Hiatus Gifting This Unfortunate Guy With Blessings

"..." x3

Even Chomusuke stopped her happy purring upon seeing Chris but somehow I felt it was because of a different reason than me and Megumin.

"What happened Chris?" I asked with a worried voice but soon Megumin chimed in.

"Did you also try to swim in a city fountain and the guards scolded you? Those guys don't have anything else to do than destroy the fun."

"N-no! I wouldn't-"

Chris started but then stuttered and blushed a little. Wait, did that mean…

"..."

"I-it isn't what had happened today!" Chris exclaimed upon seeing me looking at her with suspicion in my gaze.

"Ho-ho, today?" Megumin asked teasingly.

It took a while to get Chris out of the depressed state but Megumin seemed very proficient in this. When Chris finally seemed to have calmed down Megumin proceeded to ask another question:

"So, what have you found out on your part of 'investigation'?"

Chris looked at me questioningly, probably wondering why I told Megumin about this matter, but I could only shrug my shoulders to that. Fortunately, she didn't seem to be mad at me because of this.

I haven't told Megumin about what Chris was doing but she seemed to be okay with just listening to Chris's story without interjecting too much.

Apparently, Chris had been waiting for a few hours for the Archpriest in question to appear in the church. When he finally showed up he totally disregarded Chris's questions on the pretense of her being a lowly thief and went about his duties behind closed doors which he shut right before her face.

Chris loudly banged on the door a few times and got quickly thrown out of the church by other priests and guards.

At this point, there was a trace of tears in her eyes but she continued her story.

Chris didn't give up and decided to use her 'lowly thief' skills to get a one-on-one meeting with the Archpriest. She described how she broke into the closed room through the use of climbing on the church's walls and an easy to open window.

She successfully got into the room with an Archpriest and used Bind to not let him escape. After asking if he would cooperate and talk Chris removed the gag from his mouth. That was a mistake since the Archpriest supposedly had the loudest shriek in the world.

He called for help before Chris could shut him up and the guards quickly broke into the room so Chris had to run away.

"The Archpriest told them I was a devil in disguise and the guards run after me for half of the city and when they caught up they dunked me with a bucket of holy water. Then they told me off and said to never come again or they will call the city guards."

Chris seemed extremely depressed about that fact.

I didn't know how to comfort her and I was pretty angry after hearing that story. The fact that I was currently in Crimson Demon form didn't help and soon a very ominous line escaped my mouth:

"Megumin, wanna go for an Explosion walk? How do you feel about churches, by the way?"

Megumin seemed to catch on to what I was proposing.

"We, Crimson Demons do not bow to any gods! Let's go teach these guys some manners!"

"Haha, please don't joke like that. Wait. You are joking, right?"

I had to mentally slap my Crimson Demon's brain to calm down and I assured Chris with a nod. Megumin, on the other hand, still looked pretty serious so Chris decided to change the subject:

"Anyways… did you manage to find something in the guild?"

I was about to start describing my part of the investigation but Megumin excitedly started first. Seeing her enthusiasm I didn't stop her and only shook my head when she exaggerated a few things and Chris looked at me questioningly. Megumin ended at the part I sent her on the 'important mission to wait for Chris'.

Then it came to my turn and I began explaining my part of the story while including all the nuances I only picked up after my talk with Vylexia-san and Lilreia. Like for example how the woman - Xyllisa used a charm on me in the guild, how she sniffed me out when I changed into a human for a few seconds and then how I tailed her and ultimately lost her in the alley.

Both Chris and Megumin had surprise written all over their faces but they didn't interject while I was talking.

Without going into specifics of the building's location or about the people I spoke with in there I told them about going into the building the woman went into and also repeated what I learned about Xyllisa from Vylexia-san. Of course, the first question Megumin asked was:

"Who told you all of this?"

I sighed deeply and answered:

"The person that shared this information with me asked me to not tell anyone about their identity. I thought they were trustworthy and promised them that. But if you want to really know…"

If Chris asked me their identity I would say it because I held her in higher regard than a 'peaceful' group of devils but fortunately, Chris quickly interjected:

"No, it's okay. I will trust your gut."

Megumin seemed somewhat unsatisfied but didn't voice any objection either.

But Chris's face still seemed really strained. It was the first time I've ever seen her so worried. There were a few seconds of silence before Megumin started:

"So… what now? Oh! How about we use you as bait since you have that 'marking' on you and I use Explosion-"

When in doubt… use Explosion! For a split second my brain thought this was a good idea but my normal reasoning quickly overcame my Crimson Demon's explosive nature and I realized in how many ways this simple plan can backfire.

Before I could answer I heard Chris mutter:

"Hmmm… this might work."

Really?!

"I mean… if we had Aqua-se… Aqua's help and Darkness…"

That sounded more plausible. Although Aqua was more than a bit moody an Archpriest should be a perfect counter to a devil. And Darkness together with me could hold of Xyllesia for a few seconds needed for Megumin to cast explosion…

Chris looked at me and Megumin with a worried face and asked:

"I am sorry to put you into danger but would you help me take care of that S.u.c.c.u.b.u.s?"

"HA HA HA HA!" Megumin suddenly released a loud laugh.

"Who do you take us for? Of course, we will help!"

I nodded to this and also said:

"I would help you even if you didn't ask."

Even Chomusuke released a loud "Meow" and lifted its paw as if agreeing with me and Megumin.

I could finally spot a smile on Chris's face that was absent since I started describing my findings. I thought that this was how things should be.

"We should do this as soon as possible, before that 'Xyllisa'-"

I noticed a dangerous glint in Chris's eyes when she said that S.u.c.c.u.b.u.s's name.

"-will somehow track Kazuki by herself. I will find Darkness and bring her to the northern City Gate. You guys please bring Aqua. She should be in the guild building from what I know."

Megumin and I both nodded, without questioning how she knew where Aqua is and moved quickly towards the guild while Chris ran in the opposite direction.

Both I in Crimson Demon form and Megumin had pretty average Agility and Stamina so we couldn't just sprint to and from the guild without problems. After five minutes of fast running, we had to take a break.

While breathing heavily Megumin said:

"This will… be… my first… big target! I am gonna… blow her up… to dust!"

She certainly didn't sound very convincing in that state. But seeing her so confident made me feel a lot calmer. I witnessed Megumin's firepower so I was relieved to have her on the team. But it was up to me and Darkness to let her cast the spell first and that still worried me.

There was also a question if Aqua will follow us without any problems. I thought that a promise of good booze would be enough for her to follow us happily.

"You good?" I asked Megumin after I caught my breath and she no longer looked ready to die as well.

"Yeah-"

"Hey, I've got a question for you, mysterious adventurer. Please turn around."

Out of nowhere, I've heard a very sweet and soothing woman voice behind me. I immediately tried using my power and transform into a Griffin but to my horror, nothing happened.

I involuntarily turned around.

"Yes?"

It was the woman I was tailing before - Xyllisa.

"Oh, you almost learned how to properly speak to people. If we meet a few more times you will finally get it. I will make sure of it."

The woman issued a small laugh as I started sweating. I felt my head start spinning. When she spoke to me in the morning I only felt a little bit tired that I didn't even notice it but this time it was as if I just came out of a rollercoaster.

"Hey, what do you want from my teammate?!" Suddenly Megumin exclaimed from behind me while also pinching me on the hand. Unfortunately she hastily came face-to-face with Xyllisa. I felt my consciousness clearing a little bit but the woman just scoffed and said:

"Don't disturb a.d.u.l.ts when they are talking and be quiet."

I felt Megumin's hand sliding off of mine and I didn't hear her speak any more.

I used the last of control I had to keep my mask at such angle she wouldn't be able to see my eyes like in the morning. The last time I 'faced' her I had my eyes closed and that probably saved me according to what Vylixia-san had told me about Xyllisa's charm ability.

But unfortunately, when I heard that charming voice again she said:

"Now, look up a little bit. Yes, that's good. And this time… open your eyes. I knew something was wrong in the morning. You have very cool crimson eyes, you shouldn't try to hide them."

My eyes were glued to Xyllisa's and I couldn't form a single cohesive thought anymore.

"I've been thinking… My mark on you suddenly disappeared from the city after you left the guild and then appeared again around thirty minutes ago. The person I've been looking for appeared just as you vanished and then after a few seconds he was gone just like you. I don't know how you could do that but it seems like a too big of a coincidence. Tell me, were you the one who completed that quest?"

"Yes." My mouth answered immediately.

Xyllisa's smile filled my entire consciousness.

"Teleport"

After a flash of light, I felt a pulling sensation and after another flash, I noticed that the scenery around me diametrally changed even though Xyllisa was the center of my attention. We seemed to be in front of some sort of a cave.

"I will make sure to put a suitable and long-lasting charm on you so you can do deliveries for me. Hehe~"

I felt my legs move towards the entrance of the cave and Xyllisa continued talking.

"But in case something happens to it I will keep that child and if you don't come running to me-"

"Who…"

"Ara- someone's got some fight in them"

"... ARE YOU CALLING A CHILD?!"

I've heard Megumin yell. It sounded as if she was behind a kilometer long barrier of fog but soon I also heard a whiz and something hit me hard in the back of my head.

With the massive pain in my skull came clarity to my mind. Before Xyllisa could say anything to put me under her charm again I issued a mental command:

"[Imitate] Young Griffin"

And I filled the area with a mind-numbingly loud screech of a Griffin.

(A/N: Hello again. It's a me, Kabu. Today marks the 3rd week of me posting this fanfic and overall month of writing it. I truly didn't expect to write whopping 72k words. It might not seem like much but for me, it's 2.5 times more than I anticipated.

I hope you like it up to this point. To be perfectly honest, when I took some time this week to re-read what I've written I almost put down my keyboard. However, the very positive reaction you guys give me keeps me going. But honestly, I am unsure if I can keep on writing 1 chapter per day will be possible for much longer. Uni will finally take its toll on me someday.

On another note, you guys probably noticed the new cover. What do you think about it?

And as always, please share your other thoughts with me as well.

Also, leave a review if you can and smash my head with power stones.

See you in next chapter)