Between Heresy and Taboo (3) - 7

What the hell is with her. Kinda scary.

High probability it was due to the negative trait Outburst. Shae's sudden verbal abuse had come out of nowhere, without any warning, hitting us like a sucker punch before we could brace ourselves.

You might think, "So what if it's just some harsh words mixed with profanity?" But I could confidently say you couldn't understand the feeling unless you'd experienced it firsthand right in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠front of you. It was like the moment you realize a concept you held as righteous had been off-kilter for ages, or when someone you trusted betrays you. Anyway, it felt awful.

This must be why they say mentality takes a hit. And the worst part? Shae herself, the culprit, had no clue.

"Shae."

"Yeees~?"

"Could you repeat what you said to us earlier?"

"Yees? What I said earlier? Hmm, leave the tracking to me, Shae! Was that it~?"

Fuck, if that was her pretending to be dumb, she'd be nominated for the best actress of my life. Even if it wasn't acting, it was still a problem. You never knew when another random event like that mood swing would hit, and we had no idea how to fix it.

Yeah. Even Kaya, who's so devoted and reliable, only lacks negative traits pinned on her, but she's basically a hero who could easily turn into a 'self-loather' or something more twisted like a 'masochist.' But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if it's bad enough to be etched as a negative trait, I should've braced for something like this.

That said, back in the game, when a mentally broken hero would trash-talk allies or sour the mood, it pissed me off why mentality drained like that. But experiencing it for real... it was no joke.

This time it wasn't aimed at us, so it was just this bad. But if that outburst targeted us?

No matter how gorgeous this crusader was on par with Kaya, getting mentally shattering insults hurled at me wouldn't be fun at all.

- Not bad, maybe...?

Fuck, what bullshit is that.

Snap out of it. We were still inside the instance dungeon. I stared at Shae's back as she kept clinging to Kaya, calling her "sis" with that beaming smile.

More precisely, at the skills she'd had visible since entering the instance.

I blinked at her skills. Second look, I rubbed my eyes. Third look, I closed them and pondered if this was reality.

"...Captain?"

I opened my eyes at Kaya's voice, but I knew it wasn't a dream or illusion.

What the hell is this woman.

Genius trait? Fine, that was just luck. Like being born rich or with an IQ over 150—pure lottery from parents. A hero's innate talent was the same luck.

But these eye-searing skills? Beyond luck or talent. She had top-tier skills that made me cheer in terror. Even if Kaya and I cleared Zone 2, could we match this?

If her level wasn't 1, if I hadn't fallen into this world myself, if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I were a gamer with some playtime and good RNG investing hard... she'd pass our potential by miles. No defensive skills was her only flaw, but covered by hard CC stun, three self-heals (conditional), making her semi-endgame tier.

"Hmm? Oh. It's fine if Captain stares like that! You're handsome!"

"You're not officially in our hero party yet, Shae."

"Still~ Sis calls you Captain too, but calling you Hendrick feels stiff? Plus, we're working together temporarily! Like comrades!"

Seeing her profile had me chugging kimchi soup by the bowl. But after her outburst, I wondered if I should spit some out. Now, after skills?

Learn to control her, or toughen my mentality.

Dungeon clear first; couldn't miss this hero.

"Captain! Right? I'm a comrade now? Yeah?"

Yeah. 'Now' a comrade. I consciously eased the line I'd held to avoid seeming desperate. Instinct said this was the second turning point—after saving Kaya's mentality. How I acted here would sway her joining big-time. She seemed airheaded, but not brain-dead or oblivious.

Forced business smile felt awkward, but for clear? "Sure, Shae."

Kaya gawked like she'd seen the impossible, amusing but stinging.

"No, Shae. Looking forward to working with you."

"Yes! Captain!"

There. Her eyes widened, playful salute—but I caught it. Before widening, her face flashed near-stern blankness.

Fuck. Goosebumps. What kind of woman is she? Snake? Fox? Just being near her eats at your mentality. A monster in another sense.

I returned her salute casually. Kaya, your sigh sounds heavy....

* * *

No combats or traps for a while. At least to the first altar we'd wrecked.

At least it's not mindless respawns here.

Clear sign this wasn't the main dungeon. There, even human-looking were monsters. Not saying the humans (heretics) here weren't monsters. Systemic difference. To me, all were things to smash anyway.

"Hmmm~"

Since arriving, Shae circled the altar site, doing weird shit. Tapping dirt with toes, then squatting to sniff a handful... then licking it? I freaked.

"Shae! What are you doing?!"

"Ah, ptooey. Captain?"

"Anything but why eat dirt?!"

"Oh, wasn't trying to eat... heh."

Ptooey— She spat dirt repeatedly, tilting head mumbling.

"Tasted bad, but worth it. Got a sense where the trail leads. Where those food-waste-worse-filth-fuck-trash-heretic-bugs are hiding."

"...Huh?"

"Hmm, probably this way... Oh! Ask Captain first?"

...Cold sweat. Casually says dirt tasted bad like a kid's prank, suddenly dead-serious about heretics, bolts then screech-stops like tackled, whips around beaming for orders.

Swore to control her minutes ago, but unpredictable. Glanced at Kaya—she pursed lips, looking away. Even you, Kaya....

Luckily, no mentality message. Maybe experience dulled it, or weaker. Heart still pounded anyway.

If her sense ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was right, big time save.

"Sure?"

"Yes! Hmm, embarrassing to say myself, but my tracking never fails!"

"Good. Reliable."

"Hehet."

"Can you lead? From here unknown, so you scout ahead."

"Yes! Leave it to me!"

Thump— She pounded her medium armor, accepting instantly. Reliable, but 5 billion light-years from Kaya's vibe....

"Hm-hmhm~ Hm-hmhm~ Hm~ Hm~ Hmm~"

Gonna lose my mind. Gonna lose it. Gonna lose it...!

Picnic stroll, humming. Zero caution for tracking. Tension/scanning fell to us; stress max.

Why not stop this maniac? She's nailing shortcuts past map route; no excuse to halt? Pulling map as 'heretic proof' would sour mood. Path matches, but her humming births eerie fear.

"That's why she got booted from every hero party...."

"..."

Even taciturn Kaya muttered that.

But gains come with pains, rewards with toil. Skipped 3-4 fights on standard route; reached second altar fight-free.

"Kaya. Shae. Gear up. Anything could pop."

"Yes, Captain."

No reply from Shae—she gripped claymore-like greatsword, staring blankly ahead. Gap from 10s ago huge.

Fsssh—

Closer, black smoke rose like first altar. But one shape this time.

"I've been waiting."

"Presumptuous hypocrites."

A black knight over 2m tall, death knight vibes, glared at us.