Chapter 42: What Are You Guarding?  

"Um... is it really okay to just leave him like that?"

Yunyun turned back worriedly, glancing at the pit sealed by a boulder, from which muffled cries for help still echoed now and then.

"Don't worry about that kind of trash," Megumin said coldly.

"It's already merciful enough that we didn't destroy him completely," Dodonko added, nodding.

This time, the girls stood firmly on Zunzun's side.

Arue patted Yunyun's shoulder reassuringly. "Relax. He just can't bear to leave the pit he dug himself. He'll open up a new way out once he cools down."

She wasn't wrong.

Although Bukkororii was a loser in many ways, he was still a top-tier magician. How could a mere trap keep him stuck? And Zunzun's sister—Soketto—who graduated first in her year, would never fall into something so basic. His entire effort had been pointless.

Love truly blinds people.

On the way back, Zunzun took down several demons, raising his level significantly.

When they arrived at the cliff far from the village, they saw black smoke rising, flames licking the sky. The Crimson Demon Village was in ruins—houses and fields alike burned to the ground.

But the ones responsible weren't the invaders.

They were the Crimson Demons themselves.

"Light of Saber!"

"Of Saber!!"

"Saber!!!"

"...ber!!!!"

At the forefront were F4—the elite quartet consisting of Trapped and the Wind, Rain, and Thunder trio—who unleashed the high-level spell [Sword of Light] without restraint, draining their mana reserves with gusto.

That was the Crimson Demons for you. Zunzun made a mental note to learn that spell someday.

Not just them—the principal, the teacher, even the café owner, tavern keeper, and tailor shop auntie—all took part, hurling advanced magic with reckless abandon. They reduced the village to a smoldering wasteland.

It was hard to say whether they harbored deep resentment toward their neighbors, or if this was just a regular Tuesday.

The teacher stood among the ruins, looking deeply moved. "Our beautiful village, with its long history... the final fantasy, praised as the treasure atop the dragon's crown... How could it fall into such desolation?"

What a joke!

Wasn't this entirely your fault!?

What exactly were you protecting!?

Kaikai wept as she held her café signboard. When the tailor's sign fell off, she cried even harder.

"The vile Evil God has trampled our peaceful, innocent lives!"

"It's all the teacher's fault," Yunyun said flatly.

"The ravages of evil beasts have dyed the sky red, cracked the earth, and corrupted the rivers... but the blood of the Crimson Demons will never be extinguished. This is a divine trial!" declared the principal solemnly, staring into the night sky.

Everyone gazed at him with awe.

The next day—

The village was fully rebuilt.

"Oh wow, I didn't expect the whole village to be restored in a single day. That's amazing, Megumin."

"But the principal and the others were chewed out by the Parent Committee for yesterday's mess, Megumin."

"Yeah, my mom complained about having to work all night, Megumin."

"Is that really the issue, Megumin?"

"Lack of sleep is more harmful to the skin than gargoyles, Megumin."

The "Megumin" they were talking about wasn't the little loli, but the black kitten.

Since pets weren't allowed in class, Megumin claimed the kitten was her "half-body." If separated, it would go berserk and destroy the world. The teacher, faced with that threat, approved it instantly.

Today, they were self-studying.

According to the teacher, yesterday's demons appeared because the seal on the Evil God's tomb was weakening, drawing gargoyles toward it.

But all the students suspected the truth: the adults' petrification magic had failed, and they were too embarrassed to admit it. To save face, the principal organized a "fragment hunt," dragging all the village adults along—including their teachers.

"I say, could it be that Megumin is the Evil God?"

"How could Megumin be an Evil God? She's so cute!"

"Hey!" the little loli snapped.

"I meant the black cat," Zunzun said, pointing.

"Wait—are you saying I'm not cute!?" Megumin flared. "And why did you even name that black furball 'Megumin'!?"

"Because it's your familiar and part of your soul. Since it didn't have a name, of course we named it after you."

That logic was infuriatingly sound.

"Change it! Change it right now!"

Megumin prided herself on being the calm, cool genius of the class. She couldn't accept being reduced to "Megumin the human."

"Don't tell me all your cuteness, intellect, and rationality got sealed into that soul fragment?"

"You're so annoying, Megumin."

"Annoying, Megumin."

Makaromi and Dodonko kept needling her.

Veins bulged on Megumin's forehead.

Enraged, she flipped the table. The classroom erupted into screams.

"H-Megumin!"

"Don't do that, Megumin!"

"Calm down!"

Eventually, Megumin cooled off. She lifted the black kitten and shouted at her classmates:

"Fine! If you're all so obsessed, then help me give it a proper name!"

Yunyun took the kitten and said, "Even if you say that, we're all used to calling it Megumin. Look, it finally lets me hold it."

At first, the cat rejected only Yunyun's touch. But after she fed it nonstop, it quickly realized who the sugar mama was and began cozying up to her.

"Then why not just change your name, Megumin?"

"…Huh?"

"Alright, then how about... Little Black? Since it's black."

"Pah."

Megumin spat in disgust.

Not just her—several classmates recoiled.

But eventually, Megumin decided she'd tolerate it—for now. Once she became a proper great magician, she'd give it a worthy name.

Zunzun, meanwhile, silently swallowed the name "Kazuma." It would've been hilarious if the kitten were named Kazuma, especially when they met Kazuma himself. Or maybe… Sandwich?

The school bell rang.

Since the teachers were still off hunting monsters, there would be no afternoon classes. Everyone was told to return home before the Evil God's tomb fully unsealed.

"Megumin... um... today, too..."

Yunyun kept glancing at Megumin, clearly trying to say something but too shy to finish. After knowing her for years, couldn't she just speak up?

"Yunyun, come with us!"

Funifura jumped in and said quickly, "We have something to talk about! And I wanted to apologize for leaving you behind earlier."

"Uh, okay, okay..."

Yunyun, who couldn't say no, nodded.

"Then... see you tomorrow, Megumin. And Zunzun."

She left with a slightly uneasy, disappointed expression.

It was a good thing she was making friends—but Megumin couldn't help feeling…

At that moment, she sensed someone behind her.

Zunzun and Arue stood side by side, covering their mouths and sticking out their tongues.

"N slept with T and left R..."

"If you keep talking, I'll beat your stupid O and X into next week!"

The irate little loli exploded.

-End Chapter-

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