allendalepharm #504 - No acting required
#504 - No acting required
“Oh, oh, oh! As expected of Yoyo, I knew you could do it!”
“Idiot, you should call her Chieftain now!”
“Well done, Chieftain!”
“—Wait, wait a moment! Please don't call me that yet, I've only passed the second trial.”
Walking through the Crimson Demon Village with Zun Zun, Yoyo, greeted by many Crimson Demons, was both shy and embarrassed as she hurriedly explained, but everyone said it didn't matter. The mere third trial, she would definitely pass.
Through the variety show footage of the second trial, the girl's persistence and tenacity deeply moved the people of the village and gained great support.
Some Crimson Demons even said that the next Chieftain's seat would definitely belong to Yoyo.
It seems that the effect of this variety show broadcast was a bit too strong. Kazuma Sato, after seeing this, decisively went to find the Crimson Demon Chieftain, saying that this might become a major means for the Crimson Demon Village to attract tourists, and the two didn't know what they were discussing.
And Zun Zun also suffered a lot because of this.
First, Megumin ran over to challenge the trial with him once, and once wasn't enough, she wanted to come several more times. Then there were the Sister Obsessed, the Quite Capable, and Curly, etc. Almost all the girls associated with Zun Zun came.
Kazuma Sato didn't have it easy either. Darkness and Aqua also ran over to join in the fun. The former was okay, but the latter's frighteningly low luck made Kazuma Sato repeatedly frustrated, each time choosing the wrong door at the final moment and having to start all over again.
It was said that Aqua cried non-stop that day, purifying all the mud in the amusement park.
Later, Kazuma Sato said that no matter what, this final disgusting trial must be removed.
The two leisurely strolled through the Crimson Demon Village.
Although the surroundings here are fraught with danger, the Crimson Demon Village is very peaceful and harmonious, except that you have to ignore people using magic to wash clothes, irrigate, and change the weather from time to time.
But this is only for outsiders.
People like Zun Zun and Yoyo were already used to it. When passing by, they often used magic to help out.
There was no way around it.
The Crimson Demons were just such willful guys.
Perhaps Yoyo was a little shy about being called Chieftain, their date-like stroll eventually ended because they quickly arrived at Megumin's house, seeing their companions resting lazily there.
“…Where's Megumin?”
“That girl was caught by Green Coconut Slaughter in the dungeon for releasing Explosion magic in the back mountain.”
“Is that so.”
Megumin, that girl, was finally releasing her nature, not even pretending anymore?
“But you guys are really too much. Megumin is locked up in the dungeon, and you're all playing here.”
Aqua was snoring loudly, Darkness was playing with Mimi, and Kazuma Sato had a pile of draft paper in front of him, seemingly related to the Crimson Demon Village's development plan.
“It doesn't matter, right? That girl will be released soon anyway, we can pick her up later.”
Kazuma Sato was a bit too indifferent.
“More importantly.” He looked at Zun Zun and Yoyo and asked, “Has the final trial been decided? How's the preparation going?”
“Ah, it's the same as in previous years.”
Zun Zun breathed a sigh of relief.
The two of them hadn't just gone on a date-like stroll, they had also gone to inquire about the final trial. Because the broadcast of the variety show was so popular, many people in the village were clamoring for the third trial to be done the same way.
But the content of the final trial—spending a night safely in the Crimson Demon Forest, which is filled with various dangerous monster auras—was a long-standing rule of the Crimson Demons, used to test whether the participants in the selection had the strength to take on the Chieftain's responsibilities.
The first two trials could be changed at will, but the final trial had never been changed, so the village was excitedly starting a discussion meeting.
In the end, it was decided to maintain the original trial content unchanged.
The Crimson Demons were indeed a martial faction, valuing strength more than entertainment-oriented trials.
“…Is it really that hardcore?”
“What's wrong, Kazuma?”
“No, I just think that compared to this hardcore way of passing the trial, it's more worthwhile to choose to embarrass yourself.”
Kazuma Sato would choose the latter.
“Because it's Kazuma.”
“Yes, because it's Kazuma.”
“Very much in Mr. Kazuma's style.”
“—Hey, I'm going to get angry, okay!”
Teased by Darkness, Zun Zun, and Yoyo, Kazuma Sato pouted unhappily.
But this was indeed his style.
This guy would rather embarrass himself and be called scum than put himself in a dangerous situation. He would turn around and run without hesitation when encountering trouble.
“Zun Zun, why do you have such a complicated expression?”
“It's nothing, I just wanted to say ‘Here it comes! Kazuma's despicable and shameless inspiration!’…or something like that?”
“I'm going to get angry, okay! Besides, I'm considering this for you, it's a great suggestion! Are you going to listen or not? If you don't listen, I won't say it!”
“…Tell us.”
No matter what, Kazuma Sato's cleverness was trustworthy. Although it might be despicable and dirty, it was often very effective, so it wouldn't hurt to listen.
Zun Zun and Yoyo sat down.
“So, what's the method?”
“What I want to say is, didn't you two, Yoyo and Zun Zun, learn teleportation magic? As long as you set up a marker in the Crimson Demon Forest and then teleport back to Axel to rest for the night, and then come back the next morning…wouldn't that be an easy pass?”
The living room became silent, even Aqua's snoring disappeared.
“…I say, why aren't you talking?” Kazuma Sato felt uncomfortable being looked at by his companions with complicated expressions. “I know this method is a bit unethical, but since teleportation magic is one of the requirements for participating in the Crimson Demon Chieftain's rigid selection, then it means you can use this method, right?”
Would you rather choose to escape than fight?
As expected of you!
Zun Zun also said helplessly, “Originally, this teleportation magic is used to escape when encountering a strong enemy that you can't handle in battle. But Kazuma, it wasn't meant to escape for the whole night.”
“Stop nagging! Just tell me, is this a good method or not!”
Kazuma Sato said stubbornly.
Honestly, if Megumin were participating in the Chieftain's trial now, she would use this method to pass without saying a word. However, in Yoyo's case…
“No, I want to pass with my own strength.”
Yoyo said this.
Kazuma Sato looked at his earnest companion and scratched his head vigorously, finally uttering a sentence.
“Sorry, Yoyo.”
“Eh, eh! Why is Mr. Kazuma apologizing?”
“No…I just feel like I tainted your dream just now, and I feel really bad about it, I'm really sorry.”
“It's okay, it's okay! Please lift your head!”
Yoyo hurriedly lifted Kazuma Sato's shoulders, who had bent over. She was very unaccustomed to someone apologizing to her like this.
“Good luck, Yoyo.”
Darkness was very satisfied with Yoyo's choice. She was originally an upright crusader, and if she used Kazuma Sato's kind of trickery, this way of deceiving others and deceiving oneself would always make people feel uneasy.
“…I want to properly accept the trial, this time I must defeat Megumin!”
Yoyo, encouraged by her companions, showed a determined expression.
—To become the Crimson Demon Chieftain.
This was Yoyo's only goal, who had never had any dreams or anything related since she was a child.
When her magic power and intelligence were measured at birth, everyone said that she was worthy of being the Chieftain's daughter, and that she was the one who would eventually inherit the Chieftain's position.
This made Yoyo, who didn't even have friends, very happy.
Then, Yoyo also began to feel that becoming the Chieftain was a matter of course. Therefore, she gave up most of her playtime and became less proactive in making friends with other people of her age.
Even after finally making friends, she had to give up the joy of farming in order to become familiar with the Chieftain's trial.
But at that time, Zun Zun redeemed her.
The Crimson Demons are free and unrestrained.
Always called the genius of the Crimson Demons, a millennium in the making, a powerful fiancé.
Ignoring the expectations of those around her and pursuing her own dreams, she is now called a dim-witted best friend.
Noisy, clever, especially reliable, and giggling teammates.
She was very happy every day, having friends and companions, and someone she liked…
How lucky I am.
—After this trial is over, I must say to my rival, this time I won!
And the words I have never said:
Because of you, I have worked hard until now, and the boring goal has become my life goal because of you. Because I have you, who holds dreams that are greater than mine, dreams that everyone laughs at, I have reached the end…
Thank you for being my rival!
“…And then! The Chieftain I become must marry Zun Zun! I will never back down on this point!”
“Oh, I'll be looking forward to it.”
“…Eh?”
Hearing someone respond, Yoyo suddenly froze. She looked at her companions with complicated and tangled expressions, and Aqua, who didn't know when she had woken up, looking at her with shining eyes and great anticipation.
“T-that…I, I just now…d-did I…accidentally…”
She wriggled her throat, her eyes turning into swirling patterns.
Kazuma Sato crossed his arms and coughed, saying, “That's right. Yoyo just said what was in her heart.”
“I didn't expect that you wanted to marry Zun Zun, and you said it so boldly. Yoyo, my opinion of you has changed. You're actually a very perverted child, right? But it doesn't matter, the teachings of the Axis Church are that as long as there is love and they are not undead, they can be blessed!”
Aqua gave a thumbs up as encouragement.
“Hey, Aqua, don't talk nonsense!” Darkness scolded her, “Yoyo, don't mind, although your boldness surprised me a little, I will support you with all my strength! Of course, Megumin too.”
However, Yoyo could no longer hear. She staggered, swayed, and fell softly to the ground.
“…This is bad! Yoyo has fainted from shyness! Aqua, Aqua! Hurry up and save her!”
The panicked shouts of her companions came from Megumin's new home, and the Chieftain's trial, originally planned for that night, was postponed for a day.