Heresy and Taboo Between (8) - I Want You Like That
“Hah...”
— I want you like that.
“Really.”
— I want you like that.
“It’s thrilling.”
— I want you like that.
“When you say it so seriously, pouring your true heart into it.”
— I want you like that.
“Who wouldn’t fall for that? Has Kaya already fallen like that too? She seemed completely smitten.”
— I want you like that.
“Hah...”
Shae, the crusader of the Justitia Order, usually wore heavy plate armor emblazoned with the order’s emblem whenever she went out—or occasionally her nun’s habit. But the Shae emerging from this particular inn was dressed in neither. She wore a simple dress.
From afar, the dress looked plain, but up close, it wasn’t plain at all. It enhanced the wearer’s elegance and grace. It was as if the dress became her wings, her shoes.
Regardless of age or gender, passersby couldn’t help but stare at her, whether briefly or at length. Yet not one dared approach her recklessly. She exuded an air of high nobility, something untouchable.
“Hm-hm-hmm~ Hm-hm-hmm~ Hm hm hmm~”
Ignoring the stares or not, she hummed cheerfully as she headed toward the monastery. She made her way to the Justitia Order’s Seilroom branch, where a statue of the goddess holding a torch in one hand and scales in the other stood at the entrance. The novice crusaders guarding the door jumped in surprise at the sight of her.
“Lady Shae! W-what’s with that outfit?”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. Anyway, is the Captain inside?”
“I believe the Captain has stepped out!”
“I see. Thanks. Keep up the good work?”
“Yes! You as well, Lady Shae!”
Shae flashed a bright smile, and the novices blushed, responding with vigorous energy. To the male crusaders walking the path of justice in the Justitia Order, Shae—beautiful, kind, sociable, and supremely capable—was like an idol. Once their fervent gazes faded as they pretended not to stare, the smile vanished from Shae’s face.
‘Even guys who like me that obviously never wanted to run two missions or dungeons in a row with me. They avoided me like I was some creepy monster, pretty on the outside but nothing more.’
She headed toward the office of the Captain, the leader of the crusaders.
‘But the Captain and Sis... they don’t seem like that.’
— I want you like that.
Even as she knocked on the Captain’s office door, Hendrick’s words echoed relentlessly in Shae’s mind.
Knock knock—
“It’s Shae. I know you’re in there, so I’m coming in?”
Without waiting for a reply, Shae flung the door open. She glanced around the empty room without a hint of surprise, then looked up at the ceiling.
“Captain. That’s gross.”
“What is?”
“Can’t you at least wear clothes when you train?”
“You barged in without even waiting for an answer. Isn’t that on you?”
A middle-aged man hanging from the high ceiling like a spider landed lightly. He wore only his underwear, but upon catching Shae’s glare as he moved to sit across from her, he casually draped a robe over himself.
“Even grosser now...”
“You tell me to dress, then complain when I do. Anyway, you came here to say something important enough to tell me in person. Spit it out.”
Yeah, what’s the point of saying it. Shae forced herself to ignore the man’s disgustingly thick body hair.
“I’m thinking of joining the Hero Party.”
“Again?”
“Yes.”
“More poor souls are doomed.”
“You make it sound like I go around screwing things up.”
“In some ways, you do. Who knows how many times the Hero Party’s been wrecked after you joined. You didn’t interrupt my time just to report that, did you?”
“Of course not, Captain.”
“Report on the heresy to the High Nun. She’s in charge of this one.”
“Not that either.”
Shae leaned on the desk and stood.
“I mean it about joining the Hero Party.”
“...You mean it.”
The Captain’s demeanor shifted from half-hearted as he crossed his arms. He met the gaze of those golden eyes staring at him. The strongest judge of the Justitia Order’s Seilroom branch wasn’t great with people, but no one had a keener eye for them. Just by locking eyes like this, he could gauge a person’s sincerity or intent to some degree.
And through those eyes, he saw that the order’s greatest genius crusader in Seilroom history had truly set her path.
Having confirmed that sincerity, memories flashed by: countless trainings, practical exercises, prayers and doctrine lessons, Hero Party applications, and all she’d endured inside and outside the monastery.
A prodigy laid bare. His first disciple, his prized pupil.
‘Justitia...’
The Captain composed his feelings toward his protégé.
“Report on the joint operation?”
“I’ll report to the High Nun as soon as I leave.”
“I see.”
“Yes.”
The Captain stared at Shae for a moment, then tossed her an item from the corner.
“Take it.”
“...Captain.”
“I don’t use it anymore. Can’t have my disciple’s first true resolve go without a memento. Do whatever—use it, give it away, sell it, trash it.”
“...Thank you, Master.”
“Good.”
The Captain closed his eyes.
“Don’t stray far.”
“I’ll come back?”
“May light and just judgment shine upon your face. Always be cautious.”
“...May light and just judgment shine upon your face. You too, Master.”
**
“Ha, haha, hahaha.”
“Feeling good?”
“Aren’t you?”
“...I am too.”
I’d vaguely guessed the reason for Shae’s sudden move, but when Kaya—who seemed to have figured it out for sure—confirmed it, my hopeful hunch was spot on. Shae wanted to join our Hero Party.
Of course, if it were just that, Kaya wouldn’t have looked so stunned. It was the necklace with the order’s emblem that Shae had given me, saying “hold onto it for a bit.”
Nuns, crusaders, priests—once formally affiliated with an order, they all wore symbolic accessories as a common rule. Handing it to someone else meant leaving behind not just your life, but your faith.
If she didn’t return, the necklace couldn’t be reclaimed, and Shae would lose one key way to prove her identity publicly. The consequences weren’t fatal, but it was a tradition upheld for over a thousand years.
And given that weight, almost no one handed over their accessory, let alone let others see it.
In short, Kaya had been shocked by Shae’s bold gesture.
“Ah. So that’s why you were so surprised when the client said he’d take your necklace as collateral?”
“...You didn’t know?”
“I thought your sincerity had won him over.”
“It was my sincerity too.”
“Aha.”
Kaya had only promised her necklace as collateral without actually handing it over, but Shae had left it with me and all her gear. Whatever—great news either way.
I felt a bit bad for taking all the reward from the client without giving much back, but he’d probably planned to use me for something too, so paying a Level 1 that much made sense. We got ours, and slipped out clean. The orders would handle the rest.
That’s what I decided to think.
**
“Progress?”
“Ninety percent.”
“Yet.”
“The orders are coming. Lights of justice and mercy.”
“How did they find out?”
“That’s what I want to know. Whatever you provided must’ve failed. No way it leaks this fast otherwise.”
“Impossible. Weren’t they just two Level 1 heroes?”
“Exactly why I want to grill you! We filtered the riffraff, disrupted the ritual perfectly—why didn’t those losers fall to the suggestion? We used your drug, your magic circle, everything!”
“Calm down.”
“You wouldn’t be prying if you hadn’t pissed me off first. You haven’t forgotten the contract, right? Otherwise, you’d know I’m in a real bind.”
“As if I’d forget. I just wanted the cause. To plan countermeasures or evasion.”
A secretive meeting unfolded inside a cramped, dark, eerie house akin to a ruin.
“Since Seilroom’s turned on us, I suggest shaving that bushy beard for smoother disguise and escape.”
“Hey. Since when do we meddle in personal matters? Don’t waste time with petty talk. We have a contract.”
“Of course. ---- -- watches always. No intent to break it.”
The man opposite the bushy-bearded one, wearing a featureless black mask, snapped his fingers. Black smoke ignited in the air between them, soon forming a bead darker than the smoke, emitting an unholy glow.
He snapped again, and the bead flew to the bearded man, swirling before settling on his right hand.
“Ngh—!”
The bearded man clutched his right wrist—engulfed in black smoke—with his left, gritting his teeth. He let out a strange moan blending pain and ecstasy. Ordinary folk would’ve covered their ears in horror, but no one here would make a fuss.
About ten minutes later, the smoke fully dissipated. The bearded man panted, drenched in sweat.
The masked man spoke in his usual dry tone, unmoved.
“Contract terms fulfilled. Technically, an advance. We acknowledge fault on our end, so expect commensurate payment soon.”
“Hahaha! Naturally! Of course!”
“Hope our next meeting’s more productive. I’ll inform you of the next place and time.”
The bearded man nodded vaguely at the masked man’s words, fixated on his right hand as he left the ruin. Watching his back, a twisted smile formed beneath the masked man’s visage.