The Truth Behind the Numbers
Darkness stood in front of him. Not as the crusader he knew… but in a white dress. A wedding dress. Her eyes didn't meet his. Her hands were clenched. Chains—not physical, but heavy—wrapped around her existence. "Ruko…" she said quietly. "Don't come." He tried to step forward—but his body didn't move. Behind her… a shadow stood. Tall. Smiling. Watching. "…Alderp." Ruko's eyes narrowed. "...You son of a bitch!... What have you done." Darkness turned away. "…It's already been decided." The door closed. Ruko's eyes snapped open. Silence. "…A dream." He laid there for a second, staring at the ceiling. "…No." His voice dropped. "…What can of a reminder is this." He slowly sat up, rubbing his face. "…Alright. Ok ok." His tone shifted completely. "Let's think." He stood up and walked toward the table where the letter was. "…Four days. Debt. Marriage." His eyes sharpened. "…Three billion Eris." He paused. "…Too much."
He picked up the letter and stared at it. "Why does that cock sucker Alderp isn't asking for money…" His voice lowered.
"…And why he's applying pressure to darkness for no reason." He turned slightly, like he was explaining it to someone invisible. "Three billion is a bluff number. It's meant to break resistance of some certain plot." He tapped the paper. "…The real number must be lower." A faint smirk appeared. "…Two billion at most." He paused again. "…But even that doesn't match the situation where I watch Konosuba." His eyes narrowed further. "…Which means there's a separate debt that I've been missing." He raised his hand slightly. "Insight." A faint shift passed through his mind. Not power. Clarity. Connections. "…Well, now we gotta confirm my theory is right." He summoned his earbuds. "…I'll go about... range… five hundred to a thousand meters…" He placed them in his ears and closed his eyes. "…Alright, now filter." The noise of Axel rushed in. People talking. Merchants arguing. Random chatter. "…Aguh... Too much people chatter boxing."
He focused. "…I'll try narrow it furhter." Silence reduced into streams. Then— "…Dustiness…" His eyes snapped open. "…Got you." "…The Lalatina family… heard they're drowning in debt…" "…Over a hundred million…" "…That noble squeezed them dry…" Ruko slowly removed the earbuds. "...So I was right." "…110 million Eris." He looked down at the letter again.
"…That's the real debt." "That fucker." His voice was calm now. Certain. "…Everything else is manipulation and why I mention I watch it then I started forgetting." Then— "…Wait." His eyes widened slightly. "…The reward." He remembered. "…Sylvia." He turned slowly. "…We defeated her." Pause. "…We were supposed to get 200 million Eris." Silence. "…So where the bloody blazing is it?" His expression darkened. "…Don't tell me…" Realization hit. "…They took it." His eye twitched. "…The people running Axel…" He clenched his fist. "…Took the entire reward…" Pause. "...Or... did Kazuma and the party."
He claim to conclusion. "Did they just spend all the rewards money to themselves and don't share any with me." "…And the amount for the damge of Axel they left us with ten million in debt and they waste the entire fucking money." Silence.Then— "…Are you serious…?" His body stiffened. "…ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUSING ME?!" "When i get my hands on them I'll—" He turned—Stub. "AH—!" He grabbed his foot. "…WHY—!" He hopped once— "WHY MY FEET!" Lost balance— "—OH—!" THUD. He tumbled down the stairs. "—THIS WORLD—!" FACEPLANT. Silence. "…I hate everything." Time passed. A day. Then another. The mansion door opened. Kazuma walked in, stretching. "Man… I'm tired." Aqua dragged herself behind him. "Same… nobles are quite to seem annoying." Megumin followed quietly. "…Did anything change with darkness?" Kazuma shrugged. "Nope." Inside the mansion… Ruko was still on the floor.
"…W-WHAT THE? Why his on the ground and he hasn't moved," Aqua said. "I moved, you damn false hood of a goddess" Ruko muttered. Kazuma blinked. "Why are you on the ground?" "…Recovering." "…From what?" "…From life flashing before my eyes." Ruko slowly pushed himself up. His hair messy. His face tired. "…Yeah I don't get the geese of it anyway." Kazuma walked past him."Doesn't matter. I've got something better." He dropped a bag on the table. "Money." Aqua instantly perked up. "Money?! ...Did I hear money." Megumin looked interested. "…From where?" Kazuma smirked. "My inventions." Ruko glanced at him. "…Since when you're serious of inventing without telling me." "Yeah, like I'll share any with you since I'm do the work." Kazuma said. "Fair." "Oh yeah it's some stuff from my world sells." Vanir stepped forward from behind. "Yes... Extremely well so!" Aqua pointed. "Oh great, the shady mask guy is here again. If you do anything stupid I'll purify you." "I prefer 'successful businessman,' to live while longer." Vanir replied calmly.
Kazuma crossed his arms. "I've been letting him handle my sales lately." Megumin blinked slowly. "…So you've been working this whole time…" Kazuma smirked. "Of course. How I'm I suppose to life a wealthy life if 'SOMEONE' didn't get us broke in so many ways." Vanir placed a large bag on the table. "Your earnings." Kazuma opened it. Then froze. "…No way." Aqua rushed over. "What is it—" She froze too. "…WAIT—!" Megumin stepped closer. "…That amount…" Kazuma's voice trembled slightly. "…Three billion… Eris." Silence. Then— "WE'RE RICH!!!" Aqua jumped around screaming. Megumin smiled slightly. "…Impressive. That's what I expect from Kazuma." Kazuma clenched the bag tightly. "…Yeah." His expression changed. "…Now we can move." Aqua stopped. "…Move?" Kazuma looked forward. "…We're crashing that wedding." Silence. Then—Ruko walked forward slowly. "…Finally know we can pay off darkness debt as well." Kazuma looked at him. "…You knew?" Ruko shrugged slightly. "…Yeah it was 110 million Eris."
Kazuma blinked. "…What?" "This is the real debt," Ruko said calmly. "The rest was inflated." Vanir chuckled. "Right on the money as always. You're like your brother well." Kazuma clicked his tongue. "…That bastard." Ruko continued. "…Also." Ruko paused and think in thoughts for a moment. "Y'know what, let's fool these idiots cause I don't want everyone to complain about it." Kazuma frowned. "What now?" "We were supposed to get 200 million eris from Sylvia." Aqua blinked. "…Yeah?" "They took it." Silence. "…They WHAT?" Kazuma snapped. Ruko nodded. "…Left ten million eris. That's our amount of debt left but for alderp is 2 billion eris. By adding it we where supposed to give 2 billion 120 million eris." Kazuma's eye twitched. "…I'm going to rob someone." Megumin sighed. "…Focus." Kazuma exhaled. "…Fine." He grabbed the money. "…We will go tomorrow." Aqua nodded. "Yes! Were gonna to save Darkness!"
Kazuma paused. "…Not just that." He smirked. "…I'm buying her back." Megumin blinked. "…You're gonna what?" Kazuma pointed at the money. "Two billion for Alderp. 110 million for her debt. And also 10 million of our debt for Axel but that'll for later." Aqua tilted her head. "…So… she will becomes ours?" Kazuma nodded. "…Exactly." Ruko looked at him. "…That's messed up man." Kazuma shrugged. "…It will work." Silence. Then— Ruko turned away slightly. "…Aleight then. I'm coming." Kazuma blinked. "…You?" "Yeah." "…Why?" Ruko paused. "…Because I have something to do with the cock sucker." His eyes darkened slightly. "…Something unexpected." Vanir chuckled. "…This will be entertaining." Kazuma grabbed the bag. "Alright!" He pointed forward. "Tom orrow, let's go!" Aqua cheered. "YEAH!" Megumin adjusted her hat. "…Time to cause chaos." Ruko walked behind them. Quiet. Calm. But inside— "…Alderp." A faint, dangerous smile formed. "…Don't die too quickly. By the time we crash. You will know what despair likes." And just like that—The party decided to moved tomorrow. Not as heroes. Not as saviors. But as a group of chaotic idiots… Walking straight toward a wedding—That was about to be destroyed.