The Love of Rot

The Love of Rot is an antagonist in Louse. It is a growth of Rot, and wears a mitestone mask.

History
The Love of Rot was created as one of several growths of Rot, acting as one of its friends. It desires to protect those that it loves, which includes all of Rot.

When Null, the main protagonist of Louse, slid down into the caves of Rot, the Love began to approach them. When they attempted to hide, the Eye of Rot squealed to draw the Love's attention towards them. In the ensuing conversation, the Love asked Null to embrace Rot, stating that resistance is what causes pain, while asking them to let it help them start their new life today. Null decided to tell the truth when accepting its proposition, and began to sink into the floor of Rot while passing out. After an intervention from the Blot, Null's eyes snapped open, with the love saying that the healing process has begun. Rather than continue to sink into Rot, they decided to stand up, confusing the Love; using its confusion as a cover, they threw a nullification vial at it, shattering it at the top of its mask. The Love, now realizing Null's deception, began to grow angry; before it could do anything, however, it suddenly grew pale, and dissolved into dust due to the vial. As it dissolved, its mask shattered on the ground.

Afterwards, the Eye informed Null that another Love was growing. The new Love has not yet been seen.

Theories
The Love of Rot specifically said that it wished to help Null start their new life today, which is the slogan for Preaxin, shown in ECKVA4. This would imply a connection between the two. Given Louse's metaphorical nature, it's possible that the Love is meant to be representative of Preaxin, and that its ultimate purpose is to either remove the Blot, which is called "the affliction" multiple times in Louse, or to do something else.