Levi was in the backyard of his water mansion.
Well… could it even be called a backyard? With the nymphs and water spirits' help, it looked more like an underwater training arena. At his request, they had set up a floating target ring for him.
Why? Training, of course.
Levi pulled out his gunblade, spun the chamber, and loaded it. With a deep breath, he fired. Each bullet shot forward, slicing through the water. No, this wasn't anime logic—this was the effect of Levi's Hydro Dragon Aura wrapping around the bullets.
Some shots missed, but plenty hit the bullseye with sharp, echoing thunks.
His slime companion hopped up and down with excitement, while the water spirits and nymphs clapped politely like an adoring audience.
Nereis looked at him with shining eyes—yes, shining again.
"You're getting better and better by the day, Master."
Levi heard the upper layer of the water surface ripple. He gave a nod, and the nymphs raised their hands—forming a whirlpool. A figure descended gracefully through it.
Luna.
Levi walked forward, tilting his head.
"Luna, what's with the random visit?"
The guild receptionist giggled, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.
"Nothing serious. I just came to check on you. Yunyun got worried since you didn't come to the guild today. And, well… nobody but me knows where you live."
Levi thought for a moment, then looked at her.
"…I should have told her I wasn't coming."
Luna nodded, arms folded.
"Well, yes. Also, you should tell her where you stay."
Levi gave her a flat stare, then pointed at the massive underwater mansion behind him.
"Do you even hear yourself?"
Luna blinked, then gave a sheepish laugh. "Okay, fair point. Most adventurers don't exactly live in a—what would you even call this? A palace? A temple? A very shiny fish tank?"
Before Levi could answer, his slime companion bounced up and down as if agreeing with Luna.
Levi sighed, rubbing his temple. "Et tu, slime?"
Luna leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Anyway… there's something else. A new shop just opened in town. Strange place, sells magic items no one's ever seen before."
Levi tilted his head. "Strange how?"
Her tone dropped further. "The shopkeeper. Pale as a ghost, eyes glowing in the dark. People are whispering he's a lich."
Levi froze, then looked at her with narrowed eyes. "…You're telling me the undead are opening retail businesses now?"
The slime burbled. The nymphs and water spirits all started murmuring. Luna just shrugged helplessly.
Levi narrowed his eyes. "Are those rumors or not?"
Luna giggled, brushing her hair back. "Just rumors. I actually met the shopkeeper. No glowing eyes, no pale skin. She's… actually very beautiful."
Levi already had a suspicion. His lips curved into a knowing smile. "And her name?"
Luna tilted her head. "Her name is Wiz."
Levi kept his face calm, nodding like it was no big deal. "Maybe I'll go and visit."
But inside?
"Yes! Another one of my waifus! He practically did a victory dance in his head. First Yunyun,and now Wiz!"
The slime gave him a side glance, almost like it could hear his inner cheering.
Levi cleared his throat and waved his hand casually. "Anyway, thanks for the information, Luna. I'll… uh… support local businesses."
Luna gave him a puzzled look. "That was oddly specific."
Luna waved goodbye, riding the whirlpool back to the surface. Levi exhaled and turned toward his mansion door, slime bouncing faithfully at his side. He opened the door with a small grin.
"Well, buddy," Levi said, patting the slime, "tomorrow we're gonna meet a new friend."
So far, things were going exactly how he had dreamed they would if he were ever reborn into Konosuba. Step one: avoid the chaos that was Kazuma's squad—even if they hadn't formed yet, considering Kazuma himself wasn't even in this world yet. Step two: find Yunyun and Wiz before anyone else could.
One down. Yunyun was already in his party. She wasn't just adorable, she was competent. (Unlike a certain explosion-obsessed gremlin whose usefulness was currently chilling at the bottom of the ocean.)
Now came step two. Wiz.
Levi leaned back against the doorframe, thinking it through. Former adventurer, powerful magic, runs a shop nobody takes seriously, technically a Demon Lord's general… but in reality? She's just left to rot in retail hell.
He smirked. If she wants, she can join us. And I doubt the Demon Lord would even care, so long as she keeps that barrier spell running back at his castle. Win-win.
The slime bounced once, as if approving his plan.
Levi scratched his chin. "Right… tomorrow, we go shopping. And maybe—" his eyes gleamed, "—recruiting."
The next day, Levi strolled through the streets of Axel with Yunyun trailing nervously behind him and his slime companion bouncing happily at his side.
"L-Levi-sama," Yunyun whispered, clutching her wand like it was a lifeline, "are you sure meeting a lich is a good idea?"
Levi smirked, not slowing his pace. "Yes. Don't worry, Yunyun. Something tells me you and the lich will get along just fine."
In his head, he pictured Yunyun and Wiz sitting together, sipping tea and gossiping like ordinary friends. Perfect harmony.
Meanwhile, Yunyun's imagination took a far darker turn—chains, candles, and an ominous altar. She swallowed hard, convinced the lich was about to tie her down and sacrifice her soul.
They stopped in front of the shop. A modest building, plain sign, dusty windows. Levi opened the door. The bell jingled weakly, like even it had given up on life.
Inside, shelves were lined with potions, crystals, and assorted magical junk. Levi's sharp eyes immediately noted their off colors and suspicious bubbling. Yeah, not touching those. Last thing I need is drinking "healing potion" that turns out to be stomach acid.
"Is anyone here?" Levi called, glancing back at Yunyun, who was peeking out from behind him like a child hiding behind her father's legs.
A gentle, slightly nervous voice answered, "Yes, just a minute!"
There was a crash from the back room, the sound of glass breaking, a muffled "Ow!" followed by frantic footsteps. Something rolled out across the floor—was that a skull?—before being quickly scooped up.
Then she appeared.
A woman who looked like she was in her early twenties, with fair skin, wavy brown hair that partly covered one eye, and a single ahoge bobbing as she moved. She wore a light purple dress under a deep violet robe trimmed with gold, matching boots, and a brooch shaped like a golden cross with little bat wings.
Wiz.
[Insert image of Wiz]
She brushed dust from her dress and gave them a kind smile, as though nothing had happened. "Welcome! Sorry to keep you waiting!"
Levi smiled warmly, but inside he was fist-pumping. Yes. Another waifu secured.
Yunyun blinked, her jaw dropping. The rumors had described glowing eyes, pale skin, and a terrifying aura. Instead, this woman looked… beautiful. Kind. Gentle.
"…T-this is the lich?" Yunyun whispered, utterly bewildered.
The moment Levi laid eyes on her, a memory from his past life hit him like a truck. That meme. That glorious meme. Virgin Megumin, Aqua, Darkness vs. Chad Wiz.
He nearly laughed out loud. God, I can't believe I'm actually living this meme right now.
But while Levi was trying not to snicker, Wiz was frozen.
The instant her eyes met his, a chill ran through her entire body. As a high-level mage and a lich, she was sensitive to magical presence. She could see what others couldn't.
And what she saw wrapped around Levi… was terrifying.
That aura. Vast, oceanic, heavy with ancient authority. It was like staring at a primordial tidal wave held together by human skin. The Dragon's aura, dripping with majesty and danger.
Her hands trembled slightly as she forced herself to keep smiling. On the outside, she looked like a polite shopkeeper greeting a customer. On the inside?
Dear Eris, what IS this man? Why does his aura feel like it wants to devour me?
Levi, meanwhile, gave her his best warm smile. Unfortunately for Wiz, with the Dragon aura flaring behind him, that smile didn't look "kind" at all.
To her, it looked like a predator showing its teeth.
Like someone saying: "This will make a good meal."
Wiz gulped.
And she was right… sort of.
Because Levi did want to devour her—just not in the way she thought.
Wiz stumbled back a step, clutching her robe as though it could shield her from the crushing aura.
"I–I um… what brings you all to my shop?" she stammered.
Levi gave her a relaxed smile, folding his hands behind his back like some refined noble.
"To see if the rumors were true," he said smoothly. "And by the looks of it… they're not."
To Levi, it was just a harmless reassurance. A polite way of saying "Don't worry, you're not scary at all."
But to Wiz?
OH NO.
Her mind screamed as his words twisted under the weight of that aura.
"The rumors are not true… because the truth is even worse!"
"He came here to confirm it himself! He knows I'm a lich!"
She tried to force a smile, but it came out shaky and pale.
"T-t-that's good to hear… rumors can be… misleading, ahaha…"
Behind Levi, Yunyun tilted her head, confused. To her, Wiz just looked nervous—normal shopkeeper nerves when meeting someone like the Noble Warrior.
But Wiz's thoughts were pure chaos:
Calm down, Wiz, don't panic. Maybe if I act cute and harmless, he won't eat me. Oh Eris, why does he keep SMILING like that?!
Meanwhile, Levi was just thinking,
"Wow, she's even cuter in person. No wonder she was one of my waifus."
Levi glanced at Yunyun with a small smile before turning back to Wiz.
"Right, I should introduce you properly," he said.
He gestured toward the timid girl at his side.
"This is Yunyun, my companion. I think it's about time you two got to know each other."
At first, Wiz's eyes widened in panic. Her instincts screamed at her—she thought Yunyun might be another dragon hiding in human form. But when she carefully probed the girl's aura, that fear eased. Not a dragon… thank goodness.
Then came the second shock. Deep within Yunyun's essence she caught a flicker—something dark, something demonic. It made Wiz's stomach twist.
Her gaze lingered longer, narrowing, and suddenly the pieces clicked. Black hair. Crimson eyes. That signature magical pressure.
Wiz covered her mouth in disbelief.
"She's… part of the Crimson Demon Clan? I can't believe it. I thought their demon bloodline had thinned out long ago… yet here she is."
Emotions churned inside her—relief, fear, wonder, curiosity—all at once. To call it a rollercoaster was putting it lightly.
Wiz's eyes narrowed as she studied her, thoughts racing a mile a minute.
But of course, Yunyun couldn't hear any of that. All she saw was the intimidating shopkeeper staring at her in silence, eyes sharp and calculating.
Her heart sank. She's judging me… isn't she? She thinks I'm weird. Or useless. Or… oh no, what if she doesn't want me here?
Yunyun kept her polite smile frozen in place, but inside she was already crying, curling up mentally in the corner of her own mind.
Meanwhile, Wiz was having the exact opposite problem—her fear was mixed with awe and curiosity. A living Crimson Demon with the bloodline intact… this is unbelievable…
Levi, watching the two, felt like he was missing the joke entirely.
Levi looked between the two women, utterly unfazed by the strange tension. "Anyway, what does your shop sell, Miss?"
Wiz froze. Miss?
Her mind replayed the word again and again, and her face drained of color. She had studied Dragon customs during her time in the Demon King's castle, and she knew the implication. Dragons never used "Sir" or "Miss" lightly. For them, it was a title reserved only for one thing—acknowledging a potential mate.
Her eyes widened in shock as she slowly looked up at Levi. Did he just… propose?
"Y-yes…" she stammered, voice weak, nearly squeaking.
Meanwhile, Levi only smiled politely, not realizing the chaos he had caused. He hadn't meant anything by it—his human upbringing, and memories of his past life, simply made him more respectful in speech. To him, it was basic courtesy.
Yunyun blinked, tilting her head in confusion. "Eh? Did something happen? Why does she look like she's about to faint?"
Wiz nervously straightened her robes and began her usual sales pitch. "W-well, our shop carries a wide variety of magical items! For example, this enchanted staff boosts your firepower by fifty percent… but, ah, it also has a tendency to catch on fire when you hold it too long, eheh…"
She forced a smile, then quickly moved on, pulling another trinket from a shelf. "And this ring grants invisibility! …But only for your left pinky, so it's not that useful unless you're, um, a pinky thief?"
Levi chuckled softly at her comedic fumbling, finding it unexpectedly charming. She's really trying her best, isn't she?
But Wiz wasn't even aware of his reaction. His earlier words—Miss—kept echoing in her head like a curse.
How does he know me? I'm not that well-known, even among the Demon King's Generals… I always kept a low profile. Lilith was supposed to be the popular one! Do dragons keep secret lists? Am I… liked by them? Did he come here to… to claim me?
Her hands trembled as she displayed a cursed necklace that made the wearer's hair fall out at random. "A-and this one is, um, very affordable!" she squeaked, her eyes darting to Levi like a cornered animal.
After a while, Levi decided it was best to take his leave. He and Yunyun purchased a few potions to support Wiz's business. Strangely enough, unlike most of her stock, the ones they bought turned out to be free of side effects—and surprisingly beneficial to both of them.
"It took longer than expected," Levi muttered as he and Yunyun stepped out into the street, "but at least we got something useful."
Once the bell on the shop door jingled shut, Wiz let out a long, shaky breath. Then, in a burst of panic, she darted around the room, slapping a "Closed" sign onto the door before bolting upstairs.
In her room, she dove headfirst under her blanket, hugging one of her old plush toys tight against her chest. Her face burned as her thoughts spiraled.
"He called me 'Miss'… He bought potions without complaining… He smiled at me… What if he really came here to claim me as a bride?!"
She rolled around under the blanket, muffling a squeal into the plush. To say her heart was a rollercoaster would be an understatement.
Wiz buried herself deeper under the blanket, clutching her plush tighter as she tried to steady her breathing.
Would it really be that bad? she thought, cheeks warm. Dragons are powerful… they're wealthy, sometimes… They live forever unless they're killed… kind of like… a lich.
Her eyes widened. Wait, doesn't that make us… compatible?
That single thought cracked open a door she couldn't close. Images tumbled into her mind: Levi visiting her shop every day, smiling warmly as he called her "Miss" again; the two of them drinking tea together; her, in a wedding dress, standing next to him as the townsfolk clapped. She even pictured herself cooking dinner in his mansion—burning it horribly—and him laughing it off, saying, "Don't worry, Wiz, I'll eat anything you make."
Her face turned red as she buried herself completely under the blanket. Kyaaa! Stop it! I-I'm just overthinking! He probably didn't mean anything by it! He was just being polite!
But no matter how hard she tried, the silly daydreams kept looping in her head, turning her nervous panic into a comedic mix of dread and flustered giddiness.
Meanwhile, as they walked away from the shop, Levi spoke casually,
"She seems nice. Maybe she'll join us."
Yunyun blinked in surprise. "W-wait, what? You want to add her to our party? But you've turned down so many adventurers before! What's so special about her?"
Levi chuckled, hiding his real thoughts behind a calm smile. Well, can't exactly tell her it's because I want to keep all my waifus close… better stick with reason number two.
Out loud, he answered, "She's powerful."
Yunyun tilted her head, baffled. "Eh? She didn't look that strong…"
Levi stopped, looking her in the eyes with a serious tone. "Yunyun, do you know how much power it takes to become a lich?"
Yunyun froze. Her crimson eyes went wide as the weight of his words sank in. She had grown up hearing stories about liches—immortal, legendary magic casters whose power rivaled demons.
Levi smirked faintly. "Exactly. She's hiding it, but that woman is way stronger than she lets on. Strong enough that if she's on our side… well, that's a game-changer."
Yunyun shivered, both in fear and awe, as she realized Levi wasn't joking.
Then Levi continued more casually, almost as if it were an afterthought. "Plus, she's cute. And let's be honest… not many people will even step foot in her shop without first assuming she's that kind of lich. I could help her reputation out."
Yunyun stumbled in her step, blinking rapidly. "C-cute!? Reputation!?"
Levi just kept walking, hands behind his head like it was nothing. "It's called multitasking, Yunyun. Strengthen the party and boost morale at the same time."
Meanwhile, Yunyun was silently screaming in her head. "First Luna, now a lich!? Is Levi-sama trying to start his own… his own harem?!"
To be continued
Hope people like this ch and give me power stones and enjoy and happy new year