That Time I Got Reincarnated as an Underground Labyrinth Manager

Megumin crouched on the floor, rubbing her red cheeks where they'd been pinched.

"Sensei, you really don't know how to treat a lady gently."

"I made that porridge just for you, you know. So mean."

Chishiya pushed open the door, then glanced back at her.

"Didn't you say you were going to eat the extra portion yourself?"

Megumin: "…"

Slip of the tongue…

"Eh? Sensei, you must've misheard."

She quickly changed the subject and slipped inside while Chishiya opened the door.

She had made up her mind!

No matter what, tonight he would notice her charm!

"What are you looking for now?"

Chishiya closed the door behind her, already resigned.

What is this little gremlin up to now?

Megumin scanned the room.

"Sensei, you don't keep any of those… indecent books here, do you?"

She gave him a sharp look, eyes full of judgment.

That kind of stuff is poison!

She didn't want Chishiya being corrupted by Gobta and the others.

If found, it must be destroyed immediately.

"What exactly are you planning tonight?"

"It's late. I need to rest."

Megumin didn't answer. Her face was flushed, clearly working up to something.

She sat down on the bed, patted the spot beside her, and looked up at him.

"Then... Sensei... wanna sleep together tonight?"

She wasn't wearing her usual cloak or hat, just the form-fitting red Arch Wizard uniform.

Her hands were folded in her lap, and her ruby eyes shimmered with shyness.

"?"

What the hell?

Chishiya froze.

What's going on here?

Megumin closed her eyes, raising her head with stubborn resolve.

"You don't treat me like a woman anyway, right?"

"Besides, we're not doing anything weird. Just a night chat. Afraid or something?"

Afraid? You say that, and now I'm wide awake.

Fine.

You asked for this.

Chishiya turned off the lights and locked the door.

"Come on then. Get inside."

"Huh?"

Megumin blinked, caught off guard by how easily he agreed.

She thought he'd be flustered or something!

Don't tell me… he really sees her as a kid?!

Unacceptable!

Clearly, the offensive must be escalated.

There's no way she's losing to those other women!

They both lay flat on the bed.

Chishiya had just finished bathing, and he still smelled faintly of soap—like sea salt.

Megumin leaned closer and took a small sniff.

It was a clean and refreshing scent.

"So... didn't you want to talk? What did you want to say?"

"Huh?"

Megumin blinked again, completely caught off guard.

She'd barged in on instinct and didn't actually think of what to say next.

But then she turned and looked at Chishiya's calm profile.

Memories of their time together came rushing back.

And suddenly, she knew exactly what to say.

"Really… you've never once acted like a proper master."

"You're so hopeless."

Chishiya turned his head to look at her.

"I thought you were about to praise me."

"Tsk. Narcissist."

Megumin pouted and stared at the ceiling.

"The first thing you did was trick me into mining."

"Then you left me in the Labyrinth for days without a bath or proper meals."

"You promised to teach me Explosion Magic, but once we got here, you were too busy to even look at me."

"And then you made us wear maid outfits to run a shop just to turn a profit!"

She turned to face him.

"Sensei, you have a terrible personality."

Chishiya: "..."

He had no rebuttal.

Not because he didn't want to argue—but because she had a point.

Thinking back… yeah, she was absolutely right.

Seeing him speechless, Megumin smiled.

A gentle, radiant smile that lit up the room.

She gazed at Chishiya's face again, eyes soft with affection.

But despite being such a "bad" guy…

When no one else accepted her, he did.

No matter how busy he was, he still made time to fire off Explosion Magic with her.

When she lost her magic item during a dumb bet, he patted her head and told her it was fine.

That's the part she liked about him.

The part she loved.

Chishiya: "Uh… do you want to hear my side of it?"

"Actually—"

Before he could finish, his mouth was sealed.

Megumin wrapped her arms around his neck and gently kissed him.

Her lips were warm. Her hands trembled a little.

——————————

At the same time.

Elsewhere.

Stark's bedroom.

Stark sat on his bed, holding the contract Frieren had handed him.

"…Huh?"

He slowly looked up.

"Frieren, what does 'immortality' even mean?"

This had to be a joke, right?

That was clearly beyond human reach—even elves didn't have infinite lifespans.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Chishiya-san.

He just couldn't wrap his head around how this was supposed to work.

Frieren explained the general situation to him.

"I don't know exactly how he plans to do it, but he said he could."

"And I don't think he has any reason to lie to us."

After all, they had already seen resurrection magic with their own eyes.

If that was possible, maybe this was too.

"…I see."

Stark lowered his head, deep in thought, before slowly raising it again.

"What are you two planning?"

"Let me give you my answer first. I think I'll stay."

Stark's expression turned serious.

"Master doesn't have much time left. I don't want to lose him."

"I want to ask Chishiya-san to help him survive."

Stark's mentor was Eisen, a dwarf warrior from the Hero's Party.

After Stark's village was wiped out by demons, Eisen had taken him in and trained him.

Even though dwarves lived up to 300 years, Eisen was now extremely old and didn't have much time left.

Originally, Stark had gone on this journey to gather stories and bring them back for his master.

But now... if Chishiya could really keep him alive?

He'd do anything.

Even if he had to stay here forever, with no reward.

Seeing Stark's firm attitude, Frieren nodded.

"Then it's settled. We'll all stay."

"Huh?"

Stark blinked, clearly surprised.

He had assumed Frieren and Fern would choose to leave.

Fern set down her cup and smiled.

"Frieren-sama and I had already decided to stay. We just came here today to get your answer."

If she could see Himmel again, staying was no problem at all.

Besides, she enjoyed teaching. Watching people grow and improve was deeply fulfilling.

Frieren packed away the documents and smiled at them both.

Before, she wouldn't have cared about things like this.

Human lives were short, after all. They died so quickly.

But now... it looked like that wasn't something she needed to worry about anymore.

She patted Fern's head gently.

It looked like they could stay together forever now.

"But…"

Frieren realized something.

"Does this mean I'll have even more time to study magic?"

"Hehehe~"

o(￣︶￣)o

(To be continued.)

***

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