Chapter 92: Post-Battle LootingThe sky seemed to be torn apart in that instant.Megumin held her staff high, her already crimson-bright pupils seeming to burn, and she unleashed the final incantation, staking the dignity of the Crimson Demon Clan:"Darker than black, darker than Darkness, combine with the crimson! The moment of awakening has arrived, the laws that fall into the realm of absurdity, manifest as formless distortion! [Explosion]!!!"Meanwhile, Wiz, standing beside her, set aside her usual timidity.Her deep magic surged through the air; though she lacked Megumin's chuunibyou-esque lines, the intense cold and destructive intent belonging to a "Lich" were second to none:"With this strike, calm everything... [Explosion]!!!"Two crimson beams of light, capable of destroying the map, converged on the horizon, instantly swallowing the charging Mobile Fortress Destroyercompletely."BOOM!!!!!!!!!!"The deafening explosion made the earth tremble; a massive mushroom cloud rose into the sky, and the violent shockwave kicked up dust that filled the air, knocking even the guards on the walls of Axel off balance.Amidst that destructive white light, the masterpiece of ancient civilization let out one final wail of shattering metal, then transformed into countless flying pieces and a rain of fire.The battle was over.Having released their magic, the two of them lost their support almost simultaneously, falling backward like puppets with cut strings.Although Haru's legs were weak from being drained, his survival instinct and a certain male instinct allowed him to squeeze out one last bit of strength, taking a sudden step forward to catch the warm, fragrant, and soft shopkeeper in his arms just as she was about to fall."Well done, Wiz. You saved the town, and you also saved your unsellable junk."Haru panted heavily, feeling Wiz's cold but exceptionally soft body in his arms, and couldn't help but tease her."Wuu... Mr. Lin Jin... That's great..."Wiz's face turned crimson. Although her magic was exhausted, she still revealed a beautiful smile of relief, then shyly buried her head in Haru's chest.Meanwhile, on the other side—"Oh, oh, oh! It blew up! It really blew up! We're rich, we're rich! That's ancient metal! Just picking up one piece would be enough for a year's worth of booze money, right!"Kazuma was staring at the scattered wreckage in the distance with glowing eyes, his mind filled with thoughts of getting rich, completely forgetting that behind him was a companion who had just risked her life for him."Thud."It was the crisp sound of flesh making intimate contact with the grass.Megumin maintained her magic-casting pose, her entire body face-down in the dirt in a "spread-eagle" position, even sliding forward a few centimeters due to inertia, her two slender legs twitching weakly in the air."Heh, hehe... Explosion Magic... is the best..."Megumin's muffled rambling came from the dirt."Hey! Kazuma, where are you looking! Megumin has flattened into a pancake!"Holding Wiz, Haru couldn't help but retort at this money-grubbing teammate."Eh? Ah! Megumin! Sorry, sorry, I was just calculating the depreciation rate of that pile of scrap metal..."Kazuma finally reacted and scrambled to pull Megumin up, but he slipped and ended up sitting right on her back, causing the Crimson Demon Clangirl to let out another miserable muffled groan."Wuuuaaaaaah! My magic! My divine power! My silky-smooth mana pool is completely empty!"Aqua sat slumped to the side, wailing like a brat who had her toy stolen."Haru! Kazuma! You two vampires! Scumbags! Trash! Hurry up and compensate for my mana! Hurry up and buy me the most expensive red wine to make up for it!!"Meanwhile, on the grass in the distance, Darknesswas being rolled around by the shockwave of the explosion while letting out creepy, sultry gasps: "Ah... this is the feeling... to be completely ignored by my companions amidst the light of destruction... to be ruthlessly ravaged by the shockwave... Haru, you really understand me... hu... hu..."Watching this chaotic group of heroes, Haru sighed helplessly.Although the town was saved, he couldn't help but feel that the trouble to come (like that teleported nuke core) might be even more headache-inducing than the Destroyer itself.Before the smoke had even cleared, the Adventurers of Axel, like a pack of jackals smelling meat, let out shouts ten times louder than during the battle, brandishing all sorts of strange tools as they charged toward the wreckage of the Destroyer."Oh, oh, oh! That's mithril alloy! Mine! That's mine!""Don't grab that gear! I saw it first! You bastard, take this club to the head!"The once solemn battlefield instantly turned into a chaotic vegetable market sale.Holding the still limp Wiz in his arms, Haru watched these people who would risk their lives for money, his eye twitching.That guy Kazuma had long since vanished; he was probably mixed into the crowd using [Lurk] and [Steal] to make a fortune."Wa, wait for me! You greedy mortals! How dare you loot the spoils in front of a goddess!"Aqua, who had been wailing about her drained mana, instantly revived to full health the moment she saw the eris flying everywhere.She lifted her soaked feather robe and dove headfirst into the pile of ruins like an agile white goose."Move! Move! The most valuable treasure must belong to me, the beautiful and wise Lady Aqua! Heave! Ho!"Haru looked at Aqua's rear sticking up in the air and shook his head helplessly.About half an hour later, the frantic looting frenzy finally neared its end.Kazuma walked back looking disgruntled, holding a few oil-stained precision bearings in his arms, muttering curses: "Damn it, are those guys locusts? They didn't even leave me a single screw! Haru, if you had helped me stop them just now, we could have at least traded for a set of top-tier gear!"Just then, Aqua ran back, her face covered in mud, her hair as messy as a bird's nest, wearing an expression of baffling confidence that said, "I've done a great service.""Hu... hu... Look! Haru! Kazuma! You shortsighted mortals!"Aqua put her hands on her hips and laughed arrogantly at the sky."Although that scrap metal was all snatched up, I found this! This is the core, the most mysterious, the ultimate treasure that best embodies the wisdom of ancient civilization!!"Haru and Kazuma exchanged a look and leaned in.They saw that what Aqua was carefully pulling from her bosom... was a tattered notebook with a yellowed cover, even stained with some unknown coffee residue."A diary?"Haru raised an eyebrow."Huh? You only brought back this?!"Kazuma completely broke down. He snatched the diary and flipped through two pages, his face instantly turning darker than the bottom of a pot."'Day 1: Because the government won't provide funding, I can only use the remaining budget to buy pork cutlet bowls...' 'Day 10: The air conditioner in the core room is broken, I want to die...' 'Day 30: I finally finished writing the automatic walking program, so I can eat pork cutlet bowls while taking a walk...' — Hey!! This is just a record of the loser life of a shut-in researcher!! Where's the valuable stuff?! Where are the blueprints for the ancient magic circles?! Where's the extraction method for the corona ore?!""Eh? But, but this looks very historical!"Aqua froze, her formerly smug expression collapsing, and her eyes began to turn red rapidly."I clearly saw it placed in that most ornate box... Wuu... In order to grab this thing, I was even stepped on several times by that bearded warrior... Wuuuaaaaaah! Haru! Kazuma! Those people stole my red wine! Stole my big house!!""That's why I'm asking, what else are you good for besides causing trouble, you idiot goddess!!"Kazuma slammed the diary onto the ground, stomping his feet in anger.Wiz had recovered a bit of strength by now, stood up from Haru's arms, and picked up the diary somewhat awkwardly:"Um... although it has no monetary value, if we hand it over to the Kingdom's Archaeological Association, perhaps we could exchange it for a few honorary medals or something...""Can honorary medals be exchanged for pork cutlet bowls?!" Kazuma roared.Haru looked toward the city wall in the distance, where he could already see the lord's guards rushing over with murderous intent, and from the direction of the mushroom cloud, a shrill roar seemed to be faintly audible."Alright, stop arguing."Haru clapped his hands calmly, a flash of determination in his eyes."While no one has connected the explosion to us yet, let's run! Aqua, stop crying, wipe your face clean. We need to sneak into the tavern as nameless heroes who saved the town without asking for any reward. That way, in case the lord investigates the matter of the manor being blown up, we'll have an alibi!"
Chapter 93: CelebrationWalking along the tree-lined avenue leading to the gates of Axel, the smell of smoke from our narrow escape was gradually replaced by the scent of fresh grass from the fields.Although we had just barely avoided becoming sacrifices for an ancient civilization, and although Aqua had only brought back a useless diary recording a pork cutlet rice bowl recipe, the atmosphere of Lin Jins Party was unexpectedly filled with a cheerful air of being "nouveau riche in training.""Hehehe, did you hear that? The way those guards looked at us when we entered the city gates just now!" Aqua had completely forgotten her earlier disheveled state. She puffed out her chest, and despite being covered in mud stains, that arrogant air of a goddess (self-proclaimed) had returned. "That was definitely the look of someone gazing upon a savior! When we get to the Adventurers Guild later, there will surely be countless believers kneeling on the ground begging for my blessing, and then offering endless top-tier red wine and expensive snacks! This is the treatment a goddess deserves!""Oh... is it finally over? That life of killing Giant Toads every day for a few hundred eris..." Kazuma, carrying Megumin on his back, looked into the distance with glazed eyes, a suspicious drop of moisture hanging from the corner of his mouth. "As the hero who saved the entire town, the King should at least reward me with tens of millions... no, hundreds of millions of eris, right? When that happens, I'll buy the biggest mansion in the city, hire a dozen pretty maids, and live a life of leisure—being waited on hand and foot, occasionally traveling the world... Ah, this is the pinnacle of life.""My name is the hero, the terminator of the Destroyer..." Megumin lay on Kazuma's back; although her body was still like a puddle of mud, she kept muttering her new self-introduction. "From today on, the whole world will know that Explosion Magic is the strongest magic. Those who called me a 'girl with a screw loose' will all kneel before my art, trembling as they offer their praise!"Haru walked at the front of the group, listening to the increasingly outrageous fantasies of the guys behind him, and couldn't help but start calculating his own prospects in his mind.Although the direction the core was teleported to seemed a bit delicate, since the battle was won, his status as captain would surely rise accordingly.Perhaps in the future in Axel, as long as he gave the name "Haru," he could even get a fifty percent discount on a steamed bun?"Um, Mr. Lin Jin..." Wiz followed closely beside Haru, looking somewhat uneasy, her fingers twisting the hem of her robe. "If there really is a generous bounty, could I... could I possibly get a tiny share to pay this month's rent and restocking costs? If I don't clear out the backlog of items in the shop, Mr. Vanirmight turn me into roast suckling pig...""Don't worry, Wiz, you were the key player this time." You waved your hand generously, striking a pose that said "I'm loaded." "Once the bounty is in hand, I'll buy your shop... no, wait, I mean I'll clear your debts! We are a heroic party, after all!""A hero... is it?" Darkness, who had been silent all this time, suddenly let out a low moan. Her face, flushed with excitement, looked particularly eerie in the sunset. "As heroes who saved the town, we will surely be targeted by nobles jealous of us, then taken to a dark, damp interrogation room, and subjected to various unreasonable accusations and mental torture...'Speak! Where have you hidden the core of the Destroyer!' 'Confess your relationship with the Demon Kings Army!'...Ugh... This ending for a hero, being questioned by the whole city and forced to suffer in prison... it's, it's just wonderful...""Hey! Don't say such ominous things at a time like this! You perverted Crusader!" Kazuma retorted loudly, using this to cover up the slight chill rising deep in his heart regarding the teleported core.With that, Haru and his party pushed open the doors of the Adventurers Guild with their heads held high."Creeeeak—"The noisy sounds inside the guild instantly quieted down, and all the Adventurers turned their heads to look at the group at the entrance."Yo! Everyone! The heroes have returned in triumph!"Aqua spread her arms, preparing to welcome the overwhelming cheers.Following Aqua's confident (and extremely annoying) announcement, inside the guild hall, where they expected judgment or silence, they were instead hit by a wave of heat strong enough to blow the roof off.It wasn't the fire of anger, but the boiling air intertwined with alcohol, sweat, and a certain "nouveau riche fervor"!"Ohhhhhh!! It's Haru! And that Crimson Demon Clanbrat who sets off fireworks! The heroes are back!!"Someone shouted, and the Adventurers who had been sitting around the tables frantically dividing loot stood up in unison.Haru was stunned to find that the guild tables were no longer covered with cheap appetizers, but with various precision parts shimmering with metallic luster, glowing magic-conducting tubes, and even several pieces of polished mithril alloy plates!"Haru! You guys did a great job!" Dust was standing heroically on a bench, his left arm wrapped around two bar hostesses he'd picked up from somewhere, and his right hand holding high a large mug of top-tier dark beer. "Thanks to you guys dismantling that big hunk of iron! I just found an ancient drive shaft in that pile of scrap, and sold it to the merchants for three hundred thousand eris! Hahaha! Waiter! Give these heroes who saved the town an extra-large serving of Frost Spirit roast meat each! Put it on my tab!!""Oh!! Long live Lord Dust! Long live Lin Jins Party!!" The Adventurers in the guild cheered, the sound of clinking glasses rising one after another.Seeing this scene of city-wide celebration, Aqua's previously stiff face instantly blossomed like a flower. Her large eyes shimmered with tears of "greatly satisfied vanity":"Hehehe, see that? This is what we call the will of the people! Kazuma, Haru, look! I told you I was a beloved goddess! That blond punk is actually treating everyone; this is definitely a miracle!""Three hundred thousand... just one drive shaft is three hundred thousand..." Kazuma wasn't as optimistic as Aqua. He stared blankly at the thick stack of bills in Dust's hand, then turned to look at the tattered pork cutlet diary in Aqua's arms, falling into a state of extreme depression. "Haru... did we just... miss out on millions in get-rich-quick opportunities while we were busy saving the world in the core room? Why are these scavengers getting rich, while we heroes who risked our lives have pockets cleaner than our faces?!""M-my name is Megumin... as the primary contributor who ended the Destroyer, bring me three servings of roast meat! No, five! I need to eat back all my mana!"Although Megumin was still slumped in her chair, she had already started ordering the tavern waiter around, clearly completely immersed in the vanity of being the strongest mage.Haru looked at this group of people who had been intoxicated by money and alcohol, then looked at the few Lord's guards in the corner of the guild who were trying hard to push through the celebrating crowd, only to be dragged by drunkards and forced to drink. He found it amusing.It seems that as long as everyone is happy enough, even a summons from the Lord can be treated as a napkin."Mr. Lin Jin, everyone seems so happy." Wiz sat beside Haru, holding the juice that Dust had treated her to, a gentle blush on her face. "Although I really wanted to go and pick up some parts, it's just great to see everyone return safely and that Axel is fine. Do you think... the King will really give us a lot of prize money? If there's five hundred thousand, I can pay off the final payment for that batch of 'Slimedolls that scream automatically'...""Five hundred thousand? Wiz, your dreams are too small." Haru patted Wiz on the shoulder, reached out to take the roast meat delivered by the waiter, took a big bite, and said indistinctly, "We are heroes who saved the country! We need to add at least a bunch of zeros to the prize money! When that happens, we'll buy land in the capital, have Aqua be the goddess of the state religion, have Kazuma be the Minister of Finance, and you can open a 'Humanity-Wide Useless Magic Item Shop,' and I'll be the boss behind the scenes, hahahaha!""Oh! That's my captain! I just love that shameless confidence of yours!" Kazuma was also infected by the atmosphere, raised his glass, and shouted, "To our future as billionaires! Cheers!!"
Chapter 94: Misfortune Follows JoyOver the next few days, the mansion in Axel was filled with an atmosphere of extreme decadence.Thanks to their reputation as saviors, Haru and his group were already racking up tabs all over town with their "Adventurer card that saved the town" before even receiving their official reward.The mansion's hall was filled with expensive imported red wine, premium frost-beast barbecue, and even a floor-length mirror with a pure gold frame that Aqua had insisted on buying, claiming it would enhance her divine aura."Ohohoho! Haru, look at this mirror! Only this shining gold can bring out the nobility of a savior goddess like me!"Aqua, wearing a brand-new silk robe and swirling a bottle of top-tier red wine worth fifty thousand eris, struck various poses she thought were holy in front of the mirror. "Once the reward is issued, I'm going to pave the entire mansion's floor with these gold bricks! Then I can slide on the gold bricks every day—that's the life a god should have!""Your ambitions really stop there, don't they."Kazuma slumped on the expensive leather sofa, holding a copy of Guide to Noble Ladies of the Royal Capital in his arms, a lecherous grin on his face. "I've already set my sights on a three-story villa in the center of the Royal Capital's commercial district.Haru, we'll each take a floor, and we can hire twenty cat-eared maids for the remaining floor to take turns waking us up every morning.Adventure, the Demon Kings Army—whoever wants to do that exhausting work can go ahead!""My name is Megumin! I am the strongest mage who ended the Mobile Fortress Destroyer!"Megumin stood on the table, re-wrapping her perfectly healthy left eye with bandages, her tone filled with chuunibyou madness. "Haru, do you think the country will establish a special Explosion MagicDay just for me?On that day, everyone in the city will shout 'Explosion' at noon, and then I will personally set off the biggest firework outside the city as the grand finale of the celebration!"Haru sat in the main seat, slicing a piece of succulent, juicy roasted meat. Listening to this group's increasingly outrageous boasting, he felt completely at ease.Although the image of that glowing red corona orecore, which had been teleported who-knows-where, occasionally flashed through his mind, he quickly suppressed it with the logic: "I didn't see an explosion, so it didn't explode.""That's right, everyone is a hero!"Haru raised his glass, beaming with joy as he chimed in. "Wiz, stop crunching those numbers and come have a drink! That bit of inventory cost is nothing compared to the billions in reward money coming our way!Once we become national heroes, even if the Demon King shows up in person, he'll have to offer us a cigarette first!"Just then, Darkness, who had been sitting to the side with vacant eyes and a flushed face, suddenly spoke up: "Hey, Haru... don't you think the peace these past few days feels a bit too much like the calm before the storm?The fluctuation from that massive energy core the moment it vanished was targeted at the place where the power in Axel is most concentrated... Ugh... The sheer contrast of enjoying a few days of luxury only to have an armed Knights Order burst in, restrain us, and publicly announce the confiscation of our assets and our execution... Ah... just thinking about it, I'm about to...""Shut up! You perverted harbinger of doom!"Aqua and Kazuma roared in unison.Before the sound of Darkness's perverted moaning had even faded, the two mahogany doors of the mansion, inlaid with ostentatious gold trim, were kicked open with a bang from the outside.Sunlight spilled through the gap into the dim hall, illuminating a row of uniform silver armor that glinted with a cold, sharp light.Leading them was a woman with sharp, short hair and eyes as piercing as ice blades. She wore the crisp uniform of a Kingdom Prosecutor, and the badge on her chest stung the eyes under the light."Oh? You've arrived? You're pretty quick!"Haru leaned back in his main seat, still holding the half-eaten premium frost-beast bone. He intentionally lowered his voice, adopting the pose of a reclusive master who hides his achievements. "No need for formalities. Although we did indeed save Axel, that is merely the duty of an Adventurer.As for the bounty, just have it brought to the backyard warehouse. Remember to split it according to the ratio we discussed earlier."Kazuma was even worse. He somehow produced a folding fan from nowhere, fanning himself lazily, and looked at the female prosecutor with a sidelong glance:"Ahem, Miss Messenger, go back and tell His Majesty the King that we aren't interested in medals or anything like that. As long as the eris is sufficient, we will step forward again next time the Demon Kings Army comes.By the way, were there any weird copper coins mixed into that chest of gold bars?"Aqua was grinning from ear to ear, pointing at the pure gold-framed mirror and shouting:"Look! I told you my divine light shines upon the earth! Even the messenger from the Royal Capital couldn't wait to come and behold my true form!Hey, short-hair, did you bring any offerings? If you don't have the top-tier sparkling wine, I won't easily bestow my blessing upon you!"The hall was filled with a cheerful atmosphere, except for the group of expressionless elite knights whose hands were already on their sword hilts, and the woman who was staring at them as if they were trash."I am Kingdom Prosecutor, Sena."The short-haired woman stepped forward expressionlessly, the parchment scroll in her hand making a teeth-grinding sound. Her cold voice echoed through the hall. "Adventurer Haru, Satou Kazuma.I am sorry to interrupt your delusions, but I am not here today to deliver any bounty."The meat bone in Haru's mouth suddenly froze, and an ominous premonition shot from the soles of his feet straight to his skull."According to the Kingdom's Emergency Act and the written accusation letter from Lord Aldap."Sena yanked the scroll open; it was so long it nearly dragged on the floor, covered densely with red seals. "Because you are suspected of malicious manipulation of the teleportation device during the subjugation of the Mobile Fortress Destroyer, causing an energy core with destructive power to precisely strike the Lords Mansion, resulting in the total destruction of the mansion, the warehouse, and three auxiliary buildings... The current charge is—[Treason against the State].""Pfft!!!"The red wine Kazuma had just sipped sprayed directly onto Megumin's face opposite him."Eh? Treason... against the State?"Aqua tilted her head, putting down her wine glass with a blank expression. "What is that? It sounds even more impressive than'Savior Goddess'... Wait! Where is my bounty?! Where is my red wine?!""Knights Order, move."Sena ignored Aqua's ramblings entirely and waved her hand to issue the order. "Arrest the suspects Haru and Satou Kazuma on the spot and take them to the Lords Mansion dungeon for interrogation! As for the others, if anyone dares to resist, they will be treated as accomplices!""Clang—!"Dozens of longswords were unsheathed simultaneously, and the mansion, which had been filled with the aroma of wine and meat, instantly turned into a grim execution ground."Wait, wait a second! This is a misunderstanding! That was force majeure!"Kazuma slid off the sofa, scrambling and crawling to hide behind Haru. "Haru! Think of something! Didn't you say that if you didn't see an explosion, it didn't explode?! Now the victim is knocking on our door!"Haru looked at the knights approaching step by step, then at Darkness, who had started to flush with excitement at the words "interrogation" and "dungeon," even proactively extending her wrists to wait for handcuffs, and felt a sharp pain in his brain
Chapter 95: Oh, Comrades"Wait a second! Prosecutor Sena! This is absolutely a false accusation!" Haru stood up abruptly, pressing his hands against the table. His brain raced as he summoned the greatest sophistry skills of his life. "The teleportation coordinates for that core were completely random! We were out of magic at the time, how could we possibly manage precision-guided bombing of the Lords Mansion? This was entirely a mechanical failure caused by the lack of maintenance on the ancient civilization's mobile fortress! We were forced to relocate it to protect the hundreds of thousands of citizens of Axel. This is called emergency necessity!""Yes, yes, exactly!" Kazuma nodded frantically like he was clutching at a life-saving straw, even squeezing out a few tears. "We don't even know which way the gates of the Lords Mansion face! Miss Prosecutor, just think about it. If we wanted to overthrow the country, why wouldn't we just teleport the bomb directly to the Royal Capital? The Lords Mansion just had bad luck and hit the jackpot of destruction; we are victims too!"Sena sneered, her eyes looking at them as if they were two dying Slimes. "Random? With so much wilderness on the outskirts of Axel, it just happened to cross more than half the town and land with extreme precision directly on top of the Lord's highly guarded private underground vault? Do you take the Kingdom's Magic Investigation Team for blind fools? Take them away!"Several tall and burly knights immediately stepped forward, pulling out heavy shackles that shimmered with anti-magic light.Just at this critical moment, Darkness suddenly rushed up, face flushed, and grabbed onto a knight's leg. "Please wait! Prosecutor! Actually... actually, this was all planned by me! It was my unspeakable sadistic desire toward the Lord's fat body and greedy personality that led me to order them to throw the bomb! Come on, don't just arrest them, arrest me too! Bind me with the thickest iron chains, take me back to a dark and damp dungeon, and interrogate me severely! Hah... hah..."Sena and the knight both gasped, and like they were looking at a highly dangerous source of contagion, they retreated two steps."That's right! What's a mere Lords Mansion!" Megumin also jumped onto the table, raising her staff high. Her red eyes flashed with a dangerous, fierce light. "I am Megumin! If we wanted to overthrow the country, how could we possibly use just that kind of junk bomb we picked up? I would absolutely walk to the gate of the Royal Capital myself and use my strongest Explosion Magic to blast the entire country into flat ground! So this is definitely not overthrowing the country; at best, it was just a small mistake before my ultimate magic exercise!"Sena's complexion had turned from livid to pale, and the hand holding her sword began to tremble: What kind of terrorist group is this?!"Exactly! Are you being reasonable at all!" Aquahugged the floor-length mirror with a pure gold frame tightly, shouting in exasperation. "Haru and the others are heroes who saved the town! Even if the Lords Mansion was blown up, the Lord is so rich, wouldn't it be fine to just build another one! You can't arrest them. If you arrest them, who will pay off the loan for this mirror and that premium red wine for me! I bought these on credit using my hero's privilege! If you dare touch my property, I will bring down divine punishment and turn you all into frogs!""Enough!!!" Sena could finally take no more.She abruptly drew the longsword at her waist. With a "clang," the tip of the sword pointed directly at this group of problem children, and a pressure belonging to a high-level professional instantly swept across the room."A perverted noble with serious masochistic tendencies! A terrorist threatening to blow up the Royal Capital! And a madman suspected of massive fraud!" Sena roared through gritted teeth, the veins on her forehead throbbing. "Listen well! If you dare take one more step forward, or make any more dangerous remarks, I will arrest you all on charges of conspiracy to overthrow the country! I will confiscate all your personal property and lock you in the underground water dungeon that leaks year-round, is infested with rats, and only serves moldy black bread every day!!!""..." The air in the hall froze for an entire second."Whoosh—" The next second, Aqua, Megumin, and even Darkness, who still had "I really want to go to the water dungeon" written all over her face, all three of them took a synchronized, standard, and smooth step backward.Aqua hid the gold mirror behind her back, started whistling off-key, and looked up to study the patterns of the chandelier on the ceiling with intense focus.Megumin jumped down from the table, took out a rag, and began to wipe her staff with extreme seriousness, as if she hadn't heard a word of what was said just now.Although Darkness was still struggling and wanting to pounce forward, she was held firmly by Aqua, who covered her mouth, and she could only make desperate "woo woo" sounds.The expressions on the three people's faces were surprisingly consistent: We are just passersby, and we are completely unfamiliar with these two criminals.Haru and Kazuma reached a resonance in the depths of their souls at this moment.It was a tacit understanding unique to sadistic Adventurers, known as "If we're going down, we're all going down together."The two exchanged a glance. There was no sorrow in their eyes, only identical deviousness."Wait a second! Lady Sena!" Haru pointed abruptly at the three people hiding in the back and playing dead, his voice as loud as if he were proclaiming justice. "Since it is a crime of overthrowing the country, it must be a group operation! The magic was provided by Aqua, Megumin provided the aiming advice, and Darkness was responsible for supervision! We two were just the manual laborers responsible for moving the core! If you're going to make arrests, not a single person in this room can escape!""That's right! Especially that blue-haired one!" Kazuma assisted frantically from the side, pointing at Aqua and screaming, "She was shouting 'Let this core go where it belongs' at the time! Isn't the Lords Mansion where it belongs? This was definitely her idea! She is the mastermind! She is the leader of the terrorist organization!"Sena's gaze shifted suspiciously toward the three figures who were desperately trying to shrink themselves."Waaaah! What are you talking about!" Seeing that the gold mirror and red wine were not going to be saved, Aqua immediately channeled her inner actress, and tears gushed out like a fountain. She clutched her chest, looking heartbroken. "Lady Sena, don't listen to their slander! I was crying and begging, even kneeling down to plead with Harunot to teleport that dangerous thing to the Lords Mansion! I said that the beloved Lord lives there and we must absolutely not offend him, but Haru... he showed a sadistic smile and said he wanted to blow the place flat! I am just a poor, weak woman who was coerced by them and could only provide a tiny bit of magic!""You lying, useless goddess!!!" Kazuma was so angry he almost broke free from the knights' Bind and rushed over to strangle her."I, I am the same..." Megumin hugged her staff, her eyes darting away, her tone so weak it sounded like she could stop breathing at any moment. "Because I had finished casting Explosion Magic, my mind was blank... I vaguely remember trying to advise them, saying that art should be pure and cannot be used for political sabotage, but they found me annoying and just knocked me unconscious... Yes, I am a victim of violent suppression.""Mmph... Mmph!" Darkness was held by Aqua, covering her mouth. After finally breaking free, although her face still bore that suspicious flush, in order to protect her family's reputation, she also spoke with difficulty. "I... I really wanted to stop them at the time. I even offered to use my body to block the teleportation beam, but they refused... Failing to stop them in time is indeed my dereliction of duty as a knight. Please, by all means... by all means, when you judge them, take the opportunity to give me a harsh verbal reprimand!"Haru and Kazuma listened, dumbfounded.This textbook-level display of scapegoating simply refreshed the two's lower limit of understanding for the word "comrade.""Enough!!!" Sena let out a roar loud enough to shatter glass. Looking at this group of people biting each other and having no bottom line, she felt her career had suffered an unprecedented insult. "You bunch of guys... you are simply a disgrace to Adventurers! No matter how you try to argue, the Lord has specifically ordered the arrest of Haru and Satou Kazuma! As for the others... since you claim you tried to stop them, stay in the mansion to reflect and await summons at any time! If you dare to run, you will be wanted throughout the city!"Sena waved her hand abruptly. "Take them away! Lock these two guys with heads full of bad water into the deepest dungeon! I want to interrogate them myself!""Haru! Kazuma! Go with peace of mind!" Aquawaved a little handkerchief from behind, a radiant smile of surviving a disaster on her face. "I will be in this mansion, drinking the remaining red wine while praying for you! Good luck, try to hold on for a few more days in jail!""Aqua!! Even as a ghost, I won't let you off!!" Kazuma's scream echoed in the corridor, and then it was completely cut off by the sound of heavy iron doors.The two were carried by two knights and dragged toward the dark and damp Lords Mansion dungeon.
Chapter 96: All According to PlanIn the dark and damp dungeon, only the sound of water droplets seeping from the cracks in the wall echoed.Haru and Kazuma sat back-to-back on a pile of moldy hay, their eyes filled with such resentment that it seemed capable of solidifying into a tangible curse."Haru, I've decided." Kazuma lowered his head, shadows obscuring the upper half of his face, his voice low and raspy. "When I get out, I'm going to replace all of Lady Aqua's red wine with dish soap, and then use her Holy Water to water the weeds on the side of the road. As for Megumin, I'm going to sew her eyepatch shut so she can only ever see the art of eternal Darkness! And as for Darkness... I'll lock her in a room stuffed with green onions and not give her a single bite of meat!""Your vision is too narrow, Kazuma." Haru sneered, fiddling with a straw in his hand, a gleam of wisdom (and something more twisted) flashing in his eyes. "We should make Lady Aqua work at the guild to pay off her debts, drinking only plain water every day; tie up Megumin so she can't use Explosion Magic for a week. As for Darkness... we'll praise Chris as a gentle and reliable knight right in front of her every day, completely ignoring all her requests. That would be the ultimate torture for her."Just as the two avengers were immersed in their wonderful fantasies, the sound of heavy footsteps and chains dragging on the floor echoed from the end of the corridor."Behave yourself! Get in! What a shameless fellow!" The guard's disgusted reprimand rang out.The iron door creaked open, and a familiar blond figure was shoved in roughly, stumbling forward and falling directly onto the pile of hay in front of the two."Yo! Isn't this Haru and Kazuma? What a coincidence, are you guys here to escape the heat too?"Dust patted the Dust off his body and stood up as if nothing had happened, even flashing a bright, conspiratorial smile at the two.Haru and Kazuma looked at each other and asked in unison: "Dust? How did you get in here? Did you commit treason too?""Tsk tsk, I can't afford to play with that high-end treason stuff." Dust plopped down next to them and sighed with a look of bad luck. "Don't get me started! Didn't I say I was treating everyone at the guild the other day? As it turns out, those bastard Adventurers usually hem and haw over buying cheap ale, but the moment they heard I was paying, they all ordered the most expensive dark beer and Frost Spirit roasted meat! Some even ordered a whole baby fire-breathing dragon! That 300,000 eris I earned from scavenging didn't even last half an hour before it was all gone!""So you were arrested for debt?" Kazuma raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with a hint of sympathy."How is that possible! I'm an Adventurer with dignity; how could I let the guards arrest me for something like debt?" Dust lowered his voice and leaned in mysteriously. "The guy collecting debts at the guild pulled out a butcher knife, and there were over a dozen thugs following behind him. When I saw the situation was bad, and just happened to see Prosecutor Sena patrolling the street with her men, I steeled myself, walked right up, and slapped her on the butt, yelling that it felt pretty good! Heh heh, and look at that—hooliganism, sentenced to fifteen days. Free food, free lodging, and safe to boot. Those debt collectors can only stare helplessly from outside the cell door now!"The air fell into a deathly silence.Haru and Kazuma stared at Dust with the kind of look one might reserve for a god or a pure pervert."You... you actually touched that ice-faced Sena's butt?" Kazuma's voice was trembling, unsure if it was out of fear or admiration. "Brother, I salute you as a real man. When she was interrogating us just now, her eyes looked like she wanted to castrate us, and you actually dared to...""Ah, special circumstances call for special measures." Dust leaned back against the wall carelessly. "What about you guys? I heard you leveled the Lords Mansion? The Lord is searching the whole world for you right now, saying tomorrow's trial will involve the bell of truth from the capital. As long as you lie, that bell will ring, and then your crimes will be compounded, and you'll be sent straight to the gallows.""The bell of truth?!"Haru and Kazuma exclaimed in unison.This was big trouble.That bell was a magical item specifically designed to detect lies.If they were asked if they were the ones who teleported to the Lords Mansion, and they answered no, the bell would ring, and they would be completely finished.Just at this gloomy moment, a voice from the narrow ventilation shaft leading to the surface above the dungeon suddenly came through, sounding extremely deliberate and muffled, as if the person had a severe cold:"Shh! Shh!! Haru! Kazuma! Can you hear me? It's me, your most reliable goddess, Lady Aqua!"Haru and Kazuma exchanged a look and climbed up from the hay pile simultaneously.Behind the iron grate of the ventilation shaft, a pretty face, slightly distorted from being squeezed, was peering in, and that iconic water-blue hair looked exceptionally... brainless under the moonlight."Lady Aqua? You haven't been arrested yet?" Kazuma asked testily. "Your acting skills when you sold us out at the mansion earlier were Oscar-worthy. What are you doing here now? Watching us pick up soap?""What are you saying! That was all part of my plan! A plan, understand!" Lady Aqua stamped her feet outside in anxiety, her voice getting louder involuntarily, before she quickly covered her mouth in terror and whispered, "If I didn't distance myself first, who would come to save you? Listen up, I've already arranged it! Megumin and Darkness have already Lurked outside the city. As soon as I give the order, Megumin will fire her biggest Explosion Magic at the city gate! All the guards in the city will be drawn there, and this place will definitely be empty! You just need to pick the lock and run out during the chaos, and I'll meet you in the alley at the back door! Hurry, we're about to start our life as fugitives!"After saying that, without giving them a chance to refuse, the blue head quickly disappeared from the ventilation shaft, leaving behind only a vague, "—Wait for my signal!"The dungeon fell into a deathly silence once again.Haru, Kazuma, and Dust, who had been squatting nearby eavesdropping, sat in a triangle, exchanging extremely deep looks."Uh..." Dust broke the silence first. He pointed at the ceiling and asked with a subtle tone, "Did she just say she was going to have that Crimson Demon Clan brat set off a bomb at the city gate, and then have you two, who are suspects in a treason case, break out of prison during a nationwide lockdown?""Yeah." Kazuma replied expressionlessly, his eyes devoid of any desire for life. "And she thinks it's a perfect plan.""Haru." Kazuma turned to look at Haru, his tone unusually calm. "If I run out now, there's a high probability I'll be shot into a hedgehog by those elite knights on the spot, or reduced to ash by the aftermath of Megumin's Explosion Magic. But if I stay here, the worst that happens is tomorrow's trial will be a bit rough, right?"Haru nodded in deep agreement: "That's right. With Lady Aqua providing support on the outside, this dungeon is practically the safest place in the world. As long as we don't go out, those knights have no reason to just cut us down. As for the so-called jailbreak... heh, only a fool would follow the rhythm of that Intellectual Disabled Goddess."Dust took a deep breath of the damp dungeon air and sighed: "Truly worthy of the heroes who saved the town. I admire this courage and judgment. Honestly, I think the decision to touch the prosecutor's butt was the most rational thing I've ever done in my life."The three of them reached a silent consensus once again: the outside world is too dangerous; it's safer to stay in jail."Let's sleep." Haru lay back down on the hay pile and pulled the ragged blanket over himself. "After Megumin finishes blowing things up, the guards outside will definitely double. When that happens, we'll just say we were victims scared awake by the explosion. We might even be able to get some compensation for emotional distress.""Good night, Haru. Good night, Dust."Kazuma yawned and fell asleep immediately."Good night. I hope tomorrow's black bread comes with some jam." Dust muttered.Thus, while Lady Aqua was overjoyed, thinking she was staging a thrilling rescue drama, the three warriors she had pinned her hopes on were huddled in their cell, snoring away one after another.And shortly after, a thunderous explosion sounded from outside the city— "Explosion!!!"The ground shook violently, and Dust fell from the ceiling.Dense footsteps and the clanking of armor echoed in the dungeon corridor, with knights shouting "Enemy attack!" as they rushed toward the surface.The three of them turned over, buried their heads in the hay, and slept even more soundly.PS: The rating went up! Happy
Chapter 97: bell of truthThe morning sunlight filtered through the narrow ventilation shafts high up in the dungeon—barely wide enough for a mouse to squeeze through—stingily casting a few streaks of gray, dusty light.The heavy sound of iron boots approached from afar, shattering the peaceful snoring filling the dungeon."Get up! You bunch of... unreasonable idiots!"Sena's voice sounded incredibly hoarse; it was clear that the sudden, terrifying attack at the city gates last night had kept her awake all night.She pushed open the cell door. Her usually crisp prosecutor's uniform was wrinkled, and the dark circles under her eyes were so heavy they looked like she had been punched twice.Haru rubbed his sleepy eyes and sat up, casually patting Kazuma, who was still drooling.Dust, who was nearby, reacted quickly. As soon as he saw Sena's icy, pretty face, he immediately flashed a smile that he thought was dashing but was actually incredibly punchable, even going so far as to brazenly whistle:"Yo, Ms. Sena, good morning. Sleep well last night? I actually dreamt of you, especially that...""Shut up! You low-life scoundrel!"Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Sena's pale face instantly flushed red. She rolled her eyes in disgust and then, losing all composure, spat harshly at the pile of hay by Dust's feet, saying, "If you dare say another word, I will petition the judge to throw you into the sewer dungeon filled with tentacle monsters and keep you there until the next century!"Dust shrank his neck, chuckled sheepishly, and sat back in the corner, muttering to himself, "Tsk, so fierce. And they felt so soft, too..."Sena took a few deep breaths to calm her urge to kill, then turned to look at Haru and Kazuma, her eyes filled with scrutiny and suspicion:"Haru, Satou Kazuma. A massive Explosion Magicattack occurred at the city gates last night. All the city guards went to provide support, and more than half of the dungeon guards were withdrawn... Why didn't you two take the opportunity to break out? Based on the logic of criminals like you charged with subversion, this should have been the perfect chance."Kazuma immediately caught on. He puffed out his chest and put on the look of a saint with nothing to hide: "Ms. Prosecutor, you are insulting our character! We are the saviors of Axel! Although we have been misunderstood, we still love this country deeply. How could we possibly commit an act as reputation-destroying as breaking out of jail? We slept very soundly last night, and were even worried about the explosions outside, praying for the safety of the citizens."Haru took over, his tone so sincere he almost believed it himself: "That's right, Ms. Sena. The reason we stayed here is to prove our innocence openly and honestly during today's trial. Those so-called pieces of evidence are merely statistical coincidences, and our refusal to escape is the best interpretation of justice."Sena narrowed her eyes, looking at these two guys who had "I am a good person" written all over their faces, then glanced at the hooligan Dust nearby who was still giggling, and felt a spasm in her stomach.The air in the interrogation room was as cold as an ice cellar.Sena pulled out two heavy wooden chairs, signaling for Haru and Kazuma to sit.In the center of the table, a silver bell covered in intricate runes was emitting a faint blue light—that was the legendary "bell of truth"."Alright, enough nonsense." Sena crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze as sharp as a blade. "Before the official trial begins, I must first confirm your backgrounds. Remember, in front of the bell of truth, any lie will be instantly exposed. Now, the first question: Who exactly are you? Where are you from? And what ulterior motives do you have for approaching the Lord?"Haru and Kazuma exchanged a glance; their tightly wound nerves suddenly veered off course due to some inexplicable sense of pride."Ahem, since you asked with such sincerity." Kazuma was the first to adjust his prisoner uniform's collar, striking a pose he thought was extremely cool, his tone deep like a late-night radio host. "Actually, I was originally a savior from another world. Because I was too powerful, the gods feared me and banished me to this world full of suffering. I came here to use my superhuman wisdom and unparalleled luck to lead the ignorant masses toward the light...""DONG——!!!"The bell of truth let out a deafening roar, so loud it nearly shook Kazuma off his chair, and the blue light instantly turned into an eye-stinging blood red."Oops, my bad, my bad." Kazuma rubbed his ears awkwardly and stubbornly insisted, "Maybe the definition of'savior' just now was too broad, and the bell didn't understand. Haru, you go ahead and tell her our true identities."Haru sneered, putting on the expression of a hermit who had seen through the vanity of the world: "Ms. Sena, I am actually the sole heir to an ancient magical family living in seclusion deep in the mountains. The reason I appeared in Axel is that I foresaw the threat of the Demon Kings Army and decided to live incognito, silently protecting the peace of this world as an ordinary Adventurer. As for the Lords Mansion... that was purely an accident caused by my magic power being too strong, triggering a planar fluctuation...""DONG——!!! DONG——!!!"The bell didn't just ring; it shook violently because Haru's lie was so absurd, as if protesting the insult to its intelligence."Enough!!!"Sena slammed the table, the veins on her forehead throbbing wildly like earthworms.She grabbed an enforcement staff as thick as a baby's arm from the shelf beside her and smashed it heavily onto the table with a loud "BANG"."You two bastards full of nonsense! Do you really think this place is a circus?!" Sena's roar shook Dustfrom the ceiling. "Listen well! If you dare make up any more pathetic scripts about saviors and hidden families, I will immediately petition to have you beaten to death on the spot for contempt of court and fraud! No need to wait until tomorrow; I'll send you to meet the goddess right now!"The interrogation room instantly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.Haru and Kazuma shrank their necks. Looking at the staff shimmering with cold light, they finally realized that this prosecutor was truly on the verge of exploding."O-okay, I'll tell the truth, I'll tell the truth, okay..." Kazuma swallowed, his eyes darting around. He muttered under his breath while frantically stealing glances at Haru's reaction, as if trying to seek some psychological comfort from him.He took a deep breath, as if making a huge decision, and said in a trembling voice: "Actually... I was originally just an ordinary NEET. The kind of shut-in loser who stays home playing games every day, never goes out, has no social life, and is even looked down upon by his own parents. That day, I went out to buy a limited-edition game, and ended up scaring myself to death trying to save a girl who wasn't even in danger... That's right, I was scared to death by a tractor while wetting my pants. Then I was sent here by a mean-spirited goddess who mocked me..."(Silence——)The bell of truth didn't move. Even its faint blue light softened a bit, as if sympathizing with this tragic, authentic experience."Pfft! Hahahahahaha!!"Haru finally couldn't hold it in anymore. He leaned on the table and burst into maniacal laughter, tears almost flying out. "Every time I hear that, I just can't help it, hahahaha! That way of dying could practically be recorded in the history books of the other world!""Shut up, you bastard!!" Kazuma's face flushed red, and he roared in shame and indignation, "If you're so capable, you say it! Do you think you're any better off than me?!"Sena's expression had shifted from livid to something indescribably complex. She turned her head, her eyes filled with exhaustion and scrutiny, and stared hard at Haru, tapping her staff lightly on the table. "Now, Mr. Heir to the Ancient Magical Family, it's your turn. Please begin your performance, or... your truth."Haru reined in his laughter and coughed twice, trying to salvage his last bit of dignity, but under the threat of that staff and the bell, he could only slump in his chair like a deflated balloon.
Chapter 98: Clearing Suspicions?Haru reined in his smile and gave two dry coughs, attempting to salvage his last shred of dignity, but under the intimidation of that staff and bell, he could only slump in his chair like a deflated balloon."Fine, I'll talk. Actually, just like him, I'm also an ordinary person from the same world. Or rather, a more seasoned NEET slacker than he is."Haru sighed, his gaze becoming somewhat profound, as if recalling those unbearable past events."That day, I was lying on my bed scrolling through my phone when I suddenly saw a trending video pop up on a global news forum. The title was something like'Shocking! A certain high school student attempted to play the hero, but was scared to death by a tractor moving at ten kilometers per hour, dying of shock and incontinence on the spot!' Because the title was so attractive, I clicked on it... It was actually a compilation video of Kazuma's death (from the first episode of Konosuba)..."Speaking of this, the corners of Haru's mouth began to curl upward uncontrollably, and he desperately pinched his own thigh to keep from laughing out loud:"The male lead in that video died in such a... such a creative way. That twisted expression, the way his pants slowly soaked through, and the look in that girl's eyes next to him as if she were looking at an idiot. I was drinking soda at the time, and as I watched, I really couldn't help it and burst out laughing."Haru pointed to his own nose, his tone carrying a sense of absurd tragedy: "Then, because I laughed too wildly, a gulp of soda went straight down my windpipe, triggering a violent coughing fit. I couldn't catch my breath, suffered a heart attack, and died laughing right there on my bed. When I opened my eyes again, I saw a goddess sitting in front of me, asking if I wanted to be reincarnated."(Silence—)The bell of truth not only failed to sound any alarms, but instead emitted an extremely gentle, almost compassionate green light, as if mourning this tragedy that exceeded the limits of human imagination.The air in the interrogation room seemed to freeze.In that compassionate green light, Satou Kazuma's face, which had originally been flushed red with shame and anger, now revealed an eerie calmness."Heh, hehehe... Haru, if you hadn't said anything, I would have almost forgotten. You're the guy who once made me even more furious than that idiot Aqua." Kazuma laughed at himself and wiped the spit off his face. "But I've let it go. In a sense, it was me who killed you, wasn't it?... The two of us really are literal sworn enemies."Haru brushed the Dust off his body and sat back down in his chair, looking perfectly matter-of-fact: "Can't help it, Kazuma. Your death was truly the source of joy for that season. But look, precisely because I died laughing, I was able to descend to save (or plague) you. Isn't this fate's arrangement?""I'd rather not have this kind of fate!!!""Enough!! Shut up!! Sit properly!!"Sena let out a near-breakdown roar.She picked up her enforcement staff with trembling hands, looking at the two of them as if they were some unspeakable Cthulhu creature.She took a deep breath, struggling to pull her brain free from the logic black hole of the two people before her."Listen, regarding your... creative... deaths, I have fully understood." Sena gritted her teeth and skipped over this topic that had shattered her worldview, forcibly pulling the conversation back on track. "Now, let's enter the core stage. The bell of truth is ready. Listen clearly to the next question:"She leaned forward abruptly, staring fixedly at the two of them, and asked word by word:"Regarding the corona ore that caused the destruction of the Lords Mansion, was it the two of you who, while knowing it possessed massive destructive power, still agreed to and carried out the action of transferring it to the Lords Mansion? Answer me! Is it, or is it not?!"The atmosphere in the interrogation room instantly dropped to freezing point.The silver bell on the table vibrated slightly, blue runes flowing ceaselessly, waiting for their testimony.Cold sweat instantly broke out on Kazuma and Haru.The atmosphere inside the interrogation room was tense to the extreme at this moment, and that silver "bell of truth" seemed like an eye examining their souls, staring fixedly at Haru and Kazuma.Haru wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, forced himself to calm down, and spoke in a tragic tone bordering on "heroic sacrifice":"Lady Sena, you must understand the situation at the time! That corona ore was like a super bomb that could flatten everything within a few dozen miles at any moment! If we hadn't transferred it away, forget about your interrogation room—the entire Axel probably wouldn't have a single intact brick left! The only thought in our minds at the time was: we absolutely could not let innocent citizens suffer! Although we agreed to the transfer order, we can guarantee we absolutely did not intentionally transfer it to the Lords Mansion!"(Ding—)The bell of truth emitted a crisp and lingering chime, its blue light flickering gently. It judged—completely truthful.After all, in their twisted logic, saving their own lives and saving Axel were equivalent, and throwing the bomb to an unknown location was indeed the optimal solution.Sena was stunned. Her hand, which had been gripping the staff tightly, slowly relaxed, and the sharpness in her eyes was gradually replaced by a deep sense of guilt.Looking at their somewhat disheveled but righteous appearance, she let out a long sigh."So that's how it was... At such a life-or-death moment, you were still thinking about the safety of the town. Even to prevent the citizens from suffering, you were willing to bear this kind of pressure?... It was I who was too narrow-minded, actually treating heroes as criminals." Sena stood up and bowed extremely solemnly to the two of them. "Mr. Lin Jin, Mr. Satou Kazuma. I apologize for my previous rudeness and baseless speculation. I will immediately explain the situation to the judge, drop all charges, and you are free now."Seeing this scene, Haru and Kazuma exchanged a glance.In that second, what intersected in their eyes was not the relief of surviving a disaster, but a certain evil light known as mischief.Kazuma was the first to change his expression. His hunched shoulders suddenly straightened, and he even pushed his luck by propping his feet up on the interrogation table, snorting coldly:"An apology? If apologies were useful, what would we need the police... cough, what would we need the law for? Miss Sena, do you know what kind of mental torture we've suffered in the dungeon these past two days? Especially that thug named Dust, he actually wanted to share a toilet with me! Is this kind of psychological trauma something that can be made up for by a mere bow?!"Haru immediately understood and followed up, revealing a look of "I am very disappointed" with a mischievous expression, pounding the table in heartache:"That's right! We are heroes who risked our lives to save the town! And what was the result? We were met with cold shackles and moldy hay! My pure and flawless reputation has been damaged, and now everyone in the city probably thinks I'm a terrorist! Lady Sena, you almost beat us, your saviors, to death with your staff just now! Is this how Axeltreats its heroes? It's too heartbreaking!"Sena was left at a loss by the duo's coordinated offensive, her face turning bright red: "Then, then what do you want? If it's compensation, I will try to secure it...""Compensation is a must! And we want the highest grade!" Kazuma revealed his signature mischievous smile, fingers tapping on the table, "Also, to soothe my mood, I demand that all my future expenses at any tavern in Axel be reimbursed by the Prosecutor's Office! And that spit you directed at Dust earlier... although it was well-aimed, it also shows you engage in violent law enforcement! If you don't agree to our conditions, we'll go sit in front of the guild and tell everyone how the prosecutor bullies heroes!"Watching Sena's aggrieved expression, as if she were about to cry, Haru felt extremely satisfied, even wanting to add more fuel to the fire.
Chapter 99: Treason!!!The atmosphere in the interrogation room had almost turned into a blackmail seminar held by Haruand Kazuma. Sena's icy, pretty face turned alternating shades of blue and white from their antics, and it looked like she was on the verge of a total breakdown."Exactly. That guy Dust usually seems pretty sharp, but I didn't expect his taste to be this bad," Kazumasaid, picking at his fingernails and gesturing with his chin at Sena with a look of disgust. "He actually went and hit on a violent female prosecutor who doesn't distinguish between right and wrong and threatens to beat her saviors to death at the drop of a hat. Miss Sena, don't tell me you're one of those old maids who, because she hasn't dated in a long time, wants to drag every man she sees into prison to vent her stress... Ouch!"Haru chimed in from the side, laughing with a wicked grin: "Haha, Kazuma, don't say that. Lady Sena is just suffering from an occupational hazard. After all, in a town filled with perverts and useless people, she's probably completely lost faith in humanity. But seriously, Lady Sena, if you don't change that personality of yours, you're really going to end up spending the rest of your life with nothing but that enforcement staff.""You... you two... bastards..." Sena hung her head, her body trembling violently. The aura of dejection she had felt earlier due to her guilt instantly shattered.She snapped her head up, her eyes bloodshot with a kind of madness born from extreme humiliation—a look of someone ready to drag them down with her."Fine, very fine. Since you both claim to be law-abiding, pure, and flawless heroes..." Sena's voice was so cold it chilled them to the bone. She grabbed the bell of truth from the table and slammed it down hard in front of them. "Then we'll add one more routine question. As long as you pass this one, not only will I give you the highest level of compensation, but I will kneel and apologize to you right here and now!"Haru and Kazuma's hearts skipped a beat, their previous arrogance instantly deflated."Listen to me carefully!" Sena stared fixedly into their eyes, asking word by word, "Satou Kazuma, Haru! As Adventurers of Axel, are you truly as law-abiding as you claim? Do the two of you... have any form of secret contact or collusion with a Demon Kings Army General behind the scenes?!"(Hummm—) The bell of truth emitted a low chime, and the light from its runes became blindingly bright, as if urging the two to hurry up and provide an answer.In that instant, the expressions on Haru and Kazuma's faces completely froze. Their minds immediately conjured up the image of Wiz's gentle, pretty face—the one that was always apologizing and that the two of them often bullied until she was teary-eyed... along with her true identity as a Demon Kings Army General.Collusion? That's putting it mildly! The two of them often went to her shop to mooch off the air conditioning, drink free tea, and even dumped all sorts of mysterious junk on her to sell. Kazuma even constantly complained to himself about how Wizwas just a gullible, big-breasted Lich..."Uh..." Cold sweat poured down Kazuma like a waterfall. His face, which had been so arrogant just moments ago, was now as pale as whitewash. His lips trembled. "Th-that... regarding the definition of 'contact,' can we negotiate? For instance, does buying something count as contact? Or, what if the other party is just a useless, shop-keeping Lich..."Haru could feel the bell of truth starting to emit that dangerous, vibrating hum that signaled it was about to sound the alarm. If he dared to say a single word of denial, this thing would absolutely ring loud enough to blow the roof off the Lords Mansion."We're done for..." Haru heard Kazuma whisper despairingly in his ear, in a voice only the two of them could hear. "Haru, we're really going to be beaten to death this time. Cause of death: illicit association with a Demon Kings Army General."Watching the two of them look like they had seen a ghost, Sena curled her lips into a cruel and satisfying smile, slowly raising her enforcement staff: "What's wrong? Where did that heroic aura from before go? Answer me, hero."The air in the interrogation room seemed to freeze completely at that moment, with only the bell of truth frantically venting its rage."N-no! Absolutely not! How could righteous Adventurers like us have any contact with that kind of evil Demon Kings Army General? Haha, haha..." Kazuma laughed dryly, his voice as flimsy as a soap bubble floating in the air, while he frantically poked Haru's waist with his elbow.Haru took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and shouted with a tone of resigned determination: "That's right! Lady Sena, our hearts are set only on the peace of Axel! As for the Demon Kings Army, we kill every one we see; how could we possibly collude with them privately?!""CLANG—!!!! CLANG—!!!! CLANG—!!!!" The bell of truth let out the most shrill and deafening roar since its creation!The originally silver-white bell was instantly engulfed in a thick, blood-like red light, and the violent vibrations even caused the solid wood table to crack. The sound seemed to be roaring: You two lying pieces of scum!"Ahahahaha!! Caught you! I finally caught you!!" Sena let out a nearly distorted, maniacal laugh. She stood up abruptly, her normally neat long hair slightly disheveled from her anger and excitement.She looked down at the two people slumped in their chairs, her eyes filled with the pleasure of successful revenge: "Haru! Satou Kazuma! Weren't you two being very arrogant just a moment ago? Didn't you want me to kneel and apologize? Didn't you want a maid outfit and compensation?!"She slammed the table hard, her voice echoing throughout the interrogation room: "Listen well! Regarding the 'crime of subverting the state,' because your testimony just now was indeed true, I can find you not guilty. But! You are now involved in a higher-level felony—treason! Illicit association with a Demon Kings Army General is a capital offense punishable by execution, or even having your soul sealed away!"Haru and Kazuma exchanged a look. In that second, the image of Wiz's face—always wearing a troubled smile, clumsy but kind-hearted—flashed through both of their minds simultaneously.Although that girl was indeed a Demon Kings Army General, although her shop was always losing money, and although she was indeed a useless Lich... if they turned her in here, given this country's laws, Wiz would absolutely be burned to ash by that group of fanatical Axis Order followers."...Tsk." Kazuma rarely set aside his wicked expression. He lowered his voice, his tone filled with a sense of desperate resignation: "Haru, although I'm a shut-in loser, and although I'm very afraid of death, if I were to sell out that gullible, big-breasted Lich just to save my own skin... I'm afraid I wouldn't even have the face to go to the succubus shop anymore."Haru nodded with a bitter smile and replied in a low voice: "Yeah, same here. If Wiz gets caught, who else would be willing to take all those unsellable trash materials of ours? For the sake of sustainable mooching, let's play the tough guys this time.""Since you refuse to disclose your accomplices, go back to the dungeon and reflect properly!" Senawaved her hand, and several fully armed guards rushed in, roughly dragging the two from their chairs. "Wait until tomorrow's formal trial, and you two will be completely finished!"Cold iron chains were locked onto their hands and feet once again, and Haru and Kazuma were dragged out of the interrogation room like dead dogs.In the dim dungeon, the sound of chains dragging across the floor was exceptionally grating. Haru and Kazuma, like two frost-bitten eggplants, were dejectedly thrown back into that familiar cell filled with the smell of hay and mold by the guards."Yo, the two heroes are back?" Dust was lying on the wooden bed next door, legs crossed, humming an off-key tune with a piece of hay he'd found somewhere in his mouth.Seeing their disoriented appearance, he rolled over and sat up, his face wearing his signature gossipy expression: "How come, in just a short while, it feels like your souls have been sucked dry by that female prosecutor?"Kazuma plopped down onto the pile of hay, staring blankly at the ceiling: "It's over, Haru. We're completely finished. Treason... The most rebellious thing I've ever done in my life was peeking at the neighbor's laundry rack, and now I'm actually going to be executed for illicit association with a Demon Kings Army General. And that General is Wiz, who can't even bring herself to kill a Slime... If word of this death gets back to Japan, it'll definitely be carved onto the pillar of shame."Haru sighed, leaning against the cold wall, and briefly recounted to Dust what had just happened in the interrogation room.After listening, Dust didn't show the terrified expression they had imagined. Instead, he stroked his chin and revealed an extremely lecherous and calculating smile.
Chapter 100: Acquittal"So that's how it is. You refused to confess in order to protect that gentle Lich lady… I never would have guessed that you two actually possessed such chivalry?" Dust chuckled, his eyes scanning back and forth between the two of them. "However, once these charges are confirmed, you'll really become decorations on the guillotine tomorrow. Unless…""Unless what?!"Haru and Kazuma lunged toward the iron bars in unison, like drowning men grasping at the last straw.In the dim dungeon, Dust's face, which looked exceptionally punchable under the faint firelight, now inexplicably exuded the aura of an expert.He slowly retracted those three fingers, a smirk of absolute certainty hanging from the corner of his mouth."Deal! As long as I can survive, I, Haru, will cover a month's worth of dream packages from the Succubus Shop!" Haru gripped Dust's hand tightly through the iron bars, his strength as if he were trying to crush his lifeline. "It's just life energy, right! As a young and strong Adventurer, that's the one thing I'm not short on!"Kazuma also nodded desperately from the side, even beginning to pull the crumpled Succubus Shopmembership card from his pocket:"Right, right, right! Dust, you're my own brother! As long as you can take the fall for this charge of treason, you can do whatever you want in Axel from now on. I, Satou Kazuma, will be your full-time sidekick (specifically for carrying bags and dodging debts)!"Dust patted their hands with satisfaction and lowered his voice, saying:"The plan is simple. I'll just admit that I am a Demon Kings Army General, and you two just need to pretend to draw a line between us! Leave the rest to my performance. That violent woman Sena is practically itching to grind my bones to Dust right now. As soon as I admit that I'm a Lurking Demon Kings Army General, she'll definitely short-circuit from over-excitement, and she won't even bother using the bell of truth, aiming her spear directly at me instead."Watching Dust's confident demeanor, Haru felt a glimmer of hope rise in his heart, but felt even more absurdity.Haru frowned and looked at him with some concern:"Hey, Dust. Even though we usually screw each other over, this isn't a joke. Once the title of Demon Kings Army General is confirmed, you might be dragged to the execution ground and beaten to death immediately after the trial tomorrow. Do you really… have a way to get out of this? Don't throw your life away for a few wet dreams."Kazuma also uncharacteristically showed a bit of conscience, eyeing Dust suspiciously:"Yeah, you're a scoundrel, but you're just an ordinary thug warrior, right? Could it be that you're actually a hidden max-level boss? Or are you planning to perform a disappearing act right on the execution ground?""Hmph, hahahaha!"Dust suddenly let out a low, magnetic laugh. He released their hands and leaned back against the pile of hay, a glint of unfathomable depth flashing in his eyes—a look Haru had never seen on this blond thug before."The death penalty? That kind of thing is reserved for the weak who have no way out." Dust turned his head and flashed an extremely brilliant (and punchable) smile at the two of them. "Don't worry, I have my own solution. In this world, some rules are made for certain people, and I… just happen to be outside the restrictions of those rules. You just need to prepare the payment for the Succubus Shop and wait to be acquitted."After speaking, he pulled up his tattered blanket to cover his head, adopting the posture of "The boss is going to sleep, don't bother me."Haru and Kazuma looked at each other.The image of the unyielding tough guy in the interrogation room instantly collapsed, replaced by a sense of exhaustion from having survived a disaster."Haru." Kazuma slumped on the ground, muttering to himself, "Don't you think the weirdos in our town seem even scarier than the Demon Kings Army?""Yeah." Haru looked at the raised lump of the blanket that was Dust, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "If he really can pull this off, then this guy's background is absolutely more unfathomable than that Intellectual Disabled Goddess, Aqua. But for now… let's just worry about how to act like victims."The torches in the dungeon crackled, illuminating Dust's face, which clearly read, "I want to have a good time."He suddenly kicked the iron bars of the cell door, producing a deafening bang that scared the dozing guard so much he nearly stabbed his own foot with his spear."Hey! You over there! Go and call that violent woman named Sena here!" Dust put his hands on his hips, his arrogance so overbearing that it was as if he were the warden here. "I've thought it over; this life of waiting to die squeezed into a pile of hay doesn't suit a noble soul like mine! I want to turn myself in! I want to confess! I am that Demon Kings Army General who is Lurking in Axel and playing these two idiots for fools!"Within ten minutes, accompanied by the rapid sound of boots hitting the ground, Sena rushed into the dungeon with a cold gust of wind.The moment her bloodshot eyes saw Dust, they burst with unprecedented light—the ecstasy of a hunter seeing prey walk right into a trap."What did you just say? Dust, say that again?!"Sena's voice trembled slightly with excitement.Dust picked his nose and pointed at Haru and Kazuma with an impatient look:"I said, these two idiots are just shields that I brainwashed with evil magic. I am the real Demon Kings Army General! That intelligence, that sabotage—it was all done by me alone! How about it? Don't you think I'm more worth capturing than these two losers?"Haru and Kazuma immediately displayed Oscar-worthy acting skills.Kazuma suddenly fell to his knees, covering his face with both hands, and let out a shrill, dry howl:"Ah! My head! My memory… it seems to have returned! So it was you! Dust! You despicable villain, to think you used such low-down methods to control us into working for the Demon Kings Army!"Haru was not to be outdone, swaying as he leaned against the wall, pointing at Dust with unfocused eyes:"No wonder… no wonder I've always felt like vomiting whenever I see you lately. So it was my righteous soul resisting your evil magic! Lady Sena, please, you must severely punish this demon! We really are innocent victims!"Sena was completely overcome by this sudden "truth."In her eyes, a thug like Dust, who was usually notorious and harassed public officials, certainly fit the profile of an evil general better than Haru and Kazuma.She couldn't even be bothered to take out the bell of truth, simply waving her hand:"Since the principal offender has confessed, release Haru and Satou Kazuma immediately! As for Dust… lock him in the deepest cell for me! Tomorrow morning, I will personally read out your death sentence in the square!"The cell door opened with a clang, and Haru and Kazuma were politely ushered out by a few guards.Just as they brushed past, Dust suddenly reached out and grabbed the corners of their clothes tightly, his eyes as eerie as if he were giving his last will and testament."Hey, you two." Dust lowered his voice, his tone filled with impatient urgency. "I took such a huge fall for you, and that month of dream packages… I want to start enjoying the first one tonight! Go to the Succubus Shop and register for me right now!"Haru was stunned for a moment, subconsciously looking at the eerie and terrifying dungeon behind him:"W-wait a minute. Dust, are you mistaken? You're a death row prisoner now, and you have to spend tonight in prison! You're in the mood for wet dreams in this environment? Can a Succubus even get in?"Kazuma also complained with a pained expression:"Yeah, you're going to be dragged to the square for execution tomorrow, yet you're still thinking about dying from exhaustion tonight? Your heroic spirit truly makes me feel inferior."Dust chuckled, revealing a mouthful of white teeth that looked exceptionally eerie in the dim dungeon:"Hmph, a true hero never complains about their environment! As long as you fill out the prison visitation package on the form, those professional Succubi will naturally have a way to sneak in. You two… you aren't planning on dodging the debt, are you?"As he spoke, he deliberately raised his voice, shouting at Sena, who hadn't walked far yet:"Prosecutor! Actually, regarding the accomplices of those two…""Shut up! We're going right now!!"Haru and Kazuma were scared out of their wits, rushing out of the dungeon as if fleeing for their lives.