Hello everyone,
With Konosuba Season 3 coming out this month, I wanted to write a one-shot about this anime, something I haven't done for a long time.
This one-shot will focus on Kazuma and Eris, because they're my favourite ship in the series, but also because we'll be seeing this duo for a while, at least in the first part of this season.
Good reading!
"Satou Kazuma, here you are again in the afterlife, your life was short but..."
"Don't give me your usual spiel, Eris."
"What?"
Once again, Kazuma Satou, the adventurer who defeated many of the Demon King's generals, finds himself dead, due once again to his team's inability to manage and accept the simple orders he gave to carry out their mission in good condition.
He had prepared everything carefully and had spoken to his group to tell them how to deal with the new monster that was rampaging through the region, he had collected the clues with the help of the guild, and he had been offered a large sum of money to kill it. Under normal circumstances, he would have refused the quest, but the pressure exerted by his party, as well as the encouragement given by the guild staff due to his reputation and his victories against the various generals, was too strong, and he reluctantly accepted.
Despite all this, he wasn't able to survive because things got too out of hand, as neither Aqua, Megumin nor Darkness could control their usual impulses and craziness, and even though he usually adapted, in this case he couldn't, as the whole thing degenerated and the monster died at the same time as he did, due to an Explosion by Megumin, who hadn't noticed that her party leader was on the battlefield at the time, and who had now more than improved her explosive magic, and indeed he wondered how many skill points she had gained to trigger such a large explosion.
And now, after all the chaos, he found himself in front of Eris, the goddess of luck, asking him to shut up, unconsciously, due to his emotional overload, and Eris was surprised by the way he spoke to her, because she knew that Kazuma never dared speak like that in front of her, because he liked her enormously and thought she was a real goddess.
When she looked closer, she saw his eyes darker, and it was clear that he was frustrated and angry, but she could see a tear running down his cheek. The goddess understood that he had something in his heart, and that he needed to get it out. After all, it was her job to guide souls, and even though Kazuma would be resurrected, she knew that he was still affected by this death too, even if he didn't want to show it.
"Kazuma, are you all right?" she asked worriedly.
"Yes, that's fine! What's that stupid Aqua doing, resurrecting me so I can go home and sleep, I've already had enough of this shitty day!", said the adventurer bluntly, almost as if he didn't care about Eris, and she had noticed that too, because usually he enjoyed talking to her, even in the afterlife, or commenting on what a beautiful goddess she was, but not this time.
"Kazuma, you're not normally this upset, I mean, don't you want to spend time with me while Aqua-sempai resurrects you?" she questioned, trying to understand why he didn't want to talk and hurry up.
Kazuma didn't answer, almost as if he was angry with her. But in reality, it was much more than anger, and the thief-goddess could see it, Kazuma's clenched fists on his knees and the strand that hid his eyes a little so as not to show that he was starting to shed tears gave him away.
Eris tried to break the tension and the fact that he hadn't answered her question, by playing the alter-ego card, i.e. by speaking as she would when she was Chris.
She approached him, placing her right hand on Kazuma's left fist and making a mischievous little comment, trying to put the man back in a good mood.
"You know you can tell your Big Boss anything, don't you Assistant Kun?"
"SHUT UP! STOP TALKING ONCE AND FOR ALL!"
For the first time, Eris saw this face on the man she knew so well, and was just as surprised as the firm, resentful tone he used to tell her to stop talking.
If she was shocked by the fact that this was one of the few times Kazuma hadn't shown her respect, she was especially wide-eyed by the painful tears Kazuma was showing on his downcast face, the drops continuing to drip onto the ground, as well as the dark circles around his eyes, and his look almost as if it had been drained of all happiness.
Eris didn't feel very good when she saw his face, but also because of the dark look the man who had always liked her had given her, and hadn't changed his mind about her, even after discovering her secret about being the silver-haired thief.
Kazuma realised that he was crying, and had raised his voice, and momentarily apologised, looking down at the ground, but with the same frustrated expression.
"Sorry...I didn't mean to yell at you...But...But...It hurts..."
He found it hard to speak, he didn't know what to do, and that's when he lifted his face and saw Eris shedding little tears too, and he saw her put her second hand on his fist. He was rather surprised to see her in such a state, and sincerely hoped that he hadn't been too abrupt, but he soon realised that that wasn't why she was crying.
"Kazuma...If I've upset you, I'm sorry...But please, since you've been here, you don't want to talk, and your face is sore, so tell me what's going on..."
"Eris..."
"...I know your party is a difficult group, but there's more to it than that, isn't there?"
Kazuma wanted to say something, because Eris was ready to listen to him, and he knew she was the only sensible person in this crazy world. But his introverted attitude and his difficulty in trusting others due to his previous disappointments and the fact that his family had practically abandoned him meant that he continued to repress his feelings, as he normally did, paradoxically to the fact that he was quite expressive, particularly when it came to anger.
"Eris...I don't know what to do anymore..."
"It's all right, Kazuma...I'm here for you...So you can tell me anything, after all, you're dear to me, and I don't want you to suffer any more."
Eris tried to put on a reassuring smile, although she continued to wipe away her tears. However, she wasn't just saying this because she was a goddess, she really meant what she was saying: she wanted Kazuma to be happy. She knew that he had his faults, like everyone else, but she knew that beneath his ungrateful and selfish attitude, there was a man with a big heart, who never gave up on his team no matter what, and who was kind at heart.
She knew it had been difficult for him recently, because she had seen him a little exhausted, both physically and mentally, and perhaps this death was the trigger for something more complicated.
As for Kazuma, he wanted to believe it was the right thing to do, and felt he needed to confide in someone, so he went ahead anyway, looking into Eris's eyes, which he found benevolent, as she usually did with him, hoping he would make the right choice.
"Okay...It's just that I can't take it anymore...Why am I here again?"
Kazuma sighed, while Eris continued to listen calmly.
"I always feel like I'm either nothing or a fucking tool!"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I think you know why this quest was accepted by our group for the money, but also because we were forced into it, or rather, I was forced into it... You know, the further we go, the more I feel like a shadow of my former self..."
"Kazuma..."
"Every time it's the same thing, whether it's the guild, Aqua, Megumin, Darkness, or anyone else...I feel like we're not seeing Satou Kazuma, just some lucky guy who can be good as a tool."
Eris began to see that he was finally talking about what was really bothering him, and listened very carefully.
"Aqua uses me as a wallet, and that's the only reason I can think of why she's staying here, and it's really getting on my nerves, and not just because she's squandering my money on booze or creating debts for me, but because I feel like our friendship is almost not real. I mean, as much as I get annoyed with her, she's my first friend, and not just since I moved here, but counting Japan as well, and I'm worried that it's all one-sided or that she's just doing it for her own benefit, like she usually does."
The former NEET began to cry again, and Eris reflexively clasped her hands tighter over his, as if trying to send him her love and compassion until he managed to express everything.
"Megumin, it's the same thing... But it's even worse, not only is she just using me to launch her stupid Explosions that create nothing but problems for everyone and she got into my team because she threatened me and destroyed my reputation before I'd even spent two weeks in this world, but as well as treating me like a taxi, she's playing with my heart to try and manipulate me. She tells me she wants to get close to me without doing too much, and I think it's just a ploy to keep an eye on me, and the worst thing is that she's jealous if I ever get close to another woman. I'm just a toy to her, she takes it out on me and in the end my heart can't take it any more."
Eris couldn't believe what he was saying, because he thought he was being treated like some kind of slave, and yet he'd managed to hold on all this time. She had great admiration for Kazuma's strength and perseverance, but still wanted him to stop thinking so negatively, but it wasn't over, he still had a lot to unpack.
"Darkness, even though she's quite understanding from time to time, is also someone who joined my team opportunistically, because false rumours were circulating about me, and her masochistic nature led her to me. And what disgusts me the most is that she thinks I'm a bloodthirsty, sadistic monster who takes pleasure in tormenting people, when all I wanted was just normal companionship... What's more, she also wants me to believe that she loves me, when all she really wants is someone who will fulfil her fantasies... All I want is people who love and appreciate me for who I am, and who don't want anything more from me... "
The woman with the long silver hair finally understood the young man's situation and sympathised with him, her soothing yet sad gaze easy to read, showing just how much she felt for him.
"And it's the same for the guild, Luna and the others exploit me on the pretext that I've beaten generals, when I didn't even do it on purpose, while denigrating me on the pretext that I'm weak... And that annoys me, why am I summoned if it's only to insult me in the end?... The same goes for Vanir, he exploits me for money as well as for my negative emotions, and even though I've approved the agreement, to put me on credit or pay me late on the pretext that he has no money when he's buying a ton of goods the next day, what a hypocrite...And Wiz, who won't stop him, even though she's literally stronger than most of the generals, and who uses her kind air to get me to help her... Yunyun, and the crimson demons, too, I nearly died because of them...She also used me by saying that she wanted to marry me and have a child with me so that I would come and help her, I'm sure it was all a set-up to get me to fight this general... Even my own little sister Iris, and Claire and Rain in particular, who wanted me out of my own team, on the pretext that I was weak, but I know that, there's no point in telling me again... Besides, I think I've lost almost all credibility in front of her, maybe she just sees me as scum... I know I wasn't a saint in Japan, but did I really deserve that?"
"Kazuma, please...I didn't know you were in so much pain...That you saw things this way..." she said, crying harder and harder, feeling so bad for him, but she certainly hadn't expected what he was going to say, destroying Eris mentally.
"But you know what hurts me most, Eris?"
"No..." apprehended the silver-haired goddess.
"It's that you...The only person I trusted...Who I was sure would never betray me...The person I loved from the first day I saw you...Was actually just like them..."
"What? No way!" exclaimed Eris, shaking her grip on Kazuma's hands, no longer as firm as before, hoping that Kazuma wouldn't say what she thought he was going to say.
"Yes, it is, isn't it, Big Boss?" he said with a firm face, as tears streamed down Kazuma's angry face, while deliberately calling him by her code name, to make it clear what he was talking about, which she understood immediately.
"No, no... Please, Kazuma, don't say that... You know that if I do this job, it's to save the kingdom from falling into the wrong hands and besides, I've never forced your hand..."
"You're sure about that, I told you I'd help you just once, but it turns out I've done it several times, and I nearly got caught by the royal guard, and because of you I could have ended up in prison or beheaded or whatever, especially with the corruption of this government! Every time, you make eyes at me, promising me a reward or something stupid, but it turns out that the only thing you do is buy me a beer, that's the reward when I'm risking my life all over again! You used me like all the others Eris, how can I be sure you didn't just do that for your own benefit?! Tell me! I want answers!"
Kazuma rose from the chair in which he was sitting, causing Eris to take a step back as she saw him on the verge of imploding, his sanity more than challenged, and the goddess understood that she hadn't spared him either, when all she wanted was for Kazuma to regain his self-confidence.
The young adventurer needed answers, and Eris understood what was at stake, because she didn't want him to sink into depression, and the sentence he uttered only aggravated an already complicated situation for her, as it dealt a fatal blow to her abilities as Kazuma's guardian angel, who was blessed by her according to his adventurer's card.
"Because, Eris, you may have blessed me with your luck, but this luck, have I never seen it? ARE YOU PLAYING WITH ME?! ARE YOU ALL PLAYING WITH ME?!"
Kazuma collapsed in tears just after shouting this sentence, kneeling on the ground as if he had no strength left after releasing all his emotions at once, his hands on his knees, staring at the ground, no longer daring to look Eris in the face.
Eris had witnessed many things as a goddess, and she knew that some people had lived difficult lives. With her usual benevolence, she wished them a safe journey to heaven, or to their next reincarnation.
But she had never seen anyone like Kazuma before. This man had piqued her curiosity right from the start, when she learned that he had enough nerve to ask for a goddess as a cheat object, and that this person was no less than Aqua, her selfish and contemptuous sempai.
That's why she had given the brown-haired young man a helping hand, increasing his chances by an absurdly high amount, but it turns out that Aqua's negative chance was stronger, perhaps due to her hierarchical position, but when she saw his misadventures, she began to keep a closer eye on him.
She had followed him when he met Megumin and Darkness, and on their first quests, and as time went by, she grew to like Kazuma more and more, while noting that all the rumours about him were more or less false.
Kazuma was many things, and she came to realise this over time. He was a pervert, a coward, an opportunist and lazy. But what she chose to see in him wasn't that, unlike everyone else around him, even though he performed heroic deeds, whether intentional or not. What she saw in him was his ability to try and get the life he wanted, his intelligence, his organisation, his leadership and also, what she had appreciated most in him, his kindness.
He used to shout at his partners a lot, and at first she thought he was just fed up with them. But when she saw him crying unconsciously when he died for the first time, and he wondered why he was crying when he thought about those three idiots, she realised that he was doing it unconsciously because, despite everything, he loved them and wanted to protect them. And that's why, when the girls did something dangerous or stupid, he was there to take responsibility. He could have abandoned Aqua once she was too far in debt and left her begging in the street, or left Megumin on the ground after an explosion, at the mercy of hostile nature and got rid of her, or made sure he was such a hypocrite by serving Darkness and reminding her of her noble title until she got fed up and left the team of her own free will.
But he never did, because Kazuma Satou wasn't like that, and no matter what happened, he considered them his family.
And without realising it, Eris had fallen in love with Kazuma from that moment on, but had never planned to say so until now.
However, this was the real reason why she wanted him to accompany her on her missions, simply because she wanted to spend some quality time with him, and get closer to him by doing some fun quests, and in the process, she could recover the relics, but above all she wanted Kazuma to regain his self-confidence, so that he could see that he too could be strong and heroic on his own, and without help, like during the raid on the royal castle, where he beat all the guards, as well as Claire and Mitsurugi, all by himself.
She wanted him to let off steam and enjoy himself for once, like the guardian angel she'd always been, and to see that Kazuma was not only losing confidence in everyone, but even in her, hurt more than anything.
Besides, she knew that Aqua, Megumin and Darkness, even if they were eccentric and didn't make it clear, respected and loved Kazuma, on contrary to what he might think, because she remembered that when Kazuma first died, Aqua, Megumin and Darkness mourned his death before the blue-haired goddess remembered that she could resurrect him, and if that wasn't proof that they cared about him, she didn't know what it would take to convince him.
The goddess of luck knew that the words she used would be crucial to the outcome of Kazuma's condition, but she could no longer bear to see him in such a sad state, and wanted only to comfort him. So she did what she thought was perhaps inappropriate, but at that moment, it was her heart that dictated her actions, not her reason.
She moved closer to him, and more by instinct than anything else, she wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace, hugging Kazuma tightly as she sobbed into his shoulder, before the surprised eyes of the adventurer, who briefly stopped sobbing, his gaze clearly showing that he had not expected this, but felt the regret, as well as the warmth of her hug, soothing him a little at this difficult moment.
"Kazuma...I'm truly sorry...For what I did to you...For not helping you enough...For realising that you weren't comfortable...And for not seeing your distress..."
Kazuma listened silently to Eris's words, which echoed in his heart, as the goddess's soft voice became jerky and shaky, truly blaming himself for not having seen it all.
"I should have realised all this...I should have spoken to Aqua, Megumin and Darkness...But please, I don't want you to hate me or them...I see those tears in your eyes, and I feel that inside, you don't feel helped...But Kazuma, be sure, I would never want to hurt you, and I don't think any of the people you know really want to hurt you..."
"So... why? Why all this?" asked Kazuma, almost pleading, wanting an answer to his questions.
Eris tried to stop crying and look him in the eye again, and did her best not to weaken. She hesitated for a few seconds, not knowing what to say for a brief moment, but tried to avoid continuing the silence, simply to avoid Kazuma thinking that she simply didn't have an answer and that his hypotheses might be true.
So she did one more thing to show him how much she cared about him, to show him that even in this horrible world, he had someone to lean on.
Eris moved her face forward until she was very close to him, and placed her soft pink lips on Kazuma's lips, closing her eyes as she did so, even though tears were still falling down the cheeks of the silver-haired goddess. The adventurer himself froze for a few seconds, his eyes wide at what he saw, before concentrating on the gentleness with which Eris embraced him as she kissed him, almost as if she were a woman who hadn't seen her husband for years.
The kiss lasted quite a while, but Eris was so moved by everything that had happened, that she wanted Kazuma to understand and remember that there's always someone there to hold his hand, and for him, it would be her, and Kazuma was beginning to understand, because instinctively, he closed his eyes and wrapped his hands around Eris's waist, wanting only to feel the comforting warmth of her body and heart, as he gradually calmed down.
After the kiss, they looked at each other, Kazuma still a little surprised, and Eris, even if she thought it was a bold thing to have done, didn't regret it, because she wanted to show him her support.
She placed her right hand on Kazuma's left cheek, stroking it gently, trying to wipe away the last of the tears running down his face, continuing to show him all her affection.
"Eris..."
"Kazuma, ...I know you're hurting, the past hasn't spared you, I can see it in your eyes...But trust me, let me prove to you that I'm not like the others... I know I'm not perfect, I have my faults, but if I have to I'll change... Don't forget, I'll be there for you from now on, and together we'll close your faults..."
"You...You'd do all this for me? ..." asked Kazuma, still hesitating a little, as he hoped it wasn't just an empty promise.
"Yes, I will...You've done so much for others, you've given everything for your team, for the kingdom, for people you know and others you don't, and I think you deserve to rest... Since the beginning, you've never had anyone to lean on, am I right?", Eris asked, even though she knew the answer in advance, and Kazuma confirmed, saying nothing at all.
Eris smiled slightly, adding:
"Well, now you've got me...and I really mean this...You've suffered enough on your own, you've managed everything, and you've still been very mature most of the time, handling everything with a master's hand, like a leader...From now on, I'll be al to share your doubts, your sorrows, your pains and your joys, simply because I want you to succeed and because I care about you... It's true that I should have taken your mental state into better consideration before asking you, but I'll tell you one thing. If I asked you to accompany me on these missions, it's mainly because I saw you unhappy, and that you were losing confidence in yourself... You thought you were worthless, when that's not true, so I wanted you to come with me so that you could see for yourself that you can be strong, but I also did it because I wanted to spend time with you, and that we'd both have fun...I know now that you didn't enjoy it and I should have taken that into consideration, and if you want to stop this, I'll respect your decision, but I want you to know that it was a pleasure to be with you, Kazuma! "
Kazuma could see the angelic face of the beautiful goddess, and the words he knew to be sincere reached his heart. At last, he was happy that someone was willing to share his thoughts, to be his confidant and closest ally. But the introverted and solitary nature of the brown-haired man caught up with him at the last moment, and he asked a question, as if to make sure of everything that had just happened.
He looked at her seriously, his hands trembling, ready for the answer to his question.
"Thank you Eris...But why would you do this for someone like me? Do you really mean what you say?"
Eris sensed that Kazuma wanted a clear answer, so she did what she had to, holding both Kazuma's hands with hers again, under his surprised gaze, feeling the softness of his porcelain skin, then she looked him in the face.
"Yes, I meant it...You don't have to think all that about yourself...Maybe your party is dysfunctional, but I know they love their leader, their friend, their leader, their big brother, and that's all you Kazuma, I can assure you, it's just that they have a different way of showing it... And you don't have to devalue yourself, quite simply, because to me you're much more than you think you are. You're a good person, you're caring, and you take responsibility for your actions, whether they're good or bad, and even if you don't want to show it, you're always protecting the people you love, and you're kind to the people who deserve it, so for all that, I assure you, you're an extraordinary person and a blessing to this world..."
"Eris..."
"And finally, if I'm doing this, it's simply because I love you, and from the depths of my heart, I want to be by your side, whether as a goddess or as a thief, and accompany you on your journey! So, if you ever feel lost or alone, remember one thing, I love you, Satou Kazuma!" she said with a sparkling smile on that pretty face that Kazuma had had a crush on from the start, the last tears having fled from her face.
Kazuma stared at the face of the goddess of luck, her beauty even more intoxicating with the words she had spoken to him. The adventurer thought that everything she had said was unreal, but he knew it was true, and was touched by her words.
He collapsed and cried again, but this time it was with joy and relief, almost appeasement, embracing Eris again, but this time it was he who put his face on Eris's shoulder, as she followed the embrace and caressed his back in a sign of appeasement.
"Thank you Eris! ...Thank you very much!..."
"No, Kazuma, thank you! It's thanks to you that there are no problems in this world! It's thanks to you that I've been able to accept my feelings! You deserve all the credit for everything you've done, all I've done is support you..."
Kazuma remained in the same state for about a minute before straightening up to look into the eyes of the silver-haired beauty, only to see how much her sincerity touched him again, before smiling slightly, rubbing his tear-soaked eyes.
"Maybe, but you're the only one who's supported me so far, and I'm sorry I doubted you..."
"You have nothing to be sorry about, I was never clear about why I wanted to stay with you, and you may have interpreted that as something negative, as you said before. If anyone should apologise, it's me! So sorry for everything!"
Kazuma, to Eris's surprise, gave her a warm hug, showing her that he had no resentment towards her, and said words that the goddess of luck would never have thought to hear herself, even though she had known this all along.
"Apologies accepted Eris, and thanks again...I love you too..."
Eris blushed slightly, wondering whether it was just emotion or not, because she had confessed her feelings just before he did.
When the embrace ended, Eris looked into Kazuma's eyes, which were almost glowing, and asked him the fateful question.
"Really, you love me too?...It's not an emotional thing?"
Kazuma had hardly any tears left, even if his eyes were a little red, and he put his hands on Eris's shoulders, saying with the most sincere smile he'd ever had, and even Eris was surprised by his facial expression.
"No, Eris...From day one, and you know it, I've had a crush on you...And it's not because you're a goddess, but because you're the one, who, like today, has always shown me support and kindness, and I shouldn't have doubted you...You help me and comfort me, and knowing that you love me and want to make your way with me gives me the motivation to tell you my feelings clearly. So, I know it's sudden for me too, but I love you too, Eris!"
The violet-eyed woman was more than surprised and pleased to hear his words, which were as touching and sincere as her own, and what pleased her all the more was the expression on his face, which had regained a healthy glow.
At this point, Eris let her emotions get the better of her and they hugged warmly again before looking into each other's eyes once more, their faces coming dangerously close together.
"Thank you, Kazuma! I love you and from now on we'll be together to face the adversity, I promise!"
"Thank you for being there, I love you too!"
They kissed tenderly, with more than just happiness and love in their kiss, their lips touching chastely as their embrace grew warmer, for both of them had spent a lot of time alone and felt they both needed someone to lean on in times of doubt and happiness.
Once the kiss was over, Eris caressed Kazuma's face again, and spoke again.
"Kazuma, after your resurrection, I'll see you again, but before that, let me tell you one thing. I'll talk to your team about how they should talk to you and the guild too, because I don't want you to think that they don't respect you or that they're using you, because as I said, they have a different way of showing it, but neither Aqua, Megumin nor Darkness have ever abandoned you, even if they sometimes fail, they've always wanted to help you out of funny situations, and cried when you weren't there. I'm sure that one day, these three will show you how grateful they were to have been accepted when no one else wanted them, and how much they enjoyed sharing their lives with you...After all, you said it yourself, you're a family... "
Kazuma hesitated a little more, but left the benefit of the doubt because Eris had shown him enough good things for him, so he wanted to believe, not only because of her, but also because as he said, that's how he saw these three girls, and he still had something in his heart that told him to believe.
"OK, I'll take what you've just said into consideration... After all, I live with these three, I suppose they have a minimum of respect for me..."
"That's the spirit, even if I've told you not to put yourself down. Believe me, I'll make sure you get your confidence back, after all, I don't want you to go under again, don't forget, you're a hero, and if people have forgotten that, I haven't forgotten Kazuma, you're still my hero!
"...Thank you...Truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you..."
"You're welcome, my love... "
Just as the new couple finished their discussion, a light appeared against the darkened sky of the room where they were talking, suggesting that Aqua could once again bring him back to life.
They said goodbye, holding hands and kissing lightly, before Kazuma spoke one last time to the goddess of luck.
"It's time. I'll be seeing you again, but in any case, I'd say I was really lucky to have met you!" he said with a toothy grin worthy of the greatest shonen characters.
"I'm so glad to know you too, Satou Kazuma! Until next time, but this time I'll see you as Chris! And above all, believe in yourself, I love you!"
"Me too, Eris!"
These were the last words Kazuma spoke before disappearing into the light, before the eyes of Eris, who flashed a smile she had never seen before, full of love and hope for the future, as she entwined her fingers together, not without a tear in her eye to see for the first time since Kazuma had lived, whether in Japan or in Belzerg, a genuine expression of joy.
When Kazuma came back to life, he opened his eyes slowly, seeing Aqua, Megumin and Darkness around him, all three of them in tears, hugging him, he wondered what had happened.
"Kazuma! At last, you're alive!" cried Aqua, tears streaming down her cheeks as she took him by the arm, very worried because she thought that since Kazuma hadn't come back for a few minutes, due to the conversation he'd had with Eris, she couldn't save his soul.
"Kazuma! If you only knew how much you scared me!" cried Megumin, crying on his chest, not wanting to go through anything like that again.
"Kazuma! I'm so glad you're still with us, I don't know what I'd have done without you!" sobbed Darkness, leaning over his shoulder and hugging his waist.
Kazuma was surprised to see so much emotion in their eyes and faces, seeing how what he called those three idiots, crying for him, knowing that there had been the Resurrection, made him realise once again that Eris was right, and that perhaps they only wanted what was best for him after all, and loved him for what he is.
Normally, he would have pushed them away because he would say something like "I've got no air to breathe", but this time it was different. He had finally found the answers to the questions that had been tormenting him for a while, and this time, to everyone's surprise, he embraced them all, shedding a tear himself.
"It's all right, girls! I'm here, and that's all that matters, I must admit I missed you too!"
This sentence was surprising for the girls, but in a way it reassured them more than anything else, and they were grateful that Kazuma was still with them, because she knew that he was the cornerstone of their group, and also the one who had built their family.
"You know, I thought you'd gone for good...I couldn't find your soul any more, and I was terribly angry with myself...At one point I even thought you'd been reincarnated, because you were fed up with us and we didn't listen to you once more...I really didn't want my best friend to disappear for good and hate me forever..."
"Aqua..." she said, watching the blue-haired woman worry about him like she never had before.
"Yes, Aqua's right,I thought that was the last straw...Sorry Kazuma for not listening to what you said...You always had the right ideas, and every time, we screw it up...I know it's not the first time, but I always feel guilty no matter what...It's all because of us, because of me...I didn't want you to go...Thanks for still being with us..."
"Megumin..." he added, seeing the crimson archwizard filled with guilt and remorse, something he had hardly ever seen in her.
"They're right...I know we don't listen to you enough Kazuma, but I've had the fright of my life... Just thinking about my life without you makes me sad, and I was so afraid that because of our behaviour, which was once again disproportionate, you'd be pushed to the limit and leave us for good...And that's the thing I'm most afraid of, so once again, thank you Kazuma for forgiving us... I promise we'll be more careful about what we do from now on, because I don't want to lose the person who gave me a family..."
"Darkness..." he said softly, surprised by the blonde crusader's sensible words, full of regret and love.
Kazuma certainly hadn't expected this kind of statement from his team, and realised just how valuable he was to the three idiots he called his family. He felt his eyes getting wet again, and that he was going to use his tear glands again, but tried to restrain himself, and got up slowly, not answering directly, which frightened the girls a little, wondering if he was still angry, which they understood perfectly, especially as his back was to them, as if he was hiding his disappointment, but the expected answer, once again, was not the one thought by the water goddess, the crimson magician and the noble paladin.
He turned back to them, a rather simple smile on his face as he tried to hold back his tears again, and before the eyes of his comrades, he simply said these words.
"That was all I wanted to hear... You don't know how I waited for those words..."
Despite his best efforts not to cry again, Kazuma did so anyway, but once again, it was tears of joy that fell, before the eyes of Darkness, Megumin and Aqua, who realised how they had treated their leader since the start of their adventures, and looked at each other, understanding all their stupidity, and their looks showed that they didn't want to do the same stupid things again.
"Kazuma...Sorry, we didn't know you thought we didn't love you...It's true that we hardly ever show it to you, because we yell at you and vice-versa...And the fact that we annoy you because of our whims doesn't help either..." Aqua began, the remorses and tears in her words, leaving the goddess aside to speak for herself, the woman who had spent the most time with Kazuma and her best friend.
"But that doesn't mean we don't love you... All three of us care about you, more than anything else in the world... We may have our differences, but we're all together, and that's what counts...I'll never forget the only person in this world who hasn't let me down, who has nurtured me through thick and thin, and who despite all my faults, has accepted me, no matter how much you try to put up with us..." added Megumin, her emotions rising again, her hand on her heart, not wanting her crush and loyal comrade in the path of explosions to think he was unloved.
"It's true, and you also accepted me when no-one wanted me because of my behaviour... But as Aqua and Megumin said, we're a family, and we never for one second thought that you were useless, or that you weren't wanted, quite the opposite...It's thanks to you that we've got this family, that I've finally been able to make friends, that I can spend happy moments chatting about anything and everything with you... If Aqua or Megumin were no longer here, I don't know what I'd do... But if you, and that's even worse, if you weren't here, everything would fall apart...Me, Megumin and Aqua will be nothing without you, you're our reference point and our leader, and I think we never really told you that, because it was hard to express our feelings due to our arrogance... But I'll never be grateful enough for what you've done, Kazuma, for me, for us, for our comfort, for the guild, for Princess Iris, for Megumin's village, for the capital and for Belzerg as a whole... I hope that Eris-sama will bless you for the rest of your life for all you have achieved..." Darkness concluded, the blonde-haired woman showing the man she had fallen in love with after so many adventures just how much she appreciated him and wanted to stay with him for as long as possible.
"Girls..." Kazuma murmured, moved by their statement which showed how, after all these adventures, their bond with him was the thing they would cherish most.
"If there's one more thing I'd like to say, so that you're in no doubt about what you mean to us..." Darkness added, looking at the magician and the archpriestess out of the corner of her eye as if to confirm what they were going to do, before looking sincerely and seriously at the brown-haired young man.
They bowed in apology to a stunned Kazuma, while the three of them said in unison:
"Sorry for all the trouble we've caused you...And never forget, we love you, Kazuma!"
Kazuma couldn't believe his eyes, and from the start he'd had the impression that everything was unreal, but he knew that what was happening was true, and couldn't help but feel happy again when he heard this. Not only had his heart found rest through Eris, who supported him no matter what, but now all his doubts had been definitively erased about his team, and that they saw him as he saw them.
When they stopped bowing to see how Kazuma would react, they saw him more than happy, and something he had never done to anyone except Eris just before when she was comforting him, he approached them, and hugged all three of them at the same time, The girls watched Kazuma's action in amazement because he knew he would never do anything like that, and they were as moved as he was just before, very happy that Kazuma accepted their apology and that he understood that they loved him.
"I love you girls too!"
The girls, who were even more surprised by Kazuma's words, instinctively cried with joy and happiness, joining in the group hug, with drops of water showing their happiness at being together again and clarifying the doubts that the adventurer, like them, had.
The group laughed, almost as if to relieve the pressure on everyone, and even though they still had many battles to fight, Kazuma now knew that his new family, the one he had created in this world, even if it was chaotic, was something he wouldn't change for anything in the world.
When they returned home, after a hard day full of emotions for both Kazuma and the girls, they collected the money from their quests, and ate while laughing, with a complicity they had almost never had before, and the whole guild had noticed, almost as if something had changed in this team.
In the distance, Eris, in her thief mode under the guise of Chris, saw how much better Kazuma was feeling, and intertwined her hands with a loving smile as she looked at her new lover.
"You deserve to smile, Kazuma...After everything you've had, enjoy it, you've earned it... I'm glad you've realised that your friends appreciate you for who you are... Keep this up, and you'll see happiness...And I'll be there to accompany you..." she murmured to herself, glad to see him at peace.
The next day, Eris had kept her promise, and had spoken with Luna about Kazuma, to make her accountable for everything she had put him through, and when she asked why the thief knew all this, she just told her that the adventurer had told her about his problems, leaving out a lot of details, like the fact that she was in goddess form for example. The receptionist understood her mistake, and knew that Kazuma was always a reliable friend and ally when needed, and regretted how everyone didn't respect him to the full, and told the silver-haired woman that she was going to discuss it with the other members of the guild to restore Kazuma's reputation.
In the same way, she had gone to see Wiz and Vanir, because she knew the economic and partnership relationship that Kazuma had with the shop that the demon and the lich had, and explained the same thing, and even though Vanir knew everything that had happened in detail due to his ability to read minds, he said nothing out of respect for Kazuma, because even though he knew how many negative emotions there could be, it wasn't worth it, he was his business partner, and he respected Kazuma for the way he managed his group, as well as being an ally. As for Wiz, she shed a couple of tears when she heard what Eris had to say, and with deep admiration for Kazuma. The lich really wanted to make amends, so every time Kazuma came to see her, she would do her best to support him and be a better trader, to show the progress and that the brown-haired man's teachings about her had paid off.
On leaving the shop, Eris herself was rather surprised at how so many people had accepted so easily, but she was happy, and now she could show how many friends and allies Kazuma had who respected him and considered him a friend to the main person concerned.
In the afternoon, she went to Kazuma's house, knowing that he wouldn't be there, as she wanted to have a chat with his party, and she was quite surprised by the way she spoke about their friend, almost all in good terms, and she understood why when Darkness told him about their discussion of the previous day with Kazuma in a very brief manner, and Eris was very happy that the situation had settled itself, and that they had acknowledged the issue without anyone's help. And as before, when asked how she knew all this, she lied and said that during a conversation in the tavern, while they were both drinking, he had explained his problems to her and that she wanted to help him, and indeed Aqua, Megumin and Darkness felt a little bad when they saw that he was afraid of the situation and didn't dare talk about his problems, so in front of the goddess of luck, the girls promised to help Kazuma with any problem, under the benevolent eye of Eris who almost let out a little tear of happiness.
At night, Eris would return to the manor, breaking into Kazuma's room when she wanted to talk to him, but this time it wasn't for a relic to steal, she just wanted to spend some time with her lover whom she hadn't seen since their last conversation.
When she saw him asleep, she sat down beside him, taking in his peaceful face, before gently waking him with her bewitching voice.
"Kazuma..."
"Hm...Eris, is that you?" he said, sitting down next to her half-awake as he rubbed his eyes.
"Yes, it's me, sorry I haven't been in all day."
"Don't worry, you've got your work to do. What's more, the girls told me that you came by and that you talked about me, am I mistaken?" he asked gently.
"Yes, that's right, and that's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about...All day long, I've been talking to Luna, and several people you know, including Aqua, Megumin and Darkness, and they've all told me the same thing, that they feel guilty for not showing you their gratitude and respect, and that from now on, they'll be careful, because they consider you not only a hero, but also a friend, and even if they don't show it, they appreciate you, as I told you before." she said, placing her right hand on Kazuma's left, the adventurer blushing slightly, not used to this sensation.
"I see...I suppose I had it all wrong then...But it reassures me to know that there are people I care about, starting with my team...Thank you once again, Eris..."
"You're welcome, my love... I'm glad you finally understand... Also, your team told me that you spoke to each other yesterday, and that all the problems have been resolved regarding the way they see you..."
"Yes, it's true...I didn't expect this, when I was resurrected, I saw them crying themselves to death more than anything, and they told me how sorry they were and how much they loved me, and I admit that it surprised me to hear them say that...But it gave me great pleasure, and I know that they think like me, and that we're a family, something I've been looking for for so long...They may be idiots, but that's how I like them, and for some reason, I don't want that to change..." said Kazuma, looking out of the window with a smile, seeing the moon and stars lighting up the sky, as the goddess watched him and saw how appeased he was.
"Now you know, and don't forget, I'm always here for you too, if you have anything Kazuma, there's always your goddess!" she replied with a wink to Kazuma, who couldn't help but find Eris's face as beautiful as when he'd first seen it.
"I know, thanks to you...And you too, if you have anything, tell me, after all, we're together, so let's share our joys and sorrows together." added Kazuma, wanting to do his part too, and support Eris as she had done for him, like a husband with his wife, which made Eris blush before she accepted.
"Right, is that a promise then? Because it sounds like a marriage..."
"I promise, I wanted to ask you to marry me one day anyway, although I can see how that might seem a bit sudden" Kazuma said rather nonchalantly, but he was serious nonetheless, and Eris understood this, blushing more brightly but still being happy to hear it.
"So that's a promise, and I can't wait for the day when we're married, Kazuma!" she said with a smile that could kill all the depression on the planet, and the adventurer couldn't help but find it immaculately beautiful and was pleased that his proposal was accepted.
"Me too Eris...Me too..."
After this little chat, Kazuma and Eris slowly but surely drew closer, their faces getting closer and closer, before he put his hand around her waist, while she put her hand on his cheek, before their lips met for a chaste and pure kiss, the passion radiating from their kiss as well as their love, and both had savoured this moment.
When the kiss was over, Eris teased him lightly.
"I suppose you missed it..."
"You can't imagine..."
"..I knew you'd say something like that, but now..."
Eris patted her soft, luscious thighs with her hands, as if to attract him, before offering him something she would never have done for anyone else.
"Kazuma, if you want, you want to lie on my thighs...I know you've always wanted to, and if I do, it's because it's you...After all, you deserve it..." she said in a soft tone, a calm and kind smile as Kazuma hesitated, not because he didn't want to, but because he wondered if it was real.
"Are you sure..."
"Yes, don't worry...I want to make up for it too, and I think my future husband can enjoy a good time with his future wife."
"...Thank you Eris...Really, thank you..."
"You're welcome Kazuma, I should be thanking you."
Kazuma put his head on her soft thighs as he lay on his back on the bed, finding them as comfortable as a soft pillow, and smiled as he looked at the beautiful face of his beloved goddess.
"So?" asked Eris as to the feeling he had regarding her lap pillow.
"Extraordinary...I couldn't have dreamt of anything better, your thighs are divine...Once again, thank you..."
"You're welcome, It's my pleasure..." she said lovingly, making Kazuma blush before they enjoyed this moment of comfort together, looking up at the starry sky.
"You know, I think we should have these moments of serenity more often..."
"I agree with you...It's so soothing...Especially when we're together..."
"It's true... Once again, thank you Eris for everything you've done, what would I have done without you... Finally, I've found my blessing in this world..."
"Kazuma...Thank you, and now we'll move forward together," she said as she entwined her right hand with the lucky adventurer's left.
"Yes, that's how we'll do it from now on... I love you Eris, more than anything else in the world, I love you..."
"I love you too, Kazuma, like you can't imagine...I love you so much..."
Eris brought her face close to Kazuma to kiss him again, her soft lips meeting the adventurer's, once again full of love, before looking up at the sky, a light breeze coming into the room. One thing was certain, this lucky couple were blessed now and the road ahead for Kazuma, Eris and the rest of their friends was much brighter and more promising.