A Full Stop for This Journey!

1

We left Serena behind and rode down the narrow path with Zesta at the reins. So far, things were going pretty smoothly. Without a certain someone to cause trouble, everything was going great. Except… "Hey, Gramps. It's great that you're driving us and everything, but you've been breathing pretty heavily for a while now, and it's beyond uncomfortable."

Yeah. Everything except the relentless panting from beside me.

"Fret not. It's merely a biological phenomenon."

"My ass! It never stops with you, does it? Hang on… What's that?" I was drawing away from Zesta, wondering what I would do about the old fart, when I noticed a dark shadow ahead of the carriage. It was still a ways off, but when I used my Second Sight skill to get a good look at it… "Ugh, it's a manticore. Let's take a detour, Gramps. I know there was a side street on the way here. Let's go around that way."

Ahead of us stood a manticore, a creature that had left me with substantial trauma once. It was a powerful beast with a poison stinger in its tail, and it would try to stab you in the butt with it. This monster, which you might call a natural enemy of mine, gazed at us from a distance. Was it already too late to run away…?

I was desperately trying to think of a way out of this, but Zesta said, "No, we'll go straight ahead."

"Are you nuts? That thing is the worst kind of bad news. I don't know how strong you are, Gramps, but…" Zesta didn't so much as slow down. In fact, he picked up speed, clattering straight toward the manticore. "Now, you shall witness the power of an Axis disciple. A manticore is hardly worth a second glance." Okay, he talked a big game, but… "Huh? Look, do you understand the most dangerous thing about a manticore?

It's gonna try to stab you with that stinger. One of those things almost made me an adult."

For some reason, Zesta's eyes started to shine like a child's. "Ah, divine consummation! Surely this is the will of the gods!"

"Excuse me, what? Darkness is the only pervert we need around here."

"J-just a second, Kazuma… Something about the way you said that makes me feel…a certain type of way." Darkness must have had some sense that she was a pervert, because she was looking at Zesta with a conflicted expression, and her voice wouldn't rise above a mumble.

"It's all right, Kazuma. This man's humanity may be one matter, but his abilities as an Arch-priest are unquestionable. I can vouch for them."

"Really…? Well, if you say so, I guess I'll trust him…" As we got close enough that we could make out the manticore without any special skills, the monster's eyes met Zesta's for just an instant.

"...Gulp."

"?!"

When the manticore saw how Zesta swallowed heavily as their eyes met, it got a look of severe distress on its face and flew off.

"Oh! It ran away!" Zesta exclaimed.

"What the hell?! Why would a manticore flee?!"

Zesta watched the monster go with a look of grief. "The Axis Church permits any kind of love, so long as it's not with a demon or an undead. As the most important person in the Axis Church, I am an evangelist of love. I give love to all equally, including even magical creatures. Of late, though, they all seem to run away the moment our eyes meet…" "They always run away?! Just how hated are you? Nothing's off the table for you, huh, Gramps?!"

Even the Demon King avoided Axis believers. Now I thought I knew why.

While I was busy being shocked, I heard what sounded like a very out-of-place conversation behind me.

"Look, Darkness, there are Blue Crabs over there engaging in mating activity. I believe the way they grab each other with their pincers is an expression of affection."

"G-gosh, really? But, um, Megumin, why bring that up now?"

I looked back to find Megumin gazing out the window, a distant look in her eyes. "Hey, you can't throw me off that easily! You said you vouched for this old fart! Go back to Arcanletia and get us someone different right now!"

"I said I vouched for his abilities as an Arch-priest; I specifically disavowed any comment on his humanity! And I would be just as happy for a replacement as you, if I thought we could get one!"

"If both of you feel you must continue to argue, then I have an idea. It would be a simple matter for me to stay the mouths of a young man and woman with my own lips."

Zesta's threat got us to shut up immediately.

He actually looked a little deflated and mumbled, "As an Axis disciple, I hope and pray constantly…that one day, peace may come to this world…and then every distinction, including between tribes and even between men and women, might disappear…" "Yeah, that sounds great. I might even agree…if it wasn't you saying it!"

Were all Axis believers like this?! When we caught up with their leader, I was gonna give her a piece of my mind!

2

It had been a while since we'd left Arcanletia.

"Wonderful support magic, Lady Aqua. I knew I could expect the best from you. Thank you."

With my buffs, Magic Sword Guy had easily chopped up that manticore. And while I was sure my help had played its part, it was mostly thanks to this guy's magic sword. It was really something, being able to take on an advanced monster like a manticore. If Kazuma had been here, he probably would have run away screaming from the ogres, then come up with some dirty little trick before he came crying to me for help.

"But of course. Anyone injured?" I asked, just to be sure, but it didn't even take a quick look around to know that everyone was fine. The battles always ended in the blink of an eye, too quick for anyone to get hurt.

"We're quite all right, Lady Aqua. It must be thanks to your blessings that we're all safe again. Although I deeply appreciate your concern." Magic Sword Guy smiled broadly, sounding overjoyed. He really was hunky. Unlike a certain someone who was in the habit of sleeping till noon (so he always woke up with bed head) and whose soul was so twisted, it even showed in his eyes.

"Great work, Kyouya! With an Arch-priest and an Arch-wizard, life is easy, huh?"

"Yeah, for sure. We didn't even have to do anything."

The spear-wielding girl and the Thief girl were busy lavishing praise on Magic Sword Guy. He gave them each a pat on the head as if to say thanks, and they blushed.

I remembered Kazuma giving Darkness a pat on the head and a smile completely out of the blue once. She'd gotten angry that he'd messed up her hair, and he'd gotten depressed that she didn't understand what he was doing. I wished I could let him know that we had a real master of the Pat-and-Smile here. Being able to get a blush out of a young lady just by giving her a pat on the head was a special skill reserved for hunks.

"With this party, we need not fear even the Demon King. Let's go, Lady Aqua!

And bring peace back to this world!"

"Oh yeah, sure," I said, just for the sake of saying something to the grinning Magic Sword Guy.

That was when Yunyun came up to me. "Listen to this, Aqua! Wiz in Axel sent word that Kazuma is on his way to come get us right now!"

"Hoh." So apparently all that murmuring Yunyun had been doing hadn't been just her talking to an invisible friend.

Still, though, that Kazuma, he never changed. I left him a note specifically so he wouldn't have to worry about me, and he still came after me. That guy! I understood his desire to lean on an older-sister type such as myself, but I needed him to learn to stand on his own two feet eventually.

"You look happy somehow, Aqua."

"Oh, not especially. So? Is it just Kazuma coming after us?"

"No, it sounds like Darkness and Megumin are with him. Um, when I left town, the other adventurers were all worried about you, too, did you know that? They said that when they saw you again, they were going to lecture you until you broke down in tears. Megumin was especially upset."

"Is that right…?"

An upset Megumin put me on my guard. I hoped she was angry because she had more of a heart for her companions than any of them, but I couldn't be sure. Once, when I'd teased her that using the bath after me would bestow a blessing that would make her just as voluptuous as the goddess of water, she'd stayed in the tub so long, she got dizzy. Maybe she was still holding that against me.

I wondered if she would forgive me if I gave her the weird-shaped rock I'd found on this trip and offered a tearful apology.

The monsters kept getting more and more powerful; we could bathe only when we happened to arrive at a town or village; and at night we were mobbed by undead. Honestly, I was starting to feel just the tiniest bit homesick.

Oh, who was I kidding? I regretted ever coming on this journey. I'd gone this far because I'd wanted to look good for Cecily, but maybe it would be okay to turn around now.

"You know, I'm worried that poor, weak Kazuma might get himself eaten by a frog on the way here. He's so fragile, you'd think he was playing Spelunker sometimes. And now at just Level 1, and with those two in tow, I can't imagine how he would make it here safely." That's why I thought it would be best if we fell back for the time being and…

"He'll be okay! I hear Wiz and Vanir took him into a dungeon and helped him level up! He learned all sorts of skills and awakened or something! Um… By the way, what's Spelunker?"

... "Gosh, what's that about? I never heard any of that! Kazuma said he awakened?! And what's this about him learning all sorts of skills? I somehow have a bad feeling that he's taking my job! Kazuma is not the type to have something as cool as an awakening happen to him! He's Kazuma! He's supposed to struggle against shrimpy monsters and then use dirty, underhanded tricks to defeat big, powerful enemies! How could something so interesting happen to him while I wasn't even there?!"

I took Yunyun by the shoulders and shook vigorously, sending her head flopping back and forth. "I-I-I'm afraid! I d-d-d-don't know! Aqua, please stop shaking me! I left to come after you before Kazuma did his training, so I don't have any details! Magical long-distance communication has many limits…! I only know that Axel's adventurers got together to train Kazuma up and teach him their skills. So about this Spelunker…" I let go of Yunyun's shoulders and started thinking hard. Our shrimpy little Kazuma, awakened? I could just picture his eyes sparkling as he said the word: I knew he and Megumin were cut from the same cloth.

While I stood with my arms crossed, Yunyun kept muttering forlornly about Spelunker. I didn't know why she was so hung up on that.

But hey—while I had been out here on a serious quest to take down the Demon King, everyone back in town had been enjoying a fun event like that?

Wow, I felt so left out.

After a few minutes of fretting… …I decided to give up on defeating the Demon King.

"How about we go home?"

"What are you saying, Lady Aqua?! It was you who said that this was our best chance! This very moment, with the Demon King's forces split between the capital and Axel, leaving no one to guard the castle! It's okay—trust me! We can and will take down the Demon King! I mean, are you really that worried about him?!"

Magic Sword Guy was incensed. And I admit, I was a little intimidated by the way he rushed toward me.

Yunyun, though, quickly put herself between Magic Sword Guy and me. "Calm down, please, Mr. Mitsurugi. Are you sure we couldn't wait for Kazuma and the others to catch up with us before going on to the Demon King's castle? It would give us more fighting power when we did make the assault, and it would keep Aqua safer."

Ah, the Crimson Magic Clan, so smart. Always so smart.

I peeked out from behind Yunyun, nodding vigorously to show what a good idea I thought this was. Magic Sword Guy looked a little sad, then spun around, putting his back to us. "We should hurry onward. I know you're worried about that man, Lady Aqua, but the fate of the world hangs on what we do next.

Remember, I beg you, why we're on this journey. Have we not come to finish the fight with the Demon King and save those who are weak and suffering in this world, at the very moment when his castle is least defended? It's all right.

I'll be by your side, always…" Gosh, he sounded like the main character in some manga.

What should I do? He was obviously a lot keener on this than I was. When had I decided to save all the world's weak and suffering? Okay, so I might have said something like that to Cecily, but I didn't recall actually starting on this quest because of anything like that… Magic Sword Guy's two girlfriends looked at me with conflicted expressions.

Was he one of those dense pretty-boy types or something? He was definitely one of the oblivious types. I'd seen him pat those girls on the head. Come to think of it, he'd said something to Yunyun about just calling him "Kyouya."

Magic Sword Guy was obviously trying to get a harem going. Yunyun, though, always flinched back or froze up every time Magic Sword Guy talked to her and insisted on calling him "Mr. Mitsurugi." It wouldn't be easy to add her to his harem.

Still facing away from us, Magic Sword Guy continued. "Whatever happens, I shall protect you. I shall be the armor on which you can most rely, Lady Aqua. I shall be your sharpest blade, cutting down every enemy in our path. Therefore I implore you, don't look to that man but lean on me…" He still sounded like he thought he was the main character, and he was obviously enjoying himself, so I didn't want to interrupt him. But there was one thing I definitely wished I could correct.

The one I rely on most is Darkness.

Several more days passed.

"Are you feeling unwell, Aqua? Ever since we left Arcanletia, you've been sort of…" Yunyun was talking to me as I stared into space, perched on the luggage rack of the swaying carriage. Incidentally, I guess this carriage belonged to Magic Sword Guy. Figures a cheater like him would have tons of money.

"How could I not be feeling well? Everything's…you know…going really smoothly. In the past, when I've traveled with Kazuma and everyone else, our trips were always more…dramatic. Like, we survived every day by the skin of our teeth. I'm not saying that was a good thing, but this is just kind of…" …boring.

Yeah, that was it. It was boring somehow.

Usually, Darkness would go charging into a horde of monsters, who would turn her into a punching bag, then Kazuma, on the verge of tears, would go to rescue her, before Megumin blew them all up with an explosion and I, noble as ever, used my healing magic to help the wounded with all due elegance.

Obviously, it was easier when a trip went according to plan, and that was nice.

When we did encounter monsters, Magic Sword Guy usually took them down almost as soon as they showed up, and anything he couldn't deal with instantly, Yunyun finished off with her magic. Even Magic Sword Guy's two little friends looked bored without anything to do.

At that moment, though, I just went quiet. I could hardly tell Yunyun that it was all boring.

"Oh, by the way, what did you do when you stopped over in Arcanletia?" she asked. "Cecily said you went to the Axis church there…" "Oh, that? Oh, that!"

Things just kept going smoothly after that.

We went through a series of small villages that served as frontline bases against the Demon King's forces. That led us to take a break in a tavern in one village that was practically a fortress, somewhere awfully close to the Demon King's castle… "Hey, why aren't they here? It's been days since I set out on my journey, but Kazuma hasn't caught up with me."

"Th-that's true… Things have been going so smoothly for us, they probably haven't been able to catch up… Mr. Mitsurugi, are you sure we shouldn't wait even a little while for them?"

"We can't. While we're here, the Demon King's invasion plans must be proceeding apace. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the attack on Axel has already begun. I expect many casualties among the townspeople. We need to make sure there are no more victims in the future, and that means getting rid of the Demon King as soon as possible. Besides, that guy's a piece of human garbage who's already given up on going after you once, Lady Aqua. I keep telling you to let me handle the Demon King…!" Magic Sword Guy clenched his fist dramatically. We were on such different wavelengths at this point that I wasn't even sure how to respond. This guy had completely bought into the being-a-fantasy-world-hero thing.

I couldn't help wondering, though: Did Magic Sword Guy really hate Kazuma that much? Granted, he refused to work even when he needed money, had a terrible reputation around town, would gladly hit a woman, would get back at anyone who did anything to him, was so horny and yet so inept with women, so weak and yet willing to talk tough, immediately bowed down to anyone with a little authority, but also never hesitated to try to use his powerful connections… "Hey, Yunyun, I'm stuck! I was going to try to stick up for Kazuma, but surprisingly, all I can think of are his bad qualities!"

"A-Aqua, you can't say that out loud. Kazuma would cry if he heard you!"

Magic Sword Guy smiled thinly and got up from his seat. "You just rest here, Lady Aqua. I'm going to go talk to the villagers and try to find out more information about the way to the Demon King's castle." Then he left the bar.

The two girls, who had been sitting at the table with us, scrambled after him.

...… "I know he's got a lot of bad qualities, but…he's got a few good ones, too. Like how even though everyone always causes problems for him and makes his life hard, in the end he always goes, Guess I've got no choice, and sorts things out.

Somehow, Kazuma's always the one we end up counting on."

"I w-wish you'd have come up with that sooner," Yunyun said.

This is so boring.

Our trip was going off without a hitch, with no trouble to speak of. Sure, there had been small problems in some of the villages along the way, but…really small ones. It's true. Even when I put a cup of water on my head as if I was about to do one of my party tricks… "A-Aqua, everyone's staring at you! A woman shouldn't make herself look so ridiculous!"

…Yunyun was the only one there to make a quip at me. When I'd done this in front of Magic Sword Guy, he'd just watched me with a smile and hadn't said anything. A certain short-tempered someone would have come up with a cutting remark every time I did anything.

With the eyes of the entire bar on me, I flicked a little seed with my thumb, sending it flying into the cup on my head… I was putting the bar behind me. Yunyun rushed to keep up. "A-Aqua, what are we supposed to do with all these tips? Are you sure about this? Everyone was so excited, and you're just going to walk away?"

"It's all right. Anyway, I don't need tips. I'm not a performer; I can't accept those. I wonder if there's an Axis church around here. We could donate them…" As I was looking for a church, I spotted a crowd. It looked like the villagers were gathering around a reservoir. "I wonder what's going on over there," Yunyun said. "It doesn't look very good."

"Maybe we should go see. If they're having trouble with the water supply, I might just have a chance to shine."

I started to head over, but Yunyun stopped me in a panic. "W-wait! I'll go first and ask them what's happening! I mean, Aqua, you always seem to get caught up in the worst things, and I'm sure this is another one…" Yunyun really was the worrying type. Yet, somehow, at that moment, she looked just like Kazuma when he was begging me not to do anything silly. The whole idea left me wanting to, well, do something. At least…a little something.

"Just who do you think I am? It'll be fine, Yunyun. When you have water trouble, you call the Axis Church! And as an Axis Arch-priest, this problem is as good as solved!"

"Aqua, I already have a terrible feeling about this! Ohhh, wait!"

I strode over to the crowd of people and said, "Are you having some kind of problem with your water? I happen to be a passing Axis Arch-priest. You know what they say: When it comes to water, think of the Axis Church! Yes, you can count on the Axis Church!"

"Th-the Axis Church!"

"Hey, is that one of those Axis believers? Better keep your distance…" The people of the crowd greeted me with looks of awe. I wondered, though, why there were a few looks of terror among them as well.

Finally, after a lot of nudging one another with their elbows, one man stepped forward and said to me, "Ahem, as a matter of fact, the village's reservoir is… Well, you can see it. The pond has become polluted, and some young Brutal Alligators have moved in. Those monsters produce a potent poison when defeated, so we can't just go killing them. They hate clean water, so if you were to purify the reservoir, they would probably move out…" "I see. Yes, you've got it really rough. Well, I guess I'll be on my way."

Yunyun grabbed my arm before I could slip away. "Aqua, where are you going?! What happened to all that confidence?!"

"Yunyun, let go of me! I have bad memories of those gators! You were right after all! I'm starting to share your feeling that this won't go well…!"

"O-okay, okay, just don't run so fast, you'll tri— Oh!"

""""Oh!"""" When Yunyun let go of me, I immediately went tumbling right into the reservoir.

"Aqua, I'm so sorry! I'll pull you out, just— Ahhh! The Brutal Alligators are coming right for you! Hold on—this is an emergency, so I'll prioritize eliminating the monsters!"

"P-please don't do that! We'd be grateful to be rid of them, but what will happen to our precious water supply? We'll be done for!"

"H-he's right! Everyone, put your heads together! Let's think of something!

I've got it! Bring a pole of some kind! We'll pull that young lady out of there!"

While the crowd held Yunyun back, the alligators were making a beeline for me in the water… "I wish you'd skip the committee and either pull me out or get rid of these things! Why do alligators like me so much anyway?!"

The water in the surprisingly deep reservoir came up to my chest, and the alligators were closing in fast.

When I looked, though, I saw the water around me becoming pure. And these alligators were supposed to hate clean water. In other words, they must have seen me with my water-purification abilities and known I was an enemy…!

Faced with the oncoming gators, I cried out to a NEET who couldn't possibly have been there.

"Waaaaaahhh! It's all my fault for leaving home! I'm sorry! Just saaaave me, Kazumaaaaa!"

3

Everything was going smoothly. So smoothly, I found myself wondering how we'd ever run into so many problems in the past. Sure, having Zesta there as a monster repellent was part of it, but I think an even bigger part was the absence of a certain walking troublemaker.

In every little village we stopped in, Zesta wanted to join me in the bath or sleep in the same room as me, but other than the little bouts of sexual harassment he aimed at the three of us, our trip was essentially problem-free.

Along the way, we encountered a harpy, a werewolf, and even a lamia and a centaur. I finally got used to the madness that gripped Zesta each time we encountered one of these creatures; he'd go chasing after them, and they would run away. Just about the time I was starting to wonder whether the Axis Church was the true enemy we should be seeking to destroy, we arrived at a certain small village.

Maybe it doubled as a frontline outpost against the Demon King's army, because it was laid out like a fortress. The inhabitants were all armed, and that special charge in the air that you only find on the front lines was… "I am curious about this village. It seems rather cozy. And I don't sense a hint of nervousness, do you?"

…that special charge was nowhere to be found.

"Yeah, I wonder what's up. You'd think they could afford to be a little more cautious. A village this small, it could get attacked anytime."

That was when we heard someone laughing, along with a conversation that seemed designed to answer our question.

"My goodness, that priest was something else! Almost like a goddess!"

"That's so true! Who would have imagined that she could purify our only water source just by throwing herself into it?! You don't see many people like her these days—people who have really got it together!"

...… "Um, excuse me, could you tell me more about what you were just talking about?" I asked the two of them, trying to act nonchalant. They looked suspicious for a second, but when they saw I was dressed like an adventurer, they relaxed.

"Thing is, the village's reservoir had gotten so polluted that some Brutal Alligators had moved in. But a very beautiful priest happened by, and she flung herself in front of the awful creatures to purify the water."

A very beautiful priest who nearly sacrificed herself…?

"Oh. Must have been someone else."

"I agree. We do not know any priests as impressive as that."

"Mm, definitely not. No question."

"I-if you insist on bad-mouthing our deity, you'll incur divine wrath, you know," Zesta interjected, sweating at the way we were all so sure it wasn't her.

That was when the other guy said, "She was an Axis priest with blue hair. The way she threw herself into the reservoir, it was almost like she'd stumbled and fallen, and her voice, it was almost like she was screaming, but the water was purified as we watched…" "That's definitely Aqua. She fell in."

"It is certainly Aqua."

"Yeah, that's Aqua. No question."

"You're all— No, you know what? I won't say anything more…" Zesta was giving us a rather strange look while I tried to ascertain the whereabouts of the idiot who had fallen in the pond.

"Oh, the priest? She's… Well, we warned her it was dangerous and told her not to go, but she and some friends set off for the Demon King's castle. That was several hours ago now."

"""Several hours…?!""" We'd caught her!

Wait…several hours?

We'd almost caught her! Just a little farther!

I could barely hide the joy welling up within me… "H-hey, what? What are you two grinning at?"

"Nothing. You just looked very happy. Lately, there's been no end to your quips, bad attitude, and annoyance, and I simply wondered if things might at last go back to normal."

"Oh-ho, better back off, Megumin. You know he can never admit how he feels. You might just make him turn all prickly again."

For a brief second, I considered stealing their panties right then and there and giving them to Zesta to thank him for bringing us this far, but I didn't have the time to waste.

"Okay, when we get back to Axel, Megumin, you're forbidden from using Explosion for three days; I'm going to use Drain Touch on you constantly to keep you from doing it. And, Darkness, I'm going to occasionally change the oil you use to polish your armor for tempura oil. All right, let's get going, and fast!"

"K-K-K-Kazuma?! You're joking, right? You don't have to go quite that far, do you?!"

"Y-yeah, yeah! That joke isn't funny… It is a joke, isn't it, Kazuma? S-say it's a joke, please! This armor means so much to me that I've even put my name on it. Y-you wouldn't really do it, would you?"

4

Zesta cracked the whip, and the carriage set off at a breakneck pace. The Demon King's castle was supposedly less than half a day's ride from the village.

I was sort of surprised a village so close to the castle had managed not to get itself destroyed, but apparently there were a few reasons for that. For one, the Demon King's lackeys didn't eat food; they fed on spiritual energy and vibes.

And the village doubled as a source of sustenance for them. They never sucked out enough spiritual energy to kill anyone, so the villagers quietly went along with it.

The village had been built in hopes of forging connections with the Demon King's forces. Surprisingly, even within his army, there were those who wanted to talk. A lot like how on Earth, even countries that are at war want to have a diplomatic pipeline to each other for when push really comes to shove.

I'd assumed this place was trapped in a tragic, pay-for-blood-with-blood cycle of violence, but it turned out connections could pop up when they really mattered. Could it be that the Demon King's army wasn't just a bunch of lawless villains?

I didn't know how much time had passed, but while I was busy thinking about the Demon King's army, the carriage started to slow down, and then it came to a halt.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We have a problem. The horses are terrified. The castle must be close," Zesta replied. I looked at the horses, which had stopped dead and were refusing to go any farther, obviously frightened of something. Well, this was no good.

Aqua and the others had probably come by carriage, too, so we weren't going to catch up with them on foot… Then I felt Megumin tug on my sleeve; she pointed silently.

"Is that their carriage?"

A carriage sat right out there. Maybe the one Mitsurugi and the others had taken or maybe someone else's. In any case, the horses appeared to have been released. If the carriage did belong to Mitsurugi, they'd probably let the horses go, on the assumption that they would all be able to Teleport back home with Yunyun.

"They must be close," I said. "Okay, we'll go on foot, too. If I know Aqua, when she actually sees the castle, she'll be too frightened to do anything and end up just moping around. Thanks for your help, Gramps. This is far enough.

You turn around. We'll take it from here."

"Hmm? I daresay having me with you could turn out to be helpful, no?

Besides, I'm quite disappointed not to get to join in something as delightful as invading the Demon King's home base."

Well, no question he'd proven himself useful, but… "If worse comes to worst, the rest of us can get out of here with Teleport. But that spell can only transport up to four people at a time. We might be able to link up with Yunyun, but her party already has five people. Combined with the three of us, that means we can get away in exactly two Teleports. Yunyun and I use our spells at the same time and poof, we're gone. But hey… If you don't mind being left behind in an emergency…" "I await good tidings of your quest in Arcanletia! I'll be going, then!"

We grinned a little as we got down from the carriage. I grabbed the luggage from the luggage rack and pulled it onto my back; then I made sure everyone was with me before I shook Zesta's hand. "All right, Gramps. Try to cut down on the harassment, mm'kay?"

"But then I would lose eighty percent of my reason for living. In any event, hold on just a moment, everyone." From the driver's seat, Zesta stretched out his hands toward us. "Power Up! Protection! And…Blessing!"

He cast a series of buffs on us. Strength enhancers and defense boosters. That last Blessing spell was probably just for good measure.

"Very well, everyone, I pray for your success. Or should I say…may Lady Aqua's blessings go with you!" Then he smiled with genuine kindness, the first time I'd seen him look like a real cleric, before he set the horses galloping off again.

Aqua's blessings, huh? That was nice and all, but we were about to go rescue the goddess herself. I waved as the carriage disappeared with the old guy I somehow couldn't bring myself to hate.

"…Huh?! I just checked my luggage, and I'm missing a pair of panties!"

Megumin exclaimed.

"What?! Hey, me too!" Darkness cried.

They'd been going through their belongings, looking for anything they could jettison to make their loads even a little bit lighter as we went after Aqua, when they'd made the discoveries.

…Maybe we really should destroy the Axis Church.

Perhaps it was the buffs that made my step feel so light. As I all but pranced down the road after Aqua, loaded with baggage, we ran into a series of monsters.

Already-defeated monsters, that is.

The road wound up a hill that was littered with monster corpses. They looked like they'd each been brought down with a single stroke of a magical sword:

Some were missing their heads; others were sliced clean in two. It was kind of gross, actually… "Hey, Kazuma, this corpse is still fresh. Aqua and the others can't be too far ahead!" Darkness, checking the monsters' bodies, said quietly. At that, Megumin, unable to contain her excitement, picked up her pace, and Darkness broke into a trot behind her.

"Wait up! The… The baggage is so heavy…! Hey, don't leave me behind!"

"I do not understand how this man can fail to be moved by the prospect of an emotional reunion with his friend! Just throw away all that cargo!"

"Throw it away—real nice!"

"Bah, give it to me! I'll carry it! Sheesh, just when I think you're going to show us your cool side, you come up short… H-hey, this is heavy! What's in here, training weights?! You're supposed to travel light on a journey like this! What the heck is in this thing?!"

Darkness might have been complaining, but at least she'd taken the load off my shoulders, literally. I knew it was pathetic, but that was where my base stats left me.

Finally, we crested the hill to see… "I-it's hideous…" The words slipped out of my mouth.

"Y-yeah," Darkness agreed.

Standing before us was a giant pitch-black castle; anyone could tell it belonged to the boss.

"It's so…so…cool!" Megumin whispered, clutching her staff with both hands.

These Crimson Magic people. It wasn't even worth quipping anymore… But at that moment, any other thoughts were cut off completely.

There she was. In the distance, just down by the castle, I could see a familiar blue head.

"I—I found her!"

""?!"" Darkness and Megumin were startled by my shouting. They squinted into the distance, trying to figure out who I'd found, but they didn't have skills that granted them enhanced sight like I did, so they couldn't tell who it was.

Aqua, with Mitsurugi and the others in tow, was approaching the Demon King's castle, then sticking out her hand as if she was looking for something.

"Aquaaaaa! Hey! Heeeey! I know it's you, Aqua! Argh, dammit!" I clicked my tongue, pulled my bow off my back, and with my Deadeye skill, I— "Wait-wait-wait! Kazuma, what do you think you're doing?!"

"You may intend to fire an arrow to get her attention, but if you miss your aim even a little bit, it'll go clean through her head! I'm aware of how superb your Luck is, Kazuma, but I also know how terrible Aqua's is!"

Grrr… Now that she mentioned it, that did seem like how this scenario would turn out.

While I was dallying, though, Aqua's outstretched hand began to glow.

"Bah! She's getting inside!"

As I watched, Aqua opened a small hole in the barrier and slipped right through. Mitsurugi and the rest followed her. The moment they were inside, the hole sealed itself up.

This was bad. I didn't know if she would be able to hear me through the barrier. If I started running right now, would I even reach her in time? Anyway, how could the castle not be protected at all? If it'd had even one single guard, we could have caught up to them while Mitsurugi was fighting! Were the Demon King and his army that confident in this barrier?

Beside me, Darkness slumped to her knees, defeated. "How could we make it this far and not be in time…?"

Megumin, still clutching her staff, looked like she might cry. "Wh-wh-what shall we do? Should I have let you try your luck with your sniper shot, Kazuma?!"

While they were blathering, Aqua and the others winked out of view. Yunyun must have used her invisibility magic. That was only going to make it even harder to stop them!

Darkness looked up at me, her expression changing to one of panic. "Y-you must have something, right, Kazuma? At moments like this, you've always got some special plan, some twisted idea…" Hey, who was she calling "twisted"?

"K-Kazuma…" Megumin looked at me, too, clearly worried, asking with her eyes if I really had nothing up my sleeve.

…Well, to be perfectly honest, I hadn't come completely unprepared. But playing this card would take courage. It would mean gambling everything, the whole cushy life I'd built for myself.

When she saw me fretting… "Ha-ha…" …Megumin managed to smile through her sadness. No…looking closer, I saw she was trembling, holding back a storm of tears.

"H-hey, what's wrong? Don't give up now. They got into the Demon King's castle, but Aqua's not dead or anything. You can't go getting all weepy right now, you know?"

I tried to sound lighthearted, but Megumin ground her teeth and said, "No… If only I knew advanced magic. If only I was a real member of the Crimson Magic Clan and not just a spare mage… When I think that then, I might have been able to go after Aqua…" "Wh-what, why? Is there some kind of magic that could bring down that barrier?"

Megumin shook her head dejectedly. "If I knew the spell Light of Saber that so many Crimson Magickers are so fond of, I might be able to cut through that barrier. That spell can cut virtually anything, so long as the caster has enough power. If only I knew it. If only I'd learned any other magic. Normally it's the wizard's job to break through barriers like this one. But I had to be stubborn my whole life. I've never once done anything befitting a proper wizard."

Suddenly, and without a word, Darkness took Megumin into her arms.

"If Yunyun was here," Megumin went on, "she would have been able to cut you a path with Light of Saber or else use communication magic to call out to Aqua. Some other Crimson Magic Clan member might have been able to cast something that could get Aqua's attention without alerting the other monsters in the castle…" Darkness placed a hand on Megumin's head. "You're not the only one who's lived to regret her skill set. If only I'd learned how to take the offensive, our adventures might have been easier. Not just this one, but all the quests we've been on. When it comes to making everyone go out of their way, I've been just as bad as you."

I watched them, the moment at once pathetic and touching.

Why was it that they suddenly had to get all cool and dramatic on me? How was I supposed to follow that?

This wasn't the time to be getting all teary-eyed and introspective. If we just let Mitsurugi handle things, he might actually take down the Demon King for us.

But then again, he and his party might run into some random shrimpy monster and rush back crying.

Megumin had called herself a failure of a mage. She was probably thinking of the letter from Crimson Magic Village where she'd been referred to as a spare at best. Normally, she probably would have laughed it off with a haughty snort, but doing this entire journey without our usual companion, Aqua, with us must have taken its toll. She acted tough, but deep down, she was still a kid.

…Er, but if she was still a kid, what did that make me, given that I'd been about to…you know… Sheesh.

She hardly shut up about explosion magic, and now she was regretting it?

Darkness, too: She was Darkness! If only I'd learned how to take the offensive, huh?

Well, no shit!

If you were a Crusader who could hit the broad side of a barn, our adventures would've been a lot easier! But it was that other idiot who really took the cake.

As if it wasn't bad enough that she spent every day just doing whatever she wanted, now she had to drag us all the way out here to come get her. And then she waltzed right into the Demon King's castle!

I can't believe them… Every single one of them…!

"Megumin, listen. The barrier around the castle. You can't blow it away with Explosion, can you?"

"It's impossible… Explosion, which simply creates a burst of magical energy, can damage any enemy at all, and I suppose it might be able to put a crack in that barrier. But…" Then she whispered, pain in her voice: "I just don't have the firepower…" She was still deeply dispirited. I said, "What you're saying is, one explosion wouldn't do it, right? But maybe a whole bunch of them in a row could break through?"

"I-it's not possible. A barrier of that magnitude repairs itself gradually over time. Even if there was a way to quickly recover my MP after I let off my spell, I presume the barrier would have fixed itself by the time I was ready to let off the next blast. And anyway, the moment I fired the first explosion, the Demon King's lackeys would come after us…" "So you could break it down if you could hit it again and again without pausing?" I pressed.

Megumin, a little bit cowed by the forcefulness of my interrogation, nodded.

"Y-yes. But the scale of that barrier—one or two explosions wouldn't be enough. Even Aqua was able to create only a small opening. It would take dozens of—" "Dozens? You think that would do it? If you could let off that many explosions, you think you could break through that barrier?" I continued to push.

"Yes, I could. To bring the barrier down would take less than thirty… No, less than twenty blasts." She nodded again, as if to say that in this, at least, she had confidence.

Well, that was enough for me.

"Wh-what are you thinking, Kazuma? You're going to use Explosion? That's our trump card. Sure, it might startle Aqua and the others into coming out, but I can guarantee it'll bring the Demon King's minions with them," Darkness said, obviously worried. "Besides, using up our most powerful attack here and now —" "Darkness, hand me my bag," I interrupted and stuck out my hand for the cargo she was holding for me. Knitting her brow fretfully, Darkness nonetheless slung my backpack off her shoulder and passed it to me.

"You know," I said, "I brought Darkness that armor, but I never got you anything, Megumin." I smiled at her as I undid the string of my bag.

"Wha—? I-it's all right; this is hardly the time for a present. Anyway, I am not one of those high-maintenance girls who gets all upset if she doesn't get expensive gifts, okay?" Megumin chuckled.

Darkness exclaimed, "Hey! Megumin, when you put it that way, it makes it sound like I'm high-maintenance…!"

"I am certainly not calling you high-maintenance, Darkness, simply because you swore you would treasure that armor for the rest of your life, and you spend every spare moment polishing it with a broad grin on your face. Indeed, I find it adorable." Megumin smirked at Darkness, who turned a little red.

"Now, now, don't fight. I did go ahead and get you a nice, expensive gift. Just take it."

"Oh, r-really? Y-you certainly didn't have to—" "I see that grin," Darkness interjected. "I think you might be higher-maintenance than you th— Hey, hey! Do you like pulling my hair that much?!"

While the two of them struggled, I poured out the contents of my pack.

""..."" When Darkness and Megumin saw it, they stopped cold.

"Here's your present. It's all yours. Sorry it's a little late," I said coolly.

Megumin started to sweat profusely, while Darkness's mouth worked open and closed and she started to shiver.

"Y-y-y-you… Do you understand just how much this is worth?! How did you even get so much of it?!" Darkness was a noblewoman; she ought to have known what it was like to have wads of cash, but her voice was scratching, and she was practically screeching.

"You'd better believe I know how much it's worth. It cost most of my fortune.

I made a ton of money with Vanir once, remember? Back when I sold all my intellectual property rights to him to repay your debt, Darkness. Well, he told Wiz to use it to get the highest-quality manatite she could find. And to thank him for helping me out in the dungeon, I bought it all off him before we left on this trip."

Darkness put her head in her hands, looking woozy.

"K-K-K-K-Kazuma, this… This is…!" Megumin pointed at the pile on the ground, at a loss for words.

"The highest-quality manatite Wiz could find, like I said. I remember what you told me when you took some of this stuff off Yunyun. You said a manatite crystal shoulders the MP cost for a spell, right? And that even the best stuff couldn't quite cover one of your explosions."

This time, Megumin couldn't even make a sound.

"And I think I remember you saying something else. That a gem like this wasn't even worth a second glance from a great mage like you. Well, manatite this good ought to be worthy even of the greatest mage. And I'm giving it all to you."

There was a clatter as Megumin dropped her staff. Beside her, Darkness put her hand to her forehead and looked up at the sky.

"Have you lost your mind?" Megumin asked, her voice scratching. "I mean, one piece of manatite of this quality could buy a small house. With all these together, you could buy a small castle!"

"I don't care—use it all up. Just take out that barrier," I said.

Megumin picked up her staff with trembling hands. "Really? You're sure?

Manatite is a consumable. You know that, right? When I cast my spell, it'll disappear." Her voice didn't sound quite normal.

I said forcefully, "Seriously, do it. It's my treat. Every last piece of it."

Megumin looked like she was turning a bit feverish from imagining what was about to happen. "A-are you really, truly sure? And anyway, when I use Explosion, you know enemies are going to come pouring out of that castle." She gulped heavily. "Including the one Serena talked about—that long-serving former general who's more dangerous than the Demon King. The most powerful wizard in the world…" I stuck out my hand, preventing her from saying anything more. "I don't care who we're up against. With all your experience and practice, I know your explosion can outrange them. Drop it on the castle from all the way out here.

Blow away the Demon King, blow away his lackeys, blow away Aqua for casually walking on in there! It's been one hell of a trip, and I've got some stress to work off, myself! This is where you get to show all those Crimson Magic Clan members who thought so little of you just how good you really are! Money? We can earn more. I'm sick of the trouble the Demon King has caused me, I'm sick of the trouble a certain runaway has caused me, and my tiny, miserly heart can't take anymore! And maybe I can't drop an explosion on that castle, but you can! So help me blow off a little steam!"

"H-h-hey, Kazuma, I think I heard a name that doesn't belong on that list of things to blow away! Anyway, you sound awesome, but you're actually asking someone else to do all the work…," Darkness interjected.

"Sh-shut up!" I shot back, turning red. "Wealth is basically a form of power! I mean, how often have you used your power as a young noblewoman?!"

"Huh?! Hold on, what does that even mean? I've never misused my privileges…! W-well…a-almost…never…" With Darkness's voice getting softer and softer, I stood in front of the two girls and declared, "When we get that idiot back, we're gonna do this right! I've got all kinds of skills now. I'm Kazuma, the elite adventurer! When I think back on sleeping in the stables and being chased around by frogs, this sounds downright easy!"

Megumin, taken aback by this transformation, looked at me. A single tear formed in her crimson eye and ran down her cheek.

"Just leave it to me. I'll make good use of your gift. This is a day I shall not forget for the rest of my life. So there's some wizard in there who thinks they can ignore me and call themselves the strongest mage in the world? I'm going to blow them away, here and now!"

Her words were inspiring, and her eyes, the very source of the Crimson Magic's Clan name, shimmered.

That's what made her the keeper of our firepower.

"Go wild, O strongest mage."

Megumin threw her arms around me and gave me the tightest hug I'd ever felt.