The Lodging of Absolute "Freedom"
The moment they reach 'Arcanretia', journey ended, peace should have followed. But it didn't. Arcanretia never allowed silence to linger. Even in the early hours, the city breathed like a living thing—chants drifting from distant streets, bells ringing without clear reason, Axis followers shouting blessings that sounded suspiciously like threats.
Ruko lay on his back in the guest room provided by the Axis Church, staring at the ceiling beams while his body throbbed with a deep, stubborn ache that Aqua's healing magic had failed to erase. It wasn't pain anymore—pain implied sharpness, and also ..clarity.
This was something duller, heavier, like his body remembered things his mind refused to replay. He exhaled slowly and let his hands rest at his sides, posture relaxed despite the tension crawling under his skin. Recovery, he had learned, wasn't about rushing forward to death. It was about not breaking bodys again.
Outside, Aqua's voice rang through the corridor, loud and proud, praising the Axis Church, the water, the walls, the air, and herself in one uninterrupted breath. Ruko closed his eyes for half a second, then opened them again, calm returning like a practiced habit.
Chaos was normal now. Chaos was predictable. Kazuma sat nearby on a chair, arms folded, watching him with that familiar mix of concern and annoyance. "You're awake way earlier than you should be, i thought you might sleep till afternoon." Kazuma said. "Normal injured people don't look this… chill. Even in the face of death my guy."
Ruko tilted his head slightly and gave a small cat expression shrug. "Panicking doesn't heal bones. Or pride even if you have one." Kazuma snorted. "You say stuff like that and then do reckless nonsense anyway." Before Ruko could answer, the door slid open hard enough to rattle the frame.
The start to leading toward the Axis Cult's territory was far too cheerful for Ruko's liking. Bright banners fluttered in the wind, painted with smiling water droplets and slogans that felt aggressively friendly. The sky was clear, birds chirped, and yet every instinct in his body warned him that something was deeply, deeply wrong with this city.
"This place feels like it's screaming at me without using any sentiment of words," Ruko muttered. Kazuma nodded immediately. "THANK YOU. Finally, someone sane." Aqua, meanwhile, was walking ahead with her hands on her hips, chest puffed out proudly.
"You're all just uncultured! This is holy land! A paradise where faith is free and joy flows like water!" Megumin glanced at a sign that read 'Join the Axis Cult! No Rules!' and frowned. "A religion with no rules is… suspicious." Darkness looked intrigued. "No rules, you say…?"
"NO," Kazuma snapped instantly. "Absolutely not." They reached the Axis Cult lodging by midday. The building itself looked less like a religious hostel and more like a festival hall that had lost a bet. The walls were painted aqua blue, the doors were wide open, and several Axis followers stood outside enthusiastically waving pamphlets at anyone who passed by.
"WELCOME!" one of them shouted. "ARE YOU LOST, OR HAVE YOU COME TO BE SAVED?!" "Both, like i have nothing to say about?" Kazuma replied weakly. Before anyone could react, Aqua was already being swarmed by cultists.
"Lady Aqua!" "Our goddess has returned!" "Please bless our laundry!" Ruko stepped back calmly, observing.
Blind devotion without thought, he noted. Faith that refuses to question itself becomes dangerous. He leaned toward Kazuma. "Rule of thumb—if everyone agrees too loudly, someone stopped thinking."
Kazuma looked at him with tired respect. "You're terrifyingly wise sometimes. Chill for the rest of awhile." "I miss the part we're that's my problem." Ruko respond. Inside, the lodging was chaos wrapped in hospitality. Beds were plentiful, but randomly arranged. Some were stacked. Some were upside down. One had a banner draped over it reading 'Sleep Is Optional!'
A cheerful Axis priest clapped his hands. "Welcome! Stay as long as you like! Leave whenever you want! Or never leave! It's your choice!" "That last one was ominous," Megumin whispered.
Ruko set his pack down near a corner bed and sat carefully, still recovering. His body was healing, but the scars—physical and mental—had not fully faded.
Darkness approached him. "You should rest. We're only visiting, but even a short stay can be… relaxing a bit." Ruko nodded. "Rest doesn't mean letting your guard down, but I'll take you up on that." She smiled faintly. "I'll remember that." Meanwhile, Aqua had taken control of the main hall.
"Everyone listen!" she declared. "We have guests! Be normal!" The Axis cultists immediately saluted. "Yes!" "We'll try!" "No promises!" Kazuma buried his face in his hands. Later that evening, a communal meal was served.
No one could identify half the dishes.
Megumin poked a glowing blue stew cautiously. "Is it safe?"
An Axis follower grinned. "Probably!"
Ruko didn't eat immediately. Instead, he watched. Who served first. Who laughed too easily. Who avoided eye contact. "Ruko," Kazuma asked quietly, "you're doing that thing again." "That thing?" "That 'I'm judging reality' thing."
Ruko finally took a small bite. "Alright I'll behave whether right and wrong aren't loud," he said. "They're quite consistent. When people celebrate confusion, they forget some consequences." Kazuma blinked. "Why do you sound like a retired hero from a manga?"
"Because I've seen what happens when no one speaks up." That night, the lodging grew louder instead of quieter.
Songs echoed. Debates turned into chants. Someone tried to baptize Megumin with a bucket before being chased off by explosions. Ruko remained seated near a window, watching the moon reflect off distant water.
He thought of the mansion outside Axel—the only place they truly stayed. A home earned through hardship, not handed over through praise. Visiting is fine, he thought. Belonging is quite dangerous. Aqua eventually collapsed beside him, exhausted. "They really love me don't they."
Ruko replied gently, "Love without being an understanding can turns into control." She frowned, confused, then shrugged and fell asleep. Morning came fast. Too fast for late morning bloomer Ruko. An Axis priest burst into the hall shouting, "GOOD MORNING! WHO'S READY FOR SPONTANEOUS CONFESSIONS?!"
"No one!" Kazuma yelled. They packed quickly. As they stepped outside, Megumin stretched. "I never want to come back." Darkness hesitated. "It was… educational." Kazuma pointed down the road. "Let's leave before they decide we're permanent residents. Sonce this place creep me out when we enter here."
Ruko took one last look at the lodging.
"Teah but it's not evil," he said quietly. "They just careless. And carelessness hurts people longer than cruelty." Kazuma nodded. "I'm starting to get why you talk like that." They walked on, the banners fading behind them. Ruko adjusted his cloak, steady on his feet now. Recovery was slow—but progress was progress. And for now, that was enough.