To understand how things got to this point, we need to go back a bit.
"Lalatina, what are your thoughts?" Though he already knew his daughter's answer, Ignis couldn't help but ask, "Do you want to go adventuring with your companions?"
And Darkness responded exactly as he expected.
She answered with conviction, "Yes, Father. Lalatina wants to go adventuring with them."
Ignoring her companions' teasing about her embarrassing name, she declared firmly, "This is my own decision. I won't have others' wishes forced upon me. Lalatina is not ready for marriage."
"Is that so? Then that's fine. That's good enough." Though saddened, Ignis accepted his daughter's choice. He added, "It's getting late, and I've had the servants prepare dinner. Why not eat, rest for the night, and set out tomorrow?"
"No, we should leave now..."
"Consider it a farewell feast for Lalatina... Who knows when she'll return? Please grant me this small wish."
At this point, it would have been ungracious for Adam to refuse.
"Then we'll trouble you."
"It's no trouble." Ignis smiled warmly at the party members.
His expression made Adam suspect some ulterior motive.
Then again, perhaps he simply wanted to do a favor for his daughter's companions so they would look after Darkness?
Hopefully that was just his imagination.
Despite the Dustiness family's noble status, dinner wasn't particularly luxurious. There were no rare delicacies or special ingredients — just ordinary home cooking. Still, the variety made the dining table look quite bountiful.
This was just a normal family dinner.
"Come now, don't be shy, eat and drink heartily." As host, Ignis urged everyone to take their seats, "Please, make yourselves at home and help yourselves."
If he hadn't said that, Aqua and the others might have shown some restraint.
But once those words left his mouth, these problem children devoured the food like they hadn't eaten in three days, without a hint of propriety.
"Hehehe." Ignis laughed at the sight of them wolfing down their food.
Perhaps in his eyes, these adventurers who didn't put on airs were truly reliable companions.
To this, Adam wanted to say, 'That's just your rose-tinted view'.
"Oh right, I have a bottle of sparkling wine here, a gift from a noble." Ignis took a bottle from the maid's hands, "I heard it's an extremely rare wine that can't be found on the market anymore. I don't really drink myself, so I might as well let you all enjoy it."
"Sparkling wine?" At the mention of alcohol, Aqua immediately perked up.
She took the bottle and examined it carefully, checking the packaging and dabbing a bit of wine on her fingertip to taste.
Her expert technique made Adam wonder just how much sparkling wine she had stolen and drunk. Since when had she become a wine connoisseur... or goddess?
"Wow! This is Ivy Wine?!" Aqua exclaimed excitedly, "This wine is incredibly rare — you can't even find it in the Adventurers' Guild tavern. The Guild has posted bounty quests for it, offering around 1.5 million eris. It's completely extinct in the market!"
She rattled off the wine's history in detail, as if she had drunk it before...
Wait! As if she had drunk it before?
Adam raised an eyebrow, realizing something wasn't right. Even Kazuma had noticed.
"Hooh~ As expected of Aqua, you're so knowledgeable about alcohol, I can't even compare." Kazuma's praise dripped with sarcasm.
Unfortunately, Aqua, carried away by the flattery, failed to realize she had exposed herself and stuck her nose up proudly.
"Hmph, I am the goddess who governs water. Though this wine is rare, I have drunk it before!"
"Then I have a question, would the goddess care to answer?"
"What is it? Let's hear it."
"Why... does a broke water goddess know the taste of such expensive sparkling wine?! Explain yourself properly, you stupid Aqua!!!"
"Eep—!" Only then did Aqua realize she had completely exposed herself.
"Hey, don't try to make excuses or lie — we know what you're like!" Kazuma slammed the table, "You'd better tell the truth, or Adam-senpai might really abandon you, you trouble-making goddess!"
"Eh?" Aqua froze, then turned to look at Adam with teary eyes, "Adam..."
Calling his name softly, it really made one feel bad about punishing her... but thinking that way would be a huge mistake!
"Aqua, I'm curious too. Could you tell me?" He looked at her, and despite her pitiful crying, he pressed on, "Why do you know the taste of such expensive sparkling wine, and not just the price, but even the bounty details so clearly?"
"Ugh." Aqua choked up, knowing she couldn't talk her way out of this, "Actually, I bought this wine before."
"Didn't you say this wine costs 1.5 million eris? Where did you get that kind of money?!"
"It's this." Under questioning from the party members, Aqua tremblingly pulled out a piece of paper from between her breasts.
"What's this?" Adam curiously took it.
Opening it, sure enough, it was an IOU for ξ1,500,000, with Aqua as the borrower!
Adam held his head and sighed.
Finally, finally. So Aqua had at last lost control and resorted to borrowing money for alcohol?
Well, fortunately, she only borrowed ξ1,500,000 — not too much.
However, was that really the case?
As Aqua pulled out IOU after IOU from her chest, his blood pressure skyrocketed. His brain was trembling!
A total of 13 IOUs, adding up to a staggering ξ22,000,000 in debt!
As expected of you, Aqua! How did you even manage to borrow so much money?! Did you use my reputation as collateral?!
Even the usually doting Adam couldn't contain his anger this time — this was too much!
"Aqua, sit properly!"
"Yes, I'm sorry, I was wrong!" Aqua immediately knelt on her chair and apologized loudly.
Seeing how practiced she was at this, Adam felt both angry and amused. But before he could lecture her, hearty laughter erupted from the side.
Perhaps the intimate interaction between the party members seemed novel and interesting to him, making him laugh spontaneously.
After this interruption, Adam felt too embarrassed to continue lecturing Aqua.
He had to let her off and apologize, "I'm sorry for letting you see such an unsightly side of us."
"It's fine, isn't it nice?" Ignis said with a smile, "You all being so close shows how well you get along. No wonder Lalatina likes adventuring with you — there must be a reason."
"Hehe, you jest." Adam laughed awkwardly, "Our party isn't really , please don't misunderstand."
"Ahahaha, then let's pretend I misunderstood. Come, let's try this fine wine." Ignis waved it off and had the maid pour wine for everyone.
Aqua, either having escaped punishment or eager to taste good wine, cheered happily, "Yay!"
But Kazuma clearly wasn't done with her and scolded in a low voice, "What 'yay!' Do you know how much trouble you've caused the party?"
"Hmph, it has nothing to do with stupidzuma."
"How does it have nothing to do with me? Aren't we party members?!" Kazuma jumped up, "Why are you all always ? Could you please think about me and Adam-senpai who work hard for the party!"
"Now, now, don't be angry, Kazuma-kun." Adam calmed the about-to-explode boy, reminding him to mind the occasion and his image.
We'll talk about this when we get home!
"Sigh~" Kazuma let out a light sigh.
By now, the maid had poured sparkling wine for everyone.
"Well then, everyone... cheers!"
They raised their glasses, shouted cheerfully, and took a drink.
The next moment, in perfect unison, everyone except Ignis passed out.
The 『Hero』 Party, total defeat!
That was Adam's last memory.
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