After a full day of sightseeing, everyone returned to the Adventurers' Guild for a hearty dinner.
After eating, Aqua leaned in and whispered, "Um... Adam, isn't it time we paid back that money?"
During dinner, she had noticed her creditor eyeing her intently, which left her feeling uneasy.
"You're right. Let's settle Aqua's debt first."
Mentioning repayment reminded Adam that he still owed Wiz ξ200,000, with the one-month deadline fast approaching. It was time to clear that debt too.
He escorted Aqua to the guild's bar, repaid the ξ100,000 owed, and reclaimed the IOU.
Noting the early hour, he suggested the group visit Wiz's magic item shop. This would serve the dual purpose of repaying his debt and introducing her to his team members.
Although Wiz was a lich, she was remarkably friendly towards humans — perhaps the most approachable executive in the Demon King's army.
Adam led the group towards a secluded corner of the beginner's town.
As they ventured deeper, Aqua sensed something and let out a small exclamation, "Huh?"
Noticing they were going increasingly off-track, Kazuma couldn't help but ask, "Um... Carter-senpai, where are you taking us?"
"To repay a debt and meet a new friend." Adam replied as they walked, "Remember when we were short on money before, and I borrowed from somewhere else?"
Kazuma searched his memories. After a moment, he said uncertainly, "Uh... Is it that 'borrow 100,000 Eris, pay back double after a month' thing?"
"That's the one." Adam nodded, "We're going to repay the money now, and I'll introduce you to her while we're at it."
"Her?" Aqua's face suddenly changed.
In Japanese, the pronouns for "he" and "she" differ, making it easy to distinguish gender. This wasn't about jealousy or a bad mood.
Rather, Aqua had a premonition. The lender must be someone she'd met before — someone she didn't want to see! An innate repulsion and disgust grew stronger as they approached.
After many twists and turns, they finally arrived at Wiz's shop.
Seeing the familiar storefront, Adam pushed the door open without hesitation.
The wind chime rang, and a gentle voice called from inside, "Welcome!"
The voice drew closer as its owner emerged from behind the counter. Wiz's appearance hadn't changed — she was still that delicate beauty.
"Ah—?! It's you!" She exclaimed upon seeing Adam, her usual sickly beauty giving way to surprise.
"Ah! It really is you, you lich!"
"You're... Miss Wiz?!"
Both Aqua and Kazuma cried out in surprise upon seeing Wiz.
"Hm? You know each other?" Adam was taken aback by their mutual recognition.
He had arranged for Aqua and Kazuma to complete the {Purify Cemetery} Quest beforehand, but he hadn't expected them to have already met and become acquainted with Wiz, despite the convergence of world lines.
"You lich, how dare you seduce Adam! I'll purify you!" Aqua was furious, her anger reaching its peak.
Her believer had been seduced by a lich! It must be those huge, burdensome... assets! How infuriating!
Aqua swung her fist, now enveloped in a holy aura, aiming straight for Wiz's chest. Burning with jealousy, she attempted to purify this cow lich using the divine energy bestowed by her goddess status.
But Adam intervened just in time.
"Wait, Aqua!" He pulled her back, "Don't be so rash! Wiz may be a lich, but she hasn't done anything wrong!"
"That's right." Kazuma chimed in, trying to defuse the situation, "Wiz hasn't harmed any humans, has she? Besides, she even lent us money, remember?"
He had just realized that Wiz, whom he'd briefly met during a previous quest, was the kind soul who had lent Adam ξ100,000. He quickly spoke up for the gentle lich, hoping to calm Aqua down.
"But... but Adam was seduced by her!" Aqua pointed at Wiz, her teeth clenched, "By those... those fat burdens!"
"Eh?" Adam was dumbfounded.
"Indeed, Carter-senpai might have fallen for that voluptuous bosom." Kazuma remarked, eyeing Wiz with a straight face, "After all, with such ample... padding, who could resist?"
"Eh—?!" Adam only now realized he was being teased.
Darkness, standing nearby, seized the opportunity to make a lewd comment, "Adam, what are you planning to do with those breasts? Lick them? Squeeze them? Or both?! I won't let you have your way!"
She covered her chest and stepped back, as if trying to escape his nonexistent advances.
Wait a minute! Wasn't Wiz the focus of the conversation? What does this have to do with you, you pervert? What on earth are you imagining?
Meanwhile, upon hearing Aqua call Wiz a lich, Megumin immediately raised her staff, ready to cast〘Explosion Magic〙at any moment.
"Wait, stop!" Kazuma cried out, trying to halt her, "If you use Explosion Magic here, we'll all be blown to bits!"
But his warning came too late. Megumin, overcome with nervousness, accidentally activated her〘Explosion Magic〙! A massive magic circle appeared beneath everyone's feet, engulfing Wiz's entire shop!
"Megumin, what are you doing?!"
"Ah~ Being hit by Explosion Magic, how wonderful—!"
"You idiot, quick, take it back!"
"I can't... I can't do it!" Megumin wailed in panic. The others, equally at a loss, ran around in circles.
Chaos reigned as the situation spiraled out of control.
Adam, developing a headache from their impulsive behavior, knew he had to intervene to restore order and clean up this mess.
"Wiz, please absorb Megumin's magic power."
"Eh... Yes!" Wiz, who had been panicking and shouting, quickly responded to his instruction, "S-Sorry, I'm going to absorb your magic power now."
She first apologized to Megumin, then used her skill〘Drain Touch〙to completely drain Megumin's Magic Power.
Without Magic Power to sustain it, the magic circle gradually faded away.
"Phew~" Everyone exhaled in relief.
Fortunately, Megumin had managed to suppress her runaway Magic Power, delaying the release of〘Explosion Magic〙and averting disaster. Had she failed, they would have all been blown to smithereens.
"Megumin, you idiot! We told you Wiz is a good person. Why did you try to cast Explosion Magic?" Kazuma berated her, his anger palpable.
"It's clearly your fault for warning me too late!" Megumin retorted, stubbornly shifting blame, "If you'd spoken up sooner, I wouldn't have started casting!"
"You're just making excuses!"
As the two bickered, another drama unfolded nearby.
"That lich! How dare she seduce Adam? I must purify her!" Aqua seethed.
"Aqua, please calm down." Darkness restrained her, preventing a confrontation with Wiz.
Amidst the chaos, Adam felt a headache coming on.
"I'm so sorry, Wiz." He apologized, "Our team has caused you nothing but trouble."
He had hoped to introduce his friends to a new acquaintance, not spark a near-brawl.
"It's quite alright." Wiz replied, graciously forgiving their behavior, "Please don't worry about it."
"I'm truly sorry. We'll visit again properly another time." Adam said, handing her ξ200,000.
"This is the money we agreed on before."
"But this is too much! Wasn't the borrowed amount only 100,000 Eris?"
Wiz hesitated to accept the money, but Adam gently pressed it into her hands.
"When you were still struggling yourself, you lent me all your savings. This small repayment is only right."
An upright young man should know how to repay kindness!
"That's that, so we'll be going now. We'll visit again soon."
Guiding the reluctant Aqua, Adam and the others prepared to leave Wiz's magic item shop.
"Um, wait!" Wiz called out, "I still don't know your name..."
"Adam Carter, pleased to meet you." He replied with a warm smile.
With that, he turned and left with his companions.
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