Between Heresy and Taboo (1)
There were two extremely famous yet contradictory proverbs about knowledge itself in this world: "Knowledge is power" and "Ignorance is bliss." And over long years, both had been proven right by countless people.
How could contradictions both be accepted as true? Simple—sometimes knowing helps, and sometimes it's better to pass by in ignorance.
The problem was applying them at the right moment.
Was it a gain to hear a secret serious enough for the client uncle to warn me gravely about, or better to pretend I hadn't? It was up to my judgment.
'Listen or not?'
My head and body weren't syncing, but for a different reason than when I'd merged with Kaya yesterday.
- Listen, damn it! If that uncle's warning about it that hard, it's gotta be some seriously important secret, right? A skilled blacksmith tangled with heretics—what's that about? Aren't you curious? We might get tied up right away, but we could score even bigger rewards, making our future dungeon runs way more solid!
- Crazy. No matter what, this is a noose. Even if the immediate payout looks like a huge cake, get caught wrong and you're done. You wanna die unfairly outside the dungeon, branded a heretic and witch-hunted?
- You're gonna take more commissions from Kaya anyway, right? With a devout nun from the church with us, how could we get labeled heretics? Just say we're heading out to purge heretics we discovered. Plus, if you're really worried, do the run once, hand over one of the map or book we get, and wash our hands of it.
- Fuck—nope. Not happening.
"You're agonizing just like back then. But this time, even if I want to ease your worries, I got nothing to give."
"No, it's not like that."
"I won't push. Like you said, we've already done a solid trade once."
What would Kaya say if I asked her? Would she leave it to the leader's call like always, or charge in with zeal to smash heretics again like before this commission?
"For now, pretend you didn't hear my question."
"...Hmm. Sounds like you haven't given up on my commission yet."
"Yes. Not yet."
Don't step out rashly before it's certain. Even when you think it's certain, double-check.
That was the mindset for no-death runs on highest difficulty. One-two.
I reaffirmed it once more, gave the client uncle a slight nod, and headed back to the inn.
"Welcome back, Leader."
"Yeah, Kaya. You feeling, uh, okay now?"
"Yes. Completely recovered."
It hadn't seemed like long since I'd left, but Kaya was already healed. Good.
Even if it was consensual, seeing her suffer alone had gnawed at me.
"Oh, Kaya. Got something to discuss."
"Ah, Leader. I have something to discuss as well."
"...Huh?"
"You first, Leader."
Our words overlapped. Exactly the same ones.
I yielded to her, but she stubbornly insisted the leader go first, lips sealed tight, so I spoke up.
"It's about what the client uncle said..."
Not much conversation, so nothing major.
The point: 'the client uncle's secret.' Just that.
"I didn't dig deeper for now. Wanted your take."
"Mm..."
Kaya didn't answer right away, surprisingly. She veered from both options I'd expected.
Instead, she offered a third.
"It ties right into what I wanted to discuss. The church might join this commission with high probability."
"...What? The church?"
Why the church all of a sudden? Huh? What the hell?
As my head spun, Kaya's voice calmed me a bit.
"While you were with the client, I went to the monastery."
"The monastery?"
"Yes. It's not a strict obligation, but nuns of the church must report to the nearest branch when using divine power or force in dungeons or similar places. Like last time, I went to report on our commission, but..."
Kaya laid out her monastery talk.
In Seilroom, with multiple churches and open heretic commissions ignored, but this time they'd act on Kaya's firsthand account. The Raella Church's Seilroom branch lacked manpower, so high chance they'd borrow a crusader from the friendly neighboring Justitia Church.
"That match my summary?"
"Yes."
"And you didn't commit right away since you needed to consult me."
"Yes. It wasn't my call alone as just a member—not the leader—and, well..."
Kaya hesitated, lips twitching, then bowed her head slightly, murmuring softer.
"Before the church steps in, this was a commission just for you and me, Leader. So I thought we had priority on deciding..."
I smiled, pleased, instead of answering.
Seeing no reply, Kaya turned, face flushing.
"L-Leader. I mean, what I just said."
"Yeah. I get how much you care about the hero party. Right?"
"...Yes."
Kaya, that little pout you did for a split second? Critical hit to my heart.
Ahem—
"Kaya, if we're going your way, should we just hand our evidence straight to the church?"
"I'm no expert, but I hear they have sisters deeply researching heresy itself. Purely for resolving the heresy issue—excluding rewards—that seems best..."
"But?"
"Aren't you worried we might get wrongly chained for doing that commission?"
"Yeah."
"Then, combining your worry and mine, the answer's clear."
Kaya nodded.
"To avoid suspicion entirely, proceed with the dispatched Justitia member as the church wills. With a non-hero-party church member, we gain objectivity, and temporarily more firepower for stable rerun."
"Without prying the client uncle's secret."
"Yes. That way, we secure safety and rewards."
Another church joining. I hadn't seen that coming.
That changed everything.
'And Kaya said high chance of a crusader.'
I'd been dying for a tank recruit.
Especially after snagging Kaya—a healer-DPS hybrid battle vestal—the ideal comp demanded a frontline tank crusader.
One battle vestal healer setup lacked sustain; we'd wither in Zone 2. Pure healer in the other slot crippled DPS—maybe limp to Zone 2, but 80%+ wipe chance beyond.
Least on high difficulty. Cutting attack sources faster beat tanking hits.
'This instanced run was one step back for two forward, but maybe three forward instead.'
If the Justitia crusader was solid—like Kaya—and I could lure her to my hero party?
'With a decent crusader, Zone 1 clears get way easier.'
"Alright, Kaya. Let's do it your way. But one snag."
"What is it?"
"How the client uncle'll react. If he wanted church help, he'd have asked ages ago. He didn't. Knowing church attitudes on guild heretic commissions and posting his own with personal funds? Shows he's not aligned."
"Then why me...?"
"Back then, you were a hero party member, not church rep. But official 'heretic hunt' dispatch? With a third party besides me and you?"
"...You think he'll react or act differently?"
"Yeah. If he's guilty, he might bolt before we show with the Justitia ally."
"Pretty complicated..."
Kaya swept back her hair.
"Then how about you sound him out first, Leader? Plenty of time now."
"Straight confrontation, huh."
After a beat, I nodded.
"Yeah. Better settle quick. Talk later."
"Yes, Leader."
Kaya and I split to our spots again.
"No good?"
The client uncle sighed deeply.
"You're really putting me in a spot. Should've never traded if I knew."
"Didn't mean to."
"Intent or not, result's the same. Didn't expect the sluggish church to move."
He stroked his beard long in thought, then downed his full beer mug in one go.
"Honestly, I wanna smash your head full force."
"Pardon?"
"And mine for trusting you. But it's done—time to judge. Coming here with this means you'll keep my commission, and after you finish, the church'll have a very unpleasant private chat about how you knew the spot, what you were after."
"No way..."
"Cut the 'no intent' crap. You pried 'cause you feared exactly that, right?"
Tsk. No words.
But now it was clear. He wasn't slacking at guild for nothing, and he was linked—or would be—to the heretic we'd met. Otherwise, no such reaction.
Something guilty, for sure.
And damn bold, even if churches move slow. Whatever he wanted, whatever he was doing.
"Remember what I said before?"
"What?"
"About no records?"
"Oh. Yeah. No way?"
"I'll change hideouts after you leave the tavern. If you find records and wanna hand 'em over... come here. You'll know then."
"Behind the church's back, right."
He shooed me like a fly, no reply—didn't wanna see me.
Luckily, no fist to my face from the calm, rational uncle. But what tied a top blacksmith to heretics nagged a bit.
It faded fast nearing the inn. My head was full of dungeon clears already.