Yunyun's Turn

by Natsume Akatsuki

  My window seat was suddenly the most popular place in the carriage; I was busily soaking up the caravan leader’s praise despite having been rendered lethargic by my lack of magic. After I hit Arnes with my Explosion, we had gathered up our casualties and headed for Axel, but…

  “There’s nothing more amazing than a member of the Crimson Magic Clan when she gets serious. I thought the world was coming to an end!”

  “Man, did you notice how there was a little crater on the ground even though she launched the spell into the sky? There’s powerful and then there’s powerful. What the heck kind of magic was that anyway? I’ve heard there are some people around who can use advanced magic. Is that what that was?”

  The questions came at me from every direction, and I diligently answered each of them one by one. What I wanted more than anything was to sleep, but I was rather enjoying being the center of attention. I was also savoring the rueful look I was getting from Yunyun, slumped beside me and almost equally drained of MP.

  “That was one serious demon, though,” an adventurer groaned, holding his arm. “But it looks like even she didn’t make it through that explosion.”

  The demons were the residents of Hell. I didn’t know if destroying their bodily incarnation in this world was the same as truly defeating them. I had heard that the greatest of demons were said to have a very underhanded thing called “extra lives,” which allowed them to sacrifice a sort of partial soul and be reborn immediately. But whatever the case, I didn’t expect to see Arnes again in this lifetime.

  “That demon chick was incredibly strong, sure, but she was, y’know, massive in a whole other way, too…”

  ………

  One comment from one adventurer was all it took; the rest of them joined in with remarks about Arnes’s appearance.

  …I’ll need to find some decent people to party up with here in Axel so I don’t get sexually harassed all the time.

  It was all I could do to force the thought through my apathetic brain.

  “Hey, Megumin,” Yunyun said, so quietly that only I could hear her. “I knew you were really something. You actually defeated that demon…”

  “You thought I would be anything less than amazing? I am the greatest genius of the Crimson Magic Clan,” I said.

  “…Um, about what I said last night. Can we maybe just pretend I never said it?” Yunyun asked with a pained smile.

  What she said last night? What could that be?

  Come to think of it, I vaguely remembered Yunyun issuing me some sort of invitation, but I couldn’t recall exactly what it was. I had been so tired, all I could do was grunt back at her…

  My failure to say anything about last night must have given Yunyun the wrong idea, because she said hurriedly, “D-don’t misunderstand! I’m not saying I don’t want to party up with you or anything, okay?! Not at all… I’m just worried that if we stuck together, I would only hold you back. So…” Yunyun looked at me, resolute. “I’m going to train even more, and when I’ve learned Advanced Magic, then we’ll settle this. And then…”

  I think she kept talking, but I missed whatever she said. If she was so bent on more training, learning to communicate better would do her more good than getting Advanced Magic.

  But, well…

  “Fine. Let us settle it, then. Though I cannot imagine any outcome except you going home in tears, Yunyun, no matter how much training you do.”

  “Enjoy gloating while you can! When I get really powerful, I’ll make you beg me to help you!”

  As we sat slumped in our seats, arguing, the people around us watched with amused grins. There was the woman who’d given us treats, and the little girl. I had finally gotten a chance to show them how great I was, and now they were seeing me at my worst.

  I think Yunyun and I were both a bit embarrassed.

  “Hey, Miss Wizard Lady.”

  The girl spoke up with a broad grin. “Thanks for rescuing Mommy and me and everyone!”

  …Yunyun and I looked at each other, and we were both a little bit red-faced. Was this how adventurers felt all the time, receiving the love of a grateful citizenry? If so, all the more reason to work hard to make my mark in Axel.

  “Hey, Megumin. Uh, come to think of it…” Yunyun looked at me with an unusual expression. “During that fight, did you feel an absolutely incredible magic power from the direction of Axel? Just for a second? It was like… It was like someone used a god-level miracle.”

  Yes indeed, I had noticed that. “I wonder what that was. I’ve sensed nothing else since then. In fact, the timing was just a little too convenient. Didn’t you say some kind of prayer at that moment, Yunyun? Do you suppose a very confused deity decided to help you?”

  “Huh?! Well, but…but I prayed to a bunch of different gods all at once… Even the Dark God and the god of destruction. I was just reaching for every deity I could think of…”

  ………

  “W-well, never mind, I suppose,” I said. “At least everyone is safe.”

  “Y-yeah, you’re right. I just wonder what happened in this town…”

  Yunyun went quiet, thinking. I leaned up slightly so I could see out the window. Our carriage was just pulling into Axel, slowing down for safety reasons. The wooden wheels clattered along the stone street.

  In the middle of it all, I saw a young man with brown hair, his eyes alight with curiosity, his jaw hanging open. A lovely young woman with light-blue hair was with him. They both looked slightly older than me.

  Through the open window, I could hear the young man yammering something: “It’s…it’s a parallel universe. Look around! We’re in an actual other world! Am I really here? Am I really gonna get to learn magic and go adventuring?!”

  They must have only just arrived in Axel themselves.

  The woman was shivering and groaning quietly: “Oh man! Ohhh man! Ohmanohmanohman!”

  …Wh-what’s with them?

  I couldn’t seem to tear my eyes off them; there was just something about them.

  “He’s got animal ears—real ones! And there’s an elf! A real elf! She’s gotta be an elf—she’s so beautiful! Good-bye, modern-day hermit life! Hello, fantasy world! Now, this is a place where I could see actually going outside…getting a job and stop being a NEET—”

  “Waaaaaaaaah! Waaaaaaaaaaaaah! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

  I didn’t quite understand whatever it was the young man was shouting about, but I got the feeling I probably didn’t want to. The woman, meanwhile, was shaking harder and harder.

  Our carriage passed right by them.

  “Hey, keep it down. What’ll happen if everyone thinks I’m friends with a crazy lady? Anyway, don’t you have something to give me right about now? I mean, look how I’m dressed. I’m wearing a tracksuit! In a fantasy world! If this was a game, I’d at least get some kind of basic starting equipment.”

  “Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!”

  I saw the woman start to strangle the guy.

  “Wh-whoa! What’re you doing?! Stop it! I get it; I’ll handle the starter gear myself! I mean—I’m sorry! If you hate it that much here, then fine—go home. I’ll manage somehow.” The guy made an annoyed shooing motion at the girl.

  “What are you talking about?! I can’t go home—that’s the problem! What am I gonna do? Arrrgh, come on! What am I supposed to do now?!”

  …Whatever was happening with them, those were two people I would obviously do well to steer clear of. I could still hear them shouting as I returned my gaze to the inside of the carriage and contemplated what I would do next. Beside me, Yunyun had slipped into a doze, her breath coming in the even rhythm of sleep.

  With the yelling from outside still following us, I decided to get some rest myself.

  INTERLUDE THEATRE: ACT V

  Lady Aqua, I Thank You!

  It had been several days since Megumin left for Axel. I’d gone back to the same quiet life I’d led before that lovely little angel showed up, b
ut…

  “My gelatinous slime…”

  …Yes. That demoness had stolen my gelatinous slime to use in her heinous crime.

  After I saw Megumin off, I went to the kitchen to make some slime, but…when I went looking for the bag of powder, which I had carefully hidden out of sight, it was completely gone.

  Curse that demon! To think she had the nerve to sneak into the very heart of the Axis Church. I would never forgive her. Never! It was bad enough to be separated from my perfect, ideal little girl, but this was just adding insult to injury. If I had known this would happen, I would have simply chased Megumin all the way to Axel.

  And just at that moment when I was filled to the brim with anger and remorse…

  “I have received a prophecccccyyyyy!”

  Lord Zesta suddenly bellowed.

  I wondered what was going on. Maybe he had finally snapped? He had always had his eccentricities, but claims of prophecy were a new one. Everyone else in the church and I turned pitying gazes on Lord Zesta, who raised both his hands in agitation.

  “I’ve received a holy broadcast from Our Lady Aqua! Everyone, listen to me! Lady Aqua! This transmission tells me that Our Lady is in trouble somewhere far from here!”

  He might be crazy, but it was hard to ignore what he was saying.

  “Lady Aqua’s in trouble?!”

  “Lord Zesta. You know I would normally just ignore whatever silly things came out of your mouth, but you can’t use Lady Aqua as the butt of your jokes, okay?”

  Now the entire congregation looked rather suspicious, but Lord Zesta said feverishly, “‘I am Aqua. Yes, the goddess Aqua, the very deity worshipped by the Axis Church! If you consider yourself my follower…it would really be a big help if you could lend me some money!’ … It’s coming from the direction of… Axel?! This is the holy transmission I’ve received from that place!”

  Lord Zesta’s eyes were shining, and his voice was firm. He might be a bit of a basket case, but he was also a devout Axis follower. None of the parishioners here doubted his faith in Lady Aqua. You couldn’t take anything you heard from him at face value—except things about our goddess, whom he would never belittle or lie about.

  Axel… That was where Megumin had gone.

  …This had to be a revelation.

  “I don’t know what’s going on, but Lady Aqua obviously wants money. Nor do I know what’s happening in Axel Town. But it must be in some sort of danger…”

  This had to be a revelation from Lady Aqua. Yes, for among her words to us were these:

  “If there be anything that bothers you, simply enjoy the moment. Take the path of least resistance.”

  “I intend to dispatch someone to Axel to see what’s going on.”

  “Don’t deny yourself but let your impulse be your guide.”

  Lord Zesta was looking at the assembled Axis devotees. “Is there anyone willing to—?”

  My hand shot into the air.

  Lady Aqua, I thank you!

  I was at a certain inn in Axel. The leader of the caravan had prepared a room for me to thank me for getting rid of that demon.

  I dragged my tired body into the room, wobbling all the way, and collapsed onto the bed.

  So tired…

  Being out of magic made me immensely lethargic and horrendously sleepy. Then again, it probably wasn’t just the lack of MP I had to blame for my current fatigue. When I stopped to think about it, I realized how much had happened to me since I had left Crimson Magic Village. My life back home had already started to feel like a dream. The world outside the village was too full of the most bizarre and unexpected things.

  I had sure gotten myself into a lot of trouble for such a short time.

  …And yet, it wasn’t quite a wash. I had…well, made good memories might be going too far, but I had met some very interesting people.

  I felt something stuck on my back as I rolled over in bed. It was my stubborn familiar, no doubt sensing an opportunity in her master’s moment of weakness. I sat up quickly, grabbed Chomusuke off my back, and then buried myself under the covers.

  At the same time, my bag, which I had tossed on top of the bed, spilled out its contents. I spotted a familiar picture book in the pile, and still lying on my back, I casually picked it up.

  It was a very old and very famous story.

  Once upon a time, there was a boy whom everyone said was a genius. He had a mysterious power: Just by fighting a few battles, he could get much stronger.

  Adventurers admired the boy, but they also feared him.

  The boy was always alone.

  But one day, a group of adventurers who feared nothing offered to party up with him.

  But the boy said: “With my hax, I don’t need friends. I can just solo everything. Then I get to keep all the loot for myself. Soloing is the best!” And the boy was indeed strong enough to be a one-man party.

  He was so immensely powerful that he defeated the servants of the Demon King one after another.

  The Demon King, cornered, knew he didn’t stand a chance in a fair fight. He thought to himself: What must I do to defeat this boy? Then it occurred to the Demon King that the boy was always alone.

  When the boy reached the Demon King’s castle, he was confronted by one of the king’s generals. “The hero’s a loner? That’s hilarious!” the general said. “I thought the idea was that your stalwart companions and you would work together to overcome any obstacle! But you don’t even have any friends, so who or what are you fighting for? Just give up and come on over to the Demon King’s army. We get all kinds of great perks.” The general told him to think it over and come back, and the boy dutifully went home.

  At last, the boy came back to the Demon King’s castle. When he saw the general, he said, “I’m not a loner; I’m just a solo player. And it’s not that I don’t have friends—I just haven’t decided to make any. A party would only slow me down… And what’s this about great perks anyway? You won’t fool me that easily! There’s no way bargaining with the Demon King works out in my favor, right? I’m fighting for the peace of all mankind!! I’ve got no business with you! I’m here for the head of the Demon King! I’ll let you live if you just get lost!”

  He pointed at the general of the Demon King, who said, “That would have sounded a lot cooler if you hadn’t had to spend a week thinking about it first.”

  Needless to say, the general didn’t get away with his life.

  Crazed and bellowing, the boy began to cut a path to the inner sanctum of the Demon King’s castle. No one could stop him. And finally, he arrived before the king himself.

  It is a truth universally acknowledged that the final battle between the hero and the Demon King must be one-on-one. But there…

  Surrounding the Demon King were his most trusted henchmen, who would fight for him even if it was against the most powerful hero in history and even if it was against the rules.

  I closed the book and put it carefully back in my bag.

  I wondered if this genius boy, who had spent his whole life fighting alone, hadn’t had a rival like I did. Or perhaps some family, like a younger sister who was smart-mouthed yet nonetheless lovable?

  Everyone knew the story: It was the tale of the boy who came to be called the Demon King.

  I didn’t fight the sandman when he came; I closed my eyes for some welcome sleep.

  Would I find the wonderful companions here who I was looking for? And if I did, who would they be?

  If I had my wish…

  I would want to be part of that party that hadn’t been afraid to talk to the boy.

  Thank you for buying this ebook, published by Yen On.

  To get news about the latest manga, graphic novels, and light novels from Yen Press, along with special offers and exclusive content, sign up for the Yen Press newsletter.

  Sign Up

  Or visit us at www.yenpress.com/booklink

  >