Plague God Niral remade itself as a victim, draping pity like winter fog, all to draw Lucimia’s hand.

It claimed Mystic Return Smoke could only suppress, not heal; that was its lone story, smoke coiling like snakes while proof lay absent like prints in fresh snow.

Kais used Blessing to help the people, a self-offering gleaming like a candle. What if that was theater Nirael staged for Lucimia, steering her thoughts like a guiding current?

It wasn’t impossible. After Elyssus, she’d learned not to trust collected facts; baited truths could glitter like hooks, fed by the very foe.

And Olivya was involved. Olivya wanted her to lose control, always. If Olivya passed Lucimia’s details to Nirael, wasn’t she using the Plague God like a knife to push Lucimia over the edge?

All of it felt possible, storm seeds under a restless sky.

Seeing Lucimia’s gaze grow sharper, the mouse rushed to explain, voice trembling like leaves in a hard wind. “Admittedly, I killed many. I can’t deny it.

“But it was a necessary sacrifice. I need energy to stand against Ment, a black tide pressing on every shore.

“If I shield these few, more will fall to Ment’s harm. I’m forced into this. Healing energy gets stolen by Ment, a thief in shadow.

“Besides plague, I have no other way.”

Desty and Lucimia remained silent, their quiet falling like cold rain.

The mouse drew a long breath, then spoke slowly, each word heavy as wet earth. “Their sacrifice was for the Empire’s survival.

“Compared to the Curse God’s set ‘Sacrifice,’ those who died by illness are the true Sacrifice, candles guttering in the wind.

“Their passing refills me with energy. I won’t let it be wasted. So I will kill Ment.”

The mouse lifted its gaze to Lucimia; woman and mouse met like two streams crossing under a pale moon.

“Lucimia, I know you can’t bear another Devouring of a Dark Deity. Leave the Curse God to me. I’m fully confident.

“You only need to be my lighthouse, a steady flame over black seas, guiding the Worm’s advance. That’s enough.”

She still didn’t speak. It grew anxious, words scattering like startled sparrows. “We don’t have much time. The smoke will gather again soon.

“This time I won’t disperse it so easily. When it closes like iron, none of us will use Authority Power.”

“Lucimia, help me and I’ll tell you everything you want. What a Dark Deity is, what Authority Power is.

“Where Dark Deities come from, how energy and loss of control intertwine, who Olivya is, what happened in the First Epoch. I’ll lay every bone bare.”

“…”

Frowning, Lucimia watched the mouse’s red eyes, twin embers in ash. Her stance didn’t shift. “Same question.

“Why should I trust you? Even if I help, I can’t verify your answers. You could spin smoke and call it truth.”

The mouse fell silent, tongue tied like a knotted cord. It had no proof to lay on the table.

“That’s it. I won’t help you.” She turned toward Desty, took the girl’s wrist like a hook on silk, ready to teleport away.

Seeing her resolve like a locked gate, the mouse sprang to her shoulder, voice urgent as a drum. “Fine. Don’t trust my words.

“But I can give you what you want most.”

“What?”

“Time Ability User.” It didn’t wait for her to speak. “You want to revive someone named Yuna.

“For that, you need complete Temporal Authority. I know every Time Ability User, like stars mapped on a black chart.

“You’ve guessed it—there’s a pale-green-haired girl with Time Acceleration. Help me, and I’ll let you Devour Time Acceleration.

“And I’ll give you the rest of the Time Ability Users’ intel.”

Lucimia halted, interest rising like a small flame catching dry grass.

“Where is that girl?” she asked, voice cool as river stone.

“In front of you,” the mouse replied.

“What?” Surprise rippled through her, a ring in still water. She looked at the mouse and felt the shape of a guess.

“Don’t tell me you are… that pale-green-haired girl?”

“Yes.” The mouse nodded, neat as a bow. “I’m the Time Acceleration Ability User you’re seeking—Nirael.”

Lucimia didn’t accept it at once. Her eyes narrowed like a blade’s edge. “You’re a Plague God, holder of Plague Authority.

“How can you also be a Time Acceleration Ability User? Are you sure you’re not lying?”

“Why can’t I?” the mouse found her doubt absurd, whiskers twitching like fine wires. “You wield Devouring Authority and Reversion.

“Why can’t I carry Plague and Acceleration?”

“No. My Reversion comes from Devouring. Your plague shouldn’t manage that.”

“Heh.” The mouse chuckled, cool as frost. “Lucimia, you don’t understand Dark Deities or Authority.

“I can tell you now—one being, no, one god, can hold multiple Authorities.”

“I am the Time Acceleration Ability User you want. Help me take revenge.

“Afterward, I’ll let you Devour Time Acceleration and I’ll give you intel on the others. It’s a good bargain, isn’t it?”

“Mm…” Lucimia sank into thought, clouds gathering behind her eyes like dusk.

Objectively, the bargain was a steal, clean as a blade. It was even blood profit.

She only needed to help the Worm bring down the city wall; the one facing Ment head-on would be Nirael, not her.

The reward was rich as a treasure vault. With intel on Time Ability Users, she wouldn’t waste time searching one by one.

But that was only the calm surface; abyss roiled beneath.

She worried he wouldn’t honor the deal. Nirael had admitted he was losing control.

If, after killing Ment, he snapped and denied the trade, she’d face a Dark Deity with energy overflowing like a breached dam.

Even if she won by grinding strength like mountains, she might slip into loss of control herself.

And a crazed Plague God couldn’t share his knowledge; she’d end up with empty hands, night wind through bare branches.

It was a knot in the heart, tight as wet rope.

Sensing her silent guard, Nirael spoke to ease her, voice steady like a lantern in rain. “Don’t worry I won’t keep my word.

“You can invade me with your Authority Power. Let the Fuzzy Orb begin its slow Devouring. I won’t resist.

“Don’t fear losing too much energy. Plague Authority can’t stand against Devouring.”

“With that, the nibbling gives you the upper hand if I lose control later, and the early Devouring will swallow my memories, like ink soaking into paper.”