I was just lazing around the couch with my arm over my eyes, covering it from the bright sun.
"Kazuma... there's something I need to confess..."
Aqua's voice wavered with a hint of unease.
This wasn't your ordinary 'Aqua screwed up again' moment.
In front of me stood a seemingly ordinary girl, devoid of her eccentric personality.
Oh no, just even more problems for me to solve...
I had just rejected the loli route, already enroute to the noblewoman route, but now, suddenly, the goddess route introduces herself in the worst time possible.
I can't help but feel like this was forced in to create excessive drama in my romantic life...
"Y-Yes, Aqua?"
I nervously spoke to her, hoping to not solve a new set of problems for me.
"Th-There's something I must confess. It might bring you good news, but it's not so great for me for me to admit..."
She nervously twiddled with her fingers, a sight I found surprisingly captivating.
Did she always look this stunningly beautiful? Why was my heartbeat skipping for this woman already?
She must be saying that it was good news that a goddess had potentially fallen for me and bad news for her, likely due to her having to acknowledge that I was the apex of male attractiveness that she desired to call her mine.
Without a doubt, a classic case of a tsundere demeanor!
"Wh-What's on your mind? Could it be..."
"Yes..."
Her gaze lowered, her flustered state all too apparent.
It was as if she were about to reveal her concealed affection for me. The unmistakable entrance of the tsundere goddess route had just been unveiled.
"Listen... I... I..."
Here it was, the long-anticipated moment!
"I have a goddess twin sister, Azul!"
Aqua's declaration echoed in a manner almost melodramatic, her introduction of her twin sister leaving me flabbergasted.
I jerked upright on the couch, my eyes widened in shock, my jawbone expanded to feats of cartoonish levels as I struggled to process the surreal scene unfolding before me.
Another Aqua?!
I-Impossible!
There's two of them?!
"The reason it's good news for you is because now you have a total of four beautiful ladies to look after. But it's unfortunate for me since her party trick skills are far more impressive and dazzling than mine! I'll need to invest even more skill points if I want to keep up with her!"
Throw me some hot sauce into my eyes! I must be hallucinating!
"Hey there! I got banished from the divine realm for tormenting Eris a bit too much about her pads. So the grandiose higher-ups decided on a temporary punishment—sent me to the mortal realm to vanquish the Demon King. As luck would have it, my slightly older twin sister by a mere three seconds is also here. Looks like I'll be under your care, Satou Kazuma!"
Azul smiles at me, the same smile Aqua gave me at the fountain when our new journey began.
That smile wasn't an innocent one... it was a flag! A huge one! She might even be worse than Aqua when it comes to causing chaos in the mansion, the town, the kingdom, and my life altogether!
I really have gone crazy...
"DAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
I jolted awake, my own scream ringing in my ears as I found myself safe and sound in my own bed.
My screams abruptly awoke Darkness, who had been enjoying the comfort of my bed on the left side, at least until my cry shattered the peace.
"What's going on!? A succubus night raid?"
Was that really your first thought?
"S-Sorry, I just had an absolutely horrifying nightmare... One that's likely to haunt me for quite some time..."
Hopefully that terrifying nightmare wasn't a premonition...
"Oh... What happened in your dream?"
I could hardly muster up my voice from the stress that dream caused.
"Two Aqua's..."
"Wait, two Aqua's?"
Darkness from my right side- Wait a minute, right side?
I swiveled my head to find Darkness on my left, only to pivot it again and find another Darkness on my right.
"There's two of you?! Wh-When did this happen?!"
In my bed, sandwiched between two identical-looking Lalatinas, I was in a rather perplexing situation.
"Do you not remember? You confessed your love to both of us. Since we both found you appealing and compatible, we decided to make you our husband together."
The Darkness on my right spoke, displaying a ring on her finger.
Wait a minute, I confessed? That is very out of character, even for me. It was her that-
"Where are we? This isn't my room! What happened to Aqua and Megumin?"
"Who?"
The Darkness on my left tilted her head with curiosity, her chin resting atop her hands.
Between her fingers, I noticed yet another ring.
Baffled, I glanced down at my own hands, discovering a pair of rings adorning my fingers.
Suddenly, a shadowy arm emerged from beneath my blankets, seizing me by the neck. The same ominous, shadowy figure with piercing emerald eyes emerged, offering no words but constricting its grip with a fearsome intensity.
The twin Darkneses vanished in a flash before my eyes.
"DAHHHHHH!"
This time for sure, I awoke to reality.
As I awoke, I realized Darkness was nowhere to be found. Assuming she might have risen early to use the bathroom, my eyes caught sight of my closet, the door partially covering the upper half of a figure.
Was she changing?
"Darkness, are you changing into my clothes?"
Curiosity piqued, I focused on the legs of the person inside the closet, only to be confronted with a shocking revelation—those legs were immensely hairy, even for a male human...
"Who's Darkness, my dear Satou Kazuma?"
The closet door swung open further, revealing the same bald man from the village, the one with the sunglasses and a rather muscular build. He peered at me with a sinister grin, his lips wet with his own saliva with anticipation.
At this point, my ability to even emit an audible sound vanished and I fell back onto my bed, passing out momentarily.
When I eventually regained consciousness, I opened my eyes to see Darkness resting in front of me, her face now turned to me.
Thankfully, I had returned to reality.
How I knew?
The upper section of her white dress shirt remained unbuttoned, the button just below looked like it was at the brink of snapping off. I hover my fingers closer towards the almost loose button to finish the job, my brain reacting purely on instinct and my gaze remained fixed, an unspoken yearning to finally witness what I had harbored a desire to see for so very long ever since I've hit puberty.
It appears that Darkness had also woken up, her eyes meeting mine.
"Good morning."
I summoned my most dashing expression, aiming to greet the her with grace, with my hands to myself.
Her lips curled into a matching smile, followed by a gentle peck on my nose.
"Good morning."
Her morning greeting and gentle kiss had a remarkable healing effect, swiftly dispelling the nightmare I just had almost instantly.
Stretching her limbs gracefully, she settled back onto my bed, seemingly tempted to return to more sleep as she groaned softly.
"Is there any leftover food from last night that I can eat? I didn't have time to eat dinner at all."
"Of course, since you were busy, I had to take care of your mansion duties and prepared dinner for everyone. Thankfully, I thought of you so I stored the leftovers in the fridge. Weren't you able to have it last night?"
She didn't eat it but she wanted to take a bath...
"N-No. Thank you for thinking about me. I was too eager to... come sleep with you."
I'm not mad, I am not mad at all.
Why did she think I'd be upset? Perhaps she was hesitant to openly admit her feelings after me and her kept rebutting our feelings to each other so many times in the past.
"I'm actually in the mood for a quest today. The mansion has been feeling somewhat boring lately."
I had to do something in this relationship for once. I can't rely on her to make all the moves while I'm cowering like the beta male those cliché romance anime are.
Her face brightened immediately at the mere mention of the idea.
"Absolutely! I'll get ready right away!"
I didn't even agreed to it yet, it was just an idea, yet she wasted no time in leaping off the bed and hurrying to her room to change into her adventuring attire.
But before I could follow suit and prepare for the day, an unexpected intrusion invaded my privacy.
"Kazuma! Kazuma!"
Aqua barged into my room, catching me in a rather compromising situation as I was just about to get off the bed to change.
I was in my underwear.
"Kyahh! Darkness, help me! Aqua's attempting to get in my pants!"
I shrieked, my defenselessness surpassing that of even the most helpless maiden.
"Eh? There's no way I'd peek on you and your small Kazuma thingy—Ow! Ow! Ow! Darkness, what's gotten into you?! I didn't do anything wrong! Please stop!"
Darkness, with half of her adventure outfit on, took action swiftly, by rubbing her knuckles extremely rough on top of Aqua's head.
"No peeking in my boyfriend's room. Discuss it later."
She dragged Aqua who was holding the newspaper of Axel.
"B-B-But I need to discuss something crucial with Kazuma! I'd take care of it myself, but this is the one thing I need to rely on him!"
You mean on all things?
Wait a minute... Something crucial only meant for me? She couldn't mean... No way she would confess. And no way does she have a twin sister!
After getting dressed in my own adventure gear, I made my way to the living room.
Both Megumin and Aqua were also prepared, displaying their readiness for our upcoming adventure.
"Did you inform them that we're going on a date?"
I inquired of Darkness.
"A-A-A date? I-I thought you wanted all of us to go together for a quest this time."
I was just messing with her again, just felt like it at the moment.
Of course, Megumin didn't seem to like what I said.
"Well, I guess I wasn't clear enough."
"Hey, Kazuma, look at this!"
Before I could continue, Aqua abruptly thrust a newspaper into my face.
"The town of Axel is running a lottery event at the Adventurer's Guild today! The winner is fated to gain a full month's supply of their most exquisite wine! The catch is that the entry fee is two hundred thousand Eris! Given your current financial standing, we could purchase enough tickets to ensure victory!"
Aqua was grinning perhaps too much, she looks almost brainwashed herself to enter the lottery.
"Why is the entry fee set so high? This reeks of a scam."
I carefully removed the newspaper from Aqua's grip.
Oddly enough, Darkness appeared to be deliberately avoiding making eye contact, though my attention remained fixed on the newspaper.
"Kazuma, think about it! An entire month's worth of the finest wine at no cost! This would mean I won't have to waste the entirety of my monthly allowance to maintain my extravagant tastes!"
Aqua's persuasive argument, while tempting, still left me skeptical. There was something fishy about this situation that my instincts were warning me about.
Wait a minute!
"Is that what you're spending my precious monthly allowance on?! I explicitly instructed you to use it sensibly, mainly for necessities! Now I really feel like I should slice it in half then!"
With determined resolve, Aqua seized the newspaper from my grip.
"This is so unfair! Megumin and Darkness keep their monthly allowances intact! Why do I have to suffer the consequences?! I bet the reason why Darkness is all lovey-dovey to you and trying to get into your pants is so that she can increase her own monthly allowance! Is that what you want?! Seduction from a goddess like me to satisfy you! Guess what, you're never gonna get it!"
It was still early in the morning, and this girl is pissing me off already!
While Darkness did her best to cover her flustered cheeks, I, on the other hand, was about to lay waste onto this maniac who had no respect for personal privacy.
"Hey, you little bitch! How dare you question the genuine and romantic affection between me and my precious Lalatina! Are you an idiot?! I'll have you know that she is one of the richest families in this kingdom so she really doesn't need my money unlike a certain goddess who cried over an Eris coin falling down the drain! My relationship with Lalatina has nothing to do with her own monthly allowance just like yours! And what's gotten into you today? Sneaking into my room to peek, and now bringing up me and Lalatina? Are you envious of my relationship with Lalatina? Could it be that you harbor secret feelings for me, a goddess displaying tsundere tendencies just as in my dreams? Admit it, you that you also find me the most handsome man in all the worlds, you utterly hopeless tsundere toilet goddess!"
Aqua was already crying a year's worth of salty river.
"Wahhh!! Kazuma, I can't believe you said all that mean stuff! Why would you assume I would stoop so low to get with a low quality man like you! Wahhh!!"
She clung to my shirt, now weeping on the floor.
"So low?! You think I am a low quality man of all the things I've done for you to survive?! I'll have you know, I'm romantically involved with the daughter of the lord of Axel—I hardly qualify as low quality considering he has given me his permission to marry her back when I saved her from that corrupt lord! After all the manipulation and bad rumors you've attempted to extract more money from me?! Say it again! Repeat those words! Go on, I dare you! I couldn't care less if you leave our party to join that overpowered sword user, Katsuragi or whatever his name is! I'm certain he'd shower you with lavish gifts more this his own harem group! So go ahead, I challenge you to beg him for funds to indulge in all the wine you desire! It seems he worships the ground you walk on more than I worship the tears you emit from!"
The intensity of the argument drove me to my limits. It was a whirlwind exchange that could only end in chaos eventually.
My head was so bloody hot from this fury of rage I am experiencing right now.
I feel like I can slice the world in half with one karate chop.
"No! Absolutely not! That guy practically screams narcissism! Please, Kazuma-sama! Let's participate in the lottery, just this once! I'll do anything for you! Please, I beg you! Anything!"
Her plea resounded like an unrelenting scream, drawing attention from Megumin and Darkness who, by now, were growing exasperated with our quarrel.
"Kazuma... perhaps we should just enter the lottery for her... it's getting kind of painful to witness Aqua's tears, even if they're becoming an everyday sight. Also, that's a bit too far to even dare Aqua to leave our party. It almost sounds like you're trying to kick her out. As much as a nuisance she may be sometimes, she's always helpful when the time calls."
Megumin's voice held a note of compassion, urging me to consider a different course of action.
But I'm not one to fall for such compassion from a pretty girl.
"No! I'm done with doing everything for this arrogant spoiled little brat! Make your own hard earn money! Unless you refer to me as Lord Kazuma of the Heavens and pray to me three times a day for an entire month, and this time, you wear an extremely lewd and revealing maid outfit, then I'll reconsider!"
Oh, how the tables had turned! How did it feel to experience one's own medicine? Huh?!
However, my smugness quickly faded as soon as I felt the pressure of two deadly stares piercing right through my chest, almost ripping out a gaping hole out of me once more.
Darkness and Megumin looked extremely pissed off to the brim for some reason.
"Kazuma... I was about to step in and cover the costs for Aqua, but you've gone too far..."
Darkness, in particular, looked extremely pissed off.
Was it because I requested Aqua to dress more lewdly to see if she would stoop so low for a single lottery ticket.
She was slowly approaching me, the cracking of her knuckles giving me the shivers.
I took a few steps back, and then look down at Aqua.
This bitch! She's acting like she's dead on the floor!
"Wait, Darkness? What happened to our ever-so-sweet affectionate relationship? Surely you haven't forgotten and cast aside all the touching moments we've shared over something as trivial as Aqua's sobbing? Right? You even let me... catch a glimpse of your, ahem, bountiful assets just last night—"
"Ahhhhh! Die!"
My words were abruptly choked off as Darkness seized me in a overwhelming powerful grip, her fury displayed by her screaming and strength.
...
I agreed to cover the cost for Aqua and the other's entry fee.
But on one condition, that they would have to do it individually so my luck doesn't affect theirs. Knowing my luck, I believe I have the best chance to win the lottery, though it was by no means a guarantee.
What if Chris decided to join the lottery and ended up winning the prize?
Upon our arrival at the guild, we were met with warm greetings from the familiar faces within.
"Well if it isn't Kazuma and his party members! Long time no see!"
"Aqua, I look forward to see your newly invented party tricks!"
"Megumin, my son wants to go sightseeing so make sure to use Explosion during that time!"
Evidently, both Aqua and Megumin had been greatly missed by the townsfolk. It was interesting to see how their presence could have such an impact on others.
But what about Darkness and I?
"Look! There's Kazuma and Darkness!"
"Rumors say that they're in a secret relationship..."
"Shh! I heard that Darkness wants it to remain a secret! She'd undoubtedly knock us all out if we spread any more rumors!"
Darkness and I instinctively covered our ears in a flustered frenzy, but that single statement seemed to catalyze a cascade of whispers and speculations.
"Huh?! Really? When did this happen?!"
"Someone saw Darkness coming to Kazuma's defense against a group of girls. She outright claimed Kazuma as her boyfriend."
"Unbelievable! Did she get jealous because those girls were trying to snatch Kazuma away? How incredibly adorable and romantic!"
Ahhh! It's this girl's fault! Looks like I was mad at her all along!
"Kazuma, since you're together with Darkness! Tell us how her boobs felt like!"
One particular comment kinda ticked me off.
"Yeah! Surely you must tell us the experience! What was it like?"
Great, now that one started it, everyone else followed suit.
"Boobies!"
"Boobies!"
The chant resonated through the entire guild, aimed at teasing both Darkness and me.
Unsurprisingly, just like with Vanir, she had lost her entire composure, her face buried in her hands in crippling embarrassment.
Megumin, it looks like you were right...
Now... it was my turn to protect this girl that I just gotten into a relationship with...
My first move...
"Enough!"
My voice, infused with authority, reverberated across the guild, like an alpha male of a wolf pack silencing his underlings.
"Ka-Kazuma...?"
Darkness, the alpha female of the wolf pack uttered, shocked by this sudden show of absolute dominance.
Taking a deep breath, I unleashed my next words with sheer ferocity.
"Her boobs belong only to me!"
Darkness, though agitated to choke the living hell out of me again, couldn't muster enough strength to do so.
So she resorted to only wrapping her arms around my waist, pressing her face against my back, blushing all the way to her ears in the process.
As we walked further inside the guild, her face still pressed against my back,
"Awwww..."
"What an endearing young couple..."
An elderly pair couldn't help but indulge in our interaction, finding it heartwarming.
It's even got me a bit flustered as well.
You know you've reached peak levels of your relationship if an elder couple with more experience than you are calling you adorable and perfect for each other.
"If it isn't Yunyun? What business do you have here? Plan to win the lottery for something?"
Megumin spotted Yunyun sitting alone at a table.
"Y-Yes! I'm hoping to win so I can share the prize with everyone at my birthday party... and maybe convince them to come over..."
My heart ached for her. The poor girl had such simple dreams yet they couldn't be fulfilled no matter how hard she tried.
"Well, well, what are a measly devil and lich doing here?"
Aqua caught sight of Wiz and Vanir with their own lottery tickets.
"Muahahaha! The chance to make off with your most precious object is too tempting. We even closed our shop today just to try our luck at gaining a quick fortune!"
"As for me, I plan to use the red wine to paint our walls. They've been looking a bit worn lately. I had them repainted just last month, and the color is already fading back to its original state."
Wiz... that's not how wine works. I'm starting to think you're getting taken for a ride by your painters.
"Oh, really? You dare challenge me? Did you use your foresight to cheat? Hand over your tickets right now, or I'll exorcise both of you on the spot!"
Are you really going to kill the two people you only hang out with in the shop whenever you're bored for a simple slip of paper?
"Muahahaha! Naturally! I've already glimpsed the future through my foresight!! I can see it clearly! The rewards of waiting patiently will be quite bountiful but not as bountiful as the muscle headed girl who showed her bountiful assets to her horny companion just last night to seduce him to make another move! I choose not to scratch my ticket right away; I will do it later- H-Hey, don't grab my mask!"
"Hey! What are you trying to say?! Say it again!"
Darkness launched herself at Vanir, attempting to wrestle his mask off, while I averted my gaze in mild nervousness.
"Have it your way then! Hmph!"
With that peculiar interaction over, we made our way to the reception area.
"Hello there, Satou Kazuma and his party members, how may I interest you guys today?"
Luna, the guild's receptionist, welcomed us.
"We're here to buy lottery tickets for the prize. Is it true? A month's supply of free wine?"
Aqua's demeanor had taken a complete U-turn from her earlier tearful state; she seemed like an excited child about to embark on a carnival ride.
"That's correct. The entry fee is three hundred thousand Eris coins."
"What?! Three hundred thousand Eris? That's outrageous! The newspaper said it was only two hundred thousand!"
In a fit of rage, Aqua reached out and grabbed Luna's breasts, her child-like demeanor disappearing rather quickly.
It was already a scam to begin with if the entry fee was already two hundred thousand.
"Th-That newspaper was printed yesterday! The higher-ups decided to increase the entry fee slightly due to the overwhelming purchases by the townsfolk! It's beyond my authority to argue with them. Please, Aqua, let go of my shirt, you're going to tear it!"
"Let her go, Aqua. I'll still pay it."
I interjected, putting an end to their tussle.
"Thank you, Kazuma-san!"
Don't give me that innocent expression.
You likely orchestrated this situation to guilt-trip Darkness into pressuring me to pay for you.
"Just remember, you're still responsible for your own fee to avoid affecting our luck."
"Yes, yes, I understand. While my chances might be slim, I have complete faith that you'll win!"
Aqua handed over her entry fee, placing her hopes on the lottery.
Luna handed Aqua her ticket and numbers, then did the same for Megumin, Darkness, and finally me.
There goes over a million Eris down the drain, I almost shed a tear.
"Kazuma-san, in case you do win, could you reconsider the prize? Your luck could potentially secure a victory. And considering Aqua's habit of drinking, I worry about the outcome and upcoming bill... How about this? If you win, we'll offer you two months of FREE premium succubus services instead."
Luna whispered this suggestion in my ear, her voice laden with temptation.
My mouth nearly watered at her proposition.
The past me would've accepted this proposal without hesitation...
But I am happily in a loving relationship with my precious Lalatina. So I ignored Luna's offer and followed the girls as they moved on to search for quests.
"Look, Kazuma! This quest involves finding a lost katana hidden within a dungeon. Whoever locates it gets to wield it and will receive a reward of one million Eris coins!"
Megumin pointed out excitedly.
"Demon Dungeon, right? It's known to be quite dangerous. Aqua might not be as effective here since it's not undead-related. Doesn't seem worth it. My partner should be enough."
"You mean Chunchun-"
"No!"
"Kazuma, check this out! A farmer is requesting adventurers to protect his traveling herd of sheep from packs of giant wolves. The reward is pretty low, but he's willing to add the wool from the sheep as an addition al bonus!"
Darkness brought up the quest, her face reddening slightly.
"It's not just about the money; it's about sending a message."
I dismissed the quest immediately.
"Kazuma, look at this! There are rumors of an undead witch cursing people within a haunted forest. The nature of the curse is still a mystery, but they want adventurers to investigate it's origins and assess it's danger level. Let's take this one! I'm going to show that undead witch who's in charge!"
Now that's an unexpectedly straightforward quest.
Aqua's abilities will prove useful against undead foes.
The rewards for dealing with this enemy, though, remain unknown.
Well, like I said, it's not about the money; it's about the message.
We accepted the quest without hesitation.
Unfortunately, we hadn't read the full details of the quest on the paper, as we needed to wait until nightfall for the undead witch to emerge, as Luna had informed us.
So, in the meantime, we decided to explore the town together as a group.
The same town that, when I went there with Darkness earlier, had subjected us to curious gazes and hushed whispers.
Now, Aqua and Megumin were experiencing it too.
Fed up with the attention, we found a secluded spot in town and took a seat on a bench.
"I'm sick and tired of hearing both your names being whispered everywhere! I want to go back to Arcanletia, where my followers treat me like a goddess and sing my praises!"
I literally died in that town...
"Same here! I can't stand it when people's attention outshines my spectacular explosions! I wish I could be back at the Crimson Village, where I'm hailed as the mightiest of Crimson arch-wizards!"
Yeah, I died there too... almost twice!
"Well, tough luck for you two. This is where me and Darkness shine. She's the daughter of the lord of this town, and I'm her lover after all..."
I've also died a few times in this town.
Feels like I'm some popular high school student with a popular girlfriend. As much as I detest that trope and those same kinds of couples back in my own world.
"Kazuma's got a point. Axel is safer for us, and the attention is more evenly spread."
Darkness tried to stand up for me.
"Don't want to hear it from you, Darkness. Ever since you became Kazuma's playmate, you've been nothing but soft on him the entire time."
"P-Playmate?!"
Aqua... this girl literally choked the air out of me for you about half an hour ago...
"Aqua's got a point too. Darkness, you need to keep your man in line before he stops finding you attractive. Who knows, he might even come after me in the future, like he almost did when we were alone on that balcony."
Megumin tossed in a comment that could've easily come from a cheesy romance drama.
"Hey, false accusations! Don't make things up to tarnish my reputation."
Darkness started eyeing me suspiciously, just as you'd expect in a melodramatic scene.
"Hey, you're not going to believe a little girl's words over mine, are you? Oh, speaking of which, did you all check your lottery tickets? Sadly, I didn't win."
I interjected, trying to change the subject as our conversation spiraled into something that felt straight out of a soap opera.
"What?! Kazuma lost?! No way! I haven't scratched mine yet, wait a moment!"
Aqua eagerly used her trimmed fingernails to scratch off the numbers on her ticket.
Darkness revealed hers,
"It looks like I lost as well. Well, it can't be helped."
Well, with your wealth, you could probably buy the entire supply of wine for the town...
"Curse this! I lost! Out of all the people, you chose the best one to lose? I'll disintegrate this stupid piece of paper into ashes right now!"
You're too young for the wine anyway. And don't risk the lives of the entire town over a piece of paper.
"The winning numbers were SG Group 121314. We had a low chance of winning in the first place, even with my high luck stat. The winning ticket probably hasn't been bought yet or was intentionally given yet."
"Tch! I'm our last hope then. Damn, the top rows are just random numbers again. Let me scratch the bottom more! Ah, it's even harder to scratch!"
Aqua was getting really invested in the idea of winning.
Not that she would have won even if I couldn't with my supposedly high luck.
Darkness, for some reason, scooted closer to me and rested her head near my armpit as I leaned back with my hands behind my head.
"Do you want to head back to the mansion and wait until night falls? I want to try the food you made for me last night, even if it's not fresh anymore..."
Her soft tone shifted the mood considerably.
"Perhaps. Let's wait for Aqua to check her ticket, then we can head home and return when the moon rises."
"Hmm... all these numbers and letters are giving me a headache... Umm... SG? Where's SG? Ah, here it is! The numbers... damn, they don't match! Oh, more letters with SG!"
Aqua was taking a surprising amount of time to read a simple lottery ticket. It really shouldn't be that difficult or time-consuming, but I guess her intelligence doesn't always shine through.
"I'd appreciate it if you two didn't act like that in front of me. I'm still a young woman with feelings for you, Kazuma. I'm patiently waiting for the right moment."
Megumin chimed in.
"Hmm... sounds like jealousy. Are you like Aqua, jealous of me and Darkness? Our love is unbreakable. No other girl could make me let go of Darkness. There's no turning back now! After all, I'm a man of honor."
"K-Kazuma, please don't say such embarrassing things in front of Megumin! It's incredibly impolite!"
Darkness did her best to maintain the relationship between all of us.
"Hmmm.. SG 121314... That's what the last row of my lottery ticket says... Now, let me just double-check the winning numbers..."
Aqua was taking an unusually long time to read a simple piece of paper.
"Darkness, you were the one who initiated this by resting on him! Don't pretend to be innocent! I know you're trying to show off to the other girls who walked by!"
She had a point; I could sense the subtle glances from other girls as they passed us earlier and now.
"I-I-I wasn't!"
"The winning numbers are SG 121314... And my ticket says... SG 121314..."
Aqua's brain seemed to be processing the information from the paper at a very slow pace.
Hold on—
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF MY GODHOOD?! SG 121314?! There's no doubt about it!"
Aqua sprung up from the bench as if she were a new generation of an angel taking its first flight, but ended up tumbling to the ground and rolling onto her back.
"A-Aqua, what's wrong?!"
"Aqua, did you win or something!"
Darkness and Megumin rushed over to check on her.
"The lottery ticket even states the prize for winning!"
"Hey, you better not be playing a prank with something like this! L-Let me see!"
Aqua and I both leaned in to examine the prize more closely as she uncovered it with her fingers.
It didn't say just a month's worth of wine... but...
A WHOLE YEAR?!
"Gyahhhhhhh!!!"
"Gahahahahahaha!"
Aqua and I simultaneously erupted into maniacal laughter and screams of joy.
Megumin grinned with excitement.
Meanwhile, Darkness's face grew paler by the second.
"We won! We won! We actually won!"
Aqua and I chanted in unison, our arms draped around each other's shoulders, as if the tension and childish bickering we had with each other over the past few days had completely vanished.
"Yes! It's a dream come true! This is even better than defeating the Demon King and returning to heaven! That can wait for a year. A year's supply of wine delivered to my room! I must savor every drop! Maybe I can sell some and make some quick cash! Ooh, Ooh, maybe I can just use wine as my party tricks from now on! Or perhaps even better, I'll buy a shelf to proudly display my collection to the little ghost girl!"
"This is incredible! I never would have expected this from you! It seems that all the effort I put into saving you back then has paid off!"
"Absolutely! I'll make sure you have as much wine as you want! We'll share since you covered the entry fee!"
"Of course! As expected of the woman who I've slept with the longest... you know me better than anyone so you obviously trust me with the prize!"
I know I just said that no girl would take me off of Darkness but Aqua was reaching it a bit there.
"Th-Th-That's impossible! A year? A year's worth! N-No way! I'm sure that it was printed and officialize to be a month's worth... not a year! The amount of money it would cost to supply for an entire twelve months..."
Darkness started calculating the expenses in her head, considering all her noble responsibilities.
Then her face turned even paler...
"If you factor in Aqua's drinking habits... and Kazuma's tendency to get drunk... A billion Eris..."
Oh damn...
"Sucks to be you!"
"Sucks to be you!"
Aqua and I both pointed at her, laughing manically again.
I seemed to share more traits with this goddess than I had initially thought.
"Give me that ticket!"
Darkness tried to snatch the winning ticket from Aqua's grip.
"Hey, what are you doing?! This is mine, not yours! Get your own!"
"Yeah! Get your own, big booby woman!"
I shielded Aqua from the greedy and backstabbing crusader.
"Big booby?! Regardless, I can't allow that ticket to fall into Luna's hands. It would create utter chaos in the economy that I've worked hard to stabilize! Megumin, will you join me? If you do, I promise you can take your frustrations out on this man for all the things he just said to you seconds ago once we've apprehended him."
"Agreed!"
Megumin took her stance next to Darkness, ready for action.
Aqua and I mirrored their poses, prepared for whatever they were about to unleash.
"Traitors! No wine for the both of you! Bring it on!"
"What do you mean this will mess up the economy? Are you telling me that this whole lottery thing is just a dirty way to extract money from hard-working adventurers who put their lives on the line for others?"
Darkness's composure slipped, and her words confirming my suspicions.
"I knew it! The economy was struggling, wasn't it? So you devised this despicable scheme that's even worse than the pyramid schemes you despised so much, just to coax people into wasting their hard-earned money on a silly piece of paper! It was your idea all along!"
"I-I had no other choice! After the Hydra incident, everyone became complacent with their rewards, and the money got stuck in one place! It wasn't circulating properly! I had to do something, or else the town would plunge into chaos when they realized they needed to pay their taxes! That plan is being worked on as well! This lottery was just a trial to see if it could be a solution in the future!"
Didn't this town just benefit from the rain caused by the thunderstorm? How greedy are these noble folks? All they want is the money flowing into their already wealthy lives while the poor get stuck in the loop, generation by generation.
"You're the scummiest noblewoman I've ever been in a relationship with! You won't even reward people with money in the lottery, just wine! Well, guess what, we won, and we're getting that year's supply of wine! Right, Aqua?! ... Aqua...?"
I turned to find Aqua reduced to blinking dashes of black lines, resembling an outlined figurine.
"She ran off! That traitor! I even shielded her from my own girlfriend!"
I dashed after Aqua, with Darkness and Megumin close behind.
"Damn you, Kazuma! How dare you call me the scummiest noblewoman you've ever dated?! I'm the only person you've dated! Words can't express how furious I am to hear that! So, for the next thirty minutes, I'm going to strangle and pummel you until all your bones break, ya hear me!"
Crap! She's incredibly angry as well! Not good! I need to avoid her grasp or else she'll accidentally kill me!
Also, is it just me, or is Aqua suddenly moving faster than before? And glowing slightly...
That little bitch! She buffed herself with Haste to gain an edge!
At this rate, these love rivals are gonna get me first! I'm at a disadvantage since both of them are faster and have more stamina than I do.
What should I do?
The townspeople were watching us as we sprinted by.
Townspeople? I have an idea!
"Someone help! Both of these girls in extreme heat, especially Lalatina-sama are threatening to strip me of my clothes to have their way with me!"
It worked.
Darkness and Megumin had to slow down a bit, telling everyone they passed by that it was a misunderstanding and that they were chasing me for private matters.
Now was my chance!
"Bind!"
I attempted to trap both Megumin and Darkness together with one move but it failed tremendously.
"Nice try! But I won't let it get on me on purpose this time!"
"Kazuma, I know you more than you think! I've seen past your movements! Did that sound cool, Darkness? Did I sound like a cool protagonist?"
Ugh, of all times for them to evade it, especially the girl who fantasized everyday about being caught by such a spell by a group of bandits.
I'm running out of options...
"Lurk..."
I would create a slippery ground or create mini sandstorms but I don't want to cause damage to other townsfolk who are doing their best to make a living over a simple slip of paper.
"Ah! He used Lurk! No choice, Megumin!"
"That's right. Shortcuts! Let's take the shortcuts!"
Megumin and Darkness suddenly changed directions, dashing toward shortcuts they were well familiar with.
After a few minutes of breathless running, I arrived at the Adventurer's Guild to witness Darkness and Megumin struggling to wrest the lottery ticket away from Aqua.
"How is she this strong?!"
Megumin exclaimed, her face pushed by Aqua's foot.
"She must have used a Power buff to handle both of us!"
Darkness was also struggling, Aqua's free hand pressing her face down.
Aqua was fiercely protecting the lottery ticket, holding it high above their reach.
The whole scene was playing out in front of a gathering crowd.
This was beyond embarrassing! I needed to end this quickly.
But wait... I could use this moment that Aqua has given me... This is my chance! This chance given to me at my most crucial moment of my life!
Fate has given me the chance to seize my moment! It has chosen me to be the apex of this moment!
Swiftly, I retrieved the smallest arrow from my inventory and shot it directly at the lottery ticket.
"Snipe!"
The arrow soared, snatching the lottery ticket from Aqua's grip.
As the crowd watched the arrow's trajectory, it struck its intended target.
Right next to Luna, who looked shocked beyond belief.
"We've won the lottery! Hand over the prize, and we'll be on our way!"
I demanded, addressing Luna directly.
With a slightly trembling hand, Luna removed the arrow from the wall and inspected Aqua's lottery ticket.
All four of us crowded around her, awaiting her verdict.
"SG 121314... SG 121314...!"
Luna examined both tickets, her gaze shifting back and forth between them, and the tension in the room seemed to escalate with each passing second.
The smile on me and Aqua's face grew wider.
"No doubt... the winning ticket is this one! But it says a year's worth of wine... This can't be right!"
Luna's face turned pale, mirroring the expression Darkness had earlier.
"Well, well. You can't go back on your word now, can you? The prize is printed on the ticket, just like you previously mentioned. So, go ahead and hand over my wine. Let's settle this."
Aqua chimed in with a triumphant grin, referring to Luna's earlier remark.
"W-Will the prize actually be awarded?"
Darkness's voice trembled with hope and anxiety.
The silence in the room grew more intense, and our impatience was palpable.
"Hold on... If you look at the back of this lottery ticket... Why is there an expiration date that looks like it belongs to a milk carton?"
Luna's revelation left us all dumbfounded.
"Ummm... Ummm... Luna-san, are you trying to make up things just like Darkness?"
Aqua's nervous laughter filled the air, and even in this tense moment, I couldn't help but feel a bit of amusement.
"In the original tickets, the prize isn't bolded in text. Look."
Luna showed an example of a normal ticket, where the prize was listed as "A month's worth of wine."
However, on Aqua's ticket, the prize was bolded and larger in text size, clearly stating "A year's worth of wine."
"I-I-I can explain!"
Aqua stammered, clearly realizing the situation was spiraling out of her control.
"Is this the ticket the scam goddess dropped? It appears it was already scratched, crumpled into a ball, and rudely thrown at me without a care for the law."
Vanir made his appearance, covering his nose and holding Aqua's original ticket as if it was a stinky sock, which did not have the winning numbers on it.
At this point, the atmosphere was thick with shame and embarrassment, shared by Darkness, Megumin, and myself.
And Aqua was on the verge of crying...
"Besides that, lady receptionist, my colleague has some splendid news to share."
Wiz entered the scene, displaying her own lottery ticket.
Her numbers matched: SG 121314
The prize, however, was "A month's worth of wine."
The guild burst into cheers for Wiz, who had effortlessly won the lottery without breaking a sweat.
"Thank you, everyone! The wine will serve as excellent wall paint for my shop!"
She beamed, blissfully unaware of the impending wine flood.
"Wahhhhh! I tried so hard and got so far!!! But in the end, it doesn't even matter! Wahhhhh!"
Aqua wailed, collapsing onto the floor, while Vanir chuckled maniacally in the background.
"Muahahaha! It was indeed worth it, and not to mention the future I saw. This outcome is far better than winning the wine myself! The negative emotions from all four of you were worth closing the shop for! I couldn't have asked for a better customer service experience!"
I was ready to retreat to my room and lock myself in.
I just wanted to go on a simple adventure date with Darkness, how did it turn out like this?!
...
Nightfall finally arrived at last.
We remained stuck inside the mansion from earlier's embarrassing event.
Aqua, who caused the entire incident, remained locked inside her room for the entire time.
Megumin, on the other hand, who didn't want to remain stuck inside the mansion for the entire day, electing to spend her day in the company of Yunyun to help out Wiz and Vanir with painting the walls with the wine.
Which gave me and Darkness some alone time coincidentally.
So, what did we do to spend this time alone together?
We just did what we usually did, only right next to each other.
In the middle of the day, a few knights knocked on the front door and had given Darkness some paperwork to sign off the lottery event. And I only watched her as I did other things.
Together, we sat on the couch, side by side, looking over the documents, her right hand and my left hand holding each ofher's.
"The total of Wiz's budget is only twenty million Eris. Thank goodness she has a kind heart and is willing to use only that amount of wine to paint her entire shop."
She informed me.
"That's quite considerate of her. How much profit did your little scheme even produced?"
I inquired with a playful grin.
"It's not a scheme! Anyway, an estimate of about a thousand people participated in the lottery event. Which means that we've made at least three hundred million Eris coins in profit from that."
That's as much as a bounty for a Demon King General!
"Still, it's not enough to cover the cost."
Darkness suddenly expressed, her demeanor shifting, which raised a slight concern within me.
"Cost? I thought you said the economy was struggling."
"The economy isn't struggling anymore, thanks to the lottery event. I just hoped it would be more successful than I had anticipated. I need an additional fifty million Eris to cover the funding for the children's education..."
Ah, so that's what had been weighing on her mind.
She wanted to use her own, albeit not exactly hard-earned, more like a quick money scheme, to support schools for children.
Perhaps, she was too scared or too proud to ask me to help her out.
"I'll cover it," I blurted out suddenly, surprising her.
"Eh?"
She appeared utterly bewildered by my statement.
"I said I'll cover it. Fifty million Eris? I can do that with a snap of my fingers. I won't even notice it's gone from my account," I reassured her.
I'm a billionaire, so a mere fifty million won't significantly affect me.
"I-It's alright, Kazuma. I don't need your hard-earned money. I can handle it myself."
"Hey, I'm doing it no matter how hard you beg for me not to. I thought I told you this twice already. If you need any financial assistance, I'll be there."
I persisted.
Once again, she was trying to shoulder the burden herself, without asking for help from anyone.
"A-Are you sure? You won't get mad?"
"Why would I get mad if my money is being used for the betterment of children? I'm more mad that you're trying to shoulder the financial burden, even if it's unrelated to my debts. Besides, my money has already been wasted by a certain drunkard. I don't see anything wrong with supporting education that will be important for children to learn."
Defeated, Darkness set the papers down on the table and laid her back on the couch, her hands on her lap.
"I see then... Why, though? Even though you're a commoner, you won't hesitate to help out a noblewoman like me?"
Is she being serious?
After all the adventuring we've done together as a group?
"Are you an idiot? I'm doing it because you're my girlfriend and you're an important part of the team. There's nothing wrong with supporting your partner with money, right?"
Darkness appeared to be on the brink of tears, with no more excuses to muster up.
She leaned into me, embracing me into her arms.
"You sure do love children."
I softly whispered to her.
"I-I can't help it... I've taken care of Iris and Sylphina for so long. It's just in my nature to care for young children and infants... Even though I had a loving father who was too busy to take care of me, I never had a loving mother to do the same... I've always done my best to experience what she must have felt when she took care of me as an infant. Thank you very much, Kazuma..."
Her story tugged at my heartstrings, and I found myself tearing up a bit too.
Even though I'm in a relationship with this woman, I hardly know anything about her past. Is she still too afraid to talk about it?
I'll wait for her to tell me about it. No pressure.
"No problem."
We spent a few good seconds still embracing each other until she finally broke it off.
Then she started eyeing at me suspiciously, especially at the top of my head.
Was there something on my hair?
"Stand up for me."
I simply did as I was told.
Darkness stood up after me and looked at me face to face, extremely close.
Was she aiming for a kiss?
"Is it me… or have you grown a bit taller? We're the same height now…"
"Looks like it. Hey, don't tip toe!"
We both measured each other's height with our hands.
"Would you be bothered if I was stuck with the same height, an inch shorter?"
I asked her.
"Nope, not at all. Just like I said previously, I'll like you no matter what you change into. Short or tall, doesn't matter to me."
I have made the right decision to be with this girl after all….
"I require a reward."
I suddenly declared.
"A-A reward?"
"It's the least I can ask. I did just give you fifty million Eris just now…"
"A-A kiss?"
"Done that. I want the next step!"
"Next step?! Y-Y-You mean?"
"Yes..."
"Can we do it after the quest is finished? I don't want Megumin or Aqua to suddenly show up while we're doing it on the couch... w-with no clothes...!"
Where was this pervert's brain going towards?
"Hey, not that far into the relationship! I just wanted some... mouth-to-mouth action going on."
Damn, I'm even a bit nervous. Despite having thought about it, actually doing it is an entirely new experience that even flusters me.
"C-Can it wait still? I have a feeling Megumin might show up any minute, and it'd be too embarrassing, even for a noblewoman like me."
A valid point.
"Guess so—"
"Yeah, please refrain from doing it in the living room..."
Megumin suddenly appeared behind the couch.
"Woah, Crimson Devil!"
"Devil?! Say that again!"
She points her staff at my face.
"Devil?! Where?!"
Aqua flung her door open upon hearing what I said.
Looks like the gang is back together.
Let's just quickly complete our quest so I can sleep and have an exciting night to sleep.
...
With Aqua's ability to see the dark as bright as day and my Night Vision, traversing the haunted forest became remarkably a piece of cake.
The only nuisance thing when traveling through the forest with ease was with these two girls...
"I understand that your visibility might not be great, but I'm pretty sure you can at least see where Aqua and I are headed... Do you both really need to hold my hand?"
Presently, Darkness gripped my right hand while Megumin clung to my left.
I glanced at Darkness, who was shielding her chin as she averted her gaze.
"You, I can understand, but why are you getting flustered about it..."
She still seemed anxious over something as simple as holding hands even though we just did it back at the mansion.
"You got a problem? This quest was your and Aqua's idea, not ours. You're responsible for guiding us until the quest is accomplished. I can't see a thing in this darkness!"
Megumin retorted.
"Actually I take back my statement from the both of you. Didn't you promise to put yourself on the frontlines for us at all cost. And weren't you the fearsome archwizard of Axel? Your current states are rather pitiful. Your former selves would be having a good laugh at your expense."
"Darkness, remember your promise to me about apprehending this guy and giving him a thorough beating for thirty minutes? We haven't fulfilled that promise yet. Shall we continue it?"
"Agreed."
Before they could initiate any actions that would surely lead to chaos.
"Tinder."
I conjured a small flame in the palm of my hand.
"There, now you guys can see. Let go of my hand. I need to be prepared to draw a weapon in case a sudden monster appears."
Even though I had to lift it up high for them to see.
We proceeded along the gravel path within the forest, our surroundings still cloaked in darkness.
Ordinarily, the night would be accompanied by the chirping of crickets or the hooting of owls, yet there was absolute silence. I couldn't even hear the snoring of a dragon, assuming there was one—
Crack!
"Eek!"
"Eek!"
Aqua and I dashed behind Darkness, seeking refuge behind her.
"Yeah, and who's the scaredy-cat now?"
Darkness shot me an annoyed look, as if questioning her life choices that led to dating me.
"Someone as pervy as you wouldn't get it! You probably act the same way you did when you were dragged around by that giant spider!"
"Yeah, forests are the worst! Second only to dungeons..."
"H-Hey, I've been repressing my masochistic tendencies for your sake! Why bring it up now, of all times—"
Before Darkness could utter another word, an unsettling sound reached our ears, accompanied by eerie footsteps and strange vocalizations.
"H-Hey, did you guys hear that? Enemy Detection!"
I activated my skill, detecting a glowing red presence that bore an uncanny resemblance to someone all too familiar. I didn't want to get my hopes up or prematurely reveal it.
"I-It must be the witch, it's gotta be the witch. Lurk..."
I employed Lurk on everyone, including myself, rendering us invisible to the witch as we concealed ourselves behind a bush, awaiting its appearance.
"K-Kazuma, please light your fire again... I'm getting scared..."
I could feel Megumin tugging my sleeve, disrupting my form as I was holding my sword cautiously.
"Quiet, Megumin, now isn't the time. We just need it to show itself, and Aqua can purify it easily."
"Count on me! We'll breeze through this like a cakewalk and then celebrate at the Adventurer's Guild for completing such a simple task!"
"O-Oi, did you just raised a flag—"
Hush, little baby, don't say a word,
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird won't sing, Mama's buy you a diamond ring.
That soothing angelic voice... I remember it so well... It almost sounds like...!
N-No... that can't be...! It's impossible!
The gentle melody, a distant echo, reverberates like a fading dream.
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass.
And if that looking glass gets broke,
Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat,
Even Megumin, in her disbelief mirrored in her expression just like mine.
Could she be hearing mine... or perhaps... maybe she's hearing hers...!
And if that billy goat won't pull,
Mama's gonna buy you a cart and bull.
And if that cart and bull turn over,
Mama's gonna buy you a dog named Rover.
Unbeknownst to me, on my left, as soon as I turned my head to see if Darkness was hearing and feeling the same emotions and expression that Megumin and I shared.
I was shockingly met with a sight of Darkness being brought to absolute tears streaming down her cheeks, her breath coming in rapid gasps, wanting to utter something she long waited to say.
Oh no... if she is brought to the brink of a breaking down into tears over a common melody song like this...
No doubt, she must surely be hearing her—
"T-That's my mother's voice! It's Mama!"
Darkness sprinted towards her mother, without a care for her own safety.
The sound of her mother's voice alone was enough to reduce her to tears, her face radiant with childlike innocence.
"D-Darkness, don't!"
Darkness begun running towards the origin of her mother's voice, like a lost child finally reuniting with her mother.
"Mama!"
Her call, desperate and yearning, directed at the mother she'd longed to see again.
The sound of that voice reverted her to the innocent child she once was.
Her love for her mother was genuine and immense, it was entirely heartbreaking to see it all unfold…
And if that dog named Rover won't bark,
Mama's gonna buy you a horse and cart.
And if that horse and cart fall down,
Well you'll still be the sweetest baby in town.
But no matter what, this had to be a trap!
There's no way my mother exists in this world... Megumin's mother resides in the Crimsom village... and Darkness's mother...
What Darkness was seeing and hearing, it must have been her mother.
However, as the figure turned to face us and locked eyes with Darkness...
It's true form was revealed to a hideous pale witch with grey skin and appeared to be extremely bony with sharp nails.
That's right... no matter how powerful you are, even if you are a goddess, Darkness's mother was no longer a part of this world...
Therefore she couldn't come back to this world anymore...
The witch let out a blood-curdling screech upon spotting Darkness, about to unleash it's radiant cursed power upon her.
Having lost all hope the instant her mother vanished from sight, Darkness stood immobilized, like a soul shattered into fragments.
Curses were the one kind of magic that penetrated defenses, regardless of how much magical resistance you possessed. Once struck, there was no resisting its full impact.
Without a second thought, I shoved Darkness aside.
And the witch's curse slammed into me with full force.
I had forgotten that Lurk doesn't work for the undead... So the witch must've seen us and felt our presence all along... And used Darkness's deceased mother as her weakness... We fell right into her trap... Clever girl...
So this is what it feels like... to protect the ones you love... To become a hero... to live long enough to become a hero, and to die as one—
"GYAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
I screamed as the curse enveloped me, dark matter consuming my senses and vision.
This hurts like hell!
Not what I imagined—
...
Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought I heard the voice of my mother, who had passed away long before I even gained consciousness as a child.
Instinctively, I sprinted towards the reverb echo of her angelic voice, a glimmer of hope in my heart.
The only memory I could remember, the only trace of her that I could recall, was the sound of her singing that nostalgic melody to me as I slept on her lap before I never saw her again...
"D-Darkness, don't!"
Amidst the confusion of my emotions, Kazuma's voice reached my ears, yet my heart clung desperately to the echoes of my mother.
A radiant light pierced through the oppressive darkness of the forest, revealing the source of that cherished tune, a melody etched into my memory for years.
With an anxious breath, I approached the figure with her back turned to me.
Her long blonde hair left no room for doubt.
"Mama!"
My voice cracked as I called out, a mixture of longing and desperation.
Slowly, she turned, and our gazes locked.
I looked at her face one last time...
It was just as I remember...
A smile that stretched to my eyes formed on my lips, the pain momentarily forgotten.
In her arms… was a young infant that looked just like me…
But then, in a horrifying twist, the enchanting vision contorted into a grotesque form—the witch, a vile creature.
My smile shattered instantly, and my mind and body broke down from the inside.
My body betrayed me, every ounce of control slipping through my fingers.
B-B-But I was certain I had just glimpsed Mama!
Wh-What happened to Mama!?
The witch's malevolent power was poised to unleash its curse upon me. I was on the brink of surrendering, of shutting my eyes and submitting to my inevitable fate...
Mama... I'm coming home...
But suddenly, I was pushed to the side and it's attack finally finished, hitting to where I was standing before.
"GYAHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
The wrenching cries of my boyfriend reached my ears, shattering the paralysis I was affected by the witch, making my mind and body retrieve back to it's senses.
I watched helplessly as Kazuma was enveloped in it's dark curse, and then he disappeared from my sight.
"Kazumaaaaaa!"
My scream echoed, my outstretched arm futilely reaching toward the remnants—only his discarded clothes remained... and his strangely named sword...
No... Without a body... He couldn't... He couldn't come back!
A surge of pure rage and self-hatred filled my fist and body up almost immediately.
"You...!"
I stood, arm outstretched, pointing at the witch, whose menacing grin and bared teeth met my gaze.
"Bring me my Kazuma back!"
Without unsheathing my sword, I charged right at the creature who took away my Kazuma. I feel like I could even punch the Destroyer with this amount of rage inside me.
Yet, it was too quick even for me and it retreated the moment it saw Megumin and Aqua following me close behind.
I crumpled to the ground, on my knees, punching the ground repeatedly with tears swelling up even more in my eyes.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
I screamed with such malevolent rage, startling both Megumin and Aqua.
I feel like I could destroy the world with just one punch...
"I-If only I had listened to him... He would still be alive..."
Megumin's touch found its way to the back of my head, an attempt at solace amid our collective pain.
"It's not your fault... We all acted upon instinct... It's our fault that we put ourselves in this situation..."
I could hear her voice crack up as well as she tried to remain strong.
...What now...?
Without Kazuma... we would be entirely useless without him as the leader...
Someone had to lead us... but who would?
He was the only man that could tolerate all three of us at once. He was the only man who didn't take advantage of every single one of us. He let us sleep in his own roof, he fed us his food and his water, he let us use his money, he risked his life for all of us.
He was the only man who loved me for who I was, and not what I was worth...
I could hear Aqua's footsteps from behind, so I turned to look at her.
Aqua too was on the verge of crying.
"Aqua—"
"Wahhhhh... Wahhhhhh...!!!"
My words were interrupted by an audible sound of a crying infant.
In unison, our heads and ears picked up the sound as an instinct, like a mother sensing her infant in danger or distress.
The origin of the sound emitting from what remained of Kazuma... and his clothes...
Swiftly, Aqua walked over to where his clothes remained and fell, and then she slowly kneeled down on her knees, gently folding and moving the clothes aside.
Megumin and I couldn't see what was in front of her so we had no choice but to walk over to her.
The crying of the infant slowly faded away the moment Aqua had picked it up.
"There... There..."
Her voice sounded like what a mother would use to comfort her own baby.
To our shock and disbelief, and without a doubt...
Aqua was carrying an infant baby, slowly caressing it's chestnut brown hair to calm it down.
But it wasn't just any infant baby...
The infant baby had jewel-like emerald green eyes with the moon's light reflecting off of it...
As it stared right at us, wondering who we were, what we were, and where it was... we all instinctively knew...
It was Kazuma.
——————————————————————————————————————
Song sung by Ai Kayano (Darkness) herself:
https/youtu.be/K6WikujBPIY