The Sleeping King
After Alderp plot. The mansion was quiet. Not the usual kind of quiet. Not the "everyone is asleep" quiet. This one felt… empty. Like something had ended. At the very top floor—where no one really went anymore—Ruko lay on a small, worn-out couch pushed into the corner. It wasn't meant for sleeping. It wasn't even comfortable. But it was his. "…mumbled…" His eyes slowly opened. The ceiling greeted him. Dark. Still. For a moment, he didn't move. Then—A flash. Light. Blinding. Heat swallowing everything. His body—Burning. Breaking. Gone. "…Ah…" His fingers twitched. His breathing paused for just a second. "…Oh... that's right…" His eyes stayed on the ceiling. "…I just died… didn't I..." Not a full memory. Not a clear replay. Just the feeling. The pain. That overwhelming, suffocating heat. His chest tightened slightly—but only for a moment. "…And it was annoying…" His voice came out flat. No fear. No panic. Just… acknowledgment. He turned his head slightly toward the small window.
Light seeped in. "…Whatever…" And just like that— "All I want is a good shut–eye of a women sleeping beside of me." He closed his eyes again in a catty way." And went back to sleep.
"YOU'RE THE MOST USELESS ONE HERE!" "OH YEAH?! WHO GOT US INTO DEBT AGAIN?!" "I'LL BLOW YOU BOTH UP!" "DON'T YOU DARE—!" Afternoon. The mansion was alive again. Noise echoed through the halls like nothing had ever happened. Arguments. Complaints. Chaos. And Normal also. Ruko get up, started change his clothes and walked down the stairs slowly. Same clothes. Same lazy posture. Same half-lidded eyes. The "sleeping king" had returned. Megumin noticed first. "…He's awake." Aqua spun around instantly. "HEY! THE DEAD GUY'S BACK!" Kazuma glanced over his shoulder. "…Oi, corpse." Ruko raised his hand slightly without energy. "…Yeah yeah… I'm Ruko the corpse…" He didn't stop walking. Didn't greet them properly. Didn't react. He simply moved past them—Then leaned against the wall near the window. One arm loosely holding the other. Body tilted. Eyes drifting toward the sunlight outside. Still. Quiet. Kazuma paused mid-step. "…Oi." Aqua blinked. "What I'm I seeing right now?" Kazuma pointed. "…I'm not surprised why does he look like me?"
Everyone turned. Same stance. Same bored expression. Same "I'm tired of everything" aura. Megumin squinted. "…Well... He was your brother after all." Darkness tilted her head thoughtfully. "…But why does it feels… different." Kazuma walked over slowly. "…Ruko stop copying me." Ruko didn't even look at him. "…I'm not." "…You are." "…You wish." "…Say that again." "…You wish." Silence. Then— "YOU WANNA GO?!" "COME AND SEE WHAT YOU GOT." BOOM. A cloud of dust exploded inside the room. "STOP PULLING MY SHIRT—!" "THEN STOP TALKING—!" "YOU STARTED IT—!" Furniture rattled. The girls watched. Then—Laughed. "…I'm not surprised that thier still Idiots," Megumin muttered. Aqua pointed excitedly. "Fight! Fight! Fight!" Darkness smiled softly. "…This… feels like normal again…" The dust settled. Kazuma stood tall, slightly messy but proud. Ruko lay flat on the floor. Defeated. "…Again?" Kazuma smirked. Ruko stared at the ceiling. "…How do I keep losing to you…"
Kazuma crossed his arms confidently. "It doesn't matter how many strong enemies you fight…" He pointed at himself. "You'll always lose to your big brother Kazuma." "…Why me." "Details, Details." Kazuma tossed a pouch toward him. "Get up. Go buy supplies." Ruko didn't move. "…Why me…" "Because you're free and had nothingto do." "…Cuase I was sleeping…" "Exactly. You're well rested well enough to stroll a marathon." "…Tch…" Slowly—Ruko pushed himself up. Gave a tired cat nod. "…Fine…" Axel was back to life. Merchants called out loudly. Adventurers filled the streets. Everything looked normal. But—Not quite. Ruko walked through the streets casually. Hands in pockets. Expression blank. Then— "…That's him…" "…The Reaper…" "…He came back…" "…Don't get close…" Whispers followed him. Eyes tracked his every step. Some curious. Some impressed. Some uneasy. Some afraid. Ruko kept walking. But his steps slowed slightly. Just a little. "…Tch…" A group of adventurers subtly moved aside as he passed. Not obvious. But enough. A gap formed. Unintentional. Natural.
Ruko stopped "…So that's how it is…" His eyes lowered slightly. Not anger. Not sadness. Just quiet understanding. "…Nothing changed…" The sun hit his face. Warm. Normal. But it didn't reach his eyes. "I guess I'm the one make everyone around me changed." Behind him—The whispers continued. "The Reaper…" He didn't turn back. Didn't react. Didn't care. At least—That's what it looked like. Far above—Unseen. Something watched. Silent.
Waiting. And within him—Something small… Cracked. Quietly. Unnoticed. The emotional decompression had begun. And no one, not in the kazuma party realized it.