CHAPTER 10 - PART 1 & 2

Volume 3 - Prologue

— Dearest.

It should be getting cold in your world. Dear father, mother, are you doing well?

"Defendant, Satou Kazuma. In review of your repeated inhumane actions…"

Is the snow starting to melt in the world over there?

Is younger brother doing okay?

"And your actions that obviously disrupt the peace of the town…"

I think everyone is doing well as usual.

"The jury concludes that the argument of the prosecutor is adequate."

I am doing well in this world too–

"I find the accused guilty and hereby–"

So I beg forgiveness from both of you…

"— sentence you to death."

This unfilial son who is now a criminal.

Part 1

There used to be something feared by people all over the world which had a bounty. It is unknown who came up with the name, which is…

Mobile Fortress Destroyer.

That infamous bounty target was taken down not long ago by us thanks to my brilliant command.

And right now, in order to collect the bounty reward for bringing down the destroyer, I came to the adventurers guild but—

"Adventurer Satou Kazuma! You're under suspicion of committing subversion of the nation! Please come along with us!"

The situation took a weird turn.

"Eh… May I ask who are you? Or rather, what does subversion of the nation mean? I just came here to collect my payout."

I timidly asked the woman with a serious expression before me.

The rowdy guild fell into dead silence because of what the woman who was accompanied by knights said.

"I am a prosecutor of the Kingdom, Sena. Subversion of the nation literally means committing an act that undermines the authority of the nation. We suspect that you are either a terrorist or a minion of the demon king army."

The woman with long brunette hair calling herself Sena said as she glared at me with stern eyes.

She gave the impression of a secretary, like an intelligent beauty.

After hearing Sena said that, Aqua shouted.

"Eeeh!? Hey, Kazuma, what trouble did you stir up this time? What crimes did you commit while I wasn't looking! Apologize right now! I will apologize together with you, so do it quick!"

"Are you an idiot! There is no way I will commit such crimes! And we spend most of our time together, you should know I didn't do anything!"

As I was scolding Aqua, Megumin said:

"Wait a minute, did you get the wrong person? Kazuma does commit minor infractions like sexual harassment from time to time, but he doesn't have the guts to carry out such a major crime."

"Are you helping me or looking for a fight?"

As I retorted Megumin, Darkness followed up and said:

"Yeah, I don't think this man will commit such a serious crime. If he had the guts, he would do more than oggle at me with creepy eyes when I walk around the house in a skimpy attire. He is a loser who doesn't even dare to do a night raid."

"Who who who is looking at you!? Aren't you too self conscious!? Don't get conceited just because you have a sexy body, I have the right to choose alright!?"

When she heard me said that, Darkness' face turned red instantly.

"After asking me to do all that in the shower, you are saying this now…?!"

"I was manipulated by a succubus that time! And you are the one with the problem, being so docile and scrubbing my back because of the mood! And what do you want now? Are you expecting something? Just how gullible and open are you!"

"I I I know you still have memories about that…! And as a crusader serving the goddess Eris, my body is still pure! Saying I am easy to con and open? I will kill you!"

As Darkness said these dangerous words, she attempted to strangle me as we got into a scuffle. One of the knights beside Sena broke up the fight.

Sena who didn't even move a brow after witnessing the commotion said coldly:

"Teleporting the core of the destroyer, coronatite, was the instruction made by that man. And the place the ore was teleported too, was the mansion of the landlord."

After she said that, the entire guild fell into deathly silence.

— Coronatite. During the fight with the destroyer, the one who asked someone to teleport that stone which was about to explode, is me.

To think that that stone—

"Really, so that landlord died in the explosion…!"

"He is not dead, don't kill him off! Coincidentally, the landlord sent away all the household staff and was in the basement himself, so there were no casualties. But the mansion was destroyed."

Hearing that there was no death, I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well then, no one died in the fight against the destroyer, that's great."

"It's not great! Do you know the situation right now? You sent an explosive device into the mansion of the landlord and blew up the entire mansion. Like I told you, You're under suspicion of being either a terrorist or a minion of the demon king army. Anyway, I will listen to what you have to say back at the station."

Sena's words turned the quiet guild rowdy again.

That was expected. All the adventurers present knew what kind of person I am.

At the same time, they knew how active I was during the fight against the destroyer.

"Ku, I thought it's something terrible… Kazuma was the most valuable player during the battle against the destroyer. He might be the one who ordered the teleport of the Coronatite, but he had no choice in that situation. If not for Kazuma's wits, people might have died when the Coronatite explodes. He should be commended, not prosecuted."

Sounds of people affirming what Megumi said sounded out all around the guild.

You, you guys…!

While I was feeling touched, Sena said coldly:

"By the way, the charge of subversion could be brought on suspects other than the mastermind. Before the trial ends, I will advise everyone to mind your words and actions. If there are people who want to go to jail with him, I won't mind."

The guild turned silent once again after her speech.

After this—

"…'Don't worry! The world is huge! Compared to a place with lots of people, the chance of it ending up somewhere with nobody around is higher! Don't worry, I will take all the responsibility! I might look this way, but my luck is incredibly good!'… I remember that was what Kazuma said during that moment…"

Aqua said suddenly.

… I did say that, but that girl is usually an idiot, why does she remember things so clearly at such a time? Could it be…

"Aqua, could it be… you are thinking of pushing all the blame… onto me…?

Aqua didn't answer my question, and just averted her gaze awkwardly.

"By the way, I never made it into the inside of the destroyer. If I was there, I would definitely have stopped Kazuma from making that decision. Unfortunately, I wasn't there, so it couldn't be helped. That's right, how unfortunate."

No one asked her anything, but Megumin started a monologue out of nowhere.

"… Hey, hold it, Aqua, Megumin, you two, could it be…"

The two of them wanted to…!

At this moment, Darkness defended me, standing before Sena and said:

"Wait a minute, I am the mastermind, and the one giving the instructions is me. Please let me join in the kinky games in prison… No, I mean if you want to arrest Kazuma, take me in and interrogate me too!"

"I heard that you only stood in front of the destroyer and was totally useless right?"

"!?"

Sena put salt in Darkness' wound without hesitation, causing her to look at me with tears welling up. But Darkness being useless was a fact, so I ignored her since I don't have the time for that.

In this situation , Wiz who was quiet all this while raised her hand timidly.

"Erm, the one who casted teleportation was me, if you want to arrest Kazuma-san, then I…"

Aqua grabbed Wiz's raised hand at this point.

"Don't do it Wiz! If sacrificing one person is enough, that would be the best! I know you feel bad, but you need to endure this…! That's right, Kazuma is not leaving us forever. We need to wait patiently for Kazuma to return safely from prison, understand?"

That bitch! Don't make it sound like my jail term is confirmed!

No, the one who instructed Wiz was me, at the very least, I need to protect Wiz!

"Forget it, even if you are not with me, I can still rely on the guys in the guild!"

As I said that, I looked one round through the guild. But all the adventurers averted their eyes after meeting mine.

Ev, even you guys!

"Hey, what kind of joke is this! Put in more effort you guys! At least resist a little!"

As I lashed out at them, a girl mage said softly:

"The first time I met Kazuma-san… That's right, I saw it that time. At the alley behind the guild, Kazuma-san stripped a female thief of her panties. Yes, his expression back then impacted me deeply."

Wait…!

"That's right, I always thought Kazuma will get into big trouble one day…"

"Yeah, me too. I heard a rumor that he locked the priest in his party inside a cage and used her as bait for crocodiles."

"There's more, I heard thar when someone challenged him to a duel, Kazuma stole the challenger's magic sword and sold it."

"Oh, you guys are turning on me now?! I will remember your faces, loudmouths! Better watch your back after I prove my innocence…!"

As I was telling them off, two knights grabbed my arms forcefully.

"I won't forget this—!"

Part 2

— The police station in the middle of the town.

A building a just adventurer like me won't frequent.

Right now, I am inside the police station, being led into its depths.

"Okay, go in obediently. Until after the trial is over, this will be your room."

Sena who was walking in front of me said as she stopped before a small and dark cell.

"Hey, I am the hero who saved this town right? Are you for real? Are you really going to lock me inside a cell? Are you serious?"

I became afraid after seeing the cell. I asked Sena attempting to get into her good side, but…

"I will question you thoroughly tomorrow, just rest here for today."

Sena didn't answer my question and ignored me. When the knights heard what she said, they pushed me into the cell.

After this, Sena turned around and left with the knights.

"Hey! Wait!… Hey! … Hey… Really…"

Inside the dark and cold cell, I grabbed the iron bars with my hands, losing my composure with this sudden turn of events.

… Up until this morning, I was still lounging around my mansion.

Why did things turn out like this?

Not knowing what to do, I surveyed the cell. I found some rugs on the icy floor, a toilet at the corner and a window with iron bars, that's all.

How unfair. Treating the one who saved the town this way is too much.

I hugged my legs and sat down, burying my face between my knees.

I know the rules of this place doesn't make sense and the world is dangerous, but I never thought it would be to such an extent.

Thinking back now, my time as a hikikomori was so wonderful.

I could sleep until noon inside a warm room, then spend all day playing games after waking up.

Eating the meals prepared by my parents, sleeping whenever I wanted and getting up whenever I pleased, a self-indulgent life.

But after coming to this world, I had been living through hardship everyday.

I don't have any knowledge about this different world, can't find a good job and couldn't work well in the service industry. I had to perform hard labor after arriving in this world and sleep in the stables every night.

And I had to clean up after those idiots and got burdened with debts…!

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Just wait until I get out, all of you!

… But.

"I want to go back… I had enough, I want to go back to Japan…"

I remembered my original goal of returning to Japan.

This was a world with a feudal society and I was being charged in court.

The person I offended wasn't a nobody, if I make a wrong move, I might get the death sentence.

My current circumstances was dire, and being placed in a dark cell made me very uneasy. At this moment…

As I was about to cry inside my cell, I heard several sets of footsteps draw near from the distance.

"Hey, I won't resist so be more gentle!"

"Shut up, scum! faster!"

Alongside the sound of clanking armor, a nasty voice boomed out.

Seemed like another prisoner was going to a cell near me.

… No, wait. There is only one cell here.

Come on, I don't want to share a cell with an unknown criminal!

"Go in! Really, how many times do you want to come here? This is a prison, not your room. And there is someone who went in before you, don't fight now."

"Alright alright, I get it. Sorry for the intrusion… Hey, isn't this Kazuma! What are you doing here?"

—The one entering the cell was the infamous delinquent adventurer in town, Dust.

"Hey, what a coincidence to meet you here! So, what did you do?"

After the knights left, Dust who seemed happy for some reason asked me.

"Nothing much, they seemed to think I am a terrorist… During the battle with the destroyer, I gave the order to teleport away the core that was about to explode. In the end, that thing was sent to the landlord's mansion and blew his house apart."

Hearing me say that, Dust burst into laughter.

"Wahaha, that's great, Kazuma! That stinky landlord is detestable anyway! Well done! Wahaha, he had it coming!"

"Hey, hold it, it wasn't intentional! I didn't do it because I had something against the landlord! Or rather… I want to know. what are you doing here, Dust?"

From what the knight said, he seemed to be a regular here.

"Me? Nothing much. I heard the payout for defeating the destroyer is coming, so I ate and drank to my content and left tabs everywhere, thinking that I will clear the debts with the payout. I thought the payout would be great, so I took a loan to gamble. In the end, the payout was smaller than I thought and I couldn't pay back the money. With no money, I had to sleep in the stables, but its cold in this season. I would rather come here so I won't freeze to death and have food to eat. So I ate at some place without paying. And the debtors couldn't chase me here too."

This man really lived up to his name.

Seeing the sorry state of the unrepentant delinquent Dust made me feel better about being locked away here.