The warning of the System discouraged any attempts of Defolta for opening the trapdoor as her body trembled with unspeakable fear. It was out of character for the Magical Girl to be acting terrified like this, and Nekowa felt worried and tapped the girl's shoulder in response.
"Defolta, are you honestly afraid?" Nekowa asked her out of genuine concern. Thanks to their shared sight, which was not yet deactivated, the cat also witnessed the ominous message that was delivered by the System. While the feeling of dread was to a significant extent, shared among the pair, it did not bother the cat too much as opposed to Defolta who was panting at an alarming rate.
And Nekowa found it rather strange for Defolta to be this terrified. After all, the Magical Girl had no qualms in bathing in the blood of her enemies. The display of blatant violence and carnage when Defolta ripped Matilda apart was a bloody sight to remember. The way the Magical Girl deceived the Witch into thinking that she was weakened…
It all reminded Nekowa too clearly of the time when Aegis was murdered by Azareth. Both Defolta and Azareth employed nefarious methods to achieve their goals. The only difference though is where their allegiances aligned.
That was a point to be concerned of for the cat. Their demeanor was all too similar and Nekowa constantly worry that Defolta was just a single bad day away from going rogue and siding with darkness.
That point was also the reason why it was bizarre for Defolta to be afraid like this. Despite being together for a mere three days, Nekowa witnessed the fearless spirit that Defolta displayed, most especially during battle. A lot of newborn Magical Girls were reluctant when they first experience combat, but Defolta exhibited none of that.
"I… I'm fine." While maintaining her posture proved to be a chore, Defolta nevertheless did not want to give in to the weakness and forced herself to open the door, "We have made it this far. There's no point in stopping here."
"No." Nekowa disagreed with a grimace, "You are obviously not in the right state of mind."
"What the hell do you mean!?" Defolta was now throwing a tantrum and pushed her own struggling body to act despite the futility of it, "We can't afford to waste time!! There are people down there!! With each moment passed meant the prolonging of their suffering!!! You of all people-"
What came next shock Defolta to the very core. Never would the Magical Girl thought that she would be in the receiving end of her cheek being slapped from Nekowa herself.
Defolta was stunned with her mouth gaping as Nekowa in turn berated for her reckless action.
"You idiot!!" Nekowa gritted her feline teeth in frustration, "Even a blind man can see how much of a scaredy cat you currently are! Saving them is our priority, yes, but not at the expense of your own condition and life!!"
"Uhmm." Defolta was still in shock and could not find the proper words to retort.
"I find it very odd for someone like you to act pitifully like this." Nekowa stroked her chin and eyed the girl meticulously, "It's as if something possessed for you to have a quick change in demeanor."
Something stirred inside Nekowa's head, and her eyes widened in realization as she came up with the conclusion behind Defolta's condition.
"Possessed… Of course!!" Nekowa said and made a request, "Your Mana!! Check it!!"
"My Mana?" Complying with the cat's command, Defolta willed the System's HUD (Heads-up Display) to appear in her sights and upon taking a glance at her Mana, what she saw made her eyes widened with shock.
Mana: -1 / 170.
"M-my Mana is at negative?" Defolta stared in disbelief.
"As I have thought." Nekowa pulled Defolta away from the door, "You are suffering from Dementia and not in the position to think straight."
"H-how!?" Defolta questioned, "Last I check, it was at fucking 20-ish after killing Matilda!!"
"The mental damage came most likely from three things." Nekowa came up with the conclusion, "When you learned the new spell from the book, it took quite a toll in your head and felt pain in there, damaging your Mana as a result. Two, was probably the failed attempt at learning the second spell and the System kinda trolled you with another stinging in the brain. And lastly, but I'm not entirely sure though, was perhaps the accumulation of the stress from mental exertion when reading the journal repeatedly and deciphering the mystery as you finally came up with the plausible conclusion of opening the bookshelf."
"Shit, and all those little things led to Dementia?" Defolta leaned on the wall and clutched her head in pain, "Wow, this System is such a bum for not telling me this. A hidden mechanic, perhaps?"
"Your Mana was already low to begin with." Nekowa crossed her arms, "And games are inevitably bound to have a hidden mechanic or two, so one should also rely on their own ingenuity and gaze what is beneath the underneath. Or so I have been told by one of my Magical Girls whose true identity is a professional esports player."
"Right." Defolta ultimately gave in to the mental fatigue, "I'm all out of brain juice. The Mind can be a cruel mistress."
"It would be best if you fall asleep and retire for the night at that bed over there." Nekowa pointed out at the bed that once belonged to the dead Witch that was located nearby, "We do know that proper sleep and rest is a reliable way of recovering your lost Mana. Proceeding with your current demented state is a recipe for disaster. Unless of course you wanted to let whatever that is inside scare the lights out of you and turn yourself into a mindless doll-like existence."
"That's a rather eerie way of putting it." Defolta sighed deeply and followed the cat's advice. As she lay down the bed and get herself comfortable, she eyed Nekowa and asked, "How about you, you going to sleep too?"
"We Magical Cats require very little sleep to function at full efficiency, two hours at best. I shall take my rest after you." Nekowa replied, "In the meantime, I'll take a more thorough look around the camp for any useful supplies that we may need in our dungeon delving."
"Yeah, you do that. Thanks, Nekowa and sorry for being an ass." As Defolta was about to hit the sack, a smile formed on her face as she said, "Oh, and by the way, you sure pack a mean bitch slap, not gonna lie. Never expected that from a cute kitty cat like you."
Nekowa chuckled and responded, "That's what exile does to you, Defolta. Makes a cat think and reflect hard over the dumb mistakes that she made and not allowing anyone to suffer the same fate ever again."