"Witches, you say?"
Hel replied in an even, calm tone.
"I've heard Miss Vivian mention before that the Free Nation was destroyed by a witch named Yomi. Since Heim Territory borders the Free Nation, it's possible that this Yomi witch might have come here. However, our city's lockdown was lifted half a month ago. Even if she had come, it must've been during the undead invasion. At that time, Heim City's gates were sealed shut—no outsiders were allowed in or out."
At the mention of Vivian's name, a flicker of cold light passed through Pablo's eyes, though his expression remained gentle and patient. He waited for Hel to finish before speaking again.
"Count Hel, it seems you may have misunderstood. According to the intelligence we've received, the witch in your domain is not an outsider… but one of your own people."
He paused slightly. "To be clearer—Duke Mandrake's report identifies the witch as one of your subordinates."
"My subordinate?" Hel widened her eyes in apparent shock, shaking her head firmly. "That's impossible. My retainers have all served the Heim family for years—how could any of them have ties to witches?"
"Count Heim, you might not realize it," Pablo said, his tone calm but edged with solemnity. "Witches are exceptionally good at hiding. Until they slip up, no one ever suspects who—or what—they really are. Some could be simple peasant girls… others, the daughters of kings. The devil's whispers and demonic corruption strike without warning.
Just as no one foresaw Father Orad's fall into darkness, no one can ever know when those around them will turn into witches. Perhaps one of the women by your side has already changed."
He then cleared his throat, his voice deepening as he adopted the formal cadence of an official proclamation:
"By decree of the Witch Trial Codex issued by the Inquisition Church, I, Pablo, Captain of Squad Thirteen, Second Division of the Inquisition Knights, hereby enact Article VII of the Codex.
In territories where a lord has reported the presence of witches, a full lockdown shall be imposed until the witch is found—or the accusation proven false."
Pablo took a rolled parchment from the young knight beside him and presented it to Hel.
"This is the official lockdown warrant issued by the Inquisitorial Court of the Knight Empire. Please accept it, Count Hel.
Also, I must inform you—the perimeter around Heim City is already under our church's control. We ask that you restrain your citizens and ensure they don't engage in any… suspicious behavior."
When Hel accepted the document, Pablo's kindly smile returned.
"There's no need to worry too much, Count Hel. If none of your immediate family have become witches, your punishment will be minimal. Of course, if one of them has fallen and you report it to us in time, not only will you avoid punishment—you'll be rewarded for your cooperation."
Hel bowed slightly, maintaining a composed expression. "I'm sorry, but my stance remains the same—I know of no witch among my subordinates. I believe there's been some misunderstanding."
"Whether it's a misunderstanding or not, Count Hel," Pablo said mildly, "you'll soon find out. Our purpose today was to inform you beforehand—after all, we've surrounded your city.
Tomorrow, our logistics division will arrive with tools that can detect witches. We'll be conducting tests on every woman in Heim City. If no abnormalities are found, we'll withdraw immediately."
As he spoke, Pablo studied Hel's face carefully, searching for any trace of guilt or unease. But to his disappointment, her expressions were flawlessly natural—as if she genuinely knew nothing about witches at all.
"Oh, and one more thing," Pablo added almost casually, his eyes glinting faintly."Your liege, Duke Mandrake, will be arriving tomorrow as well. Her testimony should make our work… considerably easier."
With that, he gave a courteous bow and turned to leave with the young knight—but Hel's calm voice stopped him.
"Wait a moment, Sir Pablo," she said smoothly. "Do you happen to have a copy of this Witch Trial Codex you mentioned? If possible, could I borrow it for a look?"
Pablo turned back, squinting slightly as he regarded her for several seconds. Then, his familiar gentle smile resurfaced.
"But of course," he said kindly. "Our church welcomes all pious believers to learn about divine law."
He reached into his spatial ring and withdrew a thin, leather-bound booklet, handing it to her. "Consider it a gift."
"Thank you," Hel said, accepting it politely.
Pablo inclined his head once more before leaving with the young knight in tow, walking toward the church's direction.
The moment they were out of sight, Hel's eyes hardened slightly. "Niv," she said through her mental link, her voice low.
"Notify everyone not to use the soul network for work for the next few days. Also, take control of all the undead insects within the city. Monitor every suspicious individual—especially those two knights who just met with me. I suspect they'll be keeping watch from the shadows."
After giving her orders, Hel returned to the castle. It wasn't long before Niv's voice echoed in her mind.
"Master, just as you thought. After entering the church, those two Inquisition knights slipped out the back door. The young one has already hidden beneath Heim Castle's outer wall, while the elder knight disguised himself and went to the commercial district—he seems to be gathering information about recent events in the city."
"Let them be," Hel replied coolly. "They can go wherever they please. Just keep them under close surveillance."
She had anticipated this from the moment she sensed something off. Before their arrival, Hel had already ordered Niv to hide every questionable item in the castle. Even the Shadow Knights who guarded her had been recalled into the undead realm.
Now, aside from Lily and the others, only four Bloodlust Elf girls remained in the castle. Each bore high-tier Concealment entries—at least red quality—and with the added Mimicry entries, even a Saint-level powerhouse wouldn't detect a thing.
All that remained was to act as if everything were perfectly normal.
Hel returned to her study, sat down, and opened the thin booklet Pablo had given her. The cover read: Witch Trial Codex.
She began to study it carefully.
Meanwhile, outside the study window, a shadow watched her silently. It was the young Inquisition knight.
On Pablo's orders, he was to secretly observe Hel's every move after receiving the warrant—recording every command, every conversation, even the smallest daily habits with a memory crystal.
Yet the longer he watched, the more perplexed he became.
Since returning to Heim Castle, Count Hel acted utterly normal—as though she truly didn't believe that a witch existed among her people.