Planting potatoes turned out to be more troublesome than expected—mainly because the Crimson Demon Clan's land was too fertile.
As everyone knows, overly fertile land makes the leaves and flowers soak up so many nutrients that the potatoes themselves—the rhizomes—only grow as big as beans.
Sure, they were still much bigger than Megumin's pectoral muscles, but Zunzun was far from satisfied.
So every two or three days, the two of them trimmed the excess branches and leaves, applied fertilizer, watered, and tended the crop carefully.
During this time, Sister Soketto and the Ginyu Force trio offered to help, but Zunzun politely declined. After all, he didn't want his sister to waste her beautiful youth working in the fields.
Day after day, they worked from dawn until dusk for two and a half months, and finally, the potatoes were ready to harvest.
Though Zunzun had refused help during the process, the others still came on harvest day.
"Wow! So many! So big! So dense!" Hululu exclaimed as potatoes kept being pulled from the ground.
"Zunzun, you really know how to grow potatoes."
"You're the potato master of the Crimson Demon Clan."
"I think so too," Hulala and Hong Longlong nodded in agreement.
Zunzun accepted the praise without hesitation. After all, there were seven or eight fist-sized potatoes growing on each rhizome. Even the old farmers of the Crimson Demon Clan couldn't match his harvest.
Besides, the "Konosuba" land was fertile, and this harvest totaled a whopping 500 kilograms!
"Now we won't starve this winter anymore," said Megumin, her face smudged with black mud but glowing with a proud smile.
No one knew how hard she had struggled through past winters.
The six of them quickly finished harvesting and stored the potatoes in the cellar as before. After enjoying Zunzun's delicious potato dishes at dinner, everyone left with a small bag of potatoes, clearly satisfied.
Since Megumin had put in a lot of effort this time, Zunzun generously gave her 30% of the harvest.
That's about 150 kilograms—enough to last well over three months, even with heavy eating.
This time, Megumin accepted Zunzun's help and accompanied Sister Soketto to carry the potatoes back to her house. Upon seeing Megumin's humble home, Sister Soketto subconsciously blurted, "Megumin, is that your warehouse?"
That stung the little girl.
Winter came, and like in previous years, Zunzun stopped farming and stayed home, doing nothing—just like farmers in his previous life.
Looking back, Zunzun had worked hard all year. After farming nonstop, wasn't it time to enjoy himself?
Winters in the past were boring.
He could do nothing but exercise at home. Wake, eat, exercise, sleep, wake, eat again, exercise again, sleep again—endlessly repeating the cycle.
But this year was different.
Every mealtime, Megumin appeared at Zunzun's dining table, blending in naturally.
Whose home was this, anyway?
Sister Soketto warmly welcomed Megumin, knowing her life had been hard. She hoped that Zunzun and Megumin could grow closer and become better friends.
"Friend...?" Zunzun gave Megumin a strange look.
Their relationship was more like master and apprentice. Honestly, he wished Megumin would call him "master."
Not just Megumin.
Since Sister Soketto started school, her friends—the trio—often came over to play. They said they came to play, but really, Zunzun was the one being played with.
He could never escape their grasp. They always rubbed and squeezed him, sometimes dressing him in all kinds of princess dresses, loli outfits, and other embarrassingly frilly clothes.
He felt embarrassed, but the little loli was extremely jealous. She had no new clothes to wear. From childhood until now, Megumin's clothes had all been her mother's old garments, altered to fit, but outdated and worn.
Sister Soketto gave Megumin some old clothes, hoping she wouldn't reject them. But the little girl refused firmly, saying, "Mom doesn't let me accept things from others, because that would make me owe them a favor."
At this, Zunzun asked, "But you come here to eat every day—aren't you accepting favors too?"
"Clothes are visible on the outside. But once food is eaten, it leaves no trace. That's what Mom taught me," Megumin answered unexpectedly.
There was something wrong with her mother's education.
The Crimson Demons were just middle school students, but Megumin's mother's ideas—especially about food—were truly unique... and jaw-dropping.
Zunzun wished he could meet her someday.
That chance came sooner than expected.
One late November day, as Zunzun was exercising at home, Megumin came for a meal as usual. After eating, she suddenly said:
"Zunzun, my parents are back, and they want to see you."
Meet her parents?
He wasn't ready.
But soon he realized he was overthinking. He and Megumin had no special relationship—they were more like benefactor and beneficiary.
Still, when he arrived at Megumin's stable-like home, Zunzun felt nervous.
—
Megumin's living room.
Zunzun sat properly in the shabby room, kneeling on a tattered, hard futon with legs tightly together, back straight, and hands flat on his knees.
Though he knew where Megumin's house was, he had never been inside before. The place was just as rundown as expected.
Facing him were a middle-aged man and woman.
The woman was beautiful, with long, smooth black hair cascading down her back. Her gentle gaze and round face made Zunzun think, "Madam, you still have charm."
But what interested him more was the cold middle-aged man on her left.
He was fairly muscular—not bulky, but enough to make Zunzun jealous. His crossed arms showed a heavy presence.
His face was lined, cold, and seemed invincible. Zunzun half-expected him to suddenly shout "Star Platinum!" and then yell "Ora Ora Ora!" at him.
The man wore patched-up pants worth about 20,000 yen, making him look a little shabby.
These were Megumin's parents: Hyoizaburoo and Yuiyui.
"I heard everything from my daughter—" Hyoizaburoo said in a low, intimidating voice.
Wait, farming? Was he unhappy with the harvest? Did he want to beat me?
Zunzun thought carefully. Maybe he had gone too far.
Megumin woke early, slept late, followed him to the fields, helped plant, fertilize, weed, irrigate, and harvest... and only got 30% of the yield. She's just a child!
Zunzun suddenly felt like an evil capitalist.
Would an angry Hyoizaburoo hang him on a streetlamp and beat him?
No wonder he was scared.
Hyoizaburoo really looked tough.
His face, all lines and invincibility like Jotaro, suggested he might actually punish Zunzun if he didn't agree.
But what Zunzun didn't expect was—
"Thank you very much!"
Hyoizaburoo knelt on the spot.
Well, "kneeling" was a bit generous—he more sat down and slouched toward Zunzun, but it was close enough.
Zunzun was dumbfounded.
"…Eh?"
"My daughter told me that thanks to you, she can come to our house for dinner every day and even stay there. Plus, you gave her so much food after harvest. Thank you so much!"
Hyoizaburoo's voice was filled with genuine gratitude.
Yuiyui added, "Yes. When we got home, we were surprised to find a cellar outside filled with so much food. After hearing it was your doing, Zunzun, we are very thankful."
Yes, yes! You just want to thank me!
How many people want to kneel but can't!
Hearing that, Zunzun's hunched little body slowly straightened.
-End Chapter-
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