Chapter 109: There's Nothing That Can't Be Solved With One Explosion. If There Is, Then Just Use Another.
"Everyone, let's go do a quest!"
The day after defeating the Dullahan, Megumin and Darkness loudly urged their other companions.
"Ehhh—" x3
The three unmotivated members naturally had looks of disgust on their faces.
Satou Kazuma, curled up on the sofa, said lazily, "Why do we have to do a quest? Aren't we about to get a huge reward? We're not short on money."
"That's right, Megumin. We just defeated an enemy. Let's rest for a bit," Aqua also chimed in. In the past, saying this would have definitely been out of laziness, but as the part-time goddess who had contributed the most in the fight against the Dullahan, she could puff out her chest and say she didn't want to work.
Kobayashi, lying with his head in RyuZU's lap, remained silent, pretending to be a non-existent person. Although he had said he would work hard to level up, in reality, he was also a person who liked to slack off. Otherwise, he wouldn't have imitated his senior by writing in a diary, hating himself for his own sloth.
He had thought Megumin would give up, but he hadn't expected her to come prepared.
She said, "Kazuma, the party has no savings left. You should know that."
"That's true..."
Kazuma blinked and said, puzzled, "But defeating a general of the Demon King's army will get us a huge reward. There's no reason to go to work anymore, right?"
The bounty for defeating the Dullahan was a full 300 million Eris! 300 million! Even Darkness's family might not have that much money. As long as they didn't spend it extravagantly, they could live a happy life in the beginner town.
"But the problem is the time it takes for the bounty to be paid out. Is it really okay? During this time, you won't be able to go to that shop you frequent, Kazuma..."
"Let's go do a quest!"
"So fast!"
In just one second, Kazuma had switched from lazy-neet mode to adventurer mode. For him, not being able to go to the succubus shop was a big deal!
One person successfully turned.
Next, Megumin looked at the idiot goddess still lying lazily on the sofa.
"Wh-why are you looking at me like that?"
Aqua was stunned for a moment, then quickly refused. "No, I don't want to work! I'm already tired from fighting the Dullahan. Can't you let me rest for a while?"
"One bottle of sparkling liquor..."
"Eh?"
"If you go on a quest with us, Aqua, I will personally pay for a bottle of high-grade sparkling liquor for you. But we'll have to wait until the quest reward is paid out."
"Okay, let's go do a quest!"
Aqua agreed with great decisiveness.
The usually dazed and silly idiot goddess instantly became serious upon hearing there was alcohol to be had.
Nice one, Megumin.
She accurately grasped her opponent's weakness and struck hard, making it impossible for her to refuse. I have to say, this concise and efficient method is a true inheritance of my own style.
But she's still too green.
Although her methods are brilliant, as long as I have no weakness, she can't get a hold on me.
Come on, Megumin! Let's see how you're going to persuade me.
Just as Kobayashi had decided that nothing would sway him, the four of them suddenly came over with big, pitiful puppy-dog eyes.
"Kobayashi(-senpai)————" x4
"Let's go, time for a quest!"
He also agreed very quickly.
By the time he came to his senses, it was already too late.
Seeing the triumphant smile on Megumin's lips, Kobayashi was a little surprised.
Hiss— This child is this black-bellied? So scary!
On the way to the guild.
"Megumin, why are you so insistent on doing a quest?" Aqua asked curiously. "It's rare. Although you often ask to do quests, the short interval this time and your coercive methods make me feel you're very eager."
"Please don't use the word 'coercive'!" Megumin couldn't help but retort.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed with shyness. Perhaps she also felt her methods had been a bit much.
"But my desire to do a quest is real!"
"Why?"
"Because I wasn't of any use in the fight against the Dullahan."
The explosion loli lowered her head slightly, looking very dejected.
"Megumin..."
"Don't comfort me. It's a fact."
She refused Aqua's comfort and said with some annoyance and anger, "I'm very frustrated, really frustrated! To think that my Explosion magic didn't blow the enemy away... I'm supposed to be the Archwizard with the strongest attack power in the party. Defeating strong enemies is my job."
In her eyes, taking out enemies with Explosion magic was her mission and her reason for being. If Explosion magic was useless, then she would lose her right to be in the party. Although the others didn't think that way, she still couldn't accept the fact that her magic had not harmed the Dullahan.
"Don't worry about it too much, Megumin."
"Kobayashi..."
"Explosion is the strongest offensive magic for humans, and your Explosion magic is the most powerful I've ever seen. There's no doubt about that."
He gently ruffled her small head.
He messed up her soft hair, which made the little loli look up and glare at him.
"I have something to tell you, Megumin."
"What?"
"There's nothing that can't be solved with one Explosion. If there is, then just use another."
"—!"
His plain words were like a revelation, opening a new world for her.
That's right! Explosion is the strongest magic! It wasn't effective not because the magic was at fault, but because the enemy's defense was too strong. In that case, I just need to cast more Explosion magic!
But casting Explosion multiple times...
As if sensing her hesitation, he added, "Megumin, have you heard of magic crystals?"
Magic crystals. They were a type of crystal that could store a large amount of mana and could be used as a substitute for one's own mana to cast spells. They were expensive items that could turn the tide of a battle at a critical moment. A single one was worth as much as 100,000 Eris.
"It's fine, we have money now!"
"Kobayashi!"
"And... don't put all the burden on yourself. We're a party. Everyone is your reliable companion, right?"
"Everyone!"
Seeing everyone with smiles on their faces, giving her a thumbs up, the chuunibyou loli was incredibly moved.
Wiz's Magic Item Shop
"Just like that, to give my party's great Archwizard a sense of security, I want to buy some high-grade magic crystals."
He conveyed this thought to Wiz. After all, only she would stock such expensive items that couldn't be sold in a beginner town.
"Then how many do you need, Kobayashi?"
"A hundred."
"A hundred?!"
"What's wrong? Is there a problem?"
Seeing her surprised look, he was rather puzzled.
"No, it's not that."
Wiz shook her head, but clasped her hands together and said worriedly, "Business is a good thing, of course. But if the magic crystals you're buying are for Miss Megumin..."
After the subjugation of the Dullahan, her title of [Fledgling Phoenix] had completely spread throughout Axel.
Don't misunderstand.
Fledgling Phoenix = The brain-damaged Crimson Demon explosion girl.
The culprit who frequently caused destruction around the town had been found. If he were to hand over as many as 100 magic crystals to her, Axel would surely be blown to smithereens.
"Mmm... sorry, that was my oversight."
Kobayashi readily admitted his mistake. "Since that's the case, let's take them in batches. 10 for now."
"10, is it? Okay, I've got it."
Wiz nodded and wrote down the order.
Then she asked curiously, "I didn't expect you to be able to afford 100 magic crystals. The normal price is 10,000,000 Eris."
"It's manageable. The bounty for the Dullahan wasn't small, after all."
"...Eh?"
"You didn't know, Wiz? A general of the Demon King's army is worth 300 million Eris."
"Ehh—?!!!"
Wiz immediately let out a scream. She quickly grabbed his arm and said urgently, "I'll be good! I'll be very good! I'll do anything! So... so...!"
"W-wait... Wiz, why are you suddenly acting like this?"
He felt a great warmth, and at the same time, was surprised by her exaggerated fear.
However, she said with even greater fear, "Lady Aqua! Lady Aqua, she...!"
"Ah, indeed..."
If Aqua were to find out that subjugating a general of the Demon King's army was worth 300 million Eris, she would absolutely, with her eyes shining, purify Wiz without a second thought to exchange her for the bounty. She was that kind of trash goddess.
"But you don't have to be afraid, Wiz. Actually, you don't have a bounty."
"Huh?"
"It's probably because you've never done anything evil. There's no subjugation order for you in the Guild."
"I-is that so..."
"That's right. And as long as you make your offerings properly, I think Aqua will definitely have your back!... Probably."
"Probably?! Please, I'll be good!"
It would have been better if he hadn't said anything. After he spoke, she became even more flustered. She clung to his arm and wouldn't let go, allowing him to enjoy a grand and soft ice-style massage.
(End of Chapter)