After leaving the guild, I thought about it carefully. With me as a variable, Kazuma and the others might not recruit party members.
Well, does it matter? I could think that, but if the original story gets twisted too much, I lose the advantage of knowing the future. And if we run into powerful enemies, we could lose. We need Darkness's meat shield to buy time, and Megumin's explosion magic—for now, at least—is irreplaceable in terms of firepower.
So I decided I wouldn't mess with the main framework of the original story line if possible.
This is troublesome.
For now, I went to the construction site where Kazuma and Aqua were working.
They were organizing equipment since work was ending for the day. I looked around and spotted Kazuma and Aqua tidying up in the corner.
"Kazuma~ Aqua~"
"Tae-jin, what brings you here?"
"Today I made some money from a guild quest, so tell me if you want to eat anything. My treat."
"Oh~ Aqua! Tae-jin's treating today!"
"What? What? Tae-jin's treating today?"
"Yeah, I'll buy today."
I helped them clean up, we washed up, and then moved to a restaurant.
Aqua started ordering an insane amount of food—way more than she could possibly eat. Kazuma was curious about me starting adventurer work and asked.
"You already took a guild quest and started working?"
"Yeah, I want to adventure in this world. Living a satisfying life working moderately isn't bad, but I've had enough of that in my last life. This time I want to live differently."
"Hee~"
That's when Aqua suddenly spoke like she'd remembered something.
"Ah! That's right! Kazuma can't go back unless he defeats the Demon King!"
"Hah... You're just realizing that now?!"
The food we ordered and Shuwa-Shuwa arrived. We ate and drank while continuing the conversation.
"I'm thinking of going to the royal capital soon."
"Eh~~! Isn't that the front line? Isn't it dangerous?"
"It'll be dangerous. That's why I plan to get some experience here before going. And honestly, I'm worried about you and Aqua, so I'm staying in Axel until you guys find a good party."
"You don't need to worry about us."
"Right! This Aqua is not a kid!"
"Hee~ Say that after you stop drinking every day and asking me to loan you lodging fees?"
"No, that's... ahaha."
"You guys would've been living in the stable without me?"
"Even if we drink a lot, we're not that bad!"
"Good! I've decided. I'm taking quests and being an adventurer starting tomorrow! Kazuma! Let's show them we can do it."
"Ooh~!"
"Alright~ let's drink! To our adventure~~!"
...
..
.
Aqua was throwing up in the alley, and Kazuma was patting her back like he was used to it.
Things went well, but
Haa... I'm worried about the future.
The next day, we bought a usable one-handed sword for Kazuma at an equipment shop and took a Giant Toad subjugation quest at the guild.
On the way to the plains where Giant Toads live, Kazuma was nervous, fiddling with his one-handed sword.
"Kazuma, don't be too nervous. Just trust this Aqua!"
"I'm not nervous!"
"We're here. This is the Giant Toad habitat."
Just then, we saw a Giant Toad nearby.
"...We were eating meat from that? It's way too big. Can I even catch it?"
"It's big, but if you stab the head or the spine at the back of the neck in one go, you can catch it easily. Because of the size, you have to stab deep. And the tongue attack has range and is fast, so don't attack from the front."
I demonstrated first.
I slowly approached behind the Giant Toad, jumped slightly, and sliced the spine at the back of its neck in one strike. The Giant Toad collapsed powerlessly.
"Whoa! That looks hard for me?"
"Then there's an easier way. One person draws aggro and the other attacks from behind. There's also the easiest way, but... I don't really recommend it."
"Hmm? What's the easiest way?"
"Well... one person gets eaten while the other kills it. Big prey like humans gets eaten slowly, and it doesn't move while eating, so it's easy to kill. But the person being eaten gets covered in drool, and if you kill it too late, they could die of asphyxiation."
"Ew..."
I told them this on purpose. Right now, this is the only way Kazuma and the others can kill a Giant Toad.
"There's one over there. I'll draw aggro, so try attacking from behind."
I went in front of the Giant Toad and waved my hands wildly. The toad came closer and started shooting its tongue, but I dodged everything and stalled for time.
"Now, Kazuma!"
Kazuma jumped behind the toad and stabbed his one-handed sword into its back, but he stabbed badly. The toad didn't die and started thrashing around. Kazuma hung onto the stuck sword handle and rode it like a rodeo.
"Whaaa~ help me, Tae-jin! Aqua!"
Aqua watched that and burst out laughing, holding her stomach.
"Pfft~ so funny! Kazuma's face is bright red and he's desperate!"
"Just watch and help me!"
"Can't help it. I'll save you! Shut-in NEET. But from tomorrow, worship me! When we get back to town, join the Axis Cult and pray three times a day! At meals, if I ask, hand it over without resistance! And..."
Just then, the Giant Toad stopped thrashing, looked at Aqua, shot its tongue, grabbed her, and swallowed her in one gulp.
"Now's the time! Kazuma, attack the head!"
"Uoooo~~!!"
Kazuma stabbed the toad's head several times, and the toad collapsed. Aqua crawled out of the toad's mouth covered in drool. Then Aqua sat down and started crying like she felt wronged.
"Uhu-huk... sniff sniff"
"Um... maybe we should find more party members..."
Aqua suddenly stood up like a heartbroken woman and complained.
"I've already been defiled..."
"Huh?"
"If the Axis Cult followers see me defiled, their faith will hit rock bottom!"
"Huh??"
"And if word gets out that I backed down against a frog, the dignity of the beautiful and lovely Lady Aqua will hit the floor!"
"Huh???"
Aqua suddenly screamed like she was getting revenge and charged at the Giant Toad.
"Uwaaaaaah~~~~!"
"Hey, wait, Aqua~~~!"
"Feel the power of a goddess deep in your bones! For standing in my way! And for opposing a goddess! Regret and repent in hell~~!"
"God Blow~~~~!!"
Light started coming from Aqua's fist as she struck the Giant Toad's belly.
Thung~~~!
"..."
The Giant Toad's belly rang like a drum, but nothing happened after that.
Feeling awkward, Aqua laughed and looked up at the Giant Toad.
"...This frog looks kinda cute, maybe?"
The Giant Toad looked at Aqua for a moment, then gulped her down whole and started eating her.
"Aqua~~!"
Kazuma hurriedly ran to the Giant Toad that was eating Aqua and stabbed its head several times.
Kazuma sat down, panting huff huff, exhausted, and Aqua was crying again, her whole body covered in drool.
I'd seen the original, but without protagonist buffs, thinking realistically, Can these guys really survive in this world as adventurers? I started to doubt it.
"...Let's call it a day."
We went to the bathhouse, washed, and at the guild we received 15,000 eris for subjugating 3 toads today.
Then we sat in the guild restaurant, ordered Giant Toad fries and Shuwa-Shuwa, and decided to rest a bit.
"5000 eris per frog, 3 caught, so 5000 eris each. We risked our lives and it's no different from construction work..."
First, I should cheer Kazuma on so he starts adventurer life and recruits party members.
"This is just the start. Once we gather party members, we'll be able to catch more easily."
"Th-that's right? But will any decent party take in rookies with shabby gear like us?"
That's when Aqua spoke confidently.
"I'm the highest-tier class, Arch Priest! Any party would be dying to have me! If I recruit, guys will be begging to join, there'll be a mountain of them!"
"Hee~"
The next morning, I looked at the masterpiece Aqua worked on late into the night.
[Urgently Recruiting!]
A cozy, family-like party.
Adventure with the beautiful and noble Arch Priest Lady Aqua!
Since joining this party, every day is happy.
I won a lottery.
Thanks to joining Lady Aqua's party, my illness was cured and I became super popular.
Recruitment Condition
Advanced class adventurers only.
The kids were still asleep from exhaustion, so I held back my laughter and went outside.
Today, Kazuma and Aqua said they'd be at the guild recruiting a party, so I decided to take quests separately to earn money and experience.