A week had passed since we completed our dungeon quest, and we split the profits equally to each other.
Each of us received 75,000 eris.
It was a bit underwhelming, considering the other two girls had contributed very little besides words of encouragement and insults from the background.
The reward for the quest was quite substantial for what it was worth, we practically lived a week of luxury for a week.
Thank goodness it was just filled with undead zombies and not dangerous creatures like a mimic or other more stronger undead monsters.
Because if we had encountered all of that with just the first quest... and given this team's competency which we've never experienced...
I don't even want to think about it.
On the bright side, I had gained a single level after battling the zombies in the dungeon, bringing me to level 8.
It was strange that defeating zombies yielded fewer experience points than the cabbage event, but I pushed that thought aside.
I had used my skill point to learn blacksmithing and was now in the horse stable, meticulously maintaining my newly acquired katana from the dungeon.
I had been at it for a week, carefully sharpening the blade and ensuring it was in the best possible condition.
Each day, I would attempt to slice a tree in one clean sweep, testing both my skills and the katana's sharpness.
And each day, as I sliced the same tree but at a different area, the wound reached deeper and deeper.
I also needed the tree to make a campfire so I didn't put it into waste.
And I still haven't thought of a good name for it.
'Partner' is it's temporary name.
Megumin had offered to name it for me, but I pushed her away from grabbing the weapon, fearing another weird and strange name being born into this world.
Also, she's been taking me on these few strolls outside of the town to help carry her back to the stables when she's done letting off her explosions.
During our first stroll outside of town, we stumbled upon a small, abandoned castle that had gone unnoticed before.
Megumin took it upon herself to use the opportunity to practice her explosive magic.
It became a daily ritual as she attempted to blast the castle into oblivion.
Yet it remained standing, as if it was rebuilt, almost upgraded every explosion, shattering her pride everyday.
To this day, she will remain fixated on that castle until it is in ruins.
I couldn't help but wonder how long this new routine would last.
Or something bad might happen.
"Hey, it's been a week. Why do you keep taking care of that weapon? It could barely cut off a zombie's head, so why bother? You have me to deal with them."
Aqua had finally woke up from her slumber and joined me outside as I sat on a tree trunk, using a whetstone to sharpen the blade.
I was outside, sitting on a tree trunk, using a whetstone to sharpen both edges of the blade.
"Shut it! You didn't even see me take down a tree in one swoop! Besides, this weapon is the only reminiscent object from my hometown Japan!"
In just a week, I finally managed to take down a tree in a single slice, and so I celebrated my victory by sitting on the trunk of it.
Feeling satisfied that I reached my goal, I provided maintenance on my partner one last time until I decided it was time to do it again.
"You also never know if a beautiful onee-san were sealed inside this katana..."
Perhaps if I take care of this long enough, the woman of my dreams will suddenly be released from the seal, thank me for saving her from a cruel fate, and then we get into a bittersweet relationship with ten daughters and one boy.
"Puuksuksu! C'mon, Kazuma, you should really lower your expectations from that weapon! It almost got you killed by the zombies and almost made the falling tree splatter you just a few minutes ago. I know you're dumb enough to not know what a cabbage is despite coming from a farm family, but this is just pushing it."
So she did see me almost die from the tree that almost fell on top of me earlier...
"Shut it."
Tch, my family never decided to plant cabbages in their farms, but they never told me about as to why they didn't.
Or maybe I locked myself in my room for so long, without doing any farm work, that I forgot about it entirely.
Either way, it doesn't matter now.
I should just focus on making the best of this weapon.
"Try not to bully Chunchunmaru too much, Aqua. A Crimson Demon like me can sense the true power of that weapon. The more you insult, the more it's power grows... I can feel it... Some day, Kazuma can summon a sparkling blue demon clone from that sword and that demon can grow wings and fly!"
Oh yeah, we also have another roommate sleeping with us.
Megumin.
She's got no place to live so we decided to invite her in.
Darkness on the other hand, refused to sleep with the rest of us in the stables, and said she wanted to go back home to train her endurance and swordsmanship.
She most likely lives in a mansion, and is most definitely rich.
But then again, if she was truly rich, she would've treated 75,000 eris like a penny's worth.
But she didn't, instead, she gladly thanked us for helping her and went back home.
Oh well, best not to dwell on noble shenanigans.
"Megumin, you too? Didn't you also see how poorly the weapon had done? Also, if it a demon were to come out of there, I'd exorcise it before it can hurt anyone. Either way, I'd say just stick to his previous sword... oh wait... It's broken as well! Wahahaha!"
Having enough of this girl, I decided to fire back.
"Weren't you responsible for creating this weapon for the legend himself? If so, that means you're practically insulting your own handiwork. Keep insulting it, now that I realized how horrible of a goddess you are to produce such a weak weapon."
I smile with a smug, continuing to sharpen the blade with the whetstone.
Aqua who realized what I said, was shocked for a moment but then showed a smile of something not good.
"Ara, ara... If it isn't the weapon I bestowed upon that samurai guy! Keep taking good care of it, Kazuma. Thank you for taking care of my belongings and past mistakes! As you should because I am a beautiful goddess!"
Tch!
To think she could be smart enough today to have such a sly comeback.
"Well then, maybe I will take care of it. In exchange, I'm not gonna give you any money that I profited from the cabbage event."
"Oh, that reminds me, we all upgraded ourselves from the cabbage event. But we never actually asked each other how much we made."
"I used it all for my new magical potent staff."
That seems like a poor decision to spend all your money on it.
No wonder why you're sleeping in the stables with us.
"Kazuma. Kazuma. How much did you made?"
"Tell yours first. Then I'll answer back right after."
I began doing maintenance on the lower half of the katana, refurbishing the handle and polishing the rest.
"I obviously made a lot of money! Now tell yours."
"You're lying."
"Hrk! H-How can you tell?!"
"You would've blown out that money already with something stupid or doing something stupid. Or you would've already been showing it off from the start."
With no excuses, she admitted,
"I only made 50,000 eris..."
Now was my turn to laugh.
"Hahahaha! Ara, ara... The supposed powerful goddess can't even bring herself to kill more than 5 cabbages! A farmer like me managed to kill more than you. Maybe you should use your hidden talent to pickpocket anyone you see so you would get rich. Though if you do that, you'd be stripped of your godhood. Maybe I should apply to replace you. How do I apply?"
"Shut up! Don't want to hear it! All the cabbages I got were just regular lettuce! Curse that receptionist lady. I'm gonna rip her massive boobs out!"
I would like to see it happening, please.
"Also, you can't just apply to become a god by applying. You'd have to do something valiant and heroic that no other person in your world has ever done, either die a hero and inspire others to follow your cause or dedicate yourself to become a nun or priest for your entire life, not engaging in any sexual acts with yourself or others and not harming a single living being."
Yikes.
Never mind.
But what about eating other animals? Is the alternative to become a god is to become a vegan rather than have a heart of a warrior?
Maybe becoming a god or goddess isn't worth it after all.
Considering I've done many of those sexual acts... in this world... and next to her while she was sleeping...
"Alright, looks like I'm done taking care of this sword for today. Let's go get some breakfast, Darkness is probably waiting for us."
I paused mid-way from rising up from my seat, with an intrusive thought that came up in my mind...
Did Aqua do something heroic to sacrifice herself to become a goddess? Or did she refrain from committing sexual acts upon herself or others as well as become a vegan?
"Chunchunmaru looks to be in great condition now. Glad of you to be taking care of a weapon that I bestowed upon a beautiful name."
"That name will never ever come to fruition! It never will be!"
...
"Good morning, everyone."
Darkness greeted as we entered the guild, only to be met by a completely refurbished and sparkling version of Darkness.
Irony...
"Wow, Darkness, your armor! It looks dazzling! Almost as bright as my holy aura emitting!"
Aqua complimented, her voice filled with genuine awe.
"Indeed. As a Crimson Demon, I can feel the potent magical and physical defense emanating from that holy armor."
Megumin added, her crimson eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Does she always have to mention that she's a Crimson Demon and that she can feel energy seeping from anything she sees?
"Thank you, guys. It took a while for them to fix it and refurbish, but it looks better than before. What do you think, Kazuma?"
Darkness asked, placing her hands on her hips and showing off her armor.
"Did you also upgraded your swordsmanship to the point where you can actually hit something yet?"
"Ya know, I'd appreciate a compliment from our esteemed party leader, but I can't say that I'm not surprised, knowing you..."
My frustration with nobles had nothing to do with her, but I was genuinely curious if she had decided to invest her stats into swordsmanship to become a more capable party member.
But... she does look rather prettier than when I first met her no matter what, there's no denying that.
Just gotta suppress it.
"Megumin, you mentioned that you can feel energy emitting from people, weapons, and armors. What kind of energy do I emit?"
"Hm... Let's see... I can't see anything. Perhaps your energy is too powerful to the point that it overwhelms the entire town and I am inside it."
She's basically saying she's lying and that she could never see anyone's aura from the start...
"R-Really? Did you also know that I am a goddess? Perhaps that's why you can't see it; divine energy is too overwhelming even for you to witness with your crimson eye. Try reading Kazuma's energy, then."
Megumin looks at me, up and down.
"I see nothing."
"As expected..."
Hey, don't bring me into your conversation!
"You look fine with the armor. Just make sure not to spend all your money on it like the other two. Now then, I'm going to go eat breakfast. The rest of you can pay for yourselves."
All of us sat on a table and ordered our dishes for the morning.
And as we waited for the food to be cooked...
"Kazuma, you still haven't told us how much you made from the cabbage event. Tell me! Tell me!"
Why was this girl obsessed with knowing how much I made?
I had no plans to rent another apartment until I was certain it would be safe from her debt-inducing antics.
"A million eris."
I uttered.
And the rest of them were in absolute shock.
"A million?! And you didn't rent a single apartment for me- I mean, us?!"
Knew it.
"Kazuma, you should've spent a million on better equipment than you currently have. Perhaps a new set of armor, a better bow, or a better sword with an even better name I just thought of. You also wouldn't have almost died to those zombies back at the dungeon."
"I'm not taking money advice from a little girl who spent all her money on a flimsy staff and is now forced to sleep with us in the stables. Besides, I did find better equipment. I found my partner that was destined to fall into my hands."
I said, unsheathing the obsidian blade to show it off.
"The blade does look better than before. You spent the entire week taking care of it instead of gaining more levels?"
Darkness inquired, her reflection visible on the polished surface.
"Of course. It's a free weapon, after all. It's also extremely lightweight and easy for me to carry. I even have this new belt designed to keep my partner with me at all times."
I've recently purchased this black sword belt for my partner a few days ago, originally, I had it on my behind but I had a problem with doors so I adjusted it onto my side like a true samurai.
Even though I look nothing like one.
"Darkness, try not to encourage him to show off anymore. He might decide to man up and try to impress the female staff at this guild. This morning, he said he was taking care of the sword in hopes of a beautiful woman suddenly popping out of the sword and marrying him."
Aqua began giggling with her mouth closed.
"Kazuma... you don't really believe in that, do you? Those situations are just fantasies in novel books..."
Darkness looked at me with a pitiful expression, different from her usual inspired gaze.
"I-I was just kidding about that. Anyway, I'm going to save that million for a business idea I've been considering while observing the town."
That's right.
During the week, I had explored the town to see what business opportunities were available.
Family restaurants were out of the question since my family still had a farm to run, and running a restaurant with these three girls seemed impractical.
I mean I could have them dressed up as maids and make huge profits but I think Darkness would be the type to shut it down with whatever noble powers she has, or simply punch me in the stomach for even thinking about it.
As for the blacksmith who had taught me the skill, his only source of income was his shop to provide for his wife and kids.
I couldn't bring myself to compete with him and potentially ruin his livelihood, especially since he offered to teach me for free.
The freelance firefighter and magic show ideas for Aqua were just in the heat of the moment. I couldn't see myself pursuing them unless Aqua willingly decided to give it a try and if it proved successful.
Actually, she did get a bit of fame when she was doing her 'Nature's Beauty' trick so I'll keep it in mind.
However, one significant gap I noticed in this world, particularly in this town, was the lack of proper transportation and delivery services.
I get that horse carriages are still a thing but you know what I mean.
People were forced to venture outside to purchase what they needed, and merchants had to carry their goods by hand or rickshaw to designated areas.
It also reminded me of the time my parents and I would enter flea markets to purchase crops or seeds.
The farmers carried their own weight and we would have to go outside to purchase them.
And boy do I not want to remember the many times they shoved my little crotch in front of everyone's face.
Even in this town, I witnessed a woman with brown hair and bountiful assets struggling to carry crates of goods to her shop by herself.
Unfortunately, she slipped and her strange products spilled out of the crates.
Not wanting to be falsely accused, I quickly left the scene.
Despite these observations, it struck me that this world lacked something my previous world had already perfected.
"Emergency alert! Emergency alert! Emergency alert! Emergency alert! Attention all adventurers, please prepare for combat and report to the main gate of the city!"
"Aw c'mon, I didn't even have breakfast!"
"Aw c'mon, I didn't even have breakfast!"
Aqua and I shouted in unison.
...
The familiar emergency broadcast echoed throughout the entire town, causing a sense of urgency to wash over us.
Upon hearing the broadcast, we swiftly donned our gear and hurried to the scene.
A multitude of adventurers had already gathered at the main gate, and as we arrived, our eyes locked onto an imposing figure that sent shivers down our spines.
It was a Dullahan, a monster known to instill despair and foreboding of death in those who faced it.
In its undead state, it possessed even greater physical strength than it did in life, along with unique powers.
The Dullahan, clad in black armor, stood at the forefront, its head placed on the left side of its body.
In front of the assembled adventurers, it unveiled its helmeted head and spoke in a distorted voice:
"I'm a Demon King's General, and I have recently taken up residence in a nearby castle..."
As it spoke, the head began to tremble with anger.
"Every day, every day, every day! Where is that crazy idiot who comes to my castle to cast Explosion every day!?"
The General of the Demon King's army was clearly seething with rage. His outburst left the adventurers around me in bewilderment.
In fact, none of us seemed to fully grasp the situation at hand.
The reason for the emergency summons became evident as we realized the Dullahan had gone into a fit of fury before us.
"Explosion?"
"The one who knows explosion magic is..."
"If you're talking about Explosion, it would be..."
The collective gaze of the people around us inevitably landed on Megumin, who was standing beside me.
Caught in the spotlight, Megumin turned her head abruptly to look at a fellow female mage standing nearby.
The ripple effect caused me to also fix my eyes on this girl, and it appeared that everyone else in the vicinity was similarly influenced.
"Huh? M-Me? Why are you all looking at me? I can't use explosion magic!" the girl protested, her voice filled with confusion and innocence.
The girl mage, who was being unfairly accused, vehemently denied the allegations.
But a realization began to dawn on us: Could it really be?
The abandoned castle where we cast Explosion magic every day... could that be the source of the Dullahan's anger?
I glanced to my side at Megumin, who was clearly feeling the weight of the situation. She was sweating nervously.
Apparently, the same thought had crossed her mind.
Eventually, Megumin let out a resigned sigh and walked forward with an annoyed expression.
The other adventurers reacted to her movement and made way for her to approach the Dullahan.
Megumin positioned herself about 10 meters away from the furious Dullahan, her gaze unwavering.
With me leading the way, Darkness and Aqua followed closely behind Megumin. Aqua, always eager to take on undead creatures, seemed almost excited, expecting some action.
The Dullahan, still seething with anger, spoke accusingly,
"So, it's you...! Are you the moron who cast Explosion on my castle every day? If you knew I was a general of the Demon Army and wanted to challenge me to a fight, then enter the castle! If not, then just hide in town and tremble! Why are you bothering me with such evil means? I knew there were only low-level adventurers in town! I wanted to leave such minor characters alone, but you can't catch a clue and come boom, boom, boom with your spells every day...! Is there something wrong with your head?"
Clearly infuriated by the relentless daily explosions, the Dullahan's helmet shook with rage.
Megumin, though intimidated and somewhat scared, defiantly flicked her cape and replied,
"I'm Megumin. As an Archwizard, I have mastered explosion spells."
"What kind of name is Megumin, are you mocking me?"
"No, that's not it!"
Despite the Dullahan's continued skepticism, Megumin collected herself and continued,
"I am a Crimson Demon, the elite mage of this town. I cast explosion magic continuously to lure you, the Demon King's General, out! As I planned, you came to town alone after being tricked; your end is near!"
Watching Megumin excitedly point her staff at the Dullahan, I leaned in to whisper to Darkness and Aqua behind her.
"Hey, she actually said that. She was just messing around, saying she'd die if she didn't cast Explosion magic every day, so I brought her to the area around that castle. When did it turn into her plan?"
"Yeah, and she used the chaos to declare herself as an elite mage of this town."
"Shhh-! Don't say that out loud! She hasn't used her explosion spell yet, and a bunch of adventurers are backing her from behind, so she's adopting a strong position. She's still talking, so let's see how this goes!"
It seemed Megumin might have overheard our hushed conversation, as her face turned slightly red.
Surprisingly, the Dullahan appeared to accept what Megumin had told him.
"Oh, a Crimson Demon. I see, so that weird name wasn't a lie."
"Hey, if you have any comments about the name my parents gave me, spit it out!"
Megumin retorted, her frustration palpable.
But the Dullahan didn't seem to care and remained unfazed, especially considering the number of adventurers gathered around us.
It seemed he didn't view us as much of a threat, typical for a Demon King's General dealing with rookie adventurers.
"Hmph, forget it. I didn't come here to mess with peasants like you. I'm here to investigate something. I'll be staying in that castle for the time being, so don't cast Explosion on it anymore. Understand?"
"That's like asking me to die. Those of the Crimson Demon clan need to cast explosion spells once every day, or we'll die."
"Hey, I've never heard of this before! Stop bullshitting me!"
I couldn't help but marvel at the bizarre conversation unfolding before my eyes.
I was curious to see how this interaction would progress.
I glanced at Aqua, who was thoroughly entertained by Megumin's banter with the Dullahan.
The Dullahan rested his head on his right hand and shrugged.
"You don't plan on giving up explosion magic no matter what? Even though I have taken the side of darkness, I was a knight before and have no interest in slaughtering the weak. But if you continue to bother me with such things, I have my way of handling things too."
The Dullahan emitted a menacing aura, causing Megumin to take a few steps back.
However, her cocky smile remained intact.
"We're the ones being bothered, alright!? Because of you staying in that castle, we couldn't even do our work properly! Hmph... You can only act high and mighty now. We have an expert that deals with the undead here! Master, I leave it to you!"
Megumin passed the responsibility to Aqua with a flourish of words, leaving Aqua to confront the Dullahan.
"I guess it can't be helped-! I don't know if you're a Demon King's General or what, but you're unlucky to come here when I'm around. An undead appearing in broad daylight when your powers are at their weakest; you're just asking to be purified! It's all your fault that I couldn't take on any quests! Okay, are you ready to face the master?"
Aqua, addressing herself as the 'master', stood before the Dullahan confidently.
The gathered adventurers watched with bated breath as Aqua extended her hand toward the Dullahan.
In response, the Dullahan offered his head to Aqua with eagerness, signaling his serious intent.
"Oh, impressive. You're not a normal priestess... but an Archpriest, right? But no matter what, I'm still a Demon King's General. I haven't fallen so low that I would be purified by a low-level Archpriest in a place like this. I have my ways of dealing with Archpriests too... But I'll start by torturing this Crimson Demon girl!"
As Aqua began her preparations, the Dullahan moved and pointed his index finger at Megumin.
And then, he shouted,
"I shall predict your death! You will die one week from now!"
"Watch out!"
Reacting swiftly, Darkness grabbed Megumin's collar and shielded her from view.
"Huh? D-Darkness!"
Megumin cried out in surprise.
Darkness's body emitted a faint dark light, and I couldn't help but worry.
Was that curse a proclamation of death?
"Darkness, are you all right? Does it hurt anywhere?"
I asked in a rush, concerned for her well-being.
"Yeah, I didn't feel anything..."
Darkness replied casually.
However, the Dullahan had just proclaimed that she would die in a week.
As Aqua began inspecting Darkness, touching her in various places to ensure her safety, the Dullahan gloated.
"That curse won't harm you now. My plans were foiled a bit, but since the camaraderie among adventurers is so deep, this must hurt more... Listen carefully, Crimson Demon girl. If this goes on, that Crusader will die in a week. Hmph, your important companion will be tormented by the fear of impending death... That's right, this is all your fault! In the following week, you will witness your companion's suffering and regret your actions! Hmm... Hahaha, you should've obediently listened to me!"
Megumin's face paled as the weight of the Dullahan's words settled upon her.
"If you have learned your lesson, stop casting Explosion on my castle! And as for the Crimson Demon girl, if you want me to release the curse on that Crusader, then come to my castle! If you can make it to my room at the very top, I'll release her curse! But... My minions are everywhere in the castle, and it is full of undead knights. Can you rookie adventurers make your way to me? Hmm? Hmm? Hmm?"
Having made his demands, the Dullahan seemed ready to depart, but then he suddenly turned his head towards me, his gaze scrutinizing me with caution.
"Hold on..."
The four of us waited, anticipating what he would say next.
"Never mind. Forget I said anything else. I just found it weird for an unattractive average man like him to be surrounded by such beautiful women. But as long as you're not with a certain brown-haired woman that I'm interested in, I need to pay no further attention. So long, suckers! Hahaha!"
With a mocking laughter, he rode away on his headless horse, heading towards the castle.
That bastard!
I tightened my grip for the first time in this world like a main character.
I'll show him for having the last laugh!
After witnessing this horrifying situation, the gathered adventurers stood frozen in shock, their faces blank with disbelief.
I was no exception, and beside me, Megumin tightly gripped her staff, her face pale with fear and nausea.
It seemed she had decided to head to the castle alone to confront the Dullahan.
"Hey, where are you going? What do you plan to do?"
I tugged on her cape, concerned for her safety.
Megumin replied without turning her head, her voice shaky,
"I'm responsible for this incident. I'll head to the castle and cast Explosion on that Dullahan directly to dispel Darkness's curse."
But there was no way Megumin could face the castle's challenges alone, and I knew it.
"I'll go with you. If you run into some minions and use your spell, it could end right there. I didn't realize it was the castle of the Demon King's General either, even though I was with you all this time."
I declared, determined to support her.
Megumin made a heavy expression upon hearing my words.
In the end, she drooped her shoulders and gave up her original plan.
"Well then, let's go together. But he said there would be a bunch of undead knights there. If that's the case, then weapons will be useless. My magic will be more practical... So, you have to rely on me when the time comes."
Megumin said with a reassuring smile.
Hearing her plan, I felt a glimmer of hope.
Undead Knights sounded like formidable foes in full armor but I'm confident that with my brand new partner in my hands, I should be able to stand against a few.
However, I had another idea.
"I can use my Detect Enemy skill to search for monsters in the castle and conceal myself with Lurk, then sneak in. Alternatively, we can visit the castle every day and defeat the enemy on each level, one day at a time, before coming back. We'll reduce the enemy numbers slowly... And since the time limit is one week, this plan should work."
I mentioned my unused abilities, Detect Enemy and Lurk, which I had acquired during my time with Chris and Darkness.
Megumin seemed to find hope in my suggestion and cheered up.
Megumin and I turned to look at Darkness, who had been cursed by the Dullahan.
"Hey, Darkness! We'll break your curse! So, don't worry..."
"Sacred Break Spell!"
But just as I was offering reassurance, Aqua interrupted with her spell.
Aqua's magic interrupted our conversation, and Darkness's body glowed faintly.
She sighed with relief as her glowing subsided.
"With me around, breaking the Dullahan's curse is easy! What do you think? I look like a priestess sometimes, right?"
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
Give me and Megumin's motivation back...
"Well, at least we don't have to go through the hassle of infiltrating the castle."
I remarked, scratching my head, unsure of what our next steps should be.
The other adventurers who had been spectating our encounter seemed just as puzzled, returning to their daily routines as if nothing unusual had happened.
Meanwhile, Darkness and Aqua were engaged in a rather unusual conversation.
"Thank you, Aqua. I am truly in your debt for saving me from such a cruel fate."
Darkness expressed her gratitude to Aqua.
"No problem. Maybe if you enter the Axis Cult and worship me, you'll be able to compensate for half of the debt. I've never seen a holy female crusader who worships Aqua-sama, so you'd be the first."
"A-As much as I want to repay you, that's where I draw the line sadly. I am a faithful believer in Eris-sama. There's no way I can switch due to personal reasons, and also because I don't want to affiliate myself with them..."
"Hmm... Maybe I should just place a small seal where you can't take off your panties for a week instead..."
"H-H-Hey, Aqua, wait! You can do that?! How can you do that?! There is absolutely no way I'm gonna let that happen!"
Darkness blushed furiously and grabbed me, using me as her shield.
"Hey, quit grabbing me! I'm not your shield, and I never will be! That said, I'm interested in hearing what else Aqua has to say. Please, do continue."
This girl will sacrifice her life to another person but will use a commoner as a shield to protect her modesty.
"Oh! I have a good idea! Since you withheld one million eris from me, I'll do this in return! I'll place a seal on Kazuma to make his... uh, small Kazuma-san even smaller for an entire week!"
No other feeling could describe the fear that I just experienced.
Never had I imagined that Aqua would project this much fear into me.
"H-Hey, I don't even know who's the more evil curse wielder at this point! You or the Dullahan... D-Darkness, let go! Okay, Aqua, I'll buy your meal! I'll pay for your meals for today as compensation! Just please don't do anything!"
"Okay! I'm fine with that. That being said, Darkness, Megumin, and I will find ways to annoy the Dullahan for being such a pain in the butt this morning and ruining my daily breakfast ritual."
The three girls shared a small laugh together, seemingly unfazed by the bizarre turn of events.
Meanwhile, I couldn't help but question myself about how I had nearly pissed myself in this situation more than when the Dullahan had threatened both Megumin and Darkness.
The day continued as if nothing had ever happened that morning.
Despite having a new weapon, I had no intention of attempting to defeat a Demon King general without the appropriate backup and competence from our team.
We had all just stood there like mindless ants, leaving Megumin to fend for herself until Darkness had done something noble, which was in line with her character.
I couldn't help but wonder how we could possibly cooperate as a team if we acted like cowards in the face of a true boss battle.
That being said, it was expected by also unexpected for Darkness to sacrifice herself like that.
Sure, she'll tank a hit from you but to tank a death curse with no regard for her life...
Hadn't she told us her goal was to defeat the Demon King and be married off to a certain someone?
Something about her actions didn't sit quite right with me, but I decided to put those thoughts aside for now.
In the end, the situation had been resolved peacefully, and we could go about our daily lives once more.
...
A week had passed since the incident with the Demon King's General was resolved peacefully.
In that time, our group had returned to its usual state of chaos and financial trouble.
Aqua had once again managed to plunge herself into debt, this time by asking some cliché thugs for cash.
Megumin, on the other hand, had spent her money on her staff and who-knows-what-else, leaving her flat broke.
Darkness, while not in debt, was bored and eager to take on a quest from time to time.
As for me, I had spent my time working as a part-time blacksmith to make some extra money, as there was little else to do.
I had improved in refurbishing, cleaning, and sharpening my partner, making it look better than ever.
The blade that had appeared dirty, dull, and brittle just two weeks ago now gleamed, looking brand-new and rather impressive-looking.
However, I had yet to test it on something, so I decided to agree to take on a quest as well.
After a consensus was reached, we accepted a quest that required Aqua to purify a polluted lake and drive away the Brutal Alligators.
The reward was once again 300,000 eris.
And to protect Aqua from the Brutal Alligators, we purchased a cage for her, surrounding her on all sides.
During the quest, I learned that Crimson Demons and Goddesses didn't require the use of bathrooms, which left only me and Darkness as the "normal" ones in that regard.
Aqua eventually managed to purify the lake, although not without tending to her wounds.
She hadn't been physically harmed by the alligators, but being caged with those creatures all around her, wanting to eat her was undoubtedly a harrowing experience.
Unfortunately, I had forgotten to test my blade on the Brutal Alligators's tough skin during the quest, so that would have to wait for another opportunity.
After all, I had no intention of killing for free.
An idea crossed my mind to post a notice on the bulletin board, advertising myself as an elite bodyguard for hire.
However, I quickly realized that I would need to prove my worth with my average swordsmanship, and I doubted I could protect anyone of this town if the town was already being guarded by knights and law enforcement.
With that idea rejected, we collected our quest rewards and celebrated with a modest feast at the tavern.
"Kazuma, do you think you can order another plate?"
Aqua asked, her mouth still full of food, with visible crumbs around her mouth.
"You pay for it yourself. I was the one who let you keep my half of the rewards because I did nothing to contribute. I already paid for your breakfast, lunch, and dinner last week."
Darkness did her best to save Aqua from the wrath of being eaten alive but was caught in one's mouth.
Remarkably, she outmatched it's jaw strength with her own shoulder muscles, successfully able to escape from being dinner, but totally exhausted.
I then told Megumin to blow up everything in the lake, knowing both Aqua and Darkness could survive.
So the other two got to keep their part of the rewards for what they contributed.
"Mkay."
She didn't protest about this time, probably more satisfied that she managed to pay back her debt easily this time around.
"You're unexpectedly noble when it comes to contribution, Kazuma. Is there a reason why?"
Darkness questioned me, taking a bite out of her dish, eating it in a very respectful and normal manner compared to the other two girls.
"I'm just your normal guy with good morals. There's no way I'm going to con you if you truly deserved it. I give credit where credit is due.""
"You say you have good morals when you think I haven't noticed your eyes filled with lust, staring only at Darkness's casual outfit, especially the center of her chest."
Erk!
Megumin, however, decided to catch me off guard with an unexpected observation.
"Swallow before talking."
I blushed in embarrassment and quickly retorted, handing her my half-filled glass of water to help her swallow her food.
"Darkness, have some common sense. This guy is treating you like eye candy the more you dress like that. You're even starting to attract other guys in the guild. I heard one of them talking about asking you out. Oh, thanks, Kazuma."
I handed Aqua a napkin to help her clean off her mouth.
"I'm happy for all of your concern, but there's really no need to worry. I just need to take a break from the armor once in a while. It's been getting extremely tight lately, and I might need to expand it a bit more to ease the tightness."
"Tell me more."
This time, her piercing glares was dead set on me.
I averted my gaze from the ominous woman, prepared to dodge a punch if necessary.
"Speaking of guys asking me out. I'm more surprised no one has asked you out, Aqua. You're one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen in this kingdom. Why haven't you been recently popular?"
Aqua being beautiful? I just don't see it...
"Darkness, what about me? Am I a beautiful woman?"
"You're still a little girl, Megumin. Just wait a few more years and you'll fully mature."
"Hey! I take offense to that!"
Darkness was trying to be nice about it but Megumin took it as a threat to her pride.
Meanwhile, this other girl was grinning with a dramatic monologue in her mind.
"Fufu... Isn't it obvious? It's like that high school romcom scenario I read back at the heavens. Everyone is simply too afraid to ask me out because of my sheer beauty!"
It's because last week, everyone overheard about you having the capabilities to make a man's thingy shrink even smaller.
Even if it was a bluff, any man would back out immediately, even the Demon King...
"And what type of beauty is that?"
I sarcastically asked her.
Aqua paused dramatically before declaring with a grin,
"My beauty matches that of a-"
"GODDESS-SAMA!"
Suddenly, a man's loud exclamation broke the atmosphere in the tavern, capturing everyone's attention, including ours.
"G-Goddess-sama! Isn't this goddess-sama? What are you doing in a beginner town like this?
The man approached our table, shoving me and the chair I was sitting on aside in his eagerness.
As much as I wanted to retaliate, I knew that now wasn't the time to tarnish my already-questionable reputation.
The other adventurers quickly returned to their own business, realizing that this man was fixated on Aqua.
Wait, did he just call her a goddess?
Aqua, appearing rather clueless, tilted her head at the man.
"Who are you?"
The man's surprise was palpable. Aqua had seemingly forgotten him, which didn't sit well with him.
She also forgot about me too when I first encountered her but this man took it as if he had just been rejected by the main heroine in a high school anime.
"Why are you saying this, goddess-sama? It's me, Mitsurugi Kyouya! I received the magic sword, Gram, from you!"
Aqua continued to tilt her head, seemingly unable to recall the man.
Meanwhile, it dawned on me that his name had the vibe of a typical protagonist from an anime or manga.
Since it was a Japanese name, it made sense that he might have received a powerful weapon from Aqua and arrived in this world before me.
Mitsurugi Kyouya had brown hair and projected the image of a stoic, justice-driven hero.
He was dressed in an expensive-looking armor with a radiant blue sheen, and he carried a sword in a black scabbard at his waist.
Behind Mitsurugi were two companions: a warrior-type woman with a long spear and a pretty girl wearing leather armor with a dagger hanging from her waist.
It was clear that Mitsurugi was about my age, and if I had to sum up his appearance in one sentence, I'd say he looked like the protagonist of a manga.
Aqua finally remembered him after his explanation, though she seemed rather nonchalant about it.
"Ah! Yes, there was such a person! Sorry, I totally forgot about you. I sent a lot of people here, so it can't be helped if I forgot!"
You also sent me to this world without my consent and also forgot.
Mitsurugi's face showed a hint of awkwardness, but he still managed to smile at Aqua.
"Eh, it's been a while, Aqua-sama. As your chosen hero, I've been working hard every day. My job is Sword Master. I'm already at level 37... Oh right, what is Aqua-sama doing here? Or rather, why are you with an incompetent man like him?"
Mitsurugi said, throwing me disdainful glances.
I take offense to that, why are you making it sound like we're both dating?
"Hm? Oh, I was sent into this world for personal reasons. And then I found him, that's our party leader, Satou Kazuma, an Adventurer. We both decided to team up since we share the same goal of defeating the Demon King."
Aqua explained matter-of-factly, causing Mitsurugi's shock to intensify.
"I-I see... It's natural for you to be fighting your archenemies... But Aqua-sama, are you sure you see anything in that man? He looks extremely fragile and probably couldn't handle a mob of zombies even if his life depended on it."
"Hey, I'm right here you know, do you wanna get punched or something?"
My words slipped out, and it seemed my anger had gotten the better of me.
"What was that, simpleton?! Just because Aqua-sama chose you as her companion doesn't give you the right to insult anyone you see fit!"
Mitsurugi, true to his character, immediately grew arrogant and confrontational.
He grabbed my collar and lifted me from my chair, glaring at me intently.
Aqua quickly intervened, restraining Mitsurugi with urgency.
"What are you doing? First of all, you were the one who shoved Kazuma and his chair, so you should apologize. Second, I am doing just fine in his care. In fact, I am having fun every day in this world. Don't attack him because I need him to help me defeat the Demon King, who isn't really an archenemy, just someone in the way. If you so much as lay a finger on Kazuma, I'll curse you so that you'll never be able to grab anything ever again."
This time she's saying it's a curse instead of a seal.
"I'll take the heat, Aqua-sama. As long as this man... I sense incompetence emanating from him. I think he's just using your talents for his own benefit..."
You've got it wrong, she's using me, sir.
"Where do you even live? I bet he's making a lot of money off your godhood."
"In the stables... with him and Megumin...?"
"Huh?"
Mitsurugi tightened his grip on my collar.
It was beginning to hurt, and he was stretching out the collar my mother had made for me.
At that moment, Darkness stepped in.
"Hey, watch yourself. You've been unreasonable this whole time. This must be the first time you've met Kazuma, so there should be a limit to how rude you can be."
Darkness, who had remained quiet and neutral until now, appeared visibly angry, more so than when I had teased her earlier.
"Kazuma, I want to blow this man up."
Megumin, on the other hand, seemed to have no regard for anyone else in the tavern.
"Don't do it. Let's see how this plays out."
Mitsurugi released my collar and eagerly observed Darkness and Megumin.
"A Crusader and an Archwizard? And... they look quite attractive too. It seems you've been incredibly lucky in finding companions. But it doesn't make sense. Don't you feel ashamed having Aqua and these two excellent members sleep in the stables? Aqua mentioned that your job was the weakest, an Adventurer, right?"
"Actually it's just me, Aqua, and Megumin. That other girl has somewhere else to live."
From his description, it seemed like I was in a pretty good situation.
From the people who didn't know us, I seemed so lucky.
But in my perspective, I see nothing but a useless woman, an explosive lady, and a lady who lacks the ability to connect her sword on others...
I whispered to Aqua:
"Isn't staying in the stables the norm for adventurers in this world? Why is this guy so mad?"
"Well, I think he was granted a powerful sword when he was transported to this world and completed a bunch of high-difficulty quests from the beginning. He probably had no worries about money... But that's the usual case for people with special abilities or equipment."
A flame of anger burned in my heart after I listened to Aqua's answer.
Why was he acting so high and mighty toward me, who had to work hard from the very beginning?
I had been stuck in this world for 17 years because of her mistake, living in poverty for almost a decade, and I had only recently saved over a million eris for a small business idea to support my family back home.
And yet, this guy had the audacity to antagonize and ridicule me.
In terms of experience, I had lived in two worlds for 33 years, but physically, I was 17.
Setting my thoughts aside, this cocky individual had never experienced any hardships because he was gifted a powerful sword.
If only I had a cheat item in this world, but the item I had by my side wasn't all that powerful – just a regular katana with sharper and harder materials than steel.
I was willing to bet his sword had some overpowered abilities like "cutting through the fabric of the universe" or the power to summon more swords at will.
However, Mitsurugi seemed oblivious to my simmering anger as he continued to speak, this time addressing Aqua, Darkness, and Megumin with a sympathetic smile.
"It must have been hard on all of you so far. Please consider joining me from now on. Of course, I won't subject you to sleeping in the stables, and I'll provide you with full sets of premium equipment. The balance of the team would be perfect, with myself as a Swordmaster, my Warrior comrade, a Crusader, my Thief comrade, an Archwizard, and, of course, Aqua-sama. It's an ideal combination, a match Made In Heaven."
Ara, it didn't include me.
Well, I didn't want to join this guy's party anyway.
I rather get chased by a giant frog with only my underwear on than be forced to join his party as a side character with no luck with other women.
And the fact he already has two female companions, he's practically trying to make a harem in his own fantasy.
As for my companions... Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness huddled together to discuss the proposal.
Despite Mitsurugi's arrogance, the terms he offered weren't bad.
In comparison to continuing alongside me, teaming up with Mitsurugi provided a seemingly easier path for Aqua to confront the Demon King, a necessary step for her to return to heaven.
They'll probably accept her if she defeats the Demon King anyway, regardless if she doesn't help me or not.
Megumin, too, harbored a deep-seated desire to vanquish the Demon King, although she had never shared the specific reason with me.
Darkness had her own reasons for wanting to confront the Demon King, which seemed to involve matters related to the kingdom's royalty.
Overall, it appeared that joining Mitsurugi offered a more straightforward route for Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness to achieve their respective goals of taking down the Demon King.
With those considerations in mind, I thought that my three companions might be swayed by Mitsurugi's offer.
As such, I prepared to deliver what I believed might be my final words to them...
"You guys can go and live a nice carefree life. I'm just gonna quit adventuring to start my own business-"
"While the positives are great... just being in this man's party gives me a sense of nothing but trouble! It also feels wrong. The self-righteous way in which he talks made me cringe. And his narcissistic tendencies frighten me."
"Can I cast my magic? Can I throw an explosion spell into the face of that elite who's talking down to us without ever experiencing a day of hardship?"
"He creeps me out. Even though I've been stared at by worse human beings... This man is someone I definitely want to avoid. Being in Kazuma's party is much safer in my opinion."
Huh, that's surprising.
I thought fate were to shove itself in my face again by having the same thing replay over and over, and you all know exactly what I'm talking about.
I couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and exasperation.
While I appreciated their unwavering support, I also knew that they had a penchant for getting into trouble, and this decision was likely to lead us down another chaotic path.
Aqua tugged at my sleeve after she finished ridiculing Mitsurugi, who was in absolute shock at being rejected by three women.
"Kazuma, I'm going to order another plate. Do you want something in compensation for having your collar ruined?"
"I'll give you my share of the food, and you can hold my staff for a few minutes."
"I'll buy you a new shirt if you have time to go shopping. Free of charge."
"I appreciate it but I don't need any pity money from you all. I have enough money saved up so all of you should eat as much as you want with the money you worked hard for."
The girls and I returned to our seats to continue breakfast, leaving Mitsurugi and his two female companions in shock and disbelief.
"H-Hey, you guys can't just insult Kyouya like that! Kyouya, do something about him! He gives me the creeps!"
"Yeah! You don't know him at all! He's actually a really heroic, nice guy! I bet you're probably some pervert trying to make your own harem."
Irony.
"Look, my party members don't seem interested in your offer and are more focused on filling up their stomachs. It's your loss. Just be a man and accept that what happened, happened..."
Hehe, Father was right.
I do kind of sound like a cool and masculine man when I say 'act like a man' to other male humans.
But it seemed this person wasn't the type to give up easily...
"Tch, I won't let you get away with taking advantage of Aqua-sama and the other two girls so easily!"
...
"So... why did you just decide to cut the legs off of my chair? You were fined by the guild for it, and now you've brought me outside to do what?"
I ignored Mitsurugi for only a single minute to think about how to start out my business as well as wait for the girls to finish up their breakfast.
Sadly, this man had the patience of a toddler.
He used his cheat sword to swiftly cut down the standing legs of my chair, making me fall over to get my attention.
Of course, I gave him my attention, getting extremely furious at him, and was about to deck him in the face if Darkness hadn't intervened to prevent my first bar fist-fight.
"I'm afraid I can't let your reign of terror last any longer."
That's something you should say to the Demon King when you meet him, not me.
"Get 'em, Kyouya! Teach him a lesson and show him who's boss!"
"Yeah! Get him on his knees and make him beg for mercy!"
Sheesh, he's got some brutal cheerleaders with him...
"I'll buff you with any required spells if you need it, Kazuma, don't worry!"
"We Crimson Demons may not look like it, but we possess immense physical strength, so I'll step in if you want me to."
"Tag in if you need to, Kazuma, my swordsmanship may be lacking, but my fists have proven to surpass that of a professional boxer!"
Then there's these girls making it unfair for him... and also making it look like I'm a man who fights with no honor.
"So, are you challenging me to a duel? Are we really going to fight over Aqua? Of all people?"
"Indeed. I hereby challenge you to a duel."
I did my best to avoid something like this, but in the end, it doesn't even matter.
One thing for sure, father did told me about a fight between two men was something inevitable.
"If I win, I get to take Aqua-sama with me, as well as the Crusader and Archwizard. Their talents serve more use with someone like me. If I lose, you can take whatever you want from me."
"Okay, I accept! Create Water!"
I attempted to blind his vision by hosing his face with water.
"H-Hey, that's not fair! Using magic spells in a sword duel! I haven't even prepared myself yet!"
He dodged my water attack as I was almost ready to draw my katana.
But he was swifter and the more experienced swordsman, pulling out his large cheat sword and side-swiping me.
I thought my head had been decapitated, but instead, the tree behind me was cut off easily, and his sword hadn't even touched the tree at all.
Man, I wish I had something like that.
"Don't worry, I won't kill you. I'll just bring you to your knees. This is your only chance to surrender; the next attack will not be so gentle this time around."
I was only level 8, and he's level 37.
He could easily kill me even if he just flicked his sword to the right.
"Curse that sword I forged for him! Kazuma, use your newfound cheat sword as well to kick his butt! Older me was definitely better than future me at making swords!"
"Give him a taste of Chunchunmaru's full demonic wrath!"
"Show off your hard work from taking care of that blade! I believe in you!"
Thanks for your words of encouragement, but I doubted the gods would come to save me this time around.
"You too have a cheat sword? Also, what a weird name for a sword..."
"Hey, don't call it weird!"
"That's not its name! It never will be! I just haven't thought of a good name for it yet..."
This is not what I expected to play out...
"Nonetheless, this is indeed interesting... A battle against two cheat items. Let's see whose imagination is superior!"
Mitsurugi seemed excited, shown by gripping the handle of his sword tightly, waiting anxiously for me to draw my own katana.
Well, I guess it's finally time to test out this weapon now that it's sharpened and better than before.
Hopefully, it won't break when clashing against that sword.
"My, my... A katana? You really are a Japanese person..."
"Originally, yes."
Mitsurugi dashed toward me, prepared to end the duel once and for all.
"Alright, no more talk. Let's end this now-!"
Mitsurugi suddenly stopped in his tracks, his expression filled with shock.
"You okay? You looked like you've seen Death behind me."
I hadn't even moved my katana the slightest.
I still had it gripped with both of my hands, idling in front of me.
"I-It's nothing... That was strange... It felt as if the air itself had sliced through my neck, decapitating me... Yet I'm still alive and well-"
"No more talk! Let's end this now!"
He was caught off guard again, and there was no way I was going to let this chance pass by.
I extended my hand towards him.
Thinking I was going to cast another Create Water spell, he tried to block it with his sword this time.
"Steal!"
I grabbed the cheat sword I had stolen from him and bonked him on the top of the head.
He fell to the ground, unconscious, in a satisfying manner and with a thud.
"That'll teach you a lesson not to bother me next time..."
"Coward..."
One of the girls uttered.
"Say what?"
"Coward! Coward! Coward! Grr...!"
Now, the both of them were glaring at me.
"The real coward is the Swordmaster challenging a mere Adventurer... By the way, I'll be taking his sword as per our agreement."
"Y-You can't take Gram! It's useless without him!"
"Yeah! You'll be rejected because you're a weak coward!"
"Really? Are they serious, Aqua?"
"Yup. The magic sword is only useful in the hands of that narcissist."
I took a good look at my partner and Gram... back and forth and back and forth...
"Well, I've never had two cheat items before, so I'll take both of them anyway."
I sheathed my katana back into my sword belt and dragged Gram with me.
Heavy!
"Hold up! Kyouya may have lost, but we haven't yet! You've got to go through us!"
"That's right! You've still got us to duel! We both challenge you to a duel to take Gram back!"
Now these girls were saying something the main heroines would say when their main protagonist is weakened and beaten down...
"Alright, sure... but I am a true advocate of gender equality... One with even the guts to dropkick any woman I deem as a threat... I'll use both of these swords right now to cut you both down. And not by the flesh... but by carefully slicing off your clothes..."
"Eh?"
"Huh?"
They seemed absolutely frightened by the wrath of Satou Kazuma, the legendary hero who took down Mitsurugi Kyouya.
"Muahahaha! Or maybe... I'll use my Steal on you both... and strip you layer by layer... Muahahaha!"
"Ah... Uh..."
"Um..."
"Now... which fate do you choose? To have your clothes sliced off slowly by your friend's sword and mine... or be stripped forcefully, spell by spell..."
"Eyahhhhh!"
"Eyahhhhh!"
The two girls ran away, leaving their main protagonist behind to protect their modesty.
"Yikes... To think I slept next to this man my entire time being here..."
"I'll blow him up as well if I have to."
"Maybe I should've punched him earlier for that comment he made about me..."
Oh, it also seems my cheerleaders have turned against me as well...
...
"Man, what a weird day it has been. Glad that's over..."
We continued to eat our breakfast as if what we had encountered was just a daily occurrence.
"Kazuma, can you use your Create Water and pour it into my cup?"
"You're the goddess of water, do it yourself."
Actually... If I remember correctly, the last time she did it... she flooded the entire...
"Create Water."
"Thank you."
Smart move, Kazuma.
"I am surprised, Kazuma. To think you were able to easily beat that Swordmaster so effortlessly."
Darkness commented.
"Are your eyes okay? It took all my efforts and brainpower to beat that guy."
As well as my efforts to control myself from stomping his annoying face when he was laid unconscious.
"Well, it's just unusual for an elite Swordmaster to be beaten by someone who didn't even move his weapon the slightest."
"That's because I used magic spells to defeat him..."
"Kazuma is right; magic spells are rather more superior than physical attacks. He just proved that beginner magic is more superior than advanced classes that rely on swords and shields. It's also a good thing he already knows so much from what I taught him."
"You didn't teach me anything at all, Megumin; quit trying to get all the glory!"
"Hey, give me back my staff!"
"You want to teach me something, let me cast a mini Explosion outside right now and replace you!"
"Pervert! Pervert! He's sniffing my staff!"
"Am not!"
"Satou Kazuma!"
A familiar and annoying voice called my name out, entering the guild once more.
Hey, he recovered more quickly than I had anticipated.
"So that's where you are! I had a hard time finding you, Satou Kazuma!"
Shouting my full name, Mitsurugi rushed to our table and slammed both hands down.
"Satou Kazuma! I asked a female thief about you, and she told me everything immediately. She said you like to strip women of their panties. Other than that, your interest is to cover girls in slime. Lots of people are talking about you; they're calling you names such as KazuTrash and Creepzuma!"
"H-H-Hey, hold on, who's the one spreading this?! Give me names, and I'll let them taste my true wrath!"
I knew who the thief was, but the problem was the other parts.
Spreading such rumors from somewhere and adding the titles 'KazuTrash' and 'Creepzuma' before my name!
As Mitsurugi closed in on me with a serious face, Aqua stepped before him.
"Aqua-sama, I swear to you, after I get my sword back from that man, I will defeat the Demon King. So please join me and form a party."
This time around, Aqua had finally had it with him.
"Hey, you lost fair and square! Kazuma gets to keep the sword as much as he wants! No takebacks!"
"I-I understand! But please, I'm begging you! I am nothing without that sword!"
If you're nothing without the sword, you shouldn't have it.
"I'll buy the best sword in this town for you, Satou Kazuma! Even the best armor suited for an Adventurer like you!"
Megumin tugged Mitsurugi's cape lightly, getting his attention.
"I-Is there anything to help you with, little girl?"
Megumin, holding back her glare,
"First of all, I'm not a little girl. Second, the man you lost to fair and square... no longer has your sword with him..."
Mitsurugi examined me closely, noticing that I, indeed, did not have his sword with me at the moment.
"S-Satou Kazuma... What did you do with my sword?"
I held up a bag of money in front of me.
"I sold it."
"Dammit to it all...!"
Mitsurugi ran off, determined to find his lonely lost sword.
I had sold it to the blacksmith who had taught me blacksmithing skills before coming back to the guild.
He'll for sure be enlightened to sell that sword to Mitsurugi at a higher price than he bought it for.
"Just what was up with that man?"
Darkness pondered, seemingly finished with her breakfast.
"I don't know. I'm more surprised that you didn't get your feet swept up by him."
I put the money back into my pocket, saving it for the future for business-related reasons.
"Who do you take me for, Kazuma? I'm not so easily swayed by an unknown man who rudely disregarded my companions."
"Oh right, your entire goal is to defeat the Demon King and marry the prince with that ancient law or something."
"H-Hey, don't bring it up all of a sudden!"
"I can if I want to. That's the reason you joined us in the first place. But I won't ask you any further details. Noble drama is something on the bottom of my to-do list. There's something else I need to pay more attention to."
Now that everything had settled down, I could finally begin to formulate my business plan.
Darkness looked at me anxiously, waiting to see if I had anything else to say.
Meanwhile, Aqua, who couldn't read the mood...
"Phew, I'm all stuffed! Alright, let's take on another quest-"
"Emergency broadcast! Emergency broadcast! Attention all adventurers, please prepare all your equipment and gather at the town's main gate ready for battle! Especially Satou Kazuma-san and his companions, please head to the scene as soon as possible!"
"Aw c'mon!"
"Aw c'mon!"
Aqua and I complained in unison.
...
Everyone including the four of us rushed to the main gate.
"Oh, just as I suspected. This guy's here again."
There were already many adventurers gathered by the time I reached the main gate.
And that guy was there again, standing quite some distance away from the crowd of adventurers. Though, it's more like the adventurers were keeping a respectable distance from him.
Indeed. It was that Demon King's General, Dullahan.
I was a bit curious when I saw the troubled faces of the adventurers preceding me, but I understood why when I looked at what was behind the Dullahan.
Unlike the last time, he brought a whole army of monsters with him.
It was a group of knights wearing tattered armor.
They seemed emaciated, and the cracks in their armor and helmets were visible if you looked closely. If you look too closely, you might even catch a glimpse of the rotting flesh underneath.
With just a glance, it was clear that the armored knights were undead.
After seeing Megumin and me, it roared.
"Day after day I've patiently waited... I even set up a luxurious plate of dinner on my finest table, crafted by my finest servants to have a small chat with you until we would eventually have our final battle... So why haven't you sufferable inhuman filths entered my castle yet...!"
Oh dear...
I forgot all about this guy...
I really can't seem to take a break.