Lea was in a daze; she had accidentally marked that man she didn't even know the name of, as the target for torment.

  Can she change the target? Why now, even though she had yet to fully control Malediction?

  Shaking her head, Lea walked out of the diner. The joy she wanted from eating the Curin's meat tray was nowhere to be seen. It was certainly delicious in all of its glory, worthy of being the cultural dish of Renlou. Her worries overpowered the deliciousness.

  She had dinner, she got some Hern coins and some Lou. Her wallet now has 2 Drach, 28 Hern, and 10 Lou. She accomplished what she wanted, she has changes for buying groceries tomorrow. But she feels empty.

  Once again, she hid in the darkness as people walked out. It was that young man and his two buddies.

  "Bro, you got the worst luck. That gal was spicy as fuck, for someone so mild, you have no chance!!", the man with stubble spped the gentleman's back, ughing his butt off.

  "Quit it!! Damn, you haven't looked into her eyes, she's scary as hell!! By the Lord, she feels like some sort of vilin!!", he grumbled as he looked around.

  "Come on, Dan. Let's visit a brothel ter to blow off some steam.", his other buddy said, looking toward the slum.

  Brothels are technically illegal by w, but in pces where the w doesn't have much influence, it was alright for them to exist in moderation.

  Hearing their conversation, Lea decided to follow them. Being a Vilin, not that she wants to admit it, gave her a natural disposition to darkness, staying out of sight.

  They chatted into the night, going into the slum. The architectural style wasn't too different, still brick buildings, but they are noticeably in much worse conditions.

  The people here were homeless, sleeping on the side of the road or in alleyways, huddled together for warmth. Lea felt a tinge of empathy for them, but being a Vilin, she ignored them and continued on tracking the trio.

  Lea noticed another use for her emotion radar; she could mark those she wanted, and as long as they don't go outside of her range, she always knows where they are.

  Thus, it was easy for her to keep track of where Dan was.

  It didn't take long for them to reach a brothel, since it was closer to the industrial district and wasn't deeper in the slum. Lea hid a building away from the brothel, crossing her arms as she delved deeper into her turmoil.

  She was having trouble identifying herself. Should she really be doing this? Is it fine to ruin someone she doesn't know's life for the sake of herself?

  Malediction was whispering that it is fine to do so. But she herself finds this wrong. The rituals for this Path mean she has to harm people. There was no turning back.

  Just then, the burning eye pendant vibrates. Lea clutched it, not feeling anything, no sensation, no coldness of metal... just like inside the Library.

  "Miss Dantes, can you hear me?", she recognized that gruff voice; it was Rasputin's.

  "Mister Rasputin?", she was confused. Why was he able to use it?

  Even if the Church of Sacrifice also uses this for communication, the engraving on the back prevents communication with outsiders.

  "Yes.", he affirmed, "I am here to give you some advice. I was worried about you, so I asked Lady Keter about your condition."

  Lea frowned a bit and was quite shaken. Lady Keter had hijacked the communication device of the Temple!!

  "Becoming a Vilin must've been distressing for you, right?", his tone was gentle, like a father talking to his daughter.

  "Yes...", she almost had an identity crisis.

  "Though the churches may advise you to resist the Path's powers, the respectable Lady told me otherwise."

  Lea was intrigued. Although he was from the church with a maytr fetish, he was someone chosen by Lady Keter. Even if she's still scared of the Lady of the Library, that deity was someone fair.

  "You must've heard Lady Keter sometimes call Paths as Attributes, right?"

  "Yes."

  "I once asked about that, and what she said was that Attributes are the natural dispositions of an individual, something they were born with and sealed. Becoming a Pathstrider is revealing those Attributes, releasing what should have been there from the beginning."

  "By her words, we should instead embrace the Paths rather than keep them at bay. The key is to follow what The Heretic describes them as."

  So Lea needs to embrace being a Vilin for the rest of her First Step journey... Lea feels conflicted about it. However, her subconscious was approving, a gnawing sense of "this is the way".

  "Thank you for your help, Mister Rasputin.", she sent her gratitude.

  There was a hearty chuckle from the other side, "It's nothing. And if you want to communicate with me, just chant Lady Keter's Honorific Title and request your wishes to communicate."

  "Mhm, I'll keep that in mind.", she nodded.

  Rasputin ended his call. Lea found herself a little more reassuring.

  If what he said was true, then her fate, something that was sealed by that unknown god. She was destined to be a Vilin, to be evil, to be the bane of all that is good.

  Lea let her guard down for a moment, listening to the whispers and curses of her inner self. It was not madness that threatened to degrade and consume her, but a soothing melody.

  Her compatibility with Malediction is higher than an average Pathstrider with their chosen Path. So, Lea wondered, how about those who didn't choose their true Attribute?

  She suspected that not choosing the right one would lead to slower adaptation and the Horror transformation phenomena. This is something only Lady Keter would know, according to Lea's own knowledge.

  Just then, the burning pupil pendants vibrate again. She clutched it, and she heard a desperate call.

  "Calling all Abyss Hunters avaible!! We are facing a Horror!! 7 Melton Street in Antoe District!! Repeat!! We are facing a Horror on 7 Melton Street in Antoe District!!"

  Then the call died down.

  Hastily, Lea tore a piece of paper from her notebook, taking her pen own to write a message. Picking up a rock from the side of the road and wrapping it in the note.

  She got out of her hiding spot after checking the surroundings with her emotion radar. Aiming at the brothel, she threw the message.

  Crash!!

  It broke the window. Lea was surprised at her strength and accuracy. But she had no time to think, she ran left toward the industrial area, hopefully she could catch a cab or at least a carriage, otherwise she needed to run all the way to Antoe District, which was next to the industrial area.

  Diving back under the shadows, Lea booked it hard, running as fast as she could. This was her duty as an Abyss Hunter.

  =0=0=

  A rock crashed through the window, hitting the prostitute who was on top of Dan. He was stunned, looking at the knocked-out prostitute and the obvious paper wrapping the rock.

  With shaking hands, he unfolded the rock.

  YOU WILL RUE THE DAY, DAN!!!!!

  It was a message aimed at him. At this point, he cried a little inside.

  "Why me...?"

  Little did he know, the ritual for someone else's desire would bring him much more pain.

  Rhaps