As everyone knows, the key to catching a thief is not scaring them off with loud threats.
You don't chase. You wait.
Zunzun didn't set traps. A human thief would spot anything too obvious. Overdoing it would only make them cautious.
So he did nothing.
He just hid in the cornfield and waited.
One hour passed. Then two. Then three…
The sun climbed toward noon.
Zunzun hadn't caught anyone. He was hot, sweaty, and irritable.
"Ugh, what if the thief already moved to another field? What if I just get nothing?"
But then—he heard someone humming.
What the hell? You're stealing and singing?!
Fury welled up in Zunzun's chest.
Hidden among the stalks, he couldn't see clearly, but he spotted a small figure approaching the field. The person looked around carefully, then walked toward the already-raided corner.
Smart. Scouting the spot first.
But Zunzun didn't jump out yet.
He waited for the thief to be fully distracted—focused on the corn.
Now!
"Gotcha!"
He leaped from the cornfield, tackled the figure, and pinned them to the ground. Hands and legs locked the thief in place.
"How dare you steal my corn, you wretched thief!"
"N-No! Don't eat me! I'm really skinny—I barely have any meat! Spare me!"
"…Huh?"
"…Huh?"
They both froze.
The thief was a girl.
She had the black hair and red eyes of the Crimson Demon Clan—not surprising, since only Crimson Demons could enter the forbidden area.
She was smaller and thinner than Zunzun. Though cute, her cheeks were pale and hollow—clearly malnourished.
"Uh, I'm sorry."
Zunzun felt a twinge of guilt and slowly let go of her wrist.
Damn it. Why do I feel bad? I'm the victim here!
"Are you hurt?"
"No. Thank you."
She accepted Zunzun's hand and stood, brushing off her worn clothes.
Silence fell again.
Then she looked at him, then at the field. "…This cornfield is yours?"
"Yeah. I planted it."
Zunzun snorted.
The girl blinked. "…I'm sorry. I thought it was ownerless."
"Wait, what? You think corn just grows on its own?!"
"...Doesn't it?"
She turned to look at the field again.
"NO!"
Zunzun stomped. "You think corn just randomly grows out of the ground?!"
"I'm sorry! I really didn't know. My family's very poor. I probably can't pay you back, but… if you'll let me, I'd like to work to repay you."
"…Well, at least you're honest. Forget about compensation."
"Really?!"
"Yeah. You don't look like you can afford it anyway."
When Zunzun tackled her, he could feel how thin she was. Her pale face, patched clothes, everything pointed to a hard life.
More importantly, she apologized.
She didn't run home to complain or make excuses. She didn't say, "She's just a child," or "It's just a little corn." Thank god.
"As long as you stop stealing my corn, I won't make a fuss."
"Thank you, big sister."
"…Big... sister?"
"Was that wrong? Should I call you little sister?"
The girl's innocent eyes pierced Zunzun's heart. He wasn't mad—she was cute, after all.
"…It's fine. I was just distracted."
For now, he decided to be a big sister.
"Okay, now that you know the cornfield's mine, don't touch it again. Or I really will get mad. Got it?"
"Yes…"
But as she turned to leave, she kept glancing back, eyes lingering on the corn with deep longing.
Zunzun called out impulsively:
"Wait! Do you… want to farm with me?"
"Farm?"
"Yeah. It's hard work, but it's honest. You get to eat your own food, and sell the rest for money. Better than stealing, right?"
"I never wanted to steal. I actually wanted to farm, but I couldn't afford even seeds."
She said it calmly, but it hit Zunzun like a punch.
How poor are you?!
He coughed. "Well… you can farm with me. It won't be much, but at least you'll have enough to eat."
"Yes! Please let me—no, I humbly request permission to farm with you!"
"No need to be that formal…"
Of course, he wasn't doing this purely out of kindness. He had plenty of reclaimed land left unused. Better to have help and harvest more. Win-win.
"By the way, why are you in the forbidden area? Didn't your parents tell you it's dangerous?"
"Huh? Is it?"
She tilted her head. "My mom always says, 'Places labeled DO NOT ENTER, THERE'S NOTHING HERE, or DANGER—those are usually where treasures are hidden.' So I come here every day."
"…I should've guessed."
That was standard Crimson Demon parenting. Encourage your kids to play in dangerous places. Zunzun understood this very well.
"Still… why steal unripe corn? It wasn't even ready yet!"
That's what really upset him.
She didn't just steal—she pulled up the plants by the roots before they were mature.
"Mom says when you find food that won't kill you, the first rule is: grab it. Hesitation is defeat."
"…A forced melon isn't sweet, but it quenches thirst?"
"There might be something wrong with your mom's education," Zunzun muttered.
"But corn is delicious! The stalks and leaves were tasty too. I ate it all with gratitude!"
"H-Hey, no way…"
Sure, every part of the corn plant can be eaten… but it was the first time Zunzun met someone who actually did it.
"You might become a big shot in the future."
"The clan chief said the same thing."
That damn old man…
"…By the way, I never asked your name. I'm Zunzun. What's yours?"
"My name is Megumin."
The little loli introduced herself.
-End Chapter-
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