Afterglow and the Search for a Tank
"Ugh, ow ow, my back...."
Whispering sweet nothings to Kaya as tenderly as I could and taking her virginity—after that, my memories came back in patchy flashes, like a video skipping ahead on fast-forward. I'd meant to be as considerate as possible, but midway through, I must've lost it to the ecstatic sensation I'd never tasted before in my life. This backache was definitely payback for that....
"...Wow. Up close like this, she's no joke."
Right beside me, Kaya slept on her side, one hand resting on my stomach. She looked utterly exhausted, her eyes a bit puffy, no makeup or anything, and yet she was stunning.
Not that this was Earth, but it was still hard to believe I'd slept with a woman like her. I was still a bit dazed by the whole thing.
"As the Captain said, my words, my thoughts—they were completely wrong."
Staring at Kaya's sleeping face, I recalled what she'd murmured as she clung to me right before drifting off.
"Those who called me filthy, vulgar—they never even looked me in the eye for a full day, no, not even a minute. I knew it in my head, maybe. But I accepted it as natural. I didn't seem dirty to myself, but if people said I was, then I must be a filthy thing...."
'What the fuck. Even if this world's kinda medieval, Kaya's just a half-blood by birth.'
Come to think of it, even on modern Earth, racism flares up over slight skin color differences, so speciesism could be even worse here. She was damn lucky not to get burned as a witch.
Whatever the case, the bastards who'd scarred young Kaya's heart were scum through and through. She hadn't spilled everything, but I could piece it together from her monologue.
"To them, I was nothing more than a filthy mongrel, no better, no worse. And to me now, they're just rotten folks from my past hometown... that's all. All their insults and abuse—they don't define the real me. And that truth shines brightest when I'm at peace with myself. The Captain proved that to me."
"If it's with the Captain, my fated one? Yes. Forever."
Her final whisper as she hugged my torso tight had made my body shiver a little, but I chalked it up to the feel of her breasts pressing against me.
Relationship level—when the hell did it go up? Kaya didn't seem like an easy woman, so maybe first-hero bonus? No samples to compare, though, so who knows.
Not that it mattered. Hitting 4 out of a -5 to 5 scale already? Whatever it does, it'll probably break positive. I let myself hope a little.
'Yeah, Kaya. Let's go all the way. We're main squad now.'
I reached out absentmindedly and toyed with her cheek. Her eyelids fluttered open, gray eyes staring straight at me. Focus snapped in instantly, and in three seconds flat, her face turned tomato-red.
"C-C-C-C-C-Captain."
"Uh, yeah. Sleep well?"
"Hngh?!"
"Puhahaha!"
Kaya let out a weird noise and yanked the blanket over her head. I laughed out loud—genuinely, for the first time in forever.
* * *
"Sorry, okay?"
"There's no need for the Captain to apologize. Laughter is a good thing, isn't it?"
I'd brought breakfast to the room to spare Kaya—who clutched her lower abdomen and hesitated getting out of bed—the trouble. She scooped up the soup eagerly, hunger winning out, but with a slight pout that was worlds richer in expression than before last night. A third party might squint and go, "That's a pout?" But to me, it looked that way. A good change, in my eyes.
For one, no worries about negative traits like self-loathing taking root.
"Haha, eat up while you listen. Got something to discuss."
"Yes, Captain."
She switched to serious mode the moment I brought up business. I laid it all out: my talk with the client uncle, what went down at the hero training hall, and my vision for the hero party's direction.
Kaya nodded along, responding attentively, until my last point—"recruiting a new comrade"—made her freeze.
"A new... comrade...?"
"Yeah. I'd love a solid tank if possible. That heresy instance we did? It was risky as hell. Right? And for the dungeon proper, two's too dangerous. Proper hero parties run at least three, up to eight."
Zone 1 might be clearable with two if we're slick—the difficulty spiked like a bitch, so no guarantees, but at prior levels, yeah. That's why I'd first dungeoned with just Kaya, and why I was eyeing a third hero now.
Honestly, if not for the instance scare and if money weren't tight, I might've regeared and duoed the dungeon again. But nearly dying in an instance made me way more cautious.
"Not saying we merge right now, of course. We don't even know if our ideal tank exists, let alone if they'd join."
"...I see."
Kaya's expression hardened a bit. She got the gravity.
"Just so you know. Top priority's deciding on round two of the heresy job."
"I'd like your take first, Captain."
"Me? I say run it once or twice more—rack up experience and cash. Recruit the third along the way. You, Kaya?"
She set her spoon down and nodded.
"I'll follow the Captain's lead."
"Good. Rest up then."
"Where are you off to?"
"Client uncle's. Tell him we're in for another, grab the goods."
"Then I—"
I stared pointedly at her lower belly; she covered it with both hands, blushing.
"Your holy power'll fix you quick, but still... no need to push right away."
"Yes. Thank you, Captain."
"Ahem. Be back soon."
Kaya bowed her head from her seat. Heart itching, I bolted out like I was fleeing.
Screeech—click—
Hendrick left, and Kaya set her soup bowl on the table, standing. She winced faintly with each movement, but it didn't hinder her much.
"Another comrade...."
She murmured while donning her nun habit.
"As long as they don't interfere with the fate I've finally found."
She left a note—"Heading to the monastery briefly"—and exited the inn.
Same road as last time. But the Kaya walking it now was utterly transformed from before. What changed? Hard to pin down in words, but she'd nod firmly if asked.
"Welcome, Sister Kaya."
At the Raella Temple Seilroom Branch, guide of the Path of Mercy, Sestia greeted her warmly. After a light hug, they chatted idly before shifting to the dungeon run.
"Evidence of heresy worship... Not doubting you, Sister Kaya, but it's grave, so I must ask again. Are you certain?"
"Yes. Absolutely."
Sestia's face grew grave.
"Truth be told, that job you took? It was well-known here, including to me. Not the first time it posted either."
"Then...!"
"But mostly duds. Some outright fakes. So I figured this one was too... until now."
Kaya couldn't fathom it. She wasn't one to talk, having pledged to the dungeon, but was it right for the church to handle heresy so laxly?
Reading her face, Sestia sighed softly and shook her head.
"This is the Seilroom branch. Many sisters here, like you, aim for the dungeon. We support them from behind and focus on dungeon research. Embarrassing in the goddess's presence, but... manpower issues, basically."
"I see."
"Yes. So you have no idea how huge your intel is. No reason to ignore solid evidence after all these busts."
Sestia took Kaya's hand.
"But we lack forces here now. Two sisters return in three days at least... Sister Kaya, for investigating and purging that vile heresy site, other churches would gladly help. What do you think?"
"Other churches...?"
"Yes. Seilroom has many besides ours. Nearby's the church of Justitia, goddess of light and justice."
"Then."
"Yes. Justitia and Raella churches are close. We can ask without burden. Thoughts, Sister Kaya?"
"If we get cooperation, who might come?"
"Hm, up to Justitia church, but for 'martial' needs, likely a crusader walking justice's path."
"...Hm."
What a coincidence, Kaya thought. If Hendrick were here, he'd probably bow in shock at how perfectly it fit. Still, she couldn't decide solo without consulting him.
"I'll have to discuss it first."
"You mean Hendrick, right?"
"Yes."
"Fair enough. I'll put out feelers to Justitia anyway. Can't sit on this now we know, and they won't prep instantly."
"Understood. Warm mercy and cool tolerance."
"Warm mercy and cool tolerance."
Kaya wondered if reporting to the church was right. On the way back, she knelt before a Raella statue, eyes closed in prayer.
'Goddess. Did I do well? Won't it trouble the Captain? Or was it helpful?'
Hummm—
Green light flickered briefly on Kaya's hands, unseen by her closed eyes. The goddess said nothing.
* * *
"The more you investigate, the better for me. Direct evidence would be ideal."
The client uncle sipped his beer again. Not slaughtering it aggressively like last time—only on his second.
"Uh, might be overstepping from a one-time contractor, but I'll ask anyway."
"Hm?"
"Why's a Seilroom blacksmith guildmaster like you, with this skill... funding this out of pocket? Curious."
"Didn't peg you for the prying type."
"That's why I skipped it last time. But after going there myself? Had to ask. Real crazy heretics were crawling."
I leaned forward, voice low.
"A client hunting records and direct proof on those heretics. And we're your unwitting hero party. Get tangled wrong, we're fucked."
"Hmph. Scared now? High risk, high reward—basic truth."
"Never said I'd bail. Grateful for the payout. But it was a fair deal based on known risks. Learning it's worse? Asking this much ain't crossing lines."
Three days on the board in a bustling guild hall. Even with our fat reward, uncle's still shortchanged—sunk costs on us, hassle of new hires.
"Sigh... Obvious, but this stays secret. If it leaks, I'll finger you as the source."
"Lips sealed."
"Hearing this means sticking with me till we snag direct proof beyond heretic heads... You up for it?"
Eh... that's it? Didn't wanna get that tangled just to hear...?