[ After the guards had departed, Kazuma finally extracted the truth of the matter from Darkness. Her family had fallen into financial ruin and owed a debt to that gluttonous Lord Alderp—a debt she was being forced to settle by marrying him!
"Is that why you wanted us to defeat the Hydra? How much do you actually owe? Whatever the sum, I'll take care of it…"
Darkness cut him off instantly. "Don't say you'll pay, Kazuma! I am a noble. How could I possibly allow a commoner—one whom I am sworn to protect—to use his hard-earned money to pay off my debts!"
"Besides, with your current assets, you couldn't possibly clear it anyway!"
As she spoke, Darkness fixed an intense gaze upon Kazuma, placing her hand atop his. Under the starlight, her expression appeared strangely beguiling.
"Rather than… having my body seized by that Lord… say, Kazuma, why don't we just…"
Darkness gently guided Kazuma's right hand onto her abdomen. Her face was flushed as she looked at him, and then, softly, she closed her eyes.
Faced with such an erotically charged atmosphere, some wire in Kazuma's brain must have short-circuited, for he uttered the most atmosphere-shattering remark possible: "You really do have abs, huh…"
The strange mood was instantly annihilated. Moments later, Kazuma was beaten to a pulp by a humiliated and enraged Darkness. ]
[ .....]
〜Projection of All Worlds〜
"No… seriously, bro? The mood was set, the opportunity was right there, and you still fumbled it! Do you have any idea how much resolve a woman needs to say something like that? You deserved that beating."
Megumin was right; Kazuma was indeed a man with lecherous thoughts but absolutely no guts. Whenever the critical moment arrived, he always chickened out!
Witnessing this scene, even the crowd watching from beyond the video screen felt a stir of emotion, only for it to be completely derailed by Kazuma's comment about abs… What kind of unparalleled mood-killer was he?
.....
〜Delicious in Dungeon World〜
Laios, his mouth stuffed full of food, chewed relentlessly before pausing, his hand holding the bowl freezing in mid-air.
"Whoa… even with Aqua's magical buffs, he still got beaten black and blue. That takes some skill."
The four members of Kazuma's party seemed to have maxed out their taunt skills. How should one put it? Sometimes, it really felt like every single one of them was begging for a beating.
Chilchuck, a father of three, spread his hands in exasperation.
"That's Kazuma for you. When it comes time to actually make a move, he's the type to find an excuse to retreat."
Despite usually projecting the image of a lecherous scumbag, when it came down to it… It was hard to tell if he genuinely didn't want to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable position, or if he was simply too cowardly to act.
"I knew it would end like this."
Marcille, having been baptized by previous clips, had already anticipated this outcome. One shouldn't expect any romantic developments in that otherworld!
〜A Certain Magical Index World, Academy City〜
Misaka Mikoto sighed helplessly.
"Sigh… another person restricted by their status. It's not like asking Kazuma for help is forbidden."
Sometimes she felt that Darkness was incredibly stubborn. To refuse Kazuma's help simply because of the divide between nobility and commoners seemed foolish.
A debt is a debt, regardless of the creditor. Wouldn't it be better to owe Kazuma and pay him back slowly? At least it wouldn't require such extreme measures as a forced marriage.
"Onee-sama is right…"
Kuroko looked at Mikoto, her own feelings complicated. Why didn't you ask me for help with the Sisters incident?
Honestly, one after another, they all insisted on shouldering burdens alone. Onee-sama was like that before, and now Darkness was doing the same! Couldn't they just voice their troubles and think of a solution together with their companions?
And Kazuma didn't have enough assets to pay the debt? Had Darkness forgotten how little time it took for Kazuma to go from "debt rivaling a nation" to filthy rich…?
There is a saying: You can doubt Kazuma's combat prowess, but you must never doubt his ability to make money! He might be mediocre in a fight, but in business, he was absolutely top-tier.
.....
[ Hearing the commotion, the soldiers outside Darkness's door came running. Kazuma immediately unleashed a combo of Earth and Wind magic right into their faces, using the distraction to activate his Lurk skill and slip away.
To escape the mansion, Kazuma broke into a nearby room at random, intending to flee through the window. Then, a faint voice drifted from the center of the bed.
"It's you…" Her father's gaunt face and deathly pale complexion were clearly visible. He offered a weak smile. "Sneaking in here in the dead of night… it seems my daughter has some truly wonderful companions."
Although the timing was inappropriate, Kazuma couldn't suppress his curiosity. "I heard you were in debt, but I really didn't peg you as the type to borrow money from a guy like that."
The father fell into deep thought, avoiding a direct answer. Instead, he steered the conversation elsewhere. "Kazuma, you have a sharp mind. I think it's best if I entrust my daughter to you."
"She is a gentle, virtuous girl. Innocent and shy, and she hates causing trouble for others more than anything…"
When Kazuma suggested having Aqua take a look at him, the father refused. "Recovery magic cannot cure illness, and resurrection magic cannot save those whose lifespan has reached its end." ]
[ .....]
〜Projection of All Worlds〜
"He's a good lord and a good father! Just call that drunkard goddess out to save him!"
Looking at the terminally ill father, the viewers from other worlds didn't believe for a second that the useless goddess was helpless. Healing and purification were her specialties; Aqua was terrifyingly powerful in those domains!
.....
〜Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline〜
Tohsaka Rin's mouth twitched.
"Ugh… I know it's rude to say this right now, but Uncle, who exactly are you talking about?"
Innocent and shy? Gentle and virtuous? Hates causing trouble? Was this the "fatherly filter"? Not a single one of those descriptors applied to Darkness, old man!
Even Illya couldn't let it slide.
"She can be shy sometimes… but she's also a genuine pervert!"
The critical issue was that one could never figure out what exactly triggered Darkness's shame. She never seemed embarrassed when she was being a pervert.
Archer spoke with a straight face.
"I don't know what illness he has, but I fear it has already affected this man's brain!"
Look, he was already speaking nonsense. He must be gravely ill; otherwise, how could he possibly apply those adjectives to Darkness?
.....
[ Before they could chat much longer, Darkness arrived with her men in tow. Kazuma tried to persuade her one last time. "Forget the debt! Let's all run away together!"
"We can start over in a new land. Besides, if I go back alone like this, Aqua and Megumin won't just sit by and watch. Megumin might even blow up the wedding ceremony!"
"If I run away, someone else will suffer for it!" The stubborn Darkness refused to leave, no matter what he said. Kazuma gave up on the father's request to take Darkness away.
"Fine, suit yourself! If you want me to save you, come to the mansion and apologize to me. Say, 'I need Kazuma-sama to save me.'"
Feeling frustrated, Kazuma charged straight at the window, intending to make a dramatic exit. Reality, however, had other plans… Thud.
The window glass was harder than he imagined. Not only did he fail to shatter it, but he slammed his entire body against the pane, causing the entire window frame to detach and plummet.
Watching Kazuma writhing in agony on the ground below, Darkness's shoulders shook as she stifled her laughter. "If you just say 'I'm sorry, please save me,' I can heal you, you know."
Feeling his dignity on the line, Kazuma endured the pain and climbed onto the fence. "D-Dammit! Until you come crying and begging me, I absolutely won't save you, you idiot!"
"Ouch…" Then, Kazuma slipped off the fence and limped his way back to the mansion.
Seeing Aqua and Megumin fast asleep on the sofa, Kazuma immediately broke down in tears of grief. "Waaah… Aqua! Aqua! Heal me, hurry up and heal me!" ]
[ .....]
〜Projection of All Worlds〜
"Darkness is exactly like Vanir's prophecy. She believes sacrificing herself will save others, but her sacrifice is meaningless."
"You can tell Kazuma really steeled himself there! Running away together and starting over in a new place meant he was willing to give up his Succubus shop visits."
He really went all out, huh, Kazuma! He never disappoints at the critical moment; he is always so reliable.
This was exactly why, despite being a lecherous scumbag, everyone still admired him. At his core, he was a dependable man.
.....
〜Grand Blue Dreaming World〜
Watching Kazuma's baffling behavior, Azusa burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Couldn't he just walk out the front door? He really had to try and look cool."
Next time, remember to check if the glass is reinforced, or you'll end up like this—losing face and having to hold back tears through the pain!
Great. His already meager finances had taken another hit; now he had a broken window to pay for.
Kohei spoke with profound gravity.
"It can't be helped! A man's dignity was at stake. He had to endure it!"
Having just delivered such a tough line, how could he let Darkness see him in such a disgraceful state? Where would Kazuma's dignity be then?
As if a switch had been flipped, Kitahara Iori also shifted into his "hard-boiled" persona.
"Exactly. Especially in a moment like that! Even if Kazuma had broken his legs… He would have to weep in secret, stand up strong, shout that it didn't hurt, and pretend nothing happened if necessary."
Watching the two of them posturing, Chisa shattered their defense with a single sentence.
"But you two 'hard-boiled' men… he went home and cried to Aqua for healing immediately."
There was one more thing she didn't say: Kazuma's behavior just now was like a child who got bullied outside and ran home to cry to his mother. What dignity is there in that…?
.....