Labyrinth: Chapter 109/113

Chapter 109: Naming the Meaning

They watched Gobta's video.

How should they put it...

You can't copy a style you've never seen before.

But Gobta was the first officially certified by Chishiya, so naturally there was some jealousy.

Since making videos wasn't really their thing, they figured they'd contribute in other ways.

The ranking board in the arena was the perfect chance for them to show off to Chishiya.

And then...

Shion, Benimaru, and Diablo all started fiddling with something.

They looked like they were brainstorming some kind of cool, over-the-top name.

Just then...

Milim walked up behind them, holding a cake in one hand.

"Hehehe~"

"Wanna learn the secret to naming stuff?"

She looked like a veteran imparting great wisdom.

Shion and the others turned around, eyes wide.

"The secret to naming?"

"Yup." Milim nodded solemnly. "This is something Chishiya taught me."

"He said the greater the contrast, the more imposing it sounds."

"Here, I'll show you."

Milim stepped closer to their panels, still munching on her cake.

She put her spoon in her mouth, stretched out her tiny hand, and began typing.

"Benimaru, your name is Beancurd Garden."

"Shion, yours is Bikini Bottom Bandit Patrick."

"And Diablo, you're... Big Weirdo of the Gray Planet."

Pfft–!!!

Chishiya had just taken a sip of water—and sprayed it everywhere.

Those names were absurd enough already.

Add in Milim's utterly serious tone, and the effect was unstoppable.

Especially when he imagined those ridiculous names topping the future "Peak List," Chishiya almost lost it...

It was straight-up comedic gold.

He covered his face, lowered his head, and trembled, trying not to laugh out loud.

He was a professional when it came to naming.

No matter how ridiculous the name, he wouldn't laugh.

...Unless he had to.

Benimaru and the others now had thick black lines across their foreheads.

What the hell even were these names?

Where's the "domineering" in that?

Was this some tactic to make enemies die from laughter?

Milim turned back and looked at Chishiya with an innocent expression.

"Chishiya, I did good with the names, right?"

"No... that's right..."

Chishiya was on the verge of exploding.

He forced himself to keep a straight face, gave her a thumbs up.

"These are some solid names."

"Very imposing."

Benimaru and the others glanced at each other.

They raised their hands and clicked "confirm."

The movement was so synchronized, it could've been choreographed.

There was nothing but trust in their eyes.

Since Chishiya-sama said it was domineering, then it had to be.

Even if they didn't get it, they respected it.

Chishiya composed his expression.

Time to get back to business.

"In addition to the rankings, everyone can also upload daily life videos to the [Forum]."

"In the future, our company will lead a brand new entertainment model."

What Chishiya wanted to build was essentially a short video platform.

With the help of the Lord of Wisdom, he could optimize the algorithm.

It would analyze user preferences, fine-tune content recommendations, and deliver personalized services.

The style would be the same fast-paced rhythm as TikTok, focusing on short videos.

This would let adventurers enjoy instant entertainment during their fragmented free time.

The [Forum] would have low entry barriers for content creation.

Anyone could post.

Using likes and comments as a form of social currency, users would gain a sense of accomplishment.

A fan system would be implemented.

Adventurers could earn money by selling products, doing ads, or working with the platform.

It lowered risk and made it accessible even to ordinary folks.

Besides fulfilling entertainment needs, it could actually help people make a living.

History had shown similar trends.

Chishiya believed that even in this world, once the short video concept was introduced, it wouldn't be long before tons of talented adventure vloggers appeared.

Chishiya said, "We need to broaden our perspective. Don't think a Labyrinth's function is limited to exploration."

"There's still a ton of potential for new business models that can be built around Labyrinths."

"We need to tailor our services to fit different customer groups."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Their admiration for Chishiya only deepened.

It wasn't just about his strength.

It was the way he always came up with ideas no one else could even imagine.

Chishiya often said this was normal where he came from.

But honestly, who would believe that everyone back in his hometown knew this stuff?

"Hey, Kazuma."

Aqua nudged Kazuma while scrolling through the videos.

"Doesn't this feel a bit like home?"

"Yeah."

Kazuma nodded without thinking.

Just a few months ago, he never would've imagined himself watching short videos in another world...

Chishiya-san was way too modest.

He was absurdly smart.

Forget the magic air conditioner from before.

Even the shopping cart idea was genius.

Since there wasn't an online platform yet, they distributed product catalogs instead.

Not just anyone could think of that.

And now with the improved projection magic...

A short video platform was born.

This was nothing short of a technological revolution in another world.

Kazuma stared at the screen, sighing internally.

Amazing.

Aqua leaned her head in.

"But hey..."

"Kazuma, how long are you gonna stare at that dance video?"

Kazuma quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Hahaha... I... I was just checking the video quality! Got it? Clarity?"

Stupid goddess!

Don't ruin my image in front of Chishiya-san!

On the right side of the meeting room—

Kaijin had been quietly scrolling through the forum for a while.

Then, he slowly raised his head.

"Chishiya-sama, can us blacksmiths also upload forging videos to the [Forum]?"

"Of course." Chishiya nodded.

In fact, he was just about to suggest it himself.

Back in his old world, sword-forging videos on TikTok were surprisingly popular.

People loved watching blacksmith competitions and blade-making timelapses.

Now, with Kaijin and his crew being dwarf craftsmen...

That alone was an instant traffic magnet.

Their videos were guaranteed to attract adventurers by the boatload.

Chishiya said, "Kaijin, feel free to express your content however you want."

"If you run into anything you don't get, just ask Gobta. He'll be in charge of video shooting training going forward."

Chishiya had no intention of letting Gobta's video talent go to waste.

Someone needed to manage the short video platform eventually.

He'd just pass along all his experience from his previous life to Gobta and leave the rest to him.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 110: Newly Added World

Then—

Chishiya called over the queen ant and handed her some blueprints.

"This is a bank. These are designs for a currency exchange office."

"How long will it take your worker ants to build it?"

The queen ant unfolded the drawings, studied them for a moment, then replied,

"King, it will be completed in about three days."

"So fast?"

The structure he designed was quite large.

After all, it needed to accommodate the heavy foot traffic of adventurers exchanging to a unified currency.

He called it a bank, but in truth, it resembled a fantasy version of the Royal Casino in Las Vegas.

Chishiya already knew the worker ants were efficient builders.

But still, he had budgeted several months for this project. Three days?

The queen ant bowed respectfully.

"King, we are all products of the Labyrinth."

"As the Labyrinth's magic grows, our strength also increases."

"After you upgraded the Labyrinth's level, the number of worker ants multiplied. This speed is now normal."

Amazing.

Chishiya gave her a thumbs-up.

"How long until the Library of All Worlds is done?"

He asked out of curiosity.

Originally, they estimated it would take over a year.

"King, it will probably be finished in another month."

Chishiya blinked.

The level-up increased both funding and manpower. The timeline had been cut down more than tenfold!

It was burning—the infrastructure spirit flowing in his blood was burning again.

One day, he would create more miracles to shock this otherworld.

Let the name of the infrastructure madman be gloriously passed on across dimensions!

Chishiya opened the star map.

[Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?]
[The Hero Is Too Overpowered but Overly Cautious]
[Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World]
[Overlord]
[The Eminence in Shadow]



...

Multiple different worlds.

As the Labyrinth level rose, so did the number of observable worlds around them.

Chishiya used projection magic to cast the star map in front of everyone.

The display—

The field of view centered around the Labyrinth, spreading outward.

Different worlds twinkled like stars across the cosmic sky.

"These flashing points... are other worlds?"

Everyone was wide-eyed.

They had no idea so many worlds existed beyond their own.

Aqua popped a handful of potato chips into her mouth.

"Chishiya-san, being able to observe other worlds is something only gods can do."

"And you can actually do it?"

Chishiya explained flatly,

"It's a feature of the divine weapon that came with my reincarnation."

Aqua gasped.

"Wow, Chishiya-san. That divine item of yours is incredible."

"Looks like reincarnation perks are really generous on your side."

"Uh…"

At that moment, Fern raised her hand.

"I've been wondering since the start… is Miss Aqua really a goddess?"

She kept throwing the word around, but no one could tell if it was a joke or not.

After all…

Fern glanced at Aqua.

"Huh?"

Aqua turned her head, still chewing, potato chip dust all over her face.

Next to her, Kazuma quietly handed her a napkin.

It's fine. It's completely understandable that no one believes her.

Aqua stood up straight, adopting a solemn tone.

"Of course, Miss Fern! Haven't I said it many times?"

"I am a goddess. A real one."

She puffed out her chest proudly.

"Right?"

Honestly, it's a miracle people didn't think she was insane.

Chishiya gave a calm nod.

"Yes, she really is a goddess."

He wasn't surprised by Fern's skepticism.

In Frieren's world, the concept of goddesses was much more abstract—more like detached observers without clear physical form.

Unlike in Konosuba, where goddesses like Aqua and Eris actually walked around and joined guilds.

"I see…"

Fern sat down again, still adjusting to the idea after Chishiya's confirmation.

She had originally planned to explore the Labyrinth with Lady Frieren.

Only when Chishiya summoned them did she bring Frieren back.

She hadn't expected to learn something this mind-blowing—

Chishiya-san was a reincarnator.

The Labyrinth was connected to other worlds.

And the goddess was just... sitting next to them eating chips.

Fern turned and glanced at Frieren.

At that moment, Frieren was lying on the table.

( ´╥﹏╥` )

Caught by Fern before she could sneak into the Labyrinth alone, she looked like her soul had left her body.

Even now, she still had the mental space to zone out?

She's sitting next to an actual goddess. Don't you have anything you want to ask?

Aqua wiped the crumbs off her face.

"Hey! Miss Fern, you still don't believe me?"

What's with that reaction?

She'd declared her identity as a goddess so many times, but nobody believed her.

Yet the moment Chishiya confirmed it, Fern accepted it like it was gospel.

Too much!

Do I not look like a goddess?

She was beautiful, wise, and kind! A divine image!

If the other goddesses and juniors found out about this, her reputation would so take a hit!

"Fine!" Aqua announced loudly.

"If you still doubt me, I'll prove it to you."

"I'll show you the power of the Water Goddess!"

With that—

Aqua started chanting, aiming to summon a flood as proof.

Kazuma: "???"

He instantly smacked her on the head mid-chant.

"You useless goddess! Are you out of your mind?!"

"You were seriously going to flood this place, weren't you?"

"Planning to destroy our entire Labyrinth?!"

It's back. That familiar feeling was back.

He'd been too busy managing the Labyrinth with Chishiya to deal with her nonsense lately.

But this right here reminded him of exactly why he used to feel like he was being dragged into chaos every other day.

Look at Chishiya's divine artifact. Now look at this.

All she did was eat and sleep.

Every three days she caused a minor incident. Every five, a major disaster.

What a curse.

Aqua clutched her head, lips trembling, and rolled dramatically on the ground.

"Ahhh! It's not even my fault!"

"Why is it always me?!"

"I told you! I'm a real goddess!"

"Kazuma, you're the one who's gone too far! I wasn't even going to say anything about you sneaking off to the nightclub with Gobta!"

"And asking Rimuru to print you stacks of adult magazines!"

"And... and...!"

Before she could finish, Kazuma lunged forward and clamped his hand over her mouth.

His face went red, ears to cheeks.

I'm done. I'm going to die right here.

Kazuma forced a stiff smile.

"Hahaha…"

"Don't mind her. She's clearly drunk. Rambling nonsense…"

"No way I'd ever do anything like that... ha... haha..."

"Gobta, back me up here!"

Gobta quickly raised both hands.

"Yes, yes! We definitely didn't do anything!"

"Kazuma-san and I usually just study academic material together!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 111: Aqua, I Am a Real Goddess!

The two of them gave a long, frantic explanation.

It was hard to say if anyone believed them.

Regardless, every woman present gave the two men a long, cold look of disdain.

Chishiya looked at them with quiet sympathy.

Shuna walked up behind Chishiya.

She smiled sweetly and began massaging his shoulders.

"Chishiya-sama, we hope you won't pick up habits like that from them."

"Outdoor food is unhealthy. Eating home-cooked meals will help you grow strong and healthy."

Shion, Megumin, and Yunyun all nodded in unison.

First consensus reached.

Ah, I see how it is.

Okay then. Just wait.

If I eat too much, you can't blame me.

Chishiya changed the subject and turned toward Fern.

"Fern, Aqua really is a goddess."

"Is there anything you want to ask her?"

Fern stayed quiet for a moment, then nodded solemnly.

"Miss Aqua, I'd like to ask you something."

Her expression turned serious, completely different from her usual calmness.

Aqua, who had been sulking just moments ago, felt the change in tone.

"Go ahead and ask."

She straightened up and stopped fooling around.

For a brief moment, she actually looked like a real goddess.

"Miss Aqua, I want to ask… does heaven really exist?"

Fern's gaze was firm, but her hands were clenched tightly around the hem of her skirt.

As she spoke, Frieren—who had been lying face-down on the table—sat up.

She turned and looked at Fern.

...She's trembling?

Heaven.

She looked toward the window.

Right. That's their destination.

Fern thought of Heiter.

Does heaven exist?

No one knows.

Even a thousand years ago, most people believed humans simply returned to nothingness after death.

Even now, with the advancement of magical technology, souls couldn't be observed after death. Their existence still couldn't be proven.

But if they really do vanish into nothingness... would that mean the journey was meaningless? That Lord Stark is gone forever?

She couldn't bear the thought.

And just then—

A pair of hands gently held hers.

Fern blinked.

"Frieren-sama?"

Frieren patted her head softly.

"Yes, Fern. It exists."

"Even if it didn't, we would hope that it does."

Fern looked up. "Why?"

"Because for people who gave everything to live to the end... what waits for them shouldn't be nothingness."

"Wouldn't it be far better for them to enjoy peace and happiness in heaven?"

"Frieren-sama…"

Fern raised her sleeve and wiped her eyes.

"Oh, is Fern crying?"

"No!"

"I just got sand in my eye…"

She didn't say anything more. She just leaned her head against Frieren's shoulder.

Frieren patted her back and gazed out the window.

Heiter... I've been lazy.

But I used your words today.

Back then, I thought it was all nonsense.

Just ten years. It's not even one percent of my life.

And yet it changed everything...

Aqua looked at the two of them and smiled.

"Looks like you don't need an answer from me anymore."

She brought her hands together and began to pray.

A pure white holy light radiated from her body.

Fern slowly looked up and wiped her eyes again.

That's right.

Heaven must exist.

Heiter and the others... they're probably living happily up there.

And when she finally reached her destination, she'd tell him everything that happened.

She'd smile and tell him all their stories along the way.

Fern: "Thank you, Miss Aqua. I don't need an answer anymore."

Aqua: "I already contacted my colleagues in heaven to take care of them."

"Huh?"

The two of them said it at the same time.

Suddenly, the atmosphere froze.

Fern stared blankly.

"Excuse me… what do you mean by contacting your colleagues in heaven?"

Aqua waved with a bright smile.

"Oh, no need to thank me!"

"I just told them that if they happen to run into anyone who knows Miss Fern, be sure to let them know."

"That Ms. Fern has grown into a remarkable magician."

Fern stared at her.

"What… what do you mean?"

"Huh?"

Aqua tilted her head like it was obvious. "I thought you'd already figured it out."

"Yes, heaven really does exist."

Fern: "?"

Frieren: "???"

"But…"

She tapped her chin.

"It's more accurate to call it a retirement home."

"Most of the young souls have already been reincarnated."

"So, basically, heaven is full of old people enjoying their golden years."

Fern and Frieren slowly turned their heads to look at Chishiya.

Both wore expressions of pure disbelief.

What in the world is she even talking about?

(As for why Stark wasn't here—it's because Hakurou had taken him away for extra training.)

Chishiya sighed.

Sorry. The goddess working at our company is amazing in every area—except her brain.

We might not have been on the same wavelength just now.

"…What she said is true."

"Heaven really does exist. I can confirm that."

"But whether the gods of each world can communicate with each other... that's something I'll need her to confirm."

Aqua nodded confidently.

"They're connected."

"Each world has a designated goddess in charge of reincarnation."

"Your world's no exception."

"I'll help you reach out when the time comes. Don't judge me by appearances, I've still got some solid contacts up in the God Realm."

She gave her chest a proud pat.

Fern stood up excitedly... then slumped back down like all her strength had left her.

It really exists?

Oh my god. This is unbelievable.

Does that mean... she could actually see Heiter again?

That's amazing... really amazing…

Frieren rested her chin in her hand, thinking deeply.

I see...

So humans are guided by a goddess when they die?

Does the reincarnation process require rituals?

It must fall under the domain of divine magic.

Totally different from human magical science.

I can't even begin to imagine how it works.

It would be nice if I could study goddess magic directly.

I think Sensei once tried interpreting the Goddess Monument.

If we really do meet again, I should talk to him about it.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 112: Join the Company, Achieve Immortality

"Hey, Frieren. Want to stay here with me?"

Chishiya cut through the silence.

"Your destination is the place where souls rest, right?"

"Aqua can help you with that."

"And if you're interested in understanding humans... I can help you."

Chishiya pointed out the window, toward the maze of streets teeming with people.

"Things are still pretty lively around here."

"If you stay, I'm sure you'll have plenty of interesting stories to share."

"And in return, you can study the magic in the Library at your own pace while you're on staff. How's that sound?"

Frieren and Fern looked at each other.

Thinking it through carefully, he wasn't wrong.

If they could reconnect with Himmel and the others without needing to travel all the way to Endai, it would definitely save time. And they'd get to stay with everyone too.

After a moment's thought, the two of them—

Frieren spoke.

"Sounds good."

"But Stark still doesn't know. We'll need to talk it over when he gets back."

"Can we give you an answer in a few days?"

Chishiya nodded.

"Sure."

Then—

Chishiya used the Lord of Wisdom to instantly draft three documents and handed them over.

"If you decide to stay, this outlines what the company can offer you, along with your job description."

"Just let me know once you've talked it through."

Chishiya had already thought it through.

If Frieren and the others agreed, he'd find a way to revive the Hero's Party.

Bring them all in to work under one roof.

Make them loyal and productive corporate employees!

Don't worry, he had a conscience. He'd never exploit them.

But resurrection was expensive, so… a 1,000-year labor contract was only reasonable.

"If there's nothing else, let's adjourn."

The two of them watched Chishiya's back as he left and looked down at the contract.

The first line caught their eyes:

Join the Company, Achieve Immortality.

Fern: "?"

Frieren: "???"

——————————

The sun had set.

Splash!

Open-air bath.

Chishiya poured a wooden bucket of hot water over his head.

The best part of the day—unwinding in a warm bath after work.

Chishiya leaned back in the tub, draped a hot towel over his eyes.

Behind him, the bamboo water spout clacked rhythmically with the flow.

By the way... how long has it been since Darkness left?

Almost two months?

Still no word.

Without that masochistic knight around, things felt... less chaotic.

Time to think about Frieren and the others.

If they really agree to stay, he'll need to figure out how to revive Himmel.

Might need to consult with Aqua.

Would they need to dig up his grave first?

By this timeline, Himmel's been dead almost thirty years, right?

Would a resurrection even work?

Even if it did, he'd just be an old man...

That won't do.

Imagine sending an old grandpa to work every day, cane in hand. This isn't a retirement home.

It's like those elderly security guards from back in his old world.

Ninety-six years old and you're afraid to honk at them in the parking lot.

Best to stay young.

More productivity that way.

And Himmel's values? The guy was corporate gold.

If the company ever launches an education department, it should offer nine years of compulsory schooling in Lapris.

Start ideological training from childhood.

Let Himmel be in charge.

Honestly, he might even be better than Rimuru for the role.

Rinsing off again, Chishiya put on his bathrobe and stepped out.

At the bedroom door, Megumin was waiting.

"…What are you doing here?"

"Um…"

Megumin held out a steaming bowl of soup, then looked away, cheeks slightly red.

"I, uh… just felt like having soup today, and I accidentally made too much."

"I happened to be passing by… so I thought I'd give you a bowl to try."

"Of course, it doesn't mean anything. Don't get the wrong idea!"

This was a nourishing soup she learned from her mom when she went back home.

Chishiya stared blankly.

She can cook? Is this edible?

He took the bowl and sniffed it cautiously.

Smelled legit.

Megumin frowned as she watched him test it like he was checking for poison.

"If you don't want it, just give it back. I'll hand it off to someone else!"

She reached for it.

Chishiya pressed a hand to her forehead and raised the bowl up out of reach.

No matter how high she stretched on tiptoe, she couldn't get it back.

"Who said I'm not drinking it?"

He turned around, downed it all in one go, and handed the bowl back.

"Pretty good. Didn't expect you to have this kind of talent."

The flavor reminded him of home.

When he was a kid, he caught colds a lot. His mom used to make soup that tasted just like this. He still missed it sometimes.

Each of these girls had their own specialties.

If he had to rank them...

Shuna was undisputed Tier 0.

Megumin and Yunyun? Solid Tier 1.

Shion could be… Tier 10086.

Megumin's expression brightened as she raised her chin proudly.

"Hehe~"

"Of course. Komekko and I used to catch crayfish when we were kids."

"Sometimes I'd pick mushrooms and make soup. I've always been confident in my cooking."

As the saying goes, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

Success!

Totally worth all the trial-and-error.

But before she could celebrate—

Chishiya bonked her on the head.

"You're getting a bit too bold lately, aren't you?"

"What's with all this 'you, you, you' talk? Have you forgotten? Call me Sensei."

Megumin pouted. "Tsk."

She'd recently realized something.

There were way too many girls around Sensei.

Even if she spent the most time with him...

It didn't mean she had the advantage.

Maybe it was their teacher-student dynamic, but he didn't seem to see her as a woman at all.

Especially after that sneak-attack incident involving Miss Shion not long ago.

Luckily she and Frieren had witnessed it, or who knows what would've happened.

So frustrating...

She was clearly old enough to marry!

Yet he always treated her like a kid.

Hmph. Give it a few years.

She would definitely grow into a woman Yunyun could only envy!

"You're only a few years older than me…"

Megumin muttered.

Sensei was barely twenty himself.

They were basically the same age. She had no idea what was wrong.

Did she not have enough charm?

Chishiya pulled on both of Megumin's cheeks with a deadpan expression.

"I'm still your Sensei, even if I'm just a few years older."

This girl walked around like an elementary schooler. Who would believe she's an adult?

"It hurts! It hurts~!"

"Gomenasai! Sensei! Stop, stop! I was wrong!"

Megumin squirmed as he continued pulling her cheeks.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 113: That’s What I Like, What I Like So Much

Megumin crouched on the floor, rubbing her red cheeks where they'd been pinched.

"Sensei, you really don't know how to treat a lady gently."

"I made that porridge just for you, you know. So mean."

Chishiya pushed open the door, then glanced back at her.

"Didn't you say you were going to eat the extra portion yourself?"

Megumin: "…"

Slip of the tongue…

"Eh? Sensei, you must've misheard."

She quickly changed the subject and slipped inside while Chishiya opened the door.

She had made up her mind!

No matter what, tonight he would notice her charm!

"What are you looking for now?"

Chishiya closed the door behind her, already resigned.

What is this little gremlin up to now?

Megumin scanned the room.

"Sensei, you don't keep any of those… indecent books here, do you?"

She gave him a sharp look, eyes full of judgment.

That kind of stuff is poison!

She didn't want Chishiya being corrupted by Gobta and the others.

If found, it must be destroyed immediately.

"What exactly are you planning tonight?"

"It's late. I need to rest."

Megumin didn't answer. Her face was flushed, clearly working up to something.

She sat down on the bed, patted the spot beside her, and looked up at him.

"Then... Sensei... wanna sleep together tonight?"

She wasn't wearing her usual cloak or hat, just the form-fitting red Arch Wizard uniform.

Her hands were folded in her lap, and her ruby eyes shimmered with shyness.

"?"

What the hell?

Chishiya froze.

What's going on here?

Megumin closed her eyes, raising her head with stubborn resolve.

"You don't treat me like a woman anyway, right?"

"Besides, we're not doing anything weird. Just a night chat. Afraid or something?"

Afraid? You say that, and now I'm wide awake.

Fine.

You asked for this.

Chishiya turned off the lights and locked the door.

"Come on then. Get inside."

"Huh?"

Megumin blinked, caught off guard by how easily he agreed.

She thought he'd be flustered or something!

Don't tell me… he really sees her as a kid?!

Unacceptable!

Clearly, the offensive must be escalated.

There's no way she's losing to those other women!

They both lay flat on the bed.

Chishiya had just finished bathing, and he still smelled faintly of soap—like sea salt.

Megumin leaned closer and took a small sniff.

It was a clean and refreshing scent.

"So... didn't you want to talk? What did you want to say?"

"Huh?"

Megumin blinked again, completely caught off guard.

She'd barged in on instinct and didn't actually think of what to say next.

But then she turned and looked at Chishiya's calm profile.

Memories of their time together came rushing back.

And suddenly, she knew exactly what to say.

"Really… you've never once acted like a proper master."

"You're so hopeless."

Chishiya turned his head to look at her.

"I thought you were about to praise me."

"Tsk. Narcissist."

Megumin pouted and stared at the ceiling.

"The first thing you did was trick me into mining."

"Then you left me in the Labyrinth for days without a bath or proper meals."

"You promised to teach me Explosion Magic, but once we got here, you were too busy to even look at me."

"And then you made us wear maid outfits to run a shop just to turn a profit!"

She turned to face him.

"Sensei, you have a terrible personality."

Chishiya: "..."

He had no rebuttal.

Not because he didn't want to argue—but because she had a point.

Thinking back… yeah, she was absolutely right.

Seeing him speechless, Megumin smiled.

A gentle, radiant smile that lit up the room.

She gazed at Chishiya's face again, eyes soft with affection.

But despite being such a "bad" guy…

When no one else accepted her, he did.

No matter how busy he was, he still made time to fire off Explosion Magic with her.

When she lost her magic item during a dumb bet, he patted her head and told her it was fine.

That's the part she liked about him.

The part she loved.

Chishiya: "Uh… do you want to hear my side of it?"

"Actually—"

Before he could finish, his mouth was sealed.

Megumin wrapped her arms around his neck and gently kissed him.

Her lips were warm. Her hands trembled a little.

——————————

At the same time.

Elsewhere.

Stark's bedroom.

Stark sat on his bed, holding the contract Frieren had handed him.

"…Huh?"

He slowly looked up.

"Frieren, what does 'immortality' even mean?"

This had to be a joke, right?

That was clearly beyond human reach—even elves didn't have infinite lifespans.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Chishiya-san.

He just couldn't wrap his head around how this was supposed to work.

Frieren explained the general situation to him.

"I don't know exactly how he plans to do it, but he said he could."

"And I don't think he has any reason to lie to us."

After all, they had already seen resurrection magic with their own eyes.

If that was possible, maybe this was too.

"…I see."

Stark lowered his head, deep in thought, before slowly raising it again.

"What are you two planning?"

"Let me give you my answer first. I think I'll stay."

Stark's expression turned serious.

"Master doesn't have much time left. I don't want to lose him."

"I want to ask Chishiya-san to help him survive."

Stark's mentor was Eisen, a dwarf warrior from the Hero's Party.

After Stark's village was wiped out by demons, Eisen had taken him in and trained him.

Even though dwarves lived up to 300 years, Eisen was now extremely old and didn't have much time left.

Originally, Stark had gone on this journey to gather stories and bring them back for his master.

But now... if Chishiya could really keep him alive?

He'd do anything.

Even if he had to stay here forever, with no reward.

Seeing Stark's firm attitude, Frieren nodded.

"Then it's settled. We'll all stay."

"Huh?"

Stark blinked, clearly surprised.

He had assumed Frieren and Fern would choose to leave.

Fern set down her cup and smiled.

"Frieren-sama and I had already decided to stay. We just came here today to get your answer."

If she could see Himmel again, staying was no problem at all.

Besides, she enjoyed teaching. Watching people grow and improve was deeply fulfilling.

Frieren packed away the documents and smiled at them both.

Before, she wouldn't have cared about things like this.

Human lives were short, after all. They died so quickly.

But now... it looked like that wasn't something she needed to worry about anymore.

She patted Fern's head gently.

It looked like they could stay together forever now.

"But…"

Frieren realized something.

"Does this mean I'll have even more time to study magic?"

"Hehehe~"

o(￣︶￣)o

(To be continued.)