" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

Knight: ... Don't think you'll be treated this cordially forever. I'll ask again... Satou-Dono, you dropkicked a passing priest who has done nothing to provoke you yesterday. Do you deny this ?

Kazuma: I do not.

Knight: ... Right, so you, upon seeing the back of the head of a passing priest, was seized with the uncontrollable urge to dropkick her. However, the priest detected your presence and turned around, causing you to kick her right in the face instead. In other words, you did it on a whim. Is that right ?

Kazuma: That's exactly the case.

Knight: ... that priest is the same person that Lady Dustiness asked me to thoroughly investigate a few days ago. Does that have anything to do with that matter ?

Kazuma: It doesn't... Probably...

Knight: You piece of shit, do you think i'm some sort of inept retard ?! We have been looking into that priest too ! Do you really think that excuse will work on me ?!

Kazuma: S- Stop ! Using violence during interrogations is against the law ! Get me a lawyer ! I can afford it, so get me a lawyer !

Knight: Satou-dono, you're speaking to a knight of Axel ! One in charge of managing this police station ! Naturally, I'm well aware of the odd atmosphere that has taken over this town as of late ! You know something about this, right !? You might have a bad reputation, but even someone like you wouldn't kick a woman for no reason ! Considering your actions in the past, you must know something ! Now, out with it! What are you hiding !? What is happening to this town !?

Kazuma: I- I know nothing ! S- Stop ! You're a knight of a lower standing than House Dustiness, right ?! I'll tattle on you ! I'll tell Darkness that you did some unspeakable sexual things to me !

Knight: H- hey, don't fabricate things ! In the first place, Lady Dustiness is well known for being just. I know she's in the same party as you, but she wouldn't unjustly exercise her power just because of that. Too bad for you ! And besides, Windings sir already warned us to never listen to stuff like that from you ! Just wait here, i'll go fetch the lie-detecting magic item !

Guard: I- I beg your pardon !

Knight: What is it ?! i'm busy right now ! This man keeps replying with empty platitudes... !

Guard: well... Lady Dustiness and Windings sir asked for his release...

Knight: ... Huh ?!

Knight: Why are they here ? Tell them that I shall see them after I find out what this man is hiding. Satou-dono is a fairly accomplished adventurer, so a stay in the detention cells should suffice; I shell give them a detailed report after I'm done.

Guard: Th- The thing is...

"Just let us in, for Eris' sake, we won't get anywhere if things keep going at that snail's pace... Ow..."

Darkness: Stop moving around so much. To think even Aqua could not completely heal you...

Kazuma: L- Lalatina-sama ! Windings-sama !

"Hands where I can see them, Kazuma."

Darkness: H- hey, I told you not to call me Lalatina ! ... Ahem. My apologies. So, did you learn anything from him ?

Knight: this man clearly knows something, but has told me nothing but a stream of excuses like having struck her out of irritation or for fun... please wait for a moment. I'll rip out whatever it is that this man is hiding... !

"the problem has already been resolved, so there is no need to detain him any further. I'll handle the paperwork later, so please release him. This will be written of as a feud between two adventurers for the time being."

Knight: I- I... Umm, well... Are you certain, sir ? The other party didn't lodge any reports yet, so there's no issues with this, but... You're usually so unforgiving about his offenses...

"Did I stutter ? Trust me, there will be no reports ever filed by the other party about that matter. Now leave us alone."

Knight: I... You... V- Very well, sir.

Darkness: ... ... To think all the matter about Celestina was that serious... I can't believe someone that dangerous was just lurking under our noses...

Kazuma: Yeah, it was... W- Wait, how do you know... Don't tell me you told them about her ?! What will you do if the city ends up getting cursed !

"You've been quite out of the loop lately, haven't you ? Well, I think it's time you know what exactly happened after you heroically dropkicked that Demon King's general."

Darkness: K- Kazuma ?! What has gotten into you ?!

"... Well, didn't things take a good turn. Aqua, remind me, a curse would have no effect on you, no matter who laid it ?"

Aqua: Well, yes, but...

"Great. Cast your strongest curse-warding spell on me, and take kazuma away from here."

Serena: Urg... That little... I never thought he'd have the balls to do that...

"That's something you learn about Kazuma, he's someone you should never push to his last resorts. You're looking worse for wear, Serena-sama, how about we take a nice walk together ?"

Celestina: Gh... Hrm. I would be most delighted to do so. Really, I don't know what suddenly got into him, to do something like that...

"Ah, don't pay it too much attention, really. That's things you need to get used to around him, sometimes he acts without thinking... or after tinking way too much. Of course, I trust someone as patient and scheming as you wouldn't hold it against him, would you ?"

Celestina: ... So this is the game you're playing, are you ?

"You're not the only one who can put on a facade smile, dear. This businessman could have a thing or two to teach you about puppetry. Now let's just keep it calm and composed. You wouldn't want people to be suspicious of you, huh ? I mean, more than they already are with what's being said."

Celestina: You son of a- That was you ?! Of all things, you had to spread the rumors that I'm actually a man ! You even mixed in bits of truth like how my voice occasionally breaks... ! Thanks to you, several people even asked me about it directly ! There were even a few who said they'd prefer it if I was a man... Just what is wrong with this town ?! You bastard... I'll fucking kill you !

"Well, that mask of yours sure didn't last long, did it ? There are people watching, so i'm sure you don't want things to get more ambiguous than they already are."

Celestina: ... I should say that to you. Taking me through a bunch of back-alleys, were you perhaps trying to distance me from my followers ? You've been very careful to take a turn every time you saw them, so perhaps you didn't notice, I was the one leading you whenever I wanted.

"Oh, are you referring to that dead-end over there ? Yes, surely someone like Kazuma would be in quite a difficult situation, a demon King's general to his side, a wall at the front and the crowd following us blocking the only way out. But Kazuma already did his part, making you angry enough with these rumors and that dropkick so you'd lower your guard."

Celestina: All these adventurers are under my spell, what can you possibly have in mind that-

Vanir: Welcome ! We have been awaiting you, dear customers ! The weather is nice today, so Moi and the shopkeeper have decided to set up an open air store here !

Wiz: Ah, welcome ! It's just like Vanir-san said, we've gotten customers even in such a place !

Celestina: E- Eh ?!

"Hm, so very nice to see you here. But something's off, are you okay, Wiz ? Smoke is coming out of your head, you know ?"

Wiz: Vanir-san went off the handle just now, saying 'I just got rid of the Bug Killerin, and you brought in another bunch of weird stuff !'... But don't worry. I just drank some sugar water earlier, so my body will automatically heal up. Even if the worst comes to worst, I can just drink some water from anywhere... Ah, that's Vanir-san's recommended item for the day.

Celestina: ... Hey, Vanir, what's the meaning of this ?! Are you still not satisfied after taking all the money that I had on hand ?! What are you doing setting up shop at the end of a dead alley like that ?! Just how much did you foresee this time ?!

Vanir: Fuhahahaha ! Now, now, there's no need to be angry. Right now, my job is to earn money, so Moi shall appear at any place that smells of money, and when my Dear Associate here told said he'd bring a large gathering of customers over, I knew it was a great opportunity ! Worry not, Moi has prepared items that would be of great benefit to the both of you. So, would you like to take a look ?

"Why, it would be my pleasure, I know the quality of your products first-hand after all, especially what I sometimes commission from you."

Vanir: of course, dear associate, and just for today, I have some incredible items on sale. First is this ! This is a contract that states that Moi will not interfere no matter what you're plotting in this town-

Celestina: Give it to me !! Hehe, this is a first come, first served sort of thing, isn't it ? Vanir, how much is this ?

Vanir: 730,330 Eris.

Celestina: All of my money again ?! I only just managed to save up this much, you piece of shit !

Vanir: Thank you for your patronage ! As for you, dear associate, I believe I have what you needed at the ready.

Celestina: hey hold on, what's that all about ?! What's that about you planning everything like that ?! Don't tell me you were hoping to fight me three on one ?!

"Who do you take me for, a follower of the minor Goddess Regina ? I don't send others do the dirty work for me."

Celestina: You fucker, don't you call Regina-sama a minor Goddess ! I'll fucking kill you !

"So uncivilized. I'm just playing by your rules, and your own stipulations. After all, should I face you head-on, without help from Vanir or Wiz, then you would fight me as a Demon King's general, those were you own words. And now i'm here. So, ditch the crowd, they won't be of any help to you, and, well... Let's dance !"