It was a beautiful and sunny day in the city of Axel. The Fantastic Dreamers each has their own stuff to do. Darkness is away, training some aspiring shielders and crusaders. Megumin is training some aspiring warriors and fighters melee combat.
As for me, I decided to not hold out a class today and instead went to visit Wiz. I just felt like visiting her after meeting Keele in that dungeon. I also brought Aqua along, partly because I want to see if she has matured a little after that dungeon raid.
"Don't hurt the poor lich, Wiz is not a bad undead, understand?" I told her for the dozen time as we arrived in front of Wiz's store.
"Yeah, yeah I get it," Aqua said with a pout on her face.
I opened the door and the bell twinkled gently. "Welcome… Aaah!" Wiz took a step back in surprise after seeing us. "Ka-Kazuma sama! And…" she turned to Aqua and looked visibly distressed. "A-Aqua sama, welcome, is there anything I can help you with?"
"Yo, Wiz, long time no see, I came to visit."
Aqua cracked her knuckles threateningly. "Well, aren't you going to lead us to our tables?" she asked.
"Aqua, this isn't a restaurant…"
But Wiz seems to be very afraid of Aqua, she quickly led her towards the only round table in the corner of the shop overlooking the window. "S-sorry, Aqua sama, is this place to your liking?"
"Hmph, not bad… But shouldn't you be serving us some tea right now? To think that Lich would stay in a shop like this when a goddess like me has to stay in the stables… Tch, the audacity…"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll make it right away!"
Well then, Aqua is going full on 'Spiteful mother in law' mode on Wiz. Seriously, where did that gentle and divine Aqua who purified Keele went to?!
"Oi, Aqua, stop bullying Wiz, you're making her cry," I told her. "Wiz, you don't have to serve her tea, we're just here for a visit and a small request."
Wiz nodded a little. "Wh-what can I help you Kazuma sama?"
"No need for honorifics, I'm just here to ask if I can learn the skills of a lich,"
"Puu!"
"Hyaaa!"
After hearing what I said, Aqua spat the tea in her mouth all over Wiz.
"Hey, what are you thinking Kazuma! The skills of a lich? You say you want to learn a lich's skills!? I was wondering what you said to her after taking this woman's name card! The skills of a lich are all evil! It would be bad if you learned such skills! Listen, liches are something like the relative of slugs that like dark and wet places."
That last comment actually brought Wiz to tears.
"How, how mean!"
"Aqua…" I pinched the bridge of my nose. She's at odds with Wiz by nature, so I can't really blame her, but now she really sounds like a highschool bully. "Stop bullying her and I will buy you the most expensive wine in the city."
The goddess puffed her cheeks before looking away from us. "Fine… But make it quick…"
I turned towards Wiz and gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry Wiz, she's just like that,"
"It, it's okay, Kazuma san…"
After a moment, Wiz smiled at me, breaking the silence.
"Speaking of which, I heard recently that Kazuma's party defeated Verdia-san. That Verdia-san was a powerful swordsman among the demon king's bosses, you guys are amazing."
Was that familiarity in her voice?
"You're speaking as if you know him. Is he your old acquaintance or something?"
"Ah, I didn't make this clear before, I am also a boss of the demon king's army." She said with a giggle.
I felt a sense of killing intent after hearing that claim and reacted on instinct. I tackled her on to the floor, push my body on to hers, and held a divine blade at her throat. "Aqua!" I exclaimed before she can even scream out.
"Nice work Kazuma! SACRED TU-"
"Wait! Aqua-sama, Kazuma sama, please let me explain!" she wailed around in panic. She struggled under my grip and downright crying her eyes out for mercy. Even I can't look at that face without feeling like a monster.
Then I realized that the killing intent from earlier came from Aqua and not Wiz.
I took a deep breath and let go of her. "Okay, explain yourself," I told her. "If you're here to spy on adventurers for the demon king then I promise to make your second death as painless as possible."
"That's wrong! I was asked by the demon king-san to maintain the barrier to the demon king castle! I have never harmed anyone before."
Hmm… I wanted to spare her and Paradox did tell me that I don't have to kill her to break the curse. Should I play it safe and kill her? That might prove to be a trouble since Wiz is technically an Axel citizen and we might have to deal with a suspicion of Homicide.
"… I don't know what you are saying, but we should play it safe and destroy you."
"Wait a moment Aqua-sama!"
"Hold on Aqua," I looked at Wiz and gazed at her flatly. "If you want to live, then you will have to become my double agent. You will pretend to answer to the demon king, but you will actually answer to me. Understand?"
"Y-yes! I surrender, I surrender! Please spare me!"
Aqua turned towards me. "Kazuma, check your card,"
I took out my card and realized that one of the curse just turned into a blessing. I grinned a little and gave Aqua a thumbs up. The goddess sighed a little and stepped away from Wiz.
---
"S-so, what kind of skill do you need Kazuma sama?"
"What kind of skill do you have?"
"I have many ice based magic, useful skills such as teleportation, and undead magic such as drain touch," she explained.
Teleportation? Seriously!? YAS! That sounds fucking awesome! "Yeah, I'll take teleportation and the undead magic please."
"Umm, let's start with Drain Touch…" After Wiz finished, she seemed to be thinking of something, and looked back and forth between me and Aqua with a panicky face.
"What is it?"
Wiz looked at Aqua timidly. "I can't use my skills without a target. Which means… if no one can be my target…"
A devious grin formed on Aqua's face but I beat her to it. "Yeah, I'll be your target Wiz," I told her.
'Drain touch' seemed to be a skill unique to the undead, capable of draining an opponent's health and mana.
When Wiz touched my arm, I can feel her sucking up some of my mana and vitality or life force. It's a bit unpleasant and only lasts for a few seconds before she finally stopped.
After that, I checked on my card and learned Drain Touch without any hesitation. Than I walked towards Aqua and put a hand at the back of her neck. "What is it KazumaAAAAH!"
I took note on the magic patterns for reverse mana flow. I couldn't help but grin a little when I can feel both Aqua's and my mana playing tug of war and resisting each other. It went on for a few minutes until…
"GOD BLOW!"
To be fair, she's a goddess, so excuse me for getting knocked five feet back with a broken nose.
Wiz came over towards me in concern. "Are you alright, Kazuma sama?"
I gave her a thumb up. "It works! Thanks for the skill Wiz, I'll return someday later for the other skills okay?" I told her before slowly standing up from my position. Then I looked at Aqua and found her holding out her fists on me.
"Pardon my intrusion, is Ms. Wiz here?" A middle aged man opened the door and walked in, ringing the bell.
Wiz stepped forward to welcome the man. "Yes, how can I help you?"
"Ahh, Miss Wiz, can you do me a favor? Will you exorcise the spirits in the mansion once again?" the man asked.
"Eh… I thought the graveyard is purified," Wiz said in concern.
"Yes, but I'm planning to sell the mansion as soon as possible, it cost me more and more to maintain it, I'm gonna go bankrupt over a property," he said in slight frustration. "I don't want to take any chances, I just need to exorcise it once and put it on advertisement."
Wait, mansion?
I turned towards my card and saw that the 'Homeless Life' has been replaced by 'Master of the Mansion'. I grinned a little at this perfect opportunity and raised my hand. "Sir! I'll buy the mansion, how much?"
The man looked at me and his eyes widened in realization. "Eh, Eh?! Kazuma sama!" he looked at me with grateful eyes. "But there are evil spirits living in that mansion, are you sure?"
I turned towards Aqua then back at him. "I've seen worse."
"Well… if you're sure, I can give you a tour after Ms. Wiz…"
"No need, just name the price and I'll get it out of your hair."
The man looked between me and Wiz in slight panic. "Uhh… Since it's an old mansion and we all owe you a lot… one hundred and fifty million Eris?"
"Sold!"