Konosuba: Axels Fencer

The Crismon Demon (Chapter 4)

Sapphire turned sharply, his gaze fixing upon the source of the interruption—a slightly pallid young girl with striking features. Her shoulder-length dark brown hair framed her face, contrasting sharply with the eyepatch covering one eye; the other eye, a piercing crimson red, seemed to radiate intensity.

She donned attire reminiscent of a classical witch, with a black cloak flowing over a red robe, complemented by vibrant orange boots and a black wizard's hat adorned with intricate gold borders and trimmings. A black choker, belt, and fingerless gloves added an air of mystery to her appearance, while her right leg was swathed in white bandages and a black stocking clad her left leg. In her hands, she wielded a brown staff with a floating gem, a clear symbol of her magical prowess.

With a theatrical flourish, the girl posed, causing her cape to billow behind her in a dramatic manner. "My name is Megumin, an Archwizard who commands explosion magic—the mightiest of all offensive spells!" she declared confidently, her voice carrying both authority and power.

Kazuma, taken aback by her introduction and eccentric demeanor, appeared bewildered. "Are you mocking us?" he asked, disbelief evident in his tone as he struggled to make sense of the girl's peculiar behavior and bold assertions.

Meanwhile, Sapphire found himself captivated by the girl's presence, momentarily drawn away from the ongoing conflict between Kazuma and the girl he had reprimanded earlier. It was an unusual sensation, one he attributed to his connection with Eryn, through which he could sense Megumin's substantial reservoir of Mana.

Shaking off his momentary distraction, Sapphire refocused on the unfolding scene. Deciding to entertain the eccentric yet intriguing Megumin, he summoned his sword with a fluid motion. The blade gleamed as it slid from its ethereal sheath, and with a precise stab into the stone floor, a burst of flames erupted, casting a warm glow around them.

"I am Sapphire, a fencer wielding the Fury of fire," he announced confidently, his voice resonating with the depth of his experiences and abilities. Eryn, his ever-supportive companion, fluttered from his shoulder and perched gracefully on the hilt of the summoned sword, adding an ethereal charm to the display.

"And this is my partner and friend, Eryn," Sapphire continued warmly, acknowledging the fairy who had become integral to his journey. With a nod from Eryn, she returned to Sapphire's shoulder, their camaraderie evident in their synchronized movements.

Megumin's eye sparkled with excitement as she observed Sapphire's display of fire magic and his introduction. Without hesitation, she leaped toward Sapphire, her face coming close to his as she expressed her enthusiasm. "That was amazing! The fire and then—" Her words spilled out in a rush of excitement before she paused, her attention shifting to Eryn perched nearby.

"I've never seen a fairy before," Megumin exclaimed with wonder, her eyes wide as she admired Eryn's delicate form and radiant presence. The sudden proximity made Sapphire blush faintly, a reaction not unnoticed by Eryn, who stifled a laugh at his subtle embarrassment.

"Ahem," Kazuma cleared his throat with a deliberate sound, effectively catching Megumin's attention. "Are you a Crimson Demon?" Aqua inquired, her gaze drawn to Megumin's distinctive eyepatch.

"Indeed, I am a Crimson Demon! My lethal magic demolishes mountains, smashes boulders..." Megumin's voice carried a mix of pride and exhaustion as she spoke of her magical prowess. However, her words faltered, and she stumbled, nearly falling to the floor if not for Sapphire's quick reflexes. With concern etched on his face, Sapphire helped her regain her footing, his voice filled with worry. "Megumin, are you alright?" Eryn, equally concerned, chimed in, "I haven't had a thing to eat in 3 days. Could you please spare me some food?"

"Three days?!" Eryn exclaimed, her worry deepening for the practically starved girl.

As Sapphire ensured Megumin's stability, Kazuma interjected, gesturing towards Aqua, "So, what's with the eyepatch? If you're injured, Aqua here can heal you; that's her only strong suit." Aqua, somewhat surprised by the sudden attention, tried to interject, but her words went unheard as the conversation continued.

"This eyepatch is the magical item that suppresses my mighty magical power," Megumin explained as she sat down, a mixture of pride and amusement in her expression. "If I were to take this off, a huge catastrophe would surely fall upon this world!"

"That's like a seal, right? Pretty cool!" Sapphire remarked, impressed by the idea. Megumin's proud facade softened into a carefree smile as she admitted, "Ah no, that was a lie; I just wear it for looks." Sapphire gave her a deadpan stare, and Kazuma, intrigued, started tugging at the eyepatch, causing Megumin to panic. "H-hey, wait up! I'm sorry, please let go of it—" Megumin pleaded, realizing the potential danger.

Aqua, seeking to redirect the conversation, acknowledged Megumin's magical abilities, "You know, I've heard that Crimson Demons possess great magical abilities, and almost all of them are expert magicians."

Kazuma, having released the eyepatch, admitted, "Sorry, I thought you were just mocking us... I mean, you gave us that weird name and all." Megumin retorted with a pout as she adjusted the eyepatch, "Calling my name weird is mean; in my opinion, it's everyone else in town that has a weird name."

"I don't think your name is weird," Sapphire reassured her, earning a grateful smile from Megumin. "So, how were your parents called again?" he asked, curious about Aqua's earlier comment regarding names. "Easy enough, my mother is Yuiyui, and my father is Hyoizaburo!" Megumin replied confidently, striking a pose after standing up again.

Turning to Aqua after his doubts were cleared, Kazuma couldn't help but chuckle softly. "You sure were right," he admitted.

Megumin, while still maintaining her proud demeanor, was interrupted by her growling stomach, which led Sapphire to offer her the menu with a kind smile. "Order whatever you want to eat; I'll pay for it," he said generously. Megumin's face lit up with gratitude, and she hugged him tightly, expressing her thanks. "Thank you, Sapphire! Thank you so much!" she exclaimed joyfully, causing Sapphire's cheeks to flush slightly in response to the unexpected affection. Eryn grinned broadly at the heartwarming moment, while Megumin let go once her food arrived, eagerly devouring it as Aqua and Kazuma inspected her Adventurer Card.

"Adventurer Cards are unforgable, she is an Arch Wizard of undeniable prowess. If shehas Explosion Magic, that would make her an unparalleled destructive force!" Aqua exclaimed, visibly impressed by the prospect.

"Indeed, she seems to possess considerable power," Kazuma remarked, his astonishment palpable.

"I'd prefer to be addressed by my name, like Sapphire did," Megumin interjected, voicing her discontent at being referred to in generic terms.

"Before we formalize your inclusion in our party, it would be prudent to witness your capabilities firsthand. Would that be acceptable?" Kazuma inquired, eyeing the crimson demon and the fencer.

"I never expressed any desire to join your party. It's been a mere two days since I registered, and I've already attained Level 3," Sapphire retorted sharply, recalling why he came over in the first place.

As Sapphire retreated to his table, retrieving his coat, Eryn returned back on his shoulder. Megumin, however, caught hold of his coat, accidentally causing a small tear in the sleeve.

Observing the damage, Sapphire's demeanor hardened, summoning his sword with a controlled fury. "Release your grip on my mother's jacket before I forcibly separate it from your person," he declared with a chilling calm.

Startled, Megumin recoiled in fear as Eryn hurriedly intervened, embracing Sapphire and whispering words of solace into his ear. The tense atmosphere eased slightly, though the underlying tension lingered palpably in the air.