The Sin's Will
Megumin's crimson eyes shined brightly, startling Kazuma. She advances with transparent fascination and enthusiasm, subconsciously causing him to stagger backwards. And with no care about personal space, she placed a hand on the vacant space between his thighs as support and exclaimed out.
"Your eye looks so cool! Tell me, how could you possess this... impeccable characteristic?! For so long I covet such a magnificent characteristic! I can imagine how cool it would be if it was included in my ultimate, aspiring overture!"
The black cat, Chomusuke, dodged her hand and hissed, before leaping to the table and sitting on its legs, looking up to Kazuma with much infatuation shown by its widened yellow eyes.
"Hey, personal space!"
Pushing her with one of his hands through her shoulder, he took another sip of his drink to calm the Sin. This girl, by being a "demon variant race" really brought out the Sin's tendency. The worst it has ever been since he became the host, particularly. But weirdly, it suddenly shut off in the middle of its urge bestowing.
Unconsciously, Kazuma glanced at the wide-eyed cat, who he saw first when he was awakened.
"Kazuma, come on! Tell me how you got it?!"
"We just met like minutes ago, so please add a suffix or something. And I don't think it was supposed to be romanticized like that, since it was a damned trait that makes people associate me with some sort of demons."
"You know, I'm a Crimson Demon, right? My race has the word "Demon" as its subject term."
"I guess."
Megumin sat back on the bench, facing Kazuma, who was now back to his previous posture, placing both of his elbows on the table while occasionally sipping his drink. She stared at him for a moment.
"...Seeing the real deal, I feel like my enthusiasm towards wearing an eye patch has mitigated."
"Ok."
Kazuma chortled a short reply, still focusing on his drink. Megumin somewhat expected such a response coming from a guy like him. He didn't really show much other than his pity and his constant sighs since she met him. It was the first time she experiences someone who didn't take an initiative to talk back. Considering her looks, of course, she was fully aware the attention she was getting. Although she likes attention, she likes it when they were attracted by her Explosion Magic, not her looks, which most of her female clanmates possessed.
Naivety and innocent are the last things to describe Megumin. While somewhat young, she was a seasoned Adventurer, journeying throughout this Kingdom, voyaging to many places on her own. With her absurd intelligence, who was superior even amidst the already absurdly intelligent Crimson Demons, tricking bastards was a trifling matter. It was like waving her hand to swap some flies, and maybe some of those flies actually have some gold on them.
Saying that she knew whom she judged as a person worth talking to her is not merely a boast. She truly knew. Because it was important for her, who, with her attractive traits, wanted to voyage this sh*tty world.
But despite all of this, Megumin still keeps one thing in her heart. It's her impeccable will to her passion for Explosion Magic. It's a precious magic, bestowed by someone she holds dear, who trusted her to carry the legacy of Explosion Magic.
Though for these past couple of weeks, she has been quite unfortunate. Unnoticed by Kazuma, Megumin's eyes trembled.
'Ah damn, what should I do?'
Kazuma, as a normal, civil young man with common sense, is supposed to act like any person would do in his current situation. Help the girl, talk to ease up the atmosphere, and part ways with her. But there's one problem. A big- no, a horrendously troubling dilemma.
'...P...Possess... t... them...!!!'
'I swear, if I don't find a way to suppress this, I don't think I can live without doing any crimes.'
Kazuma tries using many references from light novels. But as a complete amateur in terms of knowledge of this world with an even stupider colleague, he can't really find a way out of this-
'Wait.'
Realizing something, his eyes lighted up.
"Hey, Megumin."
"Yeah?"
Kazuma glanced at Megumin, who was sipping her own Crimson Neroid.
"I know that this is a stupid question, but you are a native of this Kingdom, right?"
"It's stupid. And of course, I am a native."
Ignoring her straightforward reply, Kazuma's heart began to pound.
"Are you currently in a party?"
"...No?"
Kazuma subconsciously repetitively moves his feet.
"Another stupid question, are you an Adventurer?"
'Just to make sure.'
"...What has gotten into you? And yes, of course, I am an Adventurer. A seasoned adventurer, nonetheless."
By now, Megumin began to notice his weird behaviour. From her point of view, Kazuma, since the first time they met, always act calm. Relaxed. But right now, he was rather... vigorous. His previous calm demeanour was replaced by fervour. Which could be seen by his relentless feet. His fingers repeatedly thump the table, making a thump thump sound ringing in the Guild Hall.
"...That means you know a lot, right?"
"...Yes?"
When he began to stare down at her with both of his eyes, Megumin answered nervously.
She looked back, and she saw it.
The red dot was glowing, spreading the tiny bit of its redness, boldly staining his black iris. The voidness of his black iris is like an abyss, wanting to suck her into its vacancy.
A physical form of his greed.
Being stared by such an eye, Megumin became momentarily stunned. Without her knowing, her crimson eyes glowed corresponding to the red dot's pace. A slight hue painted her fair face, conspicuously exhibited by its stark contrast colour.
Chomusuke, from the sideline, has its cross-shaped mark glowing. Its now half-lidded yellow eyes, like before, staring intently at Kazuma. Filled with intense curiosity and fascination, with its tail industriously flapping in the air and an excited expression on its oval face.
"I have a favour to ask, Megumin. Mind if I extort a couple of notions out of you?"
The red dot glowed so brightly, the most bright it has ever been.
"N-No."
Her eyes glowed too, as if answering to the red dot's will.
'Finally-'
"Kazumaaa! I need some money to pay for the bath-! Oh? A Crimson Demon?"
'...Sh*t.'
As if being struck by a thunderbolt, Kazuma widened his eyes by the awakening and snapped his head to Aqua, who was standing at the entrance, looking at the spectacle curiously. Subconsciously pulling down his eye patch with haste, he glanced at his new acquaintance, who still had her half-lidded eyes staring up at him.
A foreboding feeling arose.
With despair, Kazuma concluded.
'It would act the same way towards Aqua when I'm with Megumin, isn't it?'
...If he did not manage to find a method to suppress this...
He would be a medium for it to satisfy its greed. Just imagining it sent a shiver through his spine.
The problem is not that it would overtake his body. No, the problem is the fact that it was capable of converting its greed into something he called as his greed.
This sin is a part of him.
It's one with him. Its greed is his greed.
He is Kazuma. The Sinner of Greed.
It's not correct to call it greed. No.
It's his greed. Provoked by something called the Sin of Greed, who keeps suggesting his greed to covet something that it has taken an interest in. And in the present, he has no way to prevent it.
By this realization, Kazuma was awakened.
How severe this punishment truly is.
But perhaps, he could treat it as retribution. Something that could be associated with the term "Mutual Exchange". Since it bestowed him inhumane force through its forceful nature. But that could only be useful in certain circumstances.
A throb in his head. Kazuma grimaces. An incoming headache he gotta prepare for.
'What should I do to prevent this?'
"... Hm?"
Suddenly, a soft, furry feeling nudged against his hand, which brought him out of his thoughts. Kazuma glanced at Chomusuke, who blissfully nudge its head towards his hand, purring rather cutely.
In ignorance of the fact that Aqua just splash Megumin in her face with her Crimson Neroid to wake her up, Kazuma pats Chomusuke, who responded by nudging its head to his hand, accompanied with a soft, chirpy meow. Its soft fur brushed against his skin, while its tail actively swayed from right to left.
Finally, for the first time, he could feel peace.
"Hey! Don't you know it is considered impolite and rude to splash a stranger in their face with their drinks?!"
"Hm, you ignored this esteemed one, that itself is a sin!"
"What sort of nonsense you just spouted out, you dumb b*tch!"
"Hahahah! I can't believe a girl who still exuded her mother's breastmilk's odour actually insulted this Goddess! How cute! Listen, little girl, how about you go back home, develop those flat chest of yours, and repent your insults to this Goddess?!"
"What did you just say?! You delusional c*nt!"
"Oh you crossed the line, you little sh*t!"
Behind Kazuma's back, two individuals were currently in a verbal war, with more vicious insults coming out of their mouths the longer it occurred. But oddly, he turned deaf to them, solely focusing on the odd cat he brought up with both of his hands.
His sole eye looked up to the odd cat and the cat replied with a purr, swinging its paws rather playfully.
Kazuma smiled.
'The Sloth, huh?'
Behind him, two waitresses were holding up his two acquaintances, who keep spouting things unfit for their flawless appearances. They glanced at the individual who was acquainted with these females for help, but unfortunately, he was immersed in enjoying his time playing with that odd cat.
The waitresses looked at each other and sighed. Well, at least they were used to this kind of occurrence.
...That... actually kinda makes it more worrying.
"So, Aqua, I wanted Megumin to become our companion. As you know, you and I have little to no understanding towards this wor- Kingdom. And please stop showing childish animosity merely by some stupid chatterings."
Aqua kept eating, ignoring him impeccably, causing him to take in a heavy breath.
The night sky was silent. It is the time when nocturnal living forms start their daily activities. In the peaceful town of Axel, in the Adventurer's Guild Hall, currently, Kazuma was shooting two physically flawless individuals with a gaze filled with irritation. On his shoulder is the odd cat, Chomusuke, who peacefully sat on its legs.
"And you, Megumin, I told you, didn't I? This eye is weird. That's what you got for being so damn insistent."
"E-Er... em... Yeah, you're right. It's really fascina- s-scary, hm, it's really scary."
Staring at this odd girl who occasionally shoots Aqua an animosity look, Kazuma sighed. For some reason, this sin of his would exponentially act up by her. Though according to his intruding thoughts, it was by being a demon variant race that Megumin was excessively attracting its attention. But he discovers something else.
"Purr..."
An oval-shaped full of soft fur nudged against his cheek, receiving her a pet on her head. Kazuma relaxed, feeling a solacing sentiment fill his chest
When this... cat? Yeah, cat, makes direct contact with him, the intruding thoughts just... disappeared. Leaving him in a peaceful state.
Looking at her yellow eyes peering through her half-opened lids with her cat-mouth forming a lazy smile, Kazuma shook his head in amusement and reverted his attention to Aqua, who was just eating her meal in the most obnoxious way possible. Munching rather loudly with a Light-blue Beer in her other hand, imitating that of an expert drunkard.
From the depth of his heart, Kazuma genuinely can't see her the way when they first met anymore. That itself is an arduous challenge to uptake.
"Well, anyway. Megumin, do you accept my request?"
"Hm, Chomusuke already attached herself to you. Besides, I want to witness that impeccable eye more! Oh, imagine if it was included in my spectacular Explosion Magic spell-chanting!"
"What is this... Explosion Magic, that you kept talking about?"
"Let me enlighten you, oh the bedazzle one. This magic, superior to any of its peers, especially those damned detonation-series spells, is a spell in its own league! The best this world could ever offer! It is the one and only, Explosion Magic! Which looked down upon all spells! Capable of manifesting the most magnificent, majestic, mystifying phenomenon this world has ever seen!"
"Aside from its completely normal name, it seems like it was amazing from the way you describe it."
"Of course it's amazing! No, it's fantastic! Out of this world! Something mediocre mind could only hope to comprehend!"
Kazuma stared at the now-hyperactive girl, who was literally wiggling in her seat, looking to the ceiling with her glowing crimson eyes filled with what seemed like fanatism. They were bright yet cloudy.
His sole green eye blanked.
"...Alright, anyway-"
"Kazuma! Who said that we need guidance?! Don't you know that this Goddess is enough-?!"
"-You'll be assigned as the spell-caster and a guide in this newly formed party, understood Megumin?"
Saying his group of people, which previously consisted of two people, as a party didn't feel right. But now there's one more person added, he found it quite appropriate to call it that.
"It is acceptable. Alright."
"Hey! You have to ask for my permission first-!"
"Where do you sleep, usually?"
"I would usually stay in the backroom of the Guild. They provided a quite good service for its members who have not enough money to go to an inn or were in the middle of a life crisis. The Guild Hall in Axel is my favourite place for this reason. Of course, we were only provided with a mattress in a room with no bed, but it's free."
"Good enough. Alright, lead me there please."
"Sure."
Kazuma and Megumin departed to the back room as Aqua screamed from the background, which they ignore. When they enter a small hallway leading to the mentioned place, Kazuma threw 2 gold coins at Aqua, hitting her head. And before he completely went in, he stick out his head to Aqua, who was whining about the pain.
"Pay the food with those. And when you're done, just follow this small hallway until you hit the end. There, you'll find a door where I and Megumin would sleep."
"W-Wait! Don't just leave me here!"
"Finish your food first."
Not waiting for her response, he went to the hallway and find a room in the deepest part of the hallway. There are impressively over 6 rooms he came across. Megumin said it was the room in the deepest part of the hallway with the best quality to sleep. Many are unaware of its existence by its whereabouts.
He simply opened the door and saw Megumin, lying on a mattress in her red dress. That's it. No stockings, no hat, no collar, just the mid-thigh length red dress with gold trims. She calmly looked at the ceiling, placing her hands on her stomach, her lazy crimson eyes seemed like they were about to shut off.
Kazuma felt troubled.
"You know, technically, we just met for a couple of hours. And could be counted as strangers. Yet not only did you comply to sleep with me, you even showed me such a spectacle. I'm impressed and concerned at the same time that you could easily accept the fact that you would sleep with a stranger in the same room."
Megumin just glanced at him and turned her body around, bringing a fraction of the mattress with her, covering her body with it.
"I have my own sense of judgement. And even if I didn't, you already proved yourself to me that you aren't degenerate. In my view, a guy can't be one when they didn't do anything to a powerless, attractive girl when they were in a desolate place with her alone. Besides, I think you should've said that before we were in our current situation."
"...Alright, I admit it, you're right."
Not seeing any point in continuing the conversation, Kazuma lay down beside her. The room isn't big, a cube-shaped room with approximately 3 meters in vertices. The mattress filled 80% of the room, leaving the rest for boots and whatnot.
Kazuma used a pouch filled with his reward as a pillow, which is quite unpleasant. He glanced at Megumin and saw her using her hat and cloak as pillow and staff as a bolster. Then he looked over his outfit and has an idea.
"Ah, this is nice."
He unequipped his tracksuit jacket and use it as a pillow, leaving him in his black t-shirt. it was supposed to be slimy, but Aqua cleaned the stain off easily and even cleaned off his body, using some sort of water-series magic she refused to share. Kazuma just resign from the intention to learn it with a sigh and went on with his day.
When the now-postponed party was being prepared this morning, Luna explained to him the way skills work. So apparently, there's a section on his card in form of a rectangle-shaped list that showed learnable skills he could use if he had enough SP for him to learn them. Supposedly, a set of skills corresponding to the card owner's class would appear, allowing them to learn them when they have the required SP.
But for an Adventurer-class like him, such a thing is nonexistent. He has to comprehend others' skill.
There are many skills that they offered. From Auto-shoot, Double Strike, Rush, Dash... Not only active skills, but passive skills that allowed the user to master a certain mastery were also demonstrated too. Bow, to master bow. Sword, to master sword. Hammer, to master hammer. And so on...
They were categorized into many types. But the furthest someone has explained to him is 5 types. Untitled, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Master. Which they could only evolve after evolving their class respectively.
For these skills to appear in "Learnable Skills" section required his throughout comprehension towards each of them. From its essence, structure, methods, whatever it was that was connected to the skills he wanted to learn.
In Kazuma's perspective. They are all so interesting, attractive, and fascinating. As a person who immersed himself in fantasy, such things were exciting to grasp.
Reality is sh*t and all but that doesn't mean he had to abandon these exciting, childish prospects.
Realizing that his mind has drifted off to somewhere else, Kazuma, in the end, just yawned.
"Hm..."
A warm feeling, spread upon his face. He turned around and saw Chomusuke, laying down beside his head and leaning her head on his cheek. The sleepiness exponentially increase as she nudged her soft, furry oval head to his cheek and with easiness, he lost his consciousness. Entering the blissful state of sleep, with a tail slowly brushing against his skin.
"...What a cool eye."
Megumin turned around and faced her now party member, mind drifting aimlessly. Then, she yields to her own demand to sleep. Closing her eyes, feeling oddly amicable despite laying beside a stranger. Now party member.
Without both realizations, a tumbling figure opened the door. Its light-blue hair swayed in the air as it falls, laying down on Kazuma, who was unaware of the whole thing.
The newly formed party slept peacefully.
.
"...Alright, don't mind if I do-"
"Kuh! A-Aw! My head!"
Forcefully sitting up, Kazuma, with no consideration, sat up. He looks at the person who shamelessly used him as her mattress and scoffed. Gripping his numbed left arm that Aqua used as a bolster as she proceeded to use him as a bed.
Aqua was currently face-planted on the ground, making some whimpering noises while gripping her face with her hands.
What an obnoxious woman, really.
"Ngh, why so loud in the morning?"
"Fix your dress."
"Huh- Oh."
Kazuma merely took a brief glance at Megumin, whose dress is unorganized, freely showing her tender shoulders to the world, before reverting his attention to his numbed arm, which keeps generating aching pain. He tried to move it a little but a mind-blowing ache shoot out, causing him to flinch and groaned a little.
"Hah! That's what you get for pushing off this Goddess from her beauty sleep! Repent, fool-"
"Stop reversing the situation, you idiot. This happens in the first place because you shamelessly used me as a damn bed. You're an Archpriest, right? Heal it."
"Are you stupid? My magnificence skill used for mere ache?!"
"I'll dump you on the street-"
"Fine! I suddenly feel pity for you. Stay still! Sacred Heal!"
A light manifested from her bare palms, it touched upon his aching area and the aching instantaneously disappeared. Kazuma blinked in amazement, impressed at the now completely healed arm of his.
"Hm-hm! How it is?! I am amazing, right?!"
"I think you should shut up, then I'll admit that you're amazing."
"You're just jealous."
Whatever and whenever this woman talks, the further the definition of a flawless woman he had in his mind of her.
"Urgh, my throat feels so dry. Kazuma, let's have some breakfast."
Megumin, who was silent the whole time, suddenly chirped out, staring at Kazuma while rubbing her neck in thirst. She received an understanding nod.
"Yeah, why not. What time it is anyway?"
"According to the current temperature of the atmosphere in this room, it seems like the sun is midway to its peak."
"I guess it makes sense. The sleep feels fulfilling anyway, despite sleeping quite late."
Aqua could only listen, in no way of comprehending their conversation. Blankly looking at them talking. So she just stood up, open the door and went out. Leaving the door open.
Followed up by Megumin, who was already in her full set of outfits, her cloak fluttering in the air as she ran. Kazuma blinked before picking up his tracksuit jacket, eyes down in confusion.
'She prepares really fast.'
Alas, he just shrugged before pursuing them from behind, simultaneously wearing his tracksuit. He closed the door, leaving the room in silence.
"...295,000 Eris?"
"...Yes, Kazuma-san. Your companion drank lots and lots of Beers yesterday, which were worth over the mentioned amount."
The staff member from yesterday who served him food looked at him in pity as his face distorted, looking down upon the pouch which contains his reward in despair. Megumin, who was sitting with Aqua as she ate her fried frog thighs, is speechless. She snapped her head to Aqua, who was eating a set of menus served by the Guild, containing smoked-lizard hamburger steak and a mug of Crimson Beer, munching on them innocently as if she wasn't at fault.
"S-So, do I have to yield this pouch now?"
"It depends on you Kazuma-san. If you want to pay a fraction of the debt right away then go ahead, but considering your equipment, I recommend you to buy some adventurer's equipment and do a quest. Then you can pay the debt with the reward."
"Yes, thank you, er..."
"My name is Daisy."
"Ah yes, thank you, Daisy-san."
Thanking the kind green-haired staff member, Kazuma turned around and lifelessly muttered.
"I couldn't believe it, 295,000 Eris just for drinks?"
It was at this point that Kazuma realized in certainty.
Aqua, is retarded.
"Retard!"
"Who are you calling retard?!"
"You! Who was so... unimaginable! Why are you so retarded to the extent of unimaginable?! I can't even imagine someone actually spent over such an amount of Eris over some stupid drinks while on the verge of being drifters! But oh, what a surprise! You surpassed my damned expectation once again! Tell me Aqua, tell me, what the hell should I do to make you realize how absurd it was to do the deed you've done?!"
"Um... didn't you already scold me for it back then-"
"Exactly Aqua, exactly. E. xact. ly."
Screaming in the middle of the Guild Hall doesn't seem to be a good idea. Kazuma could only hold onto this string of sanity and rationality. Which resulted in this heart-munching feeling that makes him weak.
Losing the feeling in his legs, Kazuma absurdly collapsed on the bench, beside Megumin, who looked at him in concern and pity. There, he just face-planting the bench.
The temptation to abandon Aqua arises in his heart.
Logic and rationally all hell-bent on this decision.
After all, he's just 16. Hardships and trials aren't something he could ratify sincerely. He would rather leave them. While cowardice, it's not like they were his responsibilities.
In the first place, Aqua brought it upon herself to be dumped for her stupid antics which resulted in that sh*tty light emergence.
'Should I just abandon her?'
It's tempting. Really, tempting. Without her, he did not have to deal with her absurdly mindless antics. With her stupidness. With her obnoxiousness. Kazuma feels something like a pull, urging him to do the act. To abandon her.
To dump her away.
...Like that sh*tty light did.
'Can you bear the consequences to be similar to that "Divinity"?'
A sudden question, coming from somewhere.
Kazuma widened his eyes.
...Something else arises within his chest.
Completely overpowered. Dominating everything, including his logic and his conscience. Nothing could stop its rise. It's so broken it engulfed his whole feeling, leaving nothing but its existence.
The Sin of Greed.
'You refuse, to be similar to that so-called Divinity.'
'I refuse, to be similar to that so-called Divinity.'
His mind repeated the Sin of Greed.
'What you possessed it's yours."
'What I possess it's mine.'
'Until the day you die.'
'Until the day I die.'
'No one can ever snatch your possessions away.'
'No one can ever snatch my possessions away.'
The Sin forced him to follow its will.
Chomusuke, who was laying on Megumin's hat, widened her eyes. She turned her head to Kazuma and slightly trembled, her cross-shaped mark glowed. But this time, it emits intense redness.
'You are Greed. The one that stayed true to your desires. Desires coming from the depth of your heart.'
'I am Greed. The one that stayed true to my desires. Desires coming from the depth of my heart.'
'...That I will handle, the way I see fit.'
He suddenly lifted his body, surprising Megumin and Aqua, who were eating their breakfast. The former was reprimanding the latter about the current situation. Which the latter replied by being excessively subjective, making the former angry.
"...Kazuma?"
Both of them stopped arguing and simultaneously asked, looking at him in confusion and concern. The person in question just shook his head and sighed, placing his cheek on his palm.
Abandoning Aqua?
It's tempting. But nah.
She's an Archpriest, right? She's physically flawless too, setting aside her twisted tendencies.
Kazuma shrugged. Yeah, what sort of teenage adventurer wouldn't want such a person as a companion?
At least, that's what he wanted to think. But for now, let's just use this as a motivator to keep this woman as company.
An excuse, precisely. But that sounds too low-levelled compared to "motivator" in terms of meaning.
'This damn sin...'
A small, soft entity warmed up his lap. He looked down and smiled, seeing Chomusuke peacefully laying on its stomach.
Well, guess he just gotta do this.
To keep this damned Goddess in this party.
The sin would rampage if he didn't, probably.
His conscience too, considering countless things she would undergo.
He mentally sighed.
He sighed too many times these days. Makes him feel old.
"Oi, Kazuma, I know this is pretty bad but are you still in there?"
"...I-I'm sorry."
Well, at least that Goddess apologized.
He stood up and called out a staff member at the barstool.
"Daisy-san, give me a heart-freezing Crimson Neroid with smoked-wolf steak as a side. Make it fast. And include it in the debt!"
"...Alright. Coming right up!"
"And you two, today we will hunt those damned Giant Frogs."
"Eek! T-Those things again?!"
"Um, well, I don't have any objection."
Acceptance.
A state where someone just... accepts things.
Well, isn't that what he always did?
He never refused things. He accepted them.
And handle them, the way he sees fit.
"Alright, let's go. I need to buy a couple of things."
"Wait! I haven't finished my food yet!"
an: Daisy is an OC.