When Yunyun entered the hall, she saw Nero crouched by the fireplace, engrossed in something.
"Umu… this really is incomprehensible," Nero muttered, her expression filled with confusion.
"What are you doing, Nero?" Yunyun asked as she walked closer, noticing Nero holding a slice of cantaloupe on a fork and moving it near the fire.
The cantaloupe, initially dormant from the cold, had begun squirming violently from the fire's heat—so much so that it appeared to be jumping.
Nero had never imagined she'd one day use the term "jumping" to describe a piece of cantaloupe.
This slice of fruit was livelier than a freshly caught fish.
"Umu? Oh, Yunyun, you're awake? It's nothing. I'm just pondering… How is it that this cantaloupe can move so energetically when it doesn't even have nerves?"
"…Nerves?"
"Ah… never mind, just some idle musings."
Abandoning her contemplation, Nero bit into the wriggling cantaloupe.
Sweet and fresh.
In this world, the freshness of fruits and vegetables wasn't judged by their color or texture—it was determined by how energetically they moved.
Nero found this delightful. After all, she'd spent countless trips to the marketplace with her parents back home and never quite learned how to gauge produce quality.
"Are we heading to the guild today?"
Yunyun noticed Nero was dressed in her iconic red gown—a sign she intended to go out. At home, Nero preferred more casual, comfortable clothing.
"Yes, indeed. The guild sent for us earlier, saying they need our assistance," Nero replied, her hands on her hips, flashing a confident smile. "Although I believe I could handle it alone… care to join me?"
"Mm!" Yunyun nodded firmly, her eyes shining with anticipation. "It feels like it's been so long since we've gone on an adventure together…"
"That's because my presence would hinder your growth," Nero said with a shrug. "While I enjoy being by your side, I also want you to stand on your own two feet."
When Nero and Yunyun arrived at the adventurers' guild…
"Umu? Quite a crowd," Nero remarked, noticing the unusually large gathering.
"Everyone seems to be gathered together. Is something happening?" Yunyun wondered aloud.
Typically, the guild's adventurers—infamous for their laziness—would lounge in corners drinking. Male adventurers might sneak off to visit that shop. But today, they were all congregated in one spot.
"It's likely the same reason we're here: the sudden appearance of mysterious creatures in the nearby dungeon."
The guild had informed Nero that a horde of strange monsters had recently appeared in a nearby dungeon, requiring manpower to address the issue.
The dungeon was popular among local adventurers due to its proximity and the lack of dangerous monsters within. Any disruption there would indeed pose a problem.
Nero, however, had never bothered to visit—it was far too mundane for her tastes.
"Huh? Is that Megumin and the others?" Yunyun asked, suddenly alarmed. "They're not causing trouble again, are they?"
Nero spotted Kazuma's party in the crowd and instinctively assumed they were somehow responsible for the commotion.
"Hmm… Maybe we should leave."
"…Huh?"
Nero had no desire to get tangled up in whatever mess Kazuma's party had caused. Just as she was contemplating a discreet exit, a woman in uniform at the head of the crowd turned her gaze toward them.
Upon spotting Nero and Yunyun, her eyes lit up.
"You must be Miss Nero and Miss Yunyun! Are you here to help resolve the mysterious creature issue in the dungeon?"
Nero and Yunyun were well-known in Axel. Unlike the original story, where Kazuma's party defeated the Demon King Army general Beldia, this time it was Nero who had claimed victory in a spectacular one-on-one battle.
That high-caliber fight had left an impression on everyone at the guild.
Yunyun's reputation as Nero's teammate, coupled with her already exceptional magic skills, had also earned her admiration. Many adventurers had benefited from her assistance during her solo quests.
The uniformed woman's exclamation caught the attention of the other adventurers, who turned to look at Nero and Yunyun.
"Umu… Let's get a clearer understanding of the situation first," Nero suggested.
The woman, wearing glasses and a slight beauty mark near her lips, exuded a prim and proper demeanor.
She introduced herself as Sena, an investigator for Axel's legal system.
Sena explained that all the monsters in the nearby dungeon had inexplicably disappeared, replaced by hordes of mysterious, doll-like creatures.
"We suspect these creatures were summoned for some unknown purpose by an individual or group," Sena continued. "And based on our investigation, the last party to enter that dungeon was Kazuma's team. We're questioning them to see if they're connected to the incident."
Kazuma's voice immediately rang out in protest.
"Hey! That's ridiculous! This has nothing to do with us, right?"
The three members of his party beside him nodded furiously in agreement, their faces the picture of innocence.
"I see. I understand the situation now," Nero said with a nod. Then, pointing directly at Kazuma's party, she added, "I agree—it's probably their fault. Let's arrest them and sort it out later."
"Why us?!"
Kazuma's indignation was palpable, though somewhere deep down, even he must have wondered if they'd inadvertently caused the mess.
"Hey, Nero! Even if it's you, accusing my team without evidence is crossing the line!" Megumin said, her crimson eyes glowing as if about to detonate.
"Umu! I agree it's wrong to accuse without proof," Nero said with a nod. "So let me ask directly—what exactly were you doing in that dungeon last time?"
"Hold on! I swear we didn't do anything this time! You're treating us like criminals—this interrogation is overkill!"
Kazuma, genuinely innocent for once, was frustrated by the lack of trust and raised his voice in defiance.
"Umu? You don't like being treated as a suspect? How about as a debtor, then? I seem to recall Aqua smashing the Eris Church's windows and pinning it on me—and I was the one who paid for the repairs. Not to mention you and Aqua using knives to stab holes in my theater…"
"I'm sorry! I raised my voice too much just now! Please, anything you want to know, I'll answer truthfully!" Kazuma's attitude did a complete 180, bowing repeatedly with a pleading tone.