Before Adam could confront Aqua back at the stable, she tearfully admitted to her mistake.
"Aqua, sit formally!"
Determined to teach her a harsh lesson, he didn't forgive her easily. Instead, he lectured her for two full hours. Kazuma chimed in, recounting her past foolish actions and complaining to Adam about all the trouble she had caused.
Throughout the ordeal, Aqua sat obediently with her head bowed low. Her pitiful appearance was heart-wrenching — an outsider might have thought she was being treated unfairly and suffering greatly.
"Aqua, have you reflected on your actions?"
"Yes, I know I was wrong. I'm truly sorry." She apologized to both of them through loud sobs, begging for their forgiveness.
Even so, Adam didn't soften. He knew that if he went easy on her, given her carefree and forgetful nature, there would certainly be a next time. And who knew what kind of mess he'd have to clean up then?
To make her understand the gravity of the situation, he had to punish her severely. He issued a harsh punishment for Aqua's recent purchase of expensive sparkling wine on credit.
"Aqua, you've lost your allowance for this month, and your future monthly allowances will be cut in half! Also, you won't be getting any new equipment this time!" The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He pinched her cheeks hard, making her beg for mercy, "Did you hear me?"
"Yes, yes, yes, I understand." Aqua nodded sadly, indicating she would comply with the arrangement.
This punishment suited her perfectly. Despite her remarkably low intelligence, Aqua was still a goddess, meaning she hardly needed equipment. Any enhancements from equipments were so minimal for her that it made little difference whether she wore it or not.
For her, losing her allowance was far more distressing than going without new equipment.
"Now that Aqua has been punished, let's go buy equipment. We've earned quite a reward from this quest." Adam announced.
At the mention of the reward, Aqua perked up instantly. She dashed behind him, gripped his shoulders, and asked in a sweet voice, "Adam, the harvest season quest rewards have been distributed, right? How many Eris does our party have?"
"Yeah, Carter-senpai, I'm curious too." Kazuma chimed in.
He knew they had harvested a massive amount of Cabbage thanks to Adam's bug-level sword skills. However, the sheer quantity made it impossible to keep an exact count, leaving him unsure of their total reward.
Earlier, his anger over Aqua's credit-purchased wine had led him to rush back from the Adventurers' Guild without inquiring about the reward.
Adam waved a stack of large bills.
"10.53 million Eris." He declared, "Including the 100-plus cabbages Satou-kun caught on his own, our party has earned a total reward of 10.53 million Eris."
"T-ten million five hundred and thirty thousand—?!" Aqua's eyes lit up with money symbols. She lunged forward with a greedy expression, hugging Adam tightly from behind and refusing to let go.
Her intention was crystal clear—she wanted a share of the money.
But Adam stood firm this time, flatly refusing, "Don't even think about it, Aqua, you're not getting any of this money."
He gently pushed her away, averting his gaze to avoid her crestfallen expression.
Kazuma, too, was astonished by the enormous sum. However, unlike Aqua, he refrained from requesting a share of the money.
Later, the trio arrived at the Adventurers' Guild to find Megumin and Darkness already waiting for them.
"Megumin, Darkness, you're here early." Adam greeted the two women.
"Oh, Adam, Aqua, Kazuma, you've arrived." Darkness and Megumin replied. Noticing Aqua's gloomy expression, they asked, "What's wrong with Aqua? Is she upset?"
"Well..." Adam explained her credit wine purchase without hiding any details.
"I see. I actually enjoyed quite a bit of that high-grade sparkling wine after Aqua bought it." Darkness said, nodding. She then suggested, "How about this? Our quest reward should be substantial. Why don't we use some of it to pay off her debt?"
"I agree." Megumin said softly, "Aqua bought the wine to celebrate. Even though I didn't get to drink any, I understand her intentions."
"Darkness, Megumin." Aqua's eyes welled up with grateful tears as she looked at them.
"No, I'll pay off her debt myself." Adam interjected, rejecting their proposal. He wanted to eliminate any possibility of Aqua finding loopholes, so he had to refuse their goodwill.
Hearing the rejection, Aqua lowered her head again.
To dispel Megumin and Darkness's sympathy completely, Adam changed the subject to the cabbage reward, announcing the exciting news in an attention-grabbing tone.
"By the way, I haven't told you about the harvest season reward, have I? Rejoice, Megumin and Darkness! Our quest reward is a whopping 10.53 million Eris!"
Darkness and Megumin were stunned by the amount.
"10.53 million Eris?!"
"I never imagined it would be so much." Darkness remarked, maintaining some composure. As a nobleman's daughter, she had a bit more self-control when it came to large sums of money.
In contrast, Megumin's reaction was even more extreme. Having lived for years in poverty, the mention of ξ10,000,000+ sent her into a frenzy.
"We're rich, we're rich, we're rich, we're rich..." Her eyes glazed over, her mouth endlessly repeating the phrase.
Adam clapped his hands, snapping her out of her money-induced trance, "Focus, everyone. Let's use this money to buy new equipment."
Megumin glanced at her worn staff, "Indeed, I do need a replacement."
Kazuma tugged at his tracksuit, "Right, and I still don't have any armor."
Darkness removed her damaged armor, "Mine needs replacing too."
With everyone in agreement, Adam waved his hand grandly, "Well then, let's go!"
He led the group straight to the weapon shop.
Upon returning to the familiar weapon shop, they found the towering shopkeeper sound asleep at the counter. He stirred awake as the group entered.
"Welcome, how may I assist you?"
"We're here to purchase weapons." Adam stated, taking charge of the situation.
The owner gestured towards the wall adorned with various weapons, "All our weapons are displayed there. If you require anything special, just ask."
"Thank you." Adam replied appreciatively.
He then allowed his companions to browse and select weapons that suited them best, offering to consult the owner if needed. Adam himself waited by the door, content with his Nichirin Blade — a weapon far more suited to his needs.
After acquiring their weapons, the group proceeded to buy armor, concluding their shopping spree by nightfall.
By then, everyone had significantly upgraded their gear. Their new equipment clearly indicated they had transcended the realm of novice adventurers and now stood as seasoned veterans.
Throughout the day, Aqua trailed behind the group in silence. She keenly felt the disparity in their fortunes, realizing that joy and sorrow aren't always shared equally among companions.
While the others reveled in their newfound wealth and equipment, her spirits sank lower. Their abundance only highlighted her lack, deepening her despondency.
Observing Aqua's listlessness, Adam's resolve finally softened. Discreetly, he purchased a necklace capable of restoring small amounts of mana.
Though modestly priced at only ξ10,000, the necklace's aqua-blue hue perfectly complemented Aqua herself. He bought it, intending to present it to her as a gesture of reconciliation.
"Here, for you, Aqua."
"I noticed you were feeling down, so I got you a small gift."
Aqua's face lit up, she exclaimed, her smile beaming with joy, "Thank you, Adam!"
Her radiant expression glowed in the golden light of the setting sun, momentarily revealing her true goddess-like aura.
This sight stirred an unfamiliar flutter in Adam's typically composed heart. Startled by his own reaction, he mentally chided himself.
'Get a grip, you fool. It's just Aqua, after all!'
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