"When we lose one blessing, another is often most unexpectedly given in its place."
...
The traders and merchants along the nearby trade route held their breaths in amazement.
It resembled an enormous pillar of water emerging from within the atmosphere itself, majestic and magnificent. Its descent upon the source of their collective fears felt like god's divine wrath, creating violent aftershocks that sent people sprawling on their knees, yet it did little to deter these folk from the awe-inspiring sight. After all, no other feeling in the world beats having all your anxieties doused away in one fell swoop. The wave of bliss that sweep across the columns of traders was nothing short of rejuvenating, inciting them into a panicked frenzy, charging across the landscape, eager to meet their newfound heroes.
Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the group of five within the valley. Grief and fatigue were only few of the negative emotions they were experiencing as they trudged back to the carriage. A result that stemmed from a series of unfortunate events chained in rapid succession.
To Kazuma, everything felt nothing more than a nightmare.
Was this karma?
With no banner and no legendary sword to return to the Guild master, meant no rewards to collect. On top of that, Wiz would have no food on the table once again.
Everything made worst upon realizing the amount of time, effort and energy invested into the quest was all for naught.
...
Kazuma glanced at Aqua, deeply concerned over her state of mind. Deep down inside, he knew that Aqua's anger was just a front to mask her real feelings.
Or rather, that was what he was hoping for.
Its unnatural for such an all mighty Goddess to expose their vulnerabilities willingly. Such circumstances were rare, often unheard of.
Aqua glanced across as Kazuma, catching hold of his sight but said nothing. Instead immediately pouted her lips in irritation and swerving her head away from Kazuma, proudly displaying her discontentment.
Guess she isn't lying.
Guess I have to make for that somehow.
...
...
"Hey! Its them!"
The shouts of jubilee brought Kazuma and the rest upright, jerking their heads around in bewilderment. Only to be greeted by a massive congregation of what seemed like traders and merchants alike, along with their overloaded caravans.
They were streaming in from all directions, the sheer mob of people refusing to stabilize.
...
...
Unfortunately, the uproar was too much for him to swallow, making Kazuma dizzy from the overwhelming, deafening applause and praise that erupted before them.
As he gradually regained his bearings from what felt like migraine, he took a good look at his team members, individually observing each of them.
Aqua forever acting high and mighty, waving her hands as though she was some famous celebrity greeting her fans.
Wiz the ever shy necromancer, politely acknowledging their cheers with a genuine smile plastered across her face.
Darkness who was carrying a lethargic but barely functioning Megumin, held up a thumbs up and grinned widely at the crowd in unison.
"Thank you so much!"
"You guys are heroes!"
"Thank you for freeing us."
Everyone was soaking in their newfound glory, seemingly able to put the awful memories of the quest behind them.
Except a lone disorientated Kazuma that shied away from the limelight. Standing behind the four of them with arms buried deep in his pockets. With a look of guilt etched onto his face.
Truth to be told, I rather sing praises along with the crowd.
...
...
...
They had arrived at Axel around the brink of twilight. After meticulously checking the physical condition of the party, Kazuma prompted them to return to the house first while he alone would turn in the completed quest. Feeling extra terrible for the events, Kazuma invited Wiz to stay for dinner as a sign of apology.
It was the least he could do.
His legs were pretty much gone, hence he made the choice of taking the carriage afterwards.
...
If they were remotely nice, perhaps we can get a small portion of the reward...
Probably not... Its just wishful thinking.
...
"Pity, you couldn't retrieve the banner or the sword. Now we would have no proof of your accomplishment Kazuma."
Kazuma glanced at the guild master across the counter-top. His deep forest green eyes seemingly cold and heartless, devoid of life.
...
...
Luna broke her pitiful expression, replacing it with a reassuring smile.
"But lucky for you, the number of merchants sending in witness testimonies were astounding. Since they were the most affected by the barbarians rampages, I would say that is enough proof to cement your completion of the quest."
...
"Huh?"
Kazuma's baffled response would have to wait, as Luna was already in the backroom digging out bag after bag of Eris.
...
Kazuma was beyond dumbfounded at Luna's response as countless amounts of wealth flooded the counter-top.
It was more than what Kazuma could have ever imagined.
However, Kazuma did not give away even the slightest bit of joy at his accomplishment.
Rather, it was impossible for him to.
After all, it was his lust for money that endangered his party to begin with.
Was he supposed to seek satisfaction from the very same vice that drove him to near insanity?
...
Everything felt episodic and turbulent; Kazuma seemingly tossed around by events that had occurred. At this juncture, it was difficult to even distinguish sadness or happiness. Or rather, he did not know what to feel anymore.
All this money, but not a least bit satisfied?
...
Luna was puzzled at Kazuma's underwhelming reaction. After all, it was a first for her to watch an adventurer so depressed after being awarded with such a hefty sum of money. Nevertheless, she decided to help Kazuma load the sacks onto the carriage, evading the questions invoked by her curiosity.
"Well, these wealthy merchants were rather assertive, deciding to fight against the guildmasters for withholding your rewards. Of course the pressure was too great, leading us to compromise our decision. Thus we would be granting you the full reward of the quest itself. They have also sponsored another hundred percent of the original amount. Make that twenty four million Eris for your hard work. My, at this rate you are probably going to become the richest man in Axel."
A weak grin managed to escape Kazuma's lips, muttering a few audible words of gratitude before his departure from the guild house.
...
Needless to say, all the girls were dancing with joy at their payouts. Pooling together a huge sum of money to invite a highly decorated chef, one that was able to continuously churn out a ridiculous assortment of scrumptious dishes: Spicy Meat Curries, fragrant rice, crispy and colorful vegetable fry, refreshing soups were only but a few that dominated the dining table.
It was a feast at full force meant for all to be enjoyed.
...
Aqua rose from her seat in a weirdly glamorized fashion, splaying her arms outwards and making a declaration.
" SINCE I AM THE ONE THAT SAVED YOUR ASSES TODAY! I GET TO CHOOSE THE DISHES! OH AND EVERYONE IS TO DIG IN AND LEAVE NOTHING BEHIND YOU HEAR ME! WE ALL DESERVE IT LETS GO!"
Aqua had already launched her cutlery at the food, madly gobbling down sustenance like some outrageous, unfemale-like, feral pig. Provoking Wiz, Darkness and Megumin to do the same. However unlike the rest, Kazuma's appetite was not even a match to theirs despite his equally exhausted state. His pickings on his plate had been rather poor, prompting Megumin to dump more food onto it, much to Kazuma's surprise. Yet nobody had seemed to notice the paradigm shift in his behavior.
Perhaps he had been hiding it too well.
...
Megumin waved her fork in circles at Kazuma in pure amusement.
"Dear Kazuma... You need to eat more so that you can come up with better attack strategies!"
...
Kazuma gingerly swallowed the food and washed it down with his drink. Mustering the best smile of gratitude he could to Megumin.
"Right thanks..."
...
"You know, if something is wrong, please do not hesitate to speak up."
Megumin managed to unveil Kazuma's pokerface, much to his surprise.
"No thanks, I rather not break the occasion."
"It has been 22 weeks since then..."
Casting that spell alone use had left her more drained than she was usually accustomed to. On top of all that, her pregnancy had only served to aggravate her physical fatigue.
Aqua turned herself away from the calender, gingerly removing her hairband before untying her hair, brushing it down ever so slowly to release the tense locks. Adjusting herself such that her back was leaning against the bedframe, while her legs tucked away under the covers. Aqua proceeded to lower her head, meticulously inspecting her belly. If memories of human biology served her well, this size would indicate the halfway mark.
"This little baby, I swear I will punish it good for causing me so much trouble. Then after that I will punish that Kazuma for impregnating me...Oh I forgot to tell him something."
Aqua jokingly mused at herself.
...
"You were saying?"
The familiar voice made Aqua leap up in surprise. Turning around, she was greeted by the last person she'd expected to see in her room of all places.
"Yo..."
Aqua's eyes narrowed, gleaming darkly at Kazuma without realizing the melancholy that was plaguing him.
"If you want another baby you would have to wait another twenty weeks... Even so I wont make it easy for you to get one..."
...
Kazuma said nothing, instead settling himself onto the side of Aqua's bed, much to Aqua's surprise.
"Kazuma, I am really tired and I would like to go to bed now..."
Aqua was wincing but Kazuma refused to budge.
He had to tell her everything.
"You said you were really angry with me today, and I am really sorry for making you so worried. For coming so close to break the promise I had made."
...
Aqua's eyes moistened up as the tragic memories of Kazuma's apparent death flooded back into her mind.
"Baka Kazuma... Is that all you have to say for yourself..."
...
Kazuma turned around to face her, ever so delicately laying his palm on her oversized abdomen.
"During that quest, I only wanted to get enough money to relief your stress, bring you somewhere relaxing... I don't really understand the pain of carrying a child but I could only assume that it was no easy feat. It felt unfair that I was getting away scot free while you were shouldering all the burdens.
Kazuma's hiccups were spiraling out of control, jerking his head away from Aqua to hide his sorrow.
...
"But because I was greedy... Because I wanted money... I put everyone's lives in danger because of my own selfishness... I am so pathetic..."
Men dont cry...
Men dont cry...
Men dont cry...
...
"Kazuma, lie down here now."
Aqua's voice was soothing and unusually calm, displaying no evidence of spite.
Kazuma willingly complied, lying against her pillow to face her. Resuming that same position during the night of their proposal.
Legs tangled together, faces separated once again by mere distance.
Her soft hands delicately cupped Kazuma side jaw, her fingers grazing along his cheek. Her deep saddened cerulean eyes studying Kazuma's grief ridden ones.
He sure looks more pathetic than me for once.
That little mental remark made Aqua grin a little, much to Kazuma's confusion.
...
His heartfelt confession tugged against Aqua's heartstrings. Her angsty outburst earlier suddenly was so unjustified, so unfair.
Too cruel for her untainted heart.
Part of Aqua felt sorry for the treatment she gave Kazuma at the valley.
She could not bear this any longer.
With one gentle push, she closed the distance between them. Implanting her soft lips onto Kazuma's own, locking him into the moment instantly.
The kiss was passionate, slow and sensual. Their tongues gracefully dancing around while exploring and tasting each other out. Though the kiss initially felt out of place, they didn't care. Both of them were young, dumb and seemingly broken beyond repair, deeply enjoying all the built up adrenaline and intimacy coursing through their veins. Like an overpowered healing salve, its sweetness allowing Kazuma's tangled state to unravel as they progressed further into the kiss.
They separated ever so slowly, foreheads remained touching each other. With deep crimson blushes clouding their respective faces.
Kazuma brushed his lips against Aqua's cheek, inhaling deeply. Catching as much of her alluring lavender scent. Imprinting every detail of her supernatural beauty into his memories. Meanwhile, Aqua moved her hands behind Kazuma's shoulders, tugging him closer.
"Yes you did something terrible today... But we all can overlook it because you are someone very dear to us ... To me. This baby will need you one day. No matter what happens after this, If you can't stay strong for us, at least stay strong for your daughter."
Kazuma's murmurs were mixed with confusion at Aqua's confession, causing her to giggle at his expression.
"Daughter...?"
...
"Before Darkness returned to deliver that heart wrenching update. I went for a checkup at the local hospital..."
It was at that moment when Kazuma was finally reborn into this world. Unable to hide his excitement at his child's very first identity, he instinctively wrapped his arms around Aqua, gently embracing her. With any trace of his previous grievances burned away.
"For you, for her I will be stronger."
They separated again before closing the night with another kiss.
Love is marvel in its own right: Empowering people to rewrite their most dastardly mistakes and reforge them into an everlasting blessing.
_
"Port Silasel, we have finally arrived."
Kazuma's and Aqua's eyelids fluttered open, having fallen into a deep slumber during the journey.
The sight before them was simply astounding.
A whitewashed town with numerous clusters of small houses neatly linked together by a network of narrow brick roads. Further upfront, the clear, crystalline brackish waters lapping against the fine sandy beaches. The entire region enclosed within a bay that fend off stormy winds and stabilize water currents, topping it up with the magnificent backdrop of the sunset.
Kazuma could not help but grin with this development. It felt as his dream came to life. it was the ideal tropical beach vacation for the both of them.
The villa Kazuma had reserved for the holidays was the final cherry on top.
The architecture was mainly inspired from those Colonial houses birthed during the rule of the ever prevailing British Empire. It was painted mostly white with streaks of brown hue resembling wood. As Aqua affectionately tugged Kazuma around the house itself, the mini tour revealed a fully equipped kitchen, dining room, a bath room, a master bedroom and a small private swimming pool. The furniture looked fine and pristine, crafted out of exotic materials: Marble, Maple, Oak. The list was possibly endless.
Kazuma was admiring at the villa in pure awe. Back in Tokyo, he'd normally seen pictures of them in history textbooks, but had never been expected to meet such a well duplicated replica, particularly in this alternate world.
...
After the luggage were brought into the master bedroom, Kazuma immediately began the arduous process unpacking while Aqua being Aqua, pranced around the house admiring every whimsical detail of their accommodation.
"Hey! Useless goddess, help me unpack your clothes. I don't want my hands to go through your filthy undergarments."
Kazuma eyes widened upon realizing what he had said. Visibly holding what seemed like Aqua's panties within his grasp in utter surprise.
...
Aqua and undergarments never belonged in the same sentence.
Unfortunately for him, everything after that point was piling up against a slippery slope.
Having Aqua returned to the room, finding Kazuma staring at her panties was the first straw that broke the camel's back.
"PERVERT! HENTAI YOU BAKAH KAZUUMAA!"
Aqua was blushing hard from the scene, ripping her undergarment from Kazuma and placing neatly onto the designated portion of her wardrobe.
Kazuma noticed that Aqua had extended her skirt such that it covered her thighs as well.
"Wow, I didn't expect you to remember at all... congratulations you aren't as hopeless as I thought after all..."
That comment made Aqua's vein burst.
"HUH? JUST BECAUSE I HAVE BECOME MORE MODEST...THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN GO AROUND SNIFFING MY UNDERWEAR! IF YOU WANT TO FEEL THE REAL DEAL, AT THE VERY LEAST BE PATIENT TILL I DELIVER MY BABY KAZUMA..."
Kazuma narrowed his eyelids at her unusual imaginative yet slightly morbid response, shrugging his shoulders casually to dismiss Aqua's rant
"What's with you? Are you saying you desire more? I mean I wouldn't mind a son either. Maybe I can finally experience real pleasurable sex with you as opposed to that drunk mess last time... "
Aqua's overreaction almost sent Kazuma into a panic attack. With her mood-swings eventually escalating out of control, she lunged at Kazuma like a veracious predator from out of nowhere, forcing the both of them to land gently on the master bed.
"RAWR!"
...
You stupid goddess, if the landing wasn't soft you could have killed the damn baby...
"BAKAH KAZUMA... I HATE YOU... HMPH"
...
They laid on the bed for quite a long time, Aqua's arms wrapped tightly around Kazuma while her head buried within the crook of his neck, soaking up his warmth and childishly refusing to let go. Unless her hug was some form of sacred, divine, punishment, Kazuma was left ultimately perplexed by her actions. Yet drawing forth strange pleasure from all the physical contact.
Honestly her ideas for punishments weren't half bad though, at least for him.
"Hey Aqua..."
Her eyes remained forcefully shut, her words barely audible as her lips were planted firmly against Kazuma's lapel.
"Mmmm, yes my dear NEET?"
Kazuma's vein burst at that remark.
That's it...Its my turn...
Kazuma pried Aqua away with an aggressive maneuver, leaving her startled momentarily. Using this window of opportunity to press his advantage, Kazuma speedily laid Aqua onto the bed. His hands pinning Aqua's wrists onto the bed sheets as he resumed the position of dominance over her. With Kazuma firing dark glares of ecstasy into her quivering cerulean eyes.
The tables have been turned my dear Goddess bitch.
Aqua could only stare at Kazuma helplessly as a deep crimson swept across her face. Much to Kazuma's satisfaction.
She was probably thinking: How is Kazuma gonna violate me now given her vulnerable state?
Kazuma laid himself next to Aqua, releasing his firm grip on her wrists and gently wrapped his arms around her like bolster. Huskily whispering words into her ear leaving her spellbound.
"For the entire duration of the trip, we are going to be this close to one another."
Aqua wanted to bite back at Kazuma's brazen comment, but the comforting warmth that enshrouded their bodies had made her much to drowsy to rebuke. She eventually dozed off with a grin stretched across her lips, knowing that there was a vacation to look forward to the following day.
...