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Chapter Text

"Hapchi"

Megumin rubbed her nose with her hand. Her nose felt ticklish due to the floating dust. She was currently cleaning the mansion, along with others.

The entire mansion currently filled with dust. This situation is exacerbated by several spider webs in the corners of the rooms. This could happen because both Megumin and her party members were rarely home and often spent the nights outside the mansion. Not long ago, they just spent several days in the Crimson Village, Megumin's birthplace.

Considering the mansion quite large, the four adventurers who are residents of the mansion divided their tasks.

Megumin and Aqua cleaned the rooms in the mansion. Kazuma, the only man in their party, was tasked with mowing the wild grass and cleaning up the fallen tree branches around the outer garden. Besides him, Darkness also helped Kazuma. Why? Darkness's strength is the same or even greater than an average man's.

Equipped with a piece of cloth, Megumin cleaned the dust that adhered to the furniture. It was so thick that The Archwizard sneezed a few times.

"Aaagh, this mansion is so dirty!" she grumbled loudly.

"Don't complain too much. Just do it!" Aqua shouted from the next room.

Megumin just puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. She was forced to clean the furniture while holding her breath so as not to inhale the swirling dust. Despite her efforts, she ended up sneezing anyway, no matter how hard she tried.

Time flew quickly until the evening sky began to cover the mansion. The mansion, which was previously dirty, had now become clean, and the neglected-looking yard had become pretty.

Megumin and the others finished their work. They gathered in the main hall to rest.

"Ah, so tired!" Aqua exclaimed loudly.

"Everyone here is tired, Aqua," said Kazuma. "Stop complaining!"

"Yes! Yes! I get it!" She responded.

"But luckily, everything is done today," Darkness remarked.

"That's because we cleaned without a lunch break," Aqua replied. "Of course it finished quickly."

"That's true," Darkness agreed.

Megumin, on the other hand, didn't say a word. She was tired and wanted to rest more.

"Let's just go to the adventurer's guild later, we can eat there," Kazuma suggested.

"That's a good suggestion! I agree!" Aqua exclaimed.

"Me too!" Darkness chimed in.

"I want to," Megumin said in a low voice. "But, I want to go to my room first," she said as she rose from her seat.

"Oh... Alright," Kazuma said. "By the way, good job, Megumin."

Megumin walked wearily as if her energy had been completely drained. The only thing on her mind at the moment was soaking in warm water and lying down on her bed. As she arrived in front of her room, the young archwizard opened the door.

However, she felt something strange. The door to her room felt incredibly heavy when pushed. Megumin had to exert all her strength to open it. Another peculiarity occurred: the door, which had already been opened, vanished instantly, shrouding her in darkness.

Megumin panicked as her entire room suddenly turned dark. She looked around to assess the situation. But as she blinked, in an instant, the scene changed to a rocky street in some corner of the city. Just as she was about to take a step, her foot accidentally kicked the pavement, causing her to stumble and fall. As a result, she cried out in pain after her face met the roughness of the road.

"What on earth is this?!" muttered Megumin in frustration.

Megumin got up and reached for her cone-shaped hat that had come loose by accident. However, her vision felt slightly blurry. The girl thought that the sensation was due to the fall. Not only that, her ears are ringing faintly.

She put the cone-shaped hat back on, accompanied by her senses gradually improving. It didn't take long before she saw a man and a lizard-like humanoid walking past her.

*Huh, a lizard? A humanoid lizard? What is going on here?!*

Megumin instinctively rubbed her eyes, as if she couldn't believe what she had seen earlier. She threw her gaze in another direction. There are humans with dog-like bodies and people who appeared as complete animals, filling the entire street. Megumin felt that they weren't like Beastman, considering they only had certain parts of their bodies resembling animals, not entirely like what she currently saw.

Megumin decided to take a walk and assess her surroundings. She arrived at a park a few moments later, right in front of a fountain. As she walked around the fountain, a big question arose in her mind:

*Where am I? What is actually happening?!*

This place wasn't Axel, the city she knew. The buildings around her bore no resemblance to those in the city. She remembered the moments of her adventures, both alone and with Kazuma and the others. However, the city where Megumin currently found herself was completely unfamiliar to her.

Thinking of her male companion named Kazuma, Megumin turned around in the hope of meeting and asking him. But unfortunately, only the fountain stood there, seemingly giving her a cold stare. The girl sighed and remembered that Kazuma, Aqua, and Darkness were currently at their mansion. Megumin simply stood there, petrified, watching the people passing by near the fountain.

Megumin's eyes caught sight of a wolf man strolling leisurely. The curiosity about this unfamiliar city tickled the young archwizard's mind. She approached the unfamiliar man and asked, "Excuse me, if you don't mind me asking, where is this?"

The half-wolf man raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Um, this is the Capital of Lugnica. Are you lost?"

Megumin nodded silently in response to the man's question. Unexpectedly, the man stroked Megumin's hat with a sympathetic expression. "Poor child. You must have been separated from your parents, haven't you?"

Megumin spoke loudly out of frustration. "Huh?! Who are you calling a child?! Don't treat me like a little girl! Just so you know, I am an adventurer!" she declared, thumping her chest.

The man reflexively raised both hands and stepped back, feeling intimidated. "C-Calm down, Miss. I... I didn't mean it that way."

Megumin, still annoyed, puffed up her cheeks and put her hands on her hips. Meanwhile, the wolf man scratched his head awkwardly. After her mood improved slightly, Megumin asked, "I'm asking again, where is this?"

The man explained that this place was the Capital of the Kingdom of Lugnica. However, Megumin only glanced because the name sounded very unfamiliar to her. "Don't joke around. In my entire life, I have never heard of a kingdom called Lugnica."

The man shook his head. "It seems like you're the one joking. This kingdom has existed for hundreds of years."

Megumin placed her hand on her chin and pondered for a moment. "Then, do you know Kingdom of Belzerg?"

The wolf man shook his head with a bewildered expression. "No, I have never heard of it."

Megumin fell silent, dumbfounded and feeling disappointed that she didn't get a satisfying answer to her curiosity. Without much ado, she walked away, leaving the bewildered wolf man behind.

Megumin's feet continued to wander around the city. However, her steps abruptly halted as she froze in place. She saw that the means of transportation in this city were not horses, but large, lizard-like creatures.. The girl muttered to herself that these lizard creatures somehow resembled the Lizard Runners. However, those monsters were not suitable to be used as transportation animals.

Megumin decided to continue her journey. Her mouth murmured, expressing a mix of dizziness and confusion about her current whereabouts. The girl observed the inhabitants of the city, filled with humanoid animals and ordinary humans. Not only that, Megumin examined the architecture of the buildings surrounding her.

Suddenly, Megumin's stomach growled. She remembered that she hadn't eaten anything since earlier. She rummaged through her pockets and found no money at all, realizing that she had made no preparations before arriving in this unfamiliar place. She also remembered that she was supposed to have a meal with Kazuma and the others.

"Ah! Damn it!" she exclaimed, frustrated, stomping her foot on the ground.

Suddenly, the sound of a woman's scream caught Megumin's attention. She saw people gathering on the roadside, shouting hysterically, and looking towards the busy road.

Apparently, a child had fallen in the middle of the road. Not far from there, a caravan seemed ready to collide with the unfortunate child. Fortunately, a knight swiftly ran and saved him. In an instant, cheers erupted from the crowd, except for Megumin, who seemed unfazed.

After the situation calmed down a bit, Megumin decided to continue her journey. She then arrived at a bustling market filled with people. The mix of hunger and exhaustion from walking for a long time prompted Megumin to look for a place to rest. She glanced left and right and spotted a fruit stall guarded by a muscular man, with a staircase leading to a door right next to it.

Megumin sat on one of the steps to catch her breath. However, she held her rumbling stomach in discomfort due to hunger. Realizing that she had not a single penny on her at the moment, the girl could only let out a long sigh.

The stallkeeper noticed Megumin's condition and asked, "Oh, little one. Is your mother sending you to do some shopping?"

Megumin's frustration ignited her anger. "I am not a little girl!" she exclaimed loudly, puffing up her cheeks.

Reflexively, the stallkeeper took a step back, raising his hands to his chest. "C-Calm down. But if I may say, you do still look like a child."

"I've already told you, I am not a-" Before she could finish her sentence, Megumin's stomach rumbled again. This prompted a sense of sympathy from the fruit stall owner.

"Um, if you want, you can buy some fruit from me," he offered, gesturing towards his merchandise.

Megumin weakly shook her head, clutching her hungry stomach. "No need. I don't have any money right now."

The stallkeeper let out a long sigh, seemingly expressing his disappointment. He grinned mockingly and said, "Heh, a poor kid."

Hearing the mockery inevitably triggered Megumin's anger. However, the stallkeeper quickly calmed her down before scolding himself. "By the way, are you a resident here?"

Megumin shook her head and answered, "No, I'm not from here."

"Ah, I see. Welcome to Lugnica, then," said the charismatic fruit stall owner, as if he is an attention-grabbing merchant. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Kadomon. What's your name?"

Megumin's energy seemed to be instantly restored, causing her to stand up with a confident smile. With a sweeping motion of her right hand to the side, making the wings on the back of her robe flutter as if caught in a strong wind, she then grasped the tip of her hat. "My name is Megumin, Archwizard from the Crimson Demon who master of explosion magic, which is the most powerful offensive spells!"

Seeing the peculiar behavior of the archwizard, Kadomon left dumbfounded. Not only him, but also the people who happened to be shopping around were suddenly silent and observing Megumin's strange antics.

As if unaffected by her surroundings, she placed her hand on her face, as if covering her eyes. "So, do you still consider me a little child, huh?" she asked with confidence.

"Yes, yes, yes. I understand that you're not a child anymore," Kadomon nodded, hoping that the girl who claimed to be a powerful archwizard wouldn't scold him again.

Megumin's right hand rested on her hip, and she smiled proudly. However, Kadomon's curiosity was piqued by a question. "By the way, who is this Crimson Demon? I've never heard of them."

Megumin was instantly puzzled and confused. She thought, how could the well-known Crimson Demon Clan with their exceptional magical abilities be so unfamiliar to this man? To reassure herself, she asked, "Haven't you heard of the powerful Crimson Demon Clan?"

Kadomon merely shrugged. This inevitably left Megumin bewildered and she sat down on the step. Briefly, she wondered inwardly, where exactly was she right now?

Seeing the sorceress's reaction evoked sympathy in Kadomon. He grabbed an apple and handed it to Megumin. "Don't think much about it. Here, I'll give you this appa for free."

Megumin happily accepted the apple, which he called an appa, and thanked Kadomon. The unbearable hunger drove her to devour the fruit immediately. Kadomon was also kind enough to offer her a drink.

Shortly after, Megumin felt her energy replenished. She stood up and said, "Well then, I'll go. Thanks for you kindness, sir."

"Oh, alright then. I hope you have a pleasant day," Kadomon said with a smile.

"One more thing. I promise to pay for the fruit when I have money later," Megumin said, then she walked away, leaving Kadomon waving goodbye as he saw her off.

Chapter Text

Megumin let her feet continue moving since leaving the fruit stall. She didn't know where to stop, and it seemed like there was no place called the Adventurer's Guild in this area. There was no adventurer guild at all.

She still remembered her brief conversation with a man she had encountered earlier.

"Excuse me, sir. Sorry to bother you," Megumin asked the man, who was leaning against the wall. "Which way is the Adventurer's Guild?"

The man gave Megumin a puzzled look. "The Adventurer's Guild? What's that? I've never heard of it. Whatever it is, it's not in the capital," he explained.

"Eh?! Really?!" Megumin exclaimed, make sure she heard that right.

"That's the truth. Why would I lie, anyway?" he replied firmly.

Megumin sighed. This place was indeed very different from what she knew. The letters used in the writings were also unfamiliar, and she couldn't read them at all. It made her feel like a foolish and useless person.

"Ouch!"

Suddenly, someone bumped into Megumin quite forcefully. It was so strong that the archwizard was almost knocked down.

"Oi!" Megumin shouted at the person who bumped into her.

The person who bumped into her, a short, blond-haired girl, briefly looked at Megumin with a concerned expression. However, she didn't say anything. Instead, she continued running.

"How rude!" muttered Megumin.

Her already sour mood made her immediately chase after the girl. She didn't care about the fact that the blond girl could run at an impressive speed. What mattered was that she could follow her based on which way she was heading.

As the chase went on, the unknown girl turned and entered a small, dark alley.

"I won't let you get away!" Megumin exclaimed, even though she turned a few seconds after the girl entered the alley.

Unfortunately, as she entered the narrow street, all she found was emptiness. The blond girl had run ahead and left Megumin behind, alone in the dark and quiet alley.

"That girl... she's so fast," Megumin murmured, catching her breath. "Well, in the end... I just got a little carried away because she bumped into me… right?"

Megumin sighed. Although she had traveled alone in unfamiliar cities before, for some reason, this particular city seemed to throw her mind into chaos. She became easily agitated, making her emotions more volatile.

"Instead of thinking about that," Megumin slid her hand into her clothes. "How many skill points do I have to enhance explosion magic? Come to think of it, I haven't used explosion magic at all today."

From there, she pulled out a piece of brown paper. It was none other than her adventurer card, a card used to enhance the abilities of the user.

When Megumin looked at the card, usually only three expressions would appear on her face: indifferent, disappointed, or delighted. However, for the current moment, a different expression was displayed. What was it? Surprise. She was so shocked that her face turned pale.

"W-What does this mean?!" Megumin exclaimed. "Why is it like this?!"

The adventurer card, which should display Megumin's identity and abilities, inexplicably turned blank. The adventurer card had become a plain piece of paper that showed nothing.

"What's going on here?! Seriously! Why is it like this?!"

Megumin felt extremely frustrated. It's understandable, as her already confusing day was now worsened by the malfunctioning of her adventurer card. She didn't even know if she could still use explosion magic or not.

"Well, well, look at what we found here. Are you lost, kid?" a voice said.

Megumin turned around to see who's approaching her. It wasn't just one person, but three men with different builds whose appearances alone made it clear that they had no good intentions towards the Crimson Demon girl.

"You better hand over all your belongings if you want to live," said the skinny, blue-haired man. He wore an animal collar around his neck.

Megumin fell silent. Her day was getting worse. She covered her face with one hand.

"Hey, hey, why so quiet?" said the short man with a bowl-cut hairstyle standing on the left side. "Are you scared? Looking for your parents, huh?"

"Hey! I'm not a little child!" protested Megumin. "Even though I may look like this, I am already an adult! And you, calling me that while you yourself are just a child!"

"Who are you calling a little child?!" the man retorted.

For a moment, the four of them just exchanged glances.

"Here's the deal, miss. You give us everything you have, and you can leave this place without a scratch," suggested the muscular man standing on the right side.

"You'd better listen to what Ton says, kid," added the blue-haired man.

The blue-haired man then pulled out two knives from behind his clothes. Megumin was clearly in a disadvantageous position right now. She couldn't fight them physically because she was weak in that regard. She also couldn't use her magic, as the only thing that would happen is the destruction of the surrounding buildings.

However, as a Crimson Demon, Megumin is clearly not someone to be underestimated.

"Oh? So you really want to pick a fight with me?" Megumin spoke with her head lowered, making the three of them glance at her. "Just so you know, I am an archwizard. If you think that challenging someone as strong as me is a good idea, go ahead and experience the power of my magic!"

Megumin, now standing with a challenging stance, accompanied by her brightly shining red eyes, would make anyone shivers at the sight.

"Hey, this doesn't seem like a good idea. She's a mage, you know," said the short man.

"Yeah, she seems dangerous, Chin. I mean, look at her glowing red eyes," Ton looked terrified as he gazed at Megumin.

"Huh? Ton, Kan, do you seriously believe this kid's bluff?!" he grumbled. "Even if she is a magic user, I'll take her down before she can use her spell."

*This is bad.*

If she couldn't intimidate them with her words just now, there was no choice but to engage in a real fight.

"That's enough."

*Eh?*

Megumin was taken aback, as were the three thugs in front of her. They all turned around to see a silver-haired girl in a white dress standing at the entrance of the small alley.

"Who are you?" Chin exclaimed, annoyed.

"This time, I'll let you off the hook. Therefore, return the stolen item," the girl said firmly.

"The stolen item?" Ton asked, confused.

"Please, it's a very important item. I'll give you something else in return, just not that one. Obey and return it to me," she insisted.

*Wait, doesn't her voice sound a bit like mine?*

"We apologize. Although we're thugs, we didn't steal the item you're talking about," Ton continued.

"Yeah, we didn't take anything from you! Maybe it was the blonde girl who recently passed by! She ran that way!" Kan pointed in the direction behind Megumin, where there was a turn to the right.

"It seems like you're telling the truth. I have to hurry and chase after her."

The silver-haired girl quickly ran past the three men, passing by Megumin. Ton, Chin, and Kan sighed in relief, while Megumin watched the girl go by without a second thought.

However, the girl's footsteps stopped for a moment before she turned. She looked back at Megumin and the three men.

"By the way, what are you all doing here?"

"They were trying to mug me," Megumin quickly answered.

"Maybe this is not my problem, but I can't just let it go."

Three ice stones were created and launched towards the three men behind Megumin, just after the silver-haired girl stretched out her hands. Ton, Chin, and Kan were thrown back as their bodies were hit by the attack, with Kan even fainting.

"She's a magic user?" Megumin whispered.

Ton struggled to get up while clutching his stomach, while Chin stumbled to stand.

"You insolent brat. Mage or anything, I'll kill you!" Chin threatened, showing his two knives.

"Is that so? If you think of doing that, you might want to reconsider."

An ownerless voice was heard before a small green-eyed cat wearing a small shoulder bag appeared. It floated right next to the silver-haired girl.

"A spirit user?!" Ton looked surprised.

"That's correct. If you don't want anything bad to happen to you, you better leave this place immediately. Hurry up! I'm in a hurry."

"Damn you, bitch!" Chin cursed. "If we meet again, I'll sleep with you!"

"Don't expect you can do anything like that. If you do, I'll curse you and your descendants for seven generations. If you even have any descendants, that is," the cat threatened in a friendly tone.

Upon hearing that, Ton immediately ran out of the alley. Chin, equally frightened, did the same, but not before lifting up the unconscious Kan next to him.

It's all calm now. It's just Megumin, the silver-haired girl, and the flying cat. Megumin sighed in relief. She then looked at the silver-haired girl.

"Thank you for your help," said Megumin.

"You're welcome," she replied. "Are you okay?"

"No problem, they haven't done anything to me."

"That's good then."

"Well, even without your help, I would have been fine. Besides, I'm an archwizard."

Although Megumin was well aware that she wouldn't have been able to fight off those three people without the girl's assistance, she didn't want to appear weak. After all, she was a member of the Crimson Demon clan; she certainly wouldn't admit defeat. In summary, her pride is too high.

On the other hand, the flying cat simply observed as if it knew that Megumin was boasting, even if only halfway.

"Is that so? Then my help earlier was pointless, huh?" the girl said.

"Hmmm? Don't get me wrong, I was definitely helped. That's why I'm grateful."

"Ah, I see," there was a slight pause before she continued. "By the way, are you lost? Where are your parents?"

Instantly, Megumin furrowed her brow. Once again, she was mistaken for a child.

"I apologize, but even though I appreciate your help, I will still be angry if you call me a child."

"Oh?" The cat finally spoke. "Are you not a child? No matter how you look at it, you're indeed a child," he teased.

"Clearly not! I am an adult! It's just that my growth is a bit slow!" Megumin asserted.

The cat merely smiled.

"Ah... Well then, I apologize," Emilia said.

Megumin let out a sigh. "Alright, I forgive you. Usually, those who say such things to me will soon turn to ashes."

"Hmmm..." The cat placed its hand on its chin, then looked towards the silver-haired girl. "I just realized, your voice is similar to hers."

"Eh? Really? I didn't notice," she said, seemingly in disbelief.

"You seriously didn't notice? Oh my," the cat appeared disappointed.

Megumin sighed, "Seriously? I've been thinking all along that our voices are remarkably similar. It's really annoying to hear someone with the same voice as me calling me a child, you know?"

"I'm sorry if my words made you angry. I genuinely didn't know that you weren't a child."

"Yeah, yeah," Megumin said, waving her hand dismissively.

For a moment, the three of them remained silent until the girl asked something.

"By the way, have you seen a blonde girl pass by here? Those three people said she came this way."

"Of course," Megumin nodded. "The reason I was accosted by them because I was chasing after her all the way here. I pursued her because she bumped into me without even apologizing. She turned into this alley, and when I followed, she had already disappeared," Megumin explained.

"So, you saw her, right? Did you see the item she was carrying? She stole it from me, and it's very precious."

"Ho?" Megumin narrowed her eyes. "What precious item are we talking about here?"

"Some sort of emblem. Didn't you see it? It has a gemstone in the middle."

"Normally, my eyes would never stray from a precious item like that, but unfortunately, I didn't see anything," Megumin looked down while closing her eyes.

"Are you sure? You really didn't see that girl with my item?"

"No, I'm sorry. The only thing I saw was her face."

Megumin's explanation prompted the silver-haired girl and the flying cat to exchange glances before looking back at Megumin.

"Oh, I see. So, you also have a problem with the person who stole my item?"

"You could say that, maybe? My issue with that girl isn't too serious, though."

"I see..."

Once again, they fell into silence. Megumin, being an astute individual, quickly read the situation and grasped the underlying meaning behind the silver-haired girl's question.

"You want me to help you find that girl, don't you? Just say it, I'll assist," Megumin declared.

Well, I should repay this girl's kindness. She's the second kind person I've encountered today.

"Eh?" Emilia appeared surprised. "Really? You want to help me? But, I..."

Emilia's expression reflected a mixture of hesitation and embarrassment, leaving Megumin wondering why she became like that.

"Just accept her offer," the cat said. "This girl is kind-hearted, she's not dangerous. Her desire to help you is genuine."

"Are you sure? Wouldn't that put her in danger?"

"Don't worry, she's a strong person. I'm certain she wants to repay the favor you did for her, even though it wasn't necessary, based on what she said earlier," he explained.

Megumin glanced at the cat and felt that its opinion about her was more than just a mere guess. It seemed to know what was on her mind, somehow.

The cat simply returned Megumin's gaze with a smile before her attention was drawn back to the voice of the silver-haired girl.

"If you're really willing to help me, please lend me your assistance."

Megumin smiled at her. She adjusted her slightly tilted hat and walked towards the girl and her flying cat.

This girl, she's too kind. Even though she's going through a difficult time herself, she still found the time to help me. I don't like doing this, but I owe her.

"Well then, let's go. We need to quickly find that rude person," Megumin said.

Chapter Text

For over thirty minutes, Megumin and the silver-haired girl searched the city, hoping to find the whereabouts of the blonde girl who had stolen the item belong to the silver-haired girl. Despite their best efforts, the outcome remained fruitless.

Both of them could vividly remember the appearance of the girl they were searching for. They asked people after people about a girl matching their descriptions, but the answer was always negative. They even encountered someone who seemed similar at first glance, only to realize it wasn't the girl they were looking for.

Another challenge they faced, especially for Megumin, was the fact that she was unfamiliar with the city. Ironically, the silver-haired girl also didn't know the streets of this place.

Both girls assumed that one of them knew the way. Therefore, they followed each other and couldn't split up, which clearly hindered their search.

In short, there was no progress in their search so far.

Megumin sighed, "This search seems to be in vain," she murmured.

"It's a bit disappointing," replied the cat, who was currently not floating.

The silver-haired girl just stared down, taking in the view of the city's towering buildings, now clearly visible. Yes, they are currently taking a brief rest on one of the tall structures in the city.

Both Megumin and the silver-haired girl stood beside a wooden fence, with Megumin positioned to the right of the girl. Meanwhile, the cat stood right on top of the fence.

"This city is too big to explore. No matter what, searching for a girl in a city this wide will undoubtedly be very difficult," Megumin said.

"This is the capital city of Lugnica, after all," the girl replied, looking at Megumin.

The girl seemed to want to say something, but hesitated. Megumin noticed it, but didn't grasp its meaning.

"Oh, right, we haven't properly introduced ourselves, have we?" the cat spoke up, looking at Megumin. "Introduce yourself."

"Oh, that's true. I haven't introduced myself yet, have I?"

Megumin took a step back, directing the attention of the girl and the cat towards her. There was a one-second pause before she introduced her name, after flicking her cape behind her.

"I'm Megumin! A powerful archwizard from the Crimson Demon, the master of the most powerful magic, Explosion Magic! I am an adventurer who has defeated demon king generals and will defeat the demon king himself!"

Megumin's introduction was truly dramatic, even more so than her encounter with Kadomon. It was amplified by the pose she struck. The girl and the cat were left speechless for a moment.

"That introduction surely convinces me that you're indeed still a child," the cat said.

"NO!" Megumin exclaimed, annoyed.

The cat smiled and sighed, "Alright then. My name is Puck, great spirit contracted with this girl. Nice to meet you," he said, flying closer to Megumin and shaking her hand.

The silver-haired girl raised her eyebrows, surprised to see Megumin easily getting close to Puck.

"It's rare to see someone touch a spirit so casually. Where do you come from?" she asked.

"Hmmm?" Megumin looked confused for a moment before she smiled and chuckled. "Fufufu, of course. Spirits, no matter what kind, always like me."

"Is that so?" the girl asked, met with a confident nod and smug smile from Megumin. "Do you have a divine protection like Julius? Or do you naturally have a high spirit affinity?"

"Eh? Well..." Megumin couldn't answer that. She was just boasting earlier to sound cool, typical of the Crimson Demon.

"By the way, you're not originally from this place, aren't you? Where are you from, um, Megumin?"

"Oh, right," Puck chimed in. "You mentioned the Crimson Demon, that's something new. In all my years, it's the first time I've heard that name."

Both questions made Megumin hesitant. Should she reveal the truth? Should she boast again? Those were her thoughts.

"Before that, it's better to introduce yourself first," Megumin pointed to the silver-haired girl.

"Oh, right. My name," the girl shifted her attention from Megumin for a moment, her facial expression turning slightly more serious for some reason. "My name is... Satella. I don't have a last name, just call me Satella," she said, before shifting her gaze again.

Megumin, being someone who had interacted with many people and naturally smart, felt that there was something off about how Satella introduced herself. When she glanced at Puck, who was now looking at Satella, his eyes widened. He surely dumbfounded by that.

"Satella? Are you sure that's your name?" Megumin said, with her hands folded across her chest.

"Eh?" Satella appeared surprised by Megumin's response. Megumin wondered if she expected a different reaction.

Megumin sighed, "If you feel uncomfortable sharing your name with strangers, then it's fine."

"Um, I apologize. It's clear that it's a fake name, isn't it?" she replied, nervously smiling.

"You're going too far with your jokes," Puck said, sighing.

"So, are you going to tell me your real name or not?" Megumin asked, for the last time.

"Y-yes. My name is Emilia. Nice to meet you," she said, with a warm smile on her face, which made Megumin smile back. She had truly made a connection with someone in this unfamiliar place. However, a question still lingered in her mind.

*I'm kinda curious why she introduced yourself as Satella earlier. From the way Puck looked, it seems like that name has a negative meaning. But for what purpose?*

On the other hand, Megumin thought that she could think about it later because now is not the time for it.

"Now that we've gotten know each other, let's continue our search!" Megumin declared.

"That's right," Puck agreed. "But you haven't answered Lia's previous question."

"Oh, right. About my origin and what Crimson Demon is, I'll explain while we walk. It will take a lot of time if I explain it here."

"That quiet reasonable. Well, it seems like the best way to do it."

"I agree, Puck. I also want that insignia to be found soon."

"So, it's settled, right?" Megumin said. "Alright, let's get down from here."

After taking a few steps, Megumin stopped. "Oh, I have an idea to make our search more effective."

"What is it?" Emilia asked, curious.

"We should go back to the place where your insignia was stolen. Maybe the people there are familiar with the girl who stole it," explained Megumin.

"Ah! You're right!" Emilia clapped her hands once. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Megumin crossed her arms and puffed her chest, "Don't underestimate the intelligence of a Crimson Demon," she said, smiling proudly.

"Then we should go to the marketplace. The insignia was stolen there," Emilia explained.

Megumin and Emilia immediately walked down the stairs. Meanwhile, Puck, who didn't need to walk, floated between the two girls.

Megumin, Emilia, and Puck continued their search. True to her promise, Megumin explained her origins. She explained that she lived in Axel, the city of the Kingdom of Belzerg.

She also informed them that she didn't live alone there but with three other people, namely Kazuma, Aqua, and Darkness. She didn't forget to give them an understanding of what the Crimson Demon was.

Emilia and Puck's reactions? Megumin already had an idea of how they would receive the information based on the reactions of the werewolf she first met and the fruit vendor named Kadomon.

"I've never heard any of the things you explained," Emilia remarked. "Axel, Belzerg, Crimson Demon, I have no knowledge of them. The books I've read never mentioned any of that."

"I don't know either," Puck added. "This is the first time I've heard about any of it. You're not telling a fictional story, are you?"

"Of course not!" Megumin asserted. "I was clearly there, how could I be lying?"

"Indeed, it is conceivable. Considering my extensive life experience and the absence of any mention of those locations in existing literature, it leaves no alternative explanation but to conclude that you are simply fabricating a story," explained Puck.

Megumin couldn't refute that statement. Is she frustrated? Of course. It showed on her face as clear as the sky. However, on the other hand, she couldn't do anything to prove it. Maybe she could draw it? But she didn't have proficient drawing skills.

"The place we are currently in is the Kingdom of Lugnica. To the south is the Vollachia Empire, then to the west is Gusteko, and Kararagi is to the east. There is no kingdom called Belzerg," Emilia explained.

Megumin fell silent. Those names were completely new to her. If she were asked about kingdoms other than Belzerg, she would mention Brydle or Norse. Megumin was now in the same situation as Emilia, having never read or heard anything about the explanations that came out of her own mouth.

"There are no other kingdoms besides those four names?" Emilia asked, confirming.

Emilia shook her head. "No, that's already all of it."

Megumin jumped in front of Emilia and stared at her with an empty gaze. She even held onto the girl, as if preventing her from running away.

"Are you sure? Are you really sure?"

Emilia looked at Megumin with wide eyes, clearly surprised by the sudden response from the girl. However, she nodded slowly. "I'm.. Those are all the kingdoms that exist in this world."

Megumin continued to gaze at Emilia for a few more moments before releasing her grip and stepping back, her facial expression filled with confusion and fear.

"Impossible...," Megumin murmured almost inaudibly.

The Crimson Demon girl turned her back. With her head lowered, she walked forward again. Her expression was empty, and her face looked dejected.

Megumin still couldn't fully comprehend the information she had received. Her world seemed to crumble, and the knowledge she had acquired felt useless.

*How is it possible that the city I've been living in doesn't even exist? What is really happening?!*

Vaguely, she could hear the sound of Emilia's footsteps walking behind her. She could also sense Puck's presence, floating behind her.

Megumin thought that both of them must be annoyed with her current behavior. They should be focused on finding the insignia, but now they had to deal with a girl whose origins were unclear. Furthermore, that girl was now feeling despond

They finally arrived at the market area. The place didn't become any less crowded since Megumin met the silver-haired girl.

They walked until Megumin's gaze was diverted by a familiar figure standing upright at a fruit stall.

*Ah... Kadomon.*

Megumin immediately stopped in her tracks. What she didn't know was that Emilia also stopped a few moments before Megumin did.

"My insignia was stolen around here," she said.

Megumin turned her body, gazing at Emilia. "Quite a coincidence, huh?"

"Hmmm?" Emilia looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Before answering that question, Megumin took a deep breath. She let go of all her confusion in order to solve the problem more quickly.

"Before meeting you, I was here. More precisely, I was sitting on those steps," Megumin explained, pointing towards the stairs where she had been sitting before.

"And the shopkeeper, he helped me a little," she added.

Along with that, Kadomon seemed to feel that someone was talking about him and observing him. His gaze now directed towards Megumin, who was indeed looking in his direction.

"Oh, the wizard kid."

"I'M NOT A KID!"

Megumin seemed to regain her spirit once she was called a child by Kadomon. She walked towards the muscular fruit seller.

"Why are you here again? Did you get lost and end up wandering around here?" Kadomon asked, curious.

"No," Megumin shook her head. "I have important business, so I came back here."

"Oh? What business is that? Do you want to buy my fruits like you promised before?"

Megumin quickly glanced at Emilia, who was standing behind her.

"Do you have any money?"

"Huh? No. Honestly, I didn't bring any money at all," Emilia replied, scratching her forehead with an innocent smile.

Megumin surprised by that. Someone who appeared like a noble didn't have any money at all?

Kadomon sighed. However, he wasn't angry.

"Well, it's only been a few hours since you said that. It's impossible for you to already obtained money. Unless you stole it," Kadomon said.

"So, what are the two of you doing here?"

"Ah, that," Megumin pointed at Emilia. "Her belongings were stolen around here some time ago. So, she came back here to gather information."

"I see. What was stolen?"

"It was something valuable, that's for sure," Emilia answered before Megumin could respond to that question.

"Then, what do you want to know?"

"I know the appearance of the girl who stole my belongings," Emilia asserted.

"A girl?" Kadomon briefly looked up. "How does she look like?"

"She's a short girl, still a child in my opinion. She has short blonde hair, almost like gold, but tied with a black ribbon. She also wearing a brown vest-like garment. And she's wearing black pants," Emilia explained.

"Hmmm," Kadomon closed his eyes while holding his chin. "Based on that description… it seems like the girl you're looking for is Felt."

"Felt?" Megumin and Emilia exclaimed simultaneously.

"Yes. That fast girl, right? If that's true, she's the one you're looking for. She's known in the slums, but I don't know where her house is," Kadomon revealed.

"It seems like this person named Felt is the one who stole your insignia," Megumin stated.

"I think so. That means we have to go to the slums immediately to meet her and ask her to return my insignia," Emilia asserted.

"Oh my," Megumin closed her eyes, not believing what she had just heard. "Do you really think a thief would be that easy to convince to return the stolen item?"

"I hope so," Emilia replied with a straight face.

Megumin sighed. Another naive girl she had befriended, just like Yunyun.

"If you want to retrieve your belongings, it's best to hurry, miss," Kadomon said to Emilia. "Thieves will usually sell their stolen goods promptly. Make sure they don't sell it before you can retrieve it."

"That's right," Megumin agreed. "We should head to the slums right away."

Emilia nodded. "Yes, let's go then."

Megumin and Emilia stared at Kadomon simultaneously.

"What?" Kadomon confused by their behavior.

"Which way is it from here to the slums?" the Crimson Demon girl asked confidently, replied with a sigh of frustration.

Chapter Text

The once brightly shining sunlight now gently slid towards the west, leaving a golden trace in the increasingly bright sky. The warm and cheerful air gradually subsided, making way for a gentle breeze that began to blow. Stunning colors played their roles on the horizon. The clear blue sky that dominated the daytime had become richer and more diverse. Shades of orange and red created a breathtaking scene.

Looking down, Megumin could be seen walking in silence. Her face didn't show any intense emotions, just the usual expression she wore when walking without pressure.

Now, she was no longer confronted with colorful city buildings. The houses in the area she was in now appeared dilapidated, neglected, and dirty. Some were occupied, but they seemed to pay little attention to cleanliness.

In the end, this place lived up to its name. The slum.

Megumin sighed. It reminded her of her family back in the Crimson Village. Although it couldn't be compared to the dire conditions of the people and this place, her family is poor.

Emilia, who was currently walking ahead, looked back. It seemed she heard Megumin's sigh.

"What's wrong, Megumin?" Emilia asked.

"Hmmm? Nothing," she replied. "Let's keep going. It will be too late if we stop again."

"Ah, alright."

They both walked past two young children shortly after saying that. Megumin's eyes met theirs for a moment before shifting back to the front.

As she looked ahead, she noticed Emilia surveying their surroundings. Whenever Megumin followed where the silver-haired girl was looking, she always saw people in ragged clothes.

Just like the two young children earlier, the people in this place merely acknowledged their presence. No one greeted them, no one stopped them. Everyone just looked.

"You know," Megumin spoke up, catching Emilia's attention. "Even though we're here, we still don't know exactly where Felt lives."

"Maybe we can ask the residents?" Emilia suggested.

"Impossible," Puck interjected, sitting on Emilia's shoulder. "No one will willingly report their friend. So, it's pointless to ask."

Emilia halted her steps upon hearing this, causing Megumin to stop as well. They now stood side by side.

"So, what now? Going back is not an option, right? We've come this far, and we're so close," Emilia stated firmly.

"That's true," Megumin agreed. "Honestly, I understand that it will take time, and it's a little dangerous as it's getting darker. But it feels like all the time we've already spent will be wasted if we ultimately go back."

"You heard that, right, Puck?" Emilia glanced at Puck, who could only sigh.

"What can I do? I can't stop you if you've already made up your minds," Puck said before yawning. "But I'm sorry, I can't accompany you anymore because my time is almost up."

"Almost up?" Megumin was confused by the statement. "What do you mean?"

"I'm a spirit. Maintaining this physical form requires a considerable amount of energy. That's why I enter the crystal during the night until sunrise. It's an effective use of time, you know. From around nine o'clock until five," Puck explained, his movements showing his drowsiness.

"I see. My familiar doesn't need to disappear, he just sleeps," Megumin replied, obviously talking about Chomsuke.

"Even without Puck, it's fine. We'll continue," Emilia asserted.

"Alright," Puck yawned again. "Sorry… I can't handle it anymore."

As Puck uttered those words, his cat body became transparent. Megumin was reminded of Wiz. The undead girl was always weakened to the point of transparency by Aqua's half-hearted hatred for undead and demons.

"Sorry for the trouble, Puck. We'll take care of the rest. You could sleep now."

Emilia removed the green crystal from her chest and held it in both hands. Puck descended and stood on Emilia's hand, right above the crystal. He turned and looked deeply into Emilia's eyes.

"Remember, don't be too reckless. If anything happens, use Od to call me," the explanation was met with a nod from Emilia. Puck then turned to Megumin. "Alright. I'm counting on you, Megumin."

Suddenly, Puck broke apart into beautiful particles of light. The particles flew briefly in the air before swiftly entering the crystal.

After Puck was gone, Emilia began stroking the crystal as if it were precious to her, then she placed it back into her chest.

"That was quite a unique way of sleeping," Megumin remarked, but it seemed that Emilia didn't hear her.

"Let's keep going," Emilia said. "We don't have Puck to watch over us anymore, so we have to be more cautious."

Megumin nodded in agreement.

"Our positions on the road remain the same. I'll be at the front, and you'll watch from behind. If anything happens, let me know immediately. Don't try to do anything on your own, okay?"

The two girls resumed walking forward. Megumin isn't very confident that they would be able to find the thief girl's house before nightfall because, as discussed earlier, neither she nor Emilia knew exactly where Felt lived.

As Megumin looked up, she could see the sky growing darker since they started walking again. The ground beneath her feet had changed from soil to a small wooden bridge.

"So... how do we find Felt with the limited time we have left?" Without stopping her steps and still looking up, she asked the question.

"Ow!" Unbeknownst to Megumin, Emilia suddenly stopped in her tracks. Megumin bumped into her, also unaware that Emilia had come to a halt.

"Ah, sorry. I didn't know you were still walking," she apologized sincerely.

"It's okay. I didn't see you stop either," Megumin replied.

"You were asking about how to find Felt, right?" Emilia asked, met with a nod from Megumin. "Let me ask the little spirits."

Megumin tilted her head slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Little spirits? What are those?"

"You don't know?" Emilia looked surprised. "Little spirits are spirits that haven't fully developed yet. They grow over time and eventually become complete spirits like Puck."

"Ah, I see. That's new information for me," Megumin murmured.

Emilia shifted her gaze to the small river below the bridge. She then closed her eyes, and her lips started moving silently. No sound came out, and Megumin understood that Emilia was reciting an incantation.

Not long after, a cluster of small lights emerged from the river and floated around Emilia. They flickered like stars in the night sky, creating the impression of little floating stars around Emilia.

Megumin was mesmerized by the sight. The flickering lights, which turned out to be the little spirits, added to the beauty of the darkening evening atmosphere. For a moment, she forgot that they were in an unsafe area.

Morning had long passed, and the day had come to an end. The sun had hidden itself on the west, leaving the two girls with the same goal alone in the darkness of the night.

"Are we close?" Megumin asked.

"We should be," Emilia answered without shifting her gaze. "According to the little spirits, a girl resembling Felt walked in this direction."

Their footsteps could now be heard very clearly. Why? Because the surroundings were eerily silent. No more locals could be seen outside. Megumin wasn't too afraid, just more cautious.

From the opposite direction, a man walked past Emilia. Megumin didn't know if Emilia had exchanged glances with him or not, but she made eye contact with him before he walked past her.

An idea formed in her mind.

"Excuse me, sir!" Megumin called out as she turned around, making the man stop and redirect his gaze. "Sorry to bother you. Does the house of a girl named Felt this way?"

"Huh? Felt? There's only Old Man Rom's loot house over there."

Emilia, who had been in front earlier, now walked and stood side by side with Megumin.

"Hahaha, could it be that Felt stole your belongings? I don't care what it is, but try negotiating with her. Life isn't easy," he raised his left hand upwards after saying that, causing Megumin and Emilia to exchange glances.

Afterward, the man simply walked away, leaving the two of them. Megumin and Emilia certainly didn't waste any more time and immediately resumed their walk.

Megumin and Emilia then arrived at the place that had been referred to as a loot house by the man earlier.

"I thought it would be small, but it's quite big," Megumin muttered.

No light emitted from the building, just like the surrounding houses. It was a two-story structure made of a mixture of stones, with cracked glass windows.

"We're here, so let's just go in. What's your plan to get your insignia back?" Megumin asked.

"Hmmm? It's easy. We'll ask her to return the insignia nicely because stealing is wrong," Emilia answered innocently.

Megumin clearly taken aback by such a naive answer. How could anyone think that a thief would easily give back their stolen items just because "stealing is wrong"?

"Emilia... Are you really that dumb?" Megumin exclaimed. "All thieves understand that! Besides, if she were willing to give back your belongings so easily just because of those words, she wouldn't have stolen them in the first place!"

Unfazed by Megumin's outburst, Emilia responded, "Then what should we do?"

Megumin took a deep breath, calming herself. She also pondered on a plan to retrieve the insignia.

"To be honest, I don't know. Neither of us has money to negotiate and buy it back, right?" Emilia nodded. "The only way we can do this is to threaten her until she agrees to return it."

"But isn't that cruel? She's still a child, you know."

"So what? You don't need to care if she's a baby, a child, an adult, or an elder if she has a problem with you. Especially if she stole your belongings, regardless of the reasons."

The statement is true, and Emilia seemed to agree based on her facial expression. Although Megumin is poor, the only things she had ever stolen were food.

Emilia walked toward the entrance of the warehouse. She then turned around, looking at Megumin who was still standing in her place.

"Okay, let's go in. I'll go first since it's my belongings that were stolen here. Megumin, stay behind me to keep watch because the lighting inside will be very poor," Emilia said while reaching for something behind her white cloak.

"What are you taking?" Megumin asked, curious about the object in Emilia's hand.

"Oh? This?" She revealed a crystal as white as snow to Megumin. "This is for our lighting."

"It's not even shining," Megumin replied.

"Yeah... because I haven't activated the lagmite yet."

With a little force, Emilia struck the crystal against the wall, and it began to emit light. The brightness was not too strong, only comparable to that of a candle.

On the other hand, Megumin saw the object called a lagmite for the first time. However, she wasn't too surprised since there was a similar object with a different mechanism and name. The one she was familiar with emitted a brighter light.

"It's quite dim," Megumin said. "I think we would need at least two."

"Is that so? I only have one."

Megumin sighed, "Well, there's no way then."

After Megumin stood beside her, Emilia attempted to open the door in front of her. Surprisingly, the door wasn't locked. It wasn't obstructed by anything behind it either.

"It's not locked?" Megumin asked, met with a nod from Emilia.

As the door creaked open, almost absolute darkness engulfed them. The only light that penetrated the darkness came from the moonlight and the flickering rays reflected by Emilia's lagmite.

They stood in a seemingly endless corridor, illuminated only by the dim light from Emilia. Silence filled the room, as if all life had abandoned it beyond the door.

The place resembled an old tavern or bar, Megumin concluded as she noticed a counter. The worn-out counter served as a reception desk, with various scattered items on top, such as small boxes, jars, and knives.

"It seems we won't find your belongings here, Emilia," Megumin remarked. "Valuable items like that would be securely stored."

"Anyway, this place is really quiet. I kinda doubt Felt or someone called Old Man Rom mentioned by that man are still here," she continued.

"That's true. It feels too empty, no one around," Emilia replied.

"Could it be that she has already fled? Perhaps she thought you would come looking for her here, so she went somewhere else."

"I hope she's just sleeping."

Emilia moved further inside, leaving Megumin with only a glimpse of light from her lagmite. However, a sense of foreboding began to creep upon her.

*Is she sleeping, or did she truly run away? It feels too empty for—*

"Huh?"

A strange sensation attacked her stomach. It felt warm, too warm to bear, causing unbearable pain.

"Oh my, the girl will obviously see it. I can't let her nor you live after that. There's no other way then," a terrifying whisper echoed in her ears.

"Guah!"

She didn't get a chance to see who it was. Her body was violently thrown, crashing into the wall with a resounding impact.

Perhaps this was what they called luck in misfortune. Megumin remained conscious despite the intense collision. Her head was spinning, but the pain in her stomach was far more excruciating.

"Khk!"

She clutched her stomach, trying to endure the intensifying pain. The hand she placed on her abdomen felt wet. Maybe it's dark, but when she put her hands in front of her face, he can see it quiet clear.

*This... My blood?*

A sharp sting pierced Megumin's stomach, like being impaled by a heated needle. Instinctively, she returned her hand to her abdomen, trying to soothe the waves of torment slicing through her. Behind her trembling hand, she could feel the pulsating protest of her belly against the escalating agony.

*Hurt, hurt, hurt, hurt.*

"Megumin?" Emilia called her name in confusion. Megumin could see Emilia trying to find her.

She wanted to scream, to warn Emilia, but instead of a voice, blood gushed from her lips. The red fluid flowed profusely from Megumin's mouth. Through the agonizing coughs, she vomited a terrifying amount of blood.

Her breathing became more labored, her mind increasingly muddled. She didn't know what to do. Her body grew weaker, her strength fading away.

"Ru… Un…"

Megumin tried to use her remaining strength to warn Emilia, though each word she uttered added to the pain that gripped her. But she didn't want Emilia to suffer the same fate.

Her vision started to blur. The burning pain slowly transformed into a chilling stab. Before her consciousness completely faded, Megumin could see Emilia suddenly turning around and something piercing through the girl's abdomen, causing her to collapse on the ground.

Chapter Text

"—Hey? Are you okay? Why did you suddenly space out like that?"

A gentle breeze whispered, softly caressing the cheeks of the girl with red eyes. The marketplace around them buzzed with activity, the hurried footsteps and the lively shouts of merchants trying to attract customers.

"Huh?"

As if awakening, Megumin's eyes widened. She looked left and right, seemingly confused about her current position. Kadomon, standing in front of her, could only watch her with furrowed brows.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" he asked again.

Megumin's gaze finally settled on the green-haired man before her. Her facial expression portrayed a mixture of confusion and anxiety. There was emptiness in her eyes, as if searching for answers amidst the haze.

"...What happened?" she whispered softly. "Why... am I here?"

"Huh? What are you talking about? You've been here all along!" Kadomon replied, his voice growing louder and his brows furrowing deeper.

Megumin was taken aback. Her mind was still trying to process the newly acquired information, including the fact that she was in a place she shouldn't be.

"But I..."

Memories of what had happened to her flashed through her mind. The blood she had coughed up, the excruciating pain in her stomach, and the blood drenching her body.

Megumin's heart pounded heavily, sensing the growing uncertainty and fear within her. Simultaneously, she covered her mouth with her hand and looked down at her stomach.

However, she found nothing there. No blood, no wounds, and no tears in her clothes.

*How is that possible?*

The pain from something piercing her stomach still lingered within her. She still remembered the coldness of the floor against her face.

And, of course, she remembered Emilia.

"Where is Emilia?!" Megumin suddenly exclaimed.

"Emilia?" Kadomon was clearly perplexed by Megumin's question. "Who's that?"

"The girl who was with me! How could you forget?" Megumin clarified, frustration evident on her face.

Both of Kadomon's eyebrows lifted, radiating clear confusion. His eyes stared at Megumin, silently expressing unspoken questions. They just looked at each other without uttering a single word.

"Your name... It was Megumin earlier, right?" Megumin nodded. "Does Megumin mean 'weird person'?"

"Huh!? Why are you make fun of me now?" Megumin leaned forward, her hands placed firmly on the ground.

"Don't raise your voice at me, you brat!" Kadomon snapped, pointing his finger at Megumin.

"Did you just call me a brat, old man?"

"Certainly! Apart from children and peculiar individuals, no one else would introduce themselves in the manner you did earlier! Moreover, you're now posing nonsense after drifting off without reason!"

The argument between Megumin and Kadomon naturally attracted the attention of many people. Those who had been observing since earlier remained in their spots, while those passing by halted to witness the outcome.

Megumin herself was ready to unleash her anger on the fruit vendor. However, before her fury could erupt, it was her stomach that rumbled thunderously.

The result? Silence. The world seemed to pause as the girl with red eyes made that sound. Megumin's face, previously flushed with anger, now turned red with embarrassment.

As a voice trying to suppress laughter came from the crowd, Megumin maintained her expression of embarrassment and quickly walked away. Not a word escaped her mouth or Kadomon's. She walked without looking back, oblivious to the expressions that the onlookers wore.

=~=

Megumin took a long, deep breath. Although she wasn't running, her brisk pace of walking, with her mind wandering to another world, took her quite far. Far away from where she had been before.

Well, it didn't mean that the place she ended up was empty, obviously. It made Megumin think that there seemed to be no quiet area in this city. Everything was bustling with activity.

Gazing at the passersby around her, the young girl once again felt so alienated. In her thoughts, she considered that if she were in the city of Axel, at least familiar faces would continue to be seen. But here? None.

Her steps came to a halt, and something crossed her mind once again.

"—Emilia," she murmured, her voice nearly drowned in the city's clamor.

The events of that night began to unfold in her mind once more. It was terrifying to recall, but it was unavoidable.

That feeling, the blood, and everything that had happened, were real.

"It couldn't have been just a dream," Megumin whispered, her hand resting on her chin. "No dream could be so vivid."

Once again, Megumin examined her entire body. She stared at the palms of her hands, ensuring there were no traces of blood. She checked her clothes, searching for any tears caused by the piercing that night.

But everything was fine.

"It's really strange, there's no trace of it. It's like that night never happened. Resurrection? But resurrection doesn't fix torn clothes."

After exhaling deeply, her mind seemed to offer guidance that could potentially address her current inquiries.

["Huh? What are you talking about? You've been here the whole time!"]

["Certainly! Apart from children and peculiar individuals, no one else would introduce themselves in the manner you did earlier! Moreover, you're now posing nonsense after drifting off without reason!"]

After connecting all the dots, starting from the fact that there was not a single trace of injury, her return in front of the fruit stall, Kadomon's remark about her introducing herself, and the sudden shift to daytime, Megumin arrived at one conclusion. A conclusion that would even sound insane to the ears of the Crimson Demon archwizards.

"I... Came back from death, didn't I?"

Yes, Megumin did die. The bleeding in her abdomen that night was fatally severe, and she breathed her last moments after losing consciousness.

"This isn't resurrection. Resurrection only brings back someone who has already died. But... I not only came back to life, but also reversed time simultaneously."

"But, there's no such thing as time magic!" Megumin scratched her head, visibly frustrated.

Then, Megumin remembered one thing that she couldn't be certain of.

"In that case, is she alright? Should I go back there and check?"

Unfortunately, she immediately shook her head upon recalling what happened in that place.

"No, no, no. It's too dangerous. I don't want to experi-"

"Can you stop babbling?"

A voice interrupted Megumin's conversation with herself. It wasn't a boy or a man; it was a girl.

Megumin stared at the girl with wide eyes. How long had the girl been listening to her conversation? She couldn't tell. However, if she had been there from the beginning, it would have been impossible not to notice her.

From head to toe, the girl's appearance was attention-grabbing. How could it not be? She was dressed as a maid, and at the same time, had pink hair and red eyes.

"Uh, sorry. I didn't realize I was speaking loudly," Megumin apologized with an awkward expression.

"If you keep talking to yourself like that, I'll have the guards bring you away. The fact that a lunatic is wandering freely in the Capital of Lugnica makes me question the security here."

The remark clearly struck a nerve with Megumin. Of course, the Crimson Demon girl wouldn't just accept it without a response. The flat expression and tone in which the words were delivered only added to her annoyance.

"How rude!" Megumin exclaimed as she rose from her seat. "Calling me crazy and threatening to report me to the guards over such a trivial matter? That doesn't even make any sense!"

"Oh? You can stand? I thought you couldn't stand for yourself," she said while looking at bandages that wrapped Megumin's right leg. "Well, I haven't really cared about what you've been saying. I don't even paying attention to your ramblings. However, you just won't stop talking to yourself."

"Your ramblings are annoying, that's it," she added, still with her flat expression and tone.

Megumin couldn't deny that fact. But it was still infuriating to be mocked like that. At least she didn't call her a little kid.

"Without excusing myself, I'll continue my search. Standing here with you would just be a waste of time."

"Hey!"

Seemingly unfazed by Megumin's shout to stop her, the girl continued walking ahead. Megumin didn't feel like chasing after her too much, as she had her own business to attend to. However...

"Wait... Is she looking for something?" Megumin mumbled.

Megumin remembered Emilia and the insignia she was searching for. Looking at the girl, she appeared to be a maid. If she recalled correctly, Emilia herself had the appearance of a noble, wearing beautiful clothes with a combination of white and purple.

But despite that, she wasn't with anyone except Puck.

"Could it be..."

Although her thoughts were purely the result of her random thinking and seemed nonsensical, everything had been nonsensical from the beginning. That's why she immediately ran towards the pink haired girl as fast as she could. She ran past her and then stood directly in front of her, blocking her path.

"Wait!" Megumin exclaimed, outstretching her arms.

The girl sighed in annoyance. "If you think that by doing this, you can stop me in my tracks, you'd better think again. I am looking for someone, and if you hinder me, I'll be forced to use force."

"Don't get me wrong!" Megumin extended her hands forward as soon as the girl bring out a wand. "I just want to ask. Are you searching for a girl?"

"Hmm?" The girl's wariness heightened, and she tightened her grip on the wand, her formerly impassive expression now veering toward seriousness.

In her still flat tone, the girl replied, "How do you know I'm looking for a girl? If it's just a guess, you'd be more likely to assume I'm searching for a man."

"Well, that's because I encountered a girl who seemed to be a noble," Megumin answered.

"Is that so?" Ram lowered her guard. "How does she look like?"

"She's an elf with long silver hair. She was wearing white clothes with a purple pattern. I also remember she had a flower on her head," explained Megumin. "And... she has a spirit as well."

"It's highly likely that you indeed encountered the person I'm seeking. Where is she? I must bring her back without delay."

Megumin shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know for sure. But, she is likely searching for something as well."

"What is she searching for?"

"Her insignia."

Like a bolt of lightning in broad daylight, the girl widened her eyes upon hearing Megumin's answer. Megumin was clearly taken aback by the sudden change in her expression, causing her to jump a step back.

"W-What's wrong? W-why are you reacting like that?" Megumin inquired, her words stumbling over one another.

"Are you serious about your answer?" The girl drew herself closer to Megumin. "You are not bragging, aren't you?"

"O-of course! Why would I lie!?"

The girl tightly grip on Megumin's hand, her piercing red eyes emanating an intimidating presence, despite sharing the same eye color as Megumin.

"You better take me to the place where she was last seen. If she's not there, you'll have to come along and search for her as well," she stated, her flat tone now sounding even more intimidating.

Megumin couldn't refuse, nor did she have any intention to. Besides, this was one way for her to prove the theory she had pondered earlier. If everything returned to normal after her death, then Emilia should be fine and still wandering the city in search of Felt in every corner.