"This is where you bought that awesome potion?"
I smiled and nodded at Megumin, but she seems to be forgetting an important aspect.
The explosive potion is unstable.
This practical and formidable item can explode at the slightest rough handling by its user.
The only reason I didn't blow up with this unusual item is my meticulous usage.
Of course, there's also the little pouch provided by Wiz.
The latter prevents a certain amount of shock, but it's not foolproof.
That's why I ardently desire the "doctor's" cheat skill and Sylvia's assimilation ability.
The first would allow me to be more versatile, as I'd obtain any item with my only limit being myself.
The second would allow me to reduce my dependence on the Konosuba world system.
I could even become more than a human or a Crimson Demon.
*Cough* that's another topic.
Despite my reflections related to my desires for grandeur, I never stopped walking toward the shop.
"Ah, a customer… Renji?"
"Hey Wiz, you seem… exhausted?"
Unlike the day we met, she clearly had obvious signs of exhaustion.
An abnormal aspect for an undead race.
"Hm… I had some private troubles, but nothing too important."
She hesitated for a moment, before pursing her lips briefly and declaring this half-truth.
This aspect of her is why Wiz is interesting and popular in my past life as Carl.
Even though she's no longer human nor a real adventurer, and her former companions have moved on with their lives without her, Wiz remains a good person.
"Are you sure? You can count on me."
I press her further.
Currently, the atmosphere has become slightly tense.
YunYun and Megumin are looking back and forth between me and the Lich, while a cold draft fills the room because of the open window.
Winter seems to be advancing slowly but surely.
"S-sorry, but it's a private problem with…"
"Kazuma and Aqua? Yeah, I know about it."
Wiz's face immediately froze like a statue after hearing my words.
If it was just that, I wouldn't have panicked right now.
Her eyes began to have slight traces of tears and she threw herself at me in a bear hug that I couldn't break free from.
"P-please don't *sniff* report me!!!"
"Hmm~"
Soft and pleasant.
That was the sensation transmitted by Wiz's breasts, while I feigned a struggle against the mature woman's embrace.
Because of my height, my head was literally plunged into the middle of the Lich's breasts.
A dangerous situation, as I risk losing consciousness from lack of air.
But this is a small price to pay in my humble opinion.
Why do I have such an opinion about this situation?
It's simple though.
Since when do men dodge or reject opportunities?
That's why I didn't reject Wiz and her embrace.
I just applied enough force in my gestures to indicate that I was trying to break free from the lich's grip.
This way, Megumin and YunYun won't judge me badly.
I'm a genius.
"Let go of Renji, you crazy woman!"
"H-he's suffocating!"
Finally, my little happiness was cut short by the two Crimson Demons.
"*Cough* air!" I took a deep breath before thanking my two saviors.
"Thanks girls, I almost died haha," I said in a half-joking tone.
There was slight doubt in Megumin's eyes, but she seems relieved.
As for YunYun? My lie was easily digested by her.
"S-sorry once again, but I panicked after understanding that you knew about the cemetery incident."
Wiz adopted an even more pitiful expression as she got on her knees in front of us after performing a dogeza.
A strange situation, since I'm barely a veteran adventurer and she was a high-ranking adventurer feared in an era.
So a minimum gap of 10 levels.
If I take into account the years that have passed between the time when Wiz was active and now… the level gap increases even more.
That's how powerful a demon king general is.
Especially since Megumin mentioned in the light novel that they were lucky to have Aqua at the time at the cemetery.
Kazuma didn't understand at first, but after Megumin's explanation,
He quickly grasped the insane power gap between them, but also the incompatibility between Aqua and Wiz.
"You're already forgiven, I just wanted to have confirmation from your mouth about the cemetery events. I'm not really the type to believe rumors."
Actually… not totally.
Every rumor has a slight foundation of truth, according to me.
It's just that I have to appear here as an honest guy.
"R-Renji *sniff* sorry for doubting you, you're really different from ordinary adventurers."
We ended up spending time calming Wiz down, since she wasn't in a state to have a conversation.
The positive side is that she now sees me as a real friend.
A rapid evolution, unlike Kazuma in the original story.
The latter maintains a more commercial relationship with Wiz and Vanir, because they had started on bad terms.
It improves much later.
"Say Renji, what's this cemetery story about?"
Megumin looked at me with a confused expression.
"I'm in an identical situation to Megumin. But I have some suppositions." YunYun began to have a suspicious look toward Wiz after this exchange.
She surely understood that Wiz was doing something weird in the cemetery.
To avoid any misunderstanding, I decided to tell them part of the truth.
"Actually, Wiz here present isn't human or even living. I'll explain things in detail later, but know that she has the habit of helping wandering souls pass to the other side."
At the mention of Wiz's non-human and undead aspect, the Crimson Demon duo observed any anomaly on the mature woman's face or her physique.
Yet they found nothing.
They even began to give me skeptical looks, but I preferred to ignore their act.
"Don't worry Wiz, these are trustworthy people. Your identity is safe with them."
Wiz hesitated slightly but finally nodded at these words.
The eyes once filled with distress were now filled with calm.
She got up from the ground before looking for tea and starting to serve us each a cup.
"C-Renji, do you want to buy items again?"
I ignored the mistake Wiz almost made by calling me customer, and pretended to think for a moment before shaking my head in refusal.
"I'd like, if possible, some particular services from you," I expressed in a serious tone.
My act immediately alerted Megumin, since she knows me best here.
Serious Renji = opportunity and potential problem.
"Not a purchase, but services?"
I nodded before pronouncing a name unknown to Megumin and YunYun, but not to Wiz.
"I'd like you to help me meet Sylvia."