I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

In the end, Nero couldn't just stand idly by and chose to rescue Kazuma and Aqua from the belly of the giant frogs.

"Sob… hic… Waaaahhh—!"

The two emerged from the frog's stomach completely covered in a viscous substance. It was unclear whether it was frog saliva, stomach acid, or both, but the stench was overwhelmingly foul.

Kazuma looked relatively composed, though his face was twisted in disgust. Aqua, on the other hand, had a full-blown meltdown, bawling uncontrollably since the moment Nero pulled her out.

"Ahem… thank you for saving us," Kazuma said, assessing the situation and offering Nero a bow of gratitude.

"Indeed! I shall accept thy thanks!" Nero responded with a triumphant nod.

Though she was curious what might have happened had she chosen not to help, Nero knew she would feel terrible if they actually died because of her inaction.

"Giant frogs like these are quite common on this plain. I'm not sure what you two were doing out here, but I suggest you return to town posthaste," Nero said, pointing her sword toward Axel in the distance.

"It's not far. If thou art worried about more monsters, I could escort thee there myself."

"N-No need for that, actually," Kazuma stammered, unexpectedly polite and docile in Nero's presence. Perhaps it was gratitude for being saved from the brink of death—or shame.

Nero, of course, knew Kazuma and Aqua were adventurers. But to avoid complications, she feigned ignorance as if meeting them for the first time.

Wait… was it their first meeting?

"Hmm? I seem to recall knowing thee." Nero turned her gaze toward Aqua, who was still quietly sobbing, and her expression shifted to one of shock.

Her reaction made Kazuma feel an ominous chill.

"Thou…" Nero's brow furrowed in displeasure, her tone sharp. "This morning, thou didst shatter a window at the Eris Church and attempt to frame me for it, didst thou not?"

"!!!"

Kazuma stared at Aqua in horror. Aqua, finally registering who Nero was, lifted her head.

"Ahhh! It's you!"

"You absolute menace!" Kazuma roared. "I wondered why you were so cheerful this morning! Turns out you were pulling this nonsense again! Can't you go a single day without creating trouble? Apologize to her, now!"

"I am a goddess! Goddesses make no mistakes and therefore need not apologize! What are you doing with my hair? Ow, ow! Let go! You disrespectful NEET! I curse you in the name of the Water Goddess to find no water when flushing your toilet!"

"And you have the gall to call yourself a goddess? You can't even handle a low-level giant frog! You were literally swallowed whole, covered in slime—ugh! Forget Water Goddess; you're more like Slime Goddess or Frog Slobber Goddess!"

"You… you jerk! That's unforgivable!" Aqua shouted, tackling Kazuma.

The two began wrestling on the ground. But it wasn't long before Aqua, boasting far better stats, pinned Kazuma beneath her.

"Serves you right! This goddess was merely careless earlier. Watch as I obliterate the next frog with one punch! I swear on my name, Aqua the Water Goddess! Frogs shall tremble before me!"

With that declaration, Aqua charged at another nearby giant frog.

"Wait—!"

"How dare you defile this goddess! To soil my divine and radiant body with your disgusting slime! Repent in hell! Behold the divine wrath of my millions of worshippers, condensed into this attack! Sacred Light Fist!"

A brilliant, blinding light enveloped Aqua's fist, shining brighter than the sun. Even Nero squinted against the radiance.

But the attack did nothing.

The giant frog, immune to physical damage, casually swallowed Aqua again. Only her legs dangled in the air, wiggling comically.

Nero and Kazuma both stared in silence before voicing the same thought simultaneously:

"Should we just let the frog keep her?"

Eventually, Kazuma saved Aqua—not Nero this time. Seizing the moment while the frog was distracted, he stabbed it with a dagger and finished it off.

After slaying the giant frog, Kazuma felt a surge of triumph. Finally, a method to farm frogs effectively had dawned upon him.

The skies seemed clearer, and Kazuma felt reinvigorated.

"Next time, I'll use Aqua as bait—uh, I mean, a decoy! Then I'll swoop in for the kill. Perfect!"

Sadly, Kazuma's party only had two members. With more companions, he could manage several frogs at once, making the process even smoother.

Wait… with a competent teammate, couldn't they just overpower the frogs directly? After all, even beginner adventurers could handle them.

As expected, Aqua was just useless.

"Sniff… sniff… I can't believe it… I lost to a frog… twice. And now I'm covered in slime. I reek of fishiness…" Aqua sobbed, kneeling on the ground.

Despite her disheveled state, Aqua's beauty was undeniable. When Kazuma first met her, he'd been smitten for a fleeting moment. Her appearance truly befit a goddess.

But now, drenched in frog slime and reeking of filth, Kazuma felt only disdain.

Sneaking a glance at Nero, Kazuma's disdain for Aqua deepened.

Not only was Nero just as attractive, but she was also far more competent. She had dispatched the giant frogs effortlessly and saved their lives.

Ah, right. Kazuma hadn't asked for Nero's name yet.

"Miss Savior, may I know your name? I'd like to repay your kindness someday."

"If thou dost approach me again, that would be repayment enough. Thy stench is most foul," Nero replied, wrinkling her nose and stepping back slightly.

Kazuma froze in place, utterly crushed.

It was as if a sad, melancholic tune began playing in the background…

Are you serious about taking that half step back~~? Such a small action, yet it hurts so much~~?

"So… the disdainful look from a cute girl really does cut deep…" Kazuma muttered, clutching his chest over his heart with a pained expression.

"It seems… I'm just an ordinary guy after all… A guy who longs for a girl's affection…"

---

"Gar~de! Voir voir."

- Gardevoir

(End of Bonus Chapter—If you like my work, consider supporting me at [patreon.com/WiseTL]!)