The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing

(Sheffina)

"What, what nonsense are you spouting, Sheffina? Your father is still alive and well! ?"

Darkness shouted in a flustered manner.

Darkness's daughter… no, Darkness's cousin, Sheffina, said, "I'm sorry, I didn't express myself clearly. I want Zun Zun to become your husband, Mommy."

"Hold on a moment, I can't pretend I didn't hear that!"

"Exactly, exactly, that's impossible!"

Megumin and Yunyun quickly interrupted.

The two snatched Sheffina from Zun Zun's arms—no, they should be said to have taken her away to a corner of the living room for a lecture. They're probably asserting their status as the main wife; it's really too cute.

Thanks to that, Zun Zun was able to greet others.

"Welcome back."

"I'm back."

Kazuma Sato watched Sheffina being lectured by Megumin and Yunyun, his worried expression completely disappearing, then revealing a happy smile, which then turned into helplessness and pain.

"Kazuma, your expression is very complicated."

"A lot of things happened, right? Basically, it's like working hard to earn money to prepare a good gift for the girl you like, but when you come back, you find someone else has beat you to it… that kind of feeling, right?"

"What is that? That person is scum!"

"I agree."

Zun Zun felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by him.

"Speaking of which, I didn't expect Sheffina to be Darkness's cousin. When I heard Aqua say she was Darkness's daughter, I was so surprised I couldn't speak."

"I agree."

When he first met Sheffina, she called Darkness 'Mommy,' so Kazuma Sato had a more direct experience. That shock is still fresh in his memory.

"Say, there's something I'm curious about."

"What?"

"How was Sheffina cured?"

"With a potion."

Hearing Zun Zun say that, Kazuma Sato subconsciously rolled his eyes. Of course, he knew it was with a potion, but the key was how they got their hands on an Archdemon's nail.

Moreover, it was during the time he wasn't home. Getting the nail was one thing, but they even concocted the potion.

"Have you guys forgotten? Eris is an Archdemon."

"——Ah! ?"

Kazuma Sato suddenly realized.

Perhaps it was because of Sheffina's poisoning that they became a little anxious, completely forgetting about Eris… No, it was probably that Vanir guy deliberately guiding them, otherwise, why would they abandon the near and seek the far, looking for some Cruel Duke?

"Listen carefully, Sheffina! Zun Zun cannot marry Darkness."

"That's right, that's right."

On the other side, Megumin and Yunyun were declaring their sovereignty, even if the target was a young girl.

"Besides, Darkness actually already has someone she likes, and that person is definitely not Zun Zun."

"That's right, that's right. Even though that guy is a fiend, scum, lewd, and an incurable deadbeat NEET, he's still the person Darkness likes."

"D-Don't say such things, Megumin, Yunyun!"

Darkness shouted shyly.

Those words made Kazuma Sato's expression complicated, both happy and angry, but after all, it was the truth. But even so, he still fought an Archdemon for Sheffina.

"Why would Mommy like someone like that?"

Sheffina seemed unable to understand.

"Yeah, why indeed."

"Maybe it's a personal preference…"

Even now, Megumin and Yunyun still couldn't understand. And Kazuma Sato was already approaching his breaking point.

"It can't be helped." Sheffina patted her flat chest and said loudly, "The Dustiness family's motto is to always repay kindness received, so in that case, I can only marry Zun Zun!"

"Give her back! Sheffina, let's talk this over properly!"

"Y-Yeah, don't make decisions so easily!"

The young girl's attitude of 'I have no way to repay your kindness, so I can only offer myself' immediately excited Megumin and Yunyun, and they began re-educating her.

…

In the evening, everyone decided to have hot pot.

Hot pot is the easiest way to bridge the distance between people, and you can add all kinds of food to it according to everyone's preferences.

However, at the strong request of others, Megumin's dark hot pot request was rejected.

"——Cheers!"

Everyone's cups clinked on the table, and then they happily began to eat dinner.

"I say, I say, I worked very hard today, you know? In order to take care of Sheffina, I had to cast healing magic every half hour, so I deserve the most credit this time! Therefore… this crab roe should belong to me!"

"Hold on a moment, you idiot goddess! I can't agree with that statement! Speaking of who deserves the most credit, shouldn't it be me who risked my life to break into the Earl of Demons' castle? I went through so much trouble to take off a small piece of nail."

"…What are you talking about, Kazuma? Wasn't that small piece of nail you got useless? Besides, Darkness already told me that you defeated that demon with my bathwater, so isn't it even more my credit? Also, when did you sneakily take my bathwater? You're so disgusting."

"Don't call me disgusting!"

The two started fighting at the dinner table.

Zun Zun could understand collecting Aqua's bathwater; after all, he had done it too.

Yes, Zun Zun had done it too.

No matter what, she was still a true goddess, so her bodily fluids should also be materials with powerful effects.

In fact, it was just as he thought. Aqua's bathwater did have a very strong effect, but the problem was that the effect was too strong. No matter what material was mixed into it, it would be purified, and in the end, nothing came of it.

"This time, it's all thanks to Kazuma."

Darkness said gratefully.

After all, if Zun Zun hadn't happened to return, and they hadn't thought of Eris, the Archdemon nail fragment that Kazuma Sato brought back would have been the last straw.

"Forget it. Honestly, I was almost giving up recently."

"But you did put in the effort."

"…I guess. For me, being able to successfully save that child is enough. Besides, it's been a long time since I've done something with such an adventurer vibe."

Kazuma Sato laughed self-deprecatingly.

However, Darkness asked worriedly, "Just to be on the safe side, let me ask you, you're really not a lolicon, are you?"

"Be careful, or I'll really punch you guys! If you suspect me so much, why don't you let me use your body to prove that I'm not a lolicon!" Kazuma Sato slammed the table excitedly.

He suddenly felt very unfair.

In this situation, shouldn't they be asking Zun Zun? Look, he's feeding Sheffina, and the two of them look so happy, it's really jealousy-inducing!

"You clearly don't have the guts."

Provoked by Darkness's bold gaze, Kazuma Sato saw that she subtly had encouraging intentions, recalling Megumin and Yunyun's lecture to Sheffina earlier. Perhaps Darkness really liked him.

And then… he wilted, slightly turning his head away, not daring to look at Darkness.

"Hehe, I knew it."

This guy!

Kazuma Sato, feeling looked down upon, really wanted to do something now, but obviously, if he had the guts, he would have done something a long time ago. Annoyed, he had no choice but to look at Zun Zun, who was feeding Sheffina.

"Speaking of which, Zun Zun, what kind of trials did you experience this time?"

——Trials.

Let's tentatively call the phenomenon of Zun Zun leaving this world from time to time a trial. After all, there's no other way to explain it. Plus, every time she comes back, she becomes stronger, which is very similar to a trial.

Sheffina seemed very curious about such topics, her big eyes revealing a strong anticipation.

"Hmph hmph, don't be surprised after hearing this!"

Zun Zun's growth this time can be said to be a leap in strength, and she has every right to be proud. After telling the story of 'God Slayer,' it elicited the exclamations she expected.

"Is that so, no wonder."

"What's wrong, Aqua?"

"It's nothing, because I smelled a twisted aura on Zun Zun's body, so I felt a little strange. I didn't expect it was because of such a reason."

That's right!

Aqua is also a goddess, and Gods of Disobedience and God Slayers are natural enemies, so she also——

"No, although I feel a little uncomfortable, it's not enough to start a fight. After all, Zun Zun hasn't changed her race to become undead."

"…Is that so."

It's unknown whether she was too fixated on the undead, or whether it was because her true form descended differently from the Gods of Disobedience, but in short, she didn't seem to be upset with Zun Zun.

"Um… Mr. Kazuma? Why are you looking at me with that kind of gaze? You look like you're thinking of bad things, it's scary."

Aqua shrank back a little, feeling a little scared.

"It's nothing, I was wondering what kind of authority I could usurp if I killed Aqua?"

"Don't say that with a smile on your face!"

"Look, this is a good thing for you, Aqua. See, I can get the original cheat, and you can return to the heavens, isn't it killing two birds with one stone?"

"W-Wait a moment! Don't come over… don't come over!"

Kazuma Sato approached the idiot goddess step by step with a dangerous smile on his face, while Aqua hid behind Darkness in fear.

"Kazuma, you…"

"Mr. Kazuma, that's too much."

"To think you're thinking of killing your own companion, Kazuma, you really are a fiendish and lewd man!"

The companions condemned him one after another.

Even Sheffina showed a look of rejection, seeming puzzled as to why Darkness would like such scum.

Seeing that he was misunderstood, Kazuma Sato quickly explained, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! …W-Wait, wait, I'm really kidding! Didn't Zun Zun just say that besides defeating a god, there's also some kind of ritual? How could I, who doesn't understand the ritual, do such a thing to Aqua?"

"What if Zun Zun knew the ritual?"

"…"

The dinner table fell into an eerie silence.

"Unbelievable! This guy is actually hesitating!"

"Mr. Kazuma is too much…"

Megumin and Yunyun had expressions of disgust and disappointment, respectively.

Aqua even whispered:

"Fiend, lewd, scum!"

"——What does it have to do with being a fiend and lewd, be careful, or I'll really kill you!"

"You don't deny that you're scum, though."

This guy!

Kazuma Sato had never had such a strong desire to send Aqua back to the heavens.