Lust was greatly shocked upon hearing of Jealousy's actions.
Only Demigods truly understood just how terrifying the suppression a Demigod could exert upon those below their rank was.
For those who had legitimately advanced to the Demigod Rank, techniques like Concept Entanglement were basic skills. The Greater Abilities formed through deeper mastery and sublimation of their concepts elevated them far beyond those below the Demigod rank.
Beyond this, the passive abilities brought by reaching the Demigod level - physical enhancement, significant reduction of fatal weaknesses, increased Spiritual Power - many of these could be considered core abilities even at the Hero Rank.
The result was that, before a legitimate Demigod, unless one was a Hero Rank of a Top Tier Class, others wouldn't even have a chance to escape.
Facing such Demigods, those below who knew even a little of the truth understood the wisdom of keeping a respectful distance.
Unfortunately, with the current number of Demigods in the world being so scarce, their power wasn't often displayed.
Against Demigods, many sorcerers would die without even knowing how.
Without sufficient knowledge, the entire mystic side's view of Demigods was generally that they should be strong, but since no one had fought them, who knew if they could be defeated?
Currently, it seemed that although Jealousy was usually cautious, she had still become overconfident.
To actually dare provoke a Demigod...
Lust shook her head, saying no more about such foolishness.
At this point, Gluttony asked suspiciously: "Is this news confirmed to be true?"
"I mean about Jealousy assassinating a Demigod's lover..."
The SDS's Demigod...
Gluttony had some vague guesses, but they didn't quite add up.
In response, Enigma raised an eyebrow and calmly stated:
"The Silver Princess of Aldegia Kingdom is a certain Demigod's lover."
This directly confirmed the lover's identity, practically telling everyone which SDS Demigod had acted.
Hearing this, Gluttony immediately fell silent.
After all, the intelligence Enigma provided was more than enough to investigate the truth.
Most importantly, although Gluttony hadn't deliberately gathered information, she was aware of the recent attack on the Silver Princess during her visit.
While the reason for Jealousy's actions remained unclear, attacking a Demigod's lover... it seemed only natural to face retaliation.
At this point, Enigma glanced at the group and asked:
"Speaking of which, I'm quite curious about Jealousy's reasoning for this."
"When she invited me to attack officials to divert attention from Japan's authorities, she confidently claimed to be fully prepared."
"Yet despite such preparations, she attacked someone with that kind of background..."
"Frankly, I can't fathom what she was thinking."
"Perhaps Lady Jealousy had her own considerations," Lust said, making a weak attempt to save face for Jealousy.
After all, as colleagues, one couldn't just say she'd stupidly gotten herself killed without even checking her target's background, could they?
Seeing Lust beginning to accept her narrative trick, Enigma felt inexplicably pleased.
It was true that Jealousy had been struck down by a Demigod - as a Hero Rank of a Top Tier Class, Luo Shu could essentially be treated as a Demigod.
To those below the Demigod rank, a Top Tier Class practitioner who had mastered Concept Entanglement was no different from a Demigod.
As for Jealousy attacking the Demigod's lover, attacking La Folia, that much was true.
However, Enigma concealed the fact that at the time of the attack, La Folia wasn't yet a lover.
But even among the Familia, some were unaware of such details—let alone outsiders?
In this situation, wasn't it entirely up to Enigma how she spun the story?
And from the current state of affairs...
Jealousy, through Enigma's rhetoric, had been transformed into a fool who, while inviting Enigma to carry out a mission, recklessly dragged the Demigod's mistress into the affair, causing the plan to collapse on all fronts.
Meanwhile, Enigma had successfully reversed her own image—from that of a traitor who sold out her ally, to that of a victim forced to betray her incompetent teammate.
Though betraying teammates still counted as a stain, that stain was now barely noticeable, with the blame conveniently pinned on Jealousy.
Besides, since Jealousy was already dead, as long as the story held up, Enigma could spin it however she liked.
Of course, Enigma was well aware this explanation would hold no water with Lust or Gluttony. The real challenge lay in convincing Pride.
Unfortunately, ever since the meal began, Pride had been sitting there silently, watching with an unchanging smile. This had put Enigma on maximum alert.
Before long, Sebastian's questioning arrived:
"Lady Greed, according to your account, you and Jealousy were ambushed by the SDS's Demigod?"
'Here it comes,' Enigma thought.
Adopting a slightly shaken tone, she replied:
"That appears to be what happened."
She then elaborated:
"Just as we'd nearly completed the Flame Demon's summoning ritual, the SDS's Demigod appeared without warning. They critically wounded me in an instant before killing Jealousy."
Here, Enigma frowned, hesitating before adding:
"I believe I lost consciousness during this process, so I can't speak to what transpired after being struck down."
"You were defeated by a Demigod?" Sebastian asked casually.
"Indeed. They employed a most peculiar ability... During its activation, I glimpsed black lightning surrounding them. Though I'm certain I dodged, some intangible force still struck me, rendering me unconscious."
"From this, it seems the SDS Demigod's technique permits remote attacks targeting the spirit."
Lust nodded thoughtfully at Enigma's account:
"Based on your description, that SDS Demigod likely employed a method of wrapping concepts around their body to incapacitate you instantly."
Her gaze swept across Gluttony before settling on Pride as she addressed the group:
"There's something Lord Pride may already understand, but the rest of you might not. Allow me to explain."
Clearing her throat, Lust continued:
"When ascending to Demigod through the most stable method, one gains access to the power of concepts."
"Some Demigods refer to this conceptual power as the Essence of Arts."
"To simplify, you might consider concepts as personal laws or rules mastered by a Demigod."
"Such laws grant complete dominion over specific phenomena..."
"For instance, a Demigod wielding the Fire Concept could effortlessly control flames. With sufficient Spiritual Power, they might even swim through stars."
"Beyond such dominion over their respective domains, concepts have one particularly convenient application."
"A Demigod can concentrate their concept around their body like invisible armour."
"When concentrated thus, like an ever-inflating balloon, it displaces unconquered concept in the vicinity."
"This displacement manifests as the black lightning phenomenon Lady Greed described."
"Those black lightning bolts are actually the materialised manifestations of displaced concepts in the physical world."
"And the reason why being struck by a Demigod in such a state causes unconsciousness... is remarkably simple."
Lust paused here before sighing softly:
"Because the human body itself is a concept. Even 'thought' is a concept."
"As I've said, this method of wrapping concepts around oneself displaces surrounding concepts – and 'surrounding' includes the human body, even includes thought itself."
Hearing this, both Greed and Gluttony's eyelids twitched, appearing genuinely startled.
Though Greed was feigning it, Gluttony was truly shocked.
Because Gluttony had just realised something:
"If human concepts are displaced, shouldn't the effect be more severe than just unconsciousness?"
Lust glanced at Gluttony before sighing:
"That depends on the Demigod's striking force. Those at Hero Rank or Elite Rank might withstand it somewhat, but lower-ranked sorcerers, or even common people..."
Lust continued with regret in her voice:
"Wouldn't even retain their human form or identity. They'd be reduced to fundamental atoms, vanishing from existence."
Reducing people to powder, to atoms?
Gluttony's eyelids kept twitching at this description.
Enigma was equally shocked by this revelation.
The Hidden Management Department's intelligence only mentioned that Concept Entanglement could knock out anyone below Demigod Rank – it never mentioned complete molecular disintegration!
Or perhaps, until now, none of the Department's Demigods had ever struck with full force to reduce enemies to elementary particles?
That said, by deliberately revealing she'd witnessed Concept Entanglement and survived, perhaps some of Pride's suspicions would be alleviated?
Just as Enigma was thinking this, Gluttony curiously asked:
"If Demigods possess such methods, how did Lady Greed escape from them?"
'An excellent question...'
Enigma mentally applauded Gluttony before explaining with a smile:
"Because someone rescued me."
Rescued? Lust looked over in surprise.
Saving someone from a Demigod's grasp was no simple feat.
Without waiting for questions, Enigma continued playfully:
"They claimed to be from the Astronomy Club, and their condition for rescuing me was that I join them."
"I agreed."
Here, Enigma turned to Pride, speaking with affected sweetness:
"Of course, though I agreed, I was merely pretending to go along with them."
"I trust Lord Pride wouldn't be upset over such a trivial matter?"