At night, the streets of Axel quieted down.
The inn room where Ash and Aqua stayed was small, with one bed, one table, and one chair.
At this moment, Ash lay on the bed, eyes closed, still contemplating tomorrow’s plan.
First, find a graveyard and confirm if there are any skeleton-type enemies.
If there are, test the waters with Aqua’s Purification spell.
If not, he’d have to find another way.
He still needed to visit Wiz again.
As a former Demon Kings Army executive, she must know the distribution of undead creatures in the surrounding areas.
And that Dullahan…
“Hey~” A finger poked his shoulder.
Ash didn’t move.
“Hey hey~” Two more pokes, with a little more force.
“Ash!
Are you asleep?” The finger started poking his face.
Ash opened his eyes.
Aqua stood by the bed, having changed into a set of blue pajamas.
The fabric looked thin, vaguely revealing the outline of her body in the dim light.
Her hair was down, no longer in the high ponytail she wore during the day, but naturally draped over her shoulders, with a few strands falling across her chest.
Her face lacked the exaggerated expressions of daytime; her lips were slightly pouted, and her blue eyes held a hint of dissatisfaction.
“What do you want?” “How can you even ask!” Aqua pouted, hands on her hips, looking as if she was about to demand an explanation.
“This Goddess is a goddess after all!
And so beautiful!
And your wife!” She paused, raising her voice slightly.
“Why did you ignore me after coming back!
And just fell asleep!” “Didn’t you tell me not to hug you to sleep last night?” “That was last night!” Aqua said self-righteously.
“Tonight is different!” “How is it different?” “Tonight…” Aqua stumbled, her eyes darting around as if searching for a reasonable excuse.
“Tonight I changed into new pajamas!
Didn’t you notice!
Such beautiful pajamas, and you didn’t even glance at them before lying down yourself!
This is the greatest disrespect to your wife!” “Wait…
where did you get the money for the pajamas?” “From the twenty thousand eris you gave me earlier!” Aqua was righteous.
“As a goddess, how can I not have a few decent pairs of pajamas!
This is a necessity!” Looking at Aqua in her pajamas, Ash also sat up from the bed.
“Nothing, I was just thinking.” “What could be more important than looking at your wife?” Aqua sat down beside him, legs crossed, hands resting on her knees, tilting her head to look at him.
“I was thinking about how to make money.” “Make money?” Aqua’s eyes lit up.
“I’m good at this!
This Goddess has rich experience in financial management!” “Your Financial Management Experience is spending all the pocket money I give you?” “That’s investment!
Do you understand investment!” Aqua waved her fist.
“I spend money on beautiful clothes, and wearing them out brings you honor!
When you have honor, others will think highly of you!
When others think highly of you, you can take on higher-level quests!
When you take on higher-level quests, you can earn more money!” She finished in one breath, then looked at Ash triumphantly.
“How about it, isn’t This Goddess’s logic perfect?” “Is that a bit…” “Exactly!
This is called profound Financial Philosophy!” Aqua patted her chest, a proud look on her face.
Ash looked at her, then his gaze shifted to the Ea at the head of the bed.
“Aqua.” “Hmm?” “How much money do you think I could make if I used this sword to defeat the Demon King?” “Needless to say!
It would be countless!” Aqua’s eyes shone like lightbulbs.
“The Demon Kings Army headquarters is full of treasures!
Just one item would be enough for us to eat and drink for a lifetime!
And…” She leaned closer, lowering her voice.
“If the Demon King is eliminated, the number of This Goddess’s followers will surely skyrocket!
Then, if each follower offers a little, I could drink fine wine, eat desserts, and wear new clothes every day, even if I do nothing!” As she spoke, she nearly drooled.
“So, you’re saying I should go defeat the Demon King right now?” “Go!
Hurry!” Aqua pushed his shoulder.
“What are you waiting for!
Go tomorrow!
No, go tonight!
This Goddess will cheer you on!” Ash didn’t move.
He leaned against the headboard, a profound smile on his face.
“As expected, you don’t understand.” “Don’t understand what?” “Sustainable Development, of course!” “What…
what development?” Aqua blinked, a bewildered look on her face.
“Sustainable Development!” Ash repeated.
“It means that if I wipe out the Demon Kings Army and the Demon King now, there will be no Demon Kings Army in the future.
No Demon Kings Army, no bounties.
No bounties, no income.” “Moreover, in this world, without a Demon King, there’s no need for heroes.
No need for heroes, no need for goddesses.” He looked at Aqua and patted her head.
“Do you want to be unemployed?” Aqua opened her mouth, then closed it.
Her expression changed from excitement to confusion, from confusion to contemplation, and from contemplation to a sudden realization.
“I see!” She clapped her hands.
“You mean, as long as we’re in this world, and as long as the Demon King exists, we can keep making money?” “Something like that.” “Then the Demon Kings Army people are our long-term meal tickets?” “Your understanding is cruel, but correct.
So we should turn them from a disaster into an asset.” “Wow, Ash, you’re so smart!” “Keep it low-key, low-key.” “Then…” Aqua tilted her head.
“When do we go fight them?
Not too hard, just enough to make them hurt, but not die.
That way they’ll keep issuing bounties, and we can keep making money?” “Tsk…
you actually have a talent for this.”