Megumin's pov
I woke up early to prepare my dress for the pageant, if Darkness was going steal Kazuma from me I would atleast have the advantage of being the first in Kazuma so I know I could win.
Apart from being first, I am also much smarter than her and beautiful.
I already know how to act as a housewife and great at housework.
What does Darkness have?
A great body and beautiful, check.
Great at doing housework, cross that one out, she's too clumsy to even cook.
Rich and powerful, check.
Oh shit! Now I realized I am at a disadvantage here, if she uses her money to get Kazuma, he would accept her without thinking otherwise.
Wait, I knew Kazuma this long, he wouldn't accept Darkness cause he doesn't have feelings for her, I mean she's too perverted and masochistic I couldn't even tell the difference between a really horny man and Darkness.
I know I will win against her.
I wore my beautiful black dress and went outside my room.
Waiting for there is.
"Megumin, do you think this gown is too much, for me I think it's too much."
Darkness wore a elegant dress.
"I think it's enough, you'll rock the competition."
I then turned back to my room and closed it.
"Hey Megumin what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"You must be thinking about Kazuma huh."
"Wait how do you know?"
"Well I also have feelings for him."
"Great you're not making me feel better."
I dropped down to the floor.
"Hey, we're both in love with him but do you think he loves us?"
"No."
An obvious lie.
"See, both of us doesn't have a chance to make him us, but let's do our best and let's share him together if we could win his heart."
I know Darkness was planning something.
"How could I trust you?"
"We're friends aren't we?"
I opened my door and Darkness was waiting for my hug.
Darkness's pov.
You think I am hugging you cause I wanted to share Kazuma to you, he's mine and you're not getting him, I would wait for a situation where I could hit you hard to make you feel at a lost for him, you'll see Megumin, you'll see.
Kazuma's pov.
Hours later.
Well the preparation of the contest is finished now I would just wait for that damned armor to appear.
Chris and I split on two sides of the stadium used for the beauty contest.
Now let's just hope the girls attracted that armor.
Now if you wanna ask why did I let Megumin and Darkness join in, for me they're equal.
Although the two have their faults, I still think I love the two of them with those faults.
Or atleast that's what I wanted to prove here, if the two of them were going to compete against each other on the beauty contest, I could see what their likable traits are.
Right now I listed all the positive traits the girls have as Chris told me.
First Megumin is a great cook, I know this base on the crystal ball we used to learn her and Yunyun's past.
Darkness isn't a great cook but she's reliable on doing simple cleaning and housework although Megumin could do the same.
Darkness is rich though, that's 1 point for her although I don't want to use her fortune or her family that easily.
Oh the contest is about to start.
Megumin's pov.
"Eh Megumin you should've told me you were participating, I should've prepared and see who will win."
"Yunyun, I don't need another competition, I'm only participating for Kazuma."
"Aren't the two of you together already, I mean I saw it with my own eyes that you slept hugging him."
"Yeah, but."
I pointed at Darkness.
"She might steal him from me."
"Wait aren't Darkness and you are friends, if she's in love with him just tell her you're with him already, oh right this is not like what I read right?"
"You're talking nonsense, just support me from the crowd make sure Kazuma is looking at me and not her."
"I would, I would kick his ass if he was looking at other girls, knowing his personality hehe."
"Don't think you could seduce him either, I know you don't have feelings for him but you're looking for someone to try what you've read."
"Hehe Megumin I won't, this love triangle is interesting though."
Yunyun went and joined in the crowd, the contest was about to start.
Kazuma's pov
I think I could see that armor down there and is that Yunyun?
Maybe she wanted to join the beauty contest to fight against Megumin but she's too late for the the registration.
Anyway gotta approach that armor.
I went to a large looking armor.
I tap it's shoulders.
"Hey man what are you doing oh Kazuma."
"Mitsurugi! What are you doing here?"
"I was just wandering around, knowing it's the goddesses Aqua and Eris I might aswell join in, by the way the one who advised a joint event like this was smart, making the two sect compete and giving them seperate contests to make the event still relevant and entertaining, what are you doing here, aren't you supposed to help Aqua-sama?"
"I left Aqua to manage the Axis Cult part of this festival, I just wanted to watch the beauty contest here."
"Knowing how perverted you are, this is not unexpected, though leaving Aqua alone like that knowing how much of a troublemaker she is, are you right on your decision?"
"Maybe not, maybe you should look after her."
"Why do you look like someone suspicious?"
"I am not."
"If my two party members were here they won't want me to watch this contest so I would stay for a little bit then I'll look out for Aqua."
Well Mitsurugi was also acting suspicious, anyways I left him to watch the pageant.
I saw another shining figure o the crowd and I went closer to it.
I guess it's an armor now seeing that it's restlessly waiting for the girls.
I went closer to him and sat next to him.
I saw Chris was already looking at us.
"Hey Aigis remember me."
"Shit!"
"Relax, I wouldn't do anything yet to you, I'll watch the pageant with you before I could bring you to the thief girl."
"I am caught anyways what do you think about the event?"
"My girlfriends were going to compete so I knew it's going to be interesting."
"Well if the one you mentioned the first time you tried to take me down is beautiful, that's what I like to see."
The girls who were participating finally appeared at the stage.
Megumin although wearing a plain outfit shines within the other contestants, the same thing goes for Darkness as she's wearing something elegant.
Then Wiz who's also participating appeared, she's only wearing her usual frock so there's no difference apart from her beauty shining.
"So I could already see the loli you mentioned, you're right she's beautiful huh."
"Damn right."
"There's also that one lady elegantly dressed."
"She's also my girlfriend you fool."
"Wow you're one lucky son of a bitch, caught two birds with one stone huh."
Then what!? Why is there a succubus on the stage.
Although Darkness and Megumin are much more beautiful, the succubus might use her magic.
Or maybe that's just a girl cosplaying as such.
There's a lot of other contestants, some were cosplaying as a succubus, Eris.
Some were wearing bikinis and dresses and gowns but if the competition for those clothing were to happen Darkness would be the obvious winner.
Then finally the contestants started introducing themselves.
The first one is Wiz.
"Hi everyone, I am the owner of the Wiz magic shop, I am just gonna announce the fact that our shop will have a clearance sale with everything 90% off, please come and thank you."
Wiz was then followed by the succubus looking girl.
The succubus then put it's hand on her forehead, revealing Vanir.
"Muwahahaha, you thought it was a beautiful succubus girl but it was me moi!"
"Hey!"
"Boo!"
The people then started throwing some stuff on Vanir.
Then Vanir ran off picking Wiz on the way.
Now then Darkness and Megumin were going to introduce themselves.
"My name is Dustiness-ford Lalatina, I am a crusader and the next in line for the lordship of this town."
Then Megumin do the same weird introduction pose.
"My name is Megumin, user of explosion magic and Axel's number one mage."
Then I couldn't help but speak this out of my mind.
"Boo! The last one was a disappointment to us, you should strip to make us feel better!"
Aigis and the other spectators look at me.
I also noticed Megumin and Darkness stared at me as well as Chris and Yunyun.
Then somehow I heard a familiar voice, it's coming from Aigis.
"The brat's right, strip!"
"Yeah strip!"
"Strip!"
I could feel Megumin and Darkness staring with daggers at me.
Then it seems like Megumin wass going to it.
I saw her slowly lowering the strap of her dress from her right shoulder.
Then somehow.
"Kazuma-san are you alright?"
I fell to the ground, my nose is bleeding.
"You're a damn bastard Kazuma-kun, you already caught the armor and looked like you're planning something else."
Chris and Yunyun followed by Aigis carried me to the backstage.
"Oh boy, if you hadn't asked the two girls to strip, I wouldn't even think I would be willing to be captured by you, alright thief girl take me down after this."
"What are you saying didn't Kazuma-kun tell you what's your purpose yet?"
"No."
"Well gotta take care of him first."
They laid me down to a stretcher on the backstage.
I tried to get up but.
"Kazuma-san don't try to get up, it's gonna make that nosebleed worse."
I touched my nose and notice blood still keeps pouring.
Then Megumin and Darkness came to the backstage.
They first hugged me then, then they punched me both at the same time making Yunyun shock.
"Ouch what's that for?"
"That's for asking us to strip you bastard."
"I am sorry."
"If you didn't save me from last night, I could've let Darkness here kill you."
"Please don't."
"I won't kill you but you gotta fix the mess you made."
"What's going on?"
"Since you asked the two of us to strip, the rest of the spectators were asking the contestants to strip, the host was about to announce the winner but the spectators doesn't want to hear it yet without seeing the contestants strip."
"Oh no, Kazuma-kun, how are we going to return the prestige of the Eris church at this rate, they're gonna think we hosted a sexual event instead of a Thanksgiving festival."
"Maybe, maybe we could ask Eris."
"Eh!"
"The one who gave us the task for the armor is Eris-sama herself, if somehow we could contact her."
"Kazuma why would you think that would work?" Darkness asked.
"They might think a divine intervention happened on the event making them believe it's a miracle, if Eris-sama could tell them to stop sexualizing the contestants, they might stop otherwise they're just gonna worship Eris-sama."
I winked at Chris and she's shocked as hell.
The blood on my nose finally stopped so I stood up.
"Chris, I think I know a way to contact her, just follow me."
"Eh, fine Kazuma-kun."
"Well take care you two."
Darkness's pov.
No, not Chris she's my bestfriend of course Kazuma wouldn't take her as a bride.
The two went out to contact Eris-sama somehow.
"Hey there girl you're looking sad huh."
"It's nothing."
"Well for a girl of that body of yours you shouldn't be sad as the world deserves to give everything to you."
"Strange words coming from a perverted armor."
"Hey I am just trying to confirm you."
Then somehow a some noises came from the stage.
"It's the goddess Eris-sama, she decided to visit us!"
"What a miracle."
"Children of the Eris church, as your goddess Eris, I demand you to stop sexualizing women and enjoy the beauty pageant peacefully."
Kazuma is standing just behind Eris, he's wearing a bandana on his face.
What is he planning to do now?
"Well will oh great goddess."
"Could we touch your boobs before you go back to heaven? I mean I wanted to know if they're padded or not."
"Come on Eris-sama could we atleast touch you?"
Kazuma's pov.
"Kazuma-san it's hopeless, all of this people are too perverted."
"Shit, least this is going to be on the papers as the day the goddess Eris-sama goes to Axel, we need to get you out of here, if the locals here were already loyal to you, the news about Eris would spread throughout Belzerg so you'll still be known, I am gonna call for Aigis."
"Eris-sama just get down here, let me touch that."
"Hey Kazuma-san be quick."
I went backstage.
"Oh dear adviser you're here."
"Hey don't call me that."
"Kazuma what did he called you?"
"Nothing Darkness, anyways Aigis could you help us, Eris-sama needs to get out of here fast."
"Understood."
The armor Aigis ran up to Eris.
I followed them behind.
"Eh Kazuma-san I don't think we could pass through that crowd."
"Leave them to me Eris."
I jumped to crowd below them.
"Hey aren't you the one who shouted strip?"
"Yeah why are you stopping us from touching Eris-sama now?"
"Aigis, Eris just run, create earth! Wind breath!"
I tried fighting a lot of people on the crowd.
As they're blinded by my move, the host started announcing the winner.
Shit I gotta hear this.
Then I felt a chair hit my head.
A few hours later.
"Hehe that's what you get for helping the Eris church and Eris."
"Aqua, tell me, tell me who won the beauty contest?"
"Due to unexpected appearance of Eris, she's the automatic winner, the 2nd place though was draw between Darkness and Megumin."
Wow the two did win!
I must celebrate this with them later.
"Where am I by the way?"
"You're on a room, inside a restaurant on the merchant district, be careful of Darkness and Megumin though, they heard bad news about you."
I did just realized, what's the date today?
"Hey Aqua, what's the current date today?"
"Isn't it June 7? The year though I don't know."
"Wait, it's my birthday today how did I forget!"
"Hey hey calm down, when you're brought here by Chris, Darkness, Megumin and Yunyun, you're supposed to be arrested for what happened at the contest, but the head merchant here invited you for a celebration since you're the advisor for the festival so you weren't arrested."
"Wait what do you mean?"
"Just get out of this room and see."
I opened a door.
"Oh Kazuma-san you're already up."
"Yeah Yunyun."
Darkness and Megumin rushed to me.
They both hugged me then both punched my stomach again.
"Ow!"
"That's for hanging around with some strange ladies." 2x
Both Darkness and Megumin said.
I don't know if Darkness knew my relationship with Megumin or if Megumin knew but I know they're gonna get jealous about those succubus ladies.
"So Darkness you weren't angry about me being the advisor for the festival?"
"You're lucky I am on second place on that contest."
Megumin then hit Darkness with her elbow.
"I mean we were on second place."
"Anyway, guys I need to tell you about this, it's my birthday today and I haven't even realized it."
"Wait what!?" x2
Megumin and Darkness ran out of the restaurant dragging Yunyun and Chris with them.
3rd person point of view
Megumin and Darkness went to find gifts for Kazuma after hearing him say it's his birthday.
It's kinda easy to find a quick gift since they're on the merchant district but the two had to act they're competing against each other for Kazuma cause they didn't know yet that the two of them already won his heart.
Megumin went to a blacksmith while Darkness went to a pawnshop.
Megumin's side.
"Hey Megumin, I know you wanted a quick gift for Kazuma but what are you supposed to gift him from a blacksmith?"
"Well I did ruined his sword though, so I wanted to buy him a replacement, of course this time it's his right to name it."
"Oh right, just don't go near the sword again when he's trying to name it, maybe you'll name it something weirder than Chomosuke and Chunchunmaru."
"Hey you even called my cat, Kuro, if you think changing his name to Chomosuke is worst, imagine getting called Kuro here."
"You're right, we do name things weird, I mean it's our tradition but yeah."
"Something is strange about you though, have you been hanging out with that blonde delinquent frequently?"
"Oh, uhm, no, ahh yes."
"Whatever, if he'd used you I don't want to help you just to stay I told you so."
The two Crimson Demons reached the blacksmith.
"Oh what would these two beautiful mages like from our store."
"We were looking for a type of sword, remember the sword Kazuma made, I need one to gift to him."
"Well the metal he used to make the sword was weak, barely could cut human flesh, I've checked the stats of the sword, it's actually Kazuma's craftsmanship, he used week steel on the sword, so I switched the steel with a more stronger one, now I think it's quite fit for fighting some high level monsters, specially generals of the demon king, and I also got it enchanted by some priests and mages."
"Great how much for it?"
"500000 eris."
"Shit, Yunyun I am short here, could you help me pay for it?"
"Oh okay how much do you need?"
"About 490000 eris."
"Eh!"
Darkness who's buying gifts for Kazuma on a pawnshop.
"So Chris what do you think Kazuma would want?"
"I don't know much you're mostly adventuring with him."
"Oh come on."
"Maybe like those types of books you tried to burn?"
"No I am not getting him something like those, I don't even know where to get them."
"Maybe something personal to him, like something he mostly fell in love with."
"I don't know."
"Oh, how about this necklace instead?"
"Young girl, that necklace is a holy item, it can be use against undead and it's very effective, there's also some strange writing here."
"I'll take it then."
"50000 eris."
"Here."
"Thank you for buying."
Darkness and Chris left the pawnshop and went to the restaurant back on the merchant district.
On the way inside, they met Megumin and Yunyun with Megumin holding a sword similar to Kazuma.
The two look at each other.
Then they decided to run inside the restaurant, pushing their companions to ground.
Chris and Yunyun who fell to the ground just looked at each other.
"Guess those two really love Kazuma huh." Chris asked.
"Yeah, could you help me stand up?" Yunyun said.
"Here."
"Anyway we should probably leave those two now."
"Yeah."
"You're Darkness's friend right?"
"Yeah, you must be Megumin's friend."
"Anyway can I get you a drink at the tavern?"
"Sure thing, just a pint of crimson beer is enough."
Yunyun and Chris left.
Megumin and Darkness was disappointed about the fact the celebration for Kazuma had already ended and Kazuma is already on the mansion.
Aqua was hanging around with the head of the Axis Cult in Axel so the two were left together for tonight.
"Sigh Megumin, if one of us really wins the heart of Kazuma, you should share him with me."
"Gotta try, I don't know if we could ever win him."
"Anyway, truce?"
"Yeah truce."
Darkness and Megumin hugged each other, but the both of them had secret plans if they win Kazuma's heart.
The next day the two gave Kazuma's gift on the morning making the still sleepy Kazuma angry.
But Kazuma gladly accepted the gifts though.
He noticed the necklace Darkness gave him was just a ring holder with a ring inside of it.
Written on the ring.
Japanese letters that Kazuma could only understand.
'May the father of understanding guide us'
"Huh such a strange line coming from a ring in Japanese huh, Darkness said it could be use against undead so maybe it's a Christian ring, I must wear it all the time as Aqua's existence means we're always attractive to undead, as for the sword though, well Megumin's was the one who gave it to me, she said it should replace Chunchunmaru, she left me alone to name though due to her being my girlfriend, I suppose I could name it Chunchunmaru the 2nd, I mean it's not that different it's just more powerful than it."
Kazuma wrapped the old chunchunmaru.
"I should give this Megumin as a memorabilia."