"It's Megumin, huh."
Darkness recognized the girl's identity... she was Megumin, the great mage of the Crimson Demons.
Of course, she only knew her name.
With so many adventurers in Axel, Darkness couldn't possibly know everyone's details.
The reason she knew Megumin was because of her peculiar obsession with Explosion Magic.
"Tch tch tch~"
Damien was equally surprised. "Is this the inertia of the plot?"
As expected, after acquiring Darkness and Aqua, Megumin showed up too.
"Hello, is there something you need?"
Ignoring Aqua, who was now chugging high-grade sparkling wine, Damien inquired about Megumin's intentions.
Whoosh!
The next moment, the black-haired girl dramatically flung her cloak and declared loudly, "I am Megum... ah, mmmph..."
Unfortunately, Damien swiftly interrupted her chuunibyou chant.
He stuffed a piece of bread into her mouth, leaving her to whimper unwillingly.
"Mmmph..."
But Megumin didn't spit out the bread. Instead, she began devouring it at an alarming speed.
To an outsider, it might look like she hadn't eaten in days.
Yet, as far as Damien knew, didn't he treat everyone to a meal just yesterday?
"Want some?"
Damien handed her a glass of juice. Without even glancing at it, Megumin grabbed it and downed it in one go.
"Haa~~"
"I'm alive again!"
Megumin plopped down beside Damien and proudly declared, "Since you've provided me with food and juice, I'll graciously allow myself to join your party!"
"Sorry, I refuse."
"Why?!"
Megumin, who had just sat down, shot up, indignant. "I'm a great mage of the Crimson Demons! To have such a powerful teammate offered to you so easily... why would you refuse?!"
"You only know Explosion Magic, right?"
"Eh?"
Megumin thought Damien didn't know her true capabilities.
But now, it seemed she'd run into someone who knew her all too well.
"Please, I beg you, let me follow you, Lord Damien!!"
However, Damien had underestimated Megumin's lack of pride.
For the sake of three meals a day and a full stomach, Megumin threw dignity out the window and clung to Damien's leg. "If you don't agree, I'll... "
"Die here?"
"Just give up for today and try again tomorrow!"
"..."
Damien was speechless. He realized he'd overestimated the moral standards of the people in this world.
This bunch perfectly demonstrated the concept of if I have no morals, no one can hold me to any.
"Hey, don't you two have anything to say?"
Gulp gulp gulp...
Aqua was still drinking, and when Damien looked her way, she casually turned her head.
As for Darkness...
The knight was pondering whether Explosion Magic could breach her defenses.
After receiving power from Damien, Darkness had developed a new hobby.
That was to use her now nigh-indestructible body to experience all sorts of powerful attacks!
And it all started with Explosion Magic!
What kind of brain-dead idea is this to test yourself against your teammate's attack?!
Hearing Darkness's thoughts, Damien's mouth twitched uncontrollably. As expected, I haven't fully tamed her. Tonight's punishment will be doubled!
But considering Darkness's personality...
The harsher Damien was, the more excited she'd probably get.
"Forget it."
Damien sighed, then grabbed Megumin by the collar and set her down beside him. "I'll let you join our party, but!"
"What?"
To latch onto a rich guy's thigh, Megumin was fearless!
Of course, anything inappropriate was a no-go.
'Dame yo, dame dame!'
"You can only use your Explosion Magic when I permit it!"
"Haa?!!"
Megumin never expected Damien's condition to be this. She fumed, "Are you a demon? Making such an outrageous demand of a delicate girl like me?!"
"Hey!"
At that moment, Damien truly understood how Kazuma felt in the original story.
Because of Megumin's loud outburst, the surrounding adventurers all turned to look.
For a moment, an awkward atmosphere enveloped Damien's group.
"I just meant don't use Explosion Magic recklessly!!"
Damien couldn't let Megumin ruin his reputation in Axel and quickly clarified loudly.
"Oh, that's what it was."
"I knew it. No matter how desperate Damien is, he wouldn't go after a girl."
"Who're you calling a girl?!"
Megumin jumped in rage. If Darkness hadn't held her back, she'd probably have grabbed her staff and gone to war with the speaker for three hundred rounds.
"..."
Honestly, Damien was starting to regret this.
It was supposed to be a nice, cozy duo with Darkness.
But because he couldn't keep his mouth shut, he'd ended up with Aqua.
And as for Kazuma...
After joining a new party, he gave Damien a helpless look before seamlessly blending in with his new teammates.
This was even before he realized he'd gained a cheat skill.
Damien suddenly felt that Kazuma's true cheat was his Luck stat.
As expected, without Aqua's bad luck dragging him down, Kazuma's about to rise.
Looking at Aqua, who had already finished three bottles of high-grade sparkling wine in mere minutes, Damien thought, Can I still return her?
---
Meanwhile, in the Ingrassia on the Central World.
Shizue Izawa, returning from the Jura Forest, was heading toward the academy where the children were.
She wanted to share the good news with them.
Then, she'd take them back to the Monster Kingdom, freeing them from the curse of incomplete reincarnation and letting them live happily ever after.
Beep~~
"Hm?"
But Shizue paused, looking up in confusion. "Thought Communication? Is it Yuuki?"
The sudden Thought Communication interrupted her plans.
Still, all the children were her students, and she wouldn't play favorites.
"Yuuki?"
"Ah, you're back, Shizu-sensei!"
Yuuki Kagurazaka sat in the headquarters of the Free Guild, with a blonde elf standing beside him... none other than the former Demon Lord, the Curse Lord Kazalim.
However, Kazalim had now changed her name to Kagali and served as Yuuki Kagurazaka's secretary.
"Great."
Yuuki Kagurazaka said, "I was worried you might've run into danger in the forest. Seeing you return safely is such a relief."
***
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