At the Adventurers Guild the next day: ee, Where are they?” Aqua groaned.

We’d posted a notice that we were seeking party members and then set up shop at a table in a far corner of the Guild Hall...but so far we’d been sitting here for more than half the day, and not one candidate for “Future Hero” had shown up.

Maybe no one had seen our posting.

There were lots of other adventurers looking for party members. But they seemed to have one interview after another and then, after a friendly chat, would go off somewhere with their new ally.

! knew why no one was coming to our table.

“Maybe we need to lower our standards a little. | get that we’re trying to defeat the Demon King here, but the part that says, ‘Only those of advanced classes need apply’ is probably putting people off.”

“Ubh... But... But...”

The class system in this fantasy world included what were called “advanced classes.” Aqua’s class, Arch-priest, was an example. It was a stage normal people would never reach—heroes of legend, if you will. And obviously, most everyone with that kind of talent had already found parties...

Aqua was probably just looking to get the most powerful people we could to help us take on the Demon King. But...

“At this rate, no one’s going to show up. Anyway, you might be an advanced class, but | have the lowest job there is. How can | hold my head up if my entire party’s full of elite characters? Let’s cast a wider net, please?” As | spoke, | made to stand up. But then...

“| saw the notice seeking adventurers of advanced classes. Is this the right place?”

| met a red eye that looked oddly languid, almost sleepy. Full black hair that just barely reached the shoulders.

The girl who’d spoken to us was the very image of a spell-caster: black mantle and black robe, black boots, a staff, even a pointy hat. She had doll-like features —one of those “Lolita” types.

| knew it wasn’t unusual in this world for children to work, but this girl couldn’t have been more than twelve or thirteen. She was short and wore a patch over one eye, and suddenly she threw back her mantle and declared: “1 am Megumin! | am of the occupation Arch-wizard, one who wields the most powerful of all offensive magics, Explosion

“..Are you messing with us?”

“| |”

—lam not She didn’t seem to expect me to dismiss her self-introduction. And what was with that name, anyway?

“.. That red eye. Are you one of the Crimson Magic Clan?”

The girl nodded at Aqua’s question and passed her Adventurer’s Card to Aqua.

“Indeed | am! | am Megumin, first among the spell-casters of the Crimson Magic Clan! My ultimate magic can level mountains and shatter stone...! Y-you don’t happen to need an exceptional magic-user, do you? ...And if you will pardon my asking, could you give me something to eat before we start the interview? | haven’t had a bite to eat in three days...” She looked at us pleadingly.

At the same moment, her stomach gave a loud gurgle.

“| don’t mind treating you,” | said. “But what’s with the eye patch? If you’re injured, Aqua here can fix you up.”

“..Heh. This is a magic item that restrains my incredible power. If | removed it..why, then a great calamity would come upon this world...”

“Wow, really? So it’s like some kind of seal?”

“Oh, no, | made all that up just now. | just think it looks cool... Ow! I’m sorry!

Stop! Please don’t pull on it

“All right, let me fill in Kazuma,” Aqua said as | tugged on Megumin’s eye patch. “These kids, the Crimson Magic Clan, are born with exceptionally high Intelligence and Magic, making it easy for them to become expert spell-casters. They’re distinguished by their red eyes, which give them their name and...well, their weird personal names.”

Huh. I’d thought she was just teasing me about the eye patch and the name. | let the patch go, and Megumin collected herself.

“Weird names, indeed! From my perspective it is everyone else in town who has a weird name.”

“,..Out of curiosity, what were your parents’ names?”

|”

“My mother is Yuiyui. My father, Hyoizaburou Aqua and | looked at her in silence.

“..Well, anyway. You said this kid’s people turn out a lot of great magic-users? How about we take her, then?”

“Hey! If you have something to say about my parents’ names, let us hear it!” Megumin shoved her face up close to mine. Aqua quickly returned her Adventurer’s Card.

“Why not? You can’t forge an Adventurer’s Card, and this girl’s definitely an Arch-wizard, an advanced class capable of powerful offensive magic. If she really can use Explosion, that would be a big deal. That’s supposed to be among the most difficult magic to master.”

“Hey,” Megumin said hotly, “you do not have to call me this girl all the time. Use my name.”

| passed her a menu. “Calm down and order something. I’m Kazuma. This is Aqua. Pleasure to meet you, Arch-wizard.”

Megumin looked like she was about to say something, then silently took the menu.