Hiatus Gifting This Unfortunate Guy With Blessings

"L-Let's go…" I meekly said while turning around towards the city.

"Don't even think we are going to let you play it off as if nothing happened!" Kazuma shouted after me.

"That was so cool! Do it again!"

"Kazuki-kun, will you explain yourself? What was that all about"

Even you, Chris? Are you saying it is okay to talk about my power? I think Kazuma is a person from my world and he should have a power of his own that he tries to hide so it would be okay to tell him but Megumin and Aqua…

I screwed up… because of that irksome Archpriest!

I looked around to see Aqua lying on the ground while facing the sky. Meanwhile, Megumin was looking at me with sparkles in her eyes.

"You even have a cool mask! Chris, who is that guy?"

Embarrassed I ignored Megumin who now could move her head about and went towards unmoving Aqua. Chris just shrugged and said I was a friend she knew for a short time.

"Hey, you, we are going."

Aqua gave me a pouting expression and said.

"I don't wanna! We had an agreement. I would help you if you gave me a piggyback ride!"

Huh? What is this girl going on about? Did she expect me to keep carrying her after learning what she did?

"Don't be ridi-"

"Are you calling yourself a man after breaking your side of the agreement?!"

"I will -"

She stopped me for the second time and kept up her crazy ramblings.

"Do what you wanna! I'm not moving from this spot unless it's on someone's back!"

Aqua didn't even budge when I changed back into a Giant Toad and threatened to eat her. She only paled a little but otherwise has shown no reaction. Talk about being stubborn!

"Hey Aqua, it's basically your fault-"

"I am not listening, lalalallalalal!"

"This bitch…"

Even Kazuma's voice of reason didn't reach her.

After thinking about it for a few moments I decided to relent and give her that ride on my back. The faster we got to the city and dealt with the guard's matter the faster I would be free of her annoying presence.

When I offered her my back she cheerfully hopped on it but before I could even move my feet she tightened her hold on my throat with her arms and on my stomach with her legs.

"Ahahahaha! I got you now! I've seen you transform twice and if you change into that toad my steel-like grip will strangle you! My stats are maxed out so don't even think about it! I am gonna make you repent for your sins!"

Aqua kept on making boisterous claims and laughing as I stood there unmoving.

"I wonder how should I punish you for hurting this beautiful Archpriest~"

"Hey Aqua, stop it alrea-!"

"Waaagh!"

Aqua for the second time today fell on her b.u.t.t.

She didn't expect me changing into something smaller to escape her 'steel-like grip'.

Well, she also seemed to not expect me to follow with my earlier threat.

I wondered how it felt traveling inside of a Toad's stomach but judging by Aqua's cries afterward it wasn't a nice experience. I also made sure to use my Toad's saliva glands to give her a nice, fragrant bath.

When we arrived near the city I finally released her but still feeling a LITTLE bit annoyed I asked Chris to lend me the rope she had on her belt. After making sure Aqua felt comfortable being tied I started dragging her towards the gate.

Guards seemed ready to arrest me at any time but after I explained the situation they saw the rest of the party confirming my story they let us in of with one guard escorting us toward the prison building.

Chris took away Megumin to bathe as they had no connection to the case. Kazuma agreed to come and give his take on the events of my first meeting with them. And Aqua… well, had no choice but to come.

This would be a very loud journey but I quickly realized that this blue disaster needed to be gagged for the safety of everyone around her.

Thanks to the 'wonderful' fragrance coming out of our clothes, the guards at the prison building didn't seem to be in a cooperative mood to let us in. But seeing Aqua's state and hearing me admit that I was the alleged 'pervert on the loose' they quickly changed their demeanor.

Fortunately, it took the guard no time at all to bring out the 'Truth Bell' without me even mentioning it. It seemed that it was a standard tool to use during all kinds of interrogations.

I was first required to explain the state our group was in and when they heard my side of events that didn't elicit even a single ding from the Bell the guards let me describe the events of the first day I appeared in that world.

I said that I've woken up totally n.a.k.e.d under the bridge and after careful consideration, I've searched for someone that would help me in that state. I described getting knocked out by Aqua and then the events that happened after I've woken up in the cell.

When the important-looking guy, who introduced himself as Samson, interrogating me heard about the madwoman who wanted to castrate me for alleged 's.e.x.u.a.l assault' without a trial he immediately excused himself to go look for the woman in question. He came back a few minutes later with one of her subordinates since the madwoman herself didn't seem to be present.

After a few minutes of questioning the woman, Samson's only words were "Send a team to immediately bring her for interrogation" before he started to apologize to me profusely. He promised that he would make sure that the madwoman would get what she deserved for trying to unlawfully hurt me and abusing her subordinates who seemed to be victims as well.

I facepalmed inwardly when I realized that I could've just come back after I got my Human form back and give my testimony under the Truth Bell to resolve this mess instead of bringing Aqua in this matter as well. But her and Kazuma's testimonies helped speeding up the process. Their smell, as well as mine, certainly did.

Samson and other guards seemed relieved when we peacefully left the prison building. We finally could go to the bathhouse to clean ourselves.

As we were coming into the building we met Chris and Megumin. We agreed to meet with them in the adventurer's guild after we cleaned ourselves.

I had to pay for Kazuma's and Aqua's entry because they hadn't gone to receive the reward for finishing the quest. Aqua w.h.i.n.ed about needing the bottle of milk for her bath and I almost instinctually declined but remembering her being actually docile for a while I bought it for her.

"You might actually be a good guy." Was what she had said while happily running off to the women's bath.

Did she think to herself I was a villain in that situation? Something must have seriously been wrong with her head.

Throwing Aqua off my mind to not get angry again I went in and started cleaning myself. Surprisingly we were only people around so the silence was getting more awkward by the minute.

"Hey, thank you once again for helping me sort out the situation."

"No problem. It was a problem that that idiot had created. How about giving her another 'bath' after she comes out for good measure?"

"Tempting. But I think I will pass."

"Eh...The look on her face when…" Kazuma continued laughing as he remembered Aqua's expressions.

When we were done silence befell again while we stayed in the giant bath. I then started once again.

"I haven't introduced myself properly yet. My name is Satou Kazuki."

"What a coincidence… so you are…"

"Japanese, yes. You too, right?"

"Yeah."

… I guessed it was as good time as any to throw that one question out of my mind.

We have spent the time exchanging our experiences and laughing about them. The topic of my power came out and I explained how it works and Kazuma sent me a jealous gaze.

"That is seriously cool. It can become seriously powerful. Imagine Imitating a dragon!"

"Yeah, I'm gonna aim for that, hehe! By the way, what power have you chosen? I haven't seen you use it."

"..."

The look of utter defeat showed itself on Kazuma's face and it seemed like he lost all the life in his eyes.

"... Aqua..."

"What is it?" I asked because I didn't hear it properly.

"I choose Aqua to come with me."

"..."

"Wait, you mean…"

He hung his head down.

"She's an actual goddess that was in charge or reincarnating me…yes."

"... How is that poss-"

"I am asking myself and herself that every day."

I had no idea how to respond to that. I could only sympathize with him in silence. If it were me being stuck with her, how long would I last?

"Hey, why are you talking about me behind my back?! Are you praising my eternal beauty?"

We looked at each other and mutually decided to leave the bath without exchanging a word. As we were leaving the bathing area we could hear Aqua screaming something about ignoring her.

We put on clothes quickly, left the bathhouse and headed towards Adventurer's guild while we kept on chatting.

"By the way, we are looking for party members, do you want to join?" Kazuma asked suddenly.

The question took me by surprise. Aqua was in that party, right?

"How mean! Why didn't you wait for me?!"

Speak of the devil. Aqua caught up to us, full smiles as if she didn't remember the contents of today at all.

"By the way, I've been wondering this… why are you wearing that weird mask? You have been cleared of all accusations already."

I, of course, had been wearing the mask even in the bath. I got used to the people not running at my sight already. I wanted to keep it that way.

"I have awful scars on the right side of my face. And supposedly people find my expression to be frightening so I keep the mask on. You have seen it two days ago! "

"Huh… I don't remember. Hoop!" Aqua unceremoniously snatched the mask from my face. I stood there stunned for a couple of seconds.

"Uwah... it's really bad indeed. "

I almost exploded in rage but before I could tackle Aqua she had cast a spell.

"Heal!" A bright light enveloped my body and I could feel the pain on my face lessening. I reached out to check my scars with a little bit of hope in my moves but I didn't feel any changes.

"Huh… that's weird… okay… Sacred Highness Heal!"

Even more powerful light descended and the pain I felt left entirely. I checked my face once again and realized that nothing changed again.

"Why?! Dispel! Sacred dispel! Exorcism!" At that point, I must have looked like a lit Christmas tree, because a lot of people began to stare at us. When they could finally see my face they left in a hurry though.

"Hey Aqua, why can't you heal simple scars? Are you more useless than I thought?" Kazuma jabbed at Aqua who was breathing heavily, probably because of exerting herself with magic.

"Those scars aren't normal!" She exclaimed while pointing her hand at my face. "Are those soul scars?"

"They might be."

I remembered the Angel Sylph that sent me here was saying that they were connected with my soul and it wouldn't be an easy matter to heal them.

"Then why are you wearing this mask? Are you an idiot? You will never lose these scars if you keep on hiding them?"

"What does it matter if I hide them or not?!"

I exclaimed angrily after being called an idiot by an idiot.

"If you don't accept yourself then you will never lose those scars."

This sounded like some kind of motivational bullshit. But I wanted to believe there was hope.

"Are you sure those can be healed?"

"Who do you take me for?! If you stop being such a wimp then I will heal them easily!"