Kazuma dies in a ridiculous traffic accident and is offered reincarnation by the goddess Aqua. But today, Aqua is glowing with a real goddess aura, not her usual useless self. Before Kazuma can retort, he is thrown into the fantasy world of Axel with no cheat weapon or skill.
A mysterious saintly goddess who looks exactly like Aqua appears, claiming to watch over him as a 'savior candidate'. Meanwhile, the usual Aqua is causing chaos in town—debts at the bar, trouble at the guild, and being mis
KonoSuba: If Aqua Was Actually a Goddess - First Joint Quest and a Night of Yakitori
The morning light illuminated the bulletin board at the Axel branch of the Nornvais Adventurers' Guild. Kazuma stood before it, a deep frown etched between their brows. The [Important Notice] they'd seen yesterday wouldn't leave their mind.
*"Those with delinquent debts, and adventurers who have failed to meet their quotas, will be obligated to participate in danger-designated quests at a later date."*
In other words, there was a high probability that they—who hadn't been able to repay their debt—would be dragged into a reconnaissance mission to the Keele Underground Catacombs: an ancient tomb dungeon eight kilometers to the south, crawling with skeletons and ghosts, with a recommended rank of E. Kazuma read the bulletin board over again, from top to bottom.
"…We're dead. That place, it'll kill us."
Beside them, Aqua tilted her head, her waist-length aqua-blue hair gleaming lustrously. Jewel-like blue eyes looked up at Kazuma with pure innocence. Her petite frame—158 centimeters tall—was clad today as always in a midriff-baring aqua outfit with far too little fabric. In appearance alone, she looked every bit the goddess.
"It's fine, Kazuma! I'll protect you! Taking down undead is a piece of cake for me!"
Aqua puffed out her ample chest and declared with absolute confidence.
"You literally just made the well water explode yesterday during the potato harvest."
"Oh my, that was simply the water being charmed by my beauty and overflowing on its own. It couldn't be helped. Being beautiful is such a burden."
"You're seriously messed up sometimes, you know that?"
Kazuma looked up at the sky. But they couldn't keep clutching their head forever. The notice on the board also said this:
*"Deadline for submitting a repayment plan: tomorrow."*
Meaning, if they didn't reduce their debt even a little today and show the guild that "these people intend to pay," they'd almost certainly be assigned to that underground catacomb.
"Alright, today we're taking a quest we can definitely succeed at."
Kazuma pulled their eyes away from the notice and moved to the corner of the board where beginner-friendly requests were posted.
There, a request that had just been posted this morning fluttered in the wind with a dry rustle.
【Quest: Goblin Extermination in Kamui Forest】
【Reward: 15,000 Eris】
【Recommended Rank: E】
【Client: Axel Area Farmers' Association】
Kazuma stared hard at the request form.
Kamui Forest was a temperate deciduous forest spreading fifteen kilometers northwest of Axel. It was like a training ground for rookie adventurers, with only low-level monsters. Giant toads, and at this time of year, two or three goblins. Low danger.
The reward was fifteen thousand Eris. Split between two people, that was seven thousand five hundred each. Against a debt of four hundred thousand, it was a drop in the bucket—but as something to write on the repayment plan submission as "today's achievements," it was more than enough.
"Hey, Aqua. We're going with this one."
Kazuma pointed at the request form.
"Goblin extermination! Wonderful! I'll use my purification magic to wipe out every last one of those wicked creatures!"
"Wait. I need to say the most important thing."
Kazuma grabbed Aqua firmly by both shoulders.
"Wh-what is it, all of a sudden?"
"Listen carefully. Until we reach the forest, you will absolutely obey my instructions. Don't use magic. Don't run off on your own. And especially, don't go near streams or any place with water."
"Why?! My purification magic is perfect! Yesterday was just a fluke, I wasn't feeling my best!"
"It wasn't just yesterday. The day before, and the day before that—your magic almost always messes something up."
"Ugh… that's, well… my power is so strong that the water in this world gets all deferential around me…"
"That's the first time I've ever heard of water being deferential."
Kazuma let out a deep sigh. But this time, failure was not an option. Whether or not they'd be sent to the underground catacombs hinged on this quest.
"Listen, Aqua. We're ending this as a boring hunt. No flashy moves, none at all. I'll lure the goblins out one by one, and you just wait in the back. Got it?"
"…Fine. But then I won't be any use at all."
Aqua pouted her lips.
"You have no idea how much peace of mind I get just from you standing there doing nothing. Please, just behave yourself today."
When Kazuma said it with a serious face, Aqua's brows lowered just slightly, and she gave a small nod.
*(…She probably really wants to go all out, deep down.)*
Kazuma understood. This goddess was a born narcissist, desperate to show that she could be useful. They didn't deny that feeling. But rather than being useful, causing extra damage was this woman's specialty.
They submitted the request form to Luna the receptionist and left the guild.
The morning streets of Axel were lively as always. Cargo wagons loaded with vegetables rattled over the cobblestones. The smell of freshly baked bread drifted from the food stalls. Merchants called out in booming voices, and children darted between them.
"Oh, Kazuma, that bakery over there is selling something like croissants today! It smells so good!"
"No. We're hungry, but our wallet's even hungrier."
"Cheapskate…"
"It's not being cheap. Look at reality. Reality."
Even as they said it, Kazuma's stomach let out a small growl. Last night had been nothing but thin soup and hard bread from Galda the innkeeper. Honestly, it was practically the same as having eaten nothing since morning.
*(Once we get the reward, I'm eating something good today.)*
Kazuma swore it firmly in their heart and started walking down the highway leading northwest.
Once they passed through Axel's city walls, the sky opened wide. Fields stretched as far as the eye could see, glowing golden in the morning sun. Farmers working with hoes in hand appeared as tiny figures in the distance.
"Such nice weather. I have a feeling today is definitely going to go well!"
Aqua sniffed the air and stretched. Her long aqua-blue hair swayed softly in the breeze. To any onlooker, she truly looked like a goddess out for a stroll.
*(…This girl really does look like a goddess when she keeps her mouth shut.)*
Kazuma glanced at her profile, then immediately faced forward again.
Fifteen kilometers on foot meant about four hours of walking. Along the way, they tried several times to flag down a wagon for a ride, but no one was eccentric enough to pick up a suspicious young person with no luggage and a girl in absurdly flashy clothes.
"Honestly, everyone's so cold!"
"Of course they are. Unless you're hiring guards, nobody picks up a pair of strangers."
"If they knew I was a goddess, they'd all be happy to give us a ride."
"That goddess of yours is clinging to passersby going 'ride, ride,' which makes you look even more suspicious."
Exchanging such banter, the two continued northwest along the highway. As the sun climbed higher, the air took on the muggy heat of summer. Sweat beaded on their foreheads. Kazuma walked while gnawing on dried meat bought at the guild. Aqua picked flowers by the roadside and placed them on her head, chirping "Does it suit me?"
Eventually, a deep green wall came into view ahead on the highway.
"So that's Kamui Forest."
Kazuma nodded, comparing it to the map.
The trees grew thick and dense, blocking the sunlight. Along with a cool breeze came the smell of earth and grass. The surroundings suddenly grew quiet—the bustle of the highway from moments ago felt like a lie.
"Hey, Aqua. This is where it gets real. Whatever you do, don't use magic on your own. Got it? I mean it."
"I know, I know. You're so persistent, Kazuma."
"Considering your track record, no amount of repetition is enough."
"How rude. I can do it when it counts, you know."
"The problem is you mess up before it ever counts."
The two advanced cautiously along an animal trail. Damp fallen leaves squelched underfoot. Above, bird calls occasionally rang out sharply.
After walking for a while, a small stream came into view ahead. The water volume wasn't particularly high. The current slipped smoothly between the rocks. The water was clear, and the pebbles at the bottom were distinctly visible.
"Such beautiful water… Ah, I'm getting a little thirsty."
Aqua crouched down, about to scoop up water from the stream with her hands.
Kazuma flinched at the action.
"Hey, wait. Don't drink untreated water. You'll get sick. And I told you not to go near water."
"It's fine. I'm a goddess. A little water is nothing to me!"
Aqua puffed out her chest as if she were the very administrator of water, then clapped her hands together right there.
"Wait wait wait. You're not about to use magic on the spot, are you?"
"Purification magic. I'll make this water even cleaner, more sacred—special water that makes you younger just by drinking it. I'll quench your thirst too, Kazuma."
"Don't need it. Absolutely don't need it. Your purification magic doesn't make things clean—it turns them into something else entirely."
"Watch this! My true power!"
"LISTEN TO ME!!"
Kazuma's shout was in vain. Aqua's entire body began to glow with a pale blue-white light.
—The next instant.
*GLOOP.*
The stream's water, as if alive, suddenly erupted upward toward the sky.
"GWAH!?"
The water column exceeded five meters in height. No, it wasn't even that level. All the water in the stream reversed course and rained down on the surroundings. Trees shook, and the ground, drenched by the falling water, rapidly transformed into a muddy swamp.
"Oh my!? Why!? I meant to purify it gently and softly!"
"Why do you think?! Why is your magic always so absurdly oversized?!"
The water kept overflowing. Eventually, brownish water spread slowly, steadily, even to areas far from the stream.
—*Gya, gya, gya.*
Low, guttural cries echoed from deep in the forest—several of them.
"Wh-what's that sound!?"
Kazuma strained their eyes toward the source of the noise.
Beyond the ground now churned into mud, from the shadows of the trees, small humanoid creatures with green skin emerged one after another.
"A goblin pack."
Kazuma's voice trembled low.
There were more than ten goblins in total. In their hands, crude clubs and stone axes. Their yellow eyes locked onto Kazuma and Aqua all at once.
"H-hey, Kazuma! Aren't they coming straight for us!?"
"Obviously! You blew up the stream right next to their nest!"
"B-but, I just wanted to make the water clean…!"
"Excuses later! We're running!"
Kazuma grabbed Aqua's hand and tried to run.
—But.
Their feet sank with a *squelch*.
The churned-up ground caught both of their feet. With every step, their shoes were sucked into the mud, making it impossible to run properly.
"Damn it, I can't move!"
"No, I can't run…!"
"I'll say it again. You really are useless!"
Kazuma gritted their back teeth. The goblins, utterly unbothered by the mud, nimbly leaped from tree root to tree root, closing the distance.
*(At this rate, they'll catch up.)*
At that moment, a certain sight caught Kazuma's eye.
The goblins' feet. The water that had overflowed from the stream had spread all the way around their nest, turning that area into a deep mud bog as well. The goblins, blocked by the mud that had formed around their own nest, couldn't approach directly. In other words, that mud was acting as a wall.
—In that case.
Kazuma pointed their right hand at the ground.
"Freeze!"
*CRACK. CRACKCRACKCRACK.*
The cold air released from their palm instantly froze the churned mud. The water-logged ground transformed spectacularly into a path of white ice. Kazuma ran across the frozen path, pulling Aqua by the hand.
"W-wow! Kazuma, the ground's turning to ice!"
"My Freeze is a beginner spell. I can't spam it. Let's get out of this mud bog while we can!"
The frozen path extended in a wide arc, bypassing the mud bog where the goblins were. Kazuma
Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.