……Even the second rank among the Deities can’t dispel the Abnormal State Skill huh.

As several held their breath and watched, I stepped into the center of the plaza.

Loqierra sat perched on my shoulder.

I dispelled <Sleep>.

[——–……?]

Her consciousness seemed to return.

Vysis woke, still lying face‑down.

I stepped back a few paces———– keeping her well within the casting range of my <Paralyze>.

[ ! ]

Vysis apparently realized her situation.

She looked up at Thesis and mumbled something.

Then Thesis pointed the tip of her staff at Vysis.

In the next moment———

A sharp crack rang out as the restraints shattered.

[……! You saved me, Thesis-sa———-]

[Do not move as you please. If you act strangely without my permission, that will be the end.]

Thesis’ command snapped like a whip.

Vysis looked at me and groaned.

She must have understood what “that will be the end” meant.

Thesis’ words carried a weight and sharpness that pressed down on her.

[S——–]

Vysis opened her mouth.

[Standing up…… that much is…… allowed, right……?]

She asked Thesis with a strained, twisted smile.

[……I will permit it.]

Vysis tried to rise from her kneeling position.

But she lost her balance and collapsed again.

[——–Hah?]

She seemed startled by her own condition.

Gritting her teeth, she tried again.

Planting her hands on the ground, she pushed her weakened body upright.

Her trembling legs looked unreliable, but somehow, Vysis managed to stand.

————She’s weakened.

Severely.

She was still under <Poison>.

Keeping my eyes forward, I leaned slightly toward Loqierra on my left shoulder.

[Loqierra…… should I hit her with <Paralyze>? Maybe release just her head so she can talk……]

[……No, I think Thesis-sama will be fine. Vysis looks that weak…… and besides, it’s Thesis-sama we’re talking about here.]

[Weak or not, the black‑purple orbs’ enhancement and the anti‑Deity reinforcement should still be active, right? Will she really be okay? The mouth restraints shattered, so Vysis could cast Deity‑tier magic again, couldn’t she?]

“She’ll be fine”, Loqierra said, utterly unshaken.

[The reason is simple———]

Loqierra spoke.

[Because it’s Thesis-sama.]

Vysis glared at us again.

If she were allowed, she’d kill us on the spot———- that was exactly what her eyes said.

[……………………]

Figures.

She’s incapable of genuine remorse.

But…… what does she plan to do?

Does she really think she can get out of this……?

I glanced at Loqierra, who was silently watching the situation unfold.

……Guess I’ll at least be ready.

[Vysi——–]

[Thesis-sama!]

Vysis cut off Thesis’ attempt to speak, slapping a hand to her chest.

[P‑ Please allow me to justify myself……! Let me———– let me explain the circumstances!]

[……Very well. Then tell me your objective, with your own mouth. I cannot imagine any reason that would justify your actions up to this point.]

[Everything…… was Loqierra’s plan!]

For a moment, the air fell silent.

Most people couldn’t even process the sheer absurdity of what she’d said.

Loqierra, too……

[……Hah?]

———looked utterly dumbfounded.

Thesis tilted her head slightly.

[Loqierra’s?]

[Yes! The plan to invade Heaven was Loqierra’s idea! I was threatened by her, I was forced to prepare the invasion in this world!]

[Wha———-]

Even Loqierra couldn’t keep quiet after that.

[What are you talking about, Vysis!? S‑ Stop messing around———]

[There, look!]

Vysis swung her arm dramatically, pointing at Loqierra.

[Look at that panic! She reacts like that because she’s trying to pin everything on me and escape unscathed herself! That reaction is undeniable proof that Loqierra is the true traitor! Surely the wise Thesis-sama can see that, yes!?]

Tears gathered at the corners of Vysis’ eyes as she pleaded earnestly.

Loqierra, face twisted in rage, snapped:

[Y‑ You sh*tty goddess…… even now…… you’re still trying this……!]

Vysis pressed on, even more desperately:

[With Loqierra repeatedly trying to make excuses, then isn’t that the same as admitting it!? I…… I have been waiting for you all this time, Thesis-sama! Loqierra has been watching me constantly from Heaven with a special Sacred Treasure———- and that tool is probably already disposed of since it would serve as evidence———– but she threatened me that if I tried to oppose her, she would pin the entire conspiracy on me! She said she would feed lies to the Chief Deity and to Thesis-sama, and have Heaven judge me in her place!]

Loqierra looked up at the sky…… looking utterly drained.

She wore a face that said “Please give me a break”.

[……You’re kidding, right? No matter how you look at it…… this is just too pathetic…… and, um——– Thesis-sama…… you don’t actually believe her, do you……?]

Vysis, growing even more feverish, declared:

[And then…… this time! Because she feared that her plan might finally be exposed to the Chief Deity or to Thesis-sama———— she gathered other Deities and came to this world! To erase me and silence me forever! And she even manipulated the people of this world and the Heroes———– turning them to her side! But I…… I struggled desperately to tell you the truth, Thesis-sama…… I resisted…… but…… u- uuu…… despite my efforts…… it has all ended up…… like this……]

Thesis let out a contemplative hum.

[That is———– strange, is it not? Loqierra was the one who reported to us that there was something suspicious about you. If she wished to hide her plan, she would have no reason to draw our attention to you.]

[No, that was merely a safeguard in case of emergency! If the plan failed, she could claim “I already warned you that Vysis was suspicious”, that is the fact she intended to create! That way, she would never be suspected! Yes, Loqierra is truly deranged! To her, all of this must have been some kind of game! Even if it collapsed, she would think of it as nothing more than a game that didn’t go well…… uuu…… she truly is a terrifying Deity…… more than anyone……]

[You———]

Loqierra trembled as she muttered:

[You really…… piled that much nonsense together…… W- Which one of us is deranged here……? Honestly, this is getting scary……]

And then, it happened.

[That———- That’s a lie! Vysis is lying!]

The voice came from Seras.

Everyone’s attention shifted to her.

Right, whether or not Vysis knows about Seras’ ability to detect falsehoods through the power of the Wind Spirit is unclear.

But Vysis almost certainly doesn’t know that Seras can judge truth.

Seras placed a hand to her chest as if making a vow:

[With the power of the Wind Spirit, I can see through lies! Everything Vysis has said since the start of her justification———-]

[To calmly claim she can detect lies, how can you calmly state lies like that!?]

Vysis cut her off with a sharp, forceful shout, pleading to Thesis.

Her voice carried a kind of hysterical desperation.

Seras froze, taken off guard.

[Wha……]

[There was that Hero as well! Someone who made the same claim even though such a power does not exist! They accused me of lying just to slander me! But can such selfish psychological violence truly be allowed!? Silencing the one who speaks truth…… how could that possibly be tolerated!? Thesis-sama! This is the dishonesty——— the vileness of humans and demi‑humans! They twist the truth to suit themselves and slander those they dislike! And worse! Sometimes they twist the truth so much that they genuinely start believing their own lies! It is deranged! Completely deranged! They are dangerous creatures capable of such madness! Tell me, tell me, is there any being more frightening than that!?]

[……………………]

[No, more frightening still are those Deities who side excessively with such humans! In other words, Deities like Loqierra!]

[……………………]

[Perhaps Loqierra has already ransacked my laboratory and destroyed any evidence that would damage her! No, worse! She may have fabricated evidence to incriminate me and submitted it to you, Thesis-sama! Please———- Please do not trust Loqierra! ……Ah, no———— f- forgive me…… of course, the ever‑wise Thesis-sama could never possibly be fooled by the schemes of someone the likes of Loqierra……]

Vysis bit her trembling lip as though blaming herself.

Then, again, just as Seras had done earlier———- she placed a hand on her chest.

[I——— I never wanted any of this! I didn’t want to prepare an invasion of Heaven…… I love Heaven! And I…… I have sacrificed so many lives…… so many innocent lives. Because I yielded to Loqierra’s commands…… her threats. I- I was scared…… truly scared…… And in that sense…… I do bear guilt. I admit it. Even if I couldn’t defy Loqierra…… I committed countless, unforgivable atrocities…… uuu…… I- I feel so…… so sorry for all the people who…… who were sacrificed……]

Vysis let out choked sobs.

And then……

[P- Please, Thesis-sama! I beg you, erase Loqierra and all those people———- the traitors, here and now! Loqierra’s pawns are not limited to those Anti-Deity Sacraments! She even has those Heroes with the power to slay Deities as her tool! Especially that Touka Mimori, his ability to slay Deities is dangerous! I knew the threat, which is why I sealed the Primordial Nullification Charms that destroy <Dispel Bubble>, naming them the Forbidden Curses, to exterminate them……! Yes, Loqierra must have been aiding the Kurosagas in secret well before the rebellion! The reason I was not able to fully exterminate the Forbidden Curses…… is because Loqierra was secretly at work! Thesis-sama! That Abnormal State Skill is an intolerable threat to us Deities! Truly, an enormous threat! But…… Thesis-sama! If it’s you———- If it’s the great you, you can defeat that evil! Therefore———— please! Please do not lend an ear to their deceitful words smeared with falsehood…… and save Heaven…… save the future of righteous Deities!]

After a brief pause———– “Hmm, I see……”

Thesis nodded.

[Understood.]

[ ! ]

[Then let us save the future of the righteous Deities.]

[Ahh, Thesis-sama……!]

Thesis slowly opened her eyes, lowering her long eyelashes.

Her gaze quietly fixed on the ground before her feet.

Her eyes———- golden.

They were like……

The surface of a lake at sunset, reflecting sunlight.

Glittering…… wavering.

Various shades of light shimmered infinitely within those eyes.

It seemed Vysis was seeing Thesis’ eyes for the first time.

Her reaction showed it.

Thesis slowly parted her lips.

[Vysis.]

[Y- Yes!]

[Are you mocking me———— this Thesis?]

[Hah————– …………………………..Huh?]

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