CHAPTER 11 - PART 5 & 6

Part 5

"Fu…"

"Fu… it's nice to bath leisurely during day time… I think I can fall asleep here…"

I soaked my shoulders under the water in the wide tub, and stretched my limbs out to relax.

A big bathtub was the best point about this mansion.

"By the way, are you going to ignore that girl named Yunyun? Hasn't it been a long time since both of you met?"

"We will meet again soon enough anyway. That girl claiming to be my rival loves to chase after me."

Megumin soaked her shoulders into the water and kept her chin near the surface of the bath tub. Her eyes were close and she seemed to be enjoying herself.

"The name Yunyun might be a bit off, but she looks cute. For an acquaintance of yours, she seemed to have good manners and common sense."

"Are you insinuating that I lacked common sense? And she is my age, why aren't you treating her like a child?"

While keeping her chin at the edge of the water, Megumin opened one eye and stole a glance at me.

Megumin is the same age as that girl… I took a good look at Megumin who was soaking in the bath.

"… Hey, tell me what you are thinking while you are looking at my body."

"… I am thinking that the speed of growth is different for everyone… Hey, stop that, don't chant explosion magic! I know you have exhausted your mana, but this is not good for my heart!"

As I said that, I copied Megumin's posture and moved my chin to the edge of the water.

"But that means she is just thirteen years old. My strike zone is two years younger than me, so thirteen is out. If she is fourteen, that would make us middle two and high one, which is borderline acceptable for me."

I muttered casually.

"Middle two and high one?… I am not sure what you mean, but I will be fourteen next month. You won't treat me like a kid after that?"

Megumin who was relaxing in the bath said with her eyes closed…

"… Huh, are you serious? Your birthday is next month? Eh, fourteen? you're graduating from being a loli character?"

"Who is a loli character! I don't recall making such a character! And… what's with you? Why are you acting strange all of a sudden…"

Someone I thought of as an incapable young sister was gradually morphing in my mind into an incapable school junior…

"We, well, I suddenly think this situation is a bit embarrassing."

"Hey, don't say that all of a sudden, that will make me feel embarrassed too! What's wrong with you? Is just one year older that much of a difference? And can you stop stealing glances at me so shyly!?"

Why? It's so strange, and my heart started racing.

At this moment, I realized I was in an incredible situation.

"… Neh, why am I bathing together with Megumin? Thinking carefully, isn't this situation bad?"

"Why are you saying this now! Don't calm down so suddenly!"

Megumin started inching away from me in the pool.

I also backed away from the other end and told Megumin:

"Not that, I mean if someone see us like this, we can't just laugh it off right? That should be some kind of law or rules governing this. Especially a girl that can't read the mood will tend to…"

Before I finished my sentence.

"I'm home—!"

From the distance came the voice of that girl who can't read the mood.

"It's all your fault Kazuma, saying things that would trigger this flag!"

"Now is not the time to discuss this! Anyway, one of us need to get out now!"

Megumin and I got out of the tub at the same time, and returned immediately.

"Why are you getting out together with me! The towel is soaked, I already saw a lot of you, and you saw a lot of me!"

"You are one to say! I will get out first, you stay in there! Did you lock the door? Did you lock the door into the changing room?"

"No, no I didn't lock it! Aqua will definitely come here at a time like this! What should we do! Think of something quick!"

What is there to think of, one of us just need to exit the bathroom and it will be fine!

If Aqua was to see us like this, she will definitely not let me off, and give me nicknames like LoliNEET, Lolima and spread it all over town!

"Kazuma—! Megumin—? I am home—! Will someone welcome me back?! I sold the toad and brought the money back—!"

Aqua's voice was getting closer.

I got out of the bathtub hastily and charge towards the changing room.

As I ran, the thumping footsteps draws near…

"Kazuma—!… What, so you are bathing?"

Aqua seemed to notice I am in here.

The moment before the door to the changing room was about to open, I used all the mana within me and stretched my right hand out, concentrating like never before!

"Freeze—!"

Using all my mana, the 'Freeze' I bet everything on froze the door handle of the changing room door in an instant. Fatigue and weakness assaulted me after I exhausted all my mana, and I collapse onto the floor.

"Kazuma— I left both of your share of the money on the table in the living room! Let's grab a bite after you finish your bath!"

After that, Aqua left without opening the door.

… That make sense. If she knew someone was inside, why would she open the door and look at my naked body, this is not a manga.

"Are… are you okay, Kazuma? Did you deplete your mana? I should say that was a close one. If things escalates…"

"I would be labeled a lolicon. Too close… ah, Megumin, sorry to trouble you, but can you help me wipe my body? I am completely out of mana and can't move. I will catch a cold if I lie down here."

I lay face down on the floor, asking for her help without seeing Megumin's face, but…

"… Hey, why will you be labeled a lolicon if you bathe with me, explain clearly. You have guts to say such things when you can't move."

"Hey, stop it asshole! Why are you grabbing my towel! You want to be labeled a pervert?! Hey…! A, Aqua—! Aqua—! There's a loli molesting me—!"

Part 6

Aqua barged into the room after hearing me crying for help, and bestowed on me the nickname of LoliNEET.

The second dinner that felt a bit lonely without Darkness ended without incident.

— The next morning.

"… The two of them are out early."

I muttered to myself when I reached the living room.

After discussing with them last night, we reached the consensus that going on quests without Darkness was too dangerous.

So we decided to act on our own for today.

… Darkness didn't return last night.

I heard the landlord was very obsessed with her. Was she being detained?

Or she had some accident…?

If she didn't come back tonight, I would need to take actions.

It was too troublesome to make breakfast for myself, so I decided to eat out. As I was wandering around town, I saw a familiar crimson magic girl.

That girl was strolling along the street while looking at the food in the stalls. She looked as if she wanted to eat.

In the end, she hung around the kebab stall, observing it.

A short while later, a customer came to the stall, chatted with the owner a while, and left after buying three kebabs.

After seeing that, the girl made up her mind, and bought three kebabs just like the previous customer.

… Seemed like this was the first time she was buying things here, and was unsure of how to place orders.

I was hesitating about approaching her, but looking at how happy she was eating the kebab, I decided to leave her alone.

"— Strange monsters are appearing near town, it is not strong, but…"

"Right, I heard about that too. That thing has a weird shape, and will grab onto anything that moves and detonate, right?"

I had breakfast at a random shop, and heard two adventurers talking about this topic while wandering around town.

… Strange monsters?

To me, most of the monsters in this world are strange.

I will be careful of that anyway.

As I was thinking about that while strolling, the girl I saw earlier appeared before me again, walking around the target shooting game stall this time.

The target shooting game was different from Japan. It used real bows, and arrows with a round end. Most of the players were couples, with the guy shooting, and gifting the prizes to the ladies.

I see, couples visit this street often, it's something akin to the holy grounds of dates.

The stall was targeting lovebirds going on dates.

This was obvious from the prize displayed in front of the store.

That girl was probably too shy to play the shooting game by herself. She waited for all the couples to vacate completely before she started challenging the game.

Maybe she wasn't proficient with bow and arrows, but she couldn't hit the prize she wanted no matter how many times she tried.

After that girl challenged many times, another couple came in to play the game. She returned the bow to the owner and was about to leave in shame.

…. Hmmm…

Strictly speaking, her relationship with us should be rather bad since her rival was in my party, but…

I walked towards that girl and said hi casually.

"…? Ah! Erm, hello, Kazuma-san…!"

— I didn't even look at Yunyun who greeted me, handing my money to the owner of the shooting game stall directly.

"Snipe!"

Using my sniping skill, I hit the prize Yunyun wanted in one shot.

The prize that was hit and fell was a samurai like doll that looked a little like Jack Frost.

"Here, you want this right?"

I grabbed the prize and handed it to Yunyun a bit cockily.

If I was in Yunyun's shoes, it wouldn't be surprising for me to fall for me because of that.

Yunyun's cheeks turned red and hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should accept.

Moments later, she smiled brilliantly and said:

"Thank… Thank you…"

"Customer, you can't do that. Can't you read the sign? No archers and 'snipe' ability users allowed. You can keep the prize, but you have to pay me three times the fees."

— I didn't looked very cool as I apologized to the owner while topping up the fees.

"Well then, I am still looking for my party mates, see you."

I was a bit embarrassed, so I raised a hand and said that to Yunyun as I prepare to leave…

"Hmm? Ah… Erm…"

Yunyun looked as if she wanted to stop me, reaching a hand out for me…

But she withdrew her hand halfway, putting it on the doll in her arms and bowed to me.

"Erm, thank you, thank you for getting Jack Frost for me!"

So that doll really is Jack Frost.

Because of my trauma of being killed by that guy, I had the urge to shoot the doll with a real arrow. But since she looked so happy, I will let it go.

— After parting ways with Yunyun, I started strolling around town once again.

With how prominent my party mates were, finding them should be a breeze.

"Alright, next challenger—! Is there no one else—?"

Following the source of that noise, I saw a crowd gathering around a spot.

This piqued my interest and I went closer. I found the people there to be bulky and fit, guys who obviously lifts.

I observed the situation…

"Alright! I'm next!"

The one who stepped up was a man with bulging muscles, who looked like an adventurer.

It was hard to judge what his job was, but from his body type, he was probably a vanguard.

The man picked up the hammer prepared by the store owner…

"Warrgghhhh!"

And swung down mightily.

The hammer slammed on top of a certain rock.

When the hammer impact on the rock, it created plenty of sparks.

After the pounding by the hammer, that rock was…

"Damn, this is still not enough…"

Just as the vexed man said, the rock was as good as new.

When the stall owner saw that, he shouted loudly:

"My friend here didn't succeed either! The prize is now 125,000 Eris! The entrance fee is 10,000 Eris! For every challenger that loses, the prize will increase by 5,000 Eris! Is there anyone else who is confident in your arm strength? Magic is fine too! This is Adamantite, if you can break this thing, you will be known as a top class adventurer! Come, is there anyone else who wants to test their might?"

I see— business comes in all sorts of form.

As I was contemplating on starting a business myself, this was a good place to learn.

But with my skill and strength, it was pointless for me to challenge this.

… In the direction I was looking at incidentally, I said to the figure I saw for the third time today:

"… We meet again, Yunyun."

Seeing Yunyun who was clenching her fist as she watched the adventurer swung their hammer, I greeted her on reflex.

She claimed to be Megumin's rival, so I thought she will be hostile towards me. But from her reaction, I didn't think she disliked me.

Yunyun saw me…

"Ah! Thank you for your help just now Kazuma-san! Look at that! Everyone is taking up the challenge of smashing the adamantite!"

She said with her eyes sparkling.

In the village of the crimson magic clan, are there no gaming stalls like this?

"Yunyun can use top tier magic right? Want to give it a try? The owner said spells are permitted."

After hearing that, Yunyun said:

"I can't break adamantite with my powers… That requires powerful implosion magic. Leaving the destructive explosive explosion spell aside, implosion magic should be fine. But using explosion magic is the safest bet…"

She said with a wry smile.

As we were chatting, more people went up to challenge and failed.

The prize money was over 200,000 before we knew it.

The crowd was getting bigger, and the owner of the stall yelled to raise the tension higher:

"Is adamantite too difficult for the people in this town? I came here because I heard this town took down the mobile fortress destroyer! Is there no one who could break this stone? Hey hey hey! Is there no other challenger?"

As the stall owner was getting into his groove, the adventurers pushed each other, gesturing for each other to take up the challenge.

Everyone knew what the stall owner's tactic was, but it still felt vexing if no one breaks the rock.

— As the adventurers on scene stared at each other.

One young girl step forth from the crowd.

She wasn't in her usual robe, but a black dress for traveling in town. My party mate moved forward and puffed out her chest.

She had the same determined arrogant face she had when she faced off against the destroyer.

"— The main character's turn."

The moment Megumin said that, all the adventurers including me rushed in to restrain her.