The alley was dark, narrow, and smelled faintly of old cabbage and poor life decisions.
Perfect for a shady deal.
Orion stood with his back against the brick wall, arms crossed, hood pulled low—not because he needed the disguise, but because it felt appropriate.
I mean, it's not always that he gets to be in a situation like this where he felt like a drug dealer, dreaming to make it big, some day someone will call him mafia.
A few seconds later, footsteps echoed softly, cautious yet dramatic.
Kyōya Mitsurugi appeared from the shadows, golden armour very conspicuously not suited for "secret meetings."
'At this point just reveal everyone that you're up to no good…' Orion all but rolled his eyes.
"You chose a suspicious place," Kyōya said, gripping the hilt of a sword that was very much not the sword he was missing. It was a cheap imitation, because Orion got the real one on him.
"Got to when we're dealing with suspicious people," Orion replied calmly.
Kyōya flinched, half expecting getting jumped on from any side.
"Don't worry, if I wanted to take you down, believe me, I didn't have to lure you out here."
Orion reached into his inventory and produced the stolen sword. The blade gleamed faintly, almost seeming relieved to be away from Kazuma.
Kyōya's eyes widened. "My sword…!"
"Of course it's your sword. I know you were wondering how come you couldn't find this baby anywhere, right," Orion said. "You couldn't because I bought it directly from the supplier (Kazuma). It's in perfect condition. Not sold, not cursed, not pawned to Aqua for alcohol money."
Kyōya exhaled in visible relief. "Name your price," he said with determination. There was no way he was gonna let that sword go. That was his only cheat to actually beat the Demon Lord.
Orion tilted his head. "Eris?"
Kyōya nodded eagerly.
"Heh…, if only it was that easy. No can do, brother."
Kyōya blinked. "…Excuse me?"
Orion said slowly, grinning. "I don't want money, dude. I want you…"
A shiver went inside Kyōya. He suddenly took two steps back, guarded. "W-what are you planning? I-I'm not that kind of man." He shuddered.
'Dude, at least let me complete…' Orion almost choked at the response.
"I want you to teach me swordsmanship," Orion slowly said.
The silence that followed was so thick even the rats paused to listen. Kyōya's guarded stance, like ready to bolt from there the moment he tried to pull something on him—or something down from him—finally lowered.
"…What?"
"You heard me."
Kyōya stared at him as if Orion had just asked him to teach magic to a rock. "You… want me to train you?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Wanna learn swordsmanship?"
"Swordsmanship!"
"You don't even carry a sword."
As soon as Kyōya completed that sentence, Orion just raised his eyebrow, making Kyōya blink like wondering if he said something wrong, only to remember how Orion manifested his sword out of nowhere…
"Oh…"
Kyōya rubbed his temples. "But still, why—"
"Because," Orion interrupted, "you're actually decent."
Kyōya stiffened. "Decent?"
"It might not be obvious," Orion continued casually, "but your form is solid. Your fundamentals are clean. Your problem isn't skill—it's overconfidence and dramatic posing."
"…I do not pose dramatically."
"You literally sparkle when you draw your sword."
Kyōya opened his mouth. Closed it. Thought about whether that was a compliment or a taunt, then ultimately sighed.
"You could have asked for gold," he said quietly.
"I have enough of that," Orion replied. Actually, he didn't. But the official hero doesn't need to know that.
"What I lack is structure. I need to learn how to fight."
Kyōya looked at the sword in Orion's hand again. Then at Orion himself.
"…You're strange."
"So I've been told." Orion shrugged.
After a long pause, Kyōya straightened his back and nodded. "Very well. I will teach you. Until you grasp the basics."
Orion smiled faintly and handed him the sword.
Kyōya caught it reverently. "I swear, I will not disappoint you."
Orion shrugged. "Good. Because if you do, I'll sell it back to Kazuma."
"…You're cruel."
"Heh… you have seen nothing." Orion rolled his eyes.
And thus started Orion's training under Kyōya. Strictly swordsmanship. He by no means was stronger than Orion, but he was better in swordsmanship—something Orion could use.
—<>—
Time kept on going. Winter fell upon Axel like an unpaid bar tab—sudden, heavy, and utterly inconvenient. Especially on the wallets of adventurers without deep pockets.
With snow piling up and monsters deciding they, too, hated the cold, quests dried up almost overnight. Even Kazuma, normally eager to suffer for profit, declared that freezing to death for pocket change was "not worth the trauma." Darkness tried to argue otherwise. She was ignored for everyone's safety. Thank god.
During this lull, Orion found himself assigned—by circumstance, Megumin, and absolutely no one else—to a very specific duty.
Explosion escort. Once, this duty fell to the only male of the group, Kazuma. But Orion was here and had a good reason behind wanting Megumin blasting a certain castle around Axel. Thus, he willingly decided to escort her.
Every afternoon, bundled in a cloak far too thin for the weather, Megumin would march out of town with her staff held high, proclaiming destiny, destruction, and how this explosion would be even better than yesterday's.
"Yeah yeah,… just get moving already. It's getting cold."
Orion followed behind her, hands in his pockets.
"Try not to slip," he said. "If you break your neck, Aqua will laugh."
Megumin huffed. "A true archwizard fears neither snow nor gravity."
"Oh really… what about tickle…"
She stiffened…
"After your explosion, of course."
"Yo-you… you're so mean. Fight me when I'm capable, okay." She whined.
This was their daily bickering at this point. Nothing new.
They reached the ruined castle as always—half-buried in snow, still somehow standing despite months of daily magical abuse.
Megumin planted her staff dramatically. "Witness, Orion! The ultimate magic that transcends all reason—"
"—and also your mana pool," he added.
"Silence!"
The chant rang out, loud and proud, echoing through the frozen air. Then—
"EXPLOSION!"
The blast lit up the winter sky, sending snow cascading off nearby ruins. Megumin collapsed instantly, face-first into the powder.
"…Worth it," she mumbled.
[Have to say, she is indeed a capable mage. Even though she could only be used once.]
'Thanks for that summary…' Orion rolled his eyes.
Orion sighed, crouched, and hoisted her onto his back like clockwork. "One day, you're going to explode something important."
"I already have," she said smugly. "Peace and quiet."
'And how is that something to be boasting about?' Orion deadpanned. He really didn't get how the brain circuits of these people here worked.
On the walk back, Megumin kicked her feet lazily. "You know, most people complain about carrying me."
"Most people are weak," Orion replied. "Or Kazuma."
She laughed, a bright sound against the cold. "Mind if we take the long route around?"
"Why? Found my back too comfortable, or you suddenly like the chilly cold winds of Axel in winter…"
She didn't answer, just wrapped her hands around him tighter, enjoying the piggyback ride.
Sometimes they argued about magic. Sometimes about food. Once about whether explosions looked better against snow or sunsets. Megumin insisted snow amplified the drama.
By the time Axel's gates came back into view, she was usually half-asleep, humming softly.
"…Hey, Orion?"
"Yeah?"
"…Thanks for coming with me."
He adjusted his grip. "Someone's gotta make sure you don't get eaten by winter."
She smiled, unseen.
And these were the last peaceful days before the final boss would march toward them….
xXx
A/N : Got to say, I really had to skip quite a bit from this arc, I just didnt wished to add a lot from another world when I haven't even went through everything Orario has to offer. But don't worry, I'll make it sweet.
As for sweet, I definately could use those sweet stones guys. Throw them here if you don't need them.
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