Hey there, readers.

I know it's been a while, trust me, I've been counting the days. I've got a good reason for that. For the past few months, I've been developing the story and fleshing out all the ideas I have. Right now, I'm at a pretty good spot where if I just wrote blindly from here on out without thinking, I would probably end up with something decent. So yeah, that's why I haven't uploaded a single chapter until now. I didn't want to continue writing without knowing where to go next, but now, I think I'm finally ready to get back into writing chapters.

No promises on when the next chapter will be of course. Not to mention a short story I remember mentioning in a reply to chapter 7. Just know that I don't plan on stopping or anything.

Enjoy!

Chapter 8: A Looming Threat Over These Peaceful Days!

Standing on the edge of a familiar cliff, I prepared myself for the coming shockwave.

Honestly speaking, as a NEET, I didn't think I'd be able to stick to any form of a routine. Even back in Japan, I wouldn't play video games at a specific time, my meals were sporadic, and I'd sleep when I felt like it.

"Explosion!"

So it surprised me how much enjoyment I got out of this little routine of ours.

I admired the colorful blast in all its glory as the wind blew past me and sent a comforting chill up my spine.

Megumin, after hitting a pose, collapsed onto the grass with a satisfied smile.

"Sigh… How was that, Kazuma?"

I closed my eyes in thought.

"The blast was bright and vibrant, but not to the point it made my eyes hurt. I also noticed you deliberately controlled how powerful the shockwave was, making it so that by the time it made it to us, it was nothing but a strong gust of wind that felt nice on my skin. I do think the blast itself could've been larger when I compare it to your previous work, but considering how you were thinking of your audience's comfort… I'll give it ninety-five points! Nice explosion!" I gave the girl a thumbs up.

"Nice explosion!" Megumin beamed.

"Here, let me set up the picnic mat." I spread it out on the soft grass, placing Megumin on it before pulling out the onigiri I had packed. She stretched out beside me, looking up expectantly as I took my first bite. With a sigh, I tore off a piece and fed it to her.

It had been a few days since the heist and I decided I needed a little break from any physically intensive activities.

I was also too embarrassed to mention that to Megumin.

I mean, I literally passed out right as we were about to get into it…

How shameful…

How infuriating!

It also seemed like she didn't want to say anything about that since it felt like she pretended it didn't happen the next morning when I woke up.

Man…

I really want to have sex.

As these normal healthy thoughts circled in my brain, I felt Megumin nudging my leg with the side of her head.

"Hey, I've been waiting for the next bite for the past minute. Just what are you thinking about that is so important to the point you forget to feed your girlfriend?"

I narrowed my eyes at her, "You're the one who wanted me to feed you instead of giving you mana so you could do it yourself."

"It's a pretty basic task in my opinion, surely you wouldn't mind doing it?"

"I'm doing it now, aren't I?"

"Yeah, terribly."

I hit the side of her head where she nudged me with my knee.

"Ow! Hey, do that again and I'll bite off your finger!"

"You do that and you'll never taste my cooking ever again!"

Although we were saying pretty negative things, we were smiling to each other like we were throwing compliments to one another.

As I kept feeding her, Megumin asked, "Kazuma."

"I'm Kazuma."

"Can I sit on your lap?"

"No."

"Hey, what's with the instant rejection?! A girl is willingly offering to sit on your lap, you know?!"

The way she said 'willingly offering' made it seem like sitting on my lap was undesirable.

"Why do you want to sit on my lap? Laying there on the mat is more comfortable, is it not?"

I thought she was going to bite back with some clever comeback, but instead, she looked away with a small blush and said, "…Is it wrong of me to desire closeness between us?"

Ah.

I forgot.

This girl always chooses the most critical moments to get bashful.

I sometimes wonder if she did that intentionally to make me weak.

Well… not that I minded.

I sighed and gave in, gently lifting her into my lap. She fit perfectly in the hollow of my crossed legs, her back warm against my chest as she nuzzled into my neck.

Unfortunately, my son had his own opinions about the situation and was now standing at full attention. I did my best to make sure she didn't notice as not to ruin the mood.

We sat there in comfortable silence, enjoying each other's presence. But when Megumin leaned slightly to the right, I absentmindedly winced.

Noticing it, Megumin asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, my stomach just cramped up for no reason."

Even though my thigh was pretty much healed and working, the scar was still sensitive.

I pushed open the mansion door and stepped inside with Megumin on my back.

"We're back!" Megumin and I called out together.

"Welcome back," came two overlapping voices in response.

The first sight that greeted me was Aqua, who laid on the couch while picking her nose with Zell on her head.

I sometimes still find it hard to believe she was a goddess with the way she acted.

I turned to Darkness, who was sitting by the table petting Chomusuke. But what stood out to me was the fact that she was wearing a fancy dress, albeit slightly wrinkled, like she had to get ready in a rush.

Megumin, who was still on my back, asked, "Oh? Are you going somewhere, Darkness?"

"Yeah, I'm going to the Royal Capital for a meeting with the king. I was sent a letter just this morning. I'm not sure what the meeting will be about but the letter did say it was urgent."

Megumin narrowed her eyes, "I feel like you've been going to the Capital a lot recently, no? Is there something going on?"

"The political climate is changing due to the recent defeat of the Demon King. Since I'm part of the party that led to that outcome, it's only natural I'd get roped into that side of the country," Darkness said with an exhausted sigh.

Before I could even process her words, I heard a loud 'Tch!' from the couch.

"Ugh, nobility this, nobility that! How come you keep getting summoned by the King, but I don't even get a 'thank you' banquet? Do they not realize I'm a goddess?"

"Maybe if you didn't spend half the battle against the Demon King screaming and hiding behind me, they'd invite you." I deadpanned.

Not to mention her reputation. Being involved with beating the Demon King didn't change the fact that she was from the Axis cult in the kingdom's eyes.

Darkness shook her head while massaging her temple, like she had a headache. "…This is an official meeting so I don't think you'd enjoy all the political talk, Aqua."

Aqua pouted while crossing her arms. "Bleh. Why not just skip it? Just say you got sick or something!"

Megumin made a face. "I don't think Darkness can just 'call in sick' to an urgent royal summons."

"Pffft, says who? Nobles get away with skipping work all the time! Just bribe someone or something, isn't that how politics works?"

I looked Aqua dead in the eyes. "No, that's how you work."

Darkness took a sharp breath seemingly at Aqua talking about nobles skipping work and bribery. "Guys, please. I'm too tired to listen to you ramble," she said, burying her face in her hands.

I placed Megumin beside Aqua while I took in her words.

Darkness going off to the Capital wasn't unusual, she was way more involved in nobility than the rest of us. But lately, these meetings have been happening more and more often. And every time she returned, she looked even more exhausted than before.

I wasn't completely clueless. I didn't know much about this country's politics, but even I could tell this wasn't just about her title anymore. Just like she said, with the Demon King gone, the political landscape was shifting. And as both a noblewoman and an adventurer who helped take him down, Darkness was being pulled into it whether she wanted to be or not.

I wanted to ask if she was okay, but… what could I even say? 'Hey, want me to sit in on a royal meeting for you?' Yeah, right. Not that I'd want that anyway, but I imagined I'd just make things worse.

So instead, I said the only thing I could do.

"Well, good luck with that, Darkness. I'll cook something delicious when you come back, alright?"

Darkness smiled softly. "Yeah… I'll be looking forward to that."

As we shared this tender moment, I could feel a certain loli's gaze on me.

"… I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the cowardly Kazuma took on the role of the housewife."

I was expecting Megumin to be jealous or something, so that caught me by surprise.

"H-Hey, don't go imagining some weird role-reversal where I'm Darkness's househusband!"

It was ironic. Usually, Megumin was the one accusing me of fantasizing about Darkness—not the other way around.

After Darkness left, the three of us just lazed around the house the entire day.

I was in my room working on some blueprints for Vanir but I couldn't focus. My thoughts would go back to the heist a few days ago.

With a frustrated grunt, I stood up and walked to my closet, where I kept the bag Chris left me in. I opened the doors and crouched before taking out the dagger within.

Now that I had a proper look at it, my first thought was. 'Can this thing look more on the nose?'

It had that look—the kind of weapon some shady final boss would pull out in the last phase of a fight, right before it starts spamming undodgeable attacks.

The blade itself was a deep, almost liquid black, like the color was eating the light around it. It wasn't shiny or metallic, just void-like, matte, and unnervingly smooth. When I ran a finger along the edge, I expected it to feel rough, maybe even chipped, but instead, it was pristine with no imperfections.

The hilt was ornate but unsettling. The grip was wrapped in some dark red, leathery material. knowing my luck, it was demon skin or something worse. A few carvings ran along the handle, but they didn't look like words, they just seemed like random claw marks.

I turned it over in my hands, feeling the weight. It was perfectly balanced, too perfectly balanced. Like, it should've felt heavier for something that looked this menacing. No chips, no rust, nothing. It looked completely flawless, like it had just been forged yesterday.

Hold on… I remember the edges being rugged when I stole it in House Midgar.

Was I imagining things?

The vault was quite dark after all.

A chill ran down my spine.

Something about this dagger just didn't feel right.

Just as I was about to put the probably cursed dagger back into the bag, I heard a knock.

"Kaaazuma, open up! I smell this stinky smell coming from your room! I'll help you cleanse it!"

I hurriedly shoved the dagger back into the bag and stuffed it into my closet like a kid hiding something questionable from his parents.

"What, did I forget to take out some laundry? I don't smell anything."

"No, this is different! It smells like… the stink of a devil or something! A divine being like me can sense these things, you know! And I've been smelling it from your room for days!"

I sighed, rubbing my temples. Aqua saying something stinks isn't exactly rare. Half the time, she meant a literal bad smell. The other half… well, she always had weird definitions of 'evil'. At least Megumin was still passed out on the couch, otherwise, she'd already be trying to name this dagger something ridiculous and chuuni.

"Alright, fine, come in. But don't go throwing holy water all over my stuff again."

I cracked the door open, and Aqua practically shoved her way inside, nose twitching like a bloodhound. She spun in a slow circle, scanning the room, then her eyes locked onto—

"Kazuma… what's in the closet?"

My body tensed for a second out of pure instinct. But then… I relaxed.

Wait, why am I even hiding this?

It's not like I did anything wrong by having the dagger. Sure, it was probably cursed, but it wasn't like I stole it from a church or did something sketchy with it.

I sighed, walked over to the closet, and pulled the dagger back out.

"It's just a dagger I got a few days ago from Chris."

I held it out. Aqua stared at it.

Then she stared at me.

Then back at it.

Her face immediately twisted in disgust.

"Ew! Ew ew ew! Why do you have something like that?!"

I squinted my eyes. "Why are you reacting like I just handed you a severed hand?"

Aqua leaned away from the dagger like it was diseased.

"Because it feels gross! This isn't a normal weapon, Kazuma!"

I glanced down at it.

Yeah, no kidding.

The thing practically screamed 'I'm evil, please don't touch me.' But hearing that from Aqua? That actually made me nervous.

"… Is it, like… cursed or something?"

Aqua glared at the blade, then frowned deeper. "It's not cursed, but… it feels off." She crossed her arms and leaned in slightly, her usual exaggerated theatrics gone for once. "…Like, I don't know what it is, but something about it just doesn't sit right with me."

A lot doesn't sit right with you.

I looked back at the dagger again. "Well… unfortunately, I can't just throw this thing out. Chris gave it to me to keep after all. I'll ask her to take it back soon."

Speaking of, I needed to find her again. Megumin told me that she left suddenly after carrying me back to the mansion while I was passed out.

"Why would Chris even have something like this anyway?"

I thought about how I could come up with something that wouldn't require me to admit to being a high-bounty criminal. Having Aqua figuring it out was the last thing I needed considering how much she liked to blab about things she shouldn't at the guild.

"She's a thief, Aqua. She said she stole this from some stranger and had to lay low for a while. Giving it to me is just an extra measure she's taking. I'm sure she'll come back in a few days to take it back."

"Hmm… Do it soon then!" Aqua huffed, crossing her arms. "I don't want that stinky smell in the house any longer than necessary!"

But as she turned to leave, she stopped, glancing back at the dagger one last time. For a moment, her expression was unreadable. Then, just as quickly, she shook her head and flicked her hand dismissively. "Gah, whatever! Just get rid of it fast!"

If it were anyone else, I would smack them in the head for being unreasonable. But this was Aqua, I was surprised that she didn't throw a fit and demand I throw it out this second.

After Aqua closed the door and left, I turned back around and set the dagger back into the bag.

Deciding that it was no use dwelling on it, I returned to my worktable and began working on my blueprints again.

That didn't last long as my thoughts gradually returned to that damn dagger.

I rolled up my right pant leg and traced my thumb over the scar on my thigh. Over the past few days, Aqua had been casting healing spells on my leg, trying to get rid of the scar. It took threatening her with reduced allowance to finally get her to stop since it was bothering me.

I crossed my arms.

But there was one thing I couldn't deny—Aqua should have been able to heal my wound completely. She was a goddess, after all. And yet, even after days of healing magic, this scar refused to fade.

I had a gut feeling that there was more to that dagger than just a random cursed knife.

In the first place, why would a noble like Adouze have something like this kept hidden in a vault?

I glanced at the closet where I had stashed the bag again.

I can't get any work done like this…

I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples.

I could just leave it alone. Just… forget about it.

Yeah.

Knowing my luck, pushing this issue was just going to bite me in the ass.

A few minutes later, as I was working on the blueprints, I found myself tapping my fingers on the table, constantly losing focus and glancing at the closet door.

…

…

…

"…Damn it." I grabbed my cloak.

Entering the familiar magic store, I called out to the lich standing at the front desk.

"Yo, Wiz. How's it going?"

Wiz, who was sorting out some merchandise, greeted me, "Ah, Kazuma-san! Welcome!"

The lich smiled brightly before tilting her head. "Hmm? It's not often I see you coming here alone in the morning. Did something happen?"

I scratched at the itch around my neck as I glanced around the shop. Nothing seemed out of place. The usual shelves of weird potions, magic crystals, and suspicious-looking objects were all present. But no Vanir in sight.

"Nah. I'm just here to ask Vanir about the eris he owes me."

Wiz's gaze flickered down to the bag in my hand for just a second, but long enough for me to notice.

It wasn't fear or disgust, but almost like uncertainty or even recognition.

"Ah, Vanir-san? He said he's going to organize some of the items we bought just the other day."

Weird.

Usually, Vanir would be bossing Wiz around to do those trivial things.

The image of the all-seeing Devil wearing an apron and cleaning the store popped up in my mind.

I guess sometimes even he feels like doing work instead of standing around waiting to harvest negative emotions.

"Alright, got it." I started walking over to the storage room when Wiz suddenly interrupted me.

"Um, Kazuma-san… forgive me if I'm being nosy, but…" she fidgeted with her fingers. "A-Actually, forget I said anything." Wiz grimaced.

For a brief moment, Wiz's eyes flickered toward my bag again. But then she shook her head and smiled. "Vanir-san is in the back."

I stared at her for a few seconds, then pretended to shrug it off.

But as I walked toward the storage room, I couldn't shake the feeling that this dagger was setting off alarms for everyone but me.

Obviously, I had suspicions about what she was going to say.

If Aqua could sense the dagger in the bag, it would make sense if Wiz, a lich who was well-versed in cursed artifacts and forbidden magic, would be able to do the same.

That at least confirmed one thing for me. This blade gave off some sort of demonic energy, enough that Aqua and even Wiz noticed it.

I gripped the handle of the bag harder and took a deep breath before opening the door to the storage room and walking in.

"Hey, Vanir? You there-"

Before I could finish my sentence, the door closed behind me with a loud bang.

"Eek—!"

"Mwahahaha! Welcome, foolish brat who fumbled at the very finish line with his pint-sized Crimson Demon lover! How may this great and benevolent Devil bless thee with Moi wisdom?"

You're neither great nor benevolent! If anything, you're petty and childish!

"H-Hey! Don't remind me of that! I've been trying to forget it and move on!" I yelled at Vanir who turned out to be hiding in a blind spot right next to the door.

I grunted and massaged my temple before saying, "You know exactly why I'm here, don't you?"

That was some pretty specific phrasing for it to be a coincidence.

Vanir smirked, tilting his head like an innocent bystander. "Moi has not the slightest clue what thou dost mean! Moi was merely hard at work when thou didst suddenly barge in as if this were thine own mansion!"

"Ugh, I'm not in the mood for your games, Vanir."

I took out the knife and held it in front of me. "What can you tell me about this dagger?"

"Ho? What is this? A dagger thou sayeth? Moi sees naught but a cowardly tsundere mortal holding a dull letter opener!"

Vanir struck a dramatic pose, arms outstretched.

"Moi must admit, this is quite the shock! The NEET who once hoarded wealth like a starving dog, now setting aside the allure of riches for… a mere dagger? Perhaps thou hast been replaced by a doppelgänger after all!"

I rolled my eyes. "I know you're going to pay me, so there's no point in nagging you about it."

Vanir let out an exaggerated gasp, placing a hand over his chest. "Oho? Such faith! Truly, Moi reputation precedes Moi! But to think a mortal such as thyself would trust a devil so easily… how scandalous!"

I ignored his theatrics and held up the dagger. "So? What do you know about this thing?"

Vanir's smirk widened, his glowing eyes gleaming with amusement. "Fascinating… truly fascinating. To think that this—" he gestured lazily to the blade, "—has stolen thine interest over the mountains of gold thou once so shamelessly pursued."

I kept my silence, waiting for him to finish stalling.

Vanir, sensing I wasn't going to play along with his antics, huffed and leaned in to inspect the blade.

Vanir rubbed his chin, humming a note lower than usual. "Hmm… quite the peculiar dagger, this one."

As expected, he started spewing cryptic nonsense only he would understand.

"Do you know anything about it? Aqua and Wiz were able to sense something from it. Is it some cursed weapon or something?"

Vanir turned away without another glance, casually organizing a few boxes on the floor. "Indeed, this weapon does exude what that glowing blight of a goddess may call an 'evil stink'. But alas, foolish brat, Moi knows not what this dagger truly is!"

His fingers tapped against his chin in thought, pausing for just a moment. "But… if Moi had to hazard a guess, there is a name—no, a title—that comes to mind. Though, whether it truly belongs to this blade…"

I gulped. "…What is it?"

He slowly turned his head toward me, revealing only one side of his mask, his eye narrowing slightly.

"Avernus."

I did my usual greetings to the citizens of the Royal Capital.

Like a good noble would.

I answered their questions about my adventures without fail, going in-depth even if I didn't have to.

Like a good adventurer would.

I smiled and told them about the land I governed and how I would eventually improve them.

Like a good noble would.

I made sure to let them know I didn't plan on retiring from being an adventurer, as to keep them inspired and hopeful.

Like a good adventurer would.

My name was Dustiness Ford Lalatina, known as Darkness by many.

I was currently walking towards the castle, where the royal family awaits.

As I walked through the bustling streets of the Royal Capital, I felt the heavy weight of all the expectant gaze upon me.

Children tugged at their parents' sleeves, pointing excitedly in my direction. I smiled and waved, and they beamed back, as if seeing me reassured them that the world was still safe.

Merchants greeted me with practiced politeness, slipping in comments about how they hoped for policies that would benefit trade. Even though I only governed a small piece of land in the grand scheme of things, I nodded along, giving vague but reassuring responses.

Nobles passing by gave me respectful nods, some more genuine than others. I returned the gestures with the dignity expected of a Dustiness, making sure my posture was perfect, my expression unwavering.

Every interaction was second nature now. A noble, an adventurer, a warrior—I had to be all three at once.

It was exhausting.

I had just fought in a battle that reshaped the kingdom, yet the hard part begins now. With the Demon King gone, there was no clear enemy, no battlefield where all I had to do was be a shield. Instead, my fight now was against expectations, obligations, and a society that demanded I be both a hero and a leader.

But I couldn't let it show.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. One step at a time.

The castle gates loomed ahead.

I was welcomed into the castle swiftly.

As I made my way to the meeting room, I saw Claire standing to the side, waiting for me patiently.

"Claire. It's nice to see you again." I smiled

"Lady Dustiness. It's nice to see you again too. It seems like you've been here a lot recently."

We walked down the hallway side by side.

"I'm not too surprised by this. It's only natural I'd become more involved with the country's politics after Kazuma defeated the Demon King."

I made sure to emphasize the fact that Kazuma was the one who defeated the Demon King since I knew Kazuma's reputation amongst the nobility.

Even Claire, who had experienced Kazuma's cunningness, seemed reluctant to give him the credit he deserved. Whether out of pride or skepticism, I didn't know.

Claire's gaze flickered over me briefly before she spoke. "You look more exhausted than usual, Lady Dustiness. Are you getting enough rest?"

I let out a small chuckle. "I'm fine. Balancing my duties as both an adventurer and a noble has just been… noticeably more difficult lately."

Claire nodded, her hands clasped behind her back as we walked. "That's understandable. I assume your role as a noble has been taking up more of your time?"

"You'd be correct. It's not that I didn't expect this kind of responsibility," I admitted, "I just need a little bit of time to get used to getting into the swing of things again after being away from all of this for this long."

Before the Demon King's defeat, I rarely had to be present for any meetings of the Dustiness house, especially after what happened with Alderp. My father was keen on keeping me away from all of it for a short while to let me recover.

Claire let out a small, thoughtful hum. She had a habit of rubbing the hilt of her sword when deep in thought. "I'm sure you've already made up your mind about this but… have you considered slowly transitioning into a full-time noble?" She glanced at me sideways, her hand still absentmindedly gripping her sword. "As you said, the Demon King is gone, so the kingdom is safer than ever right now. Obviously, there are still some loose ends, but your full attention would be appreciated by the nobility."

Instead of answering her question, I said, "Kazuma died recently again."

Claire's fingers froze on the hilt of her sword, almost like the sudden piece of information broke her out of her habit, her lips pressing into a thin line as she processed my words. "...I see."

"He died trying to protect Megumin." I paused, gathering my thoughts before proceeding. "I was supposed to be the shield of the party, Claire. Yet, I let him die without being able to do a single thing about it. Ironic, isn't it? He was better at my job than I was."

Claire's grip on her sword loosened as she exhaled through her nose. "Well… I assume Aqua-dono was able to revive him, right?"

"Yes. But that's not what I'm getting at. I just feel like… I can't even protect a single party mate from harm, and now the kingdom expects me to be a key figure that decides the politics that impact the very lives of every person in the country? Seems like a daunting task."

Claire tapped a gloved finger against the pommel of her sword, her expression softening slightly. "I can understand that," she admitted after a brief pause. "But if you intend to keep walking both paths like you are now, then you must be prepared for the expectations that come with each. You can't afford to neglect one for the other, or you risk being seen as uncommitted to both."

Her words weren't meant to be harsh, but they stung with truth nonetheless.

"You're right. It'll be difficult, but I still have to try."

Claire nodded, the faintest hint of approval in her eyes. "Then try you shall, Lady Dustiness. And I suspect you'll succeed."

She was under the impression that I wanted to live as both a noble and an adventurer.

"Thank you, Claire," I said drily.

I wonder…

Was that what I wanted?

As much as I would like to continue being an adventurer, I couldn't run away from what was in my very blood.

Father was getting old.

I'd already told Kazuma that sooner or later, I would be so consumed by my work that I would probably have to retire.

Somehow, I didn't feel too sad about that.

We reached the meeting room, and before I stepped inside, Claire added, "And do try to take care of yourself." Her fingers brushed the hilt of her sword again. "You won't be much use to either side if you collapse from exhaustion."

I chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind."

With that, I took a breath and entered the room, not knowing the events that would unfold in the future.

Arc 2 begins...

(Leave a comment if you have any thoughts or criticism!)