[16] My Name is Megumin!

Chapter 16: My Name is Megumin!

From the beginning, Durin had planned for Helena to play the role of Megumin, so he never truly intended to drive her away. He was simply orchestrating things from the start. However, the fact that she owed a five-figure debt caught him off guard.

However, as Helena herself pointed out, while her debt could buy the most luxurious villa in the heart of the capital, as long as she wasn't discovered by the people in the capital, there wouldn't be any issues. Ultimately, as long as she remained a member of the Mage Tower, the Knights wouldn't dare lay a hand on her. This was one of the privileges that mages in this world enjoyed.

"Is this really okay? I practically begged you to take me in, and you even gave me such a nice outfit! And this eyepatch, I've always wanted a cool eyepatch like this!"

Surprised by the unexpected turn of events, Helena, now dressed in a brand new set of mage robes and a cloak full of chuuni vibes, said somewhat anxiously, "I told you I'm broke! Even if you're being kind to me, I still can't repay you!"

To this, Durin's eyebrows raised slightly, and he said resignedly, "Alright, alright, I know you. Anyway, I can take you in, but you must fulfill the tasks I assign to you, understood?"

"Tasks? Oh right, I still don't know what job you're talking about."

Seeing the other finally grasp the situation, Durin said helplessly, "Didn't I mention it? Acting, acting! Once you change into these clothes, you'll be a newcomer to our crew. Later, you'll meet the others."

"Acting?"

Facing the girl's surprise, Durin simply handed her the script and explained, "In simple terms, it's playing a role in a story, kind of like a play. Oh, I forgot, you don't even have money to watch a play. Anyway, just know that this job pays five gold coins a month and includes meals."

Helena, who was initially confused, became excited upon hearing Durin's last words, "Got it! Whether it's acting or role-playing, count me in for everything!"

...

In the inn at Nosrick.

"This is our new lead actress, Helena. She'll be playing the role of Megumin. You've all met each other, right?"

After bringing Helena directly here using teleportation magic, Durin gathered everyone together for introductions. The cast and crew of "KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!" were now significantly larger than before.

Apart from Durin, Winry, Zat, and Aya, there's Lawrence, who's in charge of providing magical creatures, and the newcomer Helena who just arrived. Plus, we'll need to recruit actors from adventurers in the future, so the size of the production team is bound to grow.

"Alright, I assume everyone here has already read the script, and there shouldn't be any more questions about the filming process."

Having previously explained to Helena what the magical recording device was, she didn't raise any further concerns at this moment. So, Durin continued, "Now, let me outline the next scene we'll be filming. Firstly, the scene depicts Kazuma and Aqua starting to recruit adventurers. Just as they're distributing recruitment flyers, they encounter Megumin, who promptly seeks to join. However, what Kazuma and Aqua don't know is that this seemingly powerful and promising mage is actually a peculiar one who can only use explosion magic once a day..."

"Question!"

Helena, who was listening to Durin's explanation, suddenly interjected, "Why can she only use it once a day? If she's lacking magical power, can't she just replenish herself with magic crystals containing pure magical energy?"

"Alright, regarding this question, it's invalid due to differing worldviews! In 'KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!' there's no such thing as magic crystals that allow mages to directly absorb magical power."

"So why use up all your magical power in one spell? Shouldn't you simplify the formula and increase magical efficiency instead?"

"Alright, regarding this question, it's invalid due to character reasons! In 'KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!' mages don't need to construct magical formulas or comprehend the essence of elements to use magic. Therefore, they don't have the ability to alter magical formulas."

"Then..."

"No 'then'! Don't bring up useless questions, or I'll cancel your lunch box!"

Clearly, even Durin was getting fed up with the constant barrage of questions. However, he understood why they were being asked. After all, the world of "KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!" leans more towards gaming, where simply defeating monsters and leveling up can make you stronger. In contrast, the mages in this world are more like researchers, focusing on understanding the nature of magic before using it.

But ultimately, he was just making a comedy film. Getting too caught up in the details would only waste time.

Meanwhile...

"Not bringing it up anymore, cancelling lunch boxes... What's the big deal?"

Helena, who promptly backed down, closed her mouth. Durin quickly wrapped up the discussion about filming issues, saying, "Anyway, there shouldn't be any problems with the script, right? Let's start rehearsing the scene where the new member joins!"

As the three main actors began rehearsing, Durin headed to the adventurer's guild to make arrangements for the next scenes. After all, the upcoming scenes would mostly revolve around the guild, and many roles still needed to be cast. The workload was only going to increase from here.

...

At night, in the adventurer's guild.

The dimly lit hall seemed livelier than during the day. Unlike during the day, almost all the adventurers gathered here at night. The reason was simple: the drinks at the adventurer's guild were much cheaper than at the inns or taverns. For the mostly impoverished adventurers of the Southern Frontier, it was better to come to the guild to drink, chat, and socialize with fellow adventurers while saving money.

And at this moment, in a corner of the guild, a magical recording device slowly began to operate, capturing the new scene of Megumin joining the team.

"...No one's coming."

Hearing Aqua's words, Kazuma, who understood why no one was showing up, said helplessly, "Well, maybe we should lower the recruitment requirements. Although our goal is to defeat the Demon King, it seems that asking for at least an advanced class is too strict..."

Indeed, except for Kazuma and Aqua's team, all the other adventurer teams had already found recruits.

Only Kazuma and Aqua's team, because they set their entry requirements too high, hadn't had anyone show up yet.

"Ugh... But..."

"Still no one showing up? I mean, you're an advanced class, but I'm the weakest one here. If everyone around me is elite, where will I fit in? Maybe we should lower the requirements a bit..."

As Kazuma was saying this and about to stand up, a petite girl with one eye hidden behind an eyepatch approached them. In the moment they looked at her, she confidently lifted her cloak and said, "I am Megumin! A practitioner of advanced magic, wielding the most powerful offensive magic, Explosion Magic...!"

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