" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

Megumin: Iris, it ran towards your side ! Be careful not to let it pinch your fingers, alright ?!

Iris: I understand, please leave it to me! Ah, there is another lobster between the gaps of the rocks !

"Can someone tell me what we're doing right now ? Or rather what these two are trying to pull ?"

Kazuma: I'm... Just as lost as you, honestly...

"We're not even a day away from Elroad, why are the kids looking for lobsters in a river ?!"

Kazuma: Why are you asking me ?

Darkness: Megumin, this lobster is a bit small, do we really want to eat it ? Isn't this still a baby lobster ? Ah, owowowow...

Megumin: That's not a baby lobster. Since it doesn't live in the wide ocean, but in a narrow river, this lobster won't grow any bigger. Oh, you can't escape ! With this, I've gotten four !

Aqua: Hey, I have something I want to say...

"Don't bother. they're catching lobsters, not crayfishes, alright ? It's the high-class cuisine that is suitable for a princess, "lobsters". Got it ?"

Kazuma: I was a bit worried when she talked about something she'd eat back at her village...

Megumin: Maybe it's because not a lot of people pass through here, but we got a big catch ! Tonight's dinner will be a feast !

Iris: This is the first time I've gathered food ingredients ! So there are also ways like this to enjoy cooking !

Darkness: M- Megumin, can you get this thing off me... At some point, it bit on my toe...

"... I mean, crayfishes are good. Not really a luxurious ingredient, but still..."

Aqua: Since the royalty had put a variety of ingredients in the fridge, it would be a waste not to use them. I'll go prepare something.

Kazuma: Don't run away on your own. If you do, then the burden of each and every one of us increases.

Megumin: Now Iris, pay attention alright ? Allow me to show you my skill in cooking as well !

Iris: Yes, I'll be in your care !

Megumin: Usually, you'd let the crayfish sit in water for one night to expunge the dirt, but since these ones were caught in a fairly clean river, there wouldn't be any issues if we eat it as it is.

Iris: I will study hard !

Megumin: Now then, first, we'll remove pungent smell of the cray- Lobster. To do that, we'll submerge it in sake... Uhm, ah, this should be fine.

"... ... Kazuma, I think this is quite the pricey sake, isn't it ?"

Kazuma: Yes, and I believe remembering someone was looking forward to drinking it.

Megumin: If you leave it here like this for a while, the pungent smell will be removed and replaced with a fine aroma; Now then, during this time, we'll prepare for the next step...

Iris: Ah, I did everything on my own, didn't I ? as for preparations, this should be fine, then...

Megumin: Kazuma has been on cooking duty all the time recently, you see ? Occasionally, I want everyone to eat the food I cooked myself. Alright Iris, help divide the dishes ok ?

Iris: Ah, I understand ! Sorry, I was staring absentmindedly and...

Megumin: Is that so ? Since you were looking at your leader's amazing prowess, I guess it can't be helped ! Now now, I'll divide the dishes, so Iris, go wash your hands.

"... What exactly would you mean by 'leader' ?"

Megumin: Nothing at all.

Darkness: ... tasty. The fresh flavor of the lobster we caught seeped into the soup, so it has a rich taste. On top of that, the remaining earthly taste in the lobster is a good match for the salt-grill, so it doesn't make me feel unpleasant at all. But ultimately, this... !

'I'm almost feeling bad for her that it's crayfish and not actually lobster...'

Kazuma: 'You're still not telling her ?'

'I said almost'

Aqua: Hey Kazuma, I want to eat some toad today, so I'll go and fry some toad from the fridge. You can have my share.

Kazuma: My late grandfather died as he was expecting the fields of the farm, when he was attacked by a large mob of crayfish. After that, I decided that I would no longer eat shellfish. So that's why you can have my share, Aqua.

Aqua: ... Do you think you can deceive the eyes of a God ? I know that when you were sent to the hospital after almost getting run over by the tractor, your grandfather jumped from his seat and rushed there you know ? Also, didn't you eat those snow crimson crabs a while back ?

Kazuma: Like you're one to talk ?! What do you mean by "I want to eat some toad" ? After being eaten by toads so many times, how could you possibly be enthusiastic about eating it ?!

"Are you guys being picky eaters here ?"

Kazuma: What about-

"You were graciously given food, now the least you could do is appreciate both the food and effort that was put in to get it in your plate."

Kazuma: Since when are you so against us wasting food ?!

Megumin: Hey, if you have some complaints about the secret dish of my clan, why don't we hear it ?

Aqua: W- We were just messing around, of course we'll eat it.

Kazuma: Ah, we were just a bit too merry about this. This shrimp looks pretty tasty, so let me try it...

Aqua: ... Hm, this is actually not bad. Hey Kazuma, I can eat your portion as well if you don't mind. For this trip, I even prepared a bottle of expensive sake. I was looking for something to accompany it anyway, so you can leave your portion to me.

"... Well, all that's left is to see which one regrets it faster..."

Kazuma: What's that about "Which one" ? ... Oho, this is pretty tasty. The shell has been grilled quite nicely as well, and the crayfish broth that has seeped into the soup makes it amazingly tasty. As expected of a secret recipe, sorry about my lack of respect for cray- lobster dishes.

Megumin: It was just a joke when I said "secret recipe". Well, above all, i'm glad that you're happy with it.

Kazuma: ... Ah...

Aqua: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH !!

"So the answer was both..."

Kazuma: ... Hey, guys... This trip is just to meet the little brat that Iris is engaged to right ? Then it wouldn't be a problem to go back immediately after seeing him, right ?

"That's... You know what, that's actually something I've been wondering about... This isn't just some planned marriage meeting, is it ? If it was the case, there would be no need for us to take such precautions to go in secret..."

Darkness: What are you talking about, Kazuma... And especially when the war against the Demon King army is intensifying... I'll be honest with you both, this visit is to ask for reinforcements from the neighboring country.

"Reinforcements... ? Has the situation on the frontlines changed to ask for that ?"

Darkness: That's not exactly that. Requests like that has been sent to all the nations a long time ago. Since Belzerg is the only nation which borders the Demon King army's territory, if we were to be defeated, then the line of defense would be broken, and the weaker nations would immediately be overrun. Because of that, the surrounding counties regularly send elite troops as reinforcements.

Darkness: However, the nation of Elroad is the only exception. Since it was a nation that was established on casinos, their military forces are weak. As a result, instead of reinforcements, they send us financial support. The majority of our security expenses are covered by this country.

Kazuma: I see. So Elroad's kind of a smaller country ? Their shouldn't be a lot of guards then...

"Don't think about it, Kazuma. If you only consider a country's strength as its military might, you're in the wrong. Elroad's powerful enough to request an arranged marriage with the first princess of Belzerg. I mean, you know first-hand the power money holds, don't you ?"

Kazuma: ... But how is that related to what we're doing now ? Why now out of all times ?

Darkness: Didn't I tell you that the war with the demon King army has been intensifying , But there's another reason behind this truth, and that is because we've defeated too many of their generals

"Are you implying they're trying to get revenge for that ?"

Darkness: No, and it's actually quite the opposite... The Demon King's army has become flustered, so to speak. After all, the generals that have been undefeated until now are being slain one after another. To add onto that, we are not only increasing our defenses against them, we also started to counterattack. However, since Elroad is currently undergoing financial difficulties, rather than providing funds for attacking, they're planning to stop the defense funding. Thus, in place of the King and the Prince who are currently commanding on the frontlines, Lady Iris, who is also a member of royalty, has been sent here as a representative.

"I see... So they're sending Iris to cajole her fiancé in order to get the funding..."

Darkness: That is a... Crude way to put it, but it's about right... My country has good relationship with Elroad for a long time. As a militant nation that is estranged with financial matters, our relationship with the financially robust but militarily weak nation of Elroad could be said to be a give and take relationship. Regardless of Elroad's financial struggles from now on, this visit is crucial to my nation, and might even decide the fate of the world, so don't do anything unnecessary, alright ?

'Sooooo... Keep Megumin away, tie Aqua up... And as for Kazuma, I'll devise once we get there...'

Kazuma: ... I get it. It's something for the sake of the world and its people, right ? i'm also an adventurer that fights against the Demon king's army, so at times like this, I wouldn't do anything selfish. I know that it's pointless for me to meddle in this manner, so you can rest assured, ok ?

Darkness: ... ... ...

"... ... ..."

Kazuma: Hey, you guys, what are these stares supposed to mean ? Are you doubting me ?

"With every cell in my body. You just uttered 'For the sake of the world and its people', so I can't bring myself to believe your words are selfless."

Darkness: ... Well, fine. Once we arrive at Elroad's castle down, we can take our time to rest. After all, there's no need to go meet immediately after arriving. First we'll take a day to rest. Everything comes after that.

"Right, right. We'll have many things to discuss over once we get to that point."

Kazuma: ... 'You think I don't see you ? You were conspiring with Rain to make me take a sleeping drug before we left...'

Megumin: Kazuma Kazuma, look ! We can see Elroad !

Aqua: Ahahahaha ! That's it ! I've always wanted to come here, to the great nation of casinos, Elroad !