Chapter 105: Chapter 100 - Mana
The classic tavern scene after a dangerous mission as an adventurer was not to be missed, and I was looking forward to it.
In the tavern of Axel's Guild, I exhaled a loud sigh of satisfaction after drinking a mug of mead for the first time.
In my original world, I had tried beer in hiding and it tasted awful. However, mead was much sweeter and more comfortable, without all that unnecessary acidity.
The girls, Kazuma and I were sitting next to a fireplace, all with satisfied smiles on our faces.
"Hey, waitress! Now bring the best wine and the best meats you've got!" shouted Aqua, already slightly flushed even though we'd each just drunk a mug of mead. "You'll see, Leonard, the wine here is the best you've ever had!"
I put a hand on my chin and leaned forward. "Is it? I'm looking forward to it."
Darkness and Megumin were enjoying what the money had to offer, but Kazuma, for his part, seemed focused on analyzing how much money they would have to shell out for tonight's extravagances. Soon, he seemed to give up, sighed and leaned over the table.
"Ahh... It seems like every day we work just to eat." I could hear him say in a muffled voice.
But when the meat arrived, all his worry vanished in a broad smile of happiness. The tray of meat had barely touched the table when Kazuma stole the largest piece of meat and put it in his mouth.
"Hey, Kazuma, it's not fair! I need to get mana back!" Megumin exclaimed.
"What mana! You didn't even use your explosion today!" replied Kazuma, his mouth full, and turned around to chew that huge piece himself.
I could only laugh and enjoy it. Kazuma was a bit funnier in person than in the anime, because he seemed much more natural.
"Today's mission wasn't that dangerous... But those blows from the lizards..." Darkness suddenly said. "Agh, they were so intense, almost irresistible! The impact, the brute force! I almost felt like I was... being tested by the Goddess Eris!"
Luckily, the waiter arrived with a tray full of mugs of mead and a bottle of wine.
Aqua, wasting no time, practically snatched the first mug off the tray and started drinking like there was no tomorrow.
Megumin, who had become strangely quiet after Kazuma's response, was sitting at the edge of the table, looking away. She was probably still a little upset that she hadn't had the chance to use her explosive magic during the battle.
"Megumin, it wasn't your fault that you didn't have any mana," I said and placed a mug of mead in front of her. "It was just bad luck... or rather, Kazuma's fault." I smiled, hoping to cheer her up.
[You received 1 Megumin Heart.]
She looked up at me and, for a moment, seemed a little less serious. "Isn't it?! But... it's not just that. It's just that... I really wanted to let off steam today too."
"You know what? You should do that." I said.
"What?"
"I'm saying you should go outside and let off a blast. You're practically recovered by now, right?"
"Outside? Now?" She asked with slightly arched eyebrows. The expression on her face was a mixture of childish enthusiasm and something more serious. "But after I use the blast, I won't be able to walk."
"It wouldn't be the first time someone carried you after one of those explosions, I imagine." I tilted my head slightly to the side. "Or would it?"
She snorted, crossing her arms. "Kazuma would never carry me now, at night. It's cold outside, and he'd probably rather stay here drinking and eating than deal with this."
Megumin really wanted to unleash this outburst and, as silly as it seemed, decided to take this opportunity.
"If that's what you want to do, I can carry you." I said casually, picking up one of the mugs of mead and taking a sip while watching her out of the corner of my eye. "It wouldn't be a problem. And in this cold weather, you might even feel comfortable after a blast."
She blushed slightly, trying to hide the smile that threatened to appear. "Really? You'd do that?"
"Why not? Everyone deserves a moment of glory, and you... well, the explosion is your moment." I put the mug back on the table. "Besides, it would be a waste not to see your magic in action. I bet it would be even more destructive than mine.
Megumin straightened up in her chair, now visibly more excited. The hesitation was still there, but it had been overwhelmed by anticipation and enthusiasm. She was about to say something when we were interrupted by the loud, unmistakable sound of Kazuma complaining in the background. "Hey, you two! What are you talking about?"
"About exploding!" Megumin replied quickly and with a slightly irritated tone.
Aqua, who was already completely drunk, laughed exaggeratedly and banged the table, knocking over some wine in the process. "Relax, Kazuma! Leonard and Megumin will have fun, and we'll take the rest of the party!"
"So... shall we?" Megumin asked, staring at me with both hands on the table.
I stood up too, adjusting my jacket and stretching my arms to relieve the tension in my shoulders. "Let's go. We can't let it get too late."
Kazuma looked at us from his position on the table, still chewing on a piece of meat. "Where are you going?"
"To set off an explosion." I said with a wry smile.
"Are you sure you want to do this now, Megumin? Seems like a waste of mana." Kazuma said.
"Explosion is never a waste. It's an art. And you know it! Today, Leonard is willing to carry me afterwards, so you don't have to worry."
Kazuma sighed and waved his hand lightly. "You're both crazy. But do what you want."
I gave Kazuma a wink, before turning to Megumin. "Come on, before he changes his mind and wants to come with us."
We left the tavern together, and found the streets of Axel almost deserted, except for a few late adventurers hurrying past, probably returning from night missions.
"So, where would be the best place for you to set off this explosion?" I asked. "I imagine it would have to be a fairly large area with no people around."
Megumin pointed to an open field beyond the city gates. "There, on that hill. That's where I like to train when no one's around."
"You really take this explosion thing seriously. I admire that."
She gave a shy but proud smile. "Of course! It's my trademark. Explosion magic is the pinnacle of arcane magic. There's nothing more powerful or devastating... and nothing that makes me happier."
[You received 1 Heart with Megumin.]
[You reached the 4 Heart mark with Megumin. Your relationship has changed from NEUTRAL to GOOD.]
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Chapter 106: Chapter 101 - EXPLOSION
When we reached the city gates, I adjusted my coat, trying to block the wind.
Megumin, however, didn't seem to mind the cold even in a mid-thigh dress. In fact, she seemed focused on a distant hill, which was the spot she had chosen for tonight's big explosion.
"It's right there. A perfect place to blow everything up without hurting anyone." She said.
"Then that's where we're going," I replied.
As we climbed the hill, the deep silence of the night seemed to grow. The city behind us was no longer visible, and all that remained was the vast countryside in front of us, open like a blank canvas, ready to be painted with the chaos of a magical explosion.
We reached the top of the hill, and Megumin stopped. She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in the air as if mentally preparing herself for what was to come.
"I'm ready." She said and raised her staff, which was about the same height as her.
"Do you want me to stand back a bit?"
Megumin gave a short laugh and shook her head. "No need. The explosion will be big, but it won't hit you if you stay right there."
She stretched her staff slightly in front of her and began to mutter the words of the incantation. I began to feel a slight vibration under my feet, a foretaste of what was to come. Then, finally, she shouted:
"EXPLOSION!"
The ground shook. The night sky was illuminated by a blinding light, and the earth about a hundred meters in front of us was torn apart by an indescribable force. The sound was deafening, as if the world was breaking in half and, for a brief moment, there was nothing but pure chaos.
And then... silence.
When the dust finally began to settle, I looked at Megumin. She was on her knees, panting, with a wide, satisfied smile on her face. Her cheeks were rosy, and her body seemed relaxed, as if she had just released all the tension she had been holding in.
"It was... incredibly powerful," I said.
Megumin smiled proudly, but made no effort to stand up. "Of course it was. Explosions are always like that. But now... I can't move." She laughed lightly, as if she'd expected it.
I walked over to her and knelt down beside her. "You really exhaust yourself with this, don't you?"
"Yes. It's the price you pay for perfection."
I looked at her for a moment, considering an idea in my mind, something that might help her regain some of her energy. Twilight Healing, the healing magic I possessed thanks to Asia, could perhaps restore some of her mana, maybe enough for her to stand up on her own. But at the same time, I wanted to carry her on my back to bring us closer together.
"Come on. I'll carry you. That way you won't freeze here until dawn."
Carefully, I slipped an arm under her and lifted her easily onto my back. She was lighter than I expected, which made the process easier.
"Do you always do that?" I asked.
Megumin laughed weakly and slipped her arms behind mine for support. "I do, but I don't always have someone to carry me afterwards."
We started walking back, and I felt the warmth of her body against mine. As I walked, I noticed how surprisingly smooth her legs were for someone who lived in a medieval world. I thought about it for a moment, not really realizing that my face was probably showing my train of thought.
"You're thinking strange things, aren't you?" Megumin suddenly murmured mischievously in my ear.
I startled slightly and shook my head negatively. "No... Of course not!" I replied quickly, although my tone betrayed a slight nervousness.
She laughed softly, tightening her arms around me a little more. "It wouldn't be a problem if it was, you know? After all, you're a knight, unlike Kazuma."
I almost stumbled at her unexpected response. "What does that mean?"
"I mean that you have an honor that Kazuma would never have. We met today, but you fought on the front line with the Darkness, you cared about my Explosion and I know you'd do the right thing, even if... your thoughts were a little indecent."
I couldn't help but laugh briefly. "I think you have a slightly idealized view of me, Megumin. But anyway, thanks for the vote of confidence."
She rested her head against my back, and I felt as if that outburst had done the job of relaxing her.
"You know." she said softly, breaking the silence. "Today... was fun. The explosion, I mean. And the fact that you're here too."
I smiled, a genuine smile. "I liked it too, Megumin."
I currently had four hearts with Megumin, but, just as I did with the girls in High School DxD, I needed to be a little cautious. Sure, I could try to get a kiss or something better right away, but if I got rejected, it could do a lot of damage to my reputation in this town. So, as I wanted to get stronger, the best thing would be to try to spend more time with Kazuma's group and try to win over these girls. It would be great to be able to copy Aqua's divine magic and Darkness' stamina, and Megumin would be my gateway to gaining their trust as well.
"Ah, it's been a fun day. Now I just need to think about where I'm going to spend the night. The inns in this town don't really appeal to me," I said to Megumin.
She raised her head and seemed to have a great idea. "The guys and I live in a really big house, you could stay there for a few days!"
"I don't know... Kazuma and the girls don't know me very well."
"But you have money, right? If you give them a few eris, they'll agree for sure!"
"Really? Then I guess I can ask."
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