Sulfurea. Honey.

“why would [Mai Nominata] hinder us if we’re tools in her hands?”

because she’s a manipulative bitch who doesn’t want you guys to form alliances?? because she’s a sadist who likes watching people fail so she can punish them? because she’s bored of you guys and wants to start over? because she just wants you to weaken them a bit so she has the satisfaction of killing the royal family herself?

I mean I can think of ten reasons off the top of my head that Mai Nominata might be sabotaging her own witches and I haven’t lived with her for centuries.