The lack of surprise on Vana's face naturally did not escape Heidi. This "psychotherapist," who often worked with the Church, immediately guessed something from the inquisitor's reaction.
After a brief hesitation, she cautiously asked, "It seems... the problem behind this incident is serious?"
Vana nodded. "Very serious."
Heidi thought for a moment, rapidly speaking as she packed up her medical case. "I'm taking leave tomorrow, and for a while after that, I might..."
"Ms. Heidi, you may already be connected to this matter," Vana said, glancing at her. "I'm sorry, but everyone present at the scene, myself included, was exposed to some form of cognitive contamination. The mental issues you found in those cultists had actually happened to every one of us. It's just that... by the Goddess's grace, the contamination we suffered was not severe, so we merely 'woke up' now."
"...Damn it, I knew this line of work would get me into something like this sooner or later." Heidi finally stopped packing her medical case and rubbed her forehead. "I should have listened to my father and inherited his business as an antique appraiser. Or at least listened to my mother and become a history teacher at a public school in the Crossroads District... That would have been far safer than dealing with cultists."
"Look on the bright side. At least your current job lets you maintain a respectable life in the upper city," Vana said, shaking her head. Before Heidi, who was around her age and whom she had known for years, she seemed far more approachable than she did before her subordinates. "Tell me about your findings. They may help the Church and City Hall understand the situation."
"...Actually, it's simple. An obvious inconsistency," Heidi said with a sigh, recounting the clues she had excavated from