Ever since she got back, the goddess hadn't stopped drinking.
She didn't even stay to try the delicious crabs that Darkness's family had sent over. Which was extremely unusual for her.
"Huh? Are you sure you're not going to eat anything, Aqua?" the young crusader had asked.
"No, I'm really tired," she answered. "I'm just going straight to bed."
"It's really admirable that you're working so hard to pay off your debts, but don't forget to take care of your health, okay?" Darkness's tone sounded like a protective mother — which completely clashed with what she said next. "Also… if any of those quests you're taking involves facing a dangerous monster… don't forget you can count on me! In fact, please call me!"
"You know," Kazuma said from the table, "the fact that you tell her to take care of her health and then suggest she fights a dangerous monster sounds pretty contradictory. Your eyes are literally sparkling…"
"They are not!"
Faced with that scene, all Aqua could do was force a smile. She was exhausted.
"I'll keep it in mind. Good night," she said, and began climbing the stairs.
Megumin, who had been completely ignoring the conversation until then (the young archwizard was too busy devouring a crab leg she was clutching jealously), quickly lifted her head when she saw Aqua heading upstairs. She had crab bits on her cheeks and juice dripping from the corner of her mouth.
"Hey, Aqua! Don't forget you promised to accompany me to cast my daily Explosion tomorrow!"
"Ah, yeah. I remember," the goddess replied, not really paying attention to the girl. Megumin had already gone back to focusing on her crab leg, chewing as fast as her small jaw would allow.
"Well, I guess I'll have the day off tomorrow!" Kazuma Sato's voice could be heard. "That means I get to spend the whole day lying on the couch doing nothing. Ah, finally some peace!"
"What are you saying, Kazuma?" Darkness retorted. "If you have nothing better to do, it's the perfect chance to go complete a high-level quest! We could even go with Aqua to help her pay off her debt!"
"As if I were crazy enough to do that. Besides, who told her to—"
Their companions' voices grew fainter and fainter as Aqua climbed the stairs until they finally disappeared completely.
When she reached her room, she opened the door, kicked off her boots, tossed them aside, and collapsed onto the bed. She didn't even bother putting on her pajama.
She had stayed like that ever since: bottle in hand, knees lifted, with no other plan than to drink until she passes out.
However, sleep seemed determined to keep escaping her.
After taking another swig from the bottle, a satisfied sigh escaped her lips.
"This is so good!" she exclaimed with delight.
I guess that perverted hikikomori really did keep his promise after all…
"Kaizer Prester…" The words left her lips as if they were something distant and unfamiliar.
And in a way, they were. Because Aqua barely knew him.
The boy claimed to be a reincarnated person she herself had sent to this world. But since guiding the recently deceased was part of her job (and let's not even mention the excellent commissions she got when she convinced them to reincarnate in another world instead of just moving on to the afterlife), there was no way she could remember all of them.
Though, of course, there were exceptions. Like Kazuma Sato.
But what about this Kaizer guy?
"I'll pray that, among all the reincarnated souls, you will be the one who finally puts an end to the Demon King's evil plans and restores peace to the world!"
Those had been the words she had said to the young man.
However, that was also part of her job. The typical "speech" she was contractually required to give to every newly deceased person who appeared before her.
It didn't matter if she said it sincerely or just to look good. It was usually the latter (Money, Aqua! Think about the money!).
And even though he's practically a stranger to me… I let him do all those things. What was I thinking?
She brought the bottle to her lips again and took another long drink of the frothy beer.
She couldn't stop thinking. And that was when she realized it wasn't really exhaustion weighing her down, but a strange restlessness.
Little by little, everything she had done with Kaizer began resurfacing from the depths of her mind.
The feeling of his fingers exploring her most intimate parts, the desire with which he had kissed her lips over and over, the way he had caressed her breasts and how his mouth wouldn't stop playing with her nipples.
All of it kept spinning in her head.
"Aaaah! Why can't I stop thinking about that stupid, shitty hikikomori!?" the goddess exclaimed, rubbing her head hard as if that could expel the young adventurer from her thoughts.
But the more she tried not to think about him and everything they had done together, the more she did.
Until suddenly she began to feel her whole body growing hot. In fact, that strange sensation had been tormenting her ever since she got back.
And even though she had opened the window, instead of fading, the heat only grew more unbearable.
She pulled off her stockings and tossed them aside. Then she unbuttoned her vest, letting her breasts spill out with a soft bounce.
She took another swig from the bottle.
She closed her eyes, and the first thing that came to mind was that young man's huge cock. Remembering how her fingers had wrapped around the shaft. The warmth it radiated, and the way it had throbbed under her slender fingers.
Aqua still hadn't realized it, but she had been biting her lower lip for a while now in a heated gesture of desire.
Imagining what it would feel like to have that thing in her hands once more. Or, better yet, inside her.
In fact, though she refused to admit it, deep down she would even be willing to trade this bottle of beer if Kaizer walked through that door right now and…
No, no. Impossible.
What was a goddess like her doing thinking about that kind of thing? How ridiculous!
"And to think he had the nerve to ask me to spend the night with him… after everything he made me do in the bath! He has no shame!"
She drank from the bottle again and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, staining the white sleeves of her outfit.
The truth was, her reputation as a goddess had already taken enough damage after agreeing to sleep with him. She didn't need any more problems on top of her already complicated situation.
Besides, she had only done it to pay off her debt.
But if that was the real reason, why had she made up that whole story about being drunk?
Was that what humans called lying?
Her behavior was making less and less sense. And it was all because of that young man.
Aqua was really annoyed. Annoyed at having to think about all this. All she wanted was to go to sleep!
Maybe… if I just try it… even if it's only once…
Just considering it felt incredibly embarrassing. But if she did it, maybe that unbearable heat would go away. Along with that strange itchy feeling between her legs.
"Just… once," she heard herself whisper. "I think he used these two fingers."
Aqua lay back on the bed and began sliding her hand downward, brushing over her plump thighs until she finally reached her crotch.
She was surprised by how wet she was.
But she didn't care. After all, she just had to put her fingers in and then she would feel much better.
A moan escaped her the moment the tips of her fingers made contact with her clit.
"Aaah…"
It feels good… Now… now I just have to push them inside, right?
Even though it was the first time Aqua had ever done this, she quickly found that the process was actually quite intuitive.
She pushed her fingers even deeper and a wave of pleasure began coursing through her body.
"Aaaah…. aaah… that feels so good…" she moaned between gasps. "Definitely… this is exactly what I wanted…"
As her movements intensified, so did her moans, which gradually began to fill the room.
The sensation was so comforting that she kept flexing her toes while her free hand caressed her left breast.
She was getting very close.
For a moment, she thought maybe she should have locked the door. She wasn't worried about Darkness or Kazuma, but it wouldn't be the first time Megumin barged into her room without knocking first.
However, the feeling of her fingers exploring the inside of her soaked pussy felt so incredibly good that that tiny worry quickly vanished in a torrent of lust and desire.
"Ah… ah…. ah…. aaaaAAAAAaaaaAAAAAHHH—❤!!!"
When she finished, Aqua sat up on her knees and glanced at the sheets.
They were soaked.
"I did it…" she panted. "I really did it… but… it's not enough. I still want more."
Besides, as much as she hated to admit it, her fingers hadn't come even close to satisfying her the way that insolent punk's cock had.
So, with that image in mind, the goddess repeated the process three or four more times. Trying to reach that same level of pleasure. Until, at some point during the night, she finally fell asleep.
The next morning (or rather, by the time she managed to wake up, close to noon), Aqua was surprised to find that the heated sensation that had assaulted her the night before hadn't just returned — it was now much worse.
"But… why? I don't understand…"
"Oh, I see you finally woke up," Kazuma said from the couch when he saw her coming down the stairs. "Aren't you supposed to be going out to do quests today to earn some extra money?"
"Yes!" she replied, barely glancing at her companion. "In fact, I'm already quite late, so I'm heading out right now!"
"Hey! You said you'd come with me to cast my Explosion magic!" Megumin protested from the kitchen.
"Sorry! I'm really in a hurry! Ask Kazuma to go with you instead! I'm sure he has plenty of free time!"
And with that, without even turning around to look at her companions — who were staring at her with perplexed expressions from the living room — Aqua opened the door of the mansion and ran off toward the guild.
She was in a big hurry.