When Darkness and Megumin saw it, they stopped cold.
“Here’s your present. It’s all yours. Sorry it’s a little late,” I said coolly. Megumin started to sweat profusely, while Darkness’s mouth worked open and closed and she started to shiver.
“Y-y-y-you… Do you understand just how much this is worth?! How did you even get so much of it?!” Darkness was a noblewoman; she ought to have known what it was like to have wads of cash, but her voice was scratching, and she was practically screeching.
“You’d better believe I know how much it’s worth. It cost most of my fortune. I made a ton of money with Vanir once, remember? Back when I sold all my intellectual property rights to him to repay your debt, Darkness. Well, he told Wiz to use it to get the highest-quality manatite she could find. And to thank him for helping me out in the dungeon, I bought it all off him before we left on this trip.”
Darkness put her head in her hands, looking woozy.
“K-K-K-K-Kazuma, this… This is…!” Megumin pointed at the pile on the ground, at a loss for words.
“The highest-quality manatite Wiz could find, like I said. I remember what you told me when you took some of this stuff off Yunyun. You said a manatite crystal shoulders the MP cost for a spell, right? And that even the best stuff couldn’t quite cover one of your explosions.”
This time, Megumin couldn’t even make a sound.
“And I think I remember you saying something else. That a gem like this wasn’t even worth a second glance from a great mage like you. Well, manatite this good ought to be worthy even of the greatest mage. And I’m giving it all to you.”
There was a clatter as Megumin dropped her staff. Beside her, Darkness put her hand to her forehead and looked up at the sky.
“Have you lost your mind?” Megumin asked, her voice scratching. “I mean, one piece of manatite of this quality could buy a small house. With all these together, you could buy a small castle!”
“I don’t care—use it all up. Just take out that barrier,” I said.
Megumin picked up her staff with trembling hands. “Really? You’re sure? Manatite is a consumable. You know that, right? When I cast my spell, it’ll disappear.” Her voice didn’t sound quite normal.
I said forcefully, “Seriously, do it. It’s my treat. Every last piece of it.”
Megumin looked like she was turning a bit feverish from imagining what was about to happen. “A-are you really, truly sure? And anyway, when I use Explosion, you know enemies are going to come pouring out of that castle.” She gulped heavily. “Including the one Serena talked about—that long-serving former general who’s more dangerous than the Demon King. The most powerful wizard in the world…”
I stuck out my hand, preventing her from saying anything more. “I don’t care who we’re up against. With all your experience and practice, I know your explosion can outrange them. Drop it on the castle from all the way out here. Blow away the Demon King, blow away his lackeys, blow away Aqua for casually walking on in there! It’s been one hell of a trip, and I’ve got some stress to work off, myself! This is where you get to show all those Crimson Magic Clan members who thought so little of you just how good you really are! Money? We can earn more. I’m sick of the trouble the Demon King has caused me, I’m sick of the trouble a certain runaway has caused me, and my tiny, miserly heart can’t take anymore! And maybe I can’t drop an explosion on that castle, but you can! So help me blow off a little steam!”
“H-h-hey, Kazuma, I think I heard a name that doesn’t belong on that list of things to blow away! Anyway, you sound awesome, but you’re actually asking someone else to do all the work…,” Darkness interjected.
“Sh-shut up!” I shot back, turning red. “Wealth is basically a form of power! I mean, how often have you used your power as a young noblewoman?!”
“Huh?! Hold on, what does that even mean? I’ve never misused my privileges…! W-well…a-almost…never…”
With Darkness’s voice getting softer and softer, I stood in front of the two girls and declared, “When we get that idiot back, we’re gonna do this right! I’ve got all kinds of skills now. I’m Kazuma, the elite adventurer! When I think back on sleeping in the stables and being chased around by frogs, this sounds downright easy!”
Megumin, taken aback by this transformation, looked at me. A single tear formed in her crimson eye and ran down her cheek.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Just leave it to me. I’ll make good use of your gift. This is a day I shall not forget for the rest of my life. So there’s some wizard in there who thinks they can ignore me and call themselves the strongest mage in the world? I’m going to blow them away, here and now!”
Her words were inspiring, and her eyes, the very source of the Crimson Magic’s Clan name, shimmered.
That’s what made her the keeper of our firepower.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Go wild, O strongest mage.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Megumin threw her arms around me and gave me the tightest hug I’d ever felt.
✦ ✦ ✦
