Blessing on This Wonderful World! - If Days with Megumin -
Kazuma Satou, a high school student living in Axel, meets Megumin, a girl who loves explosion magic, at Dustiness's mansion. She declares herself a 'genius mage of the Crimson Demon Clan' and proudly announces, 'My explosion magic can only be used once a day, but that one strike is the strongest!'
Kazuma ends up living with Aqua, Darkness, and Megumin, getting dragged into their chaotic daily lives. Megumin clings to Kazuma, persistently trying to show off her daily explosion magic. 'Look, look
Blessing on This Wonderful World! - If Days with Megumin - - Explosion magic blows away a hill and I get billed for the damages
Satou Kazuma gripped the request slip he'd found on the guild's bulletin board and passed through Axel's east gate. The morning air was still a little cold. As the cobblestone path gave way to a dirt road, he felt small pebbles digging into the soles of his shoes.
"Escort for herb gathering, reward five thousand eris… I thought this'd be an easy job."
As Kazuma walked toward the meeting spot written on the request slip, he found himself thinking back on yesterday. How Luna at the guild had said his Status View skill was unusual. How that night, he'd thought he saw a figure outside the mansion.
(It was just my imagination. Yeah, just my imagination.)
The grassland on the outskirts of Axel was a quiet place, far from the bustle of the city. A blue sky stretched overhead, and the wind stirred the grass. A small hill rose in the distance. Just before it, at the meeting spot written on the request slip, stood a figure.
Red.
That was the first thing that caught his eye—that color.
Crimson hair swayed in the wind. Long hair tied up in a side tail. Crimson eyes, the same shade, fixed squarely on Kazuma. She stood about a hundred and fifty centimeters tall. A black eyepatch covered her left eye. She wore a red and black robe, with a large staff strapped to her back.
The girl stood with her arms planted firmly, waiting for Kazuma to arrive.
"You're late. For a servant, you've got some nerve making your master wait."
Kazuma stopped in his tracks.
"…Huh?"
"Did you not hear me? I said you're late. I've been waiting here for thirty minutes already."
The girl puffed out her chest and tilted up her chin, as if looking down on Kazuma. In reality, Kazuma was over twenty centimeters taller, so she was actually craning her neck upward—but her attitude was thoroughly condescending.
"No, we're right on time for the meeting. And what's this 'servant' crap? I just took an escort job."
"Hmph. Carry my luggage. That is the first order you've been given."
The girl thrust the large staff from her back and a cloth bag from the ground toward Kazuma.
(What's with this brat… no, she's the client. Suck it up for five thousand eris, me.)
Kazuma lectured himself internally and took the cloth bag. It was heavy. Apparently it contained tools for gathering herbs.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. So, you're Megumin of the Crimson Demon Clan, right?"
"Yes. Megumin, genius mage of the Crimson Demon Clan—that's me. Remember it."
"The Crimson Demon Clan—that's the magic-specialized race that lives in the Crimson Demon Village in the northeast of the continent, right? What're you doing in Axel?"
"Isn't it obvious? To make my Explosion Magic known to the world."
"Bakuretsu mahou…"
Kazuma recalled the rumor he'd heard at the guild. Nobody wanted to take escort jobs for Crimson Demon Clan members. Because they'd get caught up in Explosion Magic.
(Well, it's just herb gathering. There won't be any chance to use magic.)
Kazuma thought lightly and started walking. Megumin fell into step beside him.
Herbs were scattered across the grassland. The guild-designated herb was a plant called "Moonlight Grass" that bore small white flowers and apparently glowed faintly at night. It was used as an ingredient for healing potions.
"So, servant. What skill do you have?"
"Status View. It just visualizes a target's stats—a so-called dud skill."
"Oh, how interesting. Look at my status. Tremble before the abilities of a Crimson Demon genius."
Megumin spread both arms and declared confidently. Kazuma reluctantly activated Status View on her.
A translucent blue screen floated before his eyes.
'Megumin — 14 years old — Crimson Demon Clan — Mage — Lv.12 — Mana: High — Stamina: Low — Skill: Explosion Magic'
"…A mage with only Explosion Magic? Can't you use any other spells?"
"It's not that I can't—it's that I don't. Explosion Magic is the strongest magic. All other spells simply pale before it."
"No, it's not about paling or whatever—I'm talking about practicality."
"Practicality? Heh, you don't seem to understand. Explosion Magic, you see, takes about thirty seconds to chant. It completely annihilates everything within a fifty-meter radius of the impact point. The mana cost is three times the total mana of an average mage. After using it, I can't move for a full day. It is truly the ultimate strike, one that stakes everything."
"The moment you can't move for a day, practicality is zero!"
"What did you say!? To not understand this ultimate beauty—you're unfit to be an adventurer!"
"Your sense of values is what's wrong!"
The two bickered as they began picking herbs. As Kazuma crouched and carefully pulled Moonlight Grass up by the roots, Megumin glanced around, then quietly hid in the grass.
"…Hey, what're you doing?"
"Taking a break. I'm a brain worker, so manual labor is outside my expertise."
Megumin's crimson hair poked up from the grass. She apparently thought she was hidden, but she was completely visible.
"You work too. You're the client."
"No. My job is simply to be here. A Crimson Demon genius, protected by her escort, picks herbs. That is the proper form."
"Don't get shameless about it!"
Kazuma thrust his hand into the grass and grabbed Megumin by the scruff of her neck. He dragged her out.
"Hey, what are you doing!? For a servant to be rough with his master!"
"Shut up and work quietly. If the reward gets cut, it's your fault."
"…Fine, I get it. I'll do it."
Megumin pouted sulkily and crouched down. The gesture was oddly childish, and Kazuma nearly laughed.
(When it comes down to it, she does listen.)
The two silently picked herbs. The wind stirred the grass, and birdsong came from afar. A peaceful afternoon. As Kazuma placed the picked Moonlight Grass into the cloth bag, he happened to glance at Megumin's profile.
Her crimson eyes were seriously fixed on the herbs. It was a different expression from her arrogant attitude earlier—a look like she was thinking about something.
(She's so full of confidence, but sometimes she makes a lonely face.)
Kazuma thought that, but didn't say it aloud.
That was when it happened.
Doooon—the ground rumbled.
"…Huh?"
The ground shook. Pebbles jumped, and the grass rustled and trembled. From afar, something was approaching. Something huge.
"W-what the!?"
Kazuma turned around to see a massive shadow closing in from beyond the grassland. A twin-headed bear, at least three meters long. Both heads growled at once, and bright red eyes locked onto Kazuma and Megumin.
A Twin-Headed Blood Bear. A danger level C monster. It shouldn't appear in the grasslands near Axel—yet for some reason, it was right there.
"Hey, hey, hey, you've gotta be kidding!"
Kazuma quickly activated Status View.
'Twin-Headed Blood Bear — Danger Level C — Attack: High — Intelligence: Low — Weakness: Charges in response to sound'
(Reacts to sound… wait, did the rumbling just now lure it here!?)
The Blood Bear swung both heads around and charged toward Kazuma and Megumin. Its speed was far faster than it looked.
"Megumin, we're running!"
Kazuma tried to grab Megumin's hand. But she didn't move.
"Watch. This is the power of the Crimson Demon Clan."
"Hah!? What're you—"
Megumin shook off Kazuma's hand and thrust both arms forward. Her crimson eyes glinted sharply.
"Stop! Using magic at this range—"
"My name is Megumin. Foremost mage of the Crimson Demon Clan. Now is the time to show my power."
A red magic circle rose around Megumin. Wind whipped up, and her crimson hair swayed violently.
"Crimson deeper than darkness. Gather in my hand and burn all to ash."
The Blood Bear closed in. Its massive claws were about to tear the two apart.
"Hey, this is bad! We're running!"
"—EXPLOSION!!!"
A flash of light streaked across.
White light filled every corner of his vision, and the next instant, the ground shook with a thunderous roar. The blast sent Kazuma's body flying. Grass was torn away, dirt flew up, and the air trembled.
"Uwaaaaaaah!!!"
Kazuma slammed into the ground and rolled several times. His ears were ringing. The taste of dirt filled his mouth.
(W-what… was that…)
Waiting for the dust cloud to clear, Kazuma raised his head.
What lay there was a massive crater.
The ground had been completely erased across a fifty-meter radius. The grassland that had been there, the small hill, the Moonlight Grass patch—everything had been blown away. The scorched earth lay bare, and thin smoke rose from it.
There was no trace of the Blood Bear anywhere.
"…Huh?"
Kazuma sat on the ground and simply stared at the scene before him. His mind couldn't catch up.
(The Twin-Headed Blood Bear… in an instant… no, more than that—the terrain itself is gone…)
"Heh, how's that? This is my Explosion Magic."
Megumin turned around proudly. Her face was triumphant, and her crimson eyes shone with satisfaction.
"You—this… the power of this magic is insane!"
"Of course. I am a Crimson Demon genius, after all."
Megumin puffed out her chest. But the next moment, her body swayed.
"Ah… I used… a bit too much mana…"
Megumin's knees buckled. Kazuma rushed over in a panic.
"Hey, are you okay!?"
"I-I'm fine… if I rest a little…"
No sooner had she said that than Megumin collapsed. She was unconscious.
"Hey! Hey, wake up! You're the client! If you collapse here, the reward—no, that's not the point!"
Kazuma shook Megumin's body, but she didn't wake. He could hear her steady sleeping breaths.
"…You've gotta be kidding."
Kazuma looked around. The grassland had become a crater, and not a single herb remained. The job was a complete failure.
"Why does it always turn out like this…"
Kazuma heaved a deep sigh and hoisted Megumin onto his back. She was light. The body of a fourteen-year-old girl was smaller and more delicate than he'd expected.
"Jeez, guess there's no helping it."
Kazuma started walking the road back to Axel. A three-kilometer journey. The warmth of Megumin on his back felt strangely real.
About ten minutes after he started walking, Megumin stirred on his back.
"…Where is this?"
"You're awake. We're heading back to Axel. You passed out after firing Explosion Magic."
"…I see. I caused you trouble."
Megumin's voice was small and weak, different from her arrogant tone earlier.
"It's fine. You're light, no big deal."
"…Hey."
"Hm?"
"My Explosion Magic—nobody in the village acknowledged it. They called it a useless spell that can only be used once a day. It leaves me immobile afterward, drags in everyone around, causes trouble."
Kazuma listened silently.
"But I believed it was the strongest. The most amazing magic among the Crimson Demon Clan. That's why I came to Axel. Because I wanted someone to acknowledge it."
Megumin's voice trembled slightly.
"You… when you saw my magic, what did you think?"
Kazuma thought for a moment.
"It was amazing. Seriously. The bear vanished in an instant, and the hill too. I've never seen anything like it."
"…Really?"
"Really. If it's just raw power, it's definitely the strongest. Nobody else could use magic like that."
Megumin gave a small laugh on his back.
"You're actually a nice guy, aren't you."
"Shut up. I just said what I thought."
Kazuma quickened his pace to hide his embarrassment.
(I'm the same, really. Status View—people kept telling me it was useless.)
Kazuma looked at his left hand. The faint magic circle mark on it. Would this skill ever be useful to someone someday?
"Hey, your Explosion Magic can only be used once a day, right? Even so, do you still want to fire it again?"
"Of course. Explosion Magic is everything to me. Precisely because I can only use it once a day, I put everything into that one strike. That's how I live."
"…I see."
Kazuma respected Megumin just a little.
The town of Axel came into view. The cobblestone path began, and the bustle of the city drew near.
When they arrived at the Adventurer's Guild, Luna at the reception desk greeted them with a surprised look.
"Good work… wait, Sato
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