The next day dawned, and Sapphire was determined to pay a visit to Wiz's shop. His usual sleep pattern had been disrupted by Megumin's daily explosions, leading him to rise early with a groggy determination. Ever since the encounter with the dullahan, their excursions to the castle had ceased. Stepping out of the inn, Sapphire traversed his way to the guild hall, anticipating the reunion with the rest of his party.
Upon entering the bustling guild, Sapphire quickly realized that his comrades were not yet present. Preferring a united venture to Wiz's shop, he settled at a table, ordering a modest breakfast and patiently awaiting their arrival.
After a while, Sapphire spotted Megumin's entrance into the guild. Their eyes met, and she gracefully made her way over to his table.
"Good morning, Megumin," Sapphire greeted, his voice tinged with the remnants of sleep. The early mornings remained a challenge, thanks to Megumin's explosive routines.
"Hey there, Sapphire. Up bright and early, I see," Megumin replied with a warm smile, taking a seat beside him.
"Well, you can thank a certain someone for my early rise," Sapphire teased, a playful glint in his eyes.
Megumin chuckled in response, acknowledging the mischief in his tone.
"What's our plan for today?" Sapphire inquired, eager to delve into the day's activities.
"I thought we'd wait for everyone and then head to Wiz's shop together," Megumin suggested.
"Ah, I doubt Kazuma or Aqua will join us at this hour, but Darkness might," Sapphire speculated.
"Why do you say that?" Megumin's curiosity peeked through as she twiddled her fingers.
"...Anyway, shall we make our way to Wiz's shop? I'd rather not wait too long," Sapphire smoothly redirected the conversation.
"Sure thing. Let me finish my breakfast first, and then we'll go," Megumin agreed, her tone still tinged with a hint of apprehension.
Setting aside Megumin's nervousness, Sapphire made sure she had her meal before they departed for Wiz's shop, ready for whatever the day had in store.
"Hey, did you hear? Apparently Destroyer is moving closer to town...!"
"What?! Destroyer?! If that's true, I think we need to ditch this town!"
Sapphire and Megumin were on their way to the shop when they caught wind of this riveting conversation between passing locals.
"Eh? What's this about a 'Destroyer'?" Sapphire's curiosity flared, his interest instantly captivated.
"Wait, you don't know? It's a colossal mobile fortress that leaves destruction in its wake. There are whispers that it can lay entire cities to waste," Megumin's words carried a weight of concern.
"What?! And it's headed our way?! Well, it's been nice knowing you, Megumin..." Sapphire's voice carried a tone of resignation, his posture reflecting the weight of impending danger. It felt like an unwinnable battle against such overwhelming odds.
Megumin responded with a chuckle, leaving Sapphire bemused. "Is our imminent demise that amusing to you...?"
"Hehehe... No, it's just... um, n-nothing..." Megumin blushed slightly, diverting her eyes from Sapphire's gaze.
"Weird... anyway, let's focus on what we can do right now," Sapphire shrugged off the dark thoughts, redirecting his attention to their immediate errand.
As they entered the shop, they were warmly greeted by the familiar lich.
"Oh, customers! Wait! I know you two," Wiz exclaimed, her gaze scanning the room, half-expecting Aqua to be with them.
"Hello there, Wiz. I don't believe we've properly introduced ourselves. I'm Sapphire," he introduced himself with a friendly smile.
"And I'm Megumin! The renowned mage of Axel and master of Explosion magic!" Megumin announced proudly, striking a confident pose.
Wiz was momentarily taken aback by Megumin's grand introduction but quickly regained her composure. She invited them to explore the shop, but their browsing was cut short when an elderly man barged in, urgently asking, "Is Wiz-san here?!"
"I take the biggest room." Sapphire yelled. "What?! I wanted it first!" Aqua complained. "Well, I said it first, so it's mine now, that's the law." Sapphire argued.
The party stood outside a grand metal gate leading to a sprawling, elegant mansion. Nestled at the town's edge near a forest and the cemetery where they had met Wiz, the building bore signs of age and neglect. Moss clung to its sides, lending a gloomy air to the once-stately structure. And their purpose here? This was to be their new home. Sapphire, naturally, claimed dibs on the largest room, a fact that didn't sit well with Aqua.
"I heard it used to belong to some noble," Megumin mentioned, brushing off Aqua's protests.
"The landlord's quite generous, offering us this place as a reward if we can rid it of its hauntings," Darkness chimed in, eyeing the mansion with a mix of curiosity and determination.
"Wiz is known as a renowned magician in town. She often handles cases like these," Kazuma explained, directing his words more to Aqua, who seemed less than thrilled with the arrangement.
"If I wake up next to some spirit, you're sleeping outside, Aqua," Sapphire deadpanned, his tone making it clear he wasn't joking. But Aqua was too engrossed in her preparations to pay much attention. With a deep breath, she outstretched her arms, and a yellow light emanated from her hands.
"I see it. I see it! A child was confined here. An illegitimate child. The shame of a noble who made a move on one of his maids, through fifty shades of grey, with neither lust nor passion in his heart," Aqua delved into the mansion's backstory, unprompted. The group exchanged blank looks before deciding to head inside, leaving Aqua to her narrative at the door.
"The noble had a weak constitution, and as illness took him, the mother of the poor girl went missing," Aqua continued her tale, her voice trailing off as the party ventured further into their new abode.
"Maybe we should let her do this more often. If she could, she wouldn't have to bother us all this time," Sapphire remarked, half-jokingly, as they crossed the threshold into their mysterious new home.
"Phew... I think that's enough cleaning for today," Kazuma sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
They stood in a small storeroom on the second floor, the final room in their day-long cleaning spree. It was a significant achievement, transforming the entire manor into a gleaming space. Despite the darkness outside the window signaling the late hour, they had managed to work wonders on the mansion's vast interior.
What seemed modest from the outside revealed itself as a sprawling residence with five rooms for each of them, along with spare rooms, bathrooms, kitchen, storage, cellar, attic, living room, hallway, and the small storeroom they currently occupied. It was a marvel of a manor, and Sapphire still couldn't quite believe it would be their new home.
"We've sorted out the rooms and brought our luggage in. All that's left is to settle in," Darkness announced, putting the final touches on the already sparkling floor.
"I still can't believe Aqua snagged the largest room... Where is she, by the way?" Sapphire rose from the floor, sensing an unusual quietness.
"Just let her have it, Sapphire. You know she'll complain about it for ages anyway," Megumin remarked sympathetically.
"Yeah, and truthfully, all the rooms here are quite spacious... Wait, what's going on?" Kazuma's voice trailed off as he approached the window. Opening it, he suddenly froze. "Hey, something's not right here," he muttered before Sapphire joined him at the window.
"The girl's name was Anne Filante Estheroid. Her favorite things were stuffed dolls and tales of adventurers' journeys. But don't worry, she's not a bad girl. Whoa! She may be a child, but she likes to act all grown-up. She likes sweets, hard drinks, and-" Aqua's voice drifted in from outside, her storytelling suddenly cut off.
"...Kazuma, let's lock the door so she can't come in. It might lighten the mood," Sapphire suggested with a wry smile, their newfound home already promising interesting adventures.
So Sapphire didn't have to deal with the spirts he took a quest that would require him to be go for at least 2 days.
YOU ARE READING
Konosuba: Axels Fencer
FanfictionIn a world much like our own, Sapphire led an ordinary life as a typical kid: going to school, enjoying games, and even managing a part-time job. Everything changed one fateful day when he stepped into a convenience store to stock up his fridge. As...
