Adam didn't expect it would be so easy to borrow ξ100,000 from Wiz.
In fact, she was quite approachable to adventurers from the human faction, as long as her age wasn't mentioned. He was careful to avoid this topic during their negotiation.
"Here, ξ100,000." In the evening, Adam returned to the stable and opened the money pouch in front of Aqua and Kazuma.
"ξ100,000?!" Aqua exclaimed in surprise.
"One hundred thousand Eris... I knew Carter-senpai was reliable, but to be able to borrow this much..."
Kazuma's jaw dropped when he saw Adam score such a fat stack of cash in just one day. He glanced at the measly ξ100 left in his own pocket after splurging on a bath and some grub... The poor NEET felt like crying over his empty wallet.
"But this comes at a price." Adam hadn't forgotten what he promised Wiz, "In a month, we need to pay back double the amount, which is ξ200,000."
"Two hundred...thousand?!"
The two who were drooling over the cash a second ago now backed away from the pouch like it was radioactive. Talk about a 180º!
"Whoa, Carter-senpai, that interest rate's through the roof! You sure we can payback that much?"
"Yeah, Adam. If we screw this up, our measly paychecks won't even make a dent..."
Sure, they had a point, but Adam wasn't sweating it. With a goddess and a cheat ability in his pocket, if he couldn't rake in the dough in a month, he might as well hang up his adventurer hat and start herding pigs in the sticks.
Even if he didn't have to pay back the ξ100,000, Adam wasn't about to let his record get tarnished.
A stand-up dude always pays his debts, no ifs, ands, or buts!
"Don't worry, I have a way to repay the money. We're a goddess + otherworlder combo, a mere ξ100,000 is nothing, paying it back will be a piece of cake."
Adam didn't just borrow money today; he also gathered quite a bit of information, including the "Cabbage Harvest Season Campaign".
In about a month, it would be the season when cabbages mature - the cabbages that were worth ξ10,000 each in the original story. Even relying on just that, they could pay back the debt and even make a hefty profit.
"Oh, Carter-senpai is really reliable!"
"That's right, he's the hero I've chosen — a million times better than that pervert Kazuma, who only knows how to skulk about!"
"Hey, you damned goddess!"
Aqua's words clearly hit a sore spot for Kazuma. His language became increasingly rude and vulgar, and he even started wrestling with her.
"Hey, cool it, you two!" Adam jumped in, trying to break up the fight. Sure, this bickering might be their weird way of bonding, but they had bigger fish to fry right now.
"Pfft, I'm just calling it like I see it. Kazuma's a total creep!" Aqua darted behind Adam, pressing herself against his back like a human shield.
"A-qu-a!" Kazuma looked ready to blow a gasket.
"Come on, Aqua, play nice. We're all on the same team here, right?" Adam tried to smooth things over. He turned to Kazuma with a sympathetic shrug, "Dude, you know how Aqua can be. Let's just let this one slide, yeah?"
"Fine, whatever. You're off the hook this time, Aqua." Kazuma grumbled, backing down.
"Hmph." Aqua stuck out her tongue.
The two settled down for a moment.
Seriously, they're too rowdy.
"Alright, let's circle back to our main topic. I've dug up some juicy info." Adam, Aqua, and Kazuma huddled together as he shared his findings, "First off, we're in a town called Axel — a newbie-friendly spot far from the Demon King's turf. Now, I know we're itching to jump into quests, rake in some cash, gear up, and charge off to take down the big bad Demon King. But here's the deal: we've gotta play it smart. Our priority should be beefing ourselves up. Let's focus on leveling up, scoring better gear, and racking up some real-world experience before we even think about tackling the Demon King."
"Carter-senpai's right, we're way too green for this." Kazuma chimed in. As a seasoned gamer, he knew the drill: before taking on the big bad Demon King, they'd need to level up their skills big time.
"Okay, so here's the deal - we can't go around calling ourselves the 'Hero Squad' or anything like that."
"Huh? What gives? I made Adam the hero, so why can't we flaunt it?" Aqua whined, looking put out.
"Well, let's just say the whole 'hero' thing in this world is kinda... messy."
"Messy? What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means there's a bunch of good guys and bad guys all mixed up, and you can't tell who's who," Kazuma chimed in, seeing Aqua's confused face, "It's like a big ol' hero soup, and not the tasty kind."
"I'm impressed you know that, Satou-kun." Adam said approvingly. He then elaborated, "Countless people in this world have been summoned by goddesses, all claiming to be heroes. However, their selfish pursuits have led most to neglect their heroic duties. Worse still, they've destabilized the world, severely tarnishing the once-prestigious title of 'hero.'"
Adam wasn't deceiving Aqua; he was stating the facts as they were.
For instance, in the original storyline, a masochistic balding man with the ability called 'Fantasy Creation' had constructed a mobile fortress capable of destroying entire countries. This fortress, despite its creator's intentions, still roams the continent unchecked.
Numerous such otherworlders had appeared, tarnishing the once-noble title of "hero."
"Of course, if we want to make a name for ourselves, we need to find the right title and positioning for our team. We can't call ourselves heroes, but 'Champions' should work just fine."
Though it's a step down from "Hero", "Champion" still carries a positive image — perfect for building an adventurer team's reputation.
"Eh, whatever works." Kazuma shrugged.
"But —" Aqua started to protest.
Kazuma's indifference was clear, but Aqua struggled to accept it. Now wasn't the time to humor her objections, though.
"One more thing, Aqua. You can't call yourself a goddess for now."
Aqua's face fell as soon as Adam said it. A goddess who can't even call herself one? Talk about unfair!
"There aren't any goddesses, well, openly descending to this world." Adam said, carefully rephrasing his statement as he recalled Eris from the original story, "We'll grow stronger over time, and our reputation will spread. What if word of Goddess Aqua reaches the Demon King's ears?"
He placed his hands on Aqua's shoulders and spoke with gravity:
"Aqua, you're crucial to defeating the Demon King. Your safety is our top priority!"
If goddesses, who traditionally stay out of mortal affairs, suddenly joined the human side, wouldn't the Demon King launch a full-scale attack upon learning this? We must avoid such risks.
This situation also hints that the heavenly realm can no longer remain idle. Why else would they grant Kazuma's absurd request?
— Even in a comedic tale, such weighty implications lurk beneath the surface.
In the original story, Aqua's weakening magic was key to defeating the Demon King, allowing Kazuma to ultimately vanquish him.
"Yeah, Aqua should probably cool it with the whole goddess thing. I mean, no offense, but you don't exactly scream 'divine being' anyway."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Chill out, Aqua. Just roll with it, okay?"
Aqua huffed, "Fine, whatever. If Adam says so, I guess I'll play along."
"That's the spirit." Adam grinned, giving her a thumbs up, "Alright, let's call it a day. Tomorrow's gonna be epic - we're hitting the shops for some gear, then kicking off our adventurer gig. It's gonna be lit!"
The two cheered and then fell asleep.
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