Heretic Saintess, Forbidden Nun (2)

“This... this can't be...!”

Kaya and Shae gasped in horror at the elite monster, the Terror Nun.

I was pretty shocked myself, though maybe not quite as much as they were.

“Unbelievers... and among them, those who chase illusions reek the strongest.”

“Corrupted...”

Unlike the other monsters that had gone mad worshiping terror, this one was different. The system clearly classified her as a monster, but she didn't have a grotesque appearance or that bizarre black clay-like form like the others. Hell, she even looked like she could hold a conversation.

“State your name and original convent affiliation! We will purify you and help you return to the goddess's embrace!”

“Hmph, now you say that? Pointless.”

But the conversation cut off far too easily. It might not have even been a real conversation—just each side spouting their piece, cleverly interlocking by chance.

Her physical stats were nothing special. She looked like she'd focus on mentality attacks based on her image, but she seemed like an opponent we could take down easily.

But that outward appearance, which made it impossible to see her as a monster... that was the problem. If she just took off that dark robe, she'd fit right in calling Kaya or Shae "sister" and hugging them.

Up until now, I'd swung my axe without hesitation, thinking of them not as humans but as human-like monsters. This was the first time I hesitated to swing.

'What if she's been brainwashed or corrupted against her will?'

If I split her skull with the axe, wouldn't that rob her of any chance at purification? The owner of that necklace we'd seen at the Seilroom branch—was she in a state like this? No, did I even have proof that the woman in front of me wasn't the necklace's owner?

“Fuck...”

I'd thought it would be easy just looking at the specs, but only after picking up the axe did I realize the true dilemma we'd hit.

As time dragged on, the magical torch flickered, sweat built up on the handle—that's when Kaya's calm voice cut through.

“Captain.”

“Yeah.”

“You do your duty, Captain. We'll handle ours.”

“...Right.”

It wasn't anything special, but her voice gave me a strange strength. Don't worry about us—do your job. That's how it sounded to me, and the word "duty" shook off my hesitation.

'Yeah. My job right now hasn't changed.'

Even if that woman was the necklace's owner, in her current state, she was an enemy we had to fight.

Tatataht—

“Kyaaaaack!”

Skin split, blood sprayed. The blood was vivid, the scream even more so. No message popped up, but that scream seemed to chip away at my mentality a bit.

“To wield such barbaric violence!”

“I'll make you pay for that!”

The Terror Nun clutched her bleeding head, spitting venom. It was a vicious, eerie voice, hard to imagine coming from her slender frame.

“Urk!”

We all took the AoE hit, but it was zero damage across the board. Thanks to the Terror Nun's low attack power and our party's boosted defense.

But as expected, the Terror Nun's attack rattled our mentality. Sure, it was only around 10 points, but...

“Steady your minds! Cast out false beliefs! Please!”

“Stop it! Did she really abandon her faith?!”

“A handful of light can't block terror—unbelievers, cease your futile interference and fall!”

Just as I'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hesitated to swing because of her appearance, my comrades were shocked by the Terror Nun's attack itself.

“She wasn't forced to corrupt...?”

In this world, whether priest, nun, or crusader, walking the path of the divine required years of grueling training and unshakeable faith. A body and mind capable of upholding the goddess's will in any situation. Only with both could one be recognized as a true faithful walker of the path.

But that last attack shattered any hope that this nun had been forcibly corrupted. Kaya's hand trembled wildly on her mace.

“Kaya.”

“...Yes.”

“She might not be the only one.”

Kaya gritted her teeth.

“Forgive this foolish daughter who has no choice, Lady Raella.”

After a brief prayer to Raella, she cast aside all hesitation and swung her mace with unprecedented ferocity.

“Aaaahhh!!!”

No. No way.

A strike that "fiercely repels terror," filling the heroes' hearts with "hope"? This? How? From where?

If you ignore context, it looks like three criminals tormenting an innocent person. If she's truly a monster steeped in terror, why are we—the ones attacking the monster—suffering more? Huh?

Neither Kaya, who'd landed the crit, nor I, who'd confirmed it, felt any joy. Kaya fiddled with her necklace, face hardened.

Now it was Shae's turn. I looked at her. She stared coldly down at the Terror Nun, clutching her half-smashed face and screaming.

The agonized woman from moments ago was gone.

Heretic.

Click—

A short mutter. Then Shae assumed position with her menacing claymore, head tilted back. Our eyes met, and in the most awkward, stiff tone, she requested a "command."

“Issue the command, Captain.”

Like she might burst into tears, spew curses, scream any second... bottling those messy emotions, I gave the order she wanted.

“Judgment of Justice.”

“...Yes, Captain.”

Unlike Kaya's fierce charge, Shae walked with unnatural calm.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Thud, thud, thud—

Her boot steps felt like a countdown. To the death awaiting the nun who'd made herself a heretic.

The nun who'd committed the forbidden.

“Filthy bitch. Abandoned even by terror. Not fit to serve anyone.”

Schwick—

No one was hurt. Shae's Judgment of Justice stunned her, and we finished her off easily next round. Not a no-hit clear, but close enough results-wise—a point where we'd normally celebrate growth.

But...

“...”

“...”

The mood was utterly wrecked.

What if this was the heretics' strategy? I'd applaud the bastards.

'A blackened, deformed necklace hung around her neck.'

The ragdoll "heretic" nun wasn't the necklace's owner. The moment we confirmed it on the corpse, Kaya and Shae's faces—strained to feign composure—twisted in horror straight out of nightmares.

Rage at a terror worshiper wearing that necklace. And rage at the obvious fate of the owner, since the one at the convent was even more deformed.

The rage compounded, but with no outlet, it spilled everywhere unchecked.

'But why that necklace?'

Clumsy affection or comfort would backfire, so I quietly followed. And pondered.

Even a corrupted nun appearing as an elite monster wore a necklace—why was one at the convent?

Coincidence from a dead body? Or...

'Dropped on purpose?'

First assumption leads nowhere meaningful, so assume the second and rethink. Why? Why would terror worshipers—hiding deep in the dungeon—drop a blackened necklace, a symbol of corrupted nuns, at the convent?

Then what are the ones here doing? Some major purpose?

If kidnapping nuns—or nuns plural—is for that purpose?

Dropped it. Dropped it on purpose. Even knowing it'd be discovered...

No way.

To kidnap more nuns, they dropped it as bait? To lure us?

Even I thought it plausible. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠But I didn't jump to conclusions.

So after mulling more, I shared my speculation with my comrades.

“Then that necklace was bait to corrupt even the Seilroom branch's dispatch team?”

“If my guess is right.”

“Then the owner's no longer key. More blackened means worse off than that bitch, so shouldn't our top search target now be the dispatch team?”

“Th-that... isn't it too early for certainty? The owner might've been forcibly corrupted.”

“No. Ah. Sure, that's possible too. But.”

Shae smiled. A chilling smile.

“I'm trying to think her faith was just that weak, crumbling to corruption.”

“Shae.”

“She gave in and became a heretic. We're not. Clear as day, right? No reason we should suffer. I hate it. What'd we do wrong? So I'll think that way.”

Kaya, about to stop her, shut her mouth. Me too.

“And if you're right, Captain, we must think that. Voluntary or forced, it's for the heretics to exploit, right? Normally we'd purify slowly, but if impossible... better eliminate future threats before they act. Right?”

“...”

“Yes?”

Was this the picture Sestia wanted? Probably not. But we couldn't dismiss Shae's view outright.

Chopping corrupted nuns as heretics and exterminating them sounded extreme, but damn if it wasn't partly right. Not mere curiosity. A big incident. Big reward. It itched.

'For now, push deeper. If it feels overwhelming, bail and report what we've seen—still gets recognition.'

“...Warm mercy and cold tolerance.”

We recovered only the necklace and pressed inward. Kaya's prayer verse brushed past the lone corpse.