As I carried Megumin back to the city, the sky was dark and dotted with stars. The dirt road beneath our feet was damp with night dew, and the sound of my footsteps broke the silence.
"Have you ever had an explosion this strong before?" I asked, trying to make conversation to avoid making the way back seem even longer.
She smiled slightly. "All my explosions are strong. But, yes, that was one of the best. I think it's because I've accumulated mana until the evening."
I gave a short but sincere laugh. "Well, it seems like a well-defined cycle: explosion, exhaustion, ride back."
"Exactly." She said with a mischievous air, but there was something else in her voice.
A touch of gratitude, perhaps? It was hard to tell with Megumin, as she tended to mask her deepest feelings with jokes. In any case, I allowed myself to enjoy the moment. After all, having Megumin on my shoulders, laughing and relaxed, was something few people could boast of having experienced, possibly only her father, Kazuma and me now.
As soon as the city gates came into view again, I asked:
"Are you serious about letting me stay in your house?"
Megumin raised her head and looked at me over her shoulder. "Of course!"
I let out a sigh of relief, half hoping she was only joking. "Well, I'll try to convince the others of that then."
"I'm sure Darkness would be happy to have one more person to help with the housework."
"Darkness doing the housework?" I asked, surprised. From what little I knew about her, she seemed more interested in masochistic adventures than mundane activities like cooking or cleaning.
Megumin laughed. "Well, Aqua doesn't go out of her way to help, and Kazuma sometimes does. However, they're both not very collaborative at times. So, I think, yes, Darkness would like it."
"I see. Well, if that's the case, I think it's worth a try."
We passed through Axel's gates and made our way through the streets to the tavern, where the remaining members of the group were still eating and drinking. When we entered, Kazuma, Aqua and Darkness were at a table in the corner, looking comfortably bored after so much alcohol.
Kazuma looked at us with disinterest when we entered, but his expression soon turned to surprise when he saw Megumin on my shoulder.
"But what...?" He began, not really knowing how to complete the sentence.
Megumin got off my back with a small effort, straightening up as she said casually, "Just an explosion, no big deal."
Aqua let out a laugh, shaking his head. "Oh, right. Another explosion. As if we weren't used to it by now..."
Kazuma leaned forward, crossing his arms on the table. "So, what's going on? Why are you together?" He was biting his teeth in anger.
I stepped forward before Megumin could speak. "No, of course not. I just helped her, and she gave me some tips about the city, since I'm new here."
"Yes!" Megumin agreed with me, slightly blushing. "But Leonard is joining our group!"
"WHAT?!!!" Aqua and Kazuma asked in unison.
I put a hand to the back of my head. "Well, I was thinking about where to spend the night. The inns here in town aren't exactly comfortable, so Megumin suggested I could stay at your place. Of course, if you agree. I can pay rent and help with the housework."
Kazuma exchanged a quick glance with Aqua, who grimaced thoughtfully.
"Um... stay at our place, huh?" Kazuma rubbed his chin as if he was seriously considering it, but I could see in his eyes that he was already thinking about how to take advantage of the situation. "Our house is big... that also means the rent isn't cheap."
Darkness nodded, smiling. "I wouldn't mind! Leonard seems like a kind person that the cult of the Goddess Eris would approve of."
"Wait a minute, Darkness." Kazuma said. "We can't just let anyone stay for free. If he wants a room, he'll have to contribute. Let's talk business. How much can you pay?"
I shrugged, trying not to sound too eager. "I was thinking something around 100,000 eri."
Kazuma let out an incredulous laugh. "A hundred thousand? That barely covers the food Aqua consumes in a week. No, no, my friend. If you want to stay with us, you'll have to pay... say, 1 million eri."
"1 million? I could buy a mansion for that!"
Aqua, who until then had just been watching, intervened, leaning his chin on his hands with a mischievous grin. "Well, we don't want to make you uncomfortable... so maybe we can make you a better offer. How about... 800,000?"
I laughed dismissively, crossing my arms. "Still too expensive. 200,000, and I'm already exaggerating."
Kazuma snorted. "Do you think you're dealing with amateurs here? 600,000 and that's our best price."
I shook my head, beginning to enjoy the situation. "300 thousand. And if it goes on like this, I'll seriously consider the option of renting my own mansion."
Kazuma narrowed his eyes, but before he could reply, Aqua let out a dramatic sigh. "Ah, Kazuma, perhaps we should accept. After all, we can't go on without money. And he looks useful."
He looked at Aqua and then back at me, defeated. "All right, all right. 300,000 eris, and you can stay."
I smiled, satisfied with the deal. "Done."
*
The next day, I woke up with a heavy head and the uncomfortable feeling of being in a strange place. The ceiling I was looking at wasn't familiar - of course, it wasn't the cramped inn my most recent memories were of either. My body was sunk into a surprisingly comfortable bed, with soft covers and a faint scent of flowers in the air.
It took me a few seconds to remember exactly where I was and what had happened. After the 300,000 eri deal to stay at Kazuma and his group's house, Megumin insisted that it was cause for celebration. Of course, their idea of a "party" involved a lot of drinking. And I, perhaps influenced by the atmosphere or the need to get along with the group, ended up drinking more than necessary. The result? A considerable hangover and a fragmented memory of the night before.
At least I had found a place to stay in this world. The room was simple, but well-kept. The walls were a soft cream color, and there was a small bookcase with a few dusty books leaning against the wall next to the bed. A wooden cupboard occupied the opposite wall, and next to the bed was a bedside table with a half-full glass of water. The bed I was lying on was big enough for a person to sprawl out on without fear of falling. Not bad, I thought.
But more than anything, what was really bothering me at that moment was an urgent need: I had to go to the bathroom. The combination of a hangover and a full bladder was unbearable. I stood up groggily, almost tripping over the foot of the bed.
The wooden floor creaked under my feet as I tried to get my bearings. Which door was the bathroom, anyway?
I had no idea. It was my first day in the house, and there hadn't been time for a full tour - at least not that I could remember. It had to be one of the doors in the hallway. I left the room, peering out. The corridor was silent. It was a big place, bigger than the anime made it look. I continued down the corridor, trying to keep my mind alert so I wouldn't end up breaking into the wrong room.
As I passed a few doors, all closed, I saw one slightly ajar at the end of the corridor. Maybe that's it, I thought, still fighting sleep. Approaching, I slowly pushed the door open.
That's when I saw her.
Darkness was standing in front of a mirror, wearing her underwear. Her body was partially turned towards the mirror while she was wearing tight black pants. I could see part of her panties and her bra-covered breasts reflected in the mirror. Unfortunately, her long blonde hair was loose and obstructed much of the view.
"W-what are you doing?" Darkness asked in a shaky voice, but not necessarily out of anger.
I quickly stepped back and closed the door. At this moment, a system notification appeared.
[You have received 1 Heart with Darkness.]
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