Chapter 85: Severely Compromised

"...So...you came from the ruins?" Stelaria asks, watching Nio sitting with her legs folded back in a W position while explaining several things animatedly, her tail wagging from side to side.

’She’s kind of cute when she’s excited...’

"That’s right!! It’s everything I explained! I came from the ruins, someone dangerous is in this world, and I predict that a massive attack will happen in all the nearby kingdoms because of this person! Monsters! Lots of monsters!"

"That evil person is the culprit! The enemy who will try to destroy the world! And that’s why we have to follow some of my ideas to try to reduce casualties!" Nio summarizes everything she said to Stelaria while trying to make it seem like every attack that happens will be Typhon’s fault.

"...You don’t seem surprised," she questions Stelaria, who doesn’t show much of a reaction, as if she already knew something Nio doesn’t. This leaves Nio a bit unsettled.

"Honestly, I already suspected it. After all, you kept asking me in so many different ways to limit the area of these ruins and not let anyone get close... besides, I feel like you hide a lot of things from me. So... tell me, why do so many people die in that place?" Stelaria still tries to do her job.

"...It’s a sacred place. No one can enter without permission!! But you can. I’d like to invite you there! So we can plan a warning for all the kingdoms!!!" Nio doesn’t really answer, giving an evasive response, but Stelaria just accepts it instead of pressing further.

"...Hmmm..." Stelaria looks out the window. The sky is clear blue and cloudless right now, with slightly warm weather, which makes Stelaria imagine Nio in shorter, tighter clothes.

"I need time to think..." Stelaria prefers to try making a prediction first before going to this place.

"Really? You don’t trust me?" Nio’s question breaks the focus of Stelaria’s thoughts, who wasn’t actually suspicious of her.

"O-Of course I trust you, but—"

"If you trust me, why won’t you come? Do you think I’m lying? I just want to help... does wanting to help make me seem like a liar? Is that it?" Tears begin to form in Nio’s eyes as her tail stops wagging.

"...No... that’s not what I’m saying, please don’t cry!! I just... think it might not be that safe—"

"Why wouldn’t it be safe if I came from there? Older sister... you really don’t trust me..." Nio’s hurt expression makes Stelaria’s head start aching badly.

"I trust you!! I... I’ll go with you to see this place... and I’ll help you save people or whatever it was you said about this attack that’s going to happen! I’m sorry for seeming like I don’t trust your choices," Stelaria just gives in before her head hurts any more.

"Good!! Thank you, older sister!" Nio hugs Stelaria, leaping onto her while wearing a malicious smile hidden from Stelaria.

’Perfect. I just need to go talk to my servants so they hide anything suspicious and make sure no one with a disturbing appearance or too far from human shows up...’ Stelaria hugs Nio tighter, smelling her hair.

"Is something wrong?" Nio finds the touch strange as Stelaria pants in the embrace, sliding her hands under Nio’s clothes to touch her skin. Even though Nio has no idea of the damage she’s doing to Stelaria’s brain, that doesn’t change what’s already been done.

Stelaria is transitioning into a state of [Painful Truth]. Stelaria’s problem is no longer necessarily in her capacity to perceive facts, but in the emotional valuation of those facts.

Stelaria is suspicious of Nio—suspicious of her goals, suspicious of her choices. She has doubts about her. She knows that more than half of what Nio says comes wrapped in pretty lies.

But her brain, unable to hold onto those emotions, chose something different. Stelaria no longer treats it as lies, but as truth with no emotional weight.

If someone came up to Stelaria right now and told her that Nio had committed genocide, she wouldn’t deny it. She wouldn’t say Nio would never do that. She would actually accept it—accept that truth—but she wouldn’t feel anything. Nothing would change in her emotions, and she wouldn’t feel anger, contempt, fear, or disgust toward Nio for it.

A shield to protect the image Nio forms in her mind. It’s no longer about whether Nio is lying or not, or whether she’s good or evil. It’s that lies and truth no longer matter. Nio has been placed on a pedestal in Stelaria’s mind.

And that pedestal cannot be touched by anything. This makes her accept what Nio wants more easily, and her initial refusal to accept Nio’s request was more due to her being worried about Nio.

Everything about Nio has reached a sickening level in Stelaria’s mind. Nio’s scent calms her. Nio’s heartbeat gives her security. Nio’s soft skin gives her pleasure. This is extremely far from being love.

More like a [Nio Disease]. Stelaria is mentally ill and can no longer distinguish right from wrong if it’s connected to Nio—an effect as devastating as it is disturbing.

"This is weird. Could you let go of me?" Nio ends up dropping the cute tone, not liking Stelaria’s touch, which is too invasive and clingy even if cautious.

"S-Sorry..."

"[Nio, I don’t think she’s well. What did you do to her?]" Nioh asks Nio, though of course only Nio can hear her since it’s in her mind.

’I didn’t do anything...’ Nio pushes Stelaria away a little as Stelaria slowly recomposes herself from the "divine" contact.

"[Really? Look at her. Her eyes are kind of glazed over, she’s flushed, and honestly I can smell blood coming from her head. I think her head’s not right.]"

’Forget that. She’s fine, and she’s being useful. We don’t have to worry about something so irrelevant.’

"...Stelaria, I... I have to step out for a moment!! I’m going into town to take care of something. Could you get everything ready and tell me which day works best for you to come with me to visit the ’ruins’ so we can talk more about this, okay?"

"...S-Sure..." As Nio leaves the room ignoring Stelaria, she collapses to the floor groaning painfully. She puts a hand to her chest, feeling how fast it’s beating.

Stelaria moves slowly, grabbing a dagger and cutting her own hand to begin performing her specialty—prediction.

"..." She tries to foresee how everything will unfold, but all she sees in the blood is complete chaos. She can’t concentrate properly as she starts having hallucinations.

Even though the blood reflects nothing because she didn’t even perform the magic correctly, she sees things in it—hallucinations that scramble her perception and favor Nio.