Kazuma Satou, 16 years old.
Had he not been transported to another world, he would surely still be a normal high school student at this tender age. Yes, a typical high school student.
And like all teenagers, high school students have their share of secrets — things they'd rather keep hidden from prying eyes. Parents might mistake this for rebellion, but what's really happening?
Is it about growing up, seeking independence, proving oneself, or simply desiring privacy? Whatever the reason, Kazuma wanted his own room! He was tired of living in the stable and longed to move out.
For this, he needed help.
He peeked at his snoozing buddy next to him, his face all scrunched up like he'd just smelled something funky.
Aqua is a goddess. Yes, you heard that right — a goddess! This selfish, arrogant, gluttonous, lazy, and unambitious idiot is actually the Goddess of Water! Can you believe it? And her job class is the extremely rare and noble 「Arch Priest」!
Meanwhile, he — diligent, smart, brave, and excellent — has only the common job class of 「Adventurer」.
Faced with this injustice, he felt the world's malice acutely.
"Hey, Aqua, wake up already." Kazuma called out to her as she snored away beside him, "Get up, the sun's already shining on your butt."
The groggy Aqua turned over, mumbling, "Eh~ Let me sleep a bit more. I'm exhausted from exorcising spirits last night."
Seriously? This chick Aqua, sprawled out like a starfish and snoring like a chainsaw, is supposed to be the goddess of water? No way! I, Kazuma Satou, ain't buying it for a second!
"Get up right now, you idiot goddess!" He shoved her, "Aren't we supposed to go on a quest today?"
"Quest...?" She looked at him with sleepy eyes, "Didn't we just finish one last night? How about we rest for another day?"
"Rest for another day?" Kazuma's voice lowered, his displeasure evident. Her words only fueled his anger.
The previous night, they had finally completed the {Purify Cemetery} quest assigned by their leader, Adam Carter.
Damn Aqua. She had initially agreed to complete the quest earlier, but when night fell, she claimed exhaustion and refused to accompany him to the graveyard. After days of procrastination, they had finally finished it just hours ago.
Some goddess she was - more like a party pooper without a fun bone in her body. Her heart was so tiny, it made that chill lich Wiz look like a big softie in comparison.
He glanced at Aqua, then mentally compared her to Wiz. Indeed, the difference was "huge."
"Hey, Kazuma!" Aqua, who was just snoozing away, suddenly popped up like a jack-in-the-box, "Is it just me, or did I catch someone talking smack about me?"
'This idiot is always sensitive about these things,' Kazuma thought, but he played it cool, "No way, Aqua. You're a big shot goddess — who'd have the guts to trash-talk you behind your back?"
"Hey, Kazuma, did you know? Us gods can smell a lie from a mile away. It's like, a perk of the job."
"I'm sorry, Lady Aqua! I take back what I said about thinking you had a tiny heart!"
"Hmph." Aqua stuck her nose in the air, but decided to let him off the hook this time.
This exchange didn't escalate their conflict. Bickering had long since become their daily routine to grow closer, and this level of teasing was now normal.
However, after this commotion, Aqua finally got up.
"Let's go on a quest."
"Huh...?" Kazuma was instantly on alert.
Aqua, who always tried to slack off and avoid work, had actually agreed to go on a quest immediately? Something must be wrong!
"Hey, what's the deal? You're usually all about dodging work, but now you're jumping at the chance to quest with me? What gives?"
"Oh, Kazuma~ Look, we're teammates, right? Of course we should act together." Aqua patted his shoulder with an exaggerated fake smile, pretending they were a united team.
"Yeah, yeah, I hear you." Kazuma rolled his eyes. "Now spill the beans. What's the real deal here?"
"C'mon, out with it already. What's. The. Real. Reason?"
Under the intense pressure of his gaze, Aqua had no choice but to confess the truth, whispering, "If we don't work, we'll go hungry tomorrow. We... have no savings left."
Kazuma's piercing voice echoed through the stable, making the ceiling dust do a little dance.
He shouted angrily, "Where's the money? Where did it go?!"
"I... I bought alcohol..."
"You bought alcohol?!" Kazuma grabbed her shoulders, shaking her like a maraca. "ξ100,000… you blew ξ100,000 — our entire stash — on alcohol?!"
ξ100,000. This sum represented the leftover money from crafting Darkness's shield, combined with the team's hard-earned savings. It was, essentially, their entire fortune.
"Well, you see, this alcohol is a premium sparkling wine. I heard it's a best-seller with an exquisite, lingering taste, so naturally, it's quite expensive..." Aqua's voice trailed off, barely audible as she recognized her wrongdoing.
"You... you idiot goddess!!!" Kazuma erupted like a roaring emperor, his tirade leaving her unable to lift her head, "Carter-senpai shouldn't have trusted you with our funds... Look at what you've done! You've betrayed his trust... How are we going to explain this when he returns?"
A calmer Kazuma and a tearful Aqua finally left the stable.
Kazuma and Aqua arrived at the Adventurers' Guild, where they met up with Megumin and Darkness.
"...So that's the situation. Because Aqua spent all our money, we need to go on a quest." Kazuma explained to the two, then added considerately, "Of course, if you two have urgent matters, we won't force you to join us."
Although Megumin and Darkness were team members, he was willing to let them tend to their own affairs if necessary.
"What are you saying, Kazuma? We're a team, aren't we?"
"That's right, my Explosion Magic has been itching to be used!"
The mention of a quest excited both Megumin and Darkness.
For the past week, since they began customizing Darkness's shield, the team had been in a standby state. Today, they might finally embark on their adventure. The two's hearts burned with anticipation.
"Alright! Then let's accept a quest!"
Everyone approached the quest board and began examining it carefully.
Suddenly, Kazuma had a thought, "By the way, Darkness's shield should be ready, right? Let's pick it up later and test its quality."
"Yes, let's retrieve it later!" Darkness suddenly became coy, "Bringing back the shield, starting to train, discipline, and such... Hah~... Hah~"
"Hey, cut it out!" Kazuma looked at the flushed woman with disgust, "Don't start your embarrassing delusions here, you perverted female knight!"
His intention was to make Darkness restrain herself, but it had the opposite effect — she became even more immersed in her fantasy.
"To call me a pervert... Hah~... Hah~..."
Kazuma moved away, thoroughly disgusted.
"Kazuma, Kazuma, what quest should we take?" Aqua asked, having scanned the board for a while without success. She turned to him for guidance.
"Hey, let's go for the toughest one! I mean, duh, I'm the Arch-Wizard here!" Megumin boasted, puffing out her chest like she was the hottest thing since sliced bread.
Kazuma rolled his eyes and shot back, "More like the Crimson Demon with a few screws loose, if you ask me."
"Since when did I get that fancy new title?!" Megumin squawked, flailing her arms like a startled chicken.
Ignoring her exaggerated outcry, Kazuma selected the quest most suitable for their team at present: {Subjugate Five Forest Dire Wolves}.
"Hmm, let's go with this one."
With Kazuma's choice made, the group noisily exited the Adventurers' Hall.
Unbeknownst to them, a mysterious figure trailed silently in their wake.
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