Hiatus Gifting This Unfortunate Guy With Blessings

"I already told you to lose it! Why are you wearing this again?"

"I kinda like it that way…"

Aqua started shouting at me as we entered the guild and I had worn the mask once again. The number of people sending me scared gazes in a short moment of 100 meters walk convinced me to keep on wearing it for now. I will definitely try getting used to going without a mask… definitely… yeah, someday.

Hey, I just managed to get people to not run immediately! One wouldn't want to go back immediately, give me some time!

I spotted Chris sitting at the table together with Megumin who was ravenously devouring some kind of meat. She looked as if she didn't eat for three days.

Wait, she did say yesterday she hasn't eaten anything for 2 days, so…

I dodged Aqua trying to steal my mask and went towards them. I could hear Kazuma hitting Aqua on the head and saying something to her.

Oh, right. I haven't answered his question. Hmm…

Well, let's see what plans does Chris have for the future first. If she were to ask me to join the party I would gladly accept without batting an eye! She's kind, reliable and fun.

I looked at Aqua having a fit behind me.

Yeah… maybe I should ask Chris about forming a party myself.

Kazuma and Aqua went towards the receptionist lady to collect the bounty for a Giant Toads subjugation quest. Meanwhile, I sat down with Chris and Megumin.

"Oh, it's a masked weretoad guy!"

She didn't seem to be insulting me so I waved my hand at her.

"Hello…."

I was about to introduce myself normally when I thought of something 'cool'.

I struck a pose I saw in one anime about kids having the 8th-grade syndrome.

"My name is Satou Kazuki, the Ranger of Axel and one who walks the path of transformation! I shall be the first person to ever transform into a dragon!"

Half of the guild stopped doing what they were doing and the other half started to wonder why it got so quiet and saw me standing in my pose.

…

I sat down quietly.

So embarrassing! Goddamit, what have I been thinking…

"I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I…" Megumin started to nervously stagger with her speech.

She abruptly stood up and struck a pose herself!

"I shall not be outdone! My name is Megumin, Archwizard of Axel, the Crimson Demon Clanswoman that will bring the doom upon the Demon King himself! His castle will be obliterated by none other than my strongest magic - explosion!"

I admit… it would be even a cool speech if Megumin's legs didn't wobble as if she was about to pass out. It seemed like she couldn't move properly yet.

A room exploded… with laughter.

"Haha, first the mouse to goblin transformation stories and now this! It's really a girl-with-a-screw-loose!" "Haha, you go, girl, show the Demon King who is the boss!"

Comments like these filled the guild and Megumin started arguing with people who seemed to give her a weird nickname. Meanwhile, Kazuma sat down next to me and Aqua next to Chris.

"Ummm… Ranger-of-Axel-san, what happened?" Kazuma asked quietly.

"I don't know… I just … Nevermind." The rest of the guild lost interest in me after Megumin's outbreak but Kazuma didn't.

"I shall be the first person to ever transform into a dragon!~ Hahaha." Aqua didn't seem to forget it either.

I could just hang my head in shame…

Fortunately, I had a guarding angel watching my back.

"Pft~..."

Et Tu Chris?!

She started laughing loudly seemingly without end. It was so contagious that our entire table burst out laughing, myself included.

When Chris was done laughing she said to Aqua and Kazuma:

"You guys just started adventuring, right? How about taking in Kazuki? I assure you he would be a great asset to the team."

I kinda knew it already but I still shot a questioning gaze to Chris. She answered with 'I will tell you later' look.

"We will be glad-"

"We don't want him."

"..." x4

"What are you saying Aqua! He seems really useful!"

"I don't like him! He attacked me, a goddess!"

"It's your own damn fault, when will you learn! Don't mind her. She doesn't have a say in this party."

"My vote is the most important one!"

Suddenly Chris added. "How about I top off that offer with beautiful and valiant crusader together will useful skills for thieves that adventurer can use easily?"

"Beautiful and valiant crusader and also skills… is my luck finally acting up?" Kazuma whispered as he was strangling Aqua so she would be silent.

Wait, beautiful and valiant crusader… that Chris knows… it has to be her…

I was about to say something important to Kazuma when Chris stepped on my foot.

It hurt!

Before I could say anything Kazuma stood up and shook his hand with Chris' ending the deal.

Don't I have any say in this?

"Some people!" Megumin sat down with a pout. The guild staff finally intervened and asked her to sit down it seemed.

"What just happened?" She asked seeing Kazuma and Chris shaking hands.

"We just added two more members to our party - Kazuki and a beautiful crusader, supposedly."

"Great, the more the merrier!"

Kazuma looked as if he was considering saying something but he soon just sighed and sat down. I could hear him whispering to himself "We haven't accepted you in the party yet." but Megumin restarted devouring of food on her plate.

This set off three other stomachs to do a synchronized choir of growls so we ordered some food as well.

Apparently, the main ingredient was the Toads that they hunted and it was really delicious as well.

When we were done dining Chris stood up and said that she had a meeting soon with the crusader. We agreed on the time to meet up tomorrow together with Chris so she could invite her 'valiant' crusader to join us for some quest and teach Kazuma and me some useful skills.

I stopped Chris before she ran off and asked about where to buy equipment and she nervously looked at me. Did she forget about that?

She named some store with bows and leather gear suitable for my job that she heard was good but I had no idea where it was.

"I can show you the way!" Megumin interjected suddenly and Chris related that task to her quickly. She seemed to be running late for her meeting.

Well, I will see her at the inn anyway…

Wait, why was I thinking that…

Megumin's method of showing me the way was asking me to piggyback her while she gave out the instructions. Supposedly she couldn't walk well yet.

My back had the time of my life that day. First a 'goddess', then a 'demon'. What's next? A Demon King himself?

"Left to that alley… now right…"

"Hey… could you stop that."

"I am gracefully showing you the way, what do you mean?"

"I mean you feeling my mask over and over."

While I was piggybacking her she started touching my mask while we were inside an alleyway. I didn't stop her antics immediately but she kept doing that even out on the street.

"I can't stop myself! It's a very cool mask. Is it true silver? I bet it would glow splendidly against the moonlight!"

"No, I think it's just the paint. Now, would you stop that?"

People started gawking curiously at us so I urged her to stop.

"Tch, stingy. I want a mask like that too."

"Then buy one for yourself."

"I don't have any money."

"You didn't get any money for the quest today?"

Megumin twitched a little bit on my back.

"I forgot. I ate my fill and forgot to ask for my share… eh, as long as I am fed I do not care about money. All I need in my life is explosion magic."

"You just admitted to wanting to buy something. Ask for your share tomorrow."

She nodded her head and started giving instructions again.

We soon reached a shop decorated with a very fancy bow on the sign. It looked like the right place. I could see Megumin's housing block in the distance. No wonder she knew where the shop was even though she didn't use any of the gear being sold there.

"Hello, I would like to buy a bow for a newbie Ranger. And some leather armor too." I said as instructed by Chris as I stepped inside the sho.

"Coming…" An old sounding voice answered from the back of the shop.

Megumin's landlady showed up from behind a counter.

"Welcome to my shop, newbie adventurer. "

I was stunned for a second. I didn't expect to meet that mysterious person here.

"Well, if I were 5 years younger I would think you are trying to hit on me while having a young lady on your back. Megumin, is this your friend?" She asked while looking at Megumin enjoying her ride.

"Yes, he's my teammate from today onwards."

"Then I should better give this young lad something good so you can protect one of my tenants better, eh?"

The old lady then instructed me to put Megumin down on the chair and started measuring my body. I got my measures taken from top to bottom. I wondered if she wouldn't start measuring bones in my fingers separately, that's how through she was.

"You could build up some muscles first but I think I got something just for you."

She then went to the back of the shop. It was taking some time so I sat next to Megumin and asked curiously.

"Who is that lady?"

"She never introduced herself. I am calling her landlady and I know she's an owner of this shop since she asked me for help with it one time. She's kinda weird. She allows all those suspicious and dangerous-looking people as her tenants."

Megumin spoke as if she thought that she was completely normal herself.

Shortly after, the old lady came back with a bow and a set of leather armor. She showed me how to dress it myself and started on talking about how awesome this bow she herself crafted is.

The details flew right above my head. All I could understand was that it was of 'perfect craftsmanship' and 'youngsters these days can't even hold a handle to this'.

Well, she certainly seemed confident in her work.

When she was done explaining things I wore the set of armor with some difficulties but pretty quick anyways. She then slapped my back so hard that I staggered and almost flew at the case with another bow in it.

Damn, how strong is that old lady.

"It should hold until you can afford something better. From me, of course."

"How much does it cost?" I took out the money bag that Chris gave to me.

The old lady snatched the bag from me, took a look inside, went towards the counter and threw me some other money bag to me - a lot lighter one.

"This should be enough. Please come back again."

And she went away to the back of the shop.

I looked at Megumin curiously but she didn't change her expression at all. Was that a normal exchange? I felt like something was weird with that.

I looked inside the bag I received and surmised I should be able to pay for that inn for the next few days. I still needed to settle the score with the innkeeper lady and it would take some time.

My thoughts about the revenge were stopped when Megumin while climbing my back again said: "I don't like that armor."

"Why?" I asked immediately. She didn't voice any complaints about its looks when I tried it on. She even complimented it when I asked her opinion.

"Your back was much more comfortable without it."

…

"You can walk by yourself already, right?"