Alderp's Punishment
The church had gone completely silent. Not the calm kind of silence… The kind where everyone felt like something terrible was about to happen. Coins still scattered across the floor. Nobles frozen. Guards unsure. Even the air felt heavy. At the center of it all—Alderp stood, trying to hold onto what little authority he had left. "…You think throwing money solves everything?" he sneered. Ruko stepped forward. Slow. Each step echoed. Kazuma frowned. "…Ruko?" No response. Ruko stopped right in front of Alderp. Close enough to feel his breath. Alderp smirked. "What? You going to bark too? Like the rest of—" SLAP. Ruko slapped Alderp for releasing his stinking breath, then step a one feet away from Alderp. But instead of attacking… He turned his head slightly. "Aqua." Aqua blinked, confused. "Huh? Why you calling me like that all serious?" Ruko didn't look at her directly. "…I got something to ask you." Kazuma frowned. "…Ruko, what are you—" Ruko cut him off. "If someone dies… you can bring them back, right?" The question felt off. Too calm.Too specific.
Aqua scratched her cheek. "Well yeah, obviously. I'm a goddess, remember? As long as the body isn't completely destroyed, I can resurrect them." Ruko nodded slightly and give a cat expression. "How much is 'not destroyed'?" Aqua thought for a moment. "Hmm… I'd say if most of the body is still there? Like… around eighty percent? Then I can restore it properly." Kazuma blinked. "…Why are you asking this like you're planning something?" Ruko ignored him with his cat expression. "And the soul?" Aqua crossed her arms. "That depends. If the soul hasn't fully moved on—like reincarnated or passed into the afterlife—I can pull it back." She smirked a little. "…Sometimes even when it has, I can still force it back. I've done it before wi5h Kazuma lately." Kazuma sweatdropped. "Yeah… you kinda bully the system." Aqua puffed her chest. "Because I outrank the one in charge!" Ruko's eyes lowered slightly with his cat expression. "…So if they happen to die… again?" Aqua shrugged. "Then I revive them again. Simple." "And again?" "…Again." "And again?"
Aqua paused this time. "…I mean… yeah. I can keep doing it. There's no real limit if I'm the one doing it." Silence. Alderp shifted uncomfortably. "…What kind of nonsense are you talking about?" Ruko finally looked at him. "…Oh? And if their soul tries to escape?" Aqua frowned. "Then it depends. If it fully leaves the body and passes on, it gets harder. But if something holds it in place…" She paused. "…then it can't go anywhere." Ruko's lips slowly curled into a smile. "…I see. Thanks! I'll treat you to a booze later." "And sorry you'll have to see this." Kazuma's eyes widened slightly. "…Ruko… what are you about to do?" Ruko didn't answer. He turned fully toward Alderp.That's smile—Wasn't normal anymore. "…I think that's good enough." SLASH. His arm dropped. His Core Alloy shifted—into a sword in a blink of an eye. The scream came instantly. Blood splashed across the floor. The church erupted. "AHHHH—!" "H-HE CUT HIM—!" "STOP HIM—!" Ruko didn't even look at them. "Aqua." Aqua froze. "R-Ruko…" "Fix him." She hesitated. Ruko slowly turned his head. "…Fix him." That tone—Aqua flinched and immediately cast healing magic.
Light covered Alderp. His arm restored.
Alderp gasped, shaking. "W-What are you—?!" SLASH. His left leg. He collapsed. "Fix him." Light. SLASH. Right leg. "Fix him." Light. SLASH. Right arm. "Fix him." Light. The rhythm began. Cut. Heal. Cut. Heal. Cut. Heal. The church turned into a nightmare. People screamed. Someone fainted. Another turned and vomited on the floor. Megumin covered her mouth, eyes wide. "…This isn't funny…" Darkness trembled, gripping her dress tightly. "…Ruko… stop…" He didn't stop. Ruko stepped closer. His grin slowly began to form. "…Still not enough. HUH!" Core Alloy shifted—Into a shorter blade. Sharper. Alderp tried to crawl away. "N-NO—PLEASE—!" Ruko grabbed him—Then—SLASH. Alderp let out a scream so loud it broke halfway through. "Fix him." Aqua's hands shook. "R-Ruko… this is too much—" "Fix him." She obeyed. Light covered him again. Ruko's eyes darkened slightly. "…Oh were do you think your soul going? So you better stay alive." A faint pulse—Rewrite activated. Not flashy. Not loud. But absolute. Alderp's soul—Locked. No escape.
SLASH. Again. This time—Lower jewels. Alderp's scream turned into pure, broken noise. The crowd lost it. Some people ran. Some collapsed. Some just stared in horror. Kazuma's face tightened. "…Ruko…" But Ruko kept going. SLASH. "Fix him." SLASH. "Fix him." Then—Ruko spoke quietly. "…Again." SLASH. "…Again." SLASH. "…Again." SLASH. Alderp was gone. Not dead— But gone. Mind shattered. Tears, saliva, blood—Everything mixed. His body twitched even before being cut. Fear had taken over completely. Then—Kazuma moved. "RUKO THAT'S ENOUGH!" He grabbed Ruko's arm mid-swing. Hard. "STOP!" Silence. The blade froze. Ruko didn't move. For a second—Nothing. Then slowly… His grin faded. His eyes blinked. Once. Twice. "…Huh…" He looked at Kazuma. "Kazuma why are you holding me for." He looked around. The church. The people. The eyes. All staring at him. Fear. Disgust. Shock. "...W-Why is everyone looking at me." Then— "…Ah…" His breathing hitched. His chest tightened. "…Not again…" His heartbeat spiked. Fast. Too fast.
"…Why are they…" His voice cracked. "…looking at me like that…" His hands trembled. "…I didn't…" The noise faded. "…I wasn't…" His vision blurred. Kazuma tightened his grip slightly. "Hey… hey you're good. Calm down." Ruko's body shook. "…Stop…" His knees weakened. "…stop looking…" Then—He went limp. Kazuma caught him. "…Idiot…" Silence filled the church again. Alderp lay on the ground. Alive. Barely. His body restored. His mind—Broken. But still there. Because of Rewrite. Kazuma looked up. "…Vanir. Deal with Alderp." Vanir stepped forward slowly. "…Finally," he said lightly. He looked down at Alderp. "…Now then, human. Shall we discuss your situation?" Alderp twitched. "…N-No… stay away…" Vanir crouched slightly. "You entered a contract, did you not?" Alderp froze. Vanir smiled behind the mask. "Ah… there it is." Kazuma put down Ruko and crossed his arms. "So he really did make a deal." Vanir nodded. "With the very troublesome entity we just talk about." "And it's seems I'm correct."
He leaned closer to Alderp. "And you failed your condition." Alderp's eyes widened. "…No… no I didn't—"Vanir tilted his head. "The marriage." Silence. Alderp's face went pale. Vanir straightened. "Which means…" The air changed. Cold. Heavy. A dark presence began to form behind Alderp. A voice echoed. "…How disappointing." Alderp screamed. "W-W-WAIT—NO—PLEASE—!" Dark tendrils wrapped around him instantly. "You failed your end of the contract." Alderp clawed at the ground. "N-NO—PLEASE—NOT THAT—!" Vanir chuckled softly "Ah… despair. Delicious as always." The tendrils tightened. Alderp's screams echoed through the church. Then—He was dragged into darkness. Gone. Silence. Complete silence. Vanir adjusted his suit. "…As expected." Kazuma exhaled. "…You planned that from the start, didn't you?" Vanir laughed quietly. "Of course. What? ...Didn't think I couldn't come up with that since I'm a Demon General after all."
Kazuma looked down at Ruko. Still unconscious. "…Yeah… figures." Outside, the chaos slowly began to settle. But inside that church—No one would forget what they just witnessed. Not the wedding. Not the money. Not even Alderp. But him. Ruko. The one they would never look at the same way again.