Short Story about Megumin whom I’m Thankful to

TL: Cannongerbil

Editor: Striker

This short story was originally written for the WN after it’s conclusion. For the most part the WN ended in a relatively similar position to the LN, though there are some slight differences that I will point out if it becomes relevant. Anyway, enjoy.

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Megumin and Yunyun were sitting cross-legged in our yard, muttering something to each other.

They’ve been stuck in that position ever since lunch.

I observed them together with a single young girl.

“…Onii-chan, what is Onee-chan doing?”

“They said something about using auto-hypnosis to prevent themselves from getting fat after lunch. I’m sure they’re muttering ‘please don’t let me be fat’ or something similar… Do you want some oranges?”

Komekko was having lunch with us because her parents are out for the moment, and I handed over a basket of oranges to her.

“I’ll eat it… I sometimes see her do that before going to bed too.”

“Ah, during those times she’s saying ‘may I grow bigger in my sleep’. You know, once you get to that age, you don’t grow much anymore. She’s doing that to create another persona within herself so she has someone to comfort her…You want some juice?”

“I’ll take it… So Onee-chan and Yunyun wants to grow bigger without getting fat──”

Megumin and Yunyun suddenly stood up and rushed over to us.

“Stop filling my sister’s head with weird ideas! What will you do if she actually believes it!?”

“I-I’m not fat! And it’s just a little bit, but I’m still getting taller!”

 

Apparently, they were practicing their magic incantations.

“Increasing the speed (munch) of your chants is basic practice (chew) for any spellcaster.”

“Onee-chan! My orange! My orange~!!”

Megumin said as she sntached up the basket of oranges that Komekko was holding and started munching into one.

“Gulp… Komekko, you shouldn’t eat too many oranges. Otherwise you won’t be able to eat dinner.”

“Onee-chan, you tyrant! I received them! Those are mine!”

As Komekko started grasping at Megumin’s sleeves, she passed the basket of oranges over to Yunyun.”

“Eh? Eh!?”

Yunyun was tall enough that even if Komekko stood on her tiptoes, she wasn’t able to reach the basket that Yunyun held in her grasp.

After struggling for a moment, Komekko shouted,

“Yunyun stole my oranges! Yunyun is a thief!”

“Ah, n-no, that’s not it! Komekko-chan, I didn’t steal…! Megumin, what should I do!? What should I do!?”

“Please keep those oranges to yourself for my sister’s sake. If you give it to her, she’ll continue eating endlessly until dinner. And then when it comes time for dinner, she’ll take one look at the spread we have prepared and start crying because she’s too full to eat. As my friend, please don’t hand it over to her.”

“!?”

After being entrusted with this unreasonable request, Yunyun, seemingly on the verge of tears, raised the basket up high while trying to convince Komekko at the same time.

Megumin took a seat next to me while Yunyun and Komekko argued in the background.

“Are you done practicing your incantations?”

“I can’t believe you have the guts to say that after interrupting our training by filling my sister’s head with nonsense. Anyway, I think I’ll take the rest of the day off. The weather is great too, so it’d be nice to take an afternoon nap today.”

Saying that, Megumin stretched, closed her eyes, and cuddled up next to me.

“…You want some oranges?”

“…Please give me a slice.”

As I peeled the orange to give to Megumin, Komekko’s attention drifted my way and she quickly rushed over.

“Please give me one, too”

“You can have them all.”

“Kazuma!? Why are you so sweet towards my sister!?”

Megumin shot up with a bang, but the orange was already in Komekko’s hands.

Komekko, happily chewing on the orange slices, sat on my other side,

“I heard that Onii-chan knows a lot of things. Can you teach me a spell to defeat Yunyun?”

“K-Komekko-chan!?”

Yunyun screamed with tears in her eyes, but before she could say anything more, Megumin interjected,

“I’ll just say this in advance, don’t even think about teaching her magic. Not even Beginner Magic. She’s quite talented, and already has an adventurer’s card. My parents are holding onto it for now, but there’s no telling when she’ll find it, and if you teach her any spells, she might suddenly find herself being able to use even Intermediate Magic… Do you get it? No matter how much you dote on her, don’t teach her how to use magic.”

“It’s fine, I’m not an idiot. I know the dangers of teaching a child how to use magic.”

Just as I told Megumin not to worry with a smile, Komekko tugged on my sleeve and looked at me like she was about to cry.

“…Magic…”

“Do you want to learn Beginner Magic? Or perhaps Intermediate? Sorry, but Onii-chan still hasn’t learnt Advanced Magic yet. I’ll make sure to learn it by the next time I see you. Ah, right, how about Teleport──”

“Kazuma! You can’t! You really can’t!”

With her sister’s eyes shining like that, I had no choice but to comply.

In that case…

Yeah, that’ll work.

“Alright, how about this? Onii-chan will teach you a spell from a famous great magician from my home country.”

“Really!?”

“Kazuma! Y-You can’t!”

Komekko looked at me with shining eyes of her own, while her sister grabbed me by my shoulders and aggressively shook me.

I signaled to Megumin that it was fine before standing up and slowly chanting.

“Darkness beyond twilight…Crimson beyond blood that flows… Buried in the flow of time… In thy great name…”

[This is the Dragon Slave chant that Lina uses in Slayers. It directly inspired several of Megumin’s own chants in the anime]

“!?” x3

All three Crimson Demons seemed totally entranced by that famous incantation that I began chanting.

“Kazuma, what is that spell? I’ve never encountered that before!”

“Onii-chan! One more time! One more time!”

Megumin and Komekko immediately expressed interest, and even Yunyun perked up her ears and approached.

It seems like it was really effective.

“That was a spell that was the speciality of a famous female mage from my country. It’s a deadly spell that could create massive explosions and slay dragons in a single blow.”

After I taught it to Komekko, she happily recited it to herself numerous times.

“Oh? A spell that creates explosions and slays dragons, huh… That sounds quite similar to me, doesn’t it?”

“Not at all. She’s quite skilled and is famous all over the world. If you say you’re similar, then you’d be the knockoff.”

“Knockoff!? K-K-Knockoff!?”

Megumin stood stock still in shock, and Komekko stuck her hand towards her and chanted the incantation I just taught her.

As Yunyun wandered around at a loss, Megumin’s eyes began glowing again.

“Very well! I’ll show you my true skills right now! We’re heading out of town!”

“Darkness beyond twilight…Crimson beyond blood that flows…”

 

The plains not too far from town is home to a large variety of medium-sized herbivorous monsters.

In this season where Giant Frogs are a rare sight, it’s common for adventurers to come out here to raise their levels.

Today is no different. Several familiar faces were out on the plains chasing after the monsters which resembled slightly smaller cows or goats.

Seeing that, Komekko started excitedly squealing,

“Onee-chan! Onee-chan! There’s a lot of dinner walking around!”

“Komekko, calm down. We’ll be having much better food for dinner tonight, so I’ll be turning them into my experience points today.”

“What a waste! What a waste!”

Turning her gaze away from Komekko, Megumin gave Yunyun the signal.

“…? What’s wrong, Megumin? Why are you winking your eyes like that? Did something get in them?”

“No, that’s not it! I told you earlier to cast your spells as the opening act, didn’t I?”

“O-Opening act!?”

Yunyun, still holding the basket of oranges, seemed somewhat teary-eyed after being called the opening act.

I took the basket off her, and she despondently turned to face the monsters on the plains.

Seeing her in that state, Megumin shouted towards her,

“Yunyun, after this is over, we’ll have dinner together back at the mansion! So please show me something that will blow even me away!”

“!? D-Dinner!? R-Really? Is that really okay? I mean, inviting me to have dinner with you…”

“I don’t mind! Tonight’s menu is really extravagant! And we prepared plenty of ingredients too, so look forward to it!”

“I don’t really care about the menu, but… Dinner… Having dinner at a friend’s house…”

After muttering to herself, Yunyun flipped her cloak in a dramatic fashion, before taking out her wand and pointing it in the direction of a nearby monster.

Those creatures are considered monsters because of their voracious appetites that causes them to eat endlessly, uprooting crops and damaging the fields in their search for more food.

Even now, it’s still munching on grass as it looked at Yunyun with it’s dull eyes.

“…Hey, Megumin, why don’t we do this in a place with more ferocious monsters?”

“No, we will not do that. Seriously, you’re too soft-hearted! It might look cute, but it’s still a formidable enemy of humanity! Now, Kazuma, and Komekko, stop chanting that mysterious incantation and take a good look! Bear witness to my power and behold the might of the strongest woman in the world!”

“Strongest!? Onee-chan, are you the world’s strongest!?”

“Indeed! My name is Megumin! The strongest Archmage in the world, and wielder of Explosion! Now, Komekko, take a good look!”

Megumin raised her staff and started chanting.

Seeing that, Komekko squatted and retrieved something from her pocket.

I thought it was a snack at first, but on closer inspection it actually turned out to be a piece of chalk.

Instead of looking at her sister, Komekko instead focused on writing something on the ground.

Was she writing down her chant in order to learn the spell?

Megumin is the one who told me not to teach her magic, but she’s doing it herself.

Well, it’s not like Komekko would be able to cast Explosion anytime soon…

“Behold, my ultimate spell! Explosion!”

The spell that Megumin released shot right into the middle of a pack of monsters and exploded into a ball of light.

When the smoke cleared and the shockwave passed, the only thing that was left of them was a giant crater blasted into the ground.

Even I, who has gained quite a discerning eye when it comes to judging Explosion magic, could find no fault with her spell today.

Megumin let out a satisfied snort before turning around with a smug smile on her face.

“Now, I’m sure you can tell.. Who is… The knockoff…”

Megumin’s smile froze upon her face, and her proud boasting trailed off into nothingness.

Yunyun too was gazing in my direction with a weary look on her face.

“…Vanir-san, what are you doing here?”

I followed their gaze, and saw Vanir standing in the middle of a crudely drawn magic circle.

“…That’s what Moi wants to know… Little girl, did you summon me again!? Moi has told you many times not to casually call upon me while Moi is working…!”

…I don’t think it’s possible, but Komekko didn’t summon him, did she?

Vanir, still wearing his store apron, gave Komekko a stern look as he lectured her.

“This orange is my sacrifice.”

Komekko retrieved an orange that she seemed to have hidden away and reluctantly handed it over to Vanir.

“As my familiar, I order you, Vanir. Onee-chan seems to be the strongest, so please use that sacrifice to take care of her. Once you do so, your master, I, shall be the strongest!”

“Komekko, let’s talk this out! Would you like some oranges!?”

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