.
"Mhm… Just five minutes, dear... Oh, and while you're at it, why not offer me a sloppy blow—"
"H-Hey wake up!"
I spoke up this time because honestly… I wasn't in the mood to listen to the king's dirty fantasies...
Seriously?
… Is this guy really king?
"W-Wha—Oomph! O-Oh it's you guys…"
The king eventually awoke and fell from his throne, only to quickly hoist himself back up and pretend nothing had happened.
"…"
Yikes.
"W-What can I do for you, my boy Kazuma and his lovely party? Did you all have a good time at breakfast—?"
"Yeah, yeah, we did, but listen. We really don't have time because our explosion mage has gone insane and ran away, so we're going to have to leave for a while to try to find her."
Yeah, I know I shouldn't treat the king like some pushover I want to avoid talking to as soon as possible.
… But that's exactly how I feel right now.
"O-Oh, that's too bad, but I understand. I will gladly offer my assistance if there is any way I can help, though I cannot accompany you all because I must remain here in case of a Demon Queen general attack—"
"Big brother Kazuma, please allow me to go with you!"
… Eh?
When I turned around, I saw Iris running towards us through the corridor that connected the throne room to the rest of the palace.
"P-Princess Iris! H-Hold on!"
Claire could be seen trailing behind her, desperately trying to keep her in check.
"Young lady, you are not going anywhere until this situation with the Demon Queen is resolved."
The king ordered his daughter to stay put, to which she responded by sticking her tongue at him.
"Lady Iris! As cute as that action might be, it's vulgar to do so!"
Claire had no idea where to draw the line between compliments and creepiness.
… Will this kingdom really be content with a monarchy like this?
Hm.
Actually, now that I think about it, would bringing Iris along be a good idea?
"..."
Well, I guess the more the merrier. Iris is definitely stronger than most of us here, so it would be a big help.
"Young lady, you will stay here, and that is the end of it. Kazuma, my boy, I will lend you the assistance of Prince Jatis."
… Eh?
"Ah yes, good choice father, I knew you'd come to your senses."
A new voice rang out in the room.
We all turned around to find the source of the new voice and were greeted by the sight of a young man with blonde hair, about one head taller than my height, dressed in bright golden shining armor.
To put it simply, he has the appearance of a Hollywood star.
"Bleh! Please reconsider your decision, Father—!"
"Enough!"
The king pounded his fist on the armrest of his throne, making us all silent in fear.
… Never mind that this guy is a little scary.
"Jatis, please take my boy Kazuma and his friends out of the room so I can speak with your sister."
"Of course, father, if you'd all follow me."
I returned my gaze to Iris, who had a defeated expression on her face.
"Don't worry, Iris; when we return, I'll tell you some new stories!"
It didn't seem to help much, but Iris smiled.
We all followed Jatis for what seemed like an eternity until we arrived in a room that was empty.
"So… Prince Jatis, I believe this is our first meeting—"
"Peasant, shut up! You have no right to speak to a nobleman like me!"
"…"
… Oh my god.
He's one of those people.
"I'm only accompanying you people to improve my reputation in order to impress my father! I'm not going to engage in any conversation or banter."
"Hiss!"
Chomusuke made sure to show her dislike for the prince.
"You are aware that we are also considered nobles—"
"I don't care! Some people are considered nobles for no reason, and I see you three as the same!"
… Can this guy seriously shut up.
"Hey listen here you punk! I have no idea why you're being so disrespectful to a Goddess who defeated the Demon King but you will pay for your sins—Mnmph!"
"D-Don't pay attention to her! She's just playing around..."
I covered Aqua's mouth before she could make the situation worse.
Yeah, I know I should be kicking this guy's ass right now given how he is treating us but we have far more pressing matters at hand.
If this guy is truly one of the best fighters in the kingdom, I can't pass up this chance to save Megumin.
"Right, right—Eh?! Darkness, stop trying to strangle him!"
As Darkness tried to push her way past us to Jatis, I held her back.
"See? So unsophisticated. I have to spend days with you plebians but I'M keeping my composure."
"..."
Great.
Now all three of us want to strangle this douchebag.
... Aqua would almost certainly win as well.
As I prepared my hands, I casted a glance at the snooty prince.
I can already see the shitstorm that awaits us.
"Teleport!"
Megumin Interlude 1
When I awoke, Kazuma was gone, which was perfect for me.
I smiled as I looked at Chomusuke, who was sleeping where Kazuma's head once was.
I gently petted her head, careful not to wake her up.
"I'm sorry…"
I prepared myself and went to threaten—
I mean… I went to see Rain about teleporting me to Axel, but she wasn't there.
Instead, I decided to grab some money and go to the Teleportation shop.
Before heading to the guild to see my fated foe, I grabbed some items from our home.
So here I am now, standing in front of Yunyun.
"Fufufu… I see the future chief has been so preoccupied with greeting her fans after assisting in the fight against the Demon King that she has forgotten about her own friends."
"I tried to contact you but you always disappear when I attempt to reach you! You always avoid me when I call Kazuma telepathically. And you do realize I have a life with responsibilities too right?! And more than one friend!"
… Geez.
"Give me your wand."
"Eh?!"
As expected, Yunyun was reluctant to comply with my demands.
"W-What are you planning to do with it—?"
"Cast explosion."
"…"
Yunyun looked at me for a moment, probably trying to understand my demands.
"NO! You have your staff, why don't you use it?!"
My teeth clenched as I turned to face the ground.
"It broke."
"How?! According to Funifura and Dodonko, it was the most durable staff!"
"... I know."
I kept staring at the ground, defeated. I wasn't in the mood to keep this back-and-forth going.
"Hey… You're not acting like yourself, Megumin... Did something happen?"
"…"
I remained silent because I was too embarrassed to admit what had happened.
"I-I'm only concerned because I-I can't fight my rival when she's at her l-lowest!"
Yunyun tried to hide her feelings, but she failed as she always did.
I sighed and sat on the nearest chair, raising my hand to support my head.
"… I just really need your help, Yunyun."
We stayed there for a moment as the adventurers' loud talking echoed throughout the guild, as it always did.
… I am really at my lowest.
I just want to make things right.
"N-Nevermind! Let's just figure out what we're going to make!"
"Wait, Megumin, what were you going to say—?"
"It's nothing! Please… just… drop it?"
I remembered that night when I was about to ask Kazuma a crucial question, but I shook my head and stood up.
"Yunyun I need your assistance in defeating a Demon Queen General."
"W-Wahhhh?! Megumin, you sound so cool!"
Ah, as many would expect given my aura, of course I did.
As I made my way toward the guild exit, I smirked.
"Let us now embark on our adventure to defeat—Oomph!"
The bag I was carrying on my back became tangled up in a nail, causing me to fall backwards.
"M-Megumin!"
Yunyun rushed to my side and helped me in freeing myself.
"What's in this... bag?"
"... Eheheh."
Yunyun's face changed from surprised to shocked as she opened my bag.
Inside were stacks upon stacks of manatites.
"Megumin… Do you really need all of this—?"
"Of course I do!"
I snatched my bag from Yunyun's grasp and put it back on.
Turning away, I headed for the exit.
"... So, are you coming or not?"
"..."
I sighed and made my way towards the exit after not hearing anything from Yunyun.
… But not before she ran up to me and took my bag, which she then put on herself.
"Wha?! Hey—!"
"I can't let my rival face a general on her own, can I? Let's go to the village and figure things out from there."
I gave Yunyun a surprised look before quickly averting my gaze.
"Y-Yeah, whatever."
My face felt hot.
"I'm still going to carry this bag. After all, it was a gift from my man."
I snatched the bag from Yunyun's grasp.
"You don't stop with the 'my man' business huh?"
Yunyun, as jealous as ever, spoke up.
A/N: That concludes the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you enjoy what I have planned for future chapters! Until next time!