"One hundred and forty eight...One hundred and forty nine...One hundred fifty! My, Kazuma you sure are in for a treat today. "
Luna waltzed into the backroom, reappearing with a large sack over her shoulders.
"My... This sure is heavy."
A loud thud echoed across the hall shortly after she planted it onto the counter. As the contents were not settled in properly, the sack slanted sideways allowing Kazuma to peek a glimpse of the countless bundles of Eris notes stored within it.
Luna clapped her hands with joy.
"Here is your reward of fifteen million Eris for eliminating one hundred and fifty skeleton warriors! Congratulations!"
YES I HAVE STRUCK LOTTERY, TODAY IS A GREAT DAY!
...
Kazuma lugged the sack of cash back to their mansion, pushing the heavy doors aside to reveal his three guild mates seated on the couch. Their backs were arched forward, their eyes were locked on to Kazuma like a pack of ferocious predators.
"Pppp...pay...payayayayouts."
Kazuma could barely recognize their words from all the slobbering.
He parked himself abruptly in front of them, his eyes narrowing darkly, lips curling into a distorted, sadistic grin. Purposely moving his hands ever so slowly onto the sack.
The three if them were sweating profusely, eyes widening in anticipation.
Waiting for payouts sure looks excruciating.
But...Heh.
It was probably the biggest tease they will ever experience in their life anyways.
...
"JUST HURRY UP ALREADY YOU TRASHZUMA."
Aqua yelled in annoyance, in the meantime forcefully kicking the sack, flipping it sideways and causing an endless bundle of notes to spill onto the floor.
THIS AQUA RUINING ALL MY FUN!
Kazuma squinted his eyes at Aqua with overly malicious intent, sending chills down her spine.
I will deal with you later...
...
"Alright! Here is how we are going to split it: The house itself gets one million Eris, Megumin, Darkness and I will get three million each..."
Kazuma braced himself for the chaos that was sure to follow.
"...And Aqua gets to keep five million."
...
Everything went just as expected, Aqua's eyes lit up with joy, while the other two guild members did not reciprocate the same gesture. Both of them made their way to Kazuma's sides, forcefully pulling a side of his ear in unison.
"OUUUCHHH."
"What is with this unfair treatment? Darkness and I risked our lives for this job and got way less that the person that didn't do anything..."
Aqua's vein popped at that comment, suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to fight. However upon realizing how truthful Megumin was, she eventually decided to back down and bury her face into her knees to mask her annoyance.
Petty matters aside, Kazuma had to think of an appropriate excuse without exposing Aqua's pregnancy. All the while having his head stretched apart by Megumin and Darkness.
Come on Kazuma, think ... THINK!
...
Talk about convenient lies rolling off the tongue.
"THE SCENT OF THE UNDEAD PRESENCE TAINTS THE PURITY OF THE ARCH PRIEST. WHICH MAY RESULT IN ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS. THE MONEY IS FOR HER MEDICINE."
...
Megumin raised one of her eyebrows, seemingly catching on to Kazuma's weak lie.
"But Two million extra? Come now Kazuma you should know that is a little too much..."
Shit, I am at a dead end here, what choice do I have now?
Should I just tell them the truth?
Shit.
Shit.
...
"... But Holy cleansing medicine is pretty expensive around these parts, so I guess that I can live with that."
Darkness and Megumin retracted their hands from Kazuma's bright red ears, seemingly satisfied with the answer.
...
" I am going to get some upgrades for my staff, which will allow me to cast even bigger explosions! How about you Aqua and Darkness?"
"I have not thought about it yet..."
Aqua's response caught Megumin off guard. Usually Aqua would be the one rushing off headfirst to spend her money.
"Well, my armor is pretty much gone from that explosion..."
Darkness glanced at Megumin, who had dipped her head in guilt.
"...Not to worry Megumin! Getting a better set is not a problem!"
As soon as the two left the house, Kazuma twisted his head around, resuming his dark gaze onto Aqua.
Don't even start to think of spending that extra money...
...After all, its for the child, not for you...
The provoking look drove Aqua to pout her lips in annoyance before kicking up her usual tantrums once again. This time however, she launched herself at Kazuma from the sofa, relentlessly hammering her fists on his chest.
Something felt wrong, he did not expect such an aggressive overreaction from Aqua.
...
"BAKA KAZUUUMAH STOP MAKING ME LOOK LIKE SOME SORT OF SCUM."
Her tantrums becoming unreasonably violent, to the point at which Kazuma could not tolerate it any longer. He locked his hands firmly on Aqua's wrist before slowly bringing them down to her waist level.
"Geez whats the problem with you today!?"
Kazuma heaved a sigh of relief before regaining his natural expression. Meanwhile, Aqua's eyes were puffing up with tears, all the while biting her lips to mask her sorrow.
Or she was trying to mask her sorrow... but failing rather miserably at it.
She made a last ditch attempt by burying her face into Kazuma's chest, catching him completely by surprise.
"BWAAHHHHHH KAZUMAHHH YOU MEANIE!"
...
Talk about a mood swing...
Thats right... If I could remember correctly from biology lessons.
Mood swings are pretty common for pregnant females.
Especially for this goddess.
...
Kazuma remained silent, all the while only looking at her with sadness in his eyes.
After all, he was the one that inflicted this ordeal onto her.
For such a useless bitch, at least her hair smells pleasant.
Kazuma snapped out of his thoughts as he felt the presence of moisture building up on his shirt.
"AAAAGHHH AQUA STOP BITING MY SHIRT YOU NINCOMPOOP!"
...
Aqua gazed upwards into the Kazuma's sorrowful forest green orbs.
"KAAHHHZUUMA STOP PRETENDING TO LOOK LIKE THE VICTIM HERE! ITS ALL YOUR FAULT THAT YOU COULD NOT CONTROL YOUR D**K THAT NIGHT!"
God dammit and here I am busting my brains out to make things better for you, at least cut me some slack...
Slack...
An idea flashed in Kazuma's head.
Maybe I can advert her crisis with this.
...
"Aqua, why not we go out and enjoy ourselves a little bit. Like walk around, do some shopping..."
Aqua raise her head in what looked like amazement. Usually Kazuma would just sling even more insults at her constant whining. This time however, an unprecedented wide grin that form on his face suggested otherwise.
Aqua gingerly wiped her tearful eye with her index finger, finding herself softly smiling at Kazuma as well, being elated at this newfound development.
Aqua's sure looks cute when she cries AND when she smiles like that.
Kazuma let a feeling of warmth surge through his inner being. Although it felt entirely alien to him, it didn't felt so bad...
Despite the numerous times they had been around the town of Axel, they were fortunate enough to encounter a festival currently taking place, celebrating the coming of Autumn.
As large masses of people streamed across the streets relentlessly, their deafening chatters filled the air with exuberance and abundant energy. Many of them surveying the countless assortments of booths. Meanwhile, their respective store owners were busily selling a wide assortment of antique wares you wouldn't usually find anywhere else. The deafening commotion was further offset by upbeat and catchy music was played in the background to enhance the festive ambiance that enveloped the streets.
Aqua being entranced by the limitless collection of antiques left on sale, advanced rapidly through the booths. It was not before long that Kazuma lost her in the crowd, ultimately leaving Kazuma by himself.
"Dam that Goddess, always running off by herself to who knows where."
...
Out of the corner of his eye, a glistening sparkle caught his attention. Kazuma swiftly shifting his gaze onto the source.
It was a golden ring with a small diamond embedded within it.
Despite how simple the ring looked at first glance, its construction was truly noteworthy. The metal was carved flawlessly with even contours throughout, giving it a luster that was unlike any other ring he had seen around the shops of Axel. The diamond itself had been cut with inhuman precision; a glistening cube lodged comfortably within the socket.
"Hey sir, you look really fond of this little treasure we have here. Its all yours for 500,000 Eris."
...
500,000 Eris was a steep price to pay.
...
However, Kazuma was far too fixated onto the ring to reply the shopkeeper. His mind remained a blank, instead allowing his instincts to freely influence his decisions.
Something within Kazuma prevented him from parting with this ring.
It was as though he was drawn to this ring by fate itself.
Kazuma making up his mind, signaled for the shopkeeper's attention.
"I will take it, but could you perhaps do something for me?"
...
...
"Kaaazuuumaaa... Where were you?"
Aqua weaved through the crowd, her voice imitating that of a siren's call. It did take some time, but she eventually found Kazuma seated at the edge of a fountain munching on a candied apple.
Her eyes locked on the candied apple, occasionally bringing up her arm to wipe away any traces of drool.
"WHATS THAT?"
Aqua advanced towards Kazuma, with puppy eyes that were screaming out for small bite.
...
This girl will just bite the whole damn thing off.
Unfortunately for her, Kazuma instinctively let off an animalistic snarl, discouraging her approach. Catching her off guard and scaring the life out of her.
That gives me a little idea...
...
"Anyways Kazuma! The festival itself features quite a roster of live performances at the market center!"
...
Kazuma released a subtle smirk before grinning at Aqua menacingly.
"Lets just relax for a while, can't you see that I am enjoying this scrumptious delicacy."
He proceeded to take another bite of his candied apple, this time chewing ever so slowly, producing distinct crunching noises that sent Aqua squirming with frenzy. Encouraged by this scene, Kazuma went on to add salt to the wound; finishing off with a satisfied burp. Jumping up, he balled up his free hand into a fist in exclamation to deliver his killing blow.
"OOOOOHHHH... This caramel combined with the juices that burst from the apple's flesh just melts in your mouth, creating a sugary nectar that leaves a behind a soothing warmth as it edges along my throat!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOO..."
The profound description by Kazuma was too overbearing for Aqua to comprehend. Forcing her to bring both hands to her temples and kneel in defeat.
HEHEH I WIN! FOR I HAVE SUBJUGATED THE GODDESS ONCE MORE!
...
Nevertheless, Kazuma quickly wrapped up his sadistic joke. There was ample time to fool around later, but the performances were something Kazuma was expressing great curiosity over.
They had arrived on time.
The stage itself was pitch dark. The only things visible were four tiny amber flames dancing around in strange but coordinated movements. As they hovered above the corners, a beam of soft light illuminated the platform, unveiling four lean, tanned men wearing loin cloths with tribal tattoos running down their body. Each of them carried a bottle of clear fluid and a wooden torch.
The audience responded in kind with a deafening applause.
After taking a swig from their bottles, they aligned their burning torches with their mouths and released the liquid from their under pressure. The liquid ignited instantly, creating a magnificent stream of bright orange that shot up into the night sky.
The fire breathers continuously pranced around the stage in accordance to the rhythmic drumbeats in background, conjuring numerous unique art forms by adjusting the trajectory and pressure of the liquid.
Amazing...
Aqua jolted up from the sudden burst of light and proceeded to tightly hug Kazuma's arm. With her soft hand delicately holding on to his.
Heh
Feels about right.
...
Time passed like a blur, and it was not before long that the last of the explosive performances finally coming to a close; A spectacular way to signify the end of the the Autumn Market Festival.
The streets of Axel was quiet was again as people from the crowd began to peel off, but as for Kazuma and Aqua, it was still much too early to return home.
They returned to the fountain, finding a seat on the rims on the fountain to rest their fatigued legs.
The area was lit by a lone street lamp.
...
Aqua was the first to break the silence, bowing her head apologetically at Kazuma while shifting her hands together, nervously toying with her fingers.
"Despite how terribly I was behaving, I did not expect myself to even go that far. It is really unbecoming of a goddess. Sorry Kazuma."
Her voice had a tangy, sweet tinge to them. Generating a pleasant warmth that traversed across his inner being.
"You know, you should express your feelings like that more often, maybe I wont insult you as much."
This lingering warmth felt nice, if only it would last forever.
"Anyways, Its not entirely your fault, you were having moods wings that I am largely responsible for."
The sudden revelation caused Aqua's to jerk her head towards Kazuma. His revelation coming to Aqua as a bombshell.
Kazuma had decided to pin the blame on himself as opposed to her for the first time.
With such an unpredictable turn of events. Aqua could not resist smiling to herself, causing bright pink streaks to gradually make their way across her cheeks.
...
"Well its alright! The Goddess of water forgives you! All you just need to do is to feed me whenever I say AHHHH for the rest of the day and all is forgiven!"
Kazuma simply sighed at her ridiculous request, before tossing a brown paper bag at her.
Catching it in midflight, Aqua excitedly proceeded to unwrap the article.
It was a skewered candied apple.
She turned her gaze back at Kazuma, her cerulean eyes cloudy from the tears, genuinely grateful for the treat.
She is cute when she cries like that, especially when shes not being a bitch.
Kazuma snickered in response to her reaction.
"Maybe I can start with this ... Goddess."
...
Meanwhile not far from where Kazuma and Aqua were situated, Megumin and Darkness had expertly hid themselves along a deserted alleyway.
"I KNEEEWWWW SOMETHING WAS UPP! Look at how close they are to each other!"
Megumin pouted in annoyance.
Darkness was curled up in a ball against, her arms wrapped around her body which was shuddering violently.
"I bet, Aqua is using her body to entice Kazuma perverted nature. Just thinking about how shes going to be treated... Ueeeggh."
Darkness flung her head back in ecstasy, causing Megumin to groan in response.
"We will confront Kazuma about this later..."
Unfortunately for Megumin and Darkness, they had returned to the mansion much later than expected. With Aqua and Kazuma having arrived an hour prior and turned themselves in.
Relying on Darkness for navigation was a mistake to begin with.
"Next time, I am doing the navigation..."I guess I would just have to confront them tomorrow..."
...
"Megumin, its your turn to do the laundry isn't it?"
Megumin sulked upon hearing Darkness's question. After all, stalking the same people over the course of a day took a great toll on her. Unlike Darkness, she was nearing the point of physical exhaustion. It was purely evident from the fact that she was struggling to maintain her balance.
"Right, I was so caught up in this Kazuma Aqua business that I had forgotten about it."
The prospect of resting while Megumin was working her ass off didn't sit well with Darkness. With that, She decided to offer her hand to Megumin.
"How about we do the laundry together!"
Megumin eyes widened, beaming with gratitude as she accepted her offer.
...
Darkness effortlessly lugged the heavy laundry basket into the washing bay, pouring out the contents into the basin as it was filling up with water. Megumin got busy with the cleaning agents: Rolling up her sleeves, measuring out an adequate amount of washing liquid and stirring the mixture with her hands. After the soap had settled within the laundry, they separated them into two piles. Megumin willingly took the larger pile much to the dismay of Darkness.
Sigh I hate laundry duty...
...
Darkness completed her pile first, but had decided to remain silent as Megumin tirelessly scrubbed the laundry against the washboards. Observing her friend's well-being closely just in case she collapses from overexertion.
Minutes felt like hours as Megumin was finally able to complete her task, all that was left was Kazuma's pants.
"Thats strange, what is with this bulge?"
A sleepy-eyed Megumin shot awake immediately, her eyes zoning across Kazuma pants searching for the aforementioned article.
Her hands dived into the pockets, retrieving a small navy blue box, which caused Darkness to yelped in surprise, for she foresaw what that box held.
Megumin pried the box open, revealing a golden diamond ring.
"Its an engagement ring ..."
"PRESUMABLY FOR AQUA."
Megumin's herself was equally flabbagasted, her hands shooting up instantly, covering her mouth to block off an impending scream. She pocketed the box and resumed her work, taking deep breaths to regain her composure.
...
A multitude of thoughts began spinning inside Megumin's mind, however she was unable to arrive at a logical conclusion.
Nothing made any sense whatsoever.
Nothing so far could really explain the paradigm shift in Kazuma's behavior.
After all, Aqua and Kazuma's relationship had always been platonic up until recently.
Unless they were hiding it all this while.
No its not possible, Aqua had always been the most honest of the group. Even if she did try to lie, she was terrible at it. On top of all that, assuming they did start their relationship recently, wasn't engagement a little too rushed?
...
A wave from Darkness broke her train of thoughts.
"Hey Megumin, I have finally hung up the remainder of the clothes! Do rest well for tonight!"
Megumin nodded silently in agreement, grinning weakly at Darkness as a sign of appreciation.
It was too late for this anyways, I will confront Kazuma first thing tomorrow morning. After all, I am sure he would tell me the truth if he wants this back.
...