4,606Naruto silently closed his door, with Kiki following him like a shadow.
It was early in the morning, and the shinobi decided he'd rather not face the Crusader after last night's… events.
He considered spending the day meditating in his guest room to see what Sylvia had to offer regarding the Kitsune magic, but ultimately decided against it since the memories were still fresh on his mind.
Needless to say, he was a little distracted.
'It is thoughts such as those, master of mine, that are the source of this one's doubts when you insist the Crusader is not your mate.'
'Please, Kiki… Let's just leave it alone for today, okay?'
Naruto let out a sigh as they descended the staircase. The servants seemed to be preparing the mansion for the day, as some were opening the curtains, while others stood in huddles to go over the day's action plan.
It was then Naruto passed the kitchen, and he spotted a mop of brown hair sitting at the table.
"Oh, good morning Kazuma. I didn't expect you to be up this early."
"Eh? O-oh, yeah… I suppose you normally wake up around this hour."
Kazuma stammered, quickly averting his gaze. The truth was, he hadn't actually slept at all the night before. But there was no way he would admit that.
It couldn't be helped! He had preparations to make with his plans to capture the thieves!
Well, that and snacks tasted better at three in the morning. It was something that he'd carried on from his former NEET days.
'Oh yeah, Darkness didn't tell Naruto that I was watching him through the mirror… Did she?'
Kazuma decided to sneak a look at the shinobi, but there wasn't a shred of anger on his face. But that wasn't much of a relief, since the prankster was hard to read at times.
In reality, Naruto was in fact resisting the urge to snicker. He sat down at the table across from his friend without making any sort of indication. Let the guy suffer a little.
"How goes the investigation? Need any help?"
"No thank you. I have pinpointed the exact area the thieves are going to enter. I even made sure any other areas that were vulnerable were reinforced."
Kazuma stated with his nose held high. He refused to ask the ninja for any help this time around, and so far, everything was going smoothly. Now, all he had to do was freeload in this villa until the thieves showed up.
Even if they didn't, he had a case to argue that they didn't show up because of the improved defenses.
His plan was to offer to improve the security of all of the noble houses in the capital, while using the royal palace as his base of operations! So either way, he was set for success!
"Wooow… I guess even Lazyma can get stuff done."
"Wha-! I'll have you know I'm a hard worker! I just lack motivation!"
"Yeah yeah, I know. I was just joking. Hahaha!"
Naruto waved the angry teen off, his laughter finally breaking through. But he just couldn't help himself, the guy's face was priceless!
'You won't be laughing when I earn more Iris points…'
Kazuma thought while gritting his teeth.
"Hey, you should be grateful that I got us into this place! You're planning something, right? Have you found anything yet?"
"Yeah… But I'll update you later after I confirm some things."
Naruto replied after making sure there weren't any servants close by. They weren't talking loud, but it was still early in the morning so the villa was very quiet.
"Alderp really seems to love your ramen. You could always sell him the recipe or something in exchange for that person. Such deals are made all the time in a medieval setting like this."
Kazuma suggested with a shrug.
"I thought about it… But somehow, I don't think it'll be enough."
Naruto smiled sadly as he stood up and turned to leave, earning a strange look from his fellow adventurer.
"Are you going out?"
"Yeah… Let's just say it would be in everyone's interest if I stayed away from Darkness today."
"Ah…"
Kazuma didn't ask for details as the shinobi left, but not before noticing the pointed look Kiki was giving him before she followed her master out the door.
His face paled.
Naruto definitely knew.
"Oh, by the way. Did you and Megumin make up?"
The shinobi popped his head back in and asked, startling his fellow teen.
"Eh? Oh, umm… Yeah. We spoke last night over our usual scenic walk. She was conflicted over something stupid, so I talked some sense into her."
Kazuma replied while rubbing the back of his head.
"Hehe… Kazuma's such a softy."
Naruto flashed a foxy grin before finally taking his leave.
"M-meddlesome ninja!"
Kazuma barked before looking out a nearby window. It irked him how much his friend seemed to know him.
The sun was just rising over the horizon, giving the garden a soft glow. It felt like they'd fully transitioned into Spring, as the trees were covered in vibrant green leaves that gently swayed in the morning breeze.
'Hm?'
Naruto's eyes caught a flash of pink on the other side of the fence, and upon closer inspection, his face lit up in recognition.
"Yunyun!"
"Fweh!?"
Yunyun, who seemed to be pacing back and forth whilst in deep thought, jumped upon hearing the shinobi's voice call out to her.
"G-good morning, Naruto-san!"
"I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to show up… What are you doing out here?"
Naruto asked when he realized the girl must have been standing out here for quite some time now, as her backpack had been placed against a nearby wall. Couple that with her pacing…
"Oh, umm… I was actually just debating if I should have brought a gift as thanks for the hospitality. B-but then I thought you would be against it, as I am of course! It just… Seems proper to offer a gift to your host. Also, I was beginning to doubt if I should even be here since I just disappeared during the party…"
Yunyun trailed off as the memories of the banquet filled her head, causing the girl to look down at her feet and blush.
"Yeah… Sorry about the party, Yunyun. But just know, your place is always at my side no matter what. After all, we're party members!"
Naruto declared while scratching at his whisker marks.
"T-thank you, Naruto-san…"
Yunyun replied, and the two stood in silence for a moment.
Wanting to move past the embarrassing topic as quickly as possible, the Crimson Demon pointed towards the villa.
"I-I was surprised when they told me you were all staying here to look out for the thieves… What are you going to do, by the way? Since, you know…"
When she returned to the capital, Claire had filled her in on the details. Naruto was technically one of the thieves the nobles were looking for, even if he'd only been involved in one of those thefts.
Yunyun narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Naruto-san only helped that one time?"
"O-of course! I told you everything that night, I swear!"
Naruto held his hands while under the Crimson Demon's scary gaze. He needed to catch Yunyun up on everything that happened, but he really didn't want to hang around until Darkness finally woke up and came looking for him.
"B-but anyways, we probably shouldn't talk about it here. Want to go out and explore the capital with me?"
"Eh?"
Yunyun blinked, surprised at the turn of events.
Was she being invited out… By a friend!?
Seeing the girl's bewildered expression, Naruto turned back to the villa and grimaced.
"I would understand if you'd rather hangout here with the others, but I was looking forward to exploring the city with you-"
"I want to go! I really want to go out into the city with you, Naruto-san!"
Yunyun insisted, her eyes glowing fiercely.
"Two please!"
"Thank you for your business!"
Naruto, now sporting his adventuring outfit, walked back to Yunyun with a pair of what he was told was Kraken takoyaki in his hands. As it turned out, she had brought the Sealing Scroll that contained his gear.
Thank goodness too, since he was beginning to get a little tired of all the fancy outfits. While the Symphonia battle suit was an exception, most of the tuxedos he'd been given were way too restrictive of his movements.
"Alcanretia sold this stuff too, I wonder which one's better?"
Naruto wondered aloud after handing his friend a large fried ball on a stick. The price was almost the same too… But that was to be expected in a large city like this.
"Ah, the Axis Cultists are usually lying when they say their food contains things like Dragon meat or Kraken…"
Yunyun trailed off when she saw the mortified look growing on Naruto's face. The sheer look of disappointment the boy was making was almost too pitiful to bear.
"I-I was just kidding! It was a bad joke I read in a book! Yeah, l-let's see who cooks this Kraken better! Thank you for this meal!"
"Oh, I see… Ohhh! This is amazing! Sorry Aqua, but the capital has your members beat!"
Naruto gushed and proceeded to chomp down the rest of his snack, prompting the mage to sigh in relief.
'Even Naruto has his innocent moments…'
But the takoyaki really was good. As expected of the royal capital.
Yunyun offered a piece to Kiki, but the Kitsune simply sniffed the fried food and looked away indignantly.
"I guess Kiki doesn't like takoyaki."
Naruto chuckled awkwardly as Yunyun's form froze over in dejection.
'This one prefers the grilled fish that mine master so graciously provides. All other forms of sustenance are irrelevant.'
Kiki affirmed with a nod.
"I-I see…"
Yunyun blinked when she realized something.
"Wait, how is Kiki able to talk!? Isn't she suppressing Sylvia!?"
"Oh yeah, about that… Kurama managed to filter out the Orc's influence on Sylvia, so now she's completely normal! Isn't that great?"
Naruto explained with a grin, but the mage's face grew concerned.
"Naruto-san… I was going to ask this at the castle, but just how close have you gotten to Sylvia during your time here? They didn't do anything to you while Kiki wasn't around, did they?"
While it was relieving to hear that Sylvia was no longer an active threat to any woman who approached Naruto, it was honestly alarming just how nonchalantly the blonde was acting when referring to the former Demon King Army General.
"Nah, Sylvia's harmless! In fact, she's been telling me lots of important information on the Demon King's army. I'm learning about their strategies, and she says she might even be able to help me learn some of Kiki's magic! Although I'm not sure what her price is gonna be this time…"
Naruto rubbed his chin as he considered what the Chimera would demand next. So far, all Sylvia seemed to want was to simply spend time with him and talk. Surely the price this time wouldn't be bad?
"..."
If Yunyun wasn't concerned before, she was definitely concerned now! Naruto was talking about their former enemy as if they were an old friend!
Was the spirit affecting his head? How long would it be until Naruto was too far gone!?
Seeing the anxious look on Yunyun's face, Naruto gently pat the girl on the head.
"Look, I can understand your hesitation. After all, Sylvia waged war on your clan for a while. But I promise, it's fine. I'm fine."
"If Naruto-san says it's fine, then okay…
Yunyun finally said, and they silently finished their snack while watching the increasingly busy streets.
The royal capital really was vast, with towering white stone walls that gleamed in the sunlight. Majestic spires and gilded rooftops rose above the skyline, each structure grander as they approached the towering palace in the heart of the city.
Naruto smiled as he spotted the window of Iris's room. He hoped the princess wasn't feeling too lonely up there.
"I bet Naruto-san could open a food stand here and make a lot of money."
Yunyun noted as she finished her takoyaki, earning a hum from the shinobi.
"Maybe. But it's more fun to cook for my friends."
With their snacks finished, Naruto and Yunyun trekked along the cobblestone streets. They wove through the markets, which were filled with vibrant wares and street performers.
"Anything catch your eye? I'll buy you something."
Naruto asked and held up a Kaeru-chan, which was filled to the brim with coins. It was the reward money he'd been awarded after the Demon King Army attack the previous week.
While the prospect of receiving a gift from a friend filled Yunyun with excitement, she forced it down in favor of getting back on track. There were a lot of questions that needed to be answered.
"M-maybe… But first, there's a couple things that I've been meaning to ask you, Naruto-san."
"Ah… I figured this was coming. Okay, ask me anything, Yunyun!"
Naruto flashed a foxy grin and gave the girl a thumbs up.
They went into a park and found a table in the corner. While there were people walking around, they were far enough away to where they could comfortably talk without fear of being overheard.
"O-okay… Have you found anything in Alderp's villa?"
Yunyun really wanted to ask about his recent developments with Claire, but this was a little more important.
"Yes, and no… I know that my other Succubus friend is being kept there; I used Sage Mode to confirm it. But I haven't been able to find anything to help me expose Alderp… It's actually kinda frustrating."
"I see… Why haven't you saved her then? Naruto-san is excellent at breaking and entering, I have little doubt you could sneak her out without getting caught. That's something you were trained to do back in… Your home country, isn't it?"
It was still baffling to think that her friend was from a different world, but she was getting used to the idea. After all, it certainly explained why he was so powerful despite being a beginner adventurer when they first met.
"I want to… I really do. It's been eating away at me not being able to do anything. But she's under some kind of mind control magic. I tried breaking Ero-senin out of his, but I couldn't, and it's not like I could ask Aqua or Cecily to break the spell. They'd purify her along with the curse… Besides, even if I busted her out now, it would seem really suspicious if one of Alderp's maids went missing while I was staying there."
Naruto explained, his shoulders slumping in defeat. This was the conclusion he'd come to when going over potential action plans the night before.
No, what he needed to do was find evidence on the devil Alderp was contracted with and expose the man. They could dispose of the demon, or at the very least disrupt whatever contract they had, and that should free Morrigan.
"I see… Yeah, that makes sense."
Yunyun bit her nail as she wracked her head for any potential ideas, but ultimately came to the same frustrating conclusion.
But then a thought occurred to her.
"Naruto-san didn't run into the devil back in Axel. Why was that?"
"Hm? Yeah, I found that weird too. I figured Alderp must have been keeping it close to him and brought it to the capital…"
Naruto trailed off.
That didn't add up, since both he and Aqua didn't sense a powerful demonic signature in the villa.
Seeing the change in the ninja's expression, Yunyun smirked.
"That could only mean one of two things: either the devil happens to be back in Axel now, which is unlikely, or-"
"It has a way to avoid being detected and is at the villa right now!"
Naruto snapped his fingers when he pieced it together, earning a nod from the Crimson Demon.
If this was true, then they had a chance!
"I gotta get in his room somehow… It's the only place he could be hiding the demon, along with my friend. But that bastard is always in there, unless we're eating dinner…"
"Maybe I can create a distraction? I can pick a fight with Megumin, and knowing her, she'll cause a lot of trouble. Naruto-san can sneak in while Alderp is trying to keep his villa from being destroyed by Explosion magic."
Yunyun suggested, causing Naruto's face to pale.
"A distraction sounds like a good idea, but I'd rather not give Darkness a heart attack…"
He could only imagine how the Crusader would react if she found out the act was so he could break into the noble's room.
"We can figure something out, but speaking of Darkness-san… How did such rumors between you, Darkness-san, and Claire-san come about? I heard some of the servants talking about you three when I came back."
Yunyun's eyes glowed ominously as she inquired about the "Forbidden Love Triangle".
Naruto averted his gaze. He definitely knew this was coming. Might as well tell the truth now, otherwise it would bite him in the butt later if Megumin brought it up to make fun of him or brag to Yunyun or something.
. . .
"Naruto-san is an idiot."
"Guh… I know I deserve that, but it really hurts to hear that from you, Yunyun."
Naruto wept crocodile tears as he rested his forehead on the table. It was painful, but he stayed true to his promise. Unfortunately, now Yunyun was definitely going to think less of him.
"It's okay, I'm starting to understand how Naruto-san thinks now. I'm just happy to know that you're going to ask Wiz out when we go home!"
Yunyun chirped, a cheerful smile etched on her face. Although it did bother her that he spoke to Megumin about this kind of thing before her.
"Eh? No… I said I was thinking about asking her out when we go-"
"Hm? Did Naruto-san say something an idiot would say again?"
"...No."
Naruto didn't dare talk back to the mage, not when she was smiling like that.
"But still… To think Cecily-san had the courage to k-k-kiss you like that in public. Are you sure it was on the cheek?"
What did she mean "are you sure"? How dumb did she think he was?
Hang on, this was all wrong! Why was he backed into a corner like this? They were talking about his love life. These were HIS choices to be made!
"Naruto-san? It was on the cheek, right?"
"Yes."
Naruto confirmed without missing a beat, earning a satisfied nod from the Crimson Demon.
He missed the nice and shy Yunyun… This Yunyun was mean and scary! Especially when it came to Wiz!
"Okay, I'll have to keep an eye out for Cecily-san… I'm not really worried about Aqua-san, who's too prideful to ever admit anything. We've already gone through this with Darkness-san, so unless Naruto-san has some kind of weird awakening, then we should be fine… Claire-san might prove to be a problem though, as she's relatively normal compared to the others. As for Luna-san, I don't think there will be any developments as long as we can keep the interactions at the guild to a minimum…"
Yunyun muttered under her breath as she furiously scribbled into her notebook.
"Hey, apologize to Aqua and Darkness. Also, why does everyone keep saying I'm having some sort of weird awakening just because I'm becoming better friends with Darkness? Also also, why are you bringing up Luna-chan? She's only ever helped me at the guild and with my etiquette training."
Naruto raised an eyebrow when his party member put her notebook down and placed a hand on his shoulder. Was that… pity on her face?
"It's okay, Naruto-san… Just focus on Wiz-san. I'll take care of the rest."
"...?"
Naruto didn't really get it, but somehow, he felt like he should be offended right now.
"M-moving on then… Is there anything else you'd like to know?"
"Mmm… I think that was it. Unless there's anything else Naruto-san would like to share? Such as the reasoning behind everyone thinking you're having a weird awakening?"
Yunyun asked with a charming smile, and Naruto realized he had completely fallen into that one himself.
'Damn my big mouth…!'
Naruto sighed. He had come this far, might as well tell her about yesterday as well.
. . .
"Naruto-san truly is comparable to Megumin levels of stupidity!"
"W-wait, Yunyun… It looks like you're about to cast magic!"
The mage's intense gaze bore down on the shinobi, her hands crackling with electricity as she stood over him, a fierce determination blazing in her eyes. Gone was the timid girl who usually stammered her way through conversations; this was Yunyun in full fury.
Even Kiki cowered under the table, unwilling to face her wrath.
But she had to understand that Darkness was mostly at fault for the training, and the whole bath prank! Darkness had been the one making fun of him, and how was he supposed to anticipate her falling through the mirror and flipping out on him like that!?
Seeing no other options, Kiki dared to interject.
'I-if this one may be so bold, Crimson Demon… mine master has a most splendid plan in the works to expose the corrupt nobleman…'
This seemed to get Yunyun's attention, and her eyes softened upon seeing the fearful Kitsune.
Straightening herself, Yunyun crossed her arms. Although her fury had been doused a tad, the glow in her eyes remained as she turned back to the ninja.
"I-I would like to know what sort of plan involves Naruto-san turning into a woman to give Kazuma-san and Alderp a free show. Honestly, this must be that thing's influence… I must have another conversation with father to instill more laws in our village."
"Please don't create any more ridiculous laws about my stupid mentor. Anyways, my plan is…"
Naruto began, but immediately turned to Kiki for further support.
'What plan!? I was just going to bait those two perverts before turning into an Orc at the last second to make them suffer!'
'Y-yes, but mine master surely foresaw the ripples that such a prank would ensue on such a hopeless noble? Just last night, this one overheard him requesting the services of your Succubus friend to dream of your alter-ego!'
…Wait a second. Alderp did what now?
'Indeed. He said: "I-is it really okay to make this request?", to which your Succubus responded with: "Of course, since it's only a dream".'
Suppressing the urge to throw up, Naruto coughed into his hand before properly facing his party member. Although he didn't actually have a plan that extended farther than the bath, Kiki had given him this chance to evade Yunyun's wrath.
So, he just had to go with the flow.
"I plan to make Alderp fall in love with my female counterpart."
"..."
Yunyun's face fell into that of complete and utter disbelief.
Did she hear that right? Naruto was planning to make another man fall in love with him? He seemed serious about it.
"...Okay, I understand."
"You do? That's a relief-"
"Yes, I must eradicate your mentor from this world for filling your mind with such nonsense."
Yunyun was completely calm as she made an incredible declaration, and she walked towards an open space in the park to start preparing her Teleport spell.
"Where is it being kept again? Alderp's mansion in Axel? Don't worry, Naruto-san. I'll be back by noon."
"W-wait a second! Are you about to run off to commit an act of terrorism!? Don't be a Megumin!"
–After stopping the mage from committing a crime, Naruto sat back down and released a sigh.
He was honestly surprised at how wilful Yunyun was today, but that was a good thing all things considered.
It was funny though, because that had given him enough time to come up with a plan that actually sounded pretty decent.
"Anyways… My totally serious and not at all a joke plan will achieve two things: First, it'll take Alderp's eyes off you girls, especially Darkness who he seems to be obsessed with for some reason. Second, it'll help get him to let his guard down while we're in the villa. Hopefully, he might even try to invite me into his bedroom willingly…"
"Although I understand Naruto-san's motives, just hearing that you want another man to invite you into his chambers is a little…"
Yunyun chimed in, causing the shinobi's face to heat up.
"To talk! It'll be nothing more than just to talk, Yunyun!"
Naruto took a second to calm himself before continuing.
"Originally, I was going to try and barter with Alderp to get him to release my friend… He seems to like my ramen a lot, you see. Even Kazuma suggested selling my recipe in exchange for her freedom. But somehow, I don't think Alderp would be satisfied with that tradeoff…"
"Is Naruto-san planning to sell his body…!?"
Yunyun gasped, once again causing the blonde's face to turn red.
"Yunyun, please! This plan is going to be hard for me too, ya know! I don't need you putting strange images in my head!"
The mage seemed to be a little too riled up for this conversation, so Naruto stood up and pointed towards the roads.
"Why don't we take a break? I'm feeling hungry again, and Rain was telling me about a cheap shop that sold really good croquettes."
"O-okay… But why would a noble know about a cheap spot to eat?"
Yunyun asked as she followed the shinobi into the now bustling streets of the capital.
"Let's just say Rain has it rough."
Naruto replied while scratching at his whisker marks sheepishly.
"Hey, these are pretty good as well! Too bad this place doesn't have Neroid though…"
"I don't think you're going to find Neroid in the capital, Naruto-san…"
Sitting at a shaded table near the croquette stand, Naruto and Yunyun were enjoying their meal when someone approached them.
"Aha! I thought that was you! How have you been, Naruto Uzumaki-dono?"
The two looked up to see a man wearing blue plated armor. He brushed his dirty blonde hair out of his blue eyes and flashed a dazzling smile as he awaited their response.
"Oh! Mitsurugi!"
Naruto grinned and stood up to face his fellow Hero Candidate.
"It's been awhile, huh?"
"Indeed it has! I must thank you again for defending Axel from the Destroyer while I was recovering… That is still one of my biggest blunders to this day."
Mitsurugi chuckled and rubbed the back of his head.
"No, Kyouya! It must have been that man's doing!"
"Yeah, he must have cheated to take you down!"
Two girls, a priest and a thief from the look of it, quickly jumped to Mitsurugi's defense while glaring daggers at Naruto.
Yunyun frowned. She remembered those two girls. They were Mitsurugi's party members who said a lot of mean things about Naruto after he had defeated the Sword Master.
"Now now, girls. Naruto-dono is an admirable warrior with tremendous strength, a Hero Candidate, and most importantly, my friend. I won't stand for any insults sent his way. Now please, apologize at once."
Mitsurugi scolded, causing the two to wither under his hard gaze.
"W-we're sorry…"
"Haha! It's fine. I'm sure that if Mitsurugi wasn't holding back, the outcome of our battle might have been very different. Besides, what matters most is that the town is safe, right?"
Naruto said with a wide grin, further adding to their chagrin.
Yunyun nodded her head in agreement. That's right. Naruto was the savior of Axel and even became a Hero Candidate as well!
"Oh! I apologize for my discourtesy! Greetings to you as well, Lady Yunyun. I trust you have been in good company being in Naruto-dono's party?"
Mitsurugi got down on one knee, took the mage's hand in his own, and flashed another dazzling smile.
Yunyun blushed while the Sword Master's party members seethed with jealousy in the background.
'Is that what I look like when I greet a woman like that…?'
Naruto thought with a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek.
No wonder Darkness got so mad at him… It was kind of embarrassing to watch.
"O-of course! Naruto-san is the greatest party member in the whole world!"
Yunyun blurted out while snatching her hand back. Naruto doing that was one thing, but it made her feel extremely uncomfortable when this man repeated the same action for some reason!
"...Yes, I can imagine. Are your other two party members not with you?"
Mitsurugi seemed taken aback by the Crimson Demon's reaction before he looked around for Dust and Cecily.
"Ah, those two went their separate ways and are no longer in our party… Anyways, what brings you to the capital? Taking on some quests?"
Naruto quickly changed the subject, which begged the real questions: What were quests like in the capital? Were they more challenging than the quests back in Axel? He imagined so, seeing as monsters became more powerful the farther you traveled from the Town of Beginners.
"I actually traveled to Axel to offer congratulations when you were declared a Hero Candidate, but then I heard of your exploits in the battle against the Demon King's army last week and so I hurried back to try and catch you! Hahaha!"
Mitsurugi admitted with a hearty laugh before he leaned in a little closer, his voice becoming hushed.
"But I must inform you, my friend… I have been hearing some rather peculiar rumors these past few days. Similar to the ones that plagued you in Axel when we first met. Of course, I would only ever assume positive intent. But… Is it true that you are involved with the eldest daughters of both the Dustiness and Symphonia families?"
It was then Naruto noticed the crowd that seemed to have gathered during their conversation, which wasn't too surprising to him. After all, Mitsurugi was a famous adventurer in the kingdom.
Coupled with his own rising standing in the capital, it might as well have been two celebrities meeting in public to the eyes of the civilians.
"I do seem to have a knack for getting into trouble, don't I? Hahaha… But no, Lady Dustiness and Lady Symphonia are simply my friends."
"T-that's right! Naruto-san has someone waiting for him back in Axel! A beautiful magic shop owner!"
Yunyun added confidently, causing the shinobi's smile to crack.
'Yunyun! What are you dooooing!?'
Naruto could already hear the murmurs of the crowd intensifying. He needed to do something quick, otherwise he could expect another wave of rumors to clout his reputation here!
"Really? Who is this shopkeeper that has caught your eye, Naruto-dono?"
Mitsurugi inquired, his eyes wide with mild surprise. The man seemed oblivious to their audience, for now at least.
"O-oh, Yunyun… Someone might misunderstand something if you start spouting such silly things in public."
Naruto hissed through gritted teeth, prompting the mage to clamp her mouth shut.
"Misunderstanding? Ah, I see… It was just another misunderstanding! Hahaha! I'll be sure to reassure my friends of the nobility the next time I see them!"
Mitsurugi released another bout of laughter, and the crowd visibly deflated.
Naruto sighed in relief. That was a close one… The last thing he needed was another reason for Darkness to go after his throat right now.
Now in a jovial mood again, Mitsurugi nodded his head approvingly.
"That is quite relieving, since you are the man who promised to make Aqua-sama happy! You have been keeping your promise, I hope?"
What was this guy spouting all of a sudden!? Was he seriously that dense!? If you say something like that now-
"Hey, isn't Aqua the name of that Arch Priest?"
"The one Naruto Uzumaki had a love child with?"
"Yeah, that's the one!"
Naruto's eyes bulged as the crowd immediately latched onto the new topic. Didn't these people have anything better to do!?
Mitsurugi's ear twitched.
"Love… Child?"
A dangerous aura began to emit from the Sword Master, causing his two party members to back away.
Naruto groaned internally. This was literally the worst case scenario… Or was it?
"C-calm down, Mitsurugi! Think about it! It's only been a couple months since we last saw each other! How could such a child exist?"
Naruto shouted loud enough for everyone to hear.
That's right, he would just use Mitsurugi's good standing to squash the rumors about him again!
It all rested on how reasonable his friend could be…
To Naruto's relief, the killer intent subsided as Mitsurugi's face grew sheepish.
"Y-you're right, how silly of me to think that such a thing was possible! Hahaha!"
With that, the crowd relented and began to disburse.
"But you are keeping your promise, right?"
"Y-yeah, of course…"
Naruto could only imagine Mitsurugi's reaction if he found out about the Giant Toad prank…
But at least it was finally over-
"Hah!? What do you mean our child can't exist? Apologize! Apologize to Eddy-chan this instant!"
A loud and screechy voice rang out on the other side of the street, and Naruto's head snapped towards the source to find Aqua standing with her hands on her hips.
He had been wrong… That hadn't been the worst possible scenario earlier.
THIS was the absolute worst possible scenario.
"A-Aqua? Why don't we be mindful of the people around us, yeah? If you stop talking nonsense, I promise to treat you to some tasty croquettes from this shop!"
Naruto attempted to bargain with the goddess, but she simply turned away with a "hmph!" in response.
The deadly aura returned in fullforce. Mitsurugi faced Aqua, his eyes shadowed behind his bangs.
"Aqua-sama… Is it true then? You have a child with this man?"
"That's right! We have a beautiful baby girl named Eddy-chan!"
Aqua replied before squinting her eyes.
"By the way, who are you?"
"I-it's Kyouya Mitsurugi! The hero you chose to defeat the Demon King? You gave me this magic sword! B-but that doesn't matter right now… Naruto Uzumaki-dono! Are you prepared to face divine retribution!?"
Mitsurugi barked and drew his magic sword. Gram began to glow with power as its wielder took a fighting stance.
'Damn it Aqua!'
Leaving the scolding he'd give the goddess for later, Naruto took a few easy steps towards the street. If they were going to fight, then it'd be better to take it to a place where nothing would get destroyed.
"Easy now, Mitsurugi. You're misunderstanding something again. Aqua's just mad at me for some reason and is using you to get back at me."
"What reason could Aqua-sama have to be mad at you? The rumors? Are they actually true then? Depending on the goddess's answer…"
Mitsurugi's chest heaved as he matched the shinobi's movements until they were both standing in the middle of the cobblestone street. The crowd had moved along with them, eagerly watching to see how things played out.
It wasn't everyday they got to see two famous adventurers fighting in broad daylight.
When he was close enough to Aqua, Naruto ushered her to come closer.
"What?"
What, she says…
Naruto really wanted to slap this girl, but that certainly wouldn't help his current situation.
"Are you mad at me, Aqua?"
"Of course I'm mad at you! You left me all alone with a bunch of strangers! They started picking on me while saying strange things like 'mizuru'... Then, to make matters worse, all of my followers converted to the Eris Order!"
Aqua shouted before glaring at him with puffy cheeks.
All of her followers converted? When did-
"Wait a minute… Are you talking about your bad dream from last night?"
Naruto asked, his expression turning flat.
"Yeah, duh! Why else would my followers defect to the Eris Order? But it only happened because you left me alone, so apologize! Apologize for not only denying our daughter's existence, but also ruthlessly abandoning me!"
Aqua spouted complete and utter nonsense. The sheer absurdity of her words were so effective, the atmosphere of the audience completely shifted.
"Ah, the lady's completely bonkers…"
"Poor guy… Having to deal with a crazy like that…"
"That's the Axis Cult for you…"
While Naruto still wanted to smack the goddess, he had to hand it to her… Aqua was certainly good at digging her own grave.
Even Mitsurugi looked to have been caught off guard by the turn of events.
"A-Aqua-sama? Where's Eddy now?"
"She ascended to heaven, of course. She's probably overseeing another realm as we speak. Anyways, I demand compensation. I think about fifty-thousand Eris will suffice."
Aqua held her hand out to the ninja expectantly.
"You know… I'm a little short on cash. But you know who would love to take you on a shopping spree? Mitsurugi, would you like to give Aqua a tour around the city?"
Naruto asked while gesturing towards the Sword Master.
"Me? Take Aqua-sama out in the city? Really?"
The Hero Candidate seemed thrilled at the idea.
"Don't wanna. Hey, you. Mitsubushi, was it? You're gonna pay for Naruto's crimes, right?"
Aqua stated and turned her expecting hand towards the knight.
"It's Mitsurugi, and I don't mind giving you spending money… But what about the tour-"
"I already toured the city yesterday with Darkness, and that look on your face is giving me the creeps! Just fork over the cash already!"
"B-but Aqua-sama!"
As Aqua continued to hound Mitsurugi for his money, Naruto snickered and walked back over to Yunyun who had been watching with an astonished expression.
"Let's get out of here before Aqua finds out I lied about not having money."
"R-right!"
–Naruto and Yunyun would go on to enjoy the rest of the day touring the royal capital while going over potential plans to get into Alderp's room.
A/N: R.I.P. Mitsubushi… I mean, Mizukage… I mean, Mitsurugi!
Anyways, Yunyun returns! That girl is gungho on setting Naruto up with Wiz, isn't she? Lol
Review and let me know what you all thought!
Spirit out!