Chapter 9: Starting the DebtHaru and Kazuma ran panting to a large tree outside the city gates, only daring to stop after confirming no one was chasing them."Phew... phew... That was close..." Kazuma leaned on his knees, his face pale. "I almost got caught. If I ended up with a criminal record, how could I ever survive in this parallel world...?"Haru also leaned against the tree trunk, gasping for air as he tried to calm his racing heart. "Yeah... but we finally shook them off. Aqua might be an idiot, but she's a goddess after all. She should... she should be able to handle it herself, right?"However, the moment those words left his mouth, both of them froze simultaneously.A chill known as a premonition of disaster shot up their spines straight to their skulls.Haru and Kazuma looked at each other, seeing deep fear in each other's eyes."Wait, Haru..." Kazuma swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "If Aqua gets taken to the Police Stationfor questioning, what do you think she'll say?"Haru thought about that idiot goddess's usual behavior, and his face instantly turned even uglier than before. "She'll probably cry while spilling everything. Like, 'Haru and Kazuma made me do it!', 'I was forced!', 'They're the masterminds!' and stuff like that...""Not only that!" Kazuma crouched on the ground, clutching his head, and added despairingly, "She'll definitely fabricate some baseless charges just to lighten her own sentence or simply to get back at us! Like, 'They wanted to peep at me in the bath!', 'They wanted to blow up the Police Station!', or even 'They're actually spies sent by the Demon Kings Army!'""Hiss—" Haru sucked in a breath of cold air. "With her IQ and personality, that's entirely possible! And she'll say it with that 'I'm a goddess, I wouldn't lie' expression. Those provincial patrolmans who haven't seen much of the world might actually believe her!""Then it's over!" Kazuma suddenly stood up, grabbing Haru's shoulders and shaking him violently. "If we're branded as Demon Kings Armyspies or perverted criminals, it won't be as simple as going to jail! We might be publicly executed! Or exiled to some deserted island full of Tentacle Monsters!""Calm down! Calm down!" Haru broke free from his clutches and forced himself to settle down. "Turning ourselves in now is definitely out of the question; that's just walking into a trap. We need a way to save that idiot without getting ourselves caught.""Save her? How?" Kazuma looked bewildered. "Are we going to break her out of jail? Just the two of us? Don't joke around, that's suicide!""Of course not a jailbreak." Haru narrowed his eyes, his brain working at high speed. "We need to use our wits. Since she's a goddess, we'll use her characteristics as a goddess.""You mean telling them she's a goddess? Who would believe that?""No, Aqua's characteristic is being an idiot." Haru's lips curled into a wicked smile. "For a goddess like Aqua, who has zero integrity or IQ, we just need to go see her normally. Her behavior and words will probably shock those patrolmans. Even though this is another world, they shouldn't sentence or fine someone who's mentally ill, right?"Kazuma's eyes lit up. "You're right! Aqua just needs to act like her usual self, and she'll seem more abnormal than a mental patient!""Then, the plan begins." Haru brushed the dust off his clothes, the panic on his face completely gone, replaced by a composed confidence. "We just need to do the simplest thing—go to the Police Station as family members to visit that poor mental patient.""Brilliant! Simply brilliant!" Kazuma gave a thumbs up. "As long as we act sincere enough and with Aqua's flawless idiotic performance, those patrolmans will definitely sympathize with us! Maybe they'll even waive the fine and let us take her home for proper'supervision'!"The two smiled at each other, a smile filled with absolute trust in their teammate's intelligence (albeit in a reverse sense).So, the two tidied their messy clothes, adjusted their expressions, and swaggered toward the Police Station.Before they even entered the Police Station, they heard heart-wrenching wails and the sound of someone slamming a table from inside."I want fried chicken! I want Bubbly Wine! How dare you mortals lock this goddess in such a filthy, stinking place! I will bring down divine punishment! I will flood this place!""Ma'am! Please calm down! This is a Police Station, not a tavern!" came the voice of a patrolman on the verge of a breakdown. "And stop trying to turn the water on the table into rainbows! It's getting everywhere!"Haru and Kazuma exchanged a glance, both silently giving Aqua a thumbs up in their hearts: Good job!Haru took a deep breath and pushed the door open.Upon entering, they saw Aqua handcuffed to a chair. Although her body was restrained, her mouth was still firing off all sorts of baffling divine nonsense like a machine gun.Several patrolmans surrounded her, each dripping with sweat, their eyes full of confusion and suffering.Seeing the two enter, Aqua looked as if she had seen her saviors (or punching bags). Her eyes lit up instantly, and she immediately began to wail:"Waaaah! Haru! Kazuma! You bastards are finally here! Get me out of here! These unruly subjects are trying to assassinate me! No, assassinate a goddess!"Haru ignored her shouting and walked quickly to the patrolman who looked like the person in charge, bowing and apologizing with tears and snot:"Officer! I'm so sorry! We've caused you so much trouble! This is my sister, she... her head hasn't been right since she was little." Haru pointed to his own head, a look of deep distress on his face. "She's always fantasizing that she's some goddess and says she's going to save the world. Usually, if we take our eyes off her for a second, she runs out and causes trouble. We just went to buy some medicine, and she disappeared..."Kazuma also immediately played along, wiping away tears. "Yes, Officer! We've been looking for her for so long! If she hurt anyone, we're willing to pay compensation! Just please don't lock her up, she can't handle the stress!"The Guard Captain looked at the two weeping family members, then at the blue-haired girl still shouting "I am Lady Aqua! I am the Goddess of Water!" from her chair. The anger in his eyes instantly turned into deep sympathy."So that's how it is..." The captain sighed and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I knew it. How could a normal person claim to be a goddess and try to bribe law enforcement with a magic trick like turning water into hot water? Since she's a mental patient, we won't pursue criminal charges.""Really?! Thank you so much! You're a truly just official!" Haru and Kazuma shook the captain's hand with tearful gratitude, their acting incredibly convincing."However..." The captain's tone shifted. "She publicly harassed patrolmans on the street and caused quite a bit of chaos, so there's still a fine to pay. Considering your situation isn't easy, we'll give you a symbolic fine of 2000 eris.""2000 eris?!" Kazuma's face instantly turned pale.For the two of them right now, this was practically a fortune."What? Is there a problem?" The captain arched an eyebrow."No, no problem!" Haru quickly covered Kazuma's mouth and said through gritted teeth, "We'll pay! Even if we have to sell everything we own, we'll pay!"Haru turned his head and glared fiercely at Aqua. The meaning in his eyes was clear: I'll settle this score with you when we get back!Aqua seemed to realize the atmosphere was off, shrinking her neck and muttering softly, "I... I really am a goddess... Why does no one believe me..."Finally, after signing a promissory note (since they had no money) and promising to pay it off within three days, the two finally led the troublemaker out.Walking out the doors of the Police Station, the sun was still bright, but their moods were like the calm before a storm."2000 eris..." Kazuma looked at the note in his hand, wanting to cry but having no tears. "We haven't even made any money yet, and we're already buried in debt. Is this what life in another world is like? This is way too hardcore!""Stop complaining." Haru sighed, looking at the still-defiant Aqua beside him. "At least we got her out. Now we have only one goal—make money to pay off the debt. Otherwise, in three days, all three of us will be heading to that deserted island full of Tentacle Monsters.""Hmph! It's all your fault for leaving me behind!" Aqua was still being stubborn. "If you had run with me back then, I wouldn't have been caught!""Shut up!" Haru and Kazuma shouted at the same time.Aqua was startled by their aura and could only nod aggrievedly. "Oh..."
Chapter 10: The Legend of the Axel Construction SiteIn this otherworldly realm filled with magic and monsters, the most ironic thing occurred.Two reincarnated individuals who prided themselves on their intelligence and tried to take shortcuts through badger games and inciting riots were now standing on a construction site in Axel, covered in dust, holding shovels and carts with dead eyes."Is this reality...?" Kazuma looked at the mountain of bricks before him and let out a soul-drained sigh. "Even though I was reincarnated in another world, why am I doing physical labor harder than back in Japan? Where's my cheat? Where's my harem? Where's my Adventurer life?"Haru patted his shoulder. Though he was exhausted himself, he forced a bitter smile. "Accept your fate, Kazuma. As long as that blue-haired girl is around, any plan requiring luck or precision will explode. Only this kind of 'get paid for your labor' work is a safe haven for us."Yes, the two had chosen to haul bricks.To pay back the massive debt of 2,000 eris and to afford a decent meal tonight, the three of them came to the city wall construction site that was currently being expanded.Originally, Haru and Kazuma thought that bringing a pampered goddess like Aqua to do such manual labor would result in endless complaints, or that she would sprain her ankle or throw a shovel at the Foreman's head within five minutes.However, reality slapped them in the face again—in a completely unexpected way."Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Stones of this level are a piece of cake for a goddess!"Not far away, Aqua was carrying a massive stone pillar that would require three grown men to lift, weaving through the construction site with light steps.Her slender arms, originally meant for casting magic, were now erupting with astonishing monstrous strength."Hey! You there, the blue-haired girl! That's incredible!" The Foreman uncle excitedly waved the blueprints in his hand. "I've never seen such a capable newcomer! That cement mix is also flawless! You're a natural-born master builder!""Hmph! Of course!" Aqua proudly wiped some dust off her nose (though it only made her face dirtier). "My control over water is god-tier! Mixing cement is a trivial matter that can't stump me! Bring another cart of bricks! This goddess will show you what 'Goddess Speed' truly means!"Watching Aqua thrive on the construction site, even being surrounded by fellow workers like a star among the moon and stars, Haru and Kazuma fell into deep self-doubt."Hey, Haru..." Kazuma pushed a heavy wheelbarrow, his legs trembling with every step. "Why? Why is that idiot doing better than us? Just how high are her physical stats?"Haru panted heavily, handing a brick to a nearby worker. "Don't forget... she's a goddess. Although her intelligence is low and her luck is terrible, her physical attributes and artistic talent are maxed out. This kind of work that requires no brains, only strength and intuition, is practically her destined vocation.""Damn it... I'm actually a bit jealous..." Kazumawatched as the Foreman handed Aqua a bottle of chilled milk, his face contorted with envy. "I want to be praised too! I want to drink cold milk too! Why am I just an ordinary bricklayer!"On this day, a legend appeared on the construction site of Axel.A blue-haired goddess completed half a crew's workload single-handedly.The walls she built were as straight as a line, her cement ratios were perfect, and she looked heroic while carrying heavy loads.Meanwhile, the two men following behind her looked like two exhausted dead dogs, tongues hanging out, mechanically repeating their hauling motions with the light gone from their eyes.At dusk, the Foreman walked over carrying three coin pouches."Here! This is your pay for today!" The Foremantossed two thin pouches to Haru and Kazuma, then held out a bulging pouch with both hands to Aqua, his face beaming with smiles. "Miss Aqua, this is yours! Plus an extra bonus! You must come again tomorrow! Our site can't do without you!""Wow! So much!" Aqua hugged the money pouch, her eyes turning into the shape of coins. "Don't worry, Uncle! As long as you pay, I'll be back tomorrow! I'm going to finish that wall over there too!"Haru and Kazuma looked at the pitiful few coins in their hands (500 eris each), then at the large bag in Aqua's hands (at least 3,000 eris), feeling the sheer disparity of the world."Let's go." Haru patted Kazuma's back, his tone weary. "At least... we can pay off the debt. And we can have a full meal tonight.""Yeah..." Kazuma shed tears of regret. "If I'd known she was this capable, why did we even bother with a badger game... we should have just sent her to haul bricks from the start..."The three of them dragged their exhausted bodies (mostly Haru and Kazuma) toward the Guild Tavern.The setting sun stretched their shadows long; one shadow was still skipping along, while the other two were hunched over like two elderly men at the end of their lives.Morning in Axel was bright and sunny, with the fragrance of flowers and the singing of birds.However, for some people, it was the start of a living hell."Why... why did it turn out like this..."Haru and Kazuma walked toward the construction site with heavy steps, looking like two walking corpses.The dark circles under their eyes were deeper than a panda's, their cheeks were sunken, and their eyes were hollow as if their very essence had been sucked dry.Meanwhile, Aqua, walking in front, was still full of energy.She hummed an unknown tune, her steps light, her blue hair fluttering in the wind, holding a bottle of premium juice she had just bought (on credit)."Hurry up! Haru! Kazuma! Today the Foreman uncle said he'd teach me how to build an arched doorway! He's even going to give me an extra chicken leg!" Aqua turned back and waved her arms excitedly, completely unaware that the resentment radiating from her two teammates was almost physical enough to manifest as black wraiths.Three days ago, when the three of them had paid off the 2,000 eris debt and thought they could finally breathe a sigh of relief, disaster struck.That idiot goddess, who held the financial power, displayed her destructive spending habits at the Guild Tavern."Boss! Bring out the most expensive wine! I want the kind that glows! And that roast whole pig that looks delicious! And that! And that! And that! Bring them all to me!"At the time, Haru and Kazuma tried to stop her, but they were shut down by Aqua saying, "This is money this goddess earned through hard work! I'll spend it however I want!"Added to the cheers and flattery of the surrounding Adventurers, she became even more carried away, even generously buying a round of drinks for the entire house.As a result, that single dinner not only exhausted the remaining 2,000 eris but also left them owing the tavern 8,000 eris.The next day, to pay back that 8,000, the three of them hauled bricks desperately.Aqua was still the main force and earned quite a bit.But on the way home, she was swindled by a salesman selling 'Lucky Pots,' spending all her savings and even taking out a high-interest loan to buy a broken pot.On the third day, to pay back the high-interest loan and the tavern debt, the three continued hauling bricks.While showing off her divine power on the site, Aqua accidentally smashed a newly built wall, and the compensation fees made their situation even worse.In this way, the snowballing debt turned the three of them into complete construction slaves."Thirty thousand eris..." Kazuma looked at his palms, which were covered in callouses and blood blisters. "Are we going to be hauling bricks here for the rest of our lives? Until we die?"Haru sighed, shouldering his shovel. "As long as that spendthrift woman is around, we won't pay it off even if we haul bricks into our next lives. We have to find a way to seize back the financial power. Or... find a more profitable path.""A more profitable path?" A spark of light flickered in Kazuma's dead eyes. "Are we going to rob a Demon Kings Army General?""What are you thinking? I'm saying we need to take back control of the money!"As they spoke, the Foreman's familiar loud voice interrupted their conspiracy."Hey! Miss Aqua! You're finally here! Everyone's waiting for you! Today's task is to build the new Fountain Square! If you can channel the water over, your bonus will double!""Really?! That's great!" Aqua cheered, tossing her juice to Haru as if he were a lackey. "Hold this for me! This goddess is going to show off her skills!"Watching her cheerful back, Haru and Kazumalooked at each other and silently picked up their shovels."Let's just finish hauling today's bricks first," Kazumasaid through tears."Yeah. For the sake of dinner."Haru replied, also through tears.
Chapter 11: Getting Back on Track?As the sun dipped below the horizon, three figures casting long shadows returned to the stables.Aqua was as energetic as ever today, holding a giant leftover grilled sausage in her hand (given to her by the foreman, naturally) while humming a strange little tune.Haru and Kazuma, on the other hand, looked like travelers who had trekked through a desert for three days, every step as heavy as lead."Um... Aqua..." Haru cleared his throat and gave Kazuma a look.Kazuma immediately caught on and instantly entered Best Actor mode. He suddenly clutched his chest, let out a painful groan, and slowly collapsed onto the haystack: "Ah... I can't go on... My heart... My soul... they're being crushed by the weight of money..."Aqua was startled, nearly dropping her sausage: "Hey! What's wrong? Don't die! If you die, no one will help me move bricks!""Aqua, don't you understand?" Haru crouched beside Kazuma with a face full of sorrow, holding his trembling hand with a tone so solemn it sounded like a funeral eulogy. "Kazuma has been driven mad by the massive debt of the past few days! Think about it, every time he opens his eyes, it's debt; every time he closes them, it's still debt. This kind of mental pressure is unbearable, even for a god!""But... but I'm working hard to earn money too!" Aqua argued, feeling a bit wronged. "Look, I earned so much today!"As she spoke, she pulled a heavy coin pouch from her pocket."That's what you earned, but you spent even more!" Kazuma suddenly had a surge of energy and bolted upright, pointing at Aqua's pile of messy shopping bags—filled with useless decorations and snacks—and shouted through tears, "That Lucky Pot! That singing stone! And that Goddess statue that's useless for anything but looking pretty! Can you eat these? Can they pay back debts?!""Th-those are works of art! They're for improving our quality of life!"Aqua tried to retort, but her voice clearly lacked confidence."Quality of life? We can barely afford to eat right now, and you're talking about quality of life!" Haruinterrupted her with a pained expression. "Aqua, you're a Goddess; you don't understand the hardships of the mortal world. Things like money are full of the stench of copper and sin. Letting a noble Goddess like you manage such filthy things is practically an insult to your divinity!""Eh? Is... is that so?" Aqua blinked, seemingly swayed by Haru's words."Of course it is!" Kazuma struck while the iron was hot, speaking with utter sincerity. "To protect your pure heart and prevent you from being contaminated by worldly money, let us two humble servants bear this painful burden! Leave the money to us to manage, and you won't have to worry about these trivial matters anymore. You just need to enjoy life happily every day!""Really? If I just give the money to you, I won't have to do the math? And I won't have to worry about the debt?"Aqua's eyes lit up.As a total math idiot, she hated calculating those complex numbers more than anything."Exactly! Leave everything to us!" Haru patted his chest in a promise. "We will plan every cent rationally, ensuring you have delicious food every day without worrying about debt! We'll use the most scientific financial methods to make money grow, and eventually, let you live the life of a true Goddess!""That sounds pretty good..." Aqua tilted her head and thought for a moment, then simply tossed the coin pouch to Haru. "Alright! I'll leave it to you from now on! But you have to buy me a bottle of high-grade Bubbly Wine every day! And fried chicken is a must!""No problem! Leave it to us!"Haru and Kazuma caught the coin pouch, feeling its heavy weight, their hearts blooming with joy.Finally! They had finally reclaimed financial control!Although they were still heavily in debt, at least they didn't have to worry about waking up tomorrow to find the debt had doubled.In the morning in Axel, sunlight filtered through thin clouds onto the streets, and the air was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread.Haru and Kazuma sat side-by-side on a bench in the guild tavern, holding steaming cups of cheap coffee, staring blankly at the passersby."Finally..." Kazuma let out a long sigh, his voice carrying a sense of relief after a long ordeal. "We finally paid off those damn 30,000 eris. It feels like I've crawled back from hell."Haru also nodded, rubbing his still-aching shoulders. "Yeah. Even though Aqua is still complaining about not having enough fried chicken, at least we're free now. No debt, no collection notices, only... only..."At this point, Haru suddenly stopped.Only what?Only pockets that were still completely empty?Only the miserable reality of still living in a stable?Only the predicament of still worrying about the next meal every day?Kazuma seemed to realize this problem as well.He turned his head to look at Haru, his gaze becoming somewhat strange: "Hey, Haru. I just thought of a very serious question.""What?""Why... why exactly did we reincarnate into this world?" Kazuma's voice was full of confusion. "I remember that Goddess (referring to Aqua) said something about going to another world to defeat the Demon King, right? About starting an exciting adventure life? But what about now?"He pointed at his own coarse cloth clothes covered in dust and mud, then at the shovel in Haru's hand used for mixing cement (which he hadn't had time to return to the foreman): "Do we look like Adventurers right now? We're practically two refugees who just escaped from a black coal mine! Besides moving bricks, washing dishes, and committing fraud (attempted), have we done anything proper?"Haru fell silent.Indeed, since arriving in this world, the two had been struggling just to survive, completely forgetting their original goal.Swords and magic, heroes and dragons—all of it had been tossed to the back of their minds.It had been replaced by "how to eat their fill with the least amount of money," "how to avoid creditors," and "how to appease that idiot Goddess who could explode at any moment.""And..." Kazuma continued to twist the knife, "we don't even have proper identities yet.""Stop it." Haru covered his face, feeling his heart bleed. "It's too embarrassing. If people from our old world knew we were living like this, they'd laugh their heads off.""So!" Kazuma suddenly stood up, slamming his coffee cup down on the table (even though it was empty), his eyes becoming incredibly determined. "We can't keep degenerating like this! We need to change! We need to become real Adventurers! We need to take on quests! We need to fight monsters and level up! We need to... buy equipment!""Buy equipment?" Haru was taken aback. "I heard them say these past few days that registering as an Adventurer costs 1,000 eris per person.""Don't worry!" Kazuma pulled a small cloth bag from his vest, which emitted a few crisp metallic clinks. "This is what we've scrimped and saved these past few days! It's not much, but it should be enough for the registration! And..."He lowered his voice and leaned into Haru's ear: "I also secretly stashed away some of Aqua's private savings. She doesn't know anyway."Haru looked at his smirking companion, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up: "Nice work, Kazuma. Just as expected of you."No sooner said than done.Haru and Kazuma, like two guardian attendants, hoisted up Aqua—who was still giggling at the air (probably fantasizing about a rain of fried chicken)—and marched aggressively toward the guild counter."Welcome! Are you here to take on a quest?"Behind the counter, Miss Luna, the guild receptionist with chestnut wavy hair and a bountiful chest, gave a professional, sweet smile (though she was clearly taken aback when looking at Aqua, she remained professional and said nothing more)."No!" Kazuma slammed the small cloth bag containing the stashed money onto the counter with a heavy thud, saying with an arrogant air, "We want to register as Adventurers! Three slots! Keep the change!"Miss Luna was stunned for a moment, then smiled and picked up the pouch. "Alright, the registration fee is 1,000 eris per person, so that's exactly right. Now, please take turns placing your hand on this crystal ball. It will display your status card and recommend a class based on your aptitude.""Me first! Me first!"As soon as Aqua heard it was something like a test, her desire to show off instantly exploded.She pushed Haru and Kazuma aside and pressed her hand onto the crystal ball with total confidence.
Chapter 12: Is There Something Wrong With Their Brains?"Hmph, let me show you a Goddess's stats! It'll definitely scare you to death!"The moment her hand touched the crystal ball, a dazzling blue light shot into the sky, illuminating the entire guild hall.The surrounding Adventurers who were drinking stopped what they were doing and looked over in shock."Th-this is..." Miss Luna looked at the data displayed on the card and covered her mouth in surprise. "Aside from Luck and Intelligence being below average, all other stats significantly exceed human limits! Her Magic Power is even immeasurable! This is incredible!""Wahahahaha!" Aqua put her hands on her hips and let out a triumphant laugh. "See that? This is the power of this Goddess! Quick, tell me, can I become the strongest class?""Y-yes!" Miss Luna said excitedly. "You can directly take on the advanced class known as Archpriest! It's the pinnacle of the priesthood, capable of using powerful recovery and support magic!""Archpriest! That sounds so cool!" Aqua looked at Haru and Kazuma smugly. "Well? Why aren't you worshiping me yet?"Haru and Kazuma glanced at each other and silently looked away."Intelligence below average..." Kazuma muttered under his breath."Luck is at the lowest tier too..." Haru added."As expected, she's a useless person with only good stats." The two reached a consensus.Next was Kazuma's turn.He nervously placed his hand on it, and the resulting light was as weak as a flashlight running out of batteries."Uh... Mr. Sato's data..." Miss Luna looked at the card with some embarrassment. "Aside from a very high Luck stat and slightly above-average Intelligence, all other stats are... very ordinary. You can only become the most basic Adventurer.""Ordinary?! Adventurer?!" Kazuma felt as if he had been struck by a Thunderbolt, turning pale. "Why? Why is that idiot an Archpriest while I'm a bottom-tier Adventurer? Are the gods of this world blind?"Finally, it was Haru's turn.Haru took a deep breath and placed his hand on the crystal ball.Although the past few days of manual labor had been hard, Haru felt that his body had indeed become much sturdier.Buzz—!A light that wasn't as blinding as Aqua's, but still quite bright, shone forth."Ooh!" Miss Luna's eyes lit up as she looked at Haru's stats. "Mr. Lin Jin, your values are all excellent! Especially your Strength and Magic Power, they're very balanced and much higher than average! You can choose to be a front-line [Swordsman], a back-line [Mage], or even have a chance to reach the threshold of the advanced class, Archwizard!""Archwizard?!" Kazuma was so envious his mouth was practically watering. "Hey! Haru! You're actually a high-potential candidate too? Am I the only useless one?!"Haru looked at the class options on the card, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.Although he needed to level up a few more times to become an [Archwizard], he could already directly become a [Mage] now."I choose [Mage]," Haru said decisively.In this world, magic was a man's romance. Plus, with magic, both fighting monsters and daily life (like starting fires or creating water) would be much more convenient."Alright! Registration complete!"Miss Luna handed the three brand-new Adventurercards to the trio.Looking at the card in his hand printed with his name and class, Haru and Kazuma finally felt the reality of "Ah, life in another world has finally begun.""Alright!" Haru tucked his card away and waved his hand. "We're proper Adventurers now! Target: The plains outside the city! Quest: Subjugate Giant Toads! Let's go earn our first pot of gold!""Ooh! I'll show those toads how powerful an Archpriest is too!" Aqua pumped her fist."I'll try my best not to hold you back..." Although Kazuma complained, he had already gripped his short sword tightly.However, the three didn't know yet that for novice Adventurers, the current season was exactly the breeding season for Giant Toads—which meant... their appetite was at its peak.The plains outside Axel were covered in lush green grass, with a gentle breeze blowing.Yet, within this seemingly peaceful scenery stood several green monsters as large as small hills.They had round bodies, giant eyes like protruding light bulbs, and their skin secreted a viscous liquid. Every jump caused the ground to shake.This was the nightmare of novice Adventurers—the Giant Toad."Is this... a real monster?"Kazuma's hand holding the short sword trembled slightly, his face as pale as paper.Although he had seen such things countless times in games, when it actually appeared before his eyes, the sense of pressure and the stench were practically suffocating.Haru also swallowed hard, feeling his throat go dry.Although he had become a Mage, he hadn't learned any attack magic yet. His only weapon was the second-hand wooden staff he had just bought."Hey, Haru..." Kazuma whispered, his voice trembling a bit. "This thing looks really hard to deal with... Should we just go back to manual labor?""Shut up!" Haru forced himself to stay calm, even though his legs were also shaking. "We're men who are going to become the strongest Adventurers! How can we back down here! And... and we have the Goddess!"Saying this, Haru and Kazuma both turned to look at Aqua behind them.They had expected that as an Archpriest with ultra-high stats, Aqua would be calm and composed, or even eager to jump into action.However—"Waaaaah! Don't come over here! Don't come over here!"Aqua was currently hiding behind the two of them, her hands tightly gripping their clothes. She was curled into a ball, shivering uncontrollably.Tears were already welling up in her eyes, and her face was filled with terror."Is this a toad?! Why is it so big?! And it's so gross! If that slimy stuff gets on my clothes, it'll never come off! This is a Goddess's Raiment!""Hey! You're a Goddess, right?!" Kazuma shouted in despair. "You're an Archpriest! Where's your holy aura? Where's your purification magic? Use your invincible power to blast them to smithereens!""I can't! I can't!" Aqua shook her head frantically, tears gushing out like a fountain. "Just looking at those slimy things makes me want to puke! Take me home! I want to go home!"Just then, a Giant Toad seemed to notice the movement over here.It rolled its giant eyeballs and locked onto the blue figure emitting a dense aura of magic power (making it the most delicious).Ribbit—!A deafening croak rang out, and the toad suddenly opened its huge mouth, shooting out a long, slimy tongue like a bolt of lightning!"Watch out!"Haru and Kazuma instinctively dove to the sides.However, Aqua was frozen in place because she was too scared."Eh?"Splat!The massive tongue accurately wrapped around Aqua's waist and then suddenly retracted."Waaaaah! Help! Haru! Kazuma! Help meeeee!"Accompanied by a piercing scream, the once-arrogant Goddess was dragged into the toad's giant mouth like a ragdoll.Gulp.The toad closed its mouth and even let out a satisfied burp.The entire plain fell silent instantly.Haru and Kazuma lay on the grass, staring blankly at the toad that was chewing (actually swallowing), their minds completely blank."Um..." Kazuma pointed at the toad tremblingly. "Aqua... was she eaten?""Seems so..." Haru also felt it was surreal. "Even though she's a Goddess and probably won't die... being digested in a place like this is just too pathetic.""Stop dazing!" Kazuma suddenly snapped out of it and jumped up. "Save her! Or she really will turn into toad droppings!""Hey!! Look over here! You damn green-skinned, big-eyed freak!"Even though Kazuma's legs were still shaking, he went all out to save that idiot Goddess.He rushed to the toad's side, waving his fruit-knife-sized short sword like a madman, performing a strange mating dance while letting out voice-cracking screams."That blue person is all water, not tasty at all! Me! Look at me! I'm a virgin Adventurer in the prime of my youth! My meat is firm and rich in flavor! Come eat me instead!"This self-deprecating and somewhat tragic food declaration successfully caught the Giant Toad's attention.It stopped its swallowing motion, and its murky, massive eyeballs slowly turned, staring intently at Kazuma, who was hopping around like a monkey."Ribbit?"The toad seemed to be wondering if there was something wrong with this human's brain.
Chapter 13: The Absolute CoreJust as the frog's attention was completely drawn to Kazuma, and it was even preparing to turn its body to give this noisy food a tongue-lashing—Haru moved.There was no magic chanting, nor was there a head-on confrontation.Utilizing the explosive power he had developed from days of moving bricks at the construction site, Haru moved like a bolt of black lightning, silently circling behind the frog.He gripped the rough, second-hand wooden staff tightly with both hands, aiming the tip at the frog's rounded, defenseless, and seemingly softest part—its butt (excretory hole)."Since you're an amphibian, let me give you a taste of human cruelty!"A fierce light flashed in Haru's eyes. He focused his energy and thrust out with all his might!"Take this—Axel Construction Site Style Secret Technique: One Thousand Years of Death!!!"Puchi!Although there were no magical light effects, this strike, which contained the fury of a bricklayer and the mana of a mage (though it was simply attached to the stick to increase its hardness), accurately and deeply pierced the frog's weak point."Guaaaaaah!!!"The frog, which originally only made monotonous croaks, actually let out a tragic, blood-curdling scream—a sound that even carried a few degrees of cross-species agony.Its massive body suddenly stiffened, and its eyeballs looked as if they were about to pop out.The intense pain triggered a physiological vomiting reflex.Blub-blub—Blegh!Along with a large puddle of thick, disgusting liquid, a blue object was spat out by the frog like a cannonball, rolling several times on the grass before coming to a stop.It was Aqua.At this moment, the Goddess was covered in translucent slime. Her originally flowing raiment was stuck tightly to her body, her hair was as messy as a bird's nest, and her entire person emitted a strong, fishy stench."Waaah! It stinks! So disgusting! I'm not pure anymore! Waaaah..."Aqua lay on the ground, dry-heaving and wailing simultaneously, her previous arrogant attitude completely gone.As for the frog that had been violated from behind, it was now clutching its butt (if it had hands), eyes filled with tears. It cast a terrified glance at the wooden staff in Haru's hand and then, with an extremely distorted posture, hopped away into the distance."Huff... huff..."Kazuma plopped down on the ground, panting heavily. He watched the fleeing frog and then looked at the wooden staff in Haru's hand, which was still dripping with some indescribable liquid, and gave a thumbs up."Nice job, Haru. Although the method was extremely low-brow and practically a disgrace to Adventurers... I have to admit, it was really effective."Haru shook the filth off the wooden staff with a profound look on his face: "In this cruel world, as long as you win, it's justice. This is what the foreman uncle taught me.""Don't make the foreman uncle sound like such a pervert!"Though the process was too gruesome to watch, regardless of how it happened, Haru and the others had successfully repelled the first monster and rescued the Goddess.Truly a cause for celebration, truly a cause for celebration.Except for Aqua, who was still rolling on the ground and wailing.Looking at the Goddess rolling on the ground before them, covered in unknown slime and emitting a fishy stench, Haru and Kazuma fell into a long silence."Hey, Haru." Kazuma's eyes were dead, like someone who just found out they won the lottery but accidentally put the ticket in the washing machine. "Were we too naive before?""Yeah," Haru replied expressionlessly, his wooden staff still dripping dirty things. "We thought that bringing a max-level character would let us walk all over the starter village, and that we could just leech experience even if we were only responsible for cheering from the sidelines.""And the result?" Kazuma pointed at Aqua, his finger trembling. "This is that max-level character. Aside from her stats looking good, her actual combat ability is practically negative! No, it's negative infinity! Not only can she not carry us, she's an aggro-drawing totem that actively gets herself killed for nothing!""Waaaah... how mean... instead of comforting me, you're calling me a totem..." Aqua sobbed aggrievedly while wiping the slime off her face (only to smear it more evenly). "That was a frog! It's a monster specifically designed to counter Goddesses! What could I have done!""Shut up! If you don't want to be left here as fertilizer, be quiet!" Haru and Kazuma shouted back in unison.Reality was cruel.The two, who had originally planned to ride her coattails, finally recognized the reality: in this party, if they didn't get strong themselves, their only end would be becoming frog excrement."No, I can't keep hoarding skill points anymore." Kazuma resolutely opened his Adventurer card, his fingers operating on it rapidly. "I originally wanted to save them to see if I could learn some cool finishing move, but now it seems survival is the number one priority.""What do you plan to learn?" Haru leaned over to take a look."[Enemy Detection]," Kazuma said through gritted teeth. "I've had enough of this feeling of being suddenly attacked. And... [Basic Magic]. Although it's not very powerful, as long as I can start a fire, create water, or blow wind, it's better than swinging a fruit knife around!"With a faint flash of light, Kazuma seemed to have mastered new powers.He closed his eyes to feel it for a moment, then suddenly snapped them open, looking deep into the plains: "Over there! About five hundred meters away, there are three red reactions! They're getting closer!""It took effect that quickly?" Haru's heart tightened.Since they now had support and scouting, what the party lacked most was—damage output.Output that could achieve a one-hit kill, or at least blast those slippery monsters into dust.Haru took a deep breath and also opened his card.Looking at the lit-up [Learnable Skills] section, Haru's finger hovered over several offensive magic options."Since that person (Aqua) can't be relied on, then I'll have to be the main DPS."Haru tapped the skill panel three times without hesitation."Only children make choices; adults take them all! Fire, Lightning, Ice—the classic RPG primary colors!"With a massive consumption of skill points (15 in total), a strange flow of knowledge surged into Haru's mind.The originally obscure and difficult-to-understand flow of mana now became crystal clear.Haru could feel the fire elements dancing in the air, the water elements condensing, and the lightning elements crackling."Is this... magic?"Haru gripped the wooden staff in his hand. Although it was still filthy, in his eyes, it had become a divine artifact capable of controlling the elements."They're here!" Kazuma suddenly shouted, his voice carrying a hint of trembling. "Three o'clock direction! Two of them! Nine o'clock direction! One more! They're flanking us!"Sure enough, the grass rustled, and three giant frogs jumped out from different directions.They were clearly drawn by the screams of their companion earlier, or perhaps they smelled the fresh Goddess scent on Aqua."Gua—!"The three frogs let out deafening cries simultaneously, their huge eyes staring intently at the trio, especially at Aqua, who was still shivering on the ground."Waaaah! They're here again! They're here again!" Aqua screamed and tried to run, but her foot slipped (stepping on her own slime), and she fell flat on her face again."Ignore that idiot!" Haru barked, his wooden staff suddenly pointing at the frog on the left that was jumping the most excitedly. "Taste this! Basic Magic—Fire!"Whoosh—!A fireball the size of a fist shot out from the tip of the staff. Although it didn't look big, the moment it touched the frog's wet skin, a violent reaction occurred.Sizzle!"Guaaaaaah!"The frog hit by the fireball let out a shrill scream.Although the fire didn't cause a fatal wound, the high temperature instantly evaporated the slime on its skin. The dryness and burning sensation caused it unbearable pain, making it roll frantically on the ground trying to extinguish the fire."It's effective!" Kazuma shouted excitedly. "Give it another shot! Kill it while it's down!""I'm not done yet!" A sinister grin curled on Haru's lips as mana surged again. This time he pointed at the frog on the right that was about to extend its tongue. "Since you're an amphibian, I'll let you experience frozen hell! Basic Magic—Freeze!"Crack!A wave of cold air instantly enveloped the frog. The tongue that was about to be launched was actually frozen into a popsicle in mid-air!The frog remained frozen in place with its mouth wide open like a statue, only its eyeballs still rolling in terror."So cool!" Kazuma was dazed. "Is this the power of a mage? I want to learn it too!""The last one!"By now, the largest frog in the middle had already rushed in front of the three of them.It seemed to be enraged by its companions' tragic states. Instead of using its tongue, it leaped high into the air, wanting to use its massive body to squash the three into meat patties!"Watch out!" Although Aqua was scared, she still instinctively shouted.Haru didn't dodge. He looked at the massive shadow above his head, took a deep breath, and concentrated all his mana at the tip of the wooden staff."You can't exert force in the air... this is your end!"Zzzzt—!Dazzling arcs of electricity danced at the tip of the staff."Basic Magic—Lightning!!!"Boom!A thick current of electricity shot straight up, accurately hitting the frog in mid-air.As a water-attribute creature, the frog's resistance to lightning was practically zero.The current instantly coursed through its entire body, and its skeleton could even be seen flickering in the blue light."Gua... gua..."The frog, covered in black smoke, crashed heavily to the ground like a charred steak, twitching a couple of times before falling still.The air was filled with a... surprisingly fragrant smell of roasted frog legs.The entire field fell silent.Kazuma's mouth hung wide open, not even noticing that the short sword in his hand had dropped to the ground.Aqua also stopped crying, staring blankly at the back of the figure standing in the center of the battlefield, who, despite holding a broken wooden staff, looked incredibly cool at this moment."Done."Haru coolly tossed his hair (though it was covered in some dust) and blew on the non-existent smoke at the tip of his staff: "This is how a mage fights. Elegant, and deadly.""That was so cool! Haru!" Kazuma rushed over and hugged Haru's leg. "Big brother! I'm following you from now on! Please teach me that magic that roasts frogs! It looks delicious!""Hmph, I guess you're pretty good." Aqua also stood up. Although she still looked like a drowned rat, there was a hint of respect in her tone (though only a hint). "But I helped too! If I hadn't drawn their attention, you wouldn't have had the chance to cast your spells!""Yes, yes, it's all thanks to the Goddess's sacrifice."Haru replied perfunctorily, while thinking to himself: Now I've finally established my position as the absolute core of this party.
Chapter 14: Dividing the SpoilsThe process of dragging three Giant Toads back to the guild was practically a "parade" full of odors.Haru was responsible for using magic to pull the toad frozen into an ice sculpture (after all, it was the heaviest but also the cleanest), while Kazumamiserably dragged the half-cooked one. As for Aqua... she was like a vengeful spirit that had just crawled out of a sewer, dripping with slime from head to toe, trailing at the back of the group, muttering words like "my raiment," "unclean," and "purification."The moment the three of them pushed open the guild doors—The originally boisterous tavern fell silent in an instant.Immediately following that, a gust of air—a mix of roasted meat, burnt smells, and a pungent, fishy stench—swept through the entire hall."Ugh! It stinks! Who is it?""Are those... Giant Toads? Newbies actually managed to hunt those things?""Hey, what's with that blue-haired woman? Did she fall into a swamp?"Amidst the gazes of the Adventurers, a mixture of shock and disgust, the three walked straight to the counter."Miss Miss Luna! Turning in the quest!"Haru tossed the frozen toad onto the floor with a heavy thud.Miss Luna covered her nose. Although her professional etiquette kept a smile on her face, her eyebrows were clearly twitching. "Ah... it's Mr. Lin Jin and Mr. Sato. I'd heard that some newcomers went to challenge the toads, but I didn't expect you to actually bring them back... and in this state, no less."She pointed at the three toads in their various states:Frozen Toad: Well-preserved, fresh meat, intact skin. Evaluation: S-rank.Burned Toad: Extensive skin damage, meat partially charred. Evaluation: C-rank.Thunderbolt Toad (the one you roasted on the spot): Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, emitting an enticing aroma, but as a material, it's useless. Evaluation: Food Ingredient."Ahem..." Miss Luna did a quick tally. "The purchase price for the frozen one is 5,000 eris; the burned one can only be counted as 2,000 eris; as for the cooked one... the guild kitchen can buy it as an ingredient for about 1,000 eris. That's a total of 8,000 eris.""8,000?!" Kazuma's eyes instantly turned into the shape of money. "Each person gets nearly 2,700! This is way better than hauling bricks!""Wait!" Aqua suddenly revived. She slammed her hand onto the counter, splashing a few drops of slime (making Miss Luna shrink back in fright). "I want to eat that cooked toad! That's my mental distress compensation! I can already smell the fragrance!"Miss Luna was about to say something, but after seeing the 'brilliant' look in Aqua's eyes, she simply nodded."Huh? Weren't you just saying it was disgusting?" Kazuma retorted."Shut up! Not only am I eating, I'm drinking too! I want that expensive bubbly stuff!" Aqua shouted righteously.In the end, the three decided to keep the cooked toad for themselves and split the remaining 7,000 eris equally (even though Aqua hadn't contributed much, considering she was the bait, they gave her a share anyway)....Half an hour later, in a corner of the guild.Aqua had already scrubbed herself clean in the guild's bathhouse (though a faint smell of toad still lingered). At this moment, she was unceremoniously devouring fried toad legs that had been re-prepared by the guild's chef, holding a large mug of beer in her hand."Haaah! I'm revived! This is the life!" Her mouth was slick with oil, completely forgetting her miserable state of crying for help half an hour ago. "Even though these toads look gross, they taste great! Haru, your Thunderbolt is practically a magic spell born for cooking!""True..." Kazuma was also gnawing on a piece of toad meat, a look of intoxication on his face. "The meat is firm, like chicken but chewier. I didn't expect this stuff to be so delicious."Haru elegantly sliced off a piece of meat and put it in his mouth. Feeling the unique texture, he thought to himself: In this world, strength really is your meal ticket.Just as the three were enjoying their celebratory feast for their first victory, a childish yet chuunibyou-filled voice suddenly came from nearby."You Adventurers over there... I saw it."The three turned their heads in unison.They saw a little girl wearing a red robe and an eyepatch, holding a staff, standing by the table.She looked to be only twelve or thirteen years old, striking an extremely exaggerated pose, her single red eye flashing with an eerie light."That freezing magic that instantly solidifies all things... that Thunderbolt that summons heavenly lightning to judge evil... I am the Crimson Demon Clan's number one genius mage, Megumin! Since you possess such powerful magic, surely you crave the ultimate power of destruction?"She stared intently at Haru with her uncovered eye:"Would you like to... step into the abyss of Explosion Magic with me?"Kazuma looked at the strange little girl and leaned in to whisper in Haru's ear, "Hey, Haru, is there something wrong with this kid's head too? Why is this city full of weirdos?"Facing the imposing (chuunibyou) speech of this girl who claimed to be the Crimson Demon Clan's number one genius, the three of them had a surprisingly uniform reaction.*Munch munch munch...*The only response she received was the synchronized sound of the three chewing, along with Aqua's boisterous gulping of beer."..." Megumin maintained her cool pose covering half her face, a hint of embarrassment flashing in her red eyes. "Um... are you listening? I am Megumin! The one who wields Explosion Magic...""Ah, I hear you, I hear you." Haru carelessly waved the half-eaten toad leg in his hand as if shooing away a fly. "Little kid, are you lost? This is the Adventurers Guild, not a playground. If you're looking for your mommy, go to the counter over there and have them make an announcement.""L-Little kid?!" Megumin's expression instantly crumbled, her previously cool aura vanishing without a trace. "I am not a little kid! I am an Archwizard! An elite who can use top-tier magic!""An Archwizard?" Kazuma looked her up and down as if looking at a pitiful child. "With that height? And what's with the eyepatch? Are you injured? Or is it pink eye?""T-This is a Restraint used to seal my overly powerful magic!" Megumin's face turned red with urgency as she pointed at her eyepatch and argued loudly. "Once it's removed, the world will fall into a crisis of destruction...""Yeah, yeah, seal, seal." Aqua let out a beer burp and chimed in dismissively. "It looks like a regular accessory to me. And what kind of weird name is 'Megumin' anyway? It sounds like a name for a rural pet. Pfft—""Y-You actually mocked a grand name of the Crimson Demon Clan!" Megumin shook with rage, her staff nearly slipping from her hand.Haru sighed, picked up a piece of golden, crispy fried toad meat from the plate, and held it out to the malnourished-looking little girl."Alright, alright, that's enough. You're as thin as a bean sprout; did you come here to talk nonsense because you're hungry?" Haru said in a fatherly tone. "Here, take this and eat. Once you're done, hurry home and do your homework. We're a very dangerous Adventurer party; we don't have time to play house with kids."Megumin looked at the toad meat emitting an enticing aroma, and her stomach betrayed her with a loud "growl.""Ugh..."Shame and appetite fought a fierce battle on her face.Finally, she snatched the meat away and took a savage bite with enough force to suggest she wanted to bite all three of them to pieces."Hmph! Since you have offered it so sincerely, I shall reluctantly accept!" Megumin said while devouring it, her words muffled. "But! Remember my name! One day, you will kneel before the power of Explosion Magic and beg me to join! Hmph!"With that, like a cat that had successfully stolen a treat, she grabbed the meat and turned to run, her red cloak fluttering behind her. She nearly tripped over her own staff.Watching her pathetic retreating figure, Kazumashook his head helplessly. "Kids these days, really poisoned by manga. Actually coming to a place full of thugs and drunks to play role-play.""Forget about her." Haru wiped the oil from his mouth and pulled out the heavy coin purse from his robe. "Compared to that chuunibyou, what's more important now is—dividing the spoils! Ah, no, I mean, distributing the loot!"At the word "money," Aqua immediately put down her glass, her eyes shining like searchlights."That's right! Now that we have money, we can finally say goodbye to that stable full of horse manure!" Aqua pounded the table excitedly. "I want to stay in an inn! The kind with soft beds and hot baths!""Agreed." Kazuma also breathed a sigh of relief. "While this isn't a fortune, it's enough for us to stay in the cheapest inn for a week and buy some basic equipment."Haru counted out his share (about 2,300 eris). Feeling the weight of the coins, he calculated his next plan.Although he had shown off today with basic magic, that nearly broken wooden staff clearly wouldn't last much longer.Moreover, as his level increased, he would need better equipment to bring out his full strength."Then it's settled." Haru stood up and stretched. "First, let's go book a room at an inn and wash off this toad smell."And so, ignoring the strange Crimson Demon girl from earlier, the three of them, clutching their first pot of gold, headed toward Axel's Commercial District.
Chapter 15: A Ticket to HeavenOn the streets of Axel, the setting sun cast long shadows of the pedestrians.Carrying the large sum of money they had just acquired, Haru and the other two were on their way to find a place to stay.However, this harmonious atmosphere only lasted for five minutes."Stop! Right here! I want to stay here!"Aqua suddenly acted like a child who wouldn't leave after seeing a toy store window, clinging tightly to a lamppost. Her other hand pointed at a luxurious building across the street with a magnificent interior, a red carpet at the entrance, and even a doorman on guard—[The Royal Axel Grand Hotel]."Huh?" Kazuma stopped and looked at her as if she were an idiot. "Has the water in your brain finally overflowed? Look clearly at the sign by the door; a standard room is 15,000 eris a night. You couldn't afford one night even if we sold you!""I don't care, I don't care!" Aqua began to use her innate skill—throwing a tantrum.She plopped down on the ground, her legs kicking wildly. "I am a Goddess! I am Lady Aqua, the Goddess of Water! How can I stay in a commoner's inn that doesn't even have a bathtub! My skin is very delicate; I'll get an allergic reaction if I sleep on a hard wooden bed!"Haru watched this woman, who had no sense of shame on the crowded street, with cold eyes. He walked over to check the hotel's price list, then turned to Kazuma and said:"Kazuma, ignore this crazy woman. There's an Adventurer's Home in the alley ahead. It's only 500 eris a night, and breakfast is included.""Oh! That sounds great! The remaining money can be used to buy a decent sword!"Kazuma immediately agreed, and the two turned to leave in perfect sync."Hey! Wait! You two cold-blooded animals!"Seeing that the two were really leaving, Aquaimmediately sprang up from the ground and chased after them with snot and tears, grabbing tightly onto the hem of Haru's clothes."At least... at least there should be a private bathroom! I don't want to share a bathhouse with those smelly old men! Also, the mattress must be soft! There must be down pillows!""Denied." Haru interrupted her ruthlessly. "Your current status is a low-level Adventurer who just finished paying off her debts, not some Goddess. Besides, weren't you quite comfortable inside the frog's belly this morning? It was quite soft in there.""Waaaaah! Haru, you demon! Don't mention that!"Ultimately, with an absolute two-to-one majority vote, Aqua's protest was thoroughly suppressed.The two dragged the Goddess, who looked like she had lost all hope in life, into a mid-range inn called [Sweet Dreams Inn].Although it was called mid-range, it was actually just a stable with walls, a roof, and beds that looked reasonably clean."Welcome. For a triple room, it's 1,500 eris a night."The proprietress was a middle-aged woman who looked very kind."1,500..." Kazuma calculated. "That's 500 per person. Completely acceptable.""Uuuu... my luxury big bed... my room service..." Aqua lay on the counter like a salted fish that had lost its dreams, still muttering under her breath.Haru ignored her directly, took out the money, and slapped it on the table: "We'll take this room. By the way, ma'am, is there anywhere nearby where I can repair a staff or buy second-hand equipment?""Yes, the Tough Guy Blacksmith Shop just outside and to the left has very fair prices."The proprietress smiled and handed over a key.After getting the key, the three went to the room on the second floor.The room wasn't large, with three single beds and a small bathroom in the corner (no bathtub, but at least there was a shower).Outside the window was the busy street, and the soundproofing... was basically non-existent."Sigh..." Aqua collapsed onto the bed in a starfish position, making the bedboards let out a creak of misery. "Is this life in the mortal world? Full of poverty and the smell of sour sweat.""Be content." Kazuma threw himself onto another bed and let out a comfortable groan. "This is ten thousand times better than sleeping on a haystack. And you don't have to worry about being licked awake by a horse in the middle of the night."Haru sat on the third bed and inspected the wooden staff in his hand.The cracks on the staff's body were already very obvious; it would likely shatter completely if he fired one more fireball."Alright, now that we're settled, Kazuma and I are going to buy equipment. Aqua, are you going to play dead in the room, or come with us?"Haru stood up and asked.Aqua rolled over on the bed, revealing her signature blue back of the head. "I'm not going! I'm going to stay here and mourn my lost Goddess dignity! Unless you bring me back a bottle of high-end red wine, I'm absolutely not stepping out this door!""That's perfect then, it saves us from having to pay for things you might break in the shop."Kazuma shrugged.Haru and Kazuma exchanged a glance, showing a smile that said 'all according to plan'.Without this trouble-maker following them, the process of buying equipment should be much smoother."Let's go, Haru. I can't wait to replace this fruit-peeling short sword."The two walked out of the inn, leaving the useless Goddess in the room.At this time, it was dusk in Axel. The shops on both sides of the street were lighting up one after another, and the Adventurers' nightlife was just beginning.Pushing open the door of the [Tough Guy Blacksmith Shop], a wave of heat mixed with burning coal and clanging metal hit them.The shop was hung with all kinds of weapons, from giant two-handed swords to exquisite daggers, gleaming coldly and dazzling the eyes."Whoa, whoa, whoa! Now this is an isekai!" Kazuma, like a country bumpkin entering the city for the first time, rushed to the counter and drooled over a longsword hanging in the center that emitted a faint blue light. "Boss! How much is this sword? Is it a legendary magic sword? If I pull it out, will I become a hero?"The bald shopkeeper, whose face was full of flesh, glanced at Kazuma, then at the newbie gear the two were wearing, and coldly spat out a number:"That is a Mithril Magic Sword with an ice attribute enchantment. The price is 1.2 million eris. No credit.""1... 1.2 million?!"Kazuma's jaw almost hit the floor.He felt the pitiful few thousand eris in his pocket and instantly woke up from his hero dream, shuffling dejectedly to the discount section in the corner."Tsk, what a scam shop... Is there no 'cheap item that looks ordinary but is actually a divine artifact'?"Kazuma muttered while rummaging through a dust-covered wooden barrel.Haru ignored Kazuma's antics and walked straight to the staff section.His goal was clear: a staff that could withstand magic output without exploding. As for whether the appearance was cool or not, that was something to consider only after having money."Boss, do you have any staves suitable for beginners? My budget is within 3,000 eris."Haru asked straightforwardly.The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow, seemingly satisfied with Haru's pragmatic attitude.He pulled out a dark brown wooden staff from under the counter and tossed it on the table."'Red Oak Staff'. While it's not any rare wood, it has been hardened, and its magic conductivity is five times better than that fire poker in your hand. Also, the head of this staff is embedded with a fragment of a low-grade Fire Magic Stone, which can slightly enhance the power of fire magic. Only 2,800 eris."Haru picked up the staff to test its feel.It was heavy and sturdy; it could even be used as a blunt weapon to bash people.For the current Haru, this was the perfect weapon."I'll take it." Haru paid the money readily.On the other side, Kazuma also finally found a weapon that looked decent from the pile of junk."Haru! Look at this!" Kazuma held up a short sword that was barely longer than a dagger and said excitedly, "A 'Steel Short Sword'! Although it's a bit short, it's made of proper steel! And it only costs 2,500 eris! With my luck, I'll definitely be able to land critical hits with this short sword!""Sure, sure, as long as it doesn't break." Haru replied perfunctorily.Just as the two were about to leave, the bald shopkeeper suddenly called out to them."Hey, you two young men over there." A... lewd smile suddenly appeared on the shopkeeper's ferocious face. "I see you've bought equipment, so you must be planning to do something big, right? As men, sometimes besides all the fighting and killing, you also need to relax."Saying that, he mysteriously handed the two a crumpled pink flyer."This is...?" Kazuma took the flyer, and with just one look, his eyes instantly grew wider than copper bells, and his breathing became rapid.Haru also leaned over to take a look.The flyer depicted the silhouette of a hot succubus, with a line of highly seductive small text below:[Succubus Shop — Providing the ultimate dream service for tired male Adventurers. Just fill out a wish list, and tonight in your dreams... hehehe.][Address: At the end of the back alley in Axel, the red door.]"Is... is this for real?!" Kazuma's hands were shaking, and his voice was extremely low, as if discussing a state secret. "In this other world, there's actually a legal... kind of shop like that?!""Shhh—!" The shopkeeper made a silencing gesture. "This is a secret known only to veteran Adventurers. I'm only telling you because I think you two are alright."After walking out of the blacksmith shop, Haru and Kazuma stood under the setting sun and looked at each other.They had originally just intended to buy equipment, but they hadn't expected to accidentally obtain a ticket to 'heaven'."Haru..." Kazuma solemnly tucked the flyer into his shirt, keeping it close to his chest. "Although we don't have much money left, I feel that some money must be spent. This is for... for relieving combat stress! Yes, it's for mental health!"Haru looked at the brand-new staff in his hand, then at the determined Kazuma, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly."True. In this dangerous world, maintaining a good state of mind is also a part of one's strength."However, their current balance no longer allowed the two to squander.After buying the equipment, Haru only had 1,033 eris left in his pocket.And according to the hints on the flyer, although that kind of service didn't require much money (it mainly absorbed essence), there would surely be some entry fee or processing fee.
Chapter 16: Wiz's Magic Item ShopThe sun had completely sunk below the horizon, and the streets of Axel were illuminated by the warm yellow glow of magical lamps.Haru and Kazuma walked side by side on the way back to the inn, carrying their newly purchased equipment, but their minds were clearly elsewhere.A subtle silence hung in the air.This silence wasn't awkward; it was that unique, unspoken understanding shared between men."Um..." Kazuma suddenly broke the silence, his eyes fixed on a roadside sign as he spoke with feigned nonchalance. "Haru, do you think... this so-called dream service can really be as magical as the flyer says? I mean, it's just a dream, after all, it's not real..."Haru stared ahead, responding in a flat tone, "Who knows. But since it's magic from another world, it should have that... sense of reality that defies common sense. Like touch, temperature, or even scent.""T-Touch?!" Kazuma's Adam's apple bobbed visibly, his voice jumping an octave before he quickly lowered it again. "Ahem, I'm just curious from an academic standpoint. We're Adventurers, after all; understanding various magics is part of our training. Right?""Exactly." Haru nodded, talking nonsense with a straight face. "And the shopkeeper said it's for stress relief. Being in a high-pressure combat state for a long time can easily cause mental issues. Proper relaxation is for the sake of fighting better.""Right, right!" Kazuma seemed to have found theoretical support and slapped his thigh hard. "This is entirely for the future of the team! It's definitely not because I want to see a Succubus in a maid outfit or anything! Definitely not!"The two looked at each other and smiled; everything was understood without words.However, reality is always cruel.Although they found a reason and gathered information, the biggest problem remained right in front of them—no money.Buying equipment just now had nearly emptied their savings; now, the two of them combined only had a little over a thousand eris left.While they didn't know the Succubus Shop's specific pricing, such high-end service certainly wouldn't be cheap."Sigh..." Kazuma sighed, his previous excitement fading significantly. "In the end, we're just poor. If only I could be like those novel protagonists, finding a divine artifact or running into some rich sucker who gives away money the moment I step out the door."Just then, the two passed a dark alleyway.A strange chill suddenly drifted out from the alley, making Kazuma, who was wearing a thin shirt, shiver."Why did it suddenly get cold?" Kazuma rubbed his arms and glanced into the alley.Deep in the alley sat a dilapidated little shop with a crooked sign hanging over the door:[Wiz's Magic Item Shop — If you can imagine it, we can sell it!][Today's Special: All items up to 90% off!]"Ninety percent off?!" Kazuma's eyes lit up instantly. "Haru! Look at that! A magic item shop! And it's having a sale!"Haru followed his gaze, his heart stirring.Wiz... sounds a bit familiar. He recalled a friend mentioning her—wasn't she a former Demon Kings Army General? Although most of what she sold was useless junk (like exploding potions, cursed necklaces, and such), as a Lich who had lived for a long time, she must have some truly good items. Besides, her personality... seemed to exist just to be swindled."Let's go." Haru decisively changed their route back to the inn. "Let's see if we can find any treasures. If we're lucky, tonight's 'entrance fee' will be covered.""I knew you'd understand me!" Kazuma chuckled and followed, rubbing his hands together.Pushing open the wooden door, which let out a creaky groan, a cold and damp air rushed toward them.The shop was dimly lit, and the shelves were packed with all sorts of bizarre bottles, jars, and unidentified objects."W-Welcome..."A weak voice came from behind the counter.A beautiful woman in purple robes with long brown hair was slumped over the counter, looking as if she hadn't eaten in days.Her face was unnaturally pale, but her exquisite features and curvaceous figure were still striking."Ah... are you customers?" Wiz looked up, her lifeless eyes seemingly regaining their spark the moment she saw them. "They're really customers! Wonderful! I haven't made a sale in three days! Please, look around! Everything is on sale today! Even if you don't buy anything, just looking is fine! Please don't leave!"Looking at this beautiful shopkeeper who was nearly moved to tears, Haru and Kazuma exchanged a glance.This was the legendary Lich Wiz?No matter how they looked at her, she seemed like an easy target to push around."Ahem, shopkeeper." Haru stepped forward, picking up a smoking bottle from the counter with a professional air. "We're new Adventurers looking for something practical. Do you have anything that... can make someone rich overnight, or at least something that can be sold for a good price?"Wiz paused, then showed a troubled expression. "Um... I don't have anything that can make you rich, but this Misfortune Potion will make you unlucky for an entire day if you drink it. Maybe it could provide some reverse motivation...""Who would buy something like that!" Kazumacouldn't help but retort."Then... how about this Talking Soil? If you water it, it will keep complimenting you on how handsome you are...""That's just ordinary mud! And it's disgusting!"It seemed that trying to get money out of this useless shopkeeper was going to be much harder than expected.Still, since they were here, they couldn't leave empty-handed.Haru's gaze swept across the shop, finally landing on a dusty scroll tossed carelessly into a corner.That scroll emitted a faint but pure ripple of magic, completely different from the surrounding junk filled with cursed energy."Shopkeeper, how much for this table rag?"Haru pinched the dusty scroll with two fingers in disgust, looking at Wiz with an expression like he was there to collect trash."T-That's not a table rag!" Wiz waved her hands frantically, trying to defend her product's dignity. "That's... that's... an unknown high-level magic scroll! Although I can't quite read the script on it, it's definitely something powerful! Probably!""Probably?" Kazuma added from the side. "Isn't this just scrap paper? Are you expecting us to buy it to use as toilet paper? The paper looks pretty stiff; it'd probably scratch our butts.""Ugh..." Wiz was left speechless by the criticism, her already pale face turning even whiter. "B-But this was a bonus item from a shipment... no, it's a rare item! It should be at least... 1,000 eris!""100 eris." Haru quoted a price that wouldn't even buy a loaf of bread, his face expressionless."That's too low! That doesn't even cover the cost! Even if it was a bonus, there were still shipping costs!" Wiz's eyes welled with tears as she pressed her hands together. "Please, kind Adventurers! At least... at least let me earn enough for tonight's dinner! 500! How about 500 eris?"Haru looked at this former Demon Kings Army General who had no dignity left for the sake of a few hundred eris, sighed, and counted out three coins from his pocket, slapping them onto the counter."300 eris. Take it or leave it, or we're going next door for skewers.""Deal! Thank you for your patronage! Please come again!" Wiz snatched the 300 eris with incredible speed, stuffing the scroll into Haru's arms as if afraid he'd change his mind, a blissful smile appearing on her face. "Wonderful... I can finally have udon with an egg tonight..."Walking out of the shop, Kazuma looked at the tattered scroll in Haru's hand with suspicion. "Hey, Haru, is this thing really useful? We spent 300 erison it! That was part of our Succubus Shop fund!""Intuition." Haru smiled mysteriously. "Let's go. We'll study it back at the inn."...Back in their room at the inn.As soon as they pushed open the door, they saw Aqua lying spread-eagled on the floor (because it was too hot on the bed), surrounded by several empty snack bags."Ah! You're finally back!" Seeing Haru and Kazuma, Aqua sprang up like a fish and rushed over, holding out her hand. "Where's my wine? Where are my high-end snacks? You two heartless guys left a Goddess alone in the room while you went out to have a good time, didn't you? I can smell it! You have... hm? What's this smell? Musty paper?"She leaned in close to Haru, staring at the scroll in his hand with disgust. "What's this? You were out for half the day and all you brought back was this trash? This thing would give off too much smoke even if you used it to start a fire!""Shut up, this is a treasure."Haru sat on the edge of the bed and unfurled the scroll by the lamplight.However, to Haru's disappointment, the scroll was completely blank, save for some blurry stains that looked like a child's random scribbles that had been partially erased."Ha! You really were scammed!" Aqua pointed at the scroll and laughed loudly. "This is hilarious, there's actually someone stupider than me... Ow!"Laughing too hard, Aqua accidentally knocked over the water cup on the nightstand.It was the cup she had been using to drink from, filled with the Goddess Holy Water she had created with her divine power.*Splash—*The entire cup of water landed perfectly on the unfurled scroll."Ah! You useless Goddess!" Kazuma cried out in agony. "We spent 300 eris on that! Even if it might be junk, you can't just waste it like that!""I-I didn't do it on purpose!" Aqua frantically tried to wipe it with her sleeve. "Besides, it was trash to begin with! So what if it's wet...""Wait!"Haru grabbed Aqua's wrist, stopping her.The previously blank scroll, after absorbing Aqua's holy water, actually began to emit a faint golden glow.The blurry stains began to move and reorganize, gradually forming a clear pattern."This is..." Kazuma leaned in, his eyes widening. "A map? And this mark... is it a treasure chest?!"What appeared on the scroll was indeed a topographical map of the area surrounding Axel.Deep in a forest not far from the town was a prominent red 'X' mark, with a line of text written beside it in ancient script."This is the Script of the Age of Gods..." Aquablinked, suddenly becoming serious (though only for a moment). "It says... 'Dedicated to my dearest friend, a legacy hidden within the mist.' Wow! It really is a treasure map! And looking at this magical reaction, it only reveals itself when in contact with high-purity holy water!""High-purity holy water..." Haru looked at Aqua, then at the spilled cup of water.So this useless Goddess's constitution actually had a use like this?"Treasure! Legacy!" Kazuma's eyes instantly turned into two giant yen symbols. He hugged the damp scroll as if he were holding the entire world. "We're rich! We're going to be rich! This is definitely one of those massive fortunes left behind by predecessors!""Hmph! This is all thanks to this Goddess's holy water!" Aqua immediately put her hands on her hips, taking all the credit. "How about that? Now you know how amazing I am, right? I want a fifty percent cut! No, sixty percent!"Haru looked at his two teammates, who were lost in ecstasy, and a smile played at the corners of his mouth.Trading 300 eris for a treasure map—this deal was a massive win.However, if it was 'hidden within the mist,' it probably wouldn't be that easy to get."Don't celebrate too early." Haru calmly poured cold water on them (though he was feeling pretty good himself). "These kinds of treasure sites usually have guardian monsters or traps. With our current equipment and levels, the probability of us just going there to die is quite high."