"Is that really the case?"
Hel's expression was unnervingly calm — so calm that it didn't seem like she was the one suffering from a psychic contamination at all.
"An evil god, a witch… or perhaps the work of a saint-tier being?"
"Impossible to confirm," Niv replied, shaking her head. She glanced at the data displayed on the diagnostic instruments, her tone grave.
"There's no clear elemental fluctuation, but if the attack was purely spiritual in nature, it should still be impossible for anyone to affect the Death Witch — unless the culprit is someone beyond imagination."
"You mean… a demigod?"
Hel's eyes flickered in realization, but she quickly shook her head.
"If a demigod had truly discovered my identity, why wouldn't they just come for me directly? In their eyes, I'd probably be no more than an insect they could squash with a finger."
"But, Master," Niv said softly, "have you considered another possibility?"
She looked at Hel — who seemed almost desperate to deny the involvement of a demigod — and the suspicion in her mind solidified.
"What if the enemy doesn't actually know where your real body is? What if this was the only way they could reach you?"
"That's…"
Hel started to argue, but then froze mid-sentence. She suddenly realized — she didn't even know why she was so eager to deny that explanation. Rationally, there was no reason to dismiss it so fiercely. And that, in itself, was deeply wrong.
"You noticed it too, didn't you, Master?"
Niv's expression grew more complicated as she watched Hel's troubled face.
"Whoever this is, their technique interferes directly with your cognition. The closer you get to the truth, the stronger your rejection becomes. Even if you had the ability to detect their influence, you'd instinctively overlook it."
"You mean… my traits?"
Hel's eyes widened slightly. She opened her Trait Interface again, combing through each entry with meticulous focus. But once again, everything appeared normal.
"Maybe you're right," Hel said grimly. "Whoever they are, they've already distorted part of my perception. I can't rely on my own judgment to understand what's happening anymore. But even so… I still doubt it's a demigod."
"A demigod, hmm?"
Niv's eyes gleamed faintly at Hel's insistence.
"Then, Master — could it be… a witch?"
"A witch? I am a witch. How could a witch's power affect me? If anything, the odds of it being one of the Fallen Gods are higher than that of a demigod."
"Then that confirms it," Niv said, flipping open a small notebook and jotting something down."The attacker is very likely a demigod witch."
Hel blinked.
"Wait — what are you writing?"
"Just taking notes. Now then, Master, do you think they used a power of the Fallen Lineage?"
"Fallen Lineage? That's ridic—"
Hel stopped mid-sentence. Her pupils contracted slightly as understanding dawned. She realized what Niv was doing — setting verbal traps to test whether her cognition was being tampered with.
"I… almost denied it without thinking," Hel muttered. "So you're right. Their interference runs deep."
"A demigod witch of the Fallen Lineage," Niv said thoughtfully, jotting down a few more words. "They must have used some medium to infect your spirit."
"Their interference on you seems limited to two areas — their true identity and their method of attack. If we can identify either, those might be the key points to breaking the spell."
Niv closed her notebook and looked up, her gaze sharp.
"As for how the contamination spread… it was likely through a medium. Either through the Divine Slave Contract between you and Nicky, or through the Soul Network between you and Niko.
But I think the first option is more likely. If the Soul Network were compromised, you wouldn't be the only one showing symptoms. Nicky, however, came from the Beastmen's territory — the enemy would've had plenty of time to tamper with her."
"I…"
Hel opened her mouth to speak — and froze again. She felt her heart skip a beat as she realized she had been about to deny Niv's words again. That reflexive thought frightened her.
"The Fallen Lineage's demigod witch…"
She murmured the words under her breath, forcing herself to think clearly, to push past the haze in her mind. She closed her eyes, took a few steady breaths, and when she opened them again, they were clearer than before.
"Go on."
"Could it be the Witch of Desire?"
"Highly likely. Though it could also be the Witch of Disease. After all, I noticed my condition right after encountering her.
No—wait. The Witch of Disease belongs to my own Death Lineage. Why would I even think it was her?"
Hel rubbed her temples, realizing her thoughts were becoming increasingly foggy.
"The influence is growing stronger. Even the memories of discovering the contamination… are fading away."
She sighed, a cold, bitter smile on her lips.
"I'll admit it — the Fallen Lineage, or more specifically, the Desire branch… really is disgustingly insidious."
"Then, Master," Niv said softly, "should we… eliminate Lady Nicky?"
There was no malice in her voice — only concern and sorrow. Hel was the one person she truly cherished in this world. If destroying Nicky could free Hel from the contamination, she would do it without hesitation.
"Not yet."
Hel raised a hand, forcing herself to stay calm.
"First, we can't be sure Nicky is the source. Second, even if she is, killing her won't help. What we need is to trace it back — to find the one who truly struck at me."
Then she gave Niv a meaningful look.
"And one more thing, little Niv — how can you be sure you haven't been influenced through your link with me?"
"I haven't—"
Niv began to speak, then suddenly froze. Her expression changed in an instant as realization hit her. Cold sweat broke out along her temples.
She activated all her auxiliary brains at once, running a full system analysis. But what she found made her blood run cold.
"I… I am affected. There's a subtle compulsion buried in my thought patterns —something that's been pushing me toward killing Nicky."
She looked up at Hel, eyes wide with horror.
"Master… the contamination spread to me too."