Volume 9 Short Story: A Certain Chick’s Special Move!

"Hey Kazuma, listen to this, Emperor Zell finally learned a trick."

Aqua said as she held Emperor inside her palms.

After having a slightly late lunch, everyone entered idle mode.

Sitting across from Darkness, I stared at the chessboard on the table——

"I admit that you are a first rate performer, but it's impossible for a chick to learn a trick. We are betting the dishwashing chore for next week, don't disturb us."

"Heehee, I always lose to you, but I have a big advantage today! And you've already used the once a day explosion rule in your match against Megumin! I will win, there's no way I can lose!"

I ignored Darkness whose eyes were sparkling with excitement and focused back on the board.

A short distance away, Megumin – who had needlessly exhausted her mana today, and had also spent all her brain power in her match with me – laid weakly on the couch.

Damn it, if I knew, I wouldn't have used my full power against Megumin.

"Aqua, Kazuma and Darkness seem busy, how about letting me be your audience."

"Are they really? Well then Megumin, I'll allow you to be the one to witness Emperor Zell's magnificent performance."

I felt relieved that the annoying girl is gone, and concentrated on the board once again, thinking about how to turn around my losing game.

"How about it Kazuma, it's about time you surrender, right? After I told my father about my consecutive losses, my father, who is known as the treasured sword of the Kingdom, taught me this sure win tactic."

"For a grand noble, your dad is too childish. He dotes on his daughter too much."

Ughh, what do I do. Should I hide the thief over here…

"W-What is this!? I was thinking that a mere chick won't be able to do much…!"

"Hmmp, you get it, right? After all, it is not a chick, but a dragon. This is just a simple matter."

...

"Hey Aqua, what did that thing do? Show me."

Although this was a crucial moment in the contest, Megumin's exclamation intrigued me.

"You just said you didn't want to see, so why are asking me? Emperor Zell's performance had ended for the day. The next show would be next month."

"Ah, hey that's too much, just show it to me for a while, I really want to see it."

Or rather, I wouldn't be able to concentrate if I don't take a look.

"Hey Kazuma, just concede if you want to see Emperor Zell's performance. I saw it too, it was amazing. It probably surpasses Aqua's usual performance."

"… It's that amazing?"

What should I do? Solely in terms of party tricks, I had to admit that Aqua was good.

No, or rather, she had no other good points except for her healing spells and party tricks.

"Aqua, please do it again! I have never seen something so amazing."

"No Megumin, that's a performance from Emperor Zell's soul that it did in order to repay my careful daily tutelage. It's not something that could be performed so simply."

Aqua and Megumin ignored me, who didn't see it at all, and got all excited.

"I couldn't help being impressed after seeing that performance. Kazuma, are you willing to be the only one not to have seen it?"

Darkness taunted me as I was caught in a dilemma.

"You'll regret it if you don't see it. Emperor Zell's lifespan might shorten if it performs that too many times. It is sleeping now because it exhausted all of its energy from doing that, right?"

"Right? If Emperor Zell doesn't want to, then I can't do anything about it… Ahh!? Emperor Zell woke up! Are you fine!? You are doing it!? You want to perform again!?"

"Ah! Emperor Zell just…! Kazuma, Darkness! Emperor Zell is all prepared!"

What does 'prepared' mean? I was very much bothered by it.

And Aqua said if I miss this chance, the next one would be next month.

"Hey, hey Aqua! Don't mess around and come here, I want to see. Darkness, let's take a time out."

"No. It's your loss if you leave the seat. How can you leave before the match is decided? Come, choose! You want the party trick or to battle!"

Uwaahhhh.

"Alright, get ready Megumin! Watch carefully and witness Emperor Zell's special performance!"

"If I can see it again, the lofty me might fall for Emperor Zell!"

Ahh, damn it!

"I get it, I concede! Hey Aqua, wait, I want to see too!"

The moment I concede to Darkness, Aqua and Megumin high fived.

...?

"Then watch Emperor Zell's special performance carefully."

Darkness who was wearing a proud face started putting away the chess pieces. This gave me an ominous feeling.

"Look closely at Emperor Zell's special trick!"

Aqua held Emperor Zell gently in her hands with a dumb smile, then cupped her hands together…

After a while, Emperor Zell snuggled into a ball, closed its eyes and slept.

"This child will sleep when I do this. Early to bed and early to rise makes a chick healthy, wealthy, and wise, right?"

Early to eat and early to shit makes it wealthy?

Or rather, covering a chick with your hands to make it sleep is not a performance, but the nature of chicks.

… Hey, hold it.

Megumin had suddenly challenged me earlier today, and Aqua had enticed me to look at Emperor Zell's mediocre performance. Was it all Darkness'…

"Here, Aqua, Megumin. This is the agreed payment. But father is really despicable… To use circumstances outside the chess board to force the opponent to concede…"

"Hey, wait a minute!!!"