Chapter Text
After asking the receptionist for advice on beginner-friendly quests, Esora walked to the table where Kazuma and Aqua were already helping themselves to lunch.
“Alright,” Esora announced, slipping into the empty seat next to Kazuma, “we’ve got our first job: Giant Toad extermination.”
Kazuma blinked. “Giant Toads? Like... actual toads?”
She nodded. “Yup. They’re known for wreaking havoc on farming villages around mating season—they gorge themselves on livestock to bulk up. Apparently, they’re a real nuisance.”
Kazuma raised an eyebrow. “How tough are they?”
Esora shrugged. “Not unbeatable, but not exactly beginner fodder either. Most rookie adventurers don’t go after them unless they’re in pairs or groups.”
“Then we’ve got nothing to worry about!” Aqua puffed her chest proudly. “I, a goddess among mortals, will reduce those bloated beasts to a pile of ash with a single strike!”
The sakura-haired girl glanced at said goddess sceptically. “Aren’t you our healer? Shouldn’t you focus on support magic instead of diving headfirst into battle?”
“Hmph! That’s true for your average archpriest,” Aqua sniffed, placing her hands on her hips. “But I am no ordinary priestess—I’m a full-fledged goddess! Amphibians are hardly worth my time.”
Kazuma and Esora exchanged a glance. Honestly, she was technically divine... maybe she really could handle them.
“But before we rush off to our slimy deaths,” Aqua added, narrowing her eyes at Kazuma, “can we please do something about this NEET’s outfit? That tracksuit screams modern era .”
Kazuma glared at her. “Gee, I wonder whose fault that is?”
Sensing the brewing storm, Esora quickly stepped in, resting a hand on Kazuma’s shoulder. “ Okay , time out! Let's just ask the receptionist if there’s a place nearby to grab gear and clothes. Maybe an inn recommendation too.”
◇◇◇
Kill Quest:
Defeat 9 Giant Toads within 3 days
◇◇◇
“Holy crap, Kazuchin! Look!” Esora whispered excitedly, pointing at two huge figures hopping across the meadow. “Those things are massive !”
The trio had tracked the monsters to a grassy plain just outside town. From a safe distance, they watched gargantuan amphibians move about—slow, lumbering, and gross enough to churn your stomach.
“Wow. They’re even bigger than I thought,” Kazuma muttered, visibly unsettled as he instinctively reached for the hilt of his new short sword.
Earlier, the trio agreed that Kazuma would take the role of strategist—mainly because his INT stat was higher than his female companions combined. Not a high bar, but hey, it’s something.
“Kazuma, here’s what the guild lady said about them,” Esora said, flipping through her newly purchased notebook. “Blunt weapons? Useless. Immune to water magic. But weak to sharp blades, lightning, and ice spells. Also, they hate metal, so we’re supposed to wear as much as we can.”
“So they’re Aqua’s natural counter,” Kazuma quipped. “Being a Water Goddess and all.”
Aqua scowled. “Don’t underestimate me just because of elemental types! I’ll show you that divinity trumps disadvantage!”
Kazuma smirked but nodded. “Fair enough.”
He turned to Esora. “You remember our plan, right?”
“Yup! I’m the ranged caster, Aqua’s support, and you’re the frontline.” The Sage bites her lip nervously. “But… are you sure you’re okay leading the charge? These things aren’t exactly slimes.”
“I get it,” Kazuma said reassuringly. “But the guild said all the weak monsters around here were hunted out years ago. We’ve got no choice but to go big.”
Esora sighed, fingers nervously tracing the carved edges of her staff. “I just… I hope I don’t mess up. What if I can’t cast properly under pressure?”
Before she could spiral further, Aqua smacked the Esora on the shoulder— a bit too hard.
“Ow!”
“No time for second-guessing, Esora!” she beamed. “You’ve got me watching your back, remember? With my divine buffs, you’ll be unstoppable!”
“I-I guess you’ve got a point,” Esora said, giving the goddess a sheepish smile while rubbing her shoulder.
‘Calm down, Esora,’ Esora told herself, pulling out her Adventurer’s Card. She acquired fifteen learned skills already, thanks to a very generous starting pool of 100 skill points. She’d managed to snag all the basic elemental spells, and even a few intermediate ones, which includes some magic skills that could be useful for the current quest.
“You guys, ready for buffs?” Aqua asked.
The Japanese duo nodded, and she raised her hand. “Okay! Blessing, Protection, Haste, Amplify !”
A radiant light enveloped Esora as each spell activated in sequence. “Wow~!” Esora gasped, noticing that her body felt lighter, faster, stronger.
“This is support magic?” She said in awe.
“Now for the NEET,” Aqua grinned. “ Blessing, Protection, Haste, Powered ! ”
Kazuma stood in the glow, nodding appreciatively. Esora turned to Aqua, curious. “Can you explain those spells again?”
“Sure! Blessing boosts luck, Protection ups your defence, Haste increases speed, Powered enhances strength, and Amplify boosts magic. There’s also Resistance , but Giant Toads don’t use magic, so no need for that one.” She glanced at Kazuma and teased, “Though I wonder if getting all those buffs will change anything for Kazuma-san who is the lowest class~?”
Kazuma rolled his eyes, then grabbed his best friend’s hand. “Enough talk. Let’s go, Esora!”
“O-Okay!”
They crept down the slope toward the nearest toad.
“W-Wow, it’s even scarier up close…” The Sage whispered.
“Relax. It’s just a massive toad,” Kazuma said with forced bravado, unsheathing his blade. “Once you hit it with magic, I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Got it.”
As the duo reached their positions, Esora raised her staff and focused. ‘Deep breath. Don’t stutter. Clear chant. Aqua said it’s all down to clarity…’
Kazuma crouched nearby, steadying his grip. If the Giant Toad still moved after the initial attack, he could land a clean strike from behind.
Esora inhaled, and with as much composure as she could muster, shouted, “ Lightning!”
A sharp crack of thunder rang through the meadow as a bolt of electricity surged from the Sage’s staff. The toad convulsed violently and collapsed, twitching.
“Did… did I actually do that?” Esora stared, stunned.
Kazuma approached it cautiously, sword raised. “It’s not moving. You roasted it in one shot. Holy crap, magic’s dope.”
“I DID IT!!” Esora cheered, bouncing in place. “I actually used magic!”
Kazuma gave her a crooked smile. “Kinda jealous. You get real spells, and I’m just stuck swinging a glorified butter knife…”
“Don’t worry!” Esora says quickly. “Once you level up, you’ll probably get more MP. Maybe even learn a spell or two!”
He smiled warmly. “Thanks, Esora.”
Just then, the second Giant Toad let out a croaking shriek—definitely not thrilled about the smell of its fried companion.
Kazuma stepped in front of Esora. “Guess we woke the other one. My turn, then.” He glanced back at her. “You got any spells that don’t obliterate the target?”
“Yeah!” The Sage nodded, gripping her staff tightly. “Leave it to me!”
Kazuma took a deep breath and squared his shoulders, stepping between his friend and the approaching Giant Toad like some kind of heroic adventurer.
“Even though I can’t use magic right now,” he declared, “I’m not gonna let Esora do all the heavy lifting for our first quest!”
‘That’s kind of sweet’ , Esora thought with a smile, right as the earth trembled beneath her feet.
The toad crouched low. Kazuma raised his sword, bracing himself.
“Here it comes…” he muttered excitedly.
And then—
It jumped… Over him.
“Huh…!?” he blinked.
“Wait… WHAT?!” The Adventurer turned his head when he heard Esora’s shriek of terror, the Sage scrambling back as the oversized amphibian crash-landed right in front of her. “Why’s it coming after me ?!”
Aqua tilted her head, clearly enjoying herself far too much. “Weird… You weren’t even attacking it. Why would it go for—ohhh…”
She clapped her hands together in realisation. “It’s your cheat, isn’t it?”
Kazuma’s face went pale. “Don’t tell me…”
“Not only that, you’ll be very popular with nature spirits and monsters, almost like a Disney Princess…”
“Very popular…”
“Very… popular …”
“IS THIS WHAT YOU MEANT?!” He shouted. “YOU MADE ESORA INTO A MONSTER MAGNET?!”
The toad croaked and lunged.
“KAZUMAAAAAAA! HELP MEEEEEE!”
Esora turned and ran, shrieking loud enough to send birds flying from the trees. Her boots pounded against the grass, her staff clutched close to her chest, and her pride? Gone . Absolutely gone.
Standing by the hill, Aqua burst into hysterical laughter. “Oh my gods! This is amazing! She’s running like her life depends on it—which, I mean, fair! Look at her go! I didn’t know Esora had legs like that!”
“I’M GOING TO DIE!” The Sage howled, arms flailing like a terrified squirrel.
Kazuma desperately chases after Esora and the toad that’s trying to eat her. “Don’t trip!”
“EASY FOR YOU TO SAY WHEN A GIANT AMPHIBIAN ISN’T TRYING TO EAT YOU!”
The toad lunged again—and missed by inches. Its slimy jaws caught her cloak instead. The fabric yanked Esora back so hard she nearly face-planted.
“AAAAAAGH! GET OFF ME, YOU SLIME BALL!”
“Stop running in a straight line, mixes some in zigzags!” Kazuma shouted.
“I’M PANICKING, OKAY?!”
Aqua cupped her hands to her mouth, yellow. “Esora! Remember to use a magic skull!”
“Right! Right! Uh—Frostbite!”
The sakura-haired girl skids to a stop, turns to face the Giant Toad. She pointed her staff towards the monster and shouted the incantation. A blast of cold air surged forward, forming a jagged sheet of ice that forced the toad back with a startled croak.
Finally, Esora collapsed to her knees, wheezing, arms trembling.
Kazuma skidded to her side. “You okay?”
“I think I’ve aged ten years…”
Just then, a second toad burst out of the bushes, leaping toward the duo with the same predatory glint in its disgusting eyes.
“ANOTHER ONE ?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” Esora’s voice cracked, and it sounded like she was about to cry.
Kazuma cursed and drew his sword. “Aqua-san! We could use some divine intervention right about now!”
“ Fiiiiiine ,” Aqua said, sauntering forward with way too much flair for someone who was watching me almost get eaten. “It’s not easy being the MVP, you know.”
She held her fist high, divine power glowing around it like a holy light show.
“Repent, foul beast!” she shouted. “For daring to bare your slimy fangs at a goddess and her attendants—GOD BLOW!!”
She dashed forward and slammed her radiant fist into the toad’s gut.
BOING~!
The impact was… underwhelming. It was like seeing her punch a wall of warm pudding.
All of them blinked.
Even the toad looked confused.
“…That’s it?” Kazuma deadpanned.
Aqua chuckled nervously. “N-Now that I look at you closely… I find frogs rather cute, hehehe–Pweh !”
CHOMP!
The toad swallowed her head-first causing her to scream and wriggle around like a noodle.
“Aqua-san!!” Esora gasped in horror.
Kazuma rushed forward. “Oh, come on! Don't get eaten!”
With one swing of his sword, he sliced the toad’s side. It let out a gurgle and spat her out, dumping her in a heap of greenish goo.
Aqua flailed weakly on the ground. “My… divine… dignity…”
“Are you okay?” Esora asked gently, kneeling beside her to comfort her but keeping a slight distance as to not dirty her clothes with the toad innards soiling Aqua’s person. “That looked… awful.”
“ Sniff… my clothes… my reputation… it’s all ruined… The Axis Order will abandon me…”
Kazuma pressed a hand to his temple. “Okay. That’s it. We’re heading back. This is too dangerous.”
“But my image—!”
“You’ll survive. Unlike us, if we keep this up.”
That’s when they all froze.
“CROAAAAK!”
A third toad crested the nearby hill.
Its bulging eyes locked directly on the Sage.
“…We’re leaving. Now,” Kazuma said with grave seriousness.
“I vote yes !” Esora squeaked, grabbing Aqua’s goo-soaked arm.
And so, the great adventurers of Axel turned tail and ran—sprinting down the meadow path like their lives depended on it.
Because honestly? They kinda did.
Today's Results :
2 Giants Toads Killed
2 Giant Toads = 10,000 eris
After Kazuma, Esora, and Aqua returned to the guild, they each took a long-needed shower before collecting their reward money. Once they had cleaned up, the trio settled down for dinner, still buzzing from the day's events.
Aqua, impatient as ever, slammed her fists on the table. “There’s no way the three of us can take on those things alone. We need more allies!”
Kazuma stabbed a piece of fried toad with his fork and scowled. “5,000 eris per frog… For all that risk, it’s barely worth what a part-time construction worker earns.”
Esora lowered her head in shame. “Sorry, Kazuchin… I wasn’t much help…”
Kazuma waved her off, placing the fried toad back on his plate. “Don’t blame yourself. Nobody expected your cheat to have such a… glaring flaw.”
Aqua perked up, noticing Kazuma’s glare aimed at her. “What? Me?”
“Exactly you!” Kazuma snapped. “What kind of cheat turns the user into a magnet for monsters? Esora would’ve been toast if she hadn’t been able to use magic.”
Aqua only shrugged. “Then I’ll just resurrect her. Easy-peasy~”
Both Kazuma and Esora looked at her with a mix of disbelief and irritation.
“T-That’s not the point, Aqua-san!” Esora groaned, exhaling a long sigh. “Whatever. I guess I’ll just have to live with it from now on…”
Kazuma smirked at her, pointing toward the goddess. “C’mon, don’t let this idiot off the hook…”
Aqua muffled a protest with a mouthful of food. “ Mmmff–?! Wha’you call’n a iddy-oddig gawdessh?!”
Kazuma cringed. “Swallow before talking. And recruiting allies? We’re rookies, practically defenseless, and—aside from Esora—have zero decent equipment. Who’d want to join our party?”
The goddess waved her hands dismissively, shoving more fried frog into her mouth. “I’m an archpriest, the most advanced job in existence! Any adventurer would kill to be in my party! So stop whining and pass me another piece.” She snatched a fried frog off Kazuma’s plate without hesitation.
Esora sipped her pink neroid and released a contented sigh. “Ah~ fruity… Anyway, I asked around about cheap inns. The lowest one-room rate is about 20,300 eris a night.”
Kazuma whistled through his teeth. “That’s steep. How much do we have left in the budget?”
Esora counted mentally. “After registration and buying your gear and clothes, we have roughly 143,500 eris. If we’re frugal, one room could last six nights—but we’d need to kill at least five Giant Toads a day to extend our stay.”
Kazuma groaned. “And the next option?”
“The stables,” Esora explained. “You’d share space with other adventurers and horses, cramped and unhygienic. No privacy, either.”
Kazuma grimaced. “Why would that be an option? I’m not living where horses shit.”
“Agreed!” Aqua scoffed, flicking her hair back. “A goddess does not sleep like an animal.”
“Then inn it is,” Esora said, finishing her drink with satisfaction. “Let’s book a room and plan tomorrow.”
After paying for their meal, Esora led the group to a small inn called The Maiden’s Rest . The name sounded elegant, but the building itself was anything but. Its squat frame leaned precariously, peeling paint exposing warped timbers. Windows were fogged, cracked, or blocked by grimy curtains, and a lone sock sat defiantly in a rusted flowerbox.
Aqua, ever impatient, barged inside first, calling out in her sing-song voice. “Hello~!”
Esora and Kazuma hesitated, stepping through the creaking doorway. Inside, the inn was unexpectedly warm and tidy. Floors were swept, tables sturdy despite scars, and the aroma of roasting meat drifted from the kitchen. Patrons—a mix of off-duty guards, construction workers, shady fortune-tellers, and other colorful locals—mingled peacefully. It wasn’t the raucous tavern at the guild. Somehow, the inside made up for the questionable exterior.
“Esora-san… are you sure this is the place?” Kazuma whispered.
“I—I think so…” she murmured, unfolding a crudely drawn map.
Kazuma’s eyes widened. “Was this made by a kindergartener? How did you even read this?!”
“I asked Aqua-san to help with translation…” Esora admitted.
Before they could discuss further, a strange waitress approached. From the knees down, she had bird-like legs, large folded wings, and a head that rotated unnervingly to observe the trio.
“Hoo~? New customers, I take it?” she greeted.
Aqua and Esora squeaked, Kazuma just cringed.
The birdwoman called out, summoning another employee: “Meroga-san! New customers!”
Meroga appeared, a short, plump cyclops with curly red-orange hair, tanned skin, and a single mauve eye. She scanned the group, her expression amused.
“What, never seen a half-cyclops before?” she teased.
“N-No, ma’am…” Esora stammered, flushed.
Meroga chuckled. “Oh, you humans don’t get out much, huh? Rare to see adventurers like you around.”
A black bear beastman named Garruk tried to flirt with Meroga, earning a sharp glare before she walked away.
“So, just you three?” Meroga asked.
“One room, please,” Kazuma said nervously.
“You kids are fine. Rooms with two beds are available. 15,000 eris a night,” Meroga added.
Esora blinked. “Wait, fifteen thousand? Not twenty thousand, three hundred?”
Meroga held up some letters–B and A– that looked similar to the ones on the sign outside. “This is the Maiden’s BREAST, not the Maiden’s Rest—easy mistake.”
Kazuma sighed. ‘Of course it’s a different inn. But it seems locals love it… cheap, good food, welcoming. But why wasn’t this place recommended?’
“Oh, this is why…”
After being handed the key to their room, Aqua, Kazuma and Esora immediately headed upstairs to retire for the night. However, when they unlocked and opened the creaking door, the room smelled faintly of dust and old ale. The plaster walls were cracked, the floorboards uneven, and the lone window stuck halfway open with a warped frame. Two narrow beds stood on opposite sides, their quilts mismatched and patched in several places. A crooked wardrobe leaned in the corner, one door hanging ajar, and a single candle on a wobbly table cast more shadow than light.
“What’s this?! This room is a dump!” Aqua whined as she sits on one of the mattresses that creaked under her weight.
“Meroga-san did say that she hadn’t updated all the rooms, I guess this is one of them…” Esora says as she places her back next to Aqua. “But it beats staying at the stables, that’s for sure…”
Kazuma sighs before sitting on the opposite bed, cringing when he hears the springs under him, “Yeah… And having to pay 20,300 eris a night. We just have to make the most of it…”
Aqua sighs exaggeratedly as she falls back onto the bed, “I guess so… I’m too tired to argue,”
Noticing that the goddess is about to close her eyes, Esora immediately taps her on the legs, “Wait, Aqua-san! Change out of your clothes. Ah, Kazuchin, mind waiting outside until we’re done?”
“Yeah…” The adventurer gets up and walks out of the room, while Aqua whines about wanting to go to bed early. He crossed his arms while leaning against the door as he waited patiently.
‘Tomorrow, we should start recruiting more allies, like Aqua suggested. It might be hard, since we’re just rookie adventurers with no merit and the fact Esora’s cheat turns her into monster lure so that might scare people away…’ The brunette sighs and scratches his head, “Whatever, we’ll think about it tomorrow!”