01

After my unforeseen presentation, I stared directly at the ground, my cheeks warm with embarrassment visible only to me. The silence hung in the air like a rope stretched to its limit. The moment seemed to stretch on, frozen in time.

That was when Donedoque's response shattered the quiet.

"I-Incredible! I've never seen a foreigner make such an impressive introduction," Donedoque exclaimed, his brown eyes shining with admiration. "You wouldn't happen to be a crimson demon, would you?"

At that moment, I lifted my head, prepared to answer, but…

"No, surely not. Your eyes… they're blue."

This information hit me as if I'd been plunged into icy water. Blue? Since when were they blue?

"What do you mean, blue eyes?"

"Blue," Donedoque reaffirmed, his voice calmly emphatic.

"No, they're not. My eyes are brown," I retorted, frustration growing in my voice. Donedoque examined me from various angles, his expression focused.

"Hm… no, definitely blue."

"You must be mixing up the colors," I countered, feeling my throat tighten. "I was born and raised wi-…" The sentence died on my lips as a chill of understanding ran down my spine. I remembered the goddess who sent me to this world, the possibility that she had not been cautious with the details of my rebirth…

"Forget it."

"Alright... So... are you or aren't you a crimson demon?" Donedoque asked, curious.

"Perhaps," was all I said.

"Perhaps?" He seemed surprised at my response.

"Well, I am, and I'm not, until it's proven that I am… or that I'm not!"

This answer intrigued him.

"Ok… that's weird, pretty weird, but you seem like a decent person. Anyway, come with me, Vitor."

"Come with you? Where to?"

"To the village's registration house, of course! Everyone who arrives needs to be registered. And whatever you are, if you were a threat, I would have already eliminated you right here with my powerful advanced magic!"

"What about the main entrance? Who will guard it?" I asked, slightly confused.

"Oh… right, I completely forgot about that… Ok, eh… that's fine. I'll cast a signaling spell so someone can come here and accompany you."

Huh, what a guy. The so-called gatekeeper almost forgot about the gate itself.

Then, Donedoque raised his hand to the sky and exclaimed:

"PULSATING SIGNAL!"

What followed looked like a series of fireworks. There weren't many, but they formed a pattern of dancing colors, which I believe made up a code for anyone who could interpret the message.

"Someone should arrive in a few minutes. In the meantime, you can sit there," Donedoque said, pointing to a red wall beside the gate.

"Alright…"

And so I did. I sat down and leaned against the wall, whose bright red color encircled the entire village territory, rising about three or four meters high.

From there, I could see the village in the distance. It was about one or two kilometers away. It was familiar, yet still hard to discern clearly.

02

I was sitting there, then Donedoque joined me after remaining standing for a while longer. I suspected he was waiting for another foreigner in order to reenact his show...

I decided to strike up a conversation.

"Is it true that the Crimson Demons' Village has some interesting tourist attractions?"

"Interesting? Our village has several exceptional attractions!! Including world-destroying weapons, Sealed dark gods, and much more!" Donedoque replied, his voice palpable with enthusiasm.

"Amazing! I've always wanted to visit this village. I've read so much about it. But I've never had the opportunity."

"There's always a first time, right? But did you come here just for the attractions? Why only now?"

"Well, it's complicated… I grew up far from here and only recently moved to this region."

Yes, reader, I know what you're wondering: why are we dragging this out? Why doesn't this guy just go to the village already? And what about Megumin? Has she gone completely mad and become the Demon King? Does Yunyun still have no friends? What about her school friends? We want answers!!!

I do too, but I can't just drop everything at once, right? Or can I?

"Hey, I've also read a lot about a crimson demon archmage who masters the - CALLING FOR BACKUP AGAIN, DONEDOQUE!?"

A young female voice cut through the air, sharper than a razor.

"Calm down, Amatilina! It was necessary this time!"

"Oh, you've caught a prisoner?"

"H-HEY! I'm not a prisoner!" I retorted, quickly standing up.

That's when I sensed a strange energy in the air.

"FREEZE RIGHT NOW! Or you'll be obliterated by my advanced magic, 'Saber Light'!"

"?!"

"RELAX, AMATILINA!!! H-he's just a visitor! He must register, but I can't leave the gate alone to accompany him."

"Oh, so that's all, I see."

I won't lie. A chill ran up my spine when I heard the words 'obliterated by my advanced magic, 'Saber Light'!' from that woman. I knew crimson demons were known to be a bit crazy, but this was far scarier in person.

"Y-yes, that's all," I stuttered, my voice coming out weaker than I'd have liked. My heart was racing, and I could feel the tension in the air slowly dissipating.

"And who are you?" the girl asked, looking at me with suspicious eyes.

"I… I'm Vitor. I'm here to visit the Crimson Demons' Village," I answered, trying to keep calm.

"Hmm, a visitor, huh? Well, I suppose I can accompany you to the registration house," she said, crossing her arms and sizing me up.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Amantilia," Donedoque said, nodding in gratitude. "And thanks for lending me another branch, you know?"

"We'll see how long branches are left to break on your tree, Donedoque," Amantilia retorted, rolling her eyes.

And so, I followed Amantilia to the registration house, leaving Donedoque behind at the village entrance.

03

I followed Amantilia along a dirt trail. Under the blue sky, her black braids danced to the rhythm of the wind, contrasting with her noticeably irritated mood.

"What a pain, Donedoque always abusing that signal! And right when I was in the middle of a snack at the village café…," Amantilia grumbled, casting a disapproving look toward the gate in the distance.

She then turned to me with a curious, nonchalant gaze. "Your name is Vitor, right? Where are you from, anyway?"

"Ah, yes… um… I come from far away… from… um… a region called Amerina," I replied, somewhat nervously.

Yes, in my nervousness, I thought of the woman's name and "America", and out came Amerina.

"Amerina? I've never heard of it… well, whatever. I hope you enjoy our village," Amantilia remarked, her tone wavering between disinterest and courtesy.

"Thank you," I replied, a little disconcerted. "And if I may, your name is Amantilia, right? I thought all crimson demons made introductions…"

"Eh… We usually do… but you know how it is, sometimes laziness strikes…," Amantilia replied, letting out a long yawn and stretching her arms. Her air of indifference was almost palpable.

As we approached the village, I got a better look at the local structures. An imposing tower rose in the center, standing tall against the clear blue sky. Further ahead, atop a... cliff? I could make out a mansion that resembled a prison... AHA! I know what it is! That's the Red Prison, the magical school of the crimson demons!!

Intrigued and wanting to strike up some conversation with the crimson demon, I asked, "Do you know a crimson demon mage who uses explosive magic?"

Amantilia laughed sarcastically and replied, "Heh, did you come to see a friend? There aren't many people who are idiotic enough to learn that magic… I do know one... I think her name is… Miramim? No… Megurim?" She shrugged:

"Never mind the name, whoever she is, if you've come all this way just to see her, I'm sorry to tell you that your journey was in vain."

"What?!"

04

"What happened to her?" I queried, eyes widening in surprise, taken aback by the peculiarity of the situation.

"You have been reading some outdated books, haven't you?" Amatilina responded, her indifferent tone making me feel like a fool asking something obvious. "All I know is that, after graduation, she left the village and went to live in Axel, or rather, to beg in Axel. That was five years ago and she hasn't returned since."

"Five years?" The surprise escaped almost in a whisper, my mind spinning to comprehend the temporal discrepancy.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

This was unusually peculiar, suggesting a time difference from the story I read on Earth. In that narrative, she had left less than a year ago and was 14 years old when she joined Kazuma's group. This would mean that now, in this universe, she should be around 18 or 19 years old. But she should have gained some fame by now...

"But in the story that I read..." I tried to explain:

"Yes, yes, yes." She interrupted me, looking entirely uninterested in my dismay. I wondered if she realized how strange this revelation was to me.

Before I could ask more, she announced, "We've arrived."

"Huh?" Confused, I followed her gaze to the modest wooden building in front of us. The sign above the entrance read "Registry House." I quickly guessed it to be akin to a registry office back on Earth.

"Well, here we are. Go inside, and they'll give you a visitor's ID to tour the village. They'll even exchange your currency if it's different from Eris," she said, her voice brimming with impatience. I could almost see the coffee cup in her hand and the longing look she cast in the direction of where the nearest café might be.

"But I have one more question..." I started, but she cut me off.

"Then ask someone else. I've wasted enough time. I'm off to enjoy my coffee and a piece of cake in peace. I hope I don't see you later." With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me alone in front of the small building.

"Hmpf, what a lazy woman," I muttered to myself before taking a deep breath and stepping inside.

05

The Registry House was a modest structure, occupied only by a dark mahogany counter, some chairs, and a massive amount of paperwork piled behind the counter. A gray-haired man, probably in his seventies, sat indifferently in the back, chewing on something without paying any attention to the entrance. Then, a young woman, perhaps in her twenties, with black-streaked hair, an exotic and beautiful face, and, surprisingly, an eye patch, emerged from behind the counter.

"Good afternoon, traveler! Are you here to register?" Her voice was cheerful and calm, her only visible eye sparkling with curiosity and enthusiasm. Something about her made me pause...

That voice, that face, and that volume... could it be?

I managed to stammer out a "Ye-yes," with my voice trembling. Did I know this woman? My mind raced, her image reminding me of a character I knew very well... but no, it couldn't be...

"Alright, what's your name?"

"Vitor," I replied, my voice soft, my hands slightly shaking.

"Great! So, Vitor, please fill out this form." She said, sliding a paper, a quill, and an ink pot across the counter. "It asks for some basic information like your full name, occupation, where you come from, the duration of your stay, and the purpose of your visit."

I looked at the form. It was quite clear, and divided into well-defined sections:

Full name:

The quill glided smoothly across the paper as I wrote, "Vitor Venante."

Occupation:

"I need to make something up...", I thought, and ended up writing "Student."

Place of residence:

Here, I had to pause for a moment, pondering. I couldn't tell the truth. After a while, I settled for the fake place I had already mentioned: "Amerina."

Reason for visit:

The truth would be far too absurd. So I opted for a simple "Tourism."

Number of days intending to stay:

Still uncertain about how long I would need to figure out what was going on, I wrote: "At least 3 days."

I filled it out in just a few minutes and then returned the form.

06

She quickly read the paper, her brow furrowing afterward.

"Hmm, okay. Student, tourism. Amerina? Never heard of that place... where is it?" The question hung in the air, her single eye twinkling with a flame of suspicion and curiosity.

I swallowed hard, her presence - the scent, the voice, the aura - began to press on me. I wasn't sure I was prepared for this. I had only imagined her features while reading about her in my favorite Light Novel and now... she was right in front of me!

It would make sense for her to be here, after all, this is a place where one must write a lot...

"Sir? You're strangely staring at me. Hello?" Her voice interrupted my daydreaming, and I realized I had been caught off guard, staring at her intently. I felt my cheeks grow hot with embarrassment.

"Your eye patch," I managed to murmur, dodging her inquisitive gaze and pointing to the adornment covering her right eye.

"Oh, you like it? I've worn it since I was a kid. It seals a great magical power that lies within me!" She exclaimed enthusiastically, clearly proud of her fantastical explanation. Despite all the internal tension, I almost chuckled.

"Again with that talk, Arue?" The old gray-haired man, sitting at the back, complained without turning around, a tired grunt echoing through the room.

"Arue?" The word escaped my lips almost like a question, my voice coming out louder than I intended, the surprise clearly apparent.

"Yes, that's my name," she confirmed, looking a bit confused by my reaction. She then tried to resume the conversation. "Anyway, about Ameri-"

It wasn't just the name that was the same. The traits, the voice, the way... The first character from my favorite Light Novel that I encounter. Previously, just words on paper, now she's right in front of me.

"Arue... the greatest writer among the Crimson Demons," I abruptly interrupted, a stupefied look forming on my face.

The old gray-haired man, at the back, turned to the front, his intrigued expression contrasting with his apparent earlier indifference.

She blinked once more, then jumped, as if she had been struck by lightning. "I knew it! I knew that one day my work would finally be recognized! Are you a fan?! You have to tell me, where am I making such a success?!"

"Uh…" The question caught me off guard and I hesitated, my eyes widened, her face closer to mine... stay calm, stay calm, STAY CALM!!!

Feeling the onset of panic, I knew I needed to say something, anything! I looked at her and blurted out the first thing that came to mind:

"Huge rack."

Damn, anything but that!!

The words, impulsive and inappropriate, echoed in the silent room. The atmosphere, once filled with the serenity of old papers and forgotten inkwells, was suddenly filled with an oppressive density, the echoes of my words hanging in the air.

Her single eye, previously lively and curious, suddenly fixed on me, the surprise and disbelief reflecting in its smooth, dark surface like mirrors. The iris began to expand, widening like a constantly expanding universe, becoming more intense, and deeper.

At that moment, a surprising transformation occurred. The abyssal darkness of her eye began to be consumed by a more vibrant, overwhelming hue. A sudden change, almost like an eclipse in fast-forward, from black to red in mere seconds. The color change wasn't just a simple swap of pigment. It was as if her entire being was being reflected in that eye, each heartbeat pulsing in sync with the intense crimson of her iris.

The feeling was almost hypnotic, my attention, my mind, my soul, all locked onto that single red point. I had read about this eye transformation, but nothing could compare to witnessing it in person. It was as if time had frozen, the whole world holding its breath to witness this singular moment.

The room fell into a profound silence, the sound of our heartbeats seeming to echo off the walls. Arue's pulsating crimson eye was the only source of movement, the only anchor in a suddenly paralyzed world.

Then, when the tension reached its peak, her words came like a bomb, shattering the silence, and tearing through the anticipation:

"So you're a sexual harasser."

Crap.

07

Oh my Goddess, what am I doing here?

"Please, I swear on my life, I didn't mean to say that! It was just nerves!" I exclaimed, my heart racing and sweat trickling down my forehead. My eyes flickered between Arue and the old man, a knot tightening in my stomach as time passed without a response.

Arue continued to watch me, her hellfire-colored eyes narrowing as she weighed my words.

A shiver ran down my spine when she spoke, her voice as cold as winter:

"Nerves, huh? Is that what you call it? You're not the first to tell me such a thing." Her voice was sharp, full of disapproval.

The old man, previously seated, now rose from his chair, his face twisted into an expression of disgust. "I know your kind," he growled, approaching the counter, "Seems like a good lad, but a top-notch vagabond. People like you rot in jail."

Arue then shifted her tone, her voice taking on a more dangerous timbre. "Or maybe I should use my advanced magic and solve this problem. It would be a quick matter..."

She pondered, giving me an appraising look that made me shudder.

The air around us seemed to change, to become heavy. I could feel the magical energy filling the room, that same feeling I had with Amatilina earlier was like the air was electrically charged, a soft humming filling my ears.

Genuine panic began to invade my chest. My heart pounded like a wild drum, and my hands were sweaty and trembling. My thoughts were in disarray, racing, but finding no solution to the despair settling within me. Amid this chaos, I felt cornered, like a trapped animal. I struggled to think clearly, the words escaping me.

And then, an idea pierced my desperate mind...

Megumin.

She had disappeared years ago, as that woman had told me. I remembered that Megumin and Arue had studied together and were friends, at least in the Light Novel. Perhaps invoking her name was my only chance to survive this situation.

"M-Megumin!" I shouted, my trembling and desperate voice breaking the suffocating silence. "I'm her f-friend!" The words tumbled out uncontrollably.

Arue stopped.

The expression on her face changed for an instant, a flicker of surprise crossing her crimson eyes:

"What do you know about Megumin?"

The old man seemed confused by Arue's pause, unable to comprehend what had just happened. "Guards, at last! Arrest this man for sexual harassment!" He ordered, his words echoing through the hall with unquestionable authority.

All the commotion in the Registry House had attracted the attention of guards who were patrolling the village.

Before I could protest, two men grabbed my arms with a force that made my muscles complain and dragged me out of the hall, ignoring my desperate protests.

I looked over my shoulder, seeing Arue and the old man left behind, with contrasting expressions.

08

The walk to the jail was a blur. I was led through the streets, the uneven cobblestones under my feet, as people stopped to watch. I could hear the whispers of passersby, their words filled with judgment.

When we finally arrived, the sun was beginning to set, tinting the sky orange. To my surprise, we were at the Red Prison, its towering walls and iron gates appearing much more threatening under the twilight.

But why am I here? Wasn't this just a magic school?

I was thrown into a cold cell, with a bed and a bathroom. The sound of iron on iron echoed as the door was locked behind me. The cell was small, but clean, and comfortable, with a small barred window at the top of the wall.

Within an hour, I'd gone from tourist to criminal. The confusion still hung over me like a stormy cloud. I felt lost, in a state of shock. My heart was racing, and the adrenaline still coursing through my veins made each beat a painful throb in my chest. The words of those people, the threats, and the magical energy, all seemed like a massive blur in my thoughts.

Lying on the cell bed, I could feel despair slowly consuming me as I tried to understand how I had reached this point. Where had I gone wrong? I only wanted to visit my favorite world, not cause trouble. But now, here I was, locked in a cell, accused of a crime I didn't commit, at least not intentionally. It was a nightmare from which I couldn't wake up...

09

The hours dragged on as I remained seated in the cell. Daylight continued to slowly fade, giving way to darkness and leaving only an unsettling silence.

After what felt like an eternity of agony, a guard appeared, his expression indifferent to the cold and darkness. He asked me to recount the entire thing, his pen ready to jot down in his notepad. Nervously, I stumbled through my narrative, but he simply listened and recorded, before nodding and moving away, leaving me alone with the darkness and my restless thoughts.

It wasn't long before the guards returned. Their stern expressions contrasted with the dark silhouettes of the corridor. My heart quickened as they led me out of the cell, through the narrow, shadowy corridors. Each step echoed with a reverberation that grew louder and louder in my ears.

I was taken to a room that seemed devoid of any warmth or comfort. The dim light from the lamp overhead cast long, threatening shadows, accentuating the oppressive atmosphere. They shoved me inside and the iron door slammed shut behind me, its sound ominously reverberating in the silence.

My eyes scanned the surroundings, but focusing on anything in the gloom was hard. The air was charged with palpable tension, and I felt pressure on my chest as if an invisible hand was squeezing me. It felt like the walls were closing in on me, the darkness tightening its grip.

Adjusting to the dim light, I noticed a figure seated across the room. A dark silhouette against the pale circle of light. My hands started to tremble as I approached, each beat of my heart seeming amplified in the room's silence:

The figure in front of me was simultaneously familiar and unknown.

"Yunyun?" I asked, the word slipping out before I could stop it. Now, her face was clear in the light, but she seemed different. Her jet-black hair, once brimming with vitality, now carried an austere seriousness. Her crimson eyes shone intensely, contrasting with the dim light of the room, they seemed colder and deeper. She appeared older, probably already in her twenties, hardened. The timidity that characterized her in the stories had disappeared, replaced by a seriousness I hardly recognized.

There was a tense silence before she finally responded. Her voice resonated with an authority I'd never heard before. "Good to know you recognize me, Vitor," she began, her tone firm, yet with traces of her former timidity. "As you may know, I am the leader of the Crimson Demons, I'll be straightforward, tell me everything you know about Megumin."

?!

Leader of the Crimson Demons? That's not a good sign. It wasn't like this before.

I swallowed hard, trying to maintain composure as I met the eyes of the woman I had known only as a Light Novel character. I was lost, and afraid, and knew my life depended on what I said next:

My voice came out shaky as I tried to explain, my words stumbling over each other. "I... I'm just a friend of hers. I met her in Axel... I only... I just wanted to..."

Words were a struggle, each one seeming to sink me deeper into the pit of despair where I found myself. I didn't know what to say. How could I explain the truth when everything that I come up with would be a lie?

"Please...", I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper. "Please, you have to believe me. I didn't want... I didn't mean to cause trouble... I just... I just wanted to see them in person."

There was a moment of silence. Yunyun's eyes were fixed on me, unreadable. Then, something shifted in her expression. A spark of suspicion? Doubt, perhaps?

She leaned back, crossed her arms, and studied me with a piercing gaze. Her next words were deliberate and weighed.

"I feel like you don't know Megumin," she finally said, breaking the silence that had formed between us. "Are you going to tell me the truth or keep lying like you did to that old merchant? Who are 'they'?"

!!

Panic. Pure and raw.

Every word, every accusation, every gaze pressed on me, deepening the hole I was in. Sweat began to break out on my forehead, heat rising up my face.

I knew I had no choice but to tell the truth, no matter how absurd it sounded.