CHAPTER 12 - PART 1 & 2

Part 1

"Hey, Aqua, don't make me waste my breath every time and give up that seat. Since Darkness isn't back, we won't be doing quest today either. I need to design the merchandize to be displayed in Wiz's shop, get out of my way."

Hearing me say that, Aqua who was hogging the spot on the couch before the fireplace as usual squinted her eyes as she yawn and said:

"Why are you so irritable? You are too hysterical lately, you don't need to act this way even though Darkness isn't back yet alright? Enough about that… I heard that girl Yunyun said something to Megumin. You have to pay the adequate price for everything. If you want me to give this warm place to you, you have to give me something that satisfies me. Let me think, specifically speaking…"

Aqua paused and pondered for a moment.

"… If thou wish for the place the goddess resides… offer high class wine to me. Warm light will then shine a path for the lost NEET."

I should give her a tight slap.

Megumin too, why was she teaching her unnecessary things.

"Hey, fallen goddess, if you have the time to ask for wine early in the morning, you should think of a way to make money. Really, why do I have to work so hard. I will work on the debts from blowing up the mansion of the landlord, you take care of the reparation for the flood. If you feel any guilt at all, then move aside."

Hearing me address her as fallen goddess, Aqua looked at me with displeasure:

"Hey, stop giving weird names okay? Useless goddess, fallen goddess or whatever. If you keep addressing me as fallen goddess, you will suffer divine retribution okay? Like this incident with the landlord, it might be your punishment for not taking care of me, the goddess. Kazuma, if you feel bad about the way you are treating me, then say 'sorry, beautiful Aqua-sama', and offer high class wine to me. Go buy some, quick…"

"Steal."

Seeing Aqua continuing to hog the couch and hugging her knees, I reached out a hand and said that.

With the sound of coins rustling, Aqua's purse appeared in my outreach hand.

"… What are you doing, you thief! What you are doing is a crime, if I send you to the station, the delayed court date would be cancelled. Hee— Kazuma is a criminal—! Are you planning to buy wine with my money? What I meant is for you to use your own money…"

"Steal."

Before Aqua finished, I used 'steal' on her.

In my hand was one of Aqua's socks.

Aqua continue hugging her knees, moving the toes on her one bare leg intentionally in protest.

"… What are you doing, I will feel cold. Return my sock to me, pervert. If you don't return it to me, I will tell the police that a pervert was panting excitedly after stealing my sock. If you understand…"

"Steal."

I don't know why Aqua was keeping this on her.

After using 'steal', some sort of seed appeared in my hand.

Aqua looked uneasy after seeing this.

"Neh neh, Kazuma. This kind of prank or joke isn't funny, that's not nice. I also went a bit too far, I will reflect on that. How about we both apologize and make up?"

"Steal."

I toss the other sock that appeared in my hand onto the carpet.

I then said to Aqua slowly:

"… I will raise a large sum of money now. Didn't you say your Hagoromo is a holy relic? Let me borrow it, I will sell it for you. If you don't want me to take it by force, go to another room and take it off yourself… But you will probably say no, so I will just strip it away right here."

I wiggled my fingers at Aqua to emphasize this, and she said with a stiff expression:

"What are you talking about? This hagoromo is proof of my godhood, how could you sell it, silly. This kind of joke isn't funny…"

"Steal."

"Ahhhh Kazuma-sama ahhhhh! I was wrong, it's my fault, don't, stop—!"

— Several minutes later.

"Woo… Sniff… Boohoo… Wahh…"

Aqua was still curled up on the couch like a ball, burying her face between her thighs.

As for her appearance…

— Aside from her bare feet, it was the same as usual.

"Damn it, why is your luck so strong during a time like this… Or rather, what are you doing with all this junk…"

The junk I stole from Aqua was scattered near my feet.

They looked like party trick items, like seeds, cups, marbles…

The carpet was filled with things you might find by turning out the pocket of a kid.

Because of this girl, I wasted lots of mana.

"Why are you so noisy this early in the morning, what is happening?"

I was still standing before the sniveling Aqua when Megumin came down the stairs in adventuring attire.

"Hick… Kazuma he… to pay back the debts… he says he will sell it… and strip me forcefully…"

"Hey, shut it, don't create misunderstandings with your fragmented manner of speech! Yes, it's my bad, I apologize, and don't look at me like that, Megumin! I only wanted to sell her equipment away!"

Aqua sniveling, Megumin looking at me with disdain, this was a normal morning.

"Bad news, this is bad! Kazuma, bad news!"

Suddenly, a beautiful lady charged in and shattered the peaceful atmosphere.

Her dressing gave a pure impression, the expensive looking dress, white high heels, her head of long braided hair flows down her chest from one shoulder. She looks like a daughter of some noble family.

But her pure dressing couldn't hide her alluring figure.

But this beauty I had never seen before was calling my name even though this was our first meeting.

"… Who are you?"

"Hmmm…? Eh…! Kazuma! Now is not the time to joke around! Can we play this game next time instead!?"

The pure beauty said something out of place with a blushing face, making me realize who she was.

"What, you are Darkness? You made us worry so much, you are finally willing to come back!"

Hearing me said that, Aqua who was sniveling cried out immediately:

"Waahhh! Darkness, Kazuma he—! Kazuma he wants to strip me, and sell my precious thing away…!"

"Hey! Putting it that way can cause misunderstandings easily, so shut it!"

As Aqua and I was squabbling, Megumin told Darkness:

"Welcome back Darkness. You don't need to explain what happened. Here, take a nice long bath to soothe your body and soul."

"…? Bath? What are you saying Megumin? Anyway, I am more interested in the special play Aqua mentioned…"

Darkness who was wearing a dress looked at me and Aqua with longing and anticipation.

"Are you still dreaming? Stop with the dream talk; just rest for today. It's great that you are back. Listen to me, go take a warm bath and cry your heart out."

"What are you talking about all this while! Why do I have to cry? And what's with the bath… What is it, Aqua? Why are you pulling on my skirt?"

Aqua who stopped wailing and was tugging on Darkness' white dress, confirming the material as she said:

"… This is definitely high quality material. This must be the bonus reward the landlord gave you."

"Darkness… You worked so hard… In order to save me, it must had been hard on you…"

I told Darkness emotionally.

"Stupid! What are you people misunderstanding! The landlord didn't do anything weird to me, this dress is mine! Why? You think I didn't return earlier because I was being abused by the landlord!?"

"What else could it be? We were thinking how terrible they were treating you… But if this wasn't given to you by the landlord, what is with this expensive dress? You say this belongs to you, is it for noble lady cosplay? Are you researching a type of play?"

"No! This, this is not cosplay! Sorry for making you worry. But that landlord didn't have the guts to request anything rude from me… Forget about that, look at this!"

Darkness then handed an album thin booklet to me.

Instead of an album thin booklet, this was more like a…

"… What is this? Ohh, a handsome guy? How unpleasant."

Looking at the photo of a bright and cheery man, I unconsciously tore…

"Ahhh! Look what you had done to themarriage interview photo! If you tear it like this, how will I reject the match make now!"

Hya!

"Ohh, sorry, I was careless! I don't know why, but my hands moved unconsciously, I couldn't control it… Wait, what matchmaking?"

I tilted my head confused with the photo in my hand.

"That's right! That damn Alexei, using cheap tricks like that! I did promise to do anything, but my father will reject him if it was too offensive. I knew that, that's why I promised him back then, but…"

The panicking Darkness said.

"Wait, slow down and speak clearly. Who is this handsome guy? And forcing you to marry someone you don't like is clearly an unreasonable request right? Also, how is the landlord related to the handsome guy on this photo? Darkness, if you don't want to, why not just ask your father to reject this? I will try to fix this photo. Aqua, could you get some rice for me?"

"Okay—"

Aqua ran off, and in order to calm Darkness who was about to cry, I ushered her to the couch.

"The one on the photo is Alexei's son. That damn Alexei, he probably knew if he was the one to propose, he will definitely be rejected. But the only good point my father saw in Alexei is his son. How should I put this… The one most enthusiastic about the marriage is my father. But I don't understand why Alexei wants his son to marry me…"

Darkness said as she sat on the couch and stared at the messy coffee table.

Aqua returned with bits of rice and sat besides Darkness, placing the photo on the table and repairing it.

Aqua used a corner of the table while my designs were for the merchandize to be displayed in Wiz's shop were scattered on the other parts of the table. Darkness picked one up and asked curiously:

"… This is? The sketching on it is weird. What is this?

Megumin who was putting on her boots near the entrance answered:

"Actually, while Darkness was away, we had been brainstorming about ways to earn more money. These are convenient tools kazuma thought of. He is planning on selling it in Wiz's shop."

"Oh? Well, Kazuma has high luck stats. He might be well suited to do business."

"Speaking about my luck, I am really doubtful about that. If my luck is so great, I should be able to meet comrades that are more useful. I wouldn't get into debts, get entangled in troubling incident, and live a wonderful life."

The three of them trembled when they heard me say that.

"I, I am troubled by matchmaking because I spoke up for Kazuma! No, I am not asking you to repay me or anything! We are comrades after all, the most important thing is to help each other! I had troubled you much, so it is only natural for me to help you!"

Darkness explains, but a drop of sweat drip down her cheek.

"I, I have a meeting with Yunyun later! Yes, that's right! In order to prove Kazuma's innocence, I am going to think of a plan together with Yunyun…!

Megumin averted her eyes and said so before the entrance.

So that's where she was going.

"I will leave clearing Kazuma's name as a suspect to them and clean the toilet! I don't think it is dirty, but I am concerned with the toilet! Kitchen and baths, leave places that uses water to me!"

Stopping her work in repairing the photo, the goddess of toilets uses cleaning as an excuse to escape.

— As everyone was planning on running.

Darkness waved her hands, gesturing them to stay, and showed a sad face to us and said:

"What, what should I do. Actually… I didn't came back this few days in order to stop the progression of the matchmaking session… I am here because of that too… The matchmaking will be this afternoon. There is no time left. Pardon me, but is there anyone who is willing to return with me to convince my father?"

Part 2

"… In short, Darkness' father wants her to give up the dangerous job of adventurers, so he sends her to matchmaking sessions whenever he has the chance. But Darkness don't plan on marrying yet and rejected all previous attempts."

Megumin who had put on her boots said as she sat near the entrance.

Aqua continued to repair the photo on the table.

I wanted to repair the photo I tore myself, but since Aqua was happy to do so and was doing a great job, I decided to let her be.

This girl was talented in unnecessary things…

"… Yes, you are right. To be frank, I am very satisfied with my current life. If I continue my career, an evil mage or a minion of the demon king army might target me. I will resist til the very end, but still get captured by them in a miserable state. It will be terrible, I will be tied up in locks and chains, my clothes will be all tattered…! Ugh…! Sto… Stahp…!"

"I think you should retire and get married soon."

Darkness was lost in her own fantasy, squirming about with a blushing face, making me back away from her.

Megumin shook the staff in her hand and said doubtfully:

"I see, the previous match making session was the request of Darkness' father, so you can reject. But the matchmaking session was raised by the landlord, and you had already promised him to do him one favor. Darkness' father is eager, the landlord is also eager, so you can't reject it under such circumstances. But the landlord wants you by hook or by crook, why is he so obsess with Darkness? I don't get why he wants you as a daughter-in-law either. With his status as landlord, if he really wants to , he can force Darkness to be concubine by force."

Hearing what Megumin said, Darkness lowered her head.

She put her hands together before her chest, rubbed her fingers for a moment and finally said:

"… My, my real name is Dustiness fon Lalatina. I am… a daughter of a rather esteemed noble clan…"

"Ehhh!" x3

Seeing our surprised expression, Darkness flashed a lonely expression for a moment, and seemed sad.

She must have surprised many people before when she introduced herself.

"Dustiness…! That is not just rather esteemed, it's a super powerful nobility clan! The top advisor in this nation, that Dustiness? In this town?"

Darkness answered the screaming Megumin softly:

"… Yes."

Next, Aqua asked:

"What! So if I become a child of the Dustiness family, I can slack around all day and live an extravagant life?"

For Aqua who missed the important point, Darkness replied with a slightly troubled tone:

"Yes… But, our family is not looking to adopt…"

I retorted the most important point at the troubled Darkness.

"Darkness, you…! You are always saying things like 'yeah', 'sure', acting like a proper knight! But your real name Lalatina is so cute!"

"Don't, don't call me Lalatina…!"

Lalatina's face turned red, and she shouted with tears in the corner of her eyes.

Megumin who stood up because she was too surprised sat down onto the carpet near the entrance and said:

"Well… This might be surprising, but Darkness is Darkness. For me, Darkness is a tough Crusader, an important comrade. That is all."

When she heard Megumin said that, Darkness said with a happy expression:

"… Yes, please take care of me from now on too…"

She then smiled with relief.

Seeing their interaction, Aqua pointed at herself cheerfully:

"… Neh neh, I have something shocking to tell you okay? Well, I said this before, but you didn't believe me… Actually, I am a goddess!"

"Wow, that's great!" x2

"Why don't you believe me—!"

Aqua grumbled as she started repairing the photo with rice again.

Seeing the three of them like this, I started thinking about something.

I see, a lot of things made sense now.

Like why Darkness knew less about the world than me and why she was wearing cosplay like attire that was so out of place.

The landlord wanted his son to marry Darkness was probably because of political reason.

There were people who wanted to at least live in the same house, even if they couldn't get the girl themselves.

If I leave this alone, an important member in our party was going to be married off.

Important… member… hmmm?... Hmmmm?

"We have to bring this photo back and convince Darkness' father. Here, take a look. How is it? Isn't the repair perfect?"

As I was deep in thought, thinking over something, Aqua handed the photo to me with a cocky face. The photo was as good as new, you couldn't tell that it was torn before.

… Wait, Darkness was going to be married off?

This meant a crusader who couldn't hit the enemy would have to leave the party because of marriage.

Retirement due to marriage… That's right, a wonderful occasion.

I was not treating her like a useless child and chasing her away.

I didn't hate Darkness.

She has some weird places, but she wasn't a bad person.

But the prospect of our party wasn't good and Darkness was an aristocratic lady, so was it fine tying her down as an adventurer?

—No, it's not good.

If Darkness got married, her parents would feel at ease.

Actually, I was worried about Darkness too.

If on the off chance we made it to the demon king's castle and ran into danger, this girl would definitely yell enthusiastically at us something like 'Don't worry about me, Just leave me here and go'.

After getting captured, she would be overjoyed, saying 'Ugh…! Just kill me…!' or something as she look forward to her mistreatment.

That's right, in other words, this is a great idea that would gift everyone with happiness!

"Sigh… I must come up with a reason and return this photo to the other party. I will then apologize using this excuse and try to convince my father… That's why, I hope someone can accompany me to do this…" Darkness looked at the repaired matchmaking photo in my hand and eased up as she requested us for help. And then…

"That's ittttt—!"

"Ahhhh!" x3

I tore the photo in half.