The Price of Being Found
That was the first sign something had changed. As they moved through the corridors doors that no longer creaked open on their own. Shadows no longer shifted unnaturally. The oppressive pressure that had weighed on the air since nightfall loosened, as if the building itself had exhaled.
Kazuma noticed it immediately. "…So you found another seal door, what's inside." Megumin nodded. "A sustained magical structure doesn't just activate randomly." Aqua glanced nervously at the walls. "And that there's a condition on her, wasn't it?"
Lumy walked a step behind Ruko and holding his cloak since she start choosing to follow. That choice mattered more than anyone said aloud.
Ruko halted everyone and start talk to the last bandit. "Ok now we reach somewhere, now tell us what you were trying to do!" Everyone's seems confused.
The Bandit break. They reached the central hall, moonlight spilling down through the broken ceiling. Kazuma shoved the bandits forward, forcing him to his knees. "Alright," he said flatly. "Talk, Everything." The man cracked almost instantly.
"I didn't know!" he blurted out. "I swear! The noble family abandoned the place years ago. Rumors said it was haunted, so we figured easy money." Ruko noticed this bandit scheming ployed. "She showed up later. Said the mansion protected her. I thought she was lying—until the walls moved."
Lumy flinched, Ruko didn't turn around, but his presence shifted subtle, unmistakable. "Why you Son of a!" The bandit swallowed hard. "I tried to scare adventurers away with my group so no one would get close to her. Then things started… reacting, Lights and even Sounds."
Megumin's eyes gleamed. "So the mansion's defenses escalated in response to threat proximity." Darkness crossed her arms. "It wasn't haunted. It was guarding." Aqua muttered, "That's worse than a scary movie." Ruko feel dumb question. "Why do you guys talk like that since your like a detective in New York."
Ruko watched the bandit screaming promises and curses that no one listened to Lumy's Truth. Ruko decided to deal with him by talking to Kazuma and others before making decisions.
"Alright since we have all the answers we need ill put him somewhere quite so we can go further without any treason," Kazuma state. "OK good luck with him then."
Ruko carry him further away so no one is there to witness. "Ok and goodbye," Decapitated without him noticing. This time no intruders, but as witnesses. The atmosphere had changed again. Now, it felt… neutral.
Lumy stood in the center of the hall, staring up at the fractured ceiling. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen," she said quietly. Her voice didn't shake this time. "When my family died, I ran. I didn't know what else to do." She pressed a hand to her chest.
"Something inside me responded to fear, to danger. It built walls where I needed them."
Megumin stepped closer, and cautious. "That 'something' isn't magic as we define it where i come from." Aqua frowned."It's not divine either. It's closer to… substance." Ruko felt it clearly now. Lumy's core wasn't unstable because it was weak. It was unstable because it was something here threatening.
Ruko analysis the situation and explain to the group. Kazuma scratched his head. "So let me get this straight. She's not cursed. She's not possessed. But she's… holding something?"
Lumy nodded slowly. "I can feel it when I sleep. Like it wants to stretch and to... change." Her gaze shifted to Ruko's decayed sword fragment, Her eyes widened. "That thing… it sounds like mine."
A low vibration passed through the floor, Ruko's decayed sword fragment pulsed in response. Once, Twice, Then stilled.
Ruko felt something in his head and said: "To do this i must destroy that is living here and is a Choice, Not a Rescue," Darkness spoke carefully. "If the structure protecting this place is tied to Lumy's presence, removing her may cause collapse."
Aqua crossed her arms. "So if she leaves, this place falls apart?" Silence followed. "No it's not that simple," Lumy's shoulders tightened. "So I stay," she said quietly. Ruko moved before anyone else could speak.
He stopped a step in front of her. "Lumy do you want to live here for the rest of your life. Does it seems it's ok to throw away your freedom of staying here, no cause I'll stop whatever is trying to harm you and make you have happiness in your life."
Her eyes lifted to meet his. "Wait why did I say that, since I never tell anyone about this before." Kazuma sighed. "…You don't owe this place your life." Lumy hesitated. "But if I go—"
"Don't recommend that Lumy!" Everyone turn and see Wiz. Ruko in defenses position. "Who are you," Kazuma step in. "Woah woah woah hold it there ruko we just met her when we split up," Wiz confirm. "Sorry for interrupting but I can't hide in the shadows while she is feeling terror living here."
Ruko already knew the truth.
This wasn't about saving Lumy, this was about what she was becoming. The reaction came without warning. The mansion shook, a resonance surged outward from Lumy, rippling through walls, floors, and air itself.
Cracks sealed.
Ruko's decayed sword fragment reacted sharply this time, painfully restrained, as if something is coming out by force. "Grrrrrr what the hell is up with this junk... Grr GRAAAAHH!"
Others shouted. "RUKOO!" Megumin stepped back, eyes wide. "What is that" Aqua whispered in fear, "This evil presence that i didn't felt before. What is this Darkness." The realization hit all at once. The mansion wasn't the container.
Lumy was and she was reaching a limit. She gasped, clutching her chest. "It hurts ithurtithurtithurts… like something wants to DIG INSIDE MEEE."
Ruko screamed in pain but in later he throw the dacayed fragment and Ruko didn't hesitate. He reached out but it's too late, something engulfed her and transform into something that no one not even Aqua recognized.
Then a burst of energy evaporated through the central hall, pushing Ruko and others back at the start they in. The mansion went silent, too silent for that type of react. Kazuma swallowed. "… Oww, that felt like a countdown stopping halfway."
Lumy slumped slightly but remained standing. She looked at Ruko, eyes shining red with fear and gratitude tangled together. "Please help me."
"What should we do cause she can't feel this burden forever and it's seems its none of my problem anyway so ill take my leave,"Kazuma muttered. Ruko knew better. "Where do you think your going, your just gonna abandoned her like that."
"Like it's none of my problem to begin with since you found her you fix the solution. I'm not a god who can save everyone 24/7.
The mansion began to crumble, not catastrophically, but deliberately. Walls peeled away like shed skin. Old structures collapsed into dust. Megumin spoke softly. "Whatever she is… it won't stay dormant much longer." Aqua glanced at Ruko. "And she's not the only one."
Ruko felt it. "She's still alive." "Well I don't know if she's alive or not but it seems like if we don't stop her then axel will be in ruins," Aqua stated.
Kazuma upfronted. "Y'know what, the hell with this since I'm in this situation myself I better see it to the end." "Yeah like Kazuma said we will wipe the floor of this beast with my explosion magic."
Ooohh I can't take this anymore ill make her hit me everywhere hehehe. Ruko feel courage. "Yeah let's finish this fight and lumy I'll save you no matter what and there would be no holding it back.