Part 1
"Adventurers! Thank you for your hard work yesterday!! Congratulations on the successful subjugation of the large bounty monster, the Kowloon Hydra! Everyone will receive a grand reward too!"
"Whoa!!" x4
Upon hearing the announcent by the staff, cheers echoed throughout the guild.
After defeating the Kowloon Hydra and recovering from the fatigue of the intense battle, we gathered in the adventurer's guild.
Right now, all the adventurers who took part in the raid were here.
Everyone was probably looking forward to the bounty, and they were all smiling.
"Speaking of which, we're finally going to accept the reward, so why isn't Darkness here yet? Did she forget about the party that's going to be held today? Or is she still embarrassed about what happened yesterday?"
"That might be so. Last night, Darkness was much more tensed up than usual. She normally doesn't drink much, but got dead drunk that ti. She'd usually lecture whenever I wanted to drink, but Darkness actually offered so…"
At the table in the center of the guild, we thought about Darkness, who was really worked up last night.
"Darkness might be the eldest among us, but she's like a child in many ways. She's a useless child who gets shy easily, so it's understandable why she won't co out to et everyone. Let's buy so gifts for Darkness for taking care of the house."
Aqua nimbly twirled the egg in her hand, showering it with warm light as usual, acting all matured.
"Why are you nonchalantly treating Darkness as the oldest and making yourself look young? Aren't you a grandma in terms of age?"
"I told you before right, Satou Kazuma-san? If you say sothing like that, you really will suffer divine retribution. I'll curse you and the cold drink you ordered will beco warm instantly."
I ignored Aqua who was speaking foolishly with a straight face and watched the adventurers who were happily collecting their payout.
The one billion eris bounty was divided equally among all the participants.
One billion eris.
The bounty for that monster was one billion eris.
They said that without the Hydra, the land around the lake will beco fertile.
The amazing one billion eris bounty was the reward for opening up vast tracts of land for cultivation.
The number of adventurers who participated was about fifty.
Which ant twenty million eris each.
The adventurers were called by na one after another, and finally, it was my turn.
"Satou Kazuma-san's team of four will receive eighty million eris, and with the request of all the other participants, they'll receive an additional twenty million eris. Please accept this one hundred million eris!"
"Thank you very much! All right everyone! The twenty million eris will be used to treat… Hey, hey let go! Why are you so reluctant to give the bounty? Hey, give it to !"
After snatching the bag of money from the staff.
"Hey everyone! Thank you again for the support yesterday! Let's have a party!!"
"Ohhh!" x4
The rowdy cheers filled the entire guild.
It was still noon, but we probably wouldn't be going back any ti soon–
Part 2
After the sun had completely set behind the horizon, we walked on the street leading back to the mansion.
With the successful subjugation of the Hydra, we bought higher class food than what we usually ate with no hesitation.
We planned to use these to have an after party with Darkness back at ho.
What we bought were Snow Crimson Crabs.
A high class dish we haven't had since Darkness's folks sent us so back then.
Aqua beca really excited after seeing these.
"–Hey Darkness, we're… Back…? Hmm, where's that girl? Did she go out?"
We reached ho, but Darkness wasn't there.
At this mont, I noticed a piece of paper on the table.
It was Darkness's handwriting; she said she was going to the landlord's place to report on the subjugation of the Hydra.
The landlord's mansion, which I destroyed, seed to have been rebuilt.
Aqua took out the egg from her pocket the mont she got ho and sat on the couch to resu her work of incubating the egg. Like a chick waiting to be fed, she noisily grumbled for dinner to be served.
"Hey, stop asking. Even if the dishes are done, we have to wait for Darkness to co back, all right? And don't just incubate the chick, help with the chores too. Are you cleaning the toilets properly?"
"Really Kazuma, I think you should be nicer to a woman raising a child. And stop calling it a chick. If you keep bullying this child, I won't even care if Emperor Zell bites you after it hatches, all right?"
In the end, gumin and I guessed that Darkness would co back later, so we made dinner.
The other person had to incubate the egg, so she sat idly on the couch.
After cooking up dishes that were more lavish than usual, we set them on the dining table in the living room.
"Hey Kazuma, why isn't Darkness back yet? I can't hold it anymore with the food right in front of . Hurry up and find Darkness, hurry up."
"You didn't fork out the money or cook the al. Do you think you're so kind of princess?"
While I was talking with Aqua, gumin prepared four sets of cutlery and tea.
"We put quite a bit of effort into the al tonight. Even the noble lady Darkness won't be able to eat sothing like this often. Fufu, I'm looking forward to her reaction after eating my dish."
"Didn't you only add so salt and set the dishes?"
But I understood why gumin was so proud of it.
It might be a bit cocky for to say this myself, but the al tonight was really well done.
After visiting various delicious restaurants, I wasn't easily satisfied with simple food anymore. Hence, I paid so money to learn a cooking skill from soone.
After all, I planned to limit my adventuring ti to the realm of being a hobby.
That's why, instead of combat related skills, I chose sothing that'll raise my daily standard of living.
I've already earned a fortune; it'd be nice to open a restaurant myself too… I thought about various things as I waited impatiently for Darkness to return.
– Finally, late into the night.
After so long, Darkness still hadn't returned.
"Hey Kazuma! The dishes are cold, go reheat them."
"… The al's right before , but I have to wait… I'm not Darkness, I won't be happy with such a play… After she cos back, I'll punish her by making her sit in front of the couch and finishing the al in front of her."
"I don't think that's really a punishnt, it's more like a… Frankly speaking, she's too late. I've already told her that we'd be back before dinner, so what's she doing? Was it just like Vanir divined and sothing happened to her house? Even so, she'd tell us what happened."
Everyone complained as we waited.
In the end, the frustration turned into anger and it turned into a conference on how to punish Darkness after she ca back.
We seriously thought about the most effective way of dealing with that woman who treats most punishnts as a reward.
Even so, the suggestion that 'we should eat first' didn't co up.
And so, we decided to make her wear the super cute attire designed by Aqua and parade in the streets and the guild. And even if it was just for a day, we'd rent the super expensive magic cara and hold a photoshoot.
By the ti we decided on Darkness's punishnt, it was almost ti to flip to the next page of the calendar.
"… She's late."
Even though Aqua said that, no one made any move to eat.
Did reporting the successful subjugation of the Hydra need so much ti?
I don't think that lecherous landlord would do anything to Darkness, who was a noble… Maybe she wouldn't return today even if we wait like this.
If she cos back early the next morning, I'll go all out to punish her.
"She probably won't return tonight. Really, at least give us a heads up if you're not coming back… Hey, let's eat."
Despite what I said, the two of them showed a troubled expression and refused to move their utensils.
.
----------------->
.
… Ah, damn it!
That little masochist, I'll make her cry for real.
I'll borrow Vanir for over an hour or so and conduct a thorough interview of sha.
That's right, it's a plan.
The later she returns; the longer Vanir's interrogation will be.
I made up my mind in secret.
But Darkness didn't return that day.
Or the next day.
Or the day after.
Darkness didn't return–
Part 3
"Hey Kazuma, what's that? What are you making?"
Beside the table in the living room, I'd been hard at work since early in the morning.
I picked it up and showed Aqua the thing I was making
It was an imitation of a stick of dynamite.
It's just like what Nobel made in the beginning by bundling solidified nitroglycerin and sand together with paper, along with a fuse to create a simple bomb.
Nitroglycerine hadn't been discovered in this world yet, and there wasn't any gun powder to make a fuse either, so igniting this thing won't make it explode.
And since I don't properly understand the underlying principles, I won't be able to recreate it…
"I just have a rough idea of the principle and appearance, so I can't craft the item because of the lack of materials; but I can still make a rough shape of it. Still, soone smart enough will find a replacent for nitroglycerin and buy this."
"I see; bringing advanced weapon technology to this country, right? Kazuma… You really are scary…!"
Even though I didn't think there was a market for items like this, I still made it just in case soone wanted to buy it. Aqua cradled the egg as she picked up the dynamite imitation and observed it.
There was a reason why I started developing it.
Early this morning, we received a letter from Darkness.
"What's the thing Aqua's holding used for?"
gumin, who was reading Darkness's letter seriously, lifted her head and asked.
"This is an imitation of a magic item called dynamite, used to recreate explosion magic."
"?"
gumin snatched the item from Aqua's hand.
She seed to be reacting strongly to the phrase 'recreate explosion magic'.
"The good thing about this is that anyone can use it and doesn't consu mana. However, it can't…"
"Fuahhh!"
"Ahhh? It took a lot of effort to make that! What are you doing?"
gumin ran to the window and threw it with all her might.
"How can I let sothing like this recreate the ultimate magic so easily? I won't accept the developnt of deviant weapons!"
"T-This girl's annoying…!"
Even though the agitated gumin was breathing hard, she rembered sothing and looked at the letter she was reading just now.
That was the letter Darkness sent us.
gumin read the letter for the umpteenth ti, searching for so hidden ssage, and then gently put the letter down.
"Darkness's really going to leave the party, huh…?"
Aqua and I fell silent when we heard what she said.
"… It can't be helped. It's her family's problem. It's strange as it is for her to adventure with commoners for so long."
"But, but! This is really strange! Darkness actually left without saying anything! Our relationship isn't so shallow that a farewell letter would be adequate!"
gumin rejected my comnt.
"That's right. I think it's because Kazuma has been going too far with his sexual harassnt. I really don't think you should throw our laundry into the tub and yell, 'Yahoo~ Underwear bath!'."
"I didn't! I haven't done that yet!"
"Did you say 'yet'?"
I picked up the letter gumin placed on the table and read it once more.
'I'm deeply sorry for telling you this so suddenly,'
I read it again…
'I'm in a complicated situation that I can't tell you about in detail. This is sothing I have to bear as a noble.'
I crushed the letter into a ball.
And threw it strongly into the trash bin.
'I can't et all of you anymore. It's willful of , but I hope you can remove from the party. Please find a replacent vanguard to take over for .'
Seeing how I was acting, Aqua and gumin seed a little intimidated.
Damn it, why was I so angry?
'I'm deeply grateful to all of you and don't know how I can repay your kindness… I really enjoyed my ti adventuring with everyone. Those were the happiest monts of my life so far. I'll never forget my days adventuring with all of you.'
In the end, she was still an aristocratic lady living in a world that was different from ours.
She rely returned to the world she belonged to.
That's right. The problem would be solved if I could find a vanguard whose attack actually hits.
Sitting before the table, I started crafting the next product.
'Thank you for everything.
Best Regards,
Dustiness ford Lalatina
The deepest gratitude to my beloved comrades–'
With a crack, the pen knife in my hand snapped.
I probably used too much strength without realizing it.
When she saw like this, gumin said:
"… Kazuma, you're very concerned too, right? Be more honest with yourself! Make a trip to Darkness's house!"
She said that as she approached with clenched fists.
That day when Darkness didn't return.
A while after the date changed, we silently ate the cold dishes.
Filled with the passionate feelings of 'don't make us worry!', we rushed to Darkness's ho early in the morning–
"We'll be stonewalled again. She's a grand noble after all. If we try to break in, we'll be arrested. Darkness and her father won't go so far as to execute us, but we can't do anything if she doesn't want to see us."
After hearing what I said, gumin drooped her head, depressed.
We went to Darkness's mansion, but the guards only said, 'We can't say anything, please go back' and chased us away.
I agitatedly looked for a replacent for my snapped penknife…
"Kazuma, aren't you thinking about doing sothing for Darkness? Developing new products like this; did you buy into the advice given by that useless devil? Devils are beings that rely operate on their twisted logic, you know? They won't help others if there isn't sothing in it for themselves."
After my thoughts were pointed out, my movents dulled.
"I-I'm not concerned about that! I just don't want to do more hard work and earn more money easily!"
When Aqua heard that, she said with a serious face:
"Tsundere? Hey Kazuma, are you a tsundere? You're not being honest. Are you feeling lonely because Darkness isn't here? I only acknowledge blonde twin tails to be tsunderes. If you understand, go dye and tie up your hair right now."
"..."
After I grabbed the egg from Aqua, she tearfully apologized while grappling with who planned to make it into lunch.
gumin softly muttered in a lonely tone:
"Even though these two are interacting as usual… It still feels like sothing's missing…"
Part 4
gumin followed behind sneakily as I went toward the guild.
To be honest, I was hoping she'd stay at ho together with Aqua, who was incubating her egg.
"… Hey gumin, I'll give you so spare change, so can you return to the mansion?"
"Don't wanna. I'm a mber of the party too, so I should have the right to decide on the new mber."
gumin had been refusing to listen to for awhile.
It couldn't be helped.
Right now, I was planning to head to the guild to find a vanguard to replace Darkness.
gumin walked briskly to my back and said:
"It's only been a few days and you're already abandoning the comrade who's been through thick and thin with us so easily? Kazuma's inhuman. Inhuman."
After saying her piece, gumin backed away and followed a few steps behind.
"No, that's wrong. It's Darkness's wish for us to recruit a new mber, right? I think it'd be best if Darkness returns. But she…"
When she heard that, gumin rushed behind again.
"You're just throwing a tantrum. Like Aqua said, you're just shy, right? You don't want to admit it and are putting on a strong front, huh? You just don't want others to know that the reason you haven't taken in any new mbers is because you can't put Darkness out of your mind, right?"
gumin briskly pulled away again after saying that.
H-how annoying…!
After that, gumin followed from a short distance all the way to the guild.
She could've walked beside , but she chose not to do so.
Even so, she wasn't so far away that I could lose her by sprinting ahead.
After making it to the entrance of the adventurer's guild, gumin ca to and tugged on my shirt.
"Kazuma, I advise you not to go in. If you do, you'll learn the terror of the Crimson Demons."
"Give it a shot if you can. If you do anything unnecessary, I'll use your precious staff to clear the toilet."
With gumin who had a stiff expression in tow, I entered the guild.
Going to the notice board for recruitnt of mbers, I browsed through the prospective candidates pasted on it.
I didn't need to put up a recruitnt poster as we were quite infamous around these parts.
Even if I advertised for the recruitnt of a vanguard, I knew very well that no one would co.
Hence, I needed to grab a guy looking for a party and force him into my team.
… I found a suitable candidate in no ti.
A warrior, proficient in one handed sword.
Confident in his defense, wishing to play the role of tank as a vanguard.
An eighteen-year-old guy.
… Sounds pretty good.
I tore that paper off and headed to the table that adventurer was sitting at.
"Erm… Excuse , I'm here because I saw this notice."
The man probably didn't know about us and showed a cheerful face.
"Ah, yes! Nice to et you, I'm a warrior…"
"Wait, you don't need to introduce yourself."
As we were having a man to man talk, we were interrupted by gumin from behind.
… I've got a bad feeling about this.
"Before that, I want to test to see if you're worthy enough to be in our party. After all, we're a first class team that fights on par with the generals of the Demon King's Army. The test consists of hunting a high bounty monster alone… Ouch!"
"There are no tests! Please ignore what she said!! Sorry, please wait a mont."
"Eh, all right…"
As gumin was spouting nonsense, I hit her to shut her up.
"– Hey, co here. Co here right now."
"I refuse… Ahhh, don't pull on my collar, this cloak's an important gift from my friend, you're stretching it!"
I pulled gumin to a place where the warrior guy wouldn't be able to hear us.
"Don't you understand? We can just be a party of five when Darkness cos back, right? I'm not tough enough to be a tank. Sa with Aqua, even more so for you. Since Darkness isn't here, we'll need a tank to keep the monsters at bay."
"I got it, I got it Kazuma. I understand the importance of the vanguard role. All right, let's start the interview."
This girl definitely didn't understand. I knew she'd stir up so trouble.
"Listen up, it won't be strange if we get targeted by the Demon King since we defeated a lot of generals. Vanir was dispatched here because Beldia was defeated in this town. To be safe, we need to at least ensure that we can fight at any ti. If it's really too much for you, we can let that guy join as a temporary mber. Got it? Don't ss things up, okay?"
"I got it. I won't ss it up, I won't."
Unexpectedly, gumin readily accepted it.
Honestly, it was better to assu she'd ss things up when she was so docile.
I kept an eye on gumin as I went back to the table.
"Well… Sorry for the interruption. I'm Satou Kazuma. Just call Kazuma. And this is…"
I was planning to introduce her, but gumin flicked her cloak and said in a voice loud enough to make everyone in the guild jump.
"I'm gumin! The top mage in Axel and the one who wields Explosion magic! My nickna in this guild's the Explosion girl with a screw loose! Co, let's… Ouch!!"
I knocked the head of gumin, who drew the attention of the entire guild with her terrifying self-introduction, but it was too late.
The face of that warrior guy was stiff beyond hope.
"E-Erm… I heard the rumors, you're that… S-Sorry, I thought the rumors were exaggerated at first, but… I won't be able to keep up with your party, erm, please find soone else…"
What the hell was that rumor?
Our reputation might be worse than I imagined.
After seeing off the man who kept apologizing, gumin smiled at , her expression a mixture of satisfaction and losing sothing important.
"Kazuma, he doesn't look good. I was just introducing myself and he got scared off. Next, let's find the next one."
What an evil suicidal attack; I underestimated gumin's resolve.
She actually called herself a retard.
Even though she said to find the next one…
Even when gumin and I went to the notice board and looked toward a suitable candidate, they'd avert their eyes.
… The self-introduction that echoed throughout the guild was a fatal blow.
Damn it, she usually cast her Explosion without any thoughts, but she just had to be quick witted at such a ti.
At this mont.
"Hey Kazuma. What's up, looking for party mbers? You should've given a holler."
The one who struck up a conversation with when I was in a pinch was Dust. His party mbers didn't seem to be around today.
"Don't you already have a party? Where did they go?"
Dust frowned unhappily when he heard what I said.
"Listen to this Kazuma. Those guys are really too much, saying they earned a tidy sum in the fight against Hydra and won't be coming to work any ti soon! I didn't take the reward for subjugating the Hydra, so I have to earn my keep here. But most of the adventurers had money to spare, so I can't even find a temporary party. Warrior types are a di a dozen… Well, basically, if you are looking for a vanguard, why don't you take in?"
gumin glared at Dust as if she was cursing him for showing up at this juncture.
The quality of this delinquent was a bit lacking, but his capability was solid enough.
gumin and Aqua tead up with this guy once before and I knew this guy rather well.
There was no reason to reject, so I tried forming a party with Dust.
– And so, we ford a temporary team to test out our compatibility and took a random quest before heading to the farm in the outskirts.
It was the raining season now.
When you talk about raining season, you'd think of frogs, but there were opponents that were much harder to handle.
"Snipe! Snipe, Snipe, Snipe! … No good, my arrows aren't dealing damage! These things are too tough!"
"Arrows and blades are aningless against adaman snails! Kazuma, please hold them back with magic! I'll protect the farmland from them before the loli's spell is ready!"
"Hey, who's this 'loli' you're referring to? Why don't you tell ?!"
Dust, gumin and I joined a few other adventurers who took the sa quest to exterminate the parasite beasts.
During raining season, a large number of giant snails known as adaman snails would show up to feed on the crops.
And now, behind us…
"Hey! Joseph got stabbed right in the butt by a sumr bamboo shoot! It's a serious wound, so he won't be able to do farm work anymore! Stretcher him out right now!"
"The wild boars are here! Wild boars and other pests are using the chaos as a chance to sneak in!"
The roars of the farrs harvesting the crops could be clearly heard.
No matter what world it was, farm work wasn't easy.
"Freeze! Freeze! Freeze! Freeze!!"
I cast Freeze on the adaman snail to lower its temperature, slowing their movent for a mont.
As expected of adaman snails; not just its shell, its other parts were really hard too.
I could only buy so ti.
In the middle of the field, Dust, after fending off a few monkeys, stabbed his sword into the ground. Holding tightly onto the hilt of the sword, he held the shield before him with his left hand.
A large boar charged through the field, heading right toward at him.
Dust was going to block it straight on.
"Bring it on!"
Dust lowered his stance and put in more strength behind the shield.
If it was Darkness, she'd definitely block it without even flinching.
After all, she even tanked the fierce attacks of the Hydra.
But it'd be too brutal to ask that of Dust.
A boar the size of a bull charged at Dust…!
"Wahhh?"
Dust was knocked into the sky by the boar.
However, the boar wasn't unscathed after colliding with Dust, who was covered in steel armor. It staggered about and stopped its rampage.
I charged at the boar and slashed at it.
Unlike my usual tough battles, I easily took out the boar and watched how everyone else was doing.
Monkeys broke through the defense line of several adventurers and invaded the farm.
Ah, damn it!
Ignoring Dust rolling on the ground after he was sent flying, I picked up my bow and sniped the monkeys.
"Kazuma! I finished chanting Explosion!"
gumin inford that her spell was ready. I pointed at the escaping monkeys and shouted:
"Do it! gumin, blow them all away!"
One of the other adventurers seed to have heard my instructions.
"Hey…! Wait…!"
"Explosion!"
gumin's explosion enveloped the monkeys, boars, and adaman snails, and blew them sky high… along with the crops.
Part 5
We went back to the guild to report after exterminating the pests that were invading the farm.
The reward for each participating adventurer was twenty thousand eris.
Leaving wild boars aside, that was the payout for subjugating monkeys and adaman snails that won't threaten the lives of humans.
Twenty thousand eris was reasonable…
As for us–
"So, Satou Kazuma-san, gumin-san, and Dust-san will only get five thousand eris…"
We blew up the crops, so the reward was greatly docked.
This was my fault for giving that reckless order to gumin.
In response to my apology, Dust said:
"Hee, don't mind it, shit happens. I earned enough money for beer today. Don't let it get you down. After all, the monkeys would have escaped and the quest would've failed if not for the Explosion!"
He just smiled and ordered an ice cold beer with the money.
"Erm, I think the three of us did great if we consider the fact that Aqua and Darkness weren't around. And there were too few adventurers for this. They should've recruited more people."
gumin said that too.
gumin seed happy about completing the quest, but her expression said otherwise.
… I know, it's because of Darkness.
It was cruel to compare him to Darkness, but we acknowledged the strength of our masochistic crusader and couldn't help comparing others to her.
Dust killed quite a few monkeys and perford admirably as a vanguard… But if it was Darkness, even when her attacks wouldn't hit, she wouldn't have budged when the boar charged at her. I kept thinking about such unnecessary things… No, it's useless to compare others to that girl now.
Let's keep Dust as a temporary mber and see how things go.
– The next day.
The door at the entrance opened without being knocked and a man barged in.
"… I did say sothing about forming a temporary party and telling you to visit my place to introduce you to Aqua, but what are you panicking about?"
When he heard my query, Dust said while panting.
"Kazuma, this is bad! Help out! Please, can you co with ?"
It must be sothing important if the man who tried to kill-steal the Hydra was acting so flustered.
I turned to the other two–
"I don't know the details, but I'll be going out for now."
Dust pulled as we left the mansion.
– Dust walked in front of and explained to what was 'bad'.
After hearing him out, I stopped in my tracks.
"… Eh, hold up. Is that what it is? The bad news is that Lynn has found a man?"
"That's right! This is a really huge matter, but Tyler and Keith just brushed off with a 'is that so?'"
No, that's all I would say too.
However, Dust raised his fist and said:
"My important comrade is being intimate with so random guy! If a girl from your party hooked up with so strange guy, you'd worry too, right?"
Eh, if a female friend I was close with found a boyfriend…
"I kinda get it."
"Right? As expected of Kazuma, you really know , man!"
The hyped Dust seized the montum and continued explaining.
According to him, Lynn seed to be drifting away from him.
Dust felt suspicious and followed Lynn for an entire day until he saw her entering the room of an unknown man.
"… H-Hey, you're st…"
"Which ans! A wild guy appeared out of nowhere and conned Lynn! I'm worried about my comrade. I want to investigate that guy's background. Please Kazuma, the other two guys aren't dependable! I'm begging you, help out!"
Seeing Dust clapping his hands together as he pleaded with , I thought it over.
It wasn't cool to interfere with soone else's love life, but did I have the right to accuse others?
For example, if Darkness found a boyfriend suddenly, I'd want to find out more about that guy too.
Also, it was a given that Darkness's taste in n was just too weird.
"… I understand. It's a little disgusting, but if I were in your shoes, I might've wanted to investigate that guy too. I don't think Lynn will have any problems, but I adventured with her for a while, so I'm concerned about who that guy is too."
"Whoa! You have a way with words, Kazuma! I'm counting on you!"
I was a bit uneasy about Dust, but I was unconsciously projecting Darkness who I couldn't contact onto Lynn and followed him.
– Dust brought to a small but nicely decorated hotel.
It was a hotel not too suitable for adventurers, but felt right for couples.
"This is the place, Kazuma. The scum conman's right here."
We didn't know about that guy at all, right?
Seeing how mad Dust was, I started worrying about him going wild.
"And so, how are we going to do this? You're not going to barge into that man's room, right?"
Dust had a sinister smile when he heard my words.
"Just how long do you think I've been an adventurer for? You won't live long if you don't make through preparations in our line of work. I've already found out where he's staying and rented the room next to it."
Y-You really…
I was wondering if I should call the cops, but Dust had already opened the door to the hotel.
I reluctantly followed.
By the way, if he used his planning and execution capabilities for more important things, Dust would definitely accomplish sothing bigger.
The inside of the hotel was really plain.
The first floor was the dining hall and the rooms were on the second floor.
Dust probably gave the staff a heads up since he didn't mind us when we entered and rely yawned with an uncaring face.
Dust went straight up to the second floor and stopped before a certain room.
"Okay, this is it… The walls are thin, so keep it down. Lynn should be in the room next door right now. She has good ears and might notice our voices."
I nodded and entered the room with Dust.
It was a clean room with just a bed, table and small wardrobe.
Dust closed the door carefully and placed his ears onto the walls.
I thought it was wrong to do that but I still leaned my ears against the wall.
And a familiar girl's voice ca from the room on the other side–
"Even if you say that… It's hard for to ask too…"
Without a doubt, that was Lynn.
However, she didn't sound happy in this conversation.
"Lynn-san, I know this is asking for a lot. But this is a taboo in the first place. But I just can't help falling in love!
"C-calm down! Erm, have you thought it over? You're a noble, so you shouldn't be finding an adventurer as a partner. And the problem isn't…"
The man seed to be a noble.
Firstly, Lynn was being wooed.
But from her tone, she didn't seem to like it.
A noble and an adventurer.
People from two different worlds that shouldn't have the chance to cross paths their entire life.
Darkness and adventuring in the sa party was an exception.
While I was thinking about that, the conversation on the other side of the wall continued.
"Lynn-san! I know very well that my feelings can't be conveyed because of the difference in status! No, I also know about the bigger obstacle before . But, at least…! I want to take so photos with the magic cara that I bought after breaking the bank!"
"C-C-Calm down! Please calm down! Just calm down, all right?"
I got the rough idea after hearing their conversation.
The noble youth fell for Lynn, but they couldn't be together because of their difference in status.
Taking photos, that's all?
What, he didn't seem to be such a bad guy at all.
"If possible! Right, make it lewder!"
Calm down! I'm begging you, calm down! Let's go downstairs and eat sothing to ease the mood, all right?"
… No, that wasn't all.
Dust quietly stood up at this mont.
"I'll go beat him up right now."
"Hey, wait, don't leave! Now's not the ti!"
After stopping Dust with so effort, the sound of the door opening and shutting ca from next door.
The two of them probably went to the first floor for a al.
As he heard that sound, Dust silently showed an evil smile.
Part 6
"Hey Kazuma, look at the clothes that are dumped around the place! As expected of a noble, this is all great stuff!"
I followed Dust and sneaked into the room next door.
I felt my head aching as I watched Dust ransack the things in the room.
He finally committed a cri.
We were breaking and entering.
"Okay, let's see, what treasures does that young master have…? Eh, this is?"
Ti to stop.
Breaking and entering, and now burglary…? He crossed the line.
I put my hand on the shoulder of Dust who was stunned after seeing sothing in the closet…
"Look Kazuma, red lace lingerie! That bastard, he wants to take pictures of Lynn wearing this? That pervert even prepared this! I'll use it like this!!"
The raging Dust yelled and stripped without a mont of hesitation, and equipped the lingerie.
Without a doubt, this man was the pervert right now.
"All right, Kazuma! Use that high quality magic cara to take my pictures! I want his expensive films to be filled with my naked pictures. Just in case he gets a picture of Lynn, this will at least scar him for life!"
How should I respond?
Overwheld by his imposing manner, I picked up the magic cara as he ordered.
The design was simple and I could feel powerful magic concentrated inside it.
Right now, I was doing the most retarded thing in the world with a magic item that costs as much as a house.
With his arm crossed and clothes off, Dust arched his back and took the bridge posture without using his hands.
A pervert wearing red lace lingerie was supporting his trained body using his thick neck. His toned body drew a beautiful arch.
"All right, do it Kazuma! Immortalize my beautiful body!"
– I didn't know how many photos I took.
Dust made plenty of poses while smiling all the while. As for , I went from the top of tables to going prone onto the floor, taking pictures of him from all sorts of angles.
Pose of an eagle to that of a leopard.
For aesthetics, I made him take the pose of the thinker too.
"Well done Dust, that's the way! You're sparkling right now!! We're done with glamorous poses, let's move on to the lewd ones! First, bite your finger and point your ass this way!"
Dust did what I told him to do and lancholically bit his thumb as he directed his butt covered in a red underwear to the cara.
After a few shots, I gave further instructions.
"Okay, now for a cooler feeling! Spread your legs, lower your waist and put your hands… Right, that's the feeling!"
Dust lowered his waist like a sumo wrestler, stretching his right arm to the front.
He'd a serious expression on his face as he repeated the lines I told him.
"Let's get it on!"
At this mont, we hit our limit and rolled on the floor laughing our asses off with tears in our eyes…!
Donk.
Our eyes t Lynn who was looking at us stupefied, her staff dropped onto the floor.
Part 7
"… So, what's this all about? I know Dust's a dumbass, but Kazuma too– What are you two doing?"
Dust and I kneeled before Lynn and the noble youth.
"I'm very sorry." x2
We apologized at the sa ti.
What a blunder.
Spurred by a whim, the two of us lost ourselves in taking retarded photos.
Lynn sighed from the very bottom of her heart.
And looked at Dust with piercing eyes.
But Dust wearing that underwear was more of an eyesore, I wished that she at least made him wear so shorts.
"Sigh… Really, there was no point in worrying so much. Ah, do what you want to him, I've nothing more to say… Kazuma, let's go."
Lynn said with a tired expression and reached her hand toward .
"… Hmm? No, letting these two be alone together is bad. It might lead to trouble."
Lynn pulled my hand and I was forcefully dragged out of the room.
"Whatever, I don't want to care anymore."
Lynn said as she closed the door behind her.
"Dust-san, I didn't imagine that you would be in my room while wearing that…"
"Ah? So what if I committed breaking and entering, you got a problem with that?"
The voice of the duo could be heard inside.
Dust who didn't give a damn after he got caught sounded agitated.
And he didn't seem to understand how he was dressed right now.
"Hey Lynn, shouldn't we stop him? He'll definitely do sothing, right?"
But Lynn just shook her head in resignation, fatigue all over her face.
"I don't know if he'll be the one doing, or be the one receiving… I did my best. Yup, I tried. Even though I did try, that dumbass was right in the room wearing that when I opened the door. That's like a duck holding so spring onions jumping into a pot and closing the lid. It's too late for to do anything now."
…?
Our conversation didn't seem to be going in the sa direction.
"O-Of course I won't mind, Dust-san! Dust-san…! Ahhh… Dust-san! Waahhhh, I'm so very grateful! Even though Lynn-san said that I should give up, but to think that… I was right to join the Axis Cult and devote myself in prayer…! T-There really is a goddess…!"
"I don't know why you're so happy, but if you think everyone's afraid of the nobles, you're wrong. I'm used to dealing with royalty and nobles. And it's just two n here right now, things like status doesn't matter. Do you get what I an?"
"What? You an you don't care about our difference in status? And you said that it's just two n in here…? Ahhh… Ahhh…! Today's truly a great day, I'm imnsely grateful to you, Aqua-sama…!"
Lynn and I left the hotel as we listened to Dust and the noble youth's conversation from behind the door.
"– Well then, what were the two of you doing in that place? Just what happened?"
Lynn asked after leaving the hotel and I wondered about how I should answer…
"Eh, actually…"
I recounted the brief details of the events and told her the most important point, which was Dust being worried about her… And that led to Lynn holding her stomach in laughter.
"Ah, ahahaha…! T-that's too stupid! There's definitely sothing wrong with you two! Ahahaha!"
She was right.
Or rather, my usual self wouldn't have pitched in. But in the end, I projected the image of Darkness onto Lynn… Lynn wiped the tears coming out from the corner of her eyes and said with her shoulders still trembling:
"Sigh… Listen to , the one the noble likes is Dust."
I felt ti stop when I heard that.
"… Eh?"
What did she just say?
"And so, that noble ca to discuss with about what he should do as he had fallen for Dust. He ntioned that he didn't harbor any hope of being together with Dust, but wanted to take so photos of him at the very least."
… At this instant.
"Hyaa!"
A chilling scream ca from the second floor of the hotel.
A cry I'd never heard from Dust before.
… I was thinking about roping Dust in as a temporary mber, but it'd be better if we table this matter for the mont.
I hypnotized myself with 'nothing happened today' and walked alongside Lynn.
I felt tired, I should go ho and sleep.
Just as I was thinking over today's plans, Lynn suddenly nonchalantly said:
"By the way, that noble reminds that Lalatina's a noble too. I only found out recently, what a surprise."
"You found out? From who?"
I asked on reflex and Lynn looked at strangely and replied:
"The news's all over the town now. Lalatina's the daughter of house Dustiness and will be marrying Alderp, the landlord of this town soon."
...
"Please tell the details."
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