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 - - Rock Bottom, and Then Standing in the Way ~If a Useless Skill Breaks My Comrades, I'll Fight Alone~
Morning light streamed through the windows of the Harthia mansion. The white curtains swayed in the breeze. Birdsong could be heard in the distance.
Satou Kazuma opened his eyes on the bed. He stared at the ceiling. His body felt heavy. He hadn't slept a wink last night.
(Today, I'll end it all.)
Kazuma slowly sat up. His black hair was a mess from sleep. His deep brown eyes were sunken, with dark circles beneath them.
On the desk, he placed a single sheet of paper.
"I'm grateful for everything. Please don't look for me."
Just that one note. He'd rewritten it countless times. He'd tried to write more. But he couldn't.
Because the more he wrote, the more pathetic it became.
Kazuma picked up a small bag. A change of clothes, his wallet, and his status card. That was all.
He left the room. The hallway was quiet. Everyone was still asleep.
(Megumin...)
For a moment, his feet stopped. From the next room, he could hear soft breathing.
Last night, Megumin had been watching from the shadows. Kazuma knew. He didn't turn around. Because if he did, he wouldn't be able to leave.
(Sorry.)
He whispered only in his heart, and Kazuma began to walk.
He opened the front door without making a sound. The outside air was cold. It smelled of morning dew.
Without looking back, he passed through the gate.
The Axel Adventurer's Guild was open early in the morning.
At the first-floor reception desk, Luna sat as always. A gentle-faced woman with silver hair tied back. She was the guild's receptionist and also its head clerk.
"Oh, Kazuma-san. Good morning. You're early today."
Luna smiled. Kazuma couldn't look directly at that smile.
"Luna-san. I have a request."
Kazuma placed his status card on the counter.
"Please cancel my adventurer registration."
Luna's hand stopped.
"...What?"
"You heard me. I'm quitting being an adventurer."
"W-wait a moment. Why so suddenly? Did something happen?"
Luna leaned forward. At her voice, the adventurers nearby glanced over.
"Hey, that guy's quitting being an adventurer."
"He's been acting weird lately, hasn't he."
"Maybe he can't pay off his debt?"
He could hear the whispers. Kazuma ignored them.
"It's a personal matter. I can't go into details."
"That can't be... Kazuma-san, you've been working so hard lately. The Giant Toad subjugation, the Killer Predator swarm. The guild values your contributions too."
"Values, huh."
Kazuma gave a small laugh.
(What's being valued isn't me. It's those guys around me.)
(I'm just dragging everyone down.)
"Anyway, I want it canceled. Please."
"...You're serious, aren't you."
Luna stared intently into Kazuma's eyes. Kazuma didn't look away.
"Yeah, I'm serious."
"...Would you let me hear the reason? If it's an impulsive decision, I'd like to stop you."
"Because I'm here, everyone gets put in danger."
Kazuma let it slip quietly.
"...What?"
"My skill breaks my comrades. Just by being near them, their powers go haywire. So I... I shouldn't be here."
Luna gasped.
"Kazuma-san... that's not something you have to carry all on your own."
"Carry or not, I'm the cause. If I disappear, everything gets resolved."
"But..."
"Please. Cancel it."
Kazuma bowed his head.
After a long silence, Luna slowly nodded.
"...Understood. I'll proceed with the paperwork. However, final cancellation requires the guild master's approval. The process will be completed today, but you can revoke it at any time."
"I won't be revoking it."
"...I see."
Luna took out some documents.
That was when it happened.
The guild door flew open with force.
"Kazuma!!!"
Her crimson hair shone like fire in the morning light. Her crimson eyes blazed with anger. The eyepatch over her left eye had slipped from her running.
"What were you thinking!? You're quitting being an adventurer, is that true!?"
Megumin stood before Kazuma. Because of the height difference, she had to look up at him with all her might. Even so, her intensity seemed about to crush him.
"...It's true. It's none of your business."
"Of course it's my business! I'm your party member! Don't just quit on your own, don't be ridiculous!"
"The party's disbanded. I'm not an adventurer anymore."
"Why!? Why would you do that!? Did I do something!? Did you start hating me!?"
Megumin's voice began to tremble. Amidst the anger, sadness started to mix in.
"It's not your fault. It's my problem."
"Then explain it to me! Why do you decide everything on your own!? Don't you trust me!?"
Megumin's crimson eyes began to well up with tears.
Kazuma's chest tightened.
(Trust? I can't trust. I'm the one who breaks you.)
(My skill is distorting your Explosion magic.)
"I'm... just a burden to everyone."
Kazuma voiced only his inferiority complex about his useless skill. He concealed the truth about the mana interference.
"A burden, what is that supposed to mean!? Because you were there, we were able to defeat that Killer Predator swarm! Because of your Status Check, we could coordinate!"
"Anyone could do that. It doesn't have to be me."
"That's wrong! It has to be you! I said I'd fire my Explosion magic for you! If you're gone, I... I..."
Megumin's words broke off with tears.
Kazuma shook off the hand that was gripping Megumin's arm.
"Sorry."
Just one word. That was all.
The color drained from Megumin's face.
"...'Sorry' isn't good enough. Why... why..."
Megumin grabbed Kazuma's arm.
"If you're going to run away, I'll fire Explosion magic! Right here! I'll blow up the whole guild!"
"Don't. Your debt will just increase again."
"I don't care about debt! You disappearing is way worse!"
"...Do what you want."
Kazuma shook off Megumin's hand.
"Kazuma! Wait! Kazuma!!"
With Megumin's scream at his back, Kazuma left the guild.
The street in front of the guild. The morning market was starting to bustle.
Kazuma pushed through the crowd.
"Kazuma-sama! Please wait!"
With her long blonde hair swaying, Darkness came running. White skin and blue eyes. A female knight in armor, but for some reason her expression looked delighted.
"You came too, huh."
"I heard! That Kazuma-sama is quitting being an adventurer! If that's the case, you should use me as your shield! I can be beaten black and blue any number of times! In your place, Kazuma-sama, let me be the one to get hurt!"
"This isn't the time to indulge your perverted hobbies!"
"It's not a perverted hobby! This is devotion! For Kazuma-sama, I will gladly accept the pain!"
"That makes it even worse! Just shut up!"
"That's right! Darkness, you be quiet!"
With her long light-blue hair swaying, Aqua appeared. Her white and blue outfit was translucent in the morning light. The self-proclaimed goddess glared at Kazuma with an angry face.
"Kazuma! Are you seriously going to quit!? What about your debt!? Your repayment to me!?"
"The debt, I've filed the paperwork with the guild for a lump-sum repayment. What I owe you, I'll pay back properly too. Don't worry."
"That's not the issue! Why suddenly, something like this... Megumin-chan was crying! What did you do to her!"
"I didn't do anything. I'm just going my own way."
"You know, there's a limit to how selfish you can be! Your comrades are this worried about you!"
"Comrades, huh. I'm not your comrade. Just a housemate."
"Kazuma! Are you saying that seriously!?"
Aqua's eyes burned with anger.
"Kazuma-sama! Whip me and clear your mind! Along with the pain, your hesitation will be blown away too!"
"I told you, your perverted hobbies have nothing to do with this!"
"Darkness, you be quiet for a bit! Kazuma, you're just running away! Everyone's worried about you!"
"That's right! Kazuma! Listen to what I have to say!"
Megumin had chased after him from the guild. Her eyes were red. Traces of tears remained on her white cheeks.
"You two, take this seriously! Kazuma's gone and done something weird!"
"I am being serious! I'm burning with a noble mission to become Kazuma-sama's shield!"
"Don't burn with anything! Your mission isn't needed right now!"
"Hey, you two, don't fight! Right now it's about Kazuma!"
The three of them started making a scene in front of the guild. Passersby turned around to see what was going on.
Kazuma, in that gap, slipped into the crowd.
"...Sorry, you guys."
Kazuma walked without looking back.
The sun set, and lights began to appear in the town of Axel.
Kazuma returned to the Harthia mansion and packed his belongings.
One small bag. A change of clothes, his wallet, his status card. That was all.
(This is where we say goodbye.)
Kazuma looked around his room one last time.
(It was a short time, but it wasn't bad.)
(When I first saw Megumin's Explosion magic, I nearly wet myself.)
(Aqua's useless goddess antics, Darkness's perverted antics, now that I think about it...)
Kazuma shook his head.
(Don't think. Just go.)
He left the mansion. Through the garden, through the gate.
He didn't look back.
He walked alone down the road leading to Axel's gate.
The town showed its nighttime bustle. Laughter came from the taverns. Delicious smells drifted from the food stalls.
Giant Toad meat skewers. 200 Eris.
(Might as well have one last one.)
Kazuma stopped at a stall.
"Oh, young man. You're early today. One skewer?"
"Yeah. It might be my last, so give me two."
"Last, that's an exaggeration. Here, it's hot so be careful."
Kazuma took the skewers. The savory aroma tickled his nose.
He took a bite. Hot. Delicious.
(This taste, too, is already...)
Kazuma ate the skewer as he approached the front of the guild.
"Kazuma."
Under the streetlight in front of the guild, Aqua stood.
Her light-blue hair swayed in the night wind. Her blue eyes stared straight at Kazuma.
"...What are you doing out at this hour."
"I was waiting. I knew you'd pass through here."
"The goddess can even predict the future, huh."
"I can. Because you have no choice but to pass through here. If you're heading to the gate."
Aqua took a step closer to Kazuma.
"Are you running away? With all these comrades you have?"
Kazuma couldn't answer.
He couldn't look into Aqua's eyes.
"If you leave, Megumin-chan will be alone again."
Kazuma's heart wavered.
(Megumin will be alone.)
(She came out from the Crimson Demon Village and was always alone.)
(She met me, and finally...)
"If I'm here, everyone gets put in more danger."
Kazuma murmured.
"Is that about your skill?"
"...You knew."
"Somehow. You've been worrying about it all this time, haven't you. I'm a goddess, so I can tell about these things."
"For a useless goddess, you're sharp about only that kind of thing."
"Who's a useless goddess! Right now we're talking about you!"
Aqua puffed out her cheeks.
"...I want Megumin to be able to smile."
Kazuma let out his true feelings for the first time.
"...What?"
"After she fires her Explosion magic, she grins triumphantly, right. I like that face. But when I'm near her, her magic breaks. She can't smile anymore."
"Then you shouldn't run away."
Aqua said gently.
"Because you were there, Megumin-chan was able to smile again, right. If you run away, that girl will never be able to smile again."
"...But."
"There's definitely a solution. Don't carry it all alone. Me, Darkness, Megumin-chan—we're your comrades, aren't we."
Kazuma couldn't say anything.
"...I believe in you. Not as a goddess, but as a friend."
Aqua smiled.
That smile seemed to glow faintly in the darkness of the night.
Kazuma looked away.
"...Sorry."
Kazuma passed by Aqua's side.
"Kazuma..."
Aqua's voice chased after his back.
He didn't turn around.
He couldn't turn around.
Kazuma passed through Axel's gate.
Outside the castle gate, it was quiet. Moonlight illuminated the grassland in pale blue.
(This is for the best.)
Kazuma told himself.
(This way, everyone will be safe.)
(My
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