Suffering from the critical blows we received from Vanir, Darkness and I made our way back to the mansion in complete silence.
The air between us was immensely awkward.
After hearing all of that embarrassing stuff, there was no way I could look her in the eye for at least a split second.
What should I do in this situation? I would be a coward, contradicting what I always proclaimed to be: a man who yearns for true gender equality and shows no weakness or mercy to women. A man who wouldn't hesitate if a woman wanted to bear his child.
And, of course, delivering a dropkick to any women if the situation warranted it.
"Kazuma..."
I caught her soft voice, tinged with anxiety.
"Yes?"
I responded quickly, perhaps a little too quickly.
Oh no, did I make it obvious that I wanted her to say something?
"You might already know what I'm going to say, but since we're alone..."
I swallowed hard, waiting nervously for her next words.
It was probably what Vanir had mentioned, her earlier thoughts.
"Will you share your room with me? And if you'd like, you can also come sleep in my room. W-We can take turns if you'd like! Even days for my room, and odd days for your room."
She seemed unusually bold and generous today.
Wait, what am I doing? I should be the one taking the lead in the relationship, showing my manly side. I can't just rely on Darkness to do all the work. I need to step up and be proactive too.
If this is a game of who has more determination to take charge, then I'll play along.
"Sure, you can stay in my room tonight. We'll take turns sleeping in each other's rooms."
I forced myself to project confidence, even though my heart was racing.
"D-Does that mean we can-"
"Of course. Whenever you're ready, we can do whatever we want in our rooms. I won't reject anything you ask of me."
"N-No, I don't mean that! Didn't you say that we should take it slow and steady? I was just wondering if you could cuddle with me since I already did it last time..."
She shifted her gaze away from me, her embarrassment evident in her actions.
Ah, she's already one step ahead of me with a simple request. The only way I can outdo her is if I skip ahead to the last stage of what couples do.
"What Vanir said wasn't a complete lie... But even I have my limits when it comes to... lewdness. It was just a thought, and I certainly wasn't planning on rushing into everything on the first day... So please don't think that I'm some kind of hopeless woman constantly in heat, okay?"
"S-Sure, we'll take it at your pace. And as for what Vanir predicted, well, I might just find a way to reward you for standing up for me against those girls."
If this is where our conversation is heading, then I'll focus on pushing Vanir's words out of my mind.
A glimmer of hope sparkled in her blue eyes, and I couldn't help but smile.
"So you're truly not mad at me? Even after saying all of those embarrassing things about you in front of everyone?"
"At first I was only a bit angry. As much as I wanted to be angry at you, I couldn't. Because I'm not a dumb person, Darkness. I know you tried your best efforts to defend me. So there's really no need to lecture you about anything. Past is the past. Best thing to do is if we could see the future of those actions."
"I'll admit that there was a hint of jealousy mixed in with my outburst. It's just that whenever I walked into town alone or with Chris, I've always overheard groups of girls talking about you. Some were rude insults and gossip, but there were also some who were surprisingly praising you. There was this group of succubi, in particular, who seemed to hold you in high regard."
There is no way I am going to tell her that the group of succubi held me in a very high regard because of the premium service they always gave me during lonely winter time. And also the profits they've received from those premium services and the conjoined Aqua and Eris festival combined together.
"Apology accepted, Darkness. Let's not dwell on it anymore. We're already back home, after all."
Luckily, our current walking pace matched with our conversation speed and I was able to dismay the topic of the conversation to avoid any further trouble.
I realized that Vanir's words, as embarrassing as they were, somehow managed to bring a bit more honesty between us. It's odd to admit it, but perhaps the embarrassing situation from earlier with him did serve some purpose, even if it was intentional to feed on our negative emotions on his part.
And I also won't allow it to happen the second time.
We entered the mansion and were met by Megumin, who was already in her pajamas in the middle of the afternoon, with a towel wrapped around her head.
Wasn't this girl the one who wanted to go do a quest today without any interruptions as well?
"Where did you two run off to?" she asked, giving Chomusuke a thorough towel-drying.
"We went to grab some food since we hadn't eaten anything yet. Also paid a visit to Wiz and Vanir, but they didn't have anything particularly useful for us," I replied, conveniently hiding some minor details.
"Oh, perfect timing then. I was getting ready to resort to eating that week-old meat in the fridge if you took any longer."
With no care in the world of what she was doing in front of me and Darkness, she carefully unwrapped my fingers, grabbing the bags of food from my hands and set it on the dinner table.
I should really clean out the fridge and get rid of that expired meat before Megumin gets desperate enough to eat it in the middle of the night.
"I-I'm going to let Aqua know about the food. She's probably in her room. I'll be right back, okay?"
Darkness excused herself and headed off to find Aqua.
Cautiously, I approached the dining table and began setting out the plates for Megumin and Aqua.
As I was finishing up, Megumin chimed in,
"So, you and Darkness went for a walk, huh? If I can remember... last time you two took a stroll was back in Arcanletia and then stopped. What's with this sudden development between you two?"
I had a feeling she would bring this up. How do I respond to a question like that?
"Well, both you and Aqua were occupied with your pets, and Darkness and I didn't have any pressing matters tend to do, so we decided to get some food after all the work we've been doing."
"Hmm... is that so? Well, that's good to hear. I'm glad you and Darkness had some time to yourselves. Thanks for thinking of us."
She seemed satisfied with my explanation, and I breathed a small sigh of relief that she didn't pry further.
"No problem," I managed to reply, setting the utensils next to Aqua's plate.
"Also, I'm going to visit your room tonight."
Before I had a chance to react to that unexpected announcement:
"Move, Hiki-NEET! Knowing you, you probably licked my plate and utensils, so I need to make sure your KazuGerms didn't contaminate anything!"
Aqua, oblivious to the current mood, shoved me away from her chair and proceeded to grab whatever was in the to-go containers, devouring her breakfast with her usual lack of manners.
"Hey, don't push me after I went out of my way to help set up and buy breakfast for you! And 'KazuGerms'? Seriously? Are you implying that my name is synonymous with a specific species of bacteria and germs? You little-"
Why was I even getting annoyed at this troublesome goddess?
"You didn't even get the wine I asked for!"
Oh right, that's why.
"How dare you..."
I was on the brink of launching into an angry lecture, ready to unleash my fury on this little no-good man-child, making her cry and plead for me to continue giving her a monthly allowance.
But a hand that grabbed my fist stopped me from going any further.
Darkness intervened, giving me a certain look that conveyed a clear message: stay calm and let it go.
Taking a deep breath and regaining my composure, I realized that getting into a confrontation with Aqua wouldn't lead to anything productive. Letting out a sigh, I decided to let it slide for now.
Instead... I'll just wait for an even better moment where she is at her most vulnerable. Then I'll truly give her a traumatic experience worse than what I gave to her back at the dungeon! IThe image of her dressed in a proper, non-lewd maid costume, kneeling before me and addressing me as Lord Kazuma of the Heavens, brought a mischievous grin to my face.
Darkness seemed to step back slightly, probably taken aback by my sudden change in behavior.
"Uwah... Kazuma, your expression is giving me the creeps. Please stop, it's really unsettling. I'm losing my appetite..."
Megumin looked genuinely disturbed by my newfound intensity.
Maybe I should consider rejecting her request to sleep in my room just to mess with her a bit more.
"I don't want to hear that from a girl who survived by eating bugs and was about to resort to eating a week-old expired meat in the fridge!"
"Hey, if you have a problem with my survival methods, say it to my face!"
That was almost similar to what Darkness said an hour ago.
Both of these girls are changing, I noticed.
Their personalities are becoming more similar with each passing day.
It's like Megumin's explosive tendencies are fading, while Darkness's masochistic tendencies are less pronounced.
They're not completely gone, but they're definitely less frequent than before. It's almost as if they're becoming more like regular girls.
"Ah, Megumin, can you pass the maple syrup packet to me?"
Except for Aqua, who remains just as eccentric as ever, even after a year.
"Here you go. Also, Darkness, why did you suddenly grab Kazuma's hands like that? Lately, I've been sensing some tension between you two, even during our trip to the village."
We were caught off guard by her sudden question.
I had underestimated Megumin's perception, forgetting that she possessed above-average intelligence and could easily pick up on subtle shifts in our behavior.
"Well, you know, it's just normal behavior between close friends, right? I've seen you and Aqua hold hands with him, so I didn't think it was a big deal."
"No way I would hold hands with that loser. The only time I did hold hands with Kazuma was when you freaked me out with that monologue about your ideal type, which coincidentally described Kazuma."
Aqua interjected, grabbing the hot sauce bottle and pouring an excessive amount onto her breakfast.
She also added something extremely rude.
"Well that explains Aqua's reasoning—wait a minute! What do you mean by your ideal type describing Kazuma? I wasn't there at all when this occurred... Explain!"
She points at the guilty Darkness with her fork.
Clearly, this topic was significant enough for Megumin to momentarily forget her love for explosions and food that she wanted to continue the conversation instead.
"W-Wait! I can explain! There's nothing wrong with me holding hands with... with... with the man who saved me from an unwanted arranged marriage! Wait a minute, why am I getting ridiculed for holding his hands, when that is all you do! Unlike you, I am willing to take the next step and... and..."
Again, she's letting her jealousy cloud her thoughts and she showed off more than she realized. But was too embarrassed to say it out loud for some reason.
Of course, this infuriated Megumin to the point her eyes were glowing crimson.
"I just heard something that can't be ignored! What do you mean you get to take the next step after getting saved from that man from your marriage?! One that you practically got yourself into! You're not telling me that you arranged that whole marriage situation just to get Kazuma to carry you in his arms, are you?"
As much as I wanted to intervene and halt this argument between the two passionate women...
My pride and ego had other plans.
This was my peak right here.. My hidden luck that I've worked so hard to fight for!
Two drop-dead gorgeous girls fighting over me, never would I have thought this would happen in my life. I'll let them argue until one backs down. And then the winner will get to be with me, the lord and proud owner of Axel.
First we'll need a referee...
I turned to my head to see a constipated Aqua.
"Aqua, don't you think I look like a harem protagonist—"
"C'mon hot sauce! Don't fail me now- Oops!"
Aqua squeezed the hot sauce bottle with such force that the cap shot off, ricocheted across the table, and shattered a glass window.
More importantly, the hot sauce she was attempting to pour ended up splashing directly into my wide-open eyes.
"Gyahhhh!"
I couldn't help but scream in agony, falling dramatically onto my back on the floor.
The bickering girls stopped their argument abruptly, shifting their focus to the handsome man in distress.
"Kazuma, are you alright?"
Darkness, who was already on her feet, reached me first.
Well, I suppose that's karma for getting a bit too cocky over a couple of girls arguing over me...
I exhaled with shame and defeat...
"My apologies, Eris-sama..."
...
While Aqua was busy repairing the window somehow with another set of milk cartons that she somehow turned into see-through glass itself, I was busy tending to my stingy wounds of my eyes.
"Are you sure you don't want Aqua to heal you? After all, it was her fault to begin with."
Darkness inquired, handing me another cold, wet towel.
"No, it's alright. I can manage. I've endured worse injuries before. This is a nothing."
I really wanted to confess to her that Eris-sama might have orchestrated the explosion of the hot sauce bottle as a way to chastise my momentary arrogance in pretending to be a harem protagonist. So, I was determined to bear the punishment fairly, without relying on any shortcuts.
Enduring a splash of hot sauce was likely the least painful option she probably had in mind for me.
I pressed the damp towel against my face, seeking relief from the burning sensation. After a few moments, I carefully removed it and gently rubbed the towel around my eyes.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Darkness looked at me with an expression similar to back when I was repairing her armor during our time spent alone around the campfire when everybody else was asleep.
"O-Oh, it's nothing. I just thought you sounded rather cool when you said that."
That was the type of thing that impressed her?
Me enduring hot sauce splashed into my eyes?
I hadn't been attempting to showcase my manliness or bravery.
More importantly, I went 'Gyahhhh!' like an undead being purified.
I was merely trying to lie about why I decided to not take the shortcut and have my eyes healed.
Her expression did seem a bit genuine, also, did she put on some lipstick? I've now noticed her lips were a bit more glossy and shinier than usual.
I'll take what I can get and accept the compliment graciously and leave it at that...
Is what a coward would say!
"Aqua, splash some more hot sauce into my eyes. I want to see how long I can last without crying like a little girl"
With a serious expression and serious determination in my tone and eyes, I readily declared for a challenge that might reward me something in the future.
"K-Kazuma, are you okay?! Did you hit your head during your fall?"
Darkness looked increasingly worried from my sudden profound personality.
"Kazuma might've turned into a masochist just like you, Darkness. In case you need protection from a goddess like me, I won't hesitate to beat Kazuma to a pulp."
I quickly re-evaluated my situation.
"Aqua, heal me or else your monthly allowance will be cut in half."
I rose from the couch and issued a threat without hesitation.
It was time for Eris-sama's retribution...
"Wahhh! You brute of a man! W-W-Woah-!"
Aqua lost her balance on the ladder and tumbled to the floor.
The absurdity of the scene was so undeniably hysterical that I couldn't help but burst into laughter. It was like watching a cartoon character's misadventures unfold.
"Wahahaha! Serves you right! Karma has gotten you good!"
Even Darkness couldn't contain her amusement, though she muffled her laughter with a hand over her mouth.
"Hehehe.. it seems that what happened just now was way better than seeing your reaction to your monthly allowance being cut in half. I've seen enough. I'm satisfied. I'll end it quickly now with my final attack, to slice your monthly allowance in half!"
I placed my arms on my waist triumphally like an evil main antagonist.
"Wahhh!"
Aqua let out a futile cry in desperation.
"What's going on here...?"
Megumin's voice echoed as she entered the living room from the hallways, having heard all the commotion while she was occupied in her own room.
Aqua gave me a smug grin, clearly indicating that she had a scheme in mind that was bound to make things even more complicated.
"I overheard Kazuma and Darkness having a very inappropriate conversation on the couch, right in front of me! And then I tried to intervene before things went too far, but Kazuma threatened to expose my sacred goddess innocence to Darkness, who seemed oddly enthusiastic about it!"
This bitch!
She knows about our secret and is taking full advantage of it!
"Did not!"
"Aqua, I know Kazuma can be a pervert, but even he wouldn't dare cross certain lines. However, Darkness, something just struck me as I analyzed the situation... Did you put on lipstick just now? Explain yourself! While your casual at-home clothes that are getting tighter and tighter to show off your erotic body is one thing, the lipstick is something I cannot tolerate!"
So she did indeed apply lipstick, perhaps with the intention of kissing my injuries... which I wouldn't necessarily object to.
I might ask her about it later when we have some private time.
But for now, they're locked in another heated dispute over me.
Usually, me from ten minutes ago would've let it happened and enjoyed it.
But right now... I am a redefined man of honor...
I must do my absolute best to prevent a fight from the two of them.
So that I won't get my luck downgraded to Aqua's level only temporarily to be punished by Eris-sama herself!
"Listen girls. It's a bit tiring to hear the both of you arguing all the time. Let's solve this civilly."
I crossed my arms, adopting a serious expression to give the impression that I was genuinely addressing the situation.
"Right back at you."
"Right back at you."
Wait, this seems to have backfired.
"Kazuma, I could say the same for you and Aqua. But you don't see me complaining about it. Also, she's crying right now. Can you handle her while I deal with this crusader?"
I glanced to my left to find Aqua in tears for some inexplicable reason.
"It was just a fall; surely there's no need to cry over it."
"N-No! It's not that. Ugh...! Why doesn't anyone believe me when I accuse Kazuma of sexual harassment?"
"Because it's utterly impossible!"
...
Bickering back and forth on the first day we arrived home was something I should've expected. However, it eventually subsided as the day wore on, and now dusk was settling in, with the sun giving way to the moon's rise.
Today we didn't have the chance to undertake any quests, not that I'm against it.
I would rather focus on finding new ways to profit from my knowledge of products from Japan. However, today I decided to work on improving my offensive capabilities.
The small prototype dynamite I made managed to wound Wolbach back at the battlegrounds significantly, even she was impressed about it.
The small prototype dynamite I had created managed to wound Wolbach significantly during our battle, even impressing her. With Vanir's assistance, I could potentially scale up this concept and manufacture a more powerful version.
But considering the devastating impact that weapons of mass destruction have had in my own world, I realized I couldn't go down that path.
I didn't want to be responsible for creating a weapon that could potentially cause immense harm to innocent lives. And given the nature of both this world and my own, there would always be a black market for deadly weapons like the one I had devised.
Therefore, I made the decision to keep this invention to myself., and just like anyone wiping their search history before they die, I will erase any evidence of my inventions from this world. Let's just pray I figure out a way to do that without using the internet.
"Hey, not fair! You had the golden gun again, Megumin!"
"Train harder next time, young amateur. It'll take you a million years to even match a quarter of my potential. But by then, I will have surpassed my past self by a billion times!"
Can both of these girls calm down a bit when it comes to video games? Buying that video game from the village seemed to have been a mistake. These girls were turning into fourteen-year-old versions of Satou Kazuma.
I could hear footsteps from behind me as I was sitting and relaxing by the kotatsu, the lower half of my body extremely relaxed and warm.
"Oh, what are you doing, Kazuma? Working on a quick money scheme?"
Darkness had just gotten out of the bath, finished drying her hair, and was wearing her pink loose pajamas inside the mansion.
"How rude. This money-making method was what saved you from getting stolen from that corrupt lord. Without it, you might have been living in your own sexual fantasies by now."
"My apologies! I was only kidding! And what do you mean by 'living in my own sexual fantasies'?"
She questioned, freezing in her tracks.
"Beats me. I might just stay here for the whole night, who knows how long."
Secretly, without revealing anything, I sent a cryptic message to Darkness, hinting that I might not let her sleep with me tonight.
It seemed she got the message, her face even more shocked than before. Then she looked fumed with anger, sitting down right next to me by the kotatsu, putting her legs inside it, inadvertently touching mine in the process.
"Hey, what do you want? I was only just playing around."
Her unexpected actions caught me off guard, now I might really spend the whole night here if she keeps on distracting me with this sort of teasing.
"Let me help you out make this obscure product. It shouldn't be that hard!"
She attempted to snatch the dynamite product from my hands, but luckily, I managed to dodge every single one of her attempts.
Eventually, she gave up and was about to leave in a shameful manner.
"Listen, if you really want to help, just follow my orders and put the pieces together with me."
"O-Okay..."
I had already set up the ingredients for the dynamite, such as gunpowder and a bit of nitroglycerin that I spent a while trying to make without exploding the entire mansion.
Maybe doing this inside the mansion wasn't safe at all...
Oh well, Aqua can resurrect me if anything goes wrong. As long as the bomb doesn't turn into a nuclear one and disintegrate me into ashes.
"Okay, while I hold the cardboard casing of the dynamite, just wrap it up with this red tape I bought from Wiz's shop so nothing can escape from it. Then I'll put the fuse in the center and tape some more for safety measures."
The instructions were simple, even easier than construction work for Darkness.
While I held the cardboard casing of the dynamite, Darkness carefully wrapped it with red tape using just one hand.
She decided to use her left hand for some reason when I was using my right hand to hold it. Each time she carefully wound the tape around my dynamite, she leaned in, her arm gracefully stretching.
Her golden hair, mostly dry with a hint of dampness, brushed against my face, sending strong signals down my spine, especially to my nose.
Her hair definitely smelled nice. Was it strawberry? Does she even like eating strawberries? Maybe I'll buy her some as a small gift whenever I have the time.
It seemed my sudden expression and my obvious desire to inhale air through my nose dramatically was too obvious for this woman because as soon as she saw it, she had a small smirk forming on her lips. Satisfied of her small victory.
Why was she teasing me at the moment, especially in front of these two clueless girls who were playing games in front of us, oblivious to the situation unfolding behind them.
Not that I'm against it.
But wait a minute... I just said that Megumin and Aqua were clueless as to what was happening behind them.
Now's my chance!
I disrupted Darkness's work, putting the string fuse in quickly and wrapping it with more red tape.
"H-Hey, I was almost done- Woah!"
I pulled Darkness inside the kotatsu with me. It was a fairly large one, so it could fit two people, maybe three if something specific ever occurs in my life.
My sudden actions seemed to have made Darkness incredibly flustered as she knew nothing of what to do next.
"D-Don't tell me you want to do it in here..."
"That's not it, your Erojou-sama."
"E..Erojou-sama? What is that supposed to mean?!"
"Never mind that. Listen, we have a slight problem that we need to figure out. Remember when you said that Aqua knowing about us was the second hardest part done. Judging by what you said, I assume we both know the primary hardest part..."
Darkness's expression turned soft.
"I see... Well then, Kazuma, I leave the rest to you."
She placed her hands on my shoulder, as if she was passing her powers to the next generation of fighters.
"What do you mean? You already knew that she told me she was going to sleep with me tonight?"
"It's all she ever does since she's a young girl with no experience. Also, I was there with Aqua when she openly said it at the dinner table."
Oh that makes sense.
Also right back at you, you're also a young girl with no experience.
But so am I.
"Fair, but I have a feeling that this time would be different. I don't know what to do. Never in my life have I ever rejected a pretty girl like her."
Eventually this day was about to come, yet I have come fully unprepared for it. With Darkness as my girlfriend now, I'll have to find a way to reject Megumin without disrupting the relationship of all of us, including Aqua.
What should I do...
"Kazuma, let your heart speak its true feelings. The reason she fell for you was the same reason as mine. I had fully become prepared if I were to be rejected by you when I professed my feelings to you last night. Even if you were to choose Megumin over me, my demeanor and affection would remain unchanged. Because I know you meant no harm to reject me. There was no way you would go out with two girls at once because I know the type of man you are..."
Don't say that... I couldn't imagine a world where I would reject you... I would be an idiot to do that after you so bravely confessed to me with all your heart without leaving like a coward afterwards.
Also, loving me even though I don't love you? Please, just find a better man than me if I ever do that in an alternate universe.
"So... you want me to deal with it myself? I guess that makes sense. I am the one at fault to make her fall in love with me. But in case anything physical happens, please be there to rescue me."
"Don't worry, I'll do whatever it takes to protect you. It's a promise."
Darkness placed a kiss on my cheek, slightly surprising me.
Also, was it just the both of us or was it getting hot in here? She had just gotten out of the bath, and I couldn't help but notice how her damp hair clung to her skin.
"I'll be leaving to my room then. We can sleep together tomorrow. Right now, the feelings of our trusted companion are more important tonight."
Since when did she ever act like an actual noblewoman?
And one thing I also realized, she just washed her lipstick off, so I couldn't taste it at all.
Dammit...
...
I rested myself on my bed, anxiously waiting for the inevitable.
Come on, Kazuma, you should have foreseen this situation, given that you also decided to wait and witness who would confess first. And now that Darkness has beaten Megumin to the punch, it falls upon me to bring this to a resolution once and for all.
I feel extremely scummy right now. I let her sleep in my bed a couple of times and now Now, I'm about to deliver a blunt rejection after she has shared my bed so many times. I can't shake off the feeling of being a heartless playboy, and not in a good way.
This will probably be the last time she sleeps on my bed.
Gosh why am I thinking about that?
*Knock Knock*
A soft knock resounds on my door, jolting me from my thoughts.
"Kazuma, are you awake?" The unmistakable voice of Megumin carries through the door.
"Y-Yes. Come in."
I reply.
"Okay, I'm entering."
Her response carries a note of hesitation, as the door eases open silently.
"Megumin, what is with that outfit? What happened to your usual pajamas?"
My eyes fixate on her, clad in the same elegant black dress she wore when we first had dinner with Iris. Now that I'm aware of her feelings for me, the dress appears even more enchanting.
"I spent a good amount of time in my room, wondering what to dress for this occasion. P-Please stare as much as you'd like."
A faint blush graces her cheeks, a boldness in her demeanor tonight.
W-Woah. She's being the assertive one tonight it seems.
She anxiously walks up to my bed, climbing onto it and laying right next to me.
Okay, Kazuma, now is your chance.
"So, what do you need from me? Another request to fulfill?"
I remember that the last time she joined me in bed, she made a request—asking me to procure a gift for Komekko, something the young girl had yearned for but couldn't afford.
"No, that's not it. Well, actually... yes, I do have a request I'd like you to help me with."
She situated herself on the bed, her gaze fixed upon me as I reclined with my head resting on a pillow.
"But before we delve into that... there's something I need to confess."
Her fingers fiddled with each other, her usual confidence replaced with an unprecedented fluster.
Here it comes...
"I just wanted to tell you that you looked incredibly cool back in that futuristic dungeon!"
"What?" My confusion deepened.
"Come on, Kazuma, were you genuinely unaware of how impressively cool you appeared? You emanated the aura of a protagonist facing off against his most formidable opponent yet. Despite your critical injuries, you never wavered in the face of the challenge. As he lunged towards you, your responses were already calculated. Your arrow found its mark in his eye, and he crumbled beneath you. Your words, 'An adventurer has slipped through your grasp. I am Satou Kazuma, etch it into your memory...'—they were so cool. And that exchange of gazes between you two, like eternal rivals... It was way more intense than the stare-downs Yunyun and I attempt to use on each other to intimidate!"
Megumin thrust her face close to mine, her eyes ablaze in their customary crimson hue.
This was not at all what I expected... She's behaving like a full-blown fangirl right now.
Although, I must acknowledge her for showering me with compliments to such a degree.
"If we ever come face-to-face with an opponent like that again, allow me to take the role of the cool one next time. I'd like to try my hand at an intense staredown to intimidate our next opponent!"
Your town's nickname is already quite intimidating enough.
"Was that the sole topic on your mind? Is there more you wish to discuss?"
Her dress may be indicating a different motive.
"Huh? Oh, right. I also wanted to express my gratitude for your efforts in helping Komekko when she was hurt. And I owe you a substantial debt of gratitude for organizing such an amazing birthday party for her."
She clasped my hand with both of hers.
"It's no trouble. I'd do it for my own sake, anyway."
"Could you please not kill the mood?"
"Coming from the one who's fangirling over me! Just admit that you have feelings for me!"
Impatience surged within me like that of a five-year-old, and I inadvertently channeled my anxiety and frustration towards Megumin.
"W-What are you even talking about?! Didn't we discuss this already?! I'm still deliberating, trying to figure out the right course of action! I'm a young and inexperienced woman, so please afford me the time to come to a decision!"
"That outfit doesn't quite align with your argument. Are you trying to mimic Darkness? Dress provocatively to capture my attention?"
"How dare you! I had no alternative but to wear this! I may not possess her attributes, but I'm working with what I have! Lately, Darkness has been selecting outfits that are progressively more revealing and form-fitting. I don't know if you've noticed, but she watches you ceaselessly, monitoring for any sign that you've noticed her amplified appearance! And just today, I glimpsed her wearing lipstick! Was she attempting to initiate something with you?"
"Perhaps. But why does it matter to you? It seems she's putting in more effort to garner my attention. You'll need to outdo her to win."
I crossed my arms, my gaze resting on the slightly opened closet.
"You're insufferable! How did Darkness and I ever fall for a man like you? Fine... if you're insistent on a confession, then hear me out!"
"Of course, I'll listen. That is, until you eventually backtrack and confess that your cat will transform into a hybrid of a well-endowed older sister and a feline."
Disregarding my comment, Megumin enveloped me in her arms, nestling closely, a display of intimacy.
"Kazuma... I want to thank you for everything you've done for me. My past adventures have never been like this before. I could never have imagine myself in a mansion, in a party with an arch priest and crusader. And suddenly, developing these romantical feelings for you... All I had was Yunyun and a cheap room I could barely afford. I had to scourge for bugs and low paying jobs to survive. I was at the end of my limits, thinking my adventure as an arch-wizard was over... But then I took a big leap forward and decided to join your party... And ever since then.. it has been nothing but a blast to be with you all, especially you..."
A wave of emotion, akin to what I felt during Darkness's confession, surged over me.
Only moments ago, I was angry and frustrated, but now I'm consumed by intense nervousness.
"But just like the books of romance, and with three girls and one boy, there's always gonna be a love triangle. Darkness too has fallen in love with you. I know you have noticed it, and I have noticed it. I can see that you're waiting to whoever confesses first. At first we played it safe, taking turns to see who you were most interested in. When Darkness was occupied with her noble obligations, I seized those moments and might have pushed the boundaries a bit. And when my responsibilities kept me busy, Darkness seized her opportunities and may have gone a step too far. I admit, I crossed certain lines... Whenever Darkness had those close intimate moments with you... I made sure to intervene. I sensed she might recklessly take things further, given her nature. Though it still was obvious that I could hear you both screaming at each other."
What was she saying right now?
Were they engaged in some kind of unspoken competition over who would win my affections first?
Why is she making herself the enemy?
"Now, I'm prepared to cross that line and openly declare my feelings for you. There is no dount something happened between the two of you. Before we ventured to my village, the campfire, when she held your waist when we rode on those giant cockroaches, grabbing your hand. Especially seeing her wear that lipstick was the last straw. It was undeniable that she was nearing her own point of crossing that line."
All this sudden information was going to make my brain freeze, and my voice deafen.
"Kazuma.. I love you. I love everything about you. It's hard to put it into words but maybe my actions can express it better."
With that declaration, she set off the most explosive spell of all—confessing her feelings.
It seemed as if she were leaning in closer, undoubtedly aiming for a kiss.
Unconsciously, I dodge it.
"H-Hey, why did you move away? Any guy would gladly accept a kiss from a beautiful girl like me. So why... why did you..."
In an instant, she seemed to grasp my reasons behind the dodge.
"I'm truly sorry, Megumin. I genuinely care about you as well. However, I need to be honest with you. Darkness confessed her feelings to me during our journey to the village, some time ago."
Her world looked like it shattered.
"I don't want to be the biggest scum of the earth so I'll tell you everything about it in my true honesty... After we escaped with our lives, it seems that you slept at Yunyun's place. So during that time, Darkness had come to sleep with me for the first time. It was during that moment she confessed her feelings, and after our adventure concluded, she asked me if I would be her partner... and I accepted."
"When... When did it occurred that she was more noticeable?"
"It's just realized now that I realized that I've been significantly paying attention to Darkness more and more before that. Probably after the incident of saving her from that arranged marriage, it looked like she was depressed when I rejected the idea of buying her, thinking that it was a reverse confession. And then slowly, she began hinting her feelings such as preferring an ordinary, a kiss on the cheek, all other stuff. Though I still won't forgive her for trying to drug me, of all things to do..."
It took quite a while for Megumin to absorb all of the information I gave to her.
"I see... So I lost to her..."
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Oh no, I just made her cry. I shouldn't have said all of that. I should've just rejected her normally instead of praising how I noticed Darkness more than her.
"It seems that no matter what, I'm still just a little girl in your eyes. I couldn't compete with Darkness, who is more mature and older."
She used my pillow to wipe away her tears.
"What am I even doing? Can I still call myself an archwizard if I'm crying over a rejection like this? Does anyone truly want a self-absorbed loli archwizard like me?"
It appeared that my words had hurt her more deeply than I realized. She was starting to doubt herself, much like Darkness did when she confessed her feelings to me.
Enough of this, Kazuma, do something in your life for once and save this party from being ruined over a love triangle!
I firmly grasped both of Megumin's hands.
"Megumin... don't put yourself down. You're way more than just a little girl. You're the only little girl that everyone in this town fears the most. You've put more fear into everyone's hearts than I have ever done. Without you, we would've never ever accomplished the feats we have done. Your character isn't just a little girl. Didn't you say that you wanted to be the most fearsome, most powerful Crimson Demon archwizard there ever was? Will a rejection from a scummy guy like me really put down your dreams?"
In utter disbelief of what I just proudly said to her, Megumin broke into a triumphant smirk, her eyes glinting with a certain satisfaction.
"Just as I expected from the man I've fallen for... Very well! I'll demonstrate how to strike fear into the hearts of all! My first target... Darkness, reveal yourself from that closet!"
Megumin, who was just on the verge of a breakdown, now appeared to have regained her composure almost instantaneously. and pointed at my slightly opened closet.
"I-I'm not in here!"
A muffled voice emitted from within that said closet.
She was most certainly inside...
Wait... What is she doing in there?!
"Show yourself, stalker!"
I too shouted out to demand the concealed culprit to expose herself as well.
"K-Kazuma, how am I a stalker? We're a thing now! That doesn't make any sense!"
The closet spoke some more.
And out came the stalker, Darkness, still in her pink loose pajamas thankfully.
It seems she heard the whole thing. Had she been sitting in that closet ever since she left me in that kotatsu?
"Looks like you've finally shown yourself. I knew you were hiding in there the moment I entered. Never underestimate the profound intellect of the Crimson Demon clan! There's no reason for Kazuma to leave his closet opened, maybe when he's naked but that's a different story."
Please indulge me in that 'different' story.
"All that sweet talk you gave me inside that kotatsu... And yet, here you are, hiding inside my closet, like a pervert..."
I crossed my arms in disappointment.
"I... I have no excuses!"
Darkness covered her face in shame.
"Of course you don't. We had the same discussion before you went to take a bath. Though I can't blame you if you felt a tinge of jealousy, given that I had the opportunity to spend the night with him and was about to steal Kazuma's heart and affection tonight."
I just heard something that can't be ignored.
"Wait a moment. So you were aware of Darkness and me all along?"
"Oh yeah, Darkness already told me when I came back home from sleeping at Yunyun's place. I was just putting up an act as if I didn't know and I was just a clueless little girl destined to be rejected."
What?!
"S-So... everything was all an act?!"
"Yeah, minus the part where I was hiding in your closet. We both wanted to test your complete loyalty and commitment to the relationship."
"And if I had accepted Megumin's kiss?"
"I knew you wouldn't. That's the level of confidence I place in you." She offered a gentle smile.
That's sweet and romantic but weren't you testing my loyalty a second ago?
"If I had kissed Kazuma, I would have had him all to myself for the entire night."
Megumin playfully teased at me, just a moment ago, she was crying her heart out.
Grrahh!
Give me back my graceful monologue about you! That was so embarrassing to say! I truly thought that I was the lowest of the low for making a little girl cry!
But besides that...
"So what will you do now then?"
"What I am always good at. I'm not selfish and arrogant enough to leave the party. I am nothing without you, Aqua, and Darkness. Plus, I'm only fifteen, you know. I have a solid three years to work on my appearance. I'll grow out my hair, eat everything that'll make me bulk up, and then we'll see who captures your heart again."
I had often assumed this girl was just as naive as others her age. However, she far exceeded my expectations. It turns out she's almost as mature as Darkness.
"Hmph. By then me and Kazuma would have... w-would have... Mmmph!"
What is this girl on about?
"Kazuma, can I borrow one of your shirts? I accidentally spilled some wine in my room—Ahh! What on earth is going on here?!"
Aqua swung the door open, only to be greeted by the sight of Megumin in an elegant black dress next to my bed, Darkness in her loose pink pajamas on the other side of my bed, and me laying on my bed.
Oh, and I seemed to have forgotten I was shirtless.
"S-S-Since when did this mansion become a playboy mansion! Kazuma... there's no doubt... you've been brainwashing both Darkness, and now Megumin! Maybe even possess them like puppets!"
Aqua's expression seemed even more horrified than when she stumbled upon me and Darkness together by the campfire last night.
"W-W-Wait, Aqua!"
"Aqua, it's not what it seems."
While Darkness and Megumin made sincere efforts to clear up the misunderstanding...
All I could manage was a smug grin directed at Aqua, as payback for rudely shoving me at the dinner table earlier afternooon.
I gestured my hand for her to invite herself with me-
"God Blow!"
Her fist connected with my face, rendering me unconscious for the remainder of the night.
"Ah, Kazuma!"
"Kazuma, are you alright?!"
"Just now he was deliberately trying to seduce me to join with the both of you! No way a goddess like me will be with the likes of you!"
...
While I was unconscious in my own bed, Aqua was forced to heal my wounds by both Megumin and Darkness.
Then everyone parted their ways to sleep in their own rooms, , leaving me still unconscious in my bed.
I'm grateful that they healed me but can a simple heal move really fix a concussion? I don't even know if anyone in this world knows that term.
Today unfolded like any other day—utterly ordinary and uneventful. I'd prefer such normalcy to the chaos or being entangled in other's responsibilities and getting paid back nothing in return.
Though I intended to relax on the couch, the girls had different plans.
"Kazuma, if we're not embarking on a quest today, we could at least do something around the mansion instead of lounging on the couch all day."
I still lay on the couch, having yet to moved a single muscle, limited to moving my mouth to speak.
The three girls wanted to do some garden work and make a new house for Emperor Zel in the backyard.
However, I had a different solution...
Money.
"I can hire someone to tend to the garden and construct a new house for Emperor Zel. If you'd prefer, just relax with me. Although, you might end up lying on top of me."
Obviously, she seemed discontent with my answer.
"Listen, if you're upset that I didn't sleep beside you last night, I'll make it up tonight. I promise. Right now, Aqua and Megumin genuinely need your assistance. They're entirely clueless when it comes to farming tasks. You're the only one who invested experience points in that field."
"Not my fault Aqua decided to be lazy and neglect cleaning up the waste from the previous shelter for the chick. Let me rest, my head is pounding in pain. Are you sure Aqua healed me correctly? I'm still grappling with a severe migraine, and I swear I can hear her crying in my head. Furthermore, who said I was even annoyed about that? It seems more like you were the one eager enough to share a bed with me, given that you were concealed in that closet. I had to ensure you didn't sniff anything."
"As if! Ugh! What do I need to do to get you off that couch?"
A valid question.
I wonder...
Seduction is certainly off the table, as I'm immune to her amorous charms—mostly, anyway. It's highly impossible she would expose her body so early in our relationship.
What should I request from my profound girlfriend? I don't want to sound like a brute and force her to call me master anymore as well. A duel is definitely out of the question since she surpasses me in all aspects. Plus, she'd never exploit her noble authority for personal gain, even if I am her boyfriend.
"I honestly don't know. Isn't it weird?"
"Really? And here I thought you would force me to wear an outfit that would reveal most of my body, and have me hold a whip for cosmetic purposes..."
"I never suggested anything so extreme... Ahh, man! My head is throbbing again."
I instinctively placed my hand atop my head, seeking some relief from the pain.
"Are you genuinely in such pain that you need to rest?"
"Yes, that's precisely what I've been trying to say the entire time. Please—Oh? Ohhhhh yeah..."
Abruptly, the pain that had afflicted my head began to dissipate as I groaned in response.
What was the reasoning to this?
It was then that Darkness stood right behind where I was laying down and proceeded to tenderly massage my head with her gentle and velvety hands. Her nails delicately grazed my scalp, their subtle pressure proving oddly soothing and even slightly invigorating.
"How does it feel?"
She asked.
"Amazing. Ahh!"
"H-Hey, don't make any lewd sounds! Also, that sounded intentional and not by pure pleasure!"
"Sorry. Sorry. I just wanted to mess with you a bit. But truthfully, it feels really good. Have you always been this good of a massager?"
"I've been giving massages to my father since I was a child. Even before he was struck by the curse, whenever he fell ill, I took it upon myself to look after him with the assistance of my maids and butlers. Besides his fondness for tea, he also appreciated my massages. In return, he'd recount stories about my deceased mother."
The atmosphere in this room suddenly changed.
"That reminds me, I've never had the chance to meet your mother, nor have you mentioned her to any of us. What happened?"
"The same fate as Sylphina's mother. They both succumbed to an unidentified illness still unknown till this day."
The tone of her voice had also changed into a softer tone.
"I see. Does it run in the family, only to the females of the Dustiness family?"
I don't even want bear the thought of it but it would be deeply concerning if Darkness were to fall victim to an unknown illness in the future. Especially now, considering her age and the fact that we're in a relationship. There seems to be a subtle correlation among the female members of the Dustiness family in regard to these occurrences.
"It was from my mother's side of the family, they had a weak immune system. But I've never gotten sick at all in my life so don't worry about it."
Just because it's from your mom's side of the family, doesn't mean it removes you out of the question! And you just raised a flag just now.
"I'm feeling better now, you can stop."
The migraine in my head disappeared quickly before I have even noticed it was gone.
However, Darkness persisted in her ministrations, her hands cupping my cheeks from above. staring beautifully at me with most of her lengthy hair resting on my face.
She leans in closer, pressing her lips gently to my forehead as a tender display of affection.
II had been confident in my immunity to her seductive advances, but apparently, that wasn't quite the case. Is this even counted as such?
Maybe I should call it her subtle advances to our relationship that I need to build an immunity too!
"The girls are waiting, Kazuma. We're all awaiting your help."
Her face remained close to mine.
I could feel her breath lightly brushing my forehead still.
Also, why are you making it sound like we have two daughters? We're both virgins here!
"Come on, show me the reason I fell in love with you. Show your cool manly side for me..."
Her face was flushed, surely a blend of embarrassment and nervousness as she offered such heartfelt compliments to her sole lover.
I see... I am the only man she can rely on.
My noble girlfriend, despite having the opportunities to marry any other man stronger and more capable than me... needs to rely on me, of all people!
I shut my eyes, clenching my fists and my teeth, mentally preparing myself...
"Let's do it..."
I wasn't seduced—definitely not!
With swift determination, I sprang off the couch utilizing my "Flee" skill, charging into the backyard, passing by Megumin as if the wind caught her skirt.
First, I spotted Aqua making a new house for Emperor Zel.
"Allow me to assist you, Aqua."
I seized the hammer from her grip and rapidly drove the nails into their designated spots with remarkable efficiency.
"Oh? What has come over you, Kazuma? Are you finally recognizing my divine status, prepared to offer up your sweat and tears in my name? My, my, what an honor."
Aqua thrusts her hands onto her hips, reminiscent of a proud teacher observing a student seamlessly execute techniques they'd labored over for months.
"Did it actually work? Was he really that easy to persuade?"
"Yup."
I couldn't hear what Darkness and Megumin were talking about but I continue to help Aqua anyway.
With the collaborative efforts of everyone, we swiftly fulfilled our tasks. The backyard garden flourished with an abundant array of fruits and vegetables, while Emperor Zel enjoyed his new, modern-designed dwelling.
Aqua even added his own pool in the backyard of his house.
It had just reached noon, given that the sun was directly on top of us. Which means I still have time to rest on the couch now.
However, Aqua appeared to have stolen the couch from me. Damn her, I was looking forward to hoping Darkness would rest next to me.
Nonetheless, Darkness also seemed preoccupied with making lunch for everyone. I offered to help her but for some odd reason, she rejected, saying that it was her day of the week to make food for everyone.
This left only Megumin and me, both of us lounging on the balcony, alone and outside.
And since we were now alone, something extremely bothered me.
"Hey, Megumin, I have something I need to ask you."
"What is it?"
She turned toward me, attentive.
"Did you really mean everything you said back there? Last night, you mentioned it was all part of an act, so were your compliments also part of the act?"
"Are you an idiot? You think that I would have enough time to say all that in just a few hours? Absurd!"
So, you're implying that given more time, you could express something similar but with non-genuine intentions?
"Then your feelings were truly genuine?"
"Absolutely. You truly are the coolest man I have ever seen. Maybe cooler than the group of thieves we ran into inside the kingdom."
Oh, right, I nearly forgot about that incident.
"I can't predict what the future holds. Nevertheless, as I've declared, once I'm older and have grown out my hair, I'll be fully equipped to rival Darkness. Just give it time."
That's a nice confidence she has.
But then it would negatively affect me reputation if I just leave Darkness for that said reason...
I'll have to deal with it in the next upcoming years. If I don't die and reincarnate...
"What makes you so certain?"
I questioned her unwavering confidence.
"Kazuma, I don't think you know what you're getting yourself into. As a commoner, the massive difference in status between you and Darkness will definitely prevent you from establishing a truly loving relationship. There is not a doubt that someone would eventually come to challenge you for Darkness. While I know you're a capable man, there's always a bigger fish. I'm not saying that you're guarantee to lose Darkness, it's just a possibility. Thus, you should rather look to marry a capable, easygoing and intelligent yet impoverished girl."
She is not completely wrong.
I'm only half prepared of what I am getting myself into. Though from what I've seen from her suitors that tried to seduce her during the kingdom party, they were all just wealth with no brains and muscles.
I don't have the muscles but I have most of the brains to fight strategically.
"Phrasing it like that. It is a bit nervous of what is yet to come..."
I scratched my head in unease.
"Just ask yourself this."
She turned her full body towards me, offering a gentle smile.
"Are you prepared for the hardships yet to come to protect your love for Darkness?"
Why does it feel like the fate of the world hinges on my response? Or as though I'm in an action-romance packed drama?
What she really means if I am capable enough to defend my love for Darkness. Am I really gonna have to bleed to protect her?
Fighting monsters, I can understand, but fighting against other men?
II've grown accustomed to these two girls trying their best to garner my affections that I haven't realized that now it was my turn to fight countless other men over Darkness.
Man it sounds scary, the past me would've thought that it wasn't worth it and go with Megumin. But I am already fully committed to this relationship.
It's too late to turn back now.
I can't just dump Darkness after of all people for her to choose, she chose me as her eternal companion. Not to mention all the times she's shielded me from countless dangers, trials, and slander. I can't abandon her after everything she's done for me.
It's now my turn to return the favor and protect her image.
"Sure."
I blankly said.
"You kinda ruined it. You were supposed to say, 'I'm prepared to protect her with my life.' Then, in a dramatic twist, Darkness was meant to enter the balcony, overhearing our conversation."
"What on earth are you—"
A wet sensation trailed down my neck.
I reached behind to touch the sensation on my neck, realizing it was raindrops.
The sky had quickly clouded over, transforming from a bright day to a sudden downpour.
Then, a deafening boom echoed through the air, almost matching the intensity of one of Megumin's explosions.
Megumin recognized the sound and dashed into the mansion.
"I just realized... this is the first time I've heard thunder and experienced a thunderstorm in this world."
It was beginning to rain heavily now so I had to go back inside.
"Kazuma, what are you doing?! We should be outside by now! This is fantastic! Perfect timing right after we finished the garden!"
Aqua was already decked out in her adventurer gear.
"Are you guys insane?! It's pouring, way beyond just light rain!"
I noticed that Darkness and Megumin were both dressed in their adventure attire as well.
"Kazuma, I don't know if you're aware, but every five years, a powerful thunderstorm sweeps across the world. It might hit a different kingdom this time, but there's nothing we can do to avoid it."
Even Darkness paused her cooking to head outside.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
"A thunderstorm is an incredibly rare event in this world! The lightning within the clouds generates vast amounts of energy, which gets transferred to the rainwater. If we drink that rainwater, we gain experience points!"
Megumin exclaimed as she was jumping up repeatedly like an excited little girl.
What kind of absurd logic is this?!
"Oh yeah, it is said that water from a thunderstorm reflects what you're destined to become, one's own true form."
Aqua said something quite curious.
"Really? The last time I saw myself in that reflection, I could see myself sitting in a position of a throne!"
That's probably the Demon King's throne, Megumin...
"I still don't get it, Aqua. It might be beneficial for me but aren't your stats already maxed out? What do you need it for?"
"Thunderstorm rain is valuable in all aspects not just in experience points. It benefits plants, and there's no downside apart from getting wet. The pros far outweigh the cons! I'm so excited, let's go, Megumin!"
Aqua and Megumin darted out of the mansion, eagerly embracing the thunderstorm.
"Thunderstorm rain has great market value. We can sell a gallon of it for a hundred thousand Eris! It's in high demand on the black market too. I've brought as many buckets as I could carry, could you please assist me?"
Darkness was bombarding me with more absurd information, sporting a dozen buckets looped around her limbs, with one even hanging around her neck.
What kind of black market trades in rainwater?! And here I thought my prototype dynamite was weirdly useful to the underground...
"Seems like I don't have much choice. Let's go, shall we?"
Darkness responded with a bright grin.
Collecting rainwater from outside shouldn't be too bad, right?
...
It's really dangerous to be collecting water in this world! More dangerous than drinking dirty water itself!
Right now, adventurers were fighting over water! Literal goddamn water that they can access everyday!
"Hey, I saw that raindrop first! Give me it!"
"Hey, that bucket is the one I took a crap on a few weeks ago, give me that!"
"Let's do this! I am the bucket king! If I win, you have to give me yours! Bring it on!"
Even Dust, who was wearing a bucket as a hat was in on it. He also had nothing on but his wet underwear so that he could use his wet shirt and pants to soak the water and squeeze it onto his own buckets.
"Hey, look! Someone even brought a huge wooden pool to collect the water!"
"Hey, stop stealing water from my wooden pool!"
A wealthy individual had knights escort his empty tub, only to have it commandeered by Dust and his group.
"There's a homeless guy bathing in my tub! Beat him to death!"
There was a naked man in someone's tub as well.
Just what the hell is going on?!
Had everyone regressed to a primitive state due to a mere thunderstorm – something that was commonplace in my world?!
"Let's just get our water and leave. This is getting insane."
I had been drinking and partying with these same people, and now they were going wild over buckets.
"Nonsense, Kazuma! You should be fully prepared to fight for your share of thunderstorm water. Here, I'll cast a spell on all of us to gain an advantage! Power! Blessing! Haste! Defense!"
Aqua used her magic to buff the three of us.
Darkness eagerly chuckled,
"Good going, Aqua. I feel like I could crush rocks with my bare hands!"
You probably can, even without the buffs...
"I am ready to deck out the next person I see if they even approach us for some water. I don't care if it's a child..."
Megumin muttered some slightly disturbing things as she cracked her knuckles.
Our current task was to wait for our buckets to fill, so we stood around them, vigilant and determined to protect our bounty at all costs.
Thankfully, we were quite popular in the town as the party to defeat multiple Demon King generals and the Destroyer.
So everyone who saw us, steered back away from us to avoid any trouble.
All besides one particular fellow...
"Well, well... if it isn't the diminutive goddess and her entourage! While it disgusts me to gather that which you perpetually exude with your foul presence, the profit is too tantalizing to ignore. And now, I've spotted a more entertaining opportunity – to bolster my wealth by pilfering your buckets!"
Both Vanir and Wiz had joined the fray, with Wiz having to carry all the buckets by herself. She seemed extremely exhausted somehow.
"Bring it on, you evil stench of a devil! I won't hesitate to employ Sacred Create Water on you right in this town! Sacred Highness Exorcism!"
Hey, don't get us into debt again!
As Aqua and Vanir begun clashing at each other...
"Wiz, what's your plan for the water?" I inquired.
"Well, I intend to sell it to a particular customer. I don't have any other buyers, so I have to give him an incredibly low price for him to afford it."
Isn't that guy taking advantage of you to turn a profit?
"Vanir Style Death Ray!"
"Reflect!"
Vanir's death ray rebounded off of Aqua and struck the ground near where I was standing.
Naturally, it triggered an explosion, sending me hurtling into the sky,
"Gyahhhhh!!! Ouf!"
Before plummeting back to the ground on my back.
Thankfully, Aqua's enchantments spared me from a more serious injury. I could have easily broken several bones without her defensive spell.
"Kazuma's a goner! Leave him be! Megumin, Darkness, we must protect our buckets from this fiendish, unsightly devil!"
Megumin and Darkness dutifully followed Aqua's lead, showing little concern for my well-being amidst the chaos.
And they both claimed to have love me for who I am... Damn them...
"Boy..."
I raised my gaze to find Vanir staring at me, his eyes glowing with an eerie red color.
"I sense great power in you... and a slight disturbance in your mind..."
He extended his hand, offering to help me up.
"Join me... and together, we'll make that puny goddess cry on her knees, begging for her buckets back! I could see it in the future already..."
Seeing how Aqua just treated me like trash a second ago; in addition to knocking me out last night and spraying hot sauce into my eyes that very same day...
"I'm in."
I agreed promptly.
Vanir extended his hand and helped me to my feet, positioning me at his side as we faced off against Aqua and the others.
"Tch, traitor! I knew I couldn't rely on you! Even with the Duke of Hell as your comrade, it's three against two! We possess the numerical advantage. I won't show you any mercy, Kazuma..."
"Muahahaha! Then I shall respond in kind!"
Vanir snapped his fingers, causing a Vanir Doll to materialize from the ground.
At this point, I couldn't quite discern who the true devil was.
Aqua launched a kick that propelled the Vanir Doll into the air, prompting Vanir himself to seize the opportunity and engage Aqua in a grapple, catching her off guard.
"Kazuma, I didn't anticipate this from you. After everything I confessed last night, you choose to betray us now?"
Megumin chimed in, her words laden with an attempt at guilt-tripping me.
"I'm already a billionaire. I have no need to fight over some little water. What I truly desire is to witness that insolent woman on her knees, begging for me to give her mercy. She rudely disregarded my safety the instant I came under attack, and it was entirely her own doing! I don't care if I have to go through the two of you if I have to!"
I quickly go into fighting stance.
Both girls who had harbored feelings for me shot me disdainful looks.
"Darkness, are you certain there's any redeeming quality in this man that appeals to you? He betrayed the three of us in the blink of an eye. Perhaps we should both reconsider our preference and find a real loyal man."
"I'm beginning to doubt it as well and go with your plan. Let's observe how this situation unfolds, and I'll make my decision then."
"Big talk from someone who kissed me on the forehead merely hours ago!"
"W-What?! What's wrong with a k-k-kiss—"
Swiftly, I removed my shirt, startling Megumin and causing her to become momentarily distracted.
"Wh-Why are you stripping?!"
While they were both distracted by their own perverted imagination, I capitalized on the opportunity provided by the Haste buff, slipping past all three of them with little resistance.
I was almost upon the largest bucket in the vicinity when my gaze fell upon the refection of the rainwater.
I couldn't see myself from the reflection at all.
All I saw from the reflection was a dark silhouette of a figure, whose eyes were glowing bright emerald. The figure glowed a frightening crimson aura, and even more ominous, another figure materialized behind the shadowy figure.
But before I could even describe what I saw—
"You're wide open!"
Aqua interrupted my thoughts, dropkicking me in the face to knock me out instantly.
...
I regained consciousness just moments before the sun began to fall.
I couldn't remember much but I was given the news that after Aqua knocked me out, a bunch of adventurers found out that we were turning on each other and that left us vulnerable. Consequently, they encircled us, positioning themselves on all sides.
Megumin resorted to employing her "self-defense" strategy, unleashing her Explosion directly into the eye of the storm, dissipating the thunderstorm entirely. This sudden turn of events plunged everyone into chaos, prompting a scramble as each person rushed to secure their share of the precious rainwater before it could be stolen.
Adding to the unfortunate series of events, Aqua's forceful dropkick had propelled me right into the vicinity of our water buckets, inadvertently causing them to topple over and their contents to be absorbed by earth's soil.
Moreover, the remnants of our epic showdown in the town had left my clothes covered in mud. So I was decided to put myself on the task of doing everyone's laundry that evening.
Meanwhile, Aqua and Megumin had already begun harvesting an impressive amount of vegetables and fruits from the garden, thanks to the majestical thunderstorm that accelerated their growth by a thousand percent.
Darkness, on the other hand, was preoccupied with her noble responsibilities. Due to the thunderstorm rain, she had to assist her father who was now the lord of Axel to calculate the damages caused by the storm itself and from other adventurers going absolute the damages, the town had actually reaped substantial profits from the storm, courtesy of the efforts of the knights who had diligently collected rainwater. Thus, Darkness was compelled to remain occupied in this pursuit for a considerable period, meticulously assessing the resulting gains.
Eventually night began to fall upon us.
We all took our turns taking a bath and ate our dinner without Darkness and left to our rooms.
Regrettably, Darkness still hadn't arrived yet unfortunately so I was still alone in my room.
The promise she made didn't affect me as much until now. This was the first time she would be sleeping with me ever since we've become a couple.
I am nervous, what else can I say?
Of course, if she can't fulfill it, I won't get mad because it's not entirely her fault. And I've always been left on read plenty of times by her and Megumin so it didn't bother me much anymore.
I'm more worried if she was a bit mad at me for siding with Vanir rather than her.
But even if I didn't care, my body said so otherwise as I struggled to sleep.
The darkness enveloped the room, the persistent throb of anticipation continued to pulse within me, hoping for her presence to grace my bedside.
"Kazuma, are you awake?"
Her voice, like a soft melody, drifted in from outside my door.
"Y-Yes, please come in!"
Why were my words oddly formal, as if I were conducting an interview?
With a fluid motion, Darkness gently opened the door and slipped inside, ensuring that the door's closure was nearly soundless.
Gracefully, she made her way to my bed.
"Sorry if I've kept you waiting. I was overwhelmed by the task assigned to me by my father. Fortunately, I managed to complete it before the clock struck midnight."
She murmured, her voice a delicate confession, her explanation hung in the air, underscoring the genuine reasons for her tardiness.
Settling herself into my bed, she cocooned herself in the warmth of the blankets, her eyes trained on me.
"It's not a problem. There's no way I would be mad at you. If work calls, it calls."
"I had just finished bathing. So I hope my smell is tolerable to your tastes."
With a subtle but graceful shift of her body, she drew herself nearer, the contents of her chest touching my shoulder.
Though the room's illumination was limited, the moon's soft glow cascading through the window offered a dim silhouette of her attire.
My curiosity got the better of me, prompting a somewhat awkward question,
"Wh-Why is a portion of your shirt unbuttoned?"
Her attire, a white buttoned shirt dress, held an unexpected allure—the uppermost buttons casually undone, allowing a glimpse of what lay beneath. The moonlight, an accomplice to my inquisitiveness, cast a gentle radiance upon her form, granting me a modest view that hinted at the contours of her chest.
Darkness averted her gaze, her cheeks aglow with a deep blush that was unmistakable.
"I-I just wanted to dress appropriately to your liking... Is that okay?"
My thoughts spun in a frenzy once more. How should I respond? This was an unanticipated scenario, something I'd never thought I'd complain about if given the chance.
But seeing Darkness adopt such assertiveness was an entirely different realm for me. Never would I imagine her doing this much to garner my attention.
"I like it... I like it very much."
There was nothing else to say but my most sincere thoughts and words.
Of course, Darkness seemed satisfied with my answer.
"Should I dress like this all the time?"
Okay, let's not take this to an extreme.
"N-Not in public. Only from time to time, in the privacy of my room, only in here."
"I see... you want me all for yourself. You sure are a greedy man."
"Hey now, what's that supposed to mean? Obviously, I won't allow you to dress like that around a horde of horny men in the Adventurer Guild."
Darkness seemed to suppress a chuckle, apparently amused by my candid thoughts.
"Very well, dear. I'll only do this in front of you, nobody else."
Darkness leaned in closer, pushing her lips towards mine.
I responded immediately the moment her lips made contact with mine.
This time, the kiss lengthened, though the exploration of tongues remained a threshold left uncrossed for now. Another time, when both of us felt ready to take the next step. For the present moment, this was enough.
"Are you satisfied with today?"
Her voice, a tender whisper, elicited a cascade of shivers deep within my core.
"Yes. I am."
Darkness bestowed a serene smile in response before repositioning herself to face away from me.
My inexperience in such affairs left me pondering my next move uncertainly.
"You can touch me, you know?"
Her words froze my actions.
"Wh-What do you mean by that?"
"Don't you remember? You promised that it would be your turn to cuddle with me? Do as you may so we can both fall asleep faster."
Oh yeah, almost forgot about that.
With hesitant determination, I wrapped my arms around her slim waist. Even though the fabric of her attire blocked me from making official contact, she was surprisingly very soft for someone so physically stronger than me.
I adjusted my posture, ensuring my upper body made contact, though I maintained a respectful distance lower down.
"Your 'entire' body, not just your chest..."
Her voice was a quiet murmur, leaving me utterly taken aback.
"A-Are you sure? You should know what happen if I do that..."
Yes... My thing below would increase if it made contact with her, it's just natural for it to do that.
"Yes, I know. I am prepared which is why I allowed myself to be this way. Now please... quickly..."
"Okay..."
Carefully, I inched closer, allowing our lower halves to touch.
Our legs intertwined, bringing her delicate ones into contact with mine.
And then it struck me... Was she even wearing pants?
The thought of her not wearing pants decreased the time my thing would take to grow quickly.
"Mmph!"
Darkness emitted a moan from obviously felting it from her back.
Doing my best to not be a coward, I said nothing and relaxed myself into position.
Darkness soon began to feel comfortable with it, her breathing pace slowing down.
"Goodnight, Kazuma."
She says to me lastly before she fell asleep in my arms.
"Goodnight, Lalatina."
With that, I fell asleep, the most comfortable I've ever felt.
Literally.