It was a new year.
Zunzun wanted to grow something different.
Not that corn and potatoes were bad—staple foods were staple foods, after all—but crop rotation was important. Different crops, or multiple crops in sequence, kept the soil healthy and fertile over the seasons and years.
Besides, corn didn't get planted until June. He couldn't let the land go to waste waiting that long, and Megumin's food stores wouldn't last that long anyway. According to consumption rates, she was probably starving by now.
There were four months before corn planting, and he had no clue what to grow in the meantime.
He glanced at the three cultivated fields, then turned to his good (read: useful) friend beside him, who was sweating and blushing.
"Yunyun, what do you think we should plant?"
"Huh? Ask me? Um… how about saury?"
"Okay, good suggestion—wait, saury? The fish with scales that leaps around and gets fat and delicious in autumn?"
"That's the one."
Yunyun tilted her head, looking cute but confused why Zunzun looked so constipated.
—Don't look down on me!
Zunzun wanted to say that. In this world, saury did grow in the fields. In the Crimson Demon Clan's agricultural zone, lively little fish swam in the lush crops.
"Can't we grow something normal?"
"But saury is normal. It's just an ordinary crop…"
"I'm not saying the saury is abnormal, I'm saying fish growing in the field is abnormal. Forget it, you wouldn't understand. Ah, goddess, this planting system really has a big bug."
Seeing Yunyun's utterly confused expression, Zunzun felt like he was talking to a cow.
…No, just like Yunyun claimed to be a Crimson Demon freak but was actually the only normal one in the clan, maybe I'm the freak? The closer I get to the end, the more confused I become. What do you do when it reaches 'I can't tell'?
Yunyun changed her suggestion again.
"Then… let's grow chestnuts. They might attract lots of chestnut monsters and are covered in thorns, making harvesting tricky. But they're nutritious and expensive. Everyone in the Crimson Demon Village grows them."
"…Forget it, we'll stick with corn and potatoes."
After a long internal battle, Zunzun gave up.
It wasn't that he didn't want to diversify, but without magic, growing rare ingredients was just too risky. And fish in fields? No way.
Besides, this was a magical world. If the soil wasn't fertile enough, couldn't magic fix it?
Yunyun had no objections.
Well, honestly, she didn't care what they planted. As long as she could be with her "friends," she was the happiest.
The two worked hard all morning.
At lunch, Zunzun pulled out a lunchbox he'd prepared—a fried tempura set.
Fried tempura was easy: coat prepped ingredients in batter, fry until crispy.
His set included shrimp, okra, potatoes, eggplant—a rich variety. And with his big appetite, the portions were generous.
He handed over the lunchbox.
"Please, have some."
"Thank you, thank you!" Yunyun carefully took it, her nervous look like she was holding a treasure.
Could this be her first gift from anyone? If she said she'd treasure it forever, Zunzun would probably cry.
Quickly, he said, "Try it. I'm confident in my cooking."
"Okay, okay!"
Yunyun picked up a fried shrimp with reverence and slowly ate it.
She ate elegantly, clearly well-mannered—completely unlike Megumin, who turned into a berserker, stuffing food into her mouth wildly when hungry.
"So, so delicious—"
Yunyun's eyes sparkled with excitement. Of course, anyone eating your food would praise your skills.
"Really? Glad you like it."
Zunzun kept his expression neutral.
Since reincarnating as Konosuba, his cooking had inexplicably turned out delicious. No upgrades, no fancy ingredients—he wondered if some hidden skill was at work.
Too bad there was no career card to check.
Still, cooking well satisfied his taste buds.
While they enjoyed lunch, neither noticed someone sneaking up behind—until Zunzun heard quick panting and saliva-sucking sounds. He spun around.
Scarlet eyes glared at him.
"Wah——"
Forgive Zunzun's indecent scream. Afraid of ghosts, he'd rather face zombies than those blazing red eyes staring at him.
His whole body trembled, cold sweat breaking out on a hot day.
Relieved to see who it was, he blurted, "What are you doing, ouch~!"
It was Megumin.
But she didn't greet him as usual. Her head was bowed, bangs shadowing her eyes. A faint red glow shimmered there, mixed with a dark, menacing aura.
"Huh, Megumin?"
Zunzun took a cautious step back.
Seeing the little girl clutching a hatchet, he shivered in fear—worried she'd say, "Let's divide him."
But—
"Why was it me first? Obviously me first… Farming, eating lunch together—obviously me first…"
Was it all in vain?
The girl stared at Yunyun with burning scarlet eyes, trembling. The hatchet in her hand swung in the sunlight, cold and sharp.
Yunyun froze, clutching the lunchbox, unable to speak.
Suddenly—
Megumin charged at Yunyun, hatchet raised.
"No!"
Zunzun lunged to stop her, but possessed by some dark force, Megumin ignored him and snatched the lunchbox.
"…Huh?"
Yunyun stared at her empty hands, confused.
Then she watched Megumin bury her face in the lunchbox and devour the food like a wild animal.
Fear drained away, replaced by hurt tears spilling down her cheeks.
-End Chapter-
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