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KonoSuba (Main) 15
KonoSuba (Main) 15
“Here.”
“No I didn’t.”
“Oh, fine, I’ll do it! What’s the big deal, I just changed a little
of the soy sauce to water! Thinning the sauce a little will
surely make it more delicious!”
Just then.
“Ah! What are you doing!? That’s mine! Give it back, you
beast!”
“Your true form is… Yes, a really devil-like form! Hey, let me
sniff you! Don’t think you can mask the scent of devils from a
goddess!”
“Hey, if you mess with her too much while she’s eating,
she’ll get angry—”
“Waaaah! Stop! Stop! I get it! I get it! I won’t pester you
about your identity, so don’t scratch up my precious
hagoromo!”
“… It’s so peaceful…”
Source @CGtranslations.me
I get along just fine with Dust and his friends, so I wonder
why only she causes this kind of reaction in me.
It gives off a gentle allure when she’s saying her usual kind
words, but it couldn’t be more out of place in this situation.
This situation where she could kill me any time she pleases.
“Oh, yes, that was all me. Those weren’t zombies, they were
simply corpses animated by the power of the Dark Goddess.
It was really hard to set all of that up. I had to dig up all the
corpses one by one in the middle of the night and put them
under my control. When the priests in town found
themselves helpless, I would come in and handily take care
of all of them… It’s a good technique to use to gain the trust
of all the adventurers in a city in one fell swoop.”
“… Then, all those things you said earlier about the Demon
King being a girl and the curse and whatnot is…”
“But, why are you telling all of that to me? Sure, your identity
was revealed thanks to Wiz and Vanir, but showing your
entire hand like this is a little…”
“I just thought that rather than pile on more lies and put us
both on guard, it’d be better to tell you the truth and come to
an arrangement… I’ve been observing your conduct and
actions these past few days, but I still have absolutely no
idea why the Demon King considers you a threat… I’m just
going to lay it out plainly, you’re a NEET who dislikes hard
work.”
I instantly replied.
“Not at all.”
“…”
… I think…
… Probably…
“Oh?”
… Hmm?
Source @CGtranslations.me
Ah.
Source @CGtranslations.me
She said that in the same manner one would use to invite a
fellow classmate to an after-school club.
“… … … … Huh?”
“Don’t give me that. I’m asking you to join the Demon King’s
Army… You are our kind of people. I know that very well.”
“This is the first time I’m hearing about the lolicon bit.”
……
“Not at all. The truth is I’d rather keep you as far away from
me as possible, but, like I’ve said earlier, those people with
strange names have stopped appearing.”
“… Well, it’s fine. I’ll tell the Demon King that you’re a small
fry too insignificant to bother with. He’ll probably stop
keeping his eye on you after that. I’ll also arrange for him to
tell his underlings not to lay a hand on you.”
“… Gurk…”
I’m nothing but a simple small fry. Just escaping the Demon
King’s notice is good enough for me.
Source @CGtranslations.me
“I’m home!”
… Did she actually end up turning all the wine in the guild to
water?
“Megumin and I came back to the mansion after
investigating that woman and found her crying with an
invoice in her hand.”
That must be the bill for all the wine she turned into water.
… Investigating?
Part 2
The next day.
Megumin was still playing babysitter for Aqua who has holed
herself inside the mansion.
Plus, if things really take a turn for the worst, she wouldn’t
be able to cast Explosion in the middle of town.
“… What are you saying? You were the one who invited me.
Everyone in this town already knows about my identity, so
there’s no need to go out of my way to hide it.”
It’s not like we’ll get into a fight the moment we see each
other or anything.
… Indeed, I’m heading out to observe Serena’s actions.
Serena has pretty much become the face of the guild. She
was seated at a table at the center, and the adventurers
were crowded all around her.
“Er, well, even with the aid of the great Regina-sama, I’m not
sure what I can…”
“Hey, Kazuma, what’s going on? Don’t tell me, the reason
you invited me to the guild is because of that woman…!”
……
“… Did you think I was inviting you out on a date or
something?”
“Go ahead and stab my finger with your dagger. Ah, but
don’t stab too deep now.”
…?
“!?”
With a sigh, I left her side and returned to the table that
Darkness was sitting at.
Part 3
“Hey, I’ve heard that Serena-sama’s holding a sermon! Get
a move on!”
Aqua’s ban on entering the guild has since been lifted, but
now, there’s something very odd with the town.
“H-Hey, wait up! Why are all of you acting so odd? Serena-
sama this and Serena-sama that… Isn’t she just a priest?”
The name on everyone’s lips was Serena-sama.
I told off Aqua who finally came out of the mansion and was
surprised at the state of the town.
Sure, I made that deal to protect my hide, but it’s also for
their safety as well.
“Serena-sama! Serena-sama!”
Just then.
Source @CGtranslations.me
“Ah, what are you doing!? You’re in the way! Do you want a
taste of my God Blow!? If I don’t heal him quickly…”
The man who was calling for Aqua just a short while ago
was breathlessly thanking Serena while tears flowed down
his cheeks.
What’s with that?
Healing wounds is the job of priests, just like how it’s the job
of the vanguard to stay out front and protect the priests from
harm.
But that…
But.
And not by anyone else, but by the very adventurer she tried
to heal.
“Ah…”
Part 4
Aqua plodded back towards us with drooped shoulders.
It’s been quite some time since we started living in this town.
Whenever she gets into trouble, it’s just her reaping what
she’s sown, so I never paid much thought to it, nor did it
elicit any particular feelings in me.
No, no, I can’t be hasty. This isn’t something I can just brush
away if it doesn’t work out. It’s too dangerous of a bet to
take.
Well, at the end of the day, she’s still a human, so could I
ambush her with a Bind and drag her off to a dungeon
somewhere and deal with her there?
Seeing that, Aqua jumped up with a start and hid behind me.
Almost as if she was taunting me, she left one final line
before moving on.
But at the end of the day, I know the people in this town.
Why am I the only one who has to shoulder the fate of this
town!? Why do I have to think so hard about his!?
“… W-What?”
“… … ”
“… … ”
They might have even figured out that there’s a reason why I
couldn’t tell them about it.
Normally I had everyone with me, and even if the worst does
happen, I had the insurance known as Aqua.
It’s me. Me who has the weakest job picking a fight with a
Demon King’s General all on my lonesome. Is it really fine to
cross such a dangerous bridge because of a fleeting
emotion?
There’s just the one thing that might be the impetus to kick
me into action…
……
“Kazuma-san, Kazuma-san.”
……
“Let go of me.”
“Ah…”
That’s why I don’t have even the slightest idea what kind of
expressions those three are making.
“Hey, Aqua.”
“…? Yes?”
“K-Kazuma, I don’t know what you are doing, but you are
really cool right now! It really tickles my Crimson Demon
heartstrings!”
“Let’s both take a nap today! I’ll leave thinking about how to
seriously get in your way for tomorrow!”
“I do not.”
The pen the knight had in her hand snapped right in half.
“… That priest is the same person that Lady Dustiness
asked me to thoroughly investigate a few days ago. Does
that have anything to do with this matter?”
D-Dammit!
“What is it!? I’m busy right now! This man keeps replying
with empty platitudes…!”
“!?”
Source @CGtranslations.me
“Why is Lady Dustiness here? Tell her that I shall see her
after I find out what this man is hiding. Satou-dono is a fairly
accomplished adventurer, so a stay in the detention cells
should suffice. I shall give her a detailed report after I’m
done.”
“T-That’s…”
“My apologies, it’s me. I hope you don’t mind if I let myself
in.”
The door opened an inch, and standing next to the man was
Darkness.
“Lalatina-sama!”
I wordlessly nodded.
“… … ”
She didn’t use her authority even when she was about to be
married off to Alderp, but now she’s using it in this
situation… She’s really changed.
“Dustiness-sama!”
“Hey, don’t grab onto me! I can’t unlock your chains if you
move around that much!”
“… Well, I suppose.”
“!?”
And Darkness, blushing all the way to her ears, pressed her
face against my back and slowly slid down.
Judging that her mood isn’t that bad, I raised something with
Darkness.
Part 2
“Now, there’s no need to be embarrassed. Tell me about
what’s troubling you… Oh, my, if it isn’t Kazuma-sama.”
Most of the adventurers here were the same ones who saw
me deliver a dropkick to Serena yesterday.
“If he’s that charming, why don’t you just go out with him?”
Source @CGtranslations.me
“Serena even called you charming, you know? She went all
the way out there to send those signals to you, so why the
hell are you chickening out now!? The reason you’ve been
rejected all this while is for this very moment!”
“U-Umm…”
As I started trying to convince the adventurer, Serena
uneasily interjected, but I continued.
“Wai—”
“Serena-sama! I… I…!”
Part 3
It’s been a few days since I was released from the police
station.
Not only that, but if what she said a few days ago was real,
the people around her would be cursed as well.
The arrow I’m using has a rounded tip, so even if it does end
up accidently hitting her somehow, it wouldn’t be lethal.
“Snipe!”
It’s doubtful that she’d be able to find me, but just to be safe,
I activated my Lurk skill and changed locations.
The one thing they all have in common is that all those folks
who basically revere her as a goddess now are those who
have consulted with her before.
“I’ll do it! Please let me do it! We are friends, after all! Leave
it to me! You can rely on me for anything!”
Perhaps being happy to be relied upon, Yunyun
enthusiastically nodded.
Even though she consulted with Serena just like all those
other adventurers who ended up as part of Serena’s
entourage, Yunyun still retained her senses.
“… … Right.”
“Ah…”
—Dawn.
“Huff! Huff!”
Why would she travel all the way to this town of beginners to
get more followers through her powers of puppetry? What
purpose would that serve?
I was a little worried that Serena might snap and target the
mansion or them, but it seems like she’s still putting on a
tough front.
“Do you know of the balloons that they are selling at Wiz’s
magic item shop? This is called a water balloon. It’s an item
that expands upon being filled with water. Right now, instead
of water, I’m filling it with a mixture of paint and starch—”
“Hey cut it…! I don’t know what you intend to do with that,
but if you’re planning on playing some kind of prank with it,
then I won’t stand idly by.”
Serena was smiling, but that smile didn’t reach her eyes.
However…
“Hey, you were the one who told me to challenge you alone.
I boldly rose up to your challenge, and now you, a Demon
King’s General, is attacking me, the one with the weakest
class, with numbers on your side. Don’t you think it’s unfa—”
“As if! Of all things, you had to spread the rumour that I’m
actually a man! You even mixed in bits of truth like how my
voice occasionally breaks…! Thanks to you, several people
even asked me about it directly! There were even a few who
said they’d prefer it if I was a man… Just what is wrong with
this town!? You bastard… I’ll fucking kill you!”
No, I might have the Escape skill, but if Serena casts her
buffs on the adventurers surrounding her, it’s not impossible
for them to catch up to me.
Just then, Serena raised both hands to her chest and took
up a pose like she was offering a prayer.
“Wind Breath!”
Just as Serena was casting her spell on the passerby.
As I did so, her robe flew all the way up to her head, and
she, with her hands around her chest, could do nothing to
stop that.
After confirming that her robe was fully above her head, I
took out my wire from my pocket and aimed at her torso.
“Bind!”
“Wha—”
Normally, this skill would only be useful for buying time, but
in this case…!
“Serena-sama!”
“Se-Serena-sama is—!”
Serena struggled within her robes, but the wire I used was
the mithril wire I commissioned for use against monstrous
targets.
“Damn you Satou Kazuma! Don’t think you’ll get away with
this! Once I get out of here…!”
“Oh no! The great Serena-sama is right here with her bottom
exposed!”
“S-S-STOOOOOP!!!”
Part 4
“So you’ve come to visit again, Satou-dono.”
“Even if you tell me that, I’m not exactly doing this because I
want to…”
Even if she bailed me out again, I’ll most likely end up back
here again before long.
“In the first place, what is that woman? All those people who
saw her underwear ended up as her fervent supporters.
Sure, she has a good body. In this town that’s filled with
weirdos, she’s a rare sensible person… But even so, the
pace at which she’s getting new converts is really strange.
What, is it really her panties? Just by showing people your
panties, you’ll get people to become your fans? Could even
a hardheaded fool like me get a few fans if I flash my panties
here and there for a bit? I know this town is a little out there,
but still… Ah, dammit, if that’s the case, I might as well…!”
……!?
The men of this town pretty much all make frequent use of
the succubus service. Just seeing her panties wouldn’t…
… Thankful.
In other words…
“Ah, you actually said it! It’s not like we female knights don’t
date because we don’t want to! Having children would be
detrimental to our mission, so we’re just waiting for a
wonderful man who would understand… Don’t cover your
ears, Satou-dono! Listen to me! And if you’re going to call
me left-on-the-shelf, at least introduce me to someone
decent…!”
Aqua might be able to solve it with her Break Spell, but if her
identity was revealed to Serena in the process, that’d be
checkmate. I can’t take that chance.
“… What is it?”
Part 5
“Now then, Satou-sama, please take care. If you ever find
yourself in trouble, please feel free to rely on us.”
“A-Ah… Thanks…”
Ever since the two of them replied, the stiff attitude that this
knight showed me has completely vanished.
It’s almost to the point where I want to ask who the hell she
is.
It seems like she’s under the impression that I’m close
friends with Rain and Claire.
“… By the way, where are those two right now? I would like
to give them my regards.”
The female knight put her arms behind her back and leaned
forwards with a smile on her face.
“T-Thanks…”
“A great noble like her would be able to have her pick of any
handsome noble scion she wishes, but despite that, she
chooses to be alone. We nobles who are similarly alone look
up towards her and admire her for that… Come to think of it,
Satou-sama, in addition to having such amazing contacts,
you also have fame and a mansion, right?… Not only that,
but you have a fortune that would put several nobles to
shame, no?”
“… I-I suppose…”
……
“Well, I have to go! Thank you for your hospitality! I’ll repay
you someday!”
I get the distinct feeling that nothing good will happen if I
were to linger here, so I hurriedly left the police station.
I couldn’t see clearly due to the glare, but even so, my eyes
were drawn towards a certain figure standing outside.
Just a little.
She might not know the full story, but she still came out to
greet me upon my release even knowing that it’s dangerous
outside the mansion.
“Say, with this, you’ve been in the care of the police for more
times than I’ve been, right? You can’t call me an ex-convict
anymore, can you!? Say, how does it feel, Kazuma-san who
called the police on me when I took over the mansion? The
same Kazuma-san who called me ex-convict who knows
how many times after that? So how does it feel? How do you
feel now!?”
……
“Those two were caught in my certain kill party trick, the type
100 mist! Once activated, it’d last for at least half a day
before fading. Actually, they just got bored after holing up in
the mansion for so long. Being a NEET and spending all day
indoors gets old really quickly. You’re being so unfair,
Kazuma. You’ve been staying outside all this while, right? I
want to go to a slumber party too. Take me with you.”
Her certain kill party trick sort of intrigues me, but right now,
the most important thing is what to do with her.
Just then.
The group I’d hate the most to run into right now appeared
right in front of me.
Part 6
“Kazuma-san! Kazuma-san! What is going on!? Why are
those people chasing us!? I don’t think I’ve done anything…
I can think of a few reasons why they might be chasing us,
but why!?”
Dammit!
Even though she had no idea what was going on, Aqua still
followed me without any hesitation.
This bitch!
Indeed, the only thing around this corner is a dead end with
a high wall blocking any progress.
“Y-You little…”
Wiz and Vanir, their goods spread out upon a rug right at the
end of a dead alley.
“Vanir-san went off the handle just now, saying ’I just got rid
of the Bug Killerin, and you brought in another bunch of
weird stuff!’… But don’t worry, Aqua-sama. I just drank some
sugar water earlier, so my body will automatically heal up.
Even if the worst comes to worst, I can just drink some water
from anywhere… Ah, Aqua-sama, that’s Vanir-san’s
recommended item for the day.”
“Hey, Vanir, what’s the meaning of this? Are you still not
satisfied after taking all the money I had on hand?”
“Did you pull the strings behind the scene this time? No,
actually, what are you doing setting up shop at the end of a
dead alley that I got chased into? Just how much did you
forsee this time?”
… No, wait, in this situation, couldn’t I just throw our deal out
the window and clue Wiz in on what’s going on?
The problem is that I’m not entirely certain who Vanir and
Wiz would end up siding with.
In the past, Wiz got really angry when she learnt that
another Demon King’s general, Hans, had laid a hand on
another person.
“First is this! This is a contract that states that Moi will not
interfere no matter what you’re plotting in this town—”
“Say, Vanir, I can definitely pay a higher price for that than
her, so would you mind selling that to me?”
“730,330 Eris.”
… Oh, right.
… Hmm, wait.
“Tsk.”
The adventurer who got his wallet taken regained his senses
for a moment, and Serena clicked her tongue upon seeing
that.
“That’s odd. I’m pretty sure I was… Ah, what is it, Serena-
san? Why are you holding the hem of your skirt…”
“Thank you very much! Thank you very much! Thank you
ver…y…”
The man looked utterly elated for a moment, but soon, his
expression was replaced with the same blank one that the
others had.
“Oh, did you see that? That priest that looks so refined
actually did something like that! What a pervert!”
Yes, it really does seem like you need to feel like you owe
something to Serena in order to become puppeted by her.
Just like what happened to that man when Serena took his
wallet.
“… What’s this?”
… Paired stat?
I see.
“What!?” x2
Dammit. Sure, it’s a great help and all, but I can’t help but
feel frustrated that we’ve all been dancing in the palm of
Vanir’s hand all this time.
… …. …
The three of us fell silent upon seeing what Wiz and Aqua
are doing.
Out of all of them, Vanir, after spending so much effort to get
us dancing to his tune, naturally stiffened upon seeing that.
“… Snicker.”
“!”
Part 8
“Fuhahaha! Fuhahaha! Moi has really overlooked you this
time! Moi should’ve taken care of this goddess of toilets a
long time ago!”
“Do it if you think you can, you Masked Devil! I don’t know
what kind of goods you were trying to sell to our Kazuma,
but aren’t you embarrassed at all to lose your temper just
because things aren’t going your way? Are you really a
Great Devil? Is your title self proclaimed? How do you feel
after having your products ruined? Come on, tell me! It’s
really amazing! Kususu! Fukususu!”
………
“Vanir Style Death Ray!”
“Reflect!
“… Why are you asking me? In the first place, just what is
that priest to be able to fight with Vanir like that?”
“Well, the only one who could’ve stopped them got taken out
instantly, so there’s really nothing we can do. I’m not
considered particularly strong amongst the Generals… Aah,
this feels really stupid. Doesn’t seem like anything good will
come out of tangling with you… There are too many strange
folks hanging around you. Other than Vanir and that priest
who’s currently fighting him to a standstill, you also know a
lot of other dangerous people, don’t you?”
After all, I did already avenge Aqua for what she suffered the
other day.
………
No wait!
… Wait a minute.
… Ah…
“My, my, you really are something. You already figured out
how my power works, right? You might be the first one to get
this close to figuring out the true form of my power.”
Shit… shit….
“There’s some sugar water in that bag over there, so let the
storekeeper drink some. This usually works out. She’ll spring
right back like a snake after shedding its skin… probably.”
“The truth is, the army will dispatch a division to this town
not to long in the future. But, well, this town is the town
furthest away from the front lines. There’s no way we can
march an entire army all over the country to this town. Thus,
only a small amount of units are scheduled to be sent here
through Teleport. But, well, for a town of beginners, that is
more than enough.”
…?
Oh, right, that’s the guy who was saying something about
becoming a Demon King’s General and challenged Wiz only
to get taken out.
“It seems like you do. Could it be that you took care of him
too? Well, we received a message from him before he
disappeared, warning us to be wary of you.”
“Ah, don’t get the wrong idea. This town has been a target
for quite some time. Even before the Generals started
disappearing and high bounty targets started getting taken
out.”
Sto—…!
……
“W-Why…?”
… I see.
“Do you get it? Apart from a few exceptions like the Crimson
Demons with their mysterious training method, all famous
adventurers had their start in this very town. They raise their
levels here before setting off towards other towns. Unless
they have some special reason, most adventurers will stay
in this town until they gain quite a few levels under their belt.
And those people will eventually end up facing off against
us.”
“….?”
Part 9
Serena-sama who’s walking in front of me is thinking about
something.
“… Finally…”
“Do you know how long I have been waiting for this
moment!? Do you have any idea how much shame I
endured at the hands of the Demon King’s Army after
Regina-sama was captured and sealed by the Crimson
Demons!?”
“No, I do not.”
“Is that so? Then just stay silent and listen! A few years ago,
the seal on Regina-sama was broken for some reason. And
I only recently regained my powers. One day, out of the
blue, the power Regina-sama gave me suddenly increased
several fold! Yes, Regina-sama gave me who have been
struggling for so long her blessings!”
“Isn’t that because the Regina cult was just you at that
moment?”
Also, it seems like she relaxed her control over the other
adventurers to put more focus on me. Just in case.
“Very well, I shall tell you. This will be helpful to you too. The
first is if your feelings of owing something to me were to
change, but you already know that. Next is a strong faith…
You know, back when you bound me up and exposed my
panties to my puppets, they regained their senses for an
instant, right? Those kinds of ‘stroke of good luck’ events
that would make people thank their god are particularly
dangerous. I don’t know what kind of god you worship, but
do take note of that.”
“Haha, I see. Well, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want
to. Let’s get along, partner.”
“Right, we’ll stay here for today. It’s a little on the expensive
side, but it’s fine every once in a while. Kazuma, go pay for
it.”
“I refuse.”
“Eeh!?”
“Y-Y-You little!? W-What are you doing!? Just what are you
doing!?”
“What are you saying? I just borrowed money for your sake,
you know? In other words, the feeling of obligation I hold
towards you just weakened. Thus, if I don’t get some
repayment from you, my puppetry will be dissolved. But,
right now, Serena-sama doesn’t have any money, so I have
to get my repayment through your body.”
“!?!?!? I-Is that so? No, wait, isn’t it odd? I mean, that
adventurer earlier said he’d give the money to me… I
attracted such gazes and even lost a puppet… It’s like I just
set myself up… ?”
“I will mind! I will mind it very much! What’s with you!? Why
are you climbing into my bed like it’s only natural? Weren’t
you more of a coward when it came to women!?”
“… Say, if I rescind that order, will you still feel like you owe
me a huge debt?”
“Gurk…”
Thusly, I’ll write an erotic short story every day after each
entry.
Source @cgtranslations.me
O Month, △ Day
Her face is still on the verge of tears right now. It’s quite a
precious sight.
O Month, O Day
△ Month, X Day
It seems like she tried to put it under her control, but it was
too strong to be easily bound and went berserk because of
that attempt.
Seeing her rolling around in pain and holding back tears with
a confused expression was yet another lovely sight.
X Month, X Day
It seems like she ran into Vanir when she visited the guild to
gather more puppets.
△ Month, O Day
She fell silent and went back to doing her side jobs.
I told her that she could just work as an adventurer and earn
easy money with those skills she had as a priest, but she
said something about her job being listed as ‘Dark Priest’ on
her adventurer’s card, so she can’t earn money through
questing.
That’s why she has never accepted a reward from the guild
until now.
□ Month, O Day
It’s been quite some time since I started living with Serena.
They lectured her about adult business laws and such and
took away all the money she earned.
I told her she could just repay me with her body, and she
asked ‘How much would it take for you to live on your own?’
When I asked her what she was doing, she said she was
offering a prayer to Regina-sama and was in the middle of
forcibly removing the puppet status from me.
X Month, O Day
Serena-sama turned red with rage and flew out of the inn,
but the Axis Cultist managed to escape by the skin of her
teeth.
Source @cgtranslations.me
O Month, X Day
Part 2
“… … … ”
“I refuse.”
She has slimmed down quite a bit since when I first met her.
It must have been due to how I’ve been living my life to its
fullest these past few days.
And then…
“Ow!”
“Well, I wasn’t from this country in the first place. Plus, it’s
not that unusual where I come from. There are plenty of
people who don’t subscribe to any particular faith where I
used to live.”
“Wha-!?”
“S-Seriously?”
“I gave it to that priest with the ability to turn any liquid she
touches into water…”
“Aaaaaah! Of all the people in the world, why did you have
to give it to someone with such a power!?”
“No, no, just shut up! Shush! Talking to you right now makes
my head hurt!”
Even rumours like her being a slut who flashes her panties
in public have taken root in the town.
I have no idea how she has fallen this far, but she certainly
has my condolences.
“Open up! You’re in here, right!? Open up! I’m here to return
your precious companion! Open up!”
“Dammit! Why now of all times…! Hey, come on, let’s go!
They might be at the guild!”
………
“Hey, what are you doing!? Stop standing there and hurry
up…!”
………?
“Hey, come on, hurry up and get over here! Seriously, why
the hell do you never listen to my orders!?”
… …?
With one last look at the mansion, I tore my gaze away and
chased after Serena-sama.
Part 3
“Huh? Outside the town?”
“Well, not particularly. It’s more like our mage’s daily routine.
They most probably all headed out together. It’s about the
right time for it.”
“… I’m not paying for it. I no longer have any need to keep
you in my debt.”
“I’m not paying for it! I really am not! … Ah, I’ll… I’ll have a
cup of water, please…”
“Aaah, I don’t have time for this! Come on, Kazuma, hurry
up and dig up the corpses buried under here! I’m going to
puppet them and turn them into my soldiers! I’ll start from
here, so you go over there!”
“What!?”
“You know, with how insistent you are about this, it almost
sounds like set up for a punchline. Is it fine for me to take it
as such?”
She already has me. She has no need for any other
puppets.
Not long after, the front door opened, and standing behind a
somewhat fidgety Aqua were Megumin and Darkness.
And then…
“… Can I ask what that man is doing?”
And then…
“Death!”
However…
“… Huh?”
It lasted barely an instant before fading away, seemingly
without accomplishing anything.
“Get her!”
Aqua shouted, and quickly leapt onto Serena who was still in
shock.
Part 4
After Serena-sama was pushed to the ground, Darkness
straddled her.
Darkness isn’t wearing any armour right now, but her well-
trained body gave her more than enough strength to subdue
a priest.
She grabbed the hem of her dress and slowly lifted it up…
“M-Megumin!?”
“When did you become so bold, Megumin!?”
“Ah!?”
And lastly…
“Still, how did he end up like this? Just what did you do?
What’s so fun about turning our Kazuma into such a brazen
pervert?”
“I didn’t expect he’d turn out this way either! I just sought to
turn him into my puppet. I unleashed his true desires and
removed his inhibitions… But he turned out being way more
wilful than I expected.”
“This is fine.”
“We can’t have that. Just stay right there. Right there is
fine…”
“I-I know that. How long do you think I’ve been with
Kazuma? Megumin, make sure to keep a tight grip on him!
Right, then…”
Source @cgtranslations.me
“Steal.”
“Ah!” x3
And then.
“Eat this!”
“Waaaaah!”
Just before the bottle hit the ground, Aqua managed to catch
it with a marvelous sliding save.
“Oh fine. I don’t really mind him staying this way, but… Here,
Kazuma, let me give you a hug… Just stay right here…
right… ? Hey, wait, stop squirming and stay still! Aqua!
Quickly! The bindings on my chest…!”
“Megumin! Just keep him right there and turn him towards
me!”
“… Huh?”
Why do I need the power of a Goddess of Vengeance
again?
… Ah, right.
Part 5
“Kazuma, did it work? Are you healed?”
……
“I think I’ll get healed a lot more if you hug me a little more
tightly.”
“It seems like you are back. Now… H-Hey, if you’re healed,
then please let go of me!”
And it feels like I had a really wonderful God looking out for
me…
“I don’t need it. In the first place, why do you think I would
worship a minor goddess… Hmm?”
……
I don’t really know myself, but now’s not the time for that.
Dammit, after spending that last few days together with her,
I’ve gotten somewhat close to her…
“… Hey, what is that? Why do you still have that with you?”
Most of the stuff in that set is useless, but I’m pretty sure
there was a level reset potion or something along those lines
amongst them.
I retrieved the level reset potion from the case and knelt
down next to Serena.
“Sorry, I’ll have you redo things from level one together with
me.”
“!?”
“Gurk!”
“If you attack her, any damage you do will be mirrored upon
you. Whatever you do, don’t kill her. It seems like a death
curse will befall a large area around here should she die.”
“Well, I’ll just slowly earn my levels back. I’m pretty close to
reaching my stat cap anyway, and I have enough money to
live comfortably, so there’s no need to rush… Let’s go all the
way to the end with your loyal subordinate, Serena-sama.
Come on, let’s start over from zero.”
“You are exaggerating. I’ll be living a laid back life from now
on, so if you ever make it back to the castle, please relay
that to the Demon King.”
What is she…
… Ah.
“It’s a little weird to say this since I’m the one who did it first,
but I won’t be doing that again.”
That means that it’s my turn to shine once Aqua revives me.
Just seeing her stand in the center of the room with her
hands clasped together made me feel revitalized for some
reason.
Perhaps it’s because I just died, but I can’t help but feel
depressed.
Right now, the only one who knows about the Demon King’s
plans to attack the capital or the hit squad coming to the
town is me.
And right in this calm moment, the voice of the goddess who
isn’t the slightest bit calming broke into the room.
I don’t want to go back to that unreasonable world just yet,
so I buried my face in my knees and covered my ears.
There’s also the bit about how even though things have
been going well with my companions, I still haven’t managed
to cross the line.
“Ehh!?”
Maybe I’d ask to get reborn as the pet cat of a rich person
back on Earth.
I gave it my all.
Even if I head back, I get the feeling like I’d end up back
here in a jiffy.
“I’ve decided to be reborn! I’ll leave the rest to you! Please
tell the other two that I wish them happiness!”
“Eeh!?”
And then…
“Ah!”
… Hey.
“… …”
Ah, what should I do? If I don’t go back, I’ll miss the moment
I become an adult…!
But if I go back now, I’ll get teased as an easy guy who fell
for Megumin’s seductions easily… No, no, no, but…!
“Hey, Megumin, I don’t think something that big will fit for
Kazuma-san’s first time. Kazuma-san’s Kazuma-san’s will
definitely break.”
……
“Hey, by first time, you mean that!?”
“Cut it out! Aqua, I’ll head back right away, so stop her right
now!”
“Don’t give up! Don’t you dare give up, Aqua! I’ll head back
right away!”
When I looked into her eyes, she quickly averted her gaze.
“Hey, Aqua.”
… This-This girl…
Part 2
“Kazuma! Come on, wake up! It’s morning! Hurry up and
wake up!”
“Why are you crawling back into your bed!? Come on, wake
up! Get dressed and we’ll head to the guild to pick up some
quests and raise your level!”
“Spare me~ I was up late drinking last night, so I really want
to sleep until evening today… I was celebrating taking down
another Demon King’s general yesterday.”
I then left the unconscious Serena with the police and told
them about everything I knew, but…
… That said, now that I’ve been reduced back to level one,
there really is nothing more I can do.
Without aid from the inside, it’d be quite difficult for this town
to fall to hostile forces.
Plus, now that the mastermind behind the plan, Serena, has
been taken out, it’s quite possible that the entire operation
would be scrapped.
“Wake up! Wake up! Come on, hurry up and wake up! For
the sake of humanity, and for the sake of the future, we’re
going after the Demon King!”
But Aqua starting saying such things before the sun has
risen while repeatedly slapping me on the back.
However, ever since the angel took over, it seems like there
hasn’t been a single person who accepted that deal.
She tells them about the fate and survival rate of the people
who have been sent over, the possible side effects of
learning the language, how hard life is in this world, and all
kinds of other details.
“You were the one who sent people like me here without
explaining everything. I’m sleeping till the afternoon to
protest!”
“I won’t let things slide if you keep poking fun at me. I’ll use
voice mimicry magic to imitate that strange devil’s voice and
laugh for an entire day by your bed.”
… This girl.
“Of course I know that. I’ve put some thought into it myself
too, you know? All I need you to do is to raise your level
enough to bring me close to the castle, that’s all.”
… Oh?
Hmm?
“Well, that’s good and all, but how exactly are we going to
defeat the Demon King?”
“Once the barrier is down, the rest is simple! I’d recruit the
help of my precious Axis Cult, the Crimson Demons, and the
people running this country! We’ll use those connections you
forged in this world and tell them that the barrier around the
castle is down!”
But, well, it’s true that without the barrier, the Demon King
would need to station a large amount of his forces around
the castle for defence.
Oh?
“Screw off.”
Ignoring the fuss Aqua is making, I once again covered my
head with the blanket.
Part 3
I was having lunch together with Darkness and Megumin in
the hall of the mansion.
I looked up from the leg of roast duck I was eating and met
Aqua’s gaze.
“This man has pretty much been this way since forever.”
……
“Yeah, he might have been the same way before, but I really
want the old Kazuma back! The one who was burdened with
debts and worked hard every day to earn just a little bit of
money!”
“The fuss from that priest just got resolved not long ago, so I
understand not wanting to go on any quests for a while…
Just what brought this on, Aqua?”
Aqua gulped when faced with the questions of those two.
……
“… Or something…”
“Don’t worry too much about it. She just got bitten by a
strange bug that made her want to defeat the Demon King,
that’s all.”
“Demon King!?”
The two of them shouted the moment I mentioned the
Demon King.
It’s been some time since I was last reminded of this, but,
yeah, these are the sort of people these two are.
“I’ll just say this up front, I’m not heading out to fight him.
Don’t misunderstand me just because we happened to take
out a few of his Generals. If I have to say, our party is more
on the useless side, so… Even if you give me those puppy
dog eyes, I’m still not heading out.”
Source @CGtranslations.me
“—Seriously, what’s up with her?”
That night.
Still, I’m a little taken aback by how quickly she came to this
decision.
… Well, from what Megumin told me, it seems like she got
really depressed recently after the actions of the puppeted
adventurers made her feel unneeded.
……
A Demon King…
“… Chosen… goddess…”
… Legendary?
I opened an eye.
Part 4
“Hey, Kazuma, please take a look at this.”
She was the same goddess that the ghost we were hired to
vanquish that time, Lucy, looked up to.
…?
I stopped working on my stuff and took piece of paper off her
hands.
…….
“Ahh! That’s not the right one! That’s the one with the
answers that shouldn’t be shown to you!”
“How could you say that!? Kazuma, do you really not feel
anything ever after hearing about all the troubles the people
in this town face because of the Demon King!? That’s why
people are calling you the gigolo NEET of that shameless
woman!”
“Those are the set of forbidden potions that Vanir gave me.
This potion causes monsters to attack you for the rest of
your life, this one heavily increases your magic power but
kills your hair follicles in exchange, this one makes your
levels shoot up in exchange for reducing your mana to zero,
and there’s this one that attracts the opposite sex but makes
you smell like a goblin. I was just thinking if there’s any way
to make use of them.”
The only one that seems useful is taking the level up potion
along with the balding potion.
“Absolutely not.”
Part 5
Shortly afterwards, we received a request to escort Serena
to the capital.
“Cockadodledooo!”
“Cocka! Cockadodledooo!”
“No, Emperor Zell! You shouldn’t make noise right now! That
man has been saying a lot of stuff about turning you into
dinner as of late! He’ll do it! A man as brutish as Kazuma-
san will really do it! So please go back to your quiet and
gentle self! Seeing your unruly side is quite beautiful too, but
you can’t make such a fuss this early in the morning. We
need your power as a dragon to take down the Demon King,
so before you grow big enough to fly us all the way to the
Demon King’s castle, you need to quietly build up your
power.”
“Cockadodledooo!”
“Oh shut up! What are you doing so early in the morning!?
Keep it down already!”
“Emperor Zell, I’ll stop that fiend here, so hurry up and run!
Don’t worry about me, just run! Live free and grow strong!
Once you’ve fully grown, we’ll go fight the Demon King
together! Be careful of the butcher on the third street!”
“Cocka cock…!”
“Then, will you promise not to say stuff like turning him into
dinner and such?”
“… Still, are you still going on about the Demon King? Just
give up on him already. The last General, the Demon King’s
daughter, is still hanging around his castle, and so are a
whole bunch of elite monsters. Just leave that kind of
dangerous stuff to the actually strong people and enjoy our
lives here. Don’t worry, someone will definitely take care of
it. We should be enjoying our lives now that we have fame
and fortune.”
Even if you say that, I can’t help it. I just don’t get that sense
of urgency.
…?
“That’s not it! Yes, right, the Demon King! Kazuma, now’s
the perfect time to take down the Demon King!”
“Even if you say that… Ah, I’ve been meaning to ask you,
but can healing magic cure baldness?”
“Leaving aside cases where the hair has been burnt off, that
normally wouldn’t work… I’m sorry I can’t help you,
Kazuma.”
“I’m not going bald yet! There’s a potion in that forbidden set
that increases your magic in exchange for turning you bald,
right!? I was just thinking of drinking that along with the
potion that increases your levels in exchange for your magic,
that’s all!”
Aqua picked up Zell and raised him high as though she was
showing him off.
… That means…
“W-What, you don’t have to get that angry! I just thought that
if Emperor Zell gained a few levels and grew larger, he’d be
able to do something against the Demon King! Come on,
look! Don’t you think he looks a lot stronger now?”
“… Pfft.”
And snorted.
“Create Water!”
“Create Earth.”
Part 6
“But aren’t we friends!? Aren’t we bosom friends!? We just
declared an eternal rivalry in the Crimson Demon Village not
to long ago, so why did it turn out like this!?”
“That’s not it! That’s not it at all! It’s not a duel! I just had
something to discuss with Megumin!”
“Eh!?”
“So, anyway, what was the thing you needed to discuss with
Megumin?”
“What are you doing!? I still have to show that letter to the
other Crimson Demons!”
“Who cares about that. More importantly, what are you going
to do? You just came back to Axel recently, so are you
heading back to the village again?”
Yunyun started to say something, but she bit her lip before
she could.
“Ow ow ow! I got it! I’ll say it, so please stop pulling on my
hair! … U-Um… I’ve heard that minions of the Demon King
will be coming to this town too… I’ve made a few f-frien…
acquaintances in this town recently…”
… Ah, I see.
“The people back home are calling you back to the village,
but you have friends in this town too, so you want to stay
and protect the people of the town, right?”
I’ve heard that Yunyun has been spending quite a bit of time
with a certain blonde delinquent and a certain masked
assistant of a magic item shop.
Wait a minute!
“Explosion!”
“Ah! What are you doing, Megumin!? There are still people I
haven’t shown that letter to! What should I do!? What should
I…”
When I gave her just enough mana to stand, she shot right
up and confidently declared.
“Oh, stop panicking, you spineless girl! Just say the delivery
man got captured by orcs on the way or the letter got eaten
by your pet Goat Devil or something! You want to protect
this town, right? Rather than spending time thinking about
such useless stuff, you really should be bolder!”
It seems like she’s a little happy that the letter has been
destroyed beyond repair.
Well, I do think that Yunyun could stand to learn a little from
Megumin’s brashness.
“You just don’t want her to go back just because you aren’t
happy with how you’re treated, right?”
“Wha—!”
It’s a line I’ve been hoping to hear for a very long time…
Onii-chan.
“Get off!!”
“Oniiii-chan!!”
Source @CGTranslations.me
—For the past few days, Aqua’s been trying all kinds of
schemes to persuade me to go take down the Demon King.
“Do you think I’m some kind of blue cat robot who can do
anything? In the first place, you are the actual goddess here,
so shouldn’t you be the one to resolve such issues?”
“So you finally admit it. Can’t you seal away the Demon King
or something? Sealing evil existences away is what
goddesses are supposed to do, right?”
“The only sort of evil I can seal away right now are the kind
coming from your pants.”
This plan relies a lot on other people doing the hard work,
but that’s really the extent of my abilities right now.
It’s really strange that our party has never been wiped out
before this…
…?
I hate to admit it, but Aqua is just much faster than me. The
difference in our stats is just way too large.
“Wiz! Where are you!? Stop hiding and come out already!”
“Are you deaf? Moi has already told you that the slacking
shopkeeper isn’t here! That shopkeeper orders a whole
bunch of useless stuff the moment you take your eyes off
her, so Moi is also—… Hey! Remove your hands from my
mask!”
Walking into the shop, I saw Aqua struggling with Vanir, her
hands on his mask as she tried to rip it from his face.
“You talk a big game, but at the end of the day, you just
don’t know, do you? You really are completely useless
whenever it’s important. This is a little weird coming from
me, but doesn’t that make you even worse than me?”
“… Very well, it has been some time, but perhaps it’s time
for me to get serious. It’s best that you leave the store. Moi
shall settle the score with those irritating gods today.”
It is amazing.
“… So, does that thing has any side effects? Like using it will
cause it to not rain for ten years… Or it requires a large
amount of mana…”
Vanir stiffly walked towards us, and raised the teru teru
bozu-like item that Wiz seemed so proud of towards the
light.
“And what exactly is the season that you can use these
things?”
“It’s right now! It can only be used during this season! I’m not
foolish enough to buy something that couldn’t be used. You
really are a worrywart, Vanir-san.”
“Don’t say that. Moi can definitely feel strong magic coming
from this piece of— this wonderful product. Its capabilities
are definitely the real deal.”
I see. Well, if he says so, then this item must be the real
deal.
Just then,
“I’ll have some… No, that’s not it. Say, Wiz, we’ve become
way too close to each other. Normally, it would only be
natural for me to purify you the moment we met. Yes, a god
and an undead. Those are two entities that should never get
along this cordially…!”
Aqua said that while nibbling on the cookie she received
from Wiz.
“Yes, exactly! It’s a pity, Wiz, but there are reasons why I
can’t let you off! I don’t mind if you hold a grudge against
me, but, as a goddess—”
“Very well.”
“As a goddess…! … It’s fine? No, wait, Wiz, you can’t give
up on life so easily! What do you think your life is? You’ll get
punished, you know?”
What are you saying? You were the one who was talking
about returning her back to the earth and what not in the first
place.
As for Wiz, she still had that blank look on her face as she
said,
“What are you saying, Wiz? Have you forgotten the promise
you made with me!? You really are gutsy if you think you
can break a contract with a devil! If you go back into the
earth, who will create my dungeon for me!? Everything I’ve
done for this shop is in service of that goal!”
Vanir gritted his teeth upon hearing that, but in the end, he
still resolutely stood between Aqua and Wiz.
“… … ”
Hearing those words, Vanir wordlessly stepped back.
Judging from the way he’s gritting his teeth, it doesn’t seem
like he agrees with Wiz, but is rather respecting Wiz’s
decision.
And Aqua…
“U…uuuu…”
Seeing Aqua in her state, Wiz called out to her in the same
tone of voice one would use to comfort a crying child.
And Wiz who seemed more worried about Aqua than her
own well being.
“U…uuu… Waaaaaah!”
Part 2
… To think that the kindest person in this town, and the most
respectable person, is a lich…
“Aqua? She came rushing back in not too long ago and shut
herself in her room. I told her dinner’s ready, but she didn’t
come out at all. Just what happened?”
Source @CGTranslations.me
“Say… Isn’t it fine to put the Demon King out of your head
for a while? Is there really a need to rush back to heaven
right now?”
“… …”
“… You know that you won’t be able to see Wiz again if you
go back to heaven, right?”
“Don’t worry. She seems like she’s willing to eat the food I
brought up. Give her some time. She’ll definitely come back
down once she gets hungry again.”
I casually said that, but in the end, Aqua spent the entire day
holed up in her room.
Part 3
I can’t sleep.
……
…………
“AAAAAAAH!”
After living together with these three for so long, it’s difficult
to imagine life without Aqua.
What exactly does it mean if Aqua’s gone?
… Wait.
“… … ”
It’s quite late, but I’ll go wake her up and interrogate her.
I’ll explain to her exactly what the risks are in going to take
down the Demon King, and how little we stand to gain from
it.
They are most likely sleeping now, but I really don’t want to
get caught by Megumin or Darkness and have them think
that I’m trying to launch a night raid on Aqua.
Aqua was wearing her usual blue hagoromo and was seated
hugging her knees against her chest.
Aqua really does look like a goddess when she’s just sitting
there, silently staring up at the sky.
I can’t possibly tell her that I got up to look for her, so what
exactly should I say?
And I definitely can’t say I was taken in by her form as she
was moonwatching.
……
“The only thing you have on your mind is food, so what are
you doing out here moongazing? Is heaven on the moon?
Are you guys like Princess Kaguya or something?”
“Of course not, I’m just looking at it because it’s pretty. You
know, I’ve been wondering about this for quite some time,
but what exactly do you think I am? Even I have times where
I want to admire something beautiful, you know? What do
you think? Isn’t a goddess looking up at the moon absolutely
picturesque?”
It certainly is.
To be honest, seeing her like that got me thinking that, oh
yeah, this girl really was a goddess.
“… … ”
“It’s only been just over a year, hasn’t it? It feels really
strange. I’ve known the other gods and angels in heaven for
far longer, but life on this world is, how do you put it, stormy
and full of drama?”
The one who made our lives here so stormy and full of
drama is you, though.
That line was on the tip of my tongue for a moment, but I bit
it back.
Instead, I said…
Unpleasant memories.
“… I want to go home.”
It’s just that, her face looks like that of a lost child gazing
forlornly at the place she used to call home.
Those words weren’t directed towards me.
Nothing at all.
… I was the one who forcibly dragged her here with me, so if
she herself wants to go back, the duty of sending her back
should really fall to me.
Also, I don’t really want to dwell too much about this, but it’s
also kinda my fault that no new cheat users have been
appearing for the past year.
“… Well, you know, I’ve been putting a little bit, just a little
bit, of thought into how to take down the Demon King too…
But just so you know, I’m not about to head off right now to
take him down or anything, alright? For example, I could buy
a large amount of explosive potions from Wiz and create a
large amount of explosives with them. Then we could bury
them around the Demon King’s castle like landmines and
starve them out. Alternatively, I could have Yunyun register
a teleport point right in front of the Demon King’s castle, and
launch an explosion against it every day…”
T-This girl!
“I’m sorry.”
“Kazuma-san, Kazuma-san.”
I stopped in my tracks.
“… What is it?”
Just like how I feel a little guilty over forcibly dragging her
with me to this world, she might have been concerned in her
own way about sending me over to this world.
I instantly replied.
Perhaps it’s because I fell asleep not too long ago, but I
came to my senses very easily.
……
“What’s the matter, you two? Why are you raising such a
fuss so early in the morning?”
Source @CGTranslations.me
“Dear everyone,
“Ah!”
“I understand how you feel, but please read it all the way to
the end.”
I raised my head.
I’ll be going out for a bit to take down the Demon King.”
“That idiot…!”
Source @CGTranslations.me
—That idiot!
Afterword
First of all, thank you for picking up this book.
I don’t think that there are that many people who start
reading from the afterword, but if you want a summary,
that’s pretty much the gist of it.
Akatsuki Natsume
Short story: Noble Style
I was at a fully booked out high-end restuarant, wearing an
unfamilar tuxedo, and staring at the myriad of dishes laid out
before me.
She’s a noble lady, so I’m sure she knows what she’s doing.
“I see. It’s a different country with its own culture, so it’s only
natural for table etiquette to be different too. But I know
about this one. This is called the finger-bowl, right? It’s
meant for washing your fingertips.”
“What do you think that napkin is for? Why did you put it on
your lap in the first place?”
Seriously? Isn’t this used to keep any food stains away from
your clothes?
“A noble lady, huh… I’m sure she’s a girl who couldn’t lift
anything heavier than a pair of chopsticks, fawns all over a
small animal the moment she lays her eyes on one, and
speaks to the flowers in the gardens…”
“Noble lady sure does have a nice ring to it. Haa… All the
nobles I’ve met with so far have all been full of weird quirks,
so I shouldn’t get my hopes up, but it’d be nice if it was a
gentle ojou-sama…”
“So you are Satou-sama, yes? I’ve heard many great things
about you… I’m glad to finally meet you in person. I hope we
can have an enjoyable conversation today.”
“Eh?”
“Do you have any idea how much I was looking forward to
this? She’s a noble lady, you know? A proper Ojou-sama!
How could you ruin it…!”
“Yes, yes, I’m sorry. Still, you should be a little thankful to
me. That lady really does have an ulterior motive. Her family
enjoys opulence and spends gold like water, and is
rumoured to be on the verge of bankruptcy. Just as those
rumours started to spread, she suddenly wanted to meet
with you. Still… Pfft.”
“How long are you going to laugh!? I know that girl was only
getting close to me because of my fortune, but you still
shouldn’t have have toyed with me like that! I even missed
out on eating that restaurant’s dishes…”
“Pfft… Sorry, but her family does have quite a bit of pull. I
couldn’t refuse her request without a good reason. I’ll buy
some high-quality ingredients and cook you a meal once we
get back as an apology.”
Even though I’ve taken down more than a few Demon King’s
Generals, my equipment was still pretty crappy.
“I’m not doing this for such a grand purpose, so stop it.”
Still, even though I’m not going after the Demon King, there
are quite a few monsters that can’t be harmed without a
magic weapon in this world.
“You’ll bother the other people if you shout like that, Magic
Sword Guy. Anyway, Kazuma here wants a magic sword. If I
recall, you have a powerful sword called Gram, right?”
“Is that so? I really think it’s a waste for the Magic Sword
Guy to have such a powerful weapon when he can’t even
manage to take down a single Demon King’s General…”
The magic sword that the Magic Sword Guy has is a divine
treasure that is linked only to him.
“Listen to me!”
—And the next stop that Megumin was talking about is…
“Don’t say anything more! You’re just going to say that there
isn’t a magic sword that I can use, right!?”
But Vanir shook his head and handed a small knife case
from the shelves over to me.
“Isn’t this a cooking knife?”
"Dammit, I don't like this, but I can't find a way to retort… But
just listen to me this time. You'll definitely be overjoyed to
the point where you'll willingly give me more pocket money."
……
"It's already all gone. I don't get it. My purse was full
yesterday morning, but it's now completely empty after I
spent a night out drinking."
"It's over here! Over here! What you swiped at just now was
just an afterimage… Oh, to think you saw through my feint.
You're quite something indeed…"
Ah.
"That shop that sells that really amazing item! Aqua, you
aren't totally useless after all!"
"It's just as you see, Kazuma. This is a store that sells rocks.
These rocks have been gathered from the four corners of
the world by the storekeeper."
"Did you get conned again!? These rocks all look like they
were picked up from the local riverbed!"
"It's only expected for someone with no eye for art like you
to say such things, but you're just asking to get chewed out if
you continue. Say, storekeep, why don't you show this man
just how formidable this rock is?"
"… No, no, wait, wait, it's amazing and all, but what use
could I have for such an item? In the first place, I'm here to
pick up a present for Iris—"
"What are you saying? A girl brimming with curiosity like her
would be sure to be amazed with such a gift. She would've
gotten tired off receiving precious jewels and ornate
treasures by now."
Well, it does make sense, and I get the feeling that Iris
would be very happy to have such a gift…
It's just a rock, how could you sell it for that much? Those
words were on the tip of my tongue, but I kept them in my
heart as I reached for my wallet…
"I was the one who saw it first! Please, Kazuma, I can let
you have the Winter Shogun, but please at least buy this
piece for me!"
"Please, I really like this piece! I'll take good care of it! See,
from this angle, it looks a little like Chomusuke."
She did help me pick a gift for Iris today, so I guess I can
indulge her just this once.
And thus, I spent the rest of the morning chasing after Aqua.