The first thing Kazuma felt as his eyes flickered open was a dull, general pain that ran up and down his left arm. He hissed a quiet groan as he tried to move it, before glancing down and realizing that it was in a sling. That was also around the time he realized he was somehow back in the mansion, as well as his own room.
"You're awake."
Almost immediately, once he finally got his bearings, Kazuma took notice of his party members surrounding his bed while sitting down on chairs they had most likely taken from the kitchen.
"Yeah, I am. Least I hope so, or this'll get awkward." Kazuma snarked numbly, sitting up with some effort and glancing around at his assembled friends. "What the hell happened last night?"
"You don't remember?" asked a stunned Megumin. "The city was invaded by the Devil King's forces, with his own offspring leading the charge!"
"I...I remember bits and pieces. It's all kinda fuzzy right now." Kazuma answered carefully, as if he was paging through the memories bit by bit. "I do remember some angry chick in armor who stomped my arm into frigging dust, so...there's that."
Aqua's face morphed into barely restrained fury as she expanded upon Kazuma's recollection. "That would be The Daughter who did that to you."
"The Daughter, huh? Quite the title." Kazuma remarked, before frowning as another memory seemed to become clearer. "Hey...did you guys save my ass last night? Last thing I remember is you three appearing after I got curb stomped by Daddy's Little Devil."
Darkness, her face unreadable, answered kindly, "Yes, and it's a good thing we found you just in the nick of time. Even though we explicitly told you to stay indoors where you would be safe."
"Oh. Right. That's...gonna be a discussion, isn't it?" Kazuma questioned with an awkward chuckle, receiving pointed glares from all three girls. "B-before you yell at me, at least let me know what state the town is in, and...y'know...if we lost anyone."
The crusader's face softened, which was soon taken over by a small frown before she answered. "...There were casualties, mostly fellow adventurers and town guards. However, despite the brutality, we were ultimately successful in pushing the invaders back. Axel is currently undergoing emergency reconstruction with the aid of the kingdom's Builder's Commerce."
"Well...I guess it could be worse. Could have lost tons of good people and the city as a whole, so...small victories, I guess." Kazuma mused, still processing the gravity of the situation fully. "Have you guys heard from Wiz or Chris? Or Yunyun for that matter?"
"They're out providing humanitarian aid," explained Meguimin. "Even though all adventurers were issued a release for their efforts, some chose to go help out the survivors."
"Makes sense. Wouldn't really expect anything less from them, I suppose." Kazuma muttered, before a final realization struck him like a freight train as he turned to Megumin and pointed an accusing finger. "Holy SHIT, you used Fireball!"
Startled at first, the young Crimson Demon's eyes shined red with anger as she practically yelled, "YES, TO SAVE YOUR LIFE! What, did you really think I was gonna put my pride above your health? NO! You were going to die, so I learned Fireball and helped save you!"
"Woah, hold on! I'm not upset with you!" Kazuma protested, raising his hands in a surrender motion, wincing as the movement jostled his left arm. "I'm just surprised! I never really expected you to pick up more spells, even if you were considering it. I mean, you've said it yourself; Explosion is your passion!"
Unable to respond at the moment, Megumin resigned herself to looking away from Kazuma while tipping the brim of her hat over her eyes to prevent the tears from being seen. "...I-I'm sorry for yelling at you like that…" Was all she had to offer in return, a wave of emotions hitting her at once.
"Look, I get it. You guys must have been worried sick about me, and I'm sorry for running off like I did even after you told me not to." Kazuma replied gently, not entirely prepared to have a heart-to-heart with his assembled friends but willing to give it a shot if it meant getting things back to normal. "But did you really expect less of me? That I wouldn't want to help the people I've lived alongside for a year and a half?"
The girls briefly exchanged looks with one another before Aqua decided to be the one to answer. "Well, no, but...We just didn't want to see you die again. And look what almost happened; you were nearly killed by The Daughter herself."
"Ok, that's...honestly fair." Kazuma relented, not above admitting that the warlord (lady?) nearly killed him at least three times during their altercation. "I'm guessing my luck stat was the only thing that kept me alive long enough for you guys to get to me. Well, that and I didn't try to use Steal on her."
The foreign adventurer had learned his lesson with Beldia when trying to use Steal on him the first time. A huge level gap made the skill null and void unless the enemy had taken significant amounts of damage. Besides, even if Daddy's Little Devil was weak enough to be susceptible to it, stealing her panties would no doubt have resulted in an insta-kill on Kazuma's end. For obvious reasons.
"Still, I can't help but feel there's something important I've missed." He continued, frowning in concentration before turning back to his friends. "Did anything else happen while I was out?"
"You could say that, yes." Darkness said in a tone that didn't sound entirely sure herself. "There seemed to be a mutiny amongst the ranks of the generals. If you could believe it, Wolbach openly defied The Daughter and I suppose...deserted the Devil King's army?"
"Seriously?! She just...jumped ship?" Kazuma asked in shock, not expecting the news of a demon general's desertion. "Did she say why? What the hell even happened to her?"
"Well, after the Devil King's forces retreated, she was taken into custody by Sena and some of the Guard." Aqua answered, not looking particularly enthused by the actions taken. "She's cooperated so far, but I still think she's planning something, and as for why...eh, I wasn't listening that closely."
"Huh...damn. Well I'll be," muttered the boy in disbelief. "It's like the whole world's turning upside down as of late."
"Trust me, we can relate big time," Megumin agreed, earning her a symphony of affirmations from the others, before a more serious look crossed her face as she leaned in slightly. "So, if it's not too much for you to handle...I think there's something you need to hear. From all of us."
Based on Kazuma's experience with these girls thus far, them looking and sounding serious was never a good sign. The briefest flash of nervousness ran through him as he considered the possibility that this could be related to their bizarre behavior as of late, before reconsidering it and shrugging his shoulders loosely with a small nod.
"Sure, I guess I can stomach one more." He replied sarcastically, glancing between each girl with no small amount of skepticism. "What exactly do you have in mind?"
Breathing in and out slowly, Megumin was the one to kickstart what would be known to Kazuma at the time as the beginning of the end. "I'll go first. Ever since you let me join your party, I've been...the happiest I've ever been in my life. Heh, yeah, I may have had to blackmail you into letting me stay, but you could've easily kicked me out whenever you wanted after. Yet you didn't. You decided to keep the silly, stubborn mage who refused to learn any spell except for Explosion. That's an act of kindness that comes once in a lifetime, and I just so happened to be lucky enough to receive it from you. That's something I'll cherish forever, Kazuma."
Oh shit, Kazuma was not prepared for things to get this heavy! When was the last time any of their heart-to-hearts had this kind of impact? When Megumin was having doubts on soloing Explosion, maybe, but Kazuma just chalked it up to her being self-conscious when she was teased about it by her old classmates once her secret was revealed.
Worse yet, after the young mage finished, Darkness stepped forward with a determined look on her face before addressing Kazuma directly, her eyes shimmering with pure, unadulterated emotion.
"Kazuma, you took me in as well, despite my shortcomings and less than socially acceptable behavior. Since that day, you have been a wonderful friend to me, one who has made sacrifices on my behalf, helped me with problems that only pertained to myself, and cared about my wellbeing at moments when I put myself in harm's way." She listed off, staring into the young man's eyes longingly before bowing her head. "You treated me how I've always wanted to be treated deep down. Not as a noble, or someone above all else. You treated me as a friend, and I will never forget that. Thank you, Kazuma."
Kazuma's heart was thumping dangerously fast; faster than it's ever had in the past. He could feel pit stains forming under his sleeves from the anxiety-produced nervousness, and he had to slide his good hand underneath the sheets to keep the girls from seeing how it trembled in fear. Finally, his worst fear at the current moment came to pass, and Aqua chimed in as well.
"Kazuma, when you and I first met...well, I certainly could have been nicer. Then again, you didn't need to drag me down to this plain of existence either, so I'd say we were both misguided." She began, lacing her hands together and meeting his gaze with unexpected warmth. "But since that day, you have been my best friend in the entire world. We fight...a lot...but we always have each other's backs, through thick and thin, and I know in my heart that I'd do anything for you. Because...well, because I...we…"
In an almost instinctual move, all three girls linked hands with one another before dropping the atomic truth bomb on an unsuspecting (or unwilling) Kazuma in unison.
"We love you, Kazuma."
For his part, Kazuma didn't really know what to say in response. His entire world was spinning, his breathing ragged and strained. He couldn't think straight, could barely even process what the words meant, what they truly were. It couldn't be real. It wouldn't. Would it? No. This is too much. Too much, too much, tOO MUCH-
And suddenly he was engulfed in darkness.
Kazuma blinked rapidly, his heart still racing as he slumped in the chair he always appeared in after he died. He was still pulling himself together when he noticed Eris standing next to him. She looked...upset, but not as angry as he expected.
"I...uh...Wait, wha happened?" Kazuma slurred, still recuperating from his sudden dizzy spell. "I don't...what did...I died again?!"
"Apparently so." Eris confirmed morosely, cupping her chin and sighing heavily. "Clearly, your friends need to learn when to make such grandiose confessions. Namely, when your health isn't in the toilet if you'll excuse my crude analogy."
Still confused, and partially stalling for time, Kazuma asked, "But that still doesn't answer my question. How could I have possibly died this time around?"
"Heart attack. You literally died from shock." Eris explained, her frown deepening severely. "Similarly to your first death on Earth, actually. Just...well, I actually don't know if I can say this is less upsetting or not."
Ah...right...his party confessed (Is that the right word?) to him. Now he was here. With a disappointed goddess by his side.
"Hey, um, Eris-sama? I know I promised I'd be more careful of not dying, but this was out of my control - I didn't know my body would just quit on me like that! I guess the attack on Axel left me more drained than I thought, huh?"
"Oh, no. Do not even try to change the subject, Kazuma." Eris retorted sharply, some thinly veiled irritation finally entering her tone. "Considering what just happened, what you friends just confessed to you, we clearly have bigger problems at hand."
Why does this suddenly feel like a counseling session? The concerned teen wondered to himself before Eris sternly pointed a finger in his face.
"I...I don't know what you mean." He lied hastily, crossing his arms and turning away. "Clearly, this is just another attempt at whatever power is controlling the girls right now to shake me up. It couldn't possibly be real, right?"
"No, we're putting a stop to this conspiracy talk right now." Eris stated like a mother holding back their anger from a child that didn't know better. "There is no 'mind-controlling alien entity' at play here. Nor is there a curse, or hivemind, or even body snatchers. Seriously, Kazuma, how could you possibly even write that kind of junk in your journal? Those were your friends you were writing about!"
Kazuma paled slightly with the realization that Eris had somehow found out about his journal, but didn't even get a chance to retort as Eris steamrolled over him, apparently tired of having her frustration pent up for so long.
"Are you that uncomfortable with having people care about you? Having people who would do anything for you?" Eris asked vehemently, so caught up in her tirade she didn't even notice how the young man seemed to shrivel in on himself. "Why, Kazuma? Why make up some boogeyman or monster, why not just...face the music and accept that people care about you?!"
There was a beat of silence after that, as the goddess caught her breath. She noticed then how Kazuma had retracted in on himself, his head bowed and eyes shut tight. The beginning of an apology barely formed in her mind before he spoke, his voice low and unexpectedly angry.
"You don't get it." Kazuma practically growled, raising his gaze to hers, revealing unprecedented anger. "How the hell would you? You're a fucking goddess, people literally worship you for existing. Meanwhile, the people who brought me into my world laughed after I died and the few friends I had beforehand probably don't even remember me!"
Kazuma suddenly and violently pulled at his hair, his entire body visibly shaking and tensing up like a nuclear fusion reactor on the brink of experiencing a critical meltdown. It was so sudden, in fact, it was enough to make the goddess flinch away in fear.
"So much of my life has been fucking shit, Eris! I've been a shut-in for most of my childhood, the people I did reach out to either didn't care enough or at all! The people I SHOULD have been able to rely on didn't want anything to do with me, and the one experience at love I had ended with me alone as she rode off into the sunset with someone else!" He ranted angrily, each word prompting his grip to get tighter, and the pain in his chest to tighten in turn. "Why the hell would I EVER consider being loved again?! All it's even brought me is pain, so why even bother entertaining the fucking notion?! Why pretend...that someone-or anyone-cares?"
At this point, tears were already running down both of their faces as they stared at each in the worst silence imaginable. Unfortunately, there was no dull hum to provide white noise as the void that surrounded them did not produce sound. Goddess and mortal looked to one another for...guidance? An answer? Anything?
Unable to hold herself any longer, Eris rushed over to Kazuma and ensnared him in a tight, warm embrace. She hugged the boy for dear life, afraid that she would lose him if her arms so much as moved slightly.
"I'm sorry for all that you've endured, Kazuma. I truly am." She assured him with all the sincerity in the world, trying her best not to let her own tears overwhelm her further. "But I can assure you that you are loved. People do care about you, and they will continue to care about you. You won't be abandoned, forgotten, left behind. As long as I exist, as long as your friends exist, you will be loved, and that is never going to change. I promise you."
Kazuma didn't know what to say. He tried to object, try to question her judgement, and yet he couldn't bring himself to do it. He probably trusted Eris more than he trusted his own damn emotions, as embarrassed as he is to admit that. Hell, if he could, he would gladly give her full control of his life choices: he trusted her that much! So to hear the goddess say such words to him in earnest…
"E-Eris-sama?" He managed to choke out. The goddess looked into his eyes; into his very soul. "...The girls really love me, don't they?" He asked fearfully.
"Yes, Kazuma. They do." Eris confirmed, mentally debating whether or not she could bring herself to express that they were not the only ones with such feelings. "And I have a feeling you love them too."
"...Then why am I scared?" He asked, almost on the verge of hyperventilating. "T-This is supposed to be a happy moment, r-right? S-so I why am I like t-this?"
"You said it yourself; you've been hurt before by the people you cared about. You're afraid to get hurt again." Eris replied wisely, offering him a soft smile and cupping his cheek, brushing away a tear. "I understand your fear, Kazuma, but I can promise you that it is unfounded. They will not hurt you."
In an instant, the frightful young man returned Eris' hug with his own, burying his face within the crook of her neck. She tightened her own hug, letting him know she wasn't going anywhere.
However, as fate would have it, Kazuma was going somewhere as a familiar light shined down upon him and lifted him up in the air by complete surprise. He didn't want to go, he was nowhere near ready. What was he supposed to do or say? He didn't know the first thing about entering a singular relationship, let alone a threeway! He needed guidance!
"You'll do fine, Kazuma!" Eris assured him, as though she could read his mind. Still, despite everything, he believed her. "I have faith in you!"
Somehow, somewhere deep within him, he felt a strange sense of calm when she reiterated her complete faith in him. He had to do it, if not for him, then for Eris!
Before Kazuma could promise the goddess that he would do his best, his vision was already engulfed in a bright light once more.
The first thing his body did upon being resurrected was immediately and involuntarily jolting straight up, nearly headbutting Aqua in the process. A loud gasp for air was soon followed as his lungs resumed their normal functions along with the rest of his system. Odd, considering this hasn't happened to him from all his other revives. Maybe it had something to do with how his body unexpectedly died of shock? Hard to say.
Swiftly, his attention swiveled to the three women that were crowded around him, all looking quite upset and confused. Before any of them could get a word out, Kazuma interjected with haste.
"I'm sorry." He said, further adding to the confusion of the distraught women. He elaborated, "I'm sorry I've been such a stubborn jackass. I had a feeling you all felt that way about me, but I didn't want to believe it. I told myself you were infected, or-or controlled or some other stupid shit. I just, I, I didn't, fuck - I'm already ruining everything, aren't I? Story of my life, huh? Heh, heh…"
Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness all stared at him, their expressions a myriad of emotions Kazuma could not for the life of him identify. Why did he always have to make things awkward when it didn't need to be that way?
"L-look, what I'm trying to get across here is...well, I like you guys too. R-Romantically and stuff." He tried again, barely restraining a face palm at how terribly pathetic that sounded. "I...I have no experience with what exactly happens with relationships, so...I'm sorry if I don't really know what to do here."
Kazuma couldn't even bring himself to look at his party when he expressed his innermost concerns. As such, he was promptly caught off guard when he was suddenly assimilated into a group hug by the girls.
"You dummy, we don't know what happens with relationships either," said Aqua, trying and failing to hold back her own tears. "We're just as scared and confused as you are."
"Which means we'll just have to figure it out together. Like a family!" Megumin supplied cheerfully, happy beyond belief that her feelings were reciprocated.
"Indeed. Our own strange little family." Darkness concurred, just as pleased as her fellow party members as her hug increased slightly, making the other three participants wheeze in slight pain. "I'm so happy~!"
Kazuma thought he had already cried all the tears he could when he was with Eris, but, to his surprise, the waterworks started anew as he all but sobbed into his friends' embrace. Were they tears of joy, sadness, or fear? He couldn't really say. Either way, he was simply content with letting it all out again in the arms of the people he loved.
Serena stood outside The Daughter's command center, sweating bullets as she heard the enraged screams and chaos inside. The top general had already been livid after her defeat and the additional betrayal of the turncoat Wolbach. Now, however, receiving word that Satou was alive and thus invalidating the entire attack had finally broke the camel's back.
"She's still throwing her temper tantrum, I see." The remaining wizard remarked coolly from nearby, looking completely disinterested in the apparent mayhem that was raging just behind the door. "Sooner or later, you'll have to bring her back to reality. You two still have much work to do."
"Spare me, cretin. Don't you have a magical border to maintain?" Serena scoffed in irritation, earning her an eye roll but successfully persuading the man to depart. However, this did little to calm her nerves as she eventually steeled herself enough to knock. "M-ma'am. We have new orders."
A beat of silence as the muffled chaos stopped, almost as though a switch had been flipped and calmed the raging inferno on the other side of the door. After a minute or so of tense silence, a neutral "Enter." was growled from the other side of the door. Tentatively, Serena did as instructed, revealing the mess of a room inside.
The main table, formerly used for battlefield simulations and travel plans was violently smashed to little more than splinters, as was most of the surrounding furniture. There was also several holes punched in the surrounding walls, each of which looked larger than the last.
Finally, Serena's gaze drifted to The Daughter herself, who stood on the far side of the room, now painfully calm. Slowly, she turned just enough to look at Serena, her golden eyes still blazing with barely restrained fury.
"Yes, Serena?"
"W-we have new orders, ma'am." The nervous priestess explained, composing herself hastily as not to show any weakness in front of her superior. "You father has ordered us to move on towards the main kingdom. He says it's a far more important target given the current status of our failing alliance with several other communities, and a show of strength is needed."
The Daughter seemed to mull of Serena's words, before turning to face her and nodding once, her hands folded behind her back.
"Very well. I shall depart immediately." She stated calmly, before pointing a gloved hand towards the priestess menacingly. "You, however, will remain here. I have a new assignment for you, one I am fully confident my father will support."
"I-I see." Serena replied, slightly concerned by the implication of such an order. "And this assignment is..?"
"Find out everything you can about Kazuma Satou and his merry band of morons." The Daughter growled, her eyes shining with untold power once more as her fists curled reflexively. "They humiliated me, and now I'm going to find out everything I can about them, and use it to crush them properly."
