My Favorite Isekai Adventure (Konosuba)

Chapter 8: Wiz, The One and Only Designated Partner

Early the next morning.

Kobayashi and Satou Kazuma were tidying up the messy bedding while arranging the day's itinerary.

Aqua, sitting on the edge of the bed, spoke up. "Listen to me, I don't have a sleepwalking problem! I'm a goddess, a goddess! There must be a reason why I wasn't on the bed in the middle of the night. I suspect a villainous lich-type was causing trouble in the dark! Yes, that must be it. Let's find that evil lich and eliminate it!"

This woman was spouting nonsense first thing in the morning, shifting all the blame for her own actions onto a fictitious lich. She had none of the dignity a goddess should have.

Satou Kazuma didn't bother to hide his disdainful gaze. But to shut Aqua up, he went along with her words.

"Yes, yes, you're right. Now, would her goddess-ness please get off the bed? What's the point of running back to it in the morning after sleeping on the floor all night?"

It had to be said, Satou Kazuma's words were dripping with sarcasm.

"Normally, besides a dense aura of water, there is nothing that can attract me!" Aqua was getting agitated and hurriedly tried to explain. "I'm serious, I'm not kidding!"

"Right, right, right, you're absolutely right."

"Hey—!"

Although she kept trying to explain, Kazuma couldn't be bothered to pursue it anymore. After all, Kobayashi hadn't said anything.

Thinking of this, he said, "Kobayashi-senpai, should we just wait for you at the Guild?"

"Mmm, just as we discussed, please trouble yourself to tell them about my plan to buy a house," Kobayashi replied.

"No problem, leave it to me."

Satou Kazuma patted his chest in assurance and gave a thumbs up. "We'll be waiting for your good news, Kobayashi-senpai!"

"No problem, you can count on me."

Kobayashi returned the thumbs up.

Then, the three of them went their separate ways.

"Listen, I really don't have a sleepwalking problem!"

"Alright, alright, I believe you."

On the way to the Guild, Aqua was still trying to justify her actions from the previous night, and Kazuma just placated her with half-hearted replies.

After seeing them off, Kobayashi left the room.

He walked to a remote corner of the town, entered an obscure alley, and after several twists and turns, arrived at an item shop that looked somewhat dilapidated overall, yet the sign on its roof was still as pristine as new.

"I think this every time. She runs an item shop, not a fortune-teller's booth. Why does it have to be so hidden?"

That's right.

The person Kobayashi had come to see was none other than one of the hidden powerhouses of Axel's beginner town, Wiz.

He pushed the door open and walked in. A bell attached to the door chimed, signaling to the shop's owner that a customer had arrived.

"Welcome!"

A soft and quiet voice came from the counter up front.

Following the line of sight, he saw a woman. She had long brown hair with a single ahoge sticking up, appeared to be around 20 years old, with large almond-shaped eyes and a cherry-like mouth that contrasted sharply with her somewhat pale skin.

She wore a black and purple dress with gold trim on the hem and cuffs. Her figure was curvaceous, and her extremely ample bust was bound by several belt-like harnesses that made it stand out conspicuously, truly drawing one's gaze. But for some reason, she always exuded a weak aura, giving one the feeling that she would be easy to bully.

She was the owner of this magic item shop, Wiz.

Her eyes visibly lit up when she saw who had come in.

"Kobayashi, welcome!"

"Yo, Wiz, I'm here."

He had gotten to know her half a month ago when the mid-level demon Hoost was causing trouble in Axel. To defeat it, the adventurers urgently needed powerful magic items, so they had sought out Wiz.

The magic items sold in Wiz's shop were all incredibly powerful artifacts—both to the enemy and to the user. In fact, most of the items caused more damage to the user's side, which was precisely why the shop was always deserted and ran a deficit every month.

"I'm working so hard, why can't I ever make any money?"

"...Are you being serious?"

Kobayashi really wanted to make her realize her own shortcomings, but with Wiz's powerful talent for squandering money, even if he explained the reason, she would buy some ridiculous new item the moment he wasn't looking and spend all her money. This was especially true knowing that the magic items she bought came from Megumin's father, Hyoizaburoo, which made it even harder to say anything. After all, it concerned whether Megumin could survive or not.

"So, what brings you here today, Kobayashi?" Wiz's big, watery eyes sparkled with a certain glint.

Don't misunderstand. She was simply hoping that Kobayashi would buy something.

Ever since the magic item Wiz sold during the subjugation of the demon Hoost had caused a nearly irreversible error, many adventurers had become suspicious of the products in her shop. Unfortunately, that was the truth, which only made Wiz's already pitiful sales even worse.

"No, I'm not buying anything this time."

"Then..."

"There's something I want to discuss with you."

"I won't join your party! I'm not an adventurer anymore!"

Before Kobayashi could even state his purpose, Wiz had already refused.

That's right, Kobayashi had also invited her to join his party. Wiz was a Lich, and also an Archwizard who had learned both advanced magic and Explosion magic. She was powerful and experienced, a very reliable teammate. It was reasonable to be rejected at first, but Kobayashi felt that with her soft nature, she would relent if he just pleaded a few more times. He didn't expect that even after all this time, she hadn't budged an inch, which was inevitably disheartening.

"Is that so? It's a shame I can't team up with you, Wiz."

"Oh my, that's too much of an exaggeration."

"After all, you are that super combat-oriented mage, the Ice Witch, Miss Wiz."

"Oh my, that's too much of an exaggeration."

"And also one of the Eight Generals of the Demon King's Army."

"Oh my... eh?!!!"

Wiz was dumbfounded. She seemed to have heard a certain keyword that wasn't meant for public knowledge.

"What did you say?"

"Am I wrong? The Lich responsible for maintaining the Demon King's barrier, one of the Eight Generals of the Demon King's Army, Miss Wiz?"

"H-how..."

It seemed she couldn't figure out how Kobayashi knew she was a Lich, and even more incredibly, that he knew she was the general responsible for maintaining the Demon King's Castle barrier!

"Hehehe, who knows?"

Kobayashi had a wicked smile on his face as he slowly walked towards her.

When he stopped, the two of them were very close, close enough to smell each other's scent. A faint, pleasant fragrance emanated from Wiz, without the slightest hint of a lich's decay.

He leaned his upper body forward, close to Wiz's ear, and whispered like a demon, "Miss Wiz, you wouldn't want the fact that you're a Lich, and also a general of the Demon King's Army, to be exposed, would you?"

"Eh, h-how could you..."

Wiz was in a panic. She quickly grabbed Kobayashi's arm, hiding it in her vast openness, and begged, "Please, I'll do anything you ask, just please don't tell anyone!"

Wait, wait! What's with this line straight out of a doujinshi?!

"You've misunderstood, I didn't..."

"I-in that case, I have no choice but to do this."

With that, her hand moved toward her chest. It looked like she was about to undo the buttons on her dress.

What are you doing, what are you doing?! Could it be... wait, wait, you've got it all wrong! I'm not that kind of person!

Kobayashi subconsciously turned his head away, not daring to look. The sound of rustling clothes continued, and his mind couldn't help but wander.

However, things did not develop as he had imagined.

"This way, you'll help me keep my secret, right?"

Wiz pleaded timidly in a small voice, simultaneously handing over a small, flat pouch.

"This is my pin money that I've been hiding for a long time. It's all yours. Please, just don't tell anyone."

"Uh..."

Looking at the purse, which carried the same pleasant fragrance as Wiz, Kobayashi was rendered speechless.

This is it? This is it?! And here I thought there'd be something good to see. Turns out you just wanted to bribe me?

And speaking of which, isn't the contrast between this flat pouch and your full chest a bit too stark!

For a moment, Kobayashi didn't know what to say. He composed himself and stated his purpose.

"Wiz, I'm here to talk about a partnership."

"Eh? A partnership...?"

"Mmm, a partnership that will benefit both of us. I call it a 'win-win'."

He explained his plan, bit by bit. As he spoke, Wiz's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"That's amazing! This method will definitely improve the shop's poor management!"

...No, it probably won't, not if you don't stop stocking such bizarre products.

"Then it's settled."

"Okay! I'll prepare the necessary materials later."

The partnership was successfully established, and both Kobayashi and Wiz had smiles on their faces.

He sat for a while longer.

"It's about time. I should get going."

Kobayashi stood up. As he pushed the door open, he said to the lich behind him, "Wiz, your personality is too kind. You must always maintain a sense of suspicion towards others... and that includes me."

"But, Kobayashi, you're a good person."

"Urk..."

Kobayashi's mouth twitched. Had he just been given the "good person" card?

Whatever. As long as she's happy.

He closed the door with complex feelings.

(End of Chapter)