The Vow
Kazuma blankly stared at the residence of Megumin.
After the class has finished, he was planning to become acquainted with his classmates, to get along well with them. Because his acquaintances are too few. He got to know one of the boys, he was a fisherman's son and is pretty... energetic. Unfortunately, his acquainting session was forcibly interrupted by Megumin, who dragged him with her.
'Well, getting acquainted with all of my classmates in a whole day is really unrealistic.'
Rather than initiating, he would rather like it to flow naturally. For the time being, knowing a boy and four girls are enough. It was quite an impressive improvement in his social skills to be acquainted with five people in merely hours. Adding Mr Pucchin, that's six.
'Nerimaki, what a pleasant name.'
While could be included in the categorization of weird, it sounds pleasant at the very least, compared to Mr Pucchin.
"Come in!"
Megumin invited them by opening the door. Surprisingly, a small figure was waiting for them. It shoot towards Kazuma and two arms wrapped themselves around his legs.
"Onii-chan!"
"Komekko! Watch your etiquette!"
Megumin scolded her, but she only received a stuck-out tongue from the little devil.
Kazuma looked at Komekko and was perplexed. He glanced at Yunyun and asked in a whisper.
"Does every member of Crimson Magic Clan call their senior by such a close appellation?"
"Um... no."
"Then why?"
"You saved her life and you are strong, to put it simply. So she thought that you are worthy to be a guardian, a big brother of her. I thought it was obvious."
"You too?"
"U-Um... perhaps-!"
Yunyun suddenly squeaked out, surprising Megumin and the other occupants of this residence. Two footsteps could be heard from the main room through the corridor that connected both rooms. Megumin, who was scolding Komekko turned to the newcomers and bowed.
"I'm home, Okaa-san! Otou-san!"
"Hohoh, Komekko, you surprisingly learnt your lesson quite fast, faster than Megumin, even!"
"Okaa-san!"
Komekko held her head high up proudly and tighten her grip while Megumin looked at her mother in disbelief.
"Welcome, my eldest daughter."
"Otou-san!"
Nonetheless, when she saw her father, Megumin slightly bowed respectfully. Yunyun and Kazuma imitated Megumin and bowed.
"Now, now, formality could be considered as informality or even disrespectfulness in a familial gathering like this. So don't bother with it!"
Kazuma looked at the beautiful mother of the siblings. His gaze subconsciously compared her with the siblings and an unconscious conclusion formed. Indeed, a full-ripe is incomparable to a non-one.
As the father? He looks exactly what Kazuma imagined him to be. A tall, muscular yet not bulky stature filled with scars, with a handsome face and a rough appearance. A man carved out of war. Megumin's mother merely reached his shoulders and Kazuma was the same, despite his tall stature. Megumin's father exuded a similar ambience, and it was even thicker.
Pride.
Perhaps because of the war against the South. And looking at this man who carved himself with war. He was in awe.
Kazuma felt respect from the depth of his heart. Coincidentally, when Kazuma's gaze was on him, he replied with his own. Then he reverted his gaze.
Kazuma shook his head. Yunyun was talking with Megumin's mother while Megumin reported her intention of inviting her friends to her father. Komekko silently stands beside Kazuma, like when they walked through the night before, gripping his left hand and feel the warmth.
"So this boy was the one who saved you, Yunyun and Komekko last night?"
"Yes!"
Megumin nodded vigorously, glancing at Kazuma with a smile. Her father took notice of what was contained within her gaze and blinked.
"You moved fast, huh?"
"W-What?"
Megumin stuttered but her father already has his attention on the mentioned one. He walked over and Kazuma, who was immersed in his thought took notice of the towering figure in front of him and lowered his head slightly, in respect of his senior.
"Greeting, Sir."
"Hm, this was an unnecessary comment but sometimes people don't really listen to what my wife said about informality being disrespectful in this familial gathering and keep bowing. It annoyed me for them to not listen to what my wife said. It's fine to respect but too much and it became flattery and annoyance. I appreciated your attentive attitude."
At first, Megumin panicked. Thinking that he won't accept a male friend of hers. It's a stereotype for fathers to have a natural rejection towards their daughters' male friends, and it was spread even to the Crimson Magic Clan. But watching from afar, Megumin was amazed.
"An owner's words are law within their property."
"What owner?"
"This residence?"
Megumin's father paused. He stared at Kazuma for a moment before chuckling.
"I'm the man of the house."
"I felt like a mother is scarier than a father in the domain of a household Sir."
"You understand?"
"To a certain degree."
"You're that kid Kazuma, right? This so-called guy who is conceitful, spiteful, resentful and arrogant? That's what my daughter said at least."
"I was."
"They say you like to use a sword?"
"Decently."
"You're tall, the same as me when I was 11 years old. A good foundation to become a warrior."
"Thank you."
Her father kept his figure straight, while Kazuma slightly lowered his head, he couldn't even be considered as bowing his head. And he's calm. He faced her father's natural ambience with appreciation, not fear. Megumin stared in awe, even she felt a slight pressure from her father's natural disposition.
Suddenly, her father gazed at her and nodded, then he reverted his gaze back to Kazuma and smiled. She blinked and nervously looked anywhere but her father.
"I'm Hyoizaburoo and my wife is Yuiyui. I was a former commander of the Main Clan's force before retiring due to wounds. It's quite unfortunate as the feeling of fighting for my home is incomparable to anything else. I heard you wanted to become a mage-warrior or in a term, Runic Soldiers, the job I currently possessed. So as a reward for fulfilling my criteria, I'll give you a thing later."
Kazuma blinked, he looked up to Hyoizaburoo and asked.
"What criteria? And what's Runic Soldiers?"
Hyoizaburoo smirked.
"As a fellow Crimson Demon, from the same village especially, I, as your senior, will taught you about Runic Soldiers. And well of course, if you ask what criteria then is the criteria of being my daughter's lifetime companion."
"Oh my! Merely being a mother for ten years yet already have a handsome and strong son-in-law! How lucky am I?!"
Kazuma was dumbstruck. He blankly stared at the smiling Hyoizaburoo. He was already helpless on this matter because of the law and now, the situation clearly couldn't be retracted anymore. Because he got the blessing of his soon-father-in-law! The largest obstacle! Or defence... And now, the last obsta- defence has been struck and got destroyed. He could not back down anymore.
'Yes~!'
"Wait!"
Megumin inwardly squealed in the background while Yunyun frantically staggered forward, bringing out a book and showing the married couple the recently engraved law. Hyoizaburoo and Yuiyui read the law and their faces turned perplexed.
"No longer applicable until both occupants reached age 13?"
"When this law was created?"
"I-In the 7th amendment!"
They looked at each other and transmitted the thoughts they had to each other. Yunyun, seeing their perplexed and doubtful complexions turned flustered and unintentionally squealed out.
"I-I, as the Heiress, was the one who initiated it!!"
"Ah!"
"Oh..."
Hearing her bold proclamation, Yuiyui snapped her head to Yunyun and shouted out while Hyoizaburoo slowly looked at Yunyun with a raised eyebrow. They are grinning, Yuiyui especially. She lowered herself to Yunyun's level, because of the height difference and asked slowly.
"Tell me, Yunyun, did you amend it recently? If so, when?"
"Y-Yeah, it was this morning..."
She laughed. Yunyun was flustered, quite severely even, looking at her red face.
"So that's how it is! Oh wow, my son-in-law is too impressive!"
"I thought it was just a rumour..."
Hyoizaburoo contemplated quite deeply, staring at Kazuma who was still staring blankly in a quite spontaneous direction. Hyoizaburoo sighed in shock.
'I met Yuiyui when I was deployed to the frontlines at 17... But he's already two at 12?!'
As a fellow male, Hyoizaburoo couldn't help but be impressed. And this was his soon-son-in-law! Unconsciously, a prideful feeling swells in his chest. The feeling of having such a great son-in-law is quite good.
"My daughter whose pride couldn't be compared to anyone else and the heiress known for her attentiveness and kindness! Hahahah-!"
"S-So... t-they couldn't be brought together yet?"
It was more like a question than a statement. The married couple looked at the flustered Yunyun and glanced at Megumin, who looked quite mesmerized. Then they take a look at Kazuma and saw that he still maintained the blank look in his eyes.
As a wise couple, they secretly nodded at each other.
"You're right."
"Ah!"
"WHAT?!"
Hearing their answer, Yunyun exclaimed in surprise and happiness. On the other hand, Megumin, who had her mind drifting to somewhere else snapped out of her thoughts and staggered to the group, her eyes are gleaming quite dangerously. Kazuma was still blankly staring in a spontaneous direction.
'It's not like I want it, but I don't reject it either... wait...-'
He was in a quite conflicting spectacle.
"What is the meaning of this?!"
"Well, Honey, the 7th amendment commenced and it could not be denied that the newly engraved law is applicable."
"Hiropon did say his concern about this law though, because it applied to any age. While we could be said to be traditionist, we aren't weird enough to marry kids. So while it was an impulse of Yunyun to amend the law, I could confidently say that the Patriarch supported it."
"T-Then..."
Megumin trembled, looking at her parents dejectedly. Yuiyui showed a quite suspicious smile and brought out something from her pocket.
"Well! For my daughter, I will do anything to fulfil her wish, of course!"
Hyoizaburoo saw what was in her grasp and widened his eyes. He met Yuiyui with his sharpened gaze and Yuiyui nodded in utmost seriousness, looking back at him with her hardened gaze. Then he just shook his head, looking at Kazuma in pity.
'To think Yuiyui brought the Lock of Vows... though I have to admit, Kazuma was too exceptional if we looked at him as a son-in-law. Still...'
What about his daughter? Well, Hyoizaburoo would say something about it if he saw an ounce of hesitation in her gaze. But he saw none of that. And talking about maturity, well, Crimson Demon treated its 13 years old as adults, so 10 years old could be considered teens. Parents of Crimson Demons usually give their children the permission to make their own decisions. In other words, freedom.
What about Kazuma?
Kazuma exuded a similar disposition, which Hyoizaburoo possessed, albeit on a smaller scale. To be yet an adult yet possessed such an attitude... Hyoizaburoo and Yuiyui could confidently say that Kazuma is no doubt a mature person. Maturity depends on attitude, while elderly depends on age.
They heard rumours about him often going out to the forest. Which proves his abilities. The forest around the Crimson Village is filled with monsters, and perhaps level 40 is a minimum qualification to stroll around the forest in ease.
A 12 years-old comparable to level 40! And Hyoizaburoo wanted to teach Kazuma about Runic Soldier, which undoubtedly increase Kazuma's battle prowess even more.
But Hyoizaburoo put a thought on what Kazuma's thinking in this matter. Looking at his shocked reaction, while Hyoizaburoo knew that Kazuma did ask for his daughter's formal name informally, it seems like it was with an intention of curiosity. The law was clear but people always wanted the willingness of the other party, and Hyoizaburoo wasn't any different. Especially in this case. For such familial issues, he wanted to solve it with familial solutions. And coercion is by no means, a familial solution.
Yuiyui cynically smiled while Megumin looked at what was on Yuiyui's palm in wonder.
"Okaa-san, what is that?"
"Hohohoh, Megumin, this is the Lock of Vows, an artefact that has been passed down by my ancestors. It's a set containing a collar and a key. It's usually used for a couple of fiancees so none of the two would break their vows. And seeing that the current situation was similar, then it is a perfect tool to solve it! Their lives will be bounded and the collar wearer will be the key owner's for the rest of their lives!"
Megumin looked at the artefact with gleaming eyes while Yunyun stared at it with an aghast expression. Hyoizaburoo looked at his wife's cynical attitude and sighed.
'Never changed...'
"How to use it?"
"The collar will be worn by the female and the key will be used to lock it by the male."
"That simple?!"
"Yep!"
"T-Then-?!"
Yuiyui nodded.
Yunyun paled. Hyoizaburoo looked at her in pity and walked over, placing his hand on her shoulder, comforting her indirectly.
"You'll have your chance, so don't worry."
"H-Huh?"
"Yeah, although Megumin has already bounded her fate with Kazuma, you will have your chance in the future."
"...B-But... that's mean I'll be a snatcher..."
"What? That's not what I mean. What I mean is, you will have your chance to be the second."
Yunyun looked at Hyoizaburoo blankly. Then the realization hits her and she staggered backwards, looking up at him in shock.
"T-That's... y-you mean...?"
"Yeah, you'll be the second wife-"
"Eek!"
She already knows what he meant but hearing it directly still put quite a shock in her. She unintentionally asked frantically.
"I-Is that even allowed?!"
Hyoizaburoo stared at her while a thought appeared in his mind.
'The first thing she inquired about is its validness, not her repulsiveness. That kid, how the hell did he do that?'
Once again, he glanced at Kazuma who started to regain his awareness. Looking at the way he started a small talk with Komekko while simultaneously putting up a thoughtful complexion.
In the end, Hyoizaburoo sighed. He walked to Kazuma and inquired.
"Kazuma."
"Yes, Sir?"
"What's your thought?"
Kazuma was silent. Hyoizaburoo and Kazuma both knew that Kazuma already heard the whole thing. He was blocking off Komekko's attention by making her focus on him. Hyoizaburoo felt even more elated by these acts.
Hyoizaburoo stared at him and Kazuma looked down, contemplating.
Finally, Kazuma looked up and met Hyoizaburoo's neutral yet sharp gaze. He nodded.
"I don't mind."
Kazuma, the Crimson Demon, would no doubt refuse it, thinking it was such a waste of time. Kazuma Satou, being a broken-hearted youth, would no doubt refuse it, being traumatized by his ordeal. But that doesn't mean a natural attraction towards their opposite sex disappeared. And from the beginning, Megumin showed nothing but favourable deeds, towards him at least.
And it's not wrong that Megumin is beautiful. An advantage she possessed by being a Crimson Demon. And she's a prodigy, looking at her aptitude of mana. As for the reason for rejecting her? Kazuma thought about it and he did not find a single answer. Being traumatized? Kazuma Satou would put a consideration towards it but Kazuma, the Prideful Crimson Demon, disdain such a weakness.
Plus, it would increase Hyoizaburoo's favourable impression of him, which undoubtedly increases his willingness for him to teach Kazuma about the Runic Soldiers.
And it's not like he did not possess an attraction towards her. Kazuma smiled.
In conclusion, rejection is a stupid decision.
"Well, I'm glad."
"Y-You're willing?"
Megumin asked him, gazing at him with her gleaming crimson eyes. Kazuma just shrugged and smiled slightly.
"Why not?"
"Then you're willing to wear this, my son-in-law?"
Yuiyui showed a necklace made out of black string with a golden key. The key looks quite conspicuous, with a bright red heart in the middle of it. Kazuma looked at it and nodded.
'It's only a necklace.'
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Hoh, so polite, as expected. Come here."
Kazuma strode over and Yuiyui placed the necklace on his palm. He stared at it before wearing it around his neck. At the same time, Yuiyui walked behind Megumin and placed a black collar around Megumin's neck. There was a golden lock on it.
"Now, you will close the lock with your key."
Kazuma followed her instruction. He got on his knees because of the height difference and looked up, staring at the flushed face of Megumin, who was still staring at him with her bright, crimson eyes. He asked.
"Megumin, are you willing to do this? From what I heard, you will be bounded to me. Your everything will be bounded to me, for the rest of our lives. Remember what I said, don't be impulsive."
"I'm willing. After throughout thinking when the night you proposed to me, I already made up my decision!"
"Why? We only met for hours."
She looked at him with more intensity, her crimson eyes gleamed.
"You're the most exceptional person within my generation that I've ever met! You meet every single requirement of a perfect Crimson Demon I had in mind! You stole my heart when you showed such an attitude to me, the perfect combination of kindness, coldness and pridefulness!"
"I adore you! From the depth of my heart! I, Megumin, am wholeheartedly willing to trust my life with you!"
Kazuma stared at her, and she stared back. Her crimson eyes showed conviction, adoration and passion. Even Kazuma, the Prideful Crimson Demon, found it hard to reject such a gaze.
In the end, he smiled at her.
"I'll protect you."
He penetrated the lock with the key, locking it and creating the unbreakable string of fate between them. The hearts on the key and the lock shined for a moment before dimming down. Yuiyui clapped her hands and Hyoizaburoo crossed his arms on his chest, smiling. Although they wanted Kazuma to be their son-in-law, they are, by no means intended to force it. Looking at the way they gave a chance for Kazuma to cancel it.
Yunyun stared at the spectacle, contemplating quite deeply.
'The second wife, huh?'
She turned quite red.
"So, Onii-chan is my brother-in-law now?"
A hand tugged his robe. Kazuma glanced back and saw Komekko, who looked up to him. He nodded and smiled.
"Yeah."
"Yay!"
She hugged his legs again.
"Anyway, Kazuma, now that you are my son-in-law, let's start this training of becoming a Runic Soldier! I'll bestow you everything you need to know about Runic Soldier!"
Hyoizaburoo suddenly shouted out, intentionally exuding his prideful aura which was hidden before and smirked at him. Weird marks are appearing around Hyoizaburoo's right eye. Kazuma stared at him in surprise.
'A Runic Soldier!'
His intention in coming over was to learn mana. But not only did he get a wife, he even received something better, a way to become a Runic Soldier, a mix of a warrior and a mage.
Kazuma nodded vigorously.
an: Relax, you're not the only one who was waiting for some action. Still, I can't believe I actually write over 7 chapters filled with miscellaneous.
