Puddles of ankle-deep water quickly replaced the vegetation. Giant reeds and cattails grew around the edges of these puddles. They gently swayed in the wind, attracting small creatures such as one-eyed frogs, and eight legged bunnies with unicorn horn called the Horned Bunny.

This should not have been possible, as there was no wind. The hypnotic dance caused these critters to fall under a false sense of security as they approached the puddle. As soon as more than five gathered at the edge, the cattails would bend downwards and fire a thin barb containing a neurotoxin.

Paralysis seized the animals by the edge. The lucky ones sank headfirst into the puddle and drowned. Those who remained alive were wrapped with the reeds and dragged into the soil. Minutes later, their skeletons spat out from the puddle.

This puddle was another Phenom of Contempt called the Gateway to Nowhere. Its name came from how Adventurers of Gold Rank and above would use it to travel from the creature's mouth to another connected mouth, given they had enough DEF and RESIST to avoid being drowning in its guts.

The creature itself, whilst strong, lacked any meaningful methods of luring prey. It could be avoided by simply walking away. Alternatively, it could be moved entirely by dumping a bag of salt into its mouth.

Unsurprisingly, it gained its Phenom of Contempt status from a long history linked to the disappearance of children.

It was said to have been a gigantic deep-sea worm that adapted its multiple mouths to the shape of the one thing children couldn't resist stomping on during the rainy season.

"It's a long stretch of ocean up ahead. Are these are only way forward?" Frost wondered. "Looks weak, but Raoul's far from the strength of a Gold Ranked Adventurer. Best we can do is wrap her in a cocoon of steel thread and hope of the best."

"Won't it sully you? To travel through the guts of a creature… Would not that be the same as being eaten?" Acedia summoned a ball of flames in the palm of her hand.

Frost quickly extinguished it with a scolding stare.

"My Judge's Pride said they saw someone jumping into it. But the problem is we don't know which one they jumped into. I can see footsteps, but they lead to a lot."

Raoul bent over and dipped two fingers into the tracks.

"A Receptionist. How'd the wound up in here?" She identified the prints of the boots in an instant, and she then gave her filthy fingers a tentative lick. "Three minutes ago."

"I can do the same with blood." Acedia tried to one up Raoul when she noticed how impressed Frost was by this. "An accurate taste test is required."

She tore off a reed, dipped into another track, and brought it close to her mouth.

"Acedia, I don't think you should– You gotta realize that I don't have an Ability that stops me from tasting. Well, you know now. How does it taste?" Frost wasn't quick enough to stop Acedia from slurping the dirt from the reed.

It was comical to see the way her own body violently reacted to the taste of dirt… and possibly a lot of other nasty decomposing remains.

"We've all eaten worse." Frost sighed, patting Acedia on the back as she choked on air. "Just don't drink the–"

Once again, she was too slow, and Acedia had already scooped up the water to cleanse her mouth, only for her to begin vomiting.

"Bwaaagh. I'm sorry, Mother. This… My mental capacity… these tastebuds… their divine sensations… are overwhelming my brain…"

"No, it's just that you've never had to taste what you eat before." Frost grumbled. "Don't blame it on my body. I expected you to be the last person to complain about taste."

"This body… has redefined my palette."

"It can't be that bad."

Frost took a scoop of mud and licked it. Then, she took an even larger scoop and began sloshing it in her mouth, like she was attempting ascertain the flavors of a fine wine.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Definitely rabbit. And frogs. You can taste the decomposition level. But–" *lips smack* "–I can't taste the boot."

"Fine-crafted leather by the same artisans and Weavers who make the majority of the apparel worn by Nexus personnel. I know the taste of boot." Raoul seemed rather proud of this fact, her tail wagging faintly behind her.

< Bootlicker >

Yeah… I was gonna say that, but that's pretty mean. Raoul looks happy. Kinda cute when her tail wags, don't you think?

"When have you ever cared about whether something was mean or not?"

Right now, as I am.

"What do the tracks tell you?" Frost asked. She followed Raoul as the woman placed a hand beneath her chin and began to audibly think.

"The tracks come in an out from each of the opening. It indicates that they were also exiting from these. There is a good chance that we'll be spat right back here until we find the correct one out of…"

Raoul took a sweeping glance at their surroundings, where another few dozen of the puddles sat in wait.

"… It will take some time. Splitting up will work, however, I'm likely to die."

"So me and Acedia will run some tests. Both of us can use steel thread to wrap you up, so if either one of us makes it, the other will be available to help you… What's with that look?"

Acedia grimaced. The mere thought of having to descend into the maw of the pool caused another fireball to form in her hand.

"And dirty this sacred body!?"

"I'd rather you didn't act like a coward in my body."

"… A coward? Hmph. There is no cowardace when it comes to wishing to preserve a Mother's–"

"This is your mother telling you jump. So you jump."

'Mother' activated a neuron inside of Acedia. Frost saw exactly when that neuron was switched on, and Acedia could not help but obey her.

"… As Mother commands. Shall I remove your garbs?"

"Do what you want. Those aren't the real ones anyway. I doubt the ones I'm wearing are either." Frost shrugged and gave her an encouraging pat on the back. "Go on~"

Acedia stood at the edge of the puddle. Her knees bent, and then straightened. Her eyes were sealed tightly shut. But despite her movements, she did not jump.

"One second, Mother. Let me take a deep breath. What if I do not surface in an adequate amount of time and drown? Would that not be equally, if not more pitiful than cowardice? It could be seen as calculative–"

"I don't need to breathe to live." Frost slowly punctuated her words.

Raoul's tail wagged slightly faster.

"M-Mother. Think about this for a moment."

"You think I have time to think? Imagine how I am mid-combat. Commit to it, or move aside!"

A dilemma. Allow Frost – her one and only Mother – to risk her life, or for Acedia to sully this sacred body and… experience whatever holding her breath was like, whilst smothered in foul-tasting mucus.

If this body swap was temporary, then the former would leave a longer lasting foul taste in her mouth.

"… Can we not burn–"

"Jump."

"Ok. As you wish–"

"Jump already."

"… From an outsider's perspective, it sounds like you're urging her to–"

"Shut up Raoul and stand there quietly for a second." A vein popped on Frost's forehead.

Not even the Condition could suppress her emotions.

Raoul, perhaps because she had been used to receiving orders her entire life, stood as still as a statue, yet her tail continued to wag.

"Jump, or you'll have to call me Frost."

This seemed to be the last straw for Acedia. No sooner as those words left Frost's lips did she leap into the puddle, two fingers pinching her nose. She disappeared into the surface of the puddle without creating a splash, and all went silent.

"Haaaaaah. Finally. Alright, I'm off to test the next one. Stay here, alright? You're safe with us."

Frost approached the edge of the puddle, and was suddenly overtaken by the childish urge to jump in. And so, she took several steps back and performed a splendid somersault before disappearing beneath the water.

"She's supposed to be leading the Nexus. How childish." Raoul scoffed before turning over her shoulder as if to whisper an aside. "… You did not need to add that last part."

* * *

Five minutes later, Frost popped out from another puddle wearing a jubilated expression. It was no different than sliding down a water slide, and she was already clawing back to her feet to jump into the next entrance.

"Mark this one for me Raoul! It's a dud!" She ordered.

A split second later, Acedia spat out from a nearby puddle. She rolled along the earth like a ball before skidding on her belly, her bare heels touching the back of her head.

"Mother…! It… it robbed me! Of your sacred garbs! It violated me! I have nothing to wear!"

Frost couldn't tell if that the mucus running down her nose belonged to her, or if it was because she had swallowed copious mouthfuls of the puddle's mucus. Not only that, but Acedia had come out wearing nothing but boxers and a sports bra; the same one she had worn before departing from the Nexus.

"… How… How did you… Haaaaah. You know what. You can stay here." Frost had no choice but to comfort Acedia. "… Are you even Mimicy?"

"It was slimy! Disgusting! I should've killed it! Dammit! What a disgrace… How… How far… will I fall…?"

"Hey, don't Corrupt on me over this… Geez…" Frost suddenly wore a critical expression as her eyes brushed over Acedia's body.

"Is it disgusting!?"

"No… Sorry, I was just admiring my body. Even when caked in dirty, those eyes are something else." Frost nodded with approval, confusing both Raoul and Acedia. "Alright, onto the next slip and slide!"

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