Chapter 97: Twenty Questions (II)
*Ah.*
*Sprout.*
*Apparently you were saving that question for weeks.*
*Good.*
*The rule is sincerity.*
*I’m going to be sincere.*
"Sprout."
"Yes."
"Sella kissed me."
Silence from the other side of the wall.
Approximately three seconds.
Then the sound of water again. With considerably more pronounced agitation than the previous occasion.
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"She kissed you?"
"Yes."
"On the lips?"
"On the lips."
"Without warning?"
"Without warning."
"How long did it last?"
"Approximately two seconds."
"And what did you do?"
"Approximately nothing. Sella pulled back after the two seconds and explained she’d decided to take strategic advantage, considering she doesn’t have aristocratic restrictions equivalent to those your uncles placed on me for the next ten months."
Silence again.
Then Liaraen spoke with her voice calibrated to "I’m going to control the emotional response but considerably" mode:
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"You’re going to repeat that information with additional detail when we get out of the water."
"It was just a quick kiss—no tongue."
"And we’re going to discuss Sella’s future appearance in Greywall calmly."
"Alright as well."
"And we’re going to establish clear parameters about any additional physical interaction between you and Sella during the informal guardianship period."
"You’re overreacting."
"Nathan, she could take advantage of your trust if you’re not careful, because she’s very forward."
"Yes."
"The next time Sella tries to kiss you, you’re going to actively reject her."
Nathan laughed softly.
"Sprout."
"Yes."
"It’s hard to actively reject something Sella does without prior warning. She operates by her own rules."
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"You’re going to try. Honestly. As a real effort—it’s for your own good. You never know if a sword might mysteriously slice you."
"Alright, Sprout. I’ll try."
"Acceptable."
"Acceptable."
Nathan continued, with his cynical smile calibrated at maximum.
"Sprout. Question four."
"Go ahead."
"How many men have you considered romantically in your life so far?"
Abrupt silence.
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"That question is considerably invasive."
"The rule is sincerity."
"The rule is sincerity. But..."
Liaraen sighed.
"Fine—I asked for it."
"Go ahead."
"Three."
"Three?"
"Three."
"Who?"
"Nathan. The question was how many. Not who. Apparently I answered the specific question you asked."
"Sprout. You’re going to expand."
"Nathan."
"Sprout."
"Nerel Vaelinor at age eleven. Kaelithur Sael’thoryn, a distant cousin, at age thirteen—one month of consideration before I realized he was actually stupid. And apparently a third person I’m not going to name because the consideration is considerably recent and apparently the person in question apparently isn’t ready to process the information."
Nathan sat processing that.
*Ah.*
*After discreetly threatening me with the sword, now she’s having verbal diarrhea.*
*Obviously I know who the third person is.*
*Though I wanted to see how Sprout would decide to share information about me without naming me directly.*
*I suppose if I were older, I’d be lucky that someone of high class would fall for me... Though technically she could be my great-great-grandmother.*
*Good.*
*I’m going to handle this diplomatically.*
"Interesting answer, Sprout. I hope someday to find out who the lucky one is."
"No additional comment, please."
"Go ahead—your turn."
Liaraen thought for a moment.
"Nathan. Question four. Mira."
Nathan stopped.
"Mira?"
"Mira. Yes."
"What about Mira?"
"When Selene asked if your interest in Mira was romantic, you just smiled without answering. Apparently that was an ambiguous response. Now, under the game’s sincerity rule, you’re going to answer with certainty this time."
Nathan processed that.
*Good.*
*Sprout was also saving her question.*
*The game was strategic from the start.*
*Sprout specifically proposed it to be able to ask this exact question.*
*Good.*
*I’m going to be sincere.*
"Sprout."
"Yes."
"Honestly, I don’t know."
"You don’t know?"
"I don’t know. I like Mira. She treats me with the combination of sarcasm and calm I find appreciable. On a theoretical level, I consider that despite her attitude, she’s not that bad and she cares about the guild members. However, in practice I haven’t developed the consideration enough to verify it. I’ve been considerably busy over the past few months focusing my attention on a certain sprout."
Silence.
Then Liaraen spoke.
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"That answer admits there’s at least a theoretical possibility, and that’s fine—after all, she’s an adult woman and you’re also an adult."
"Well, yes, but for now my main interest is living a Hunter’s life and being recognized for great deeds, not having a romantic relationship."
Liaraen looked down for a moment.
"And that possibility hasn’t been actively ruled out. But for now I must focus on becoming strong enough to protect that special person."
"Understood."
"Sprout."
"Yes."
"I’m going to add information without you asking. Mira is more complicated than her first impression suggests—she has her own history."
Silence again.
Then Liaraen spoke, with a specifically lower voice.
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"I appreciate the additional information."
Silence.
Then Nathan continued.
"Sprout. Question five. What’s your favorite piece from the new wardrobe Lady Marell prepared for you?"
Liaraen laughed.
With her usual calm laugh.
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"That’s a considerably light question after the previous exchange."
"I decided to modulate the game’s intensity."
"I appreciate the modulation."
"Go ahead."
"The blue two-layer dress for formal occasions. The fabric is considerably light but warm at the same time. The color matches my eyes according to Lady Marell’s assessment during the preparations. And when I try it on, I imagine myself with my house restored, as an adult woman, and I feel more elegant than I normally feel."
Nathan sat processing that.
"When you wear that dress, I’m going to have to personally evaluate it."
Silence from the other side of the wall.
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"That statement coincides with the romantic interpretation my uncles established."
"Well, you’ll soon turn 118, so it doesn’t matter, right?"
Silence.
With considerable quality.
Then Liaraen spoke.
"Nathan. Question five. Have you ever considered anyone else romantically besides Mira?"
Nathan sat processing that.
"Yes."
"Honestly, yes."
"Who?"
"The question was whether I’d considered anyone else. The answer was yes. So I’ve already answered the question you asked."
Liaraen submerged almost completely in the water and responded.
"How unfair."
"The rule is sincerity."
"The rule is sincerity, yes, but as my guardian you should be more flexible with me."
Nathan thought for a moment.
"For that, you’d have to be very flexible with me."
Silence.
Approximately ten full seconds.
Then:
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"Pervert."
"I’m a man after all—it’s in my nature."
Silence.
With considerable specific quality again.
Nathan closed his eyes.
He felt the hot water surrounding him. Felt the steam rising. Felt the calibrated calm of having responded with the structural sincerity the occasion required without compromising information apparently not yet ready to be shared directly.
From the other side of the wall, Liaraen apparently did the same.
After approximately half a minute, Liaraen spoke with a softened voice.
"Nathan."
"Yes?"
"I suggest we pause here. Apparently the exchange has been considerably dense, and we both need considerable time to process what we learned."
"Just you or both of us?"
"NATHAN!"
"Sprout."
"Yes?"
"I appreciated the game."
"I... also."
"I learned interesting information about you."
"I don’t feel I learned anything about you."
"Well, that was your choice of questions—though we still have five questions each for the future."
"You’re right... There will be time for other nights. When the appropriate moment requires it."
"Acceptable."
"Acceptable."
---
They separated.
Each came out on their own side.
They dressed.
And approximately twenty minutes later, they met at the hot springs complex entrance.
With clean clothes. With hair still damp. With the calibrated calm that the hot water and conversation had combined to produce.
And with considerable information shared between them that apparently neither had planned to share when the day began.
Nathan turned to Liaraen.
"Sprout."
"Yes."
"Ready for the feast?"
"Ready."
"Let’s go."
They began walking toward the settlement’s center.
Where the residents were already preparing something.
And where Nathan, with passive Soul Sense active to monitor any changes in the settlement’s signatures, began internally processing what Liaraen had apparently revealed during the game.
And where Liaraen, with her posture calibrated at maximum effort, began internally processing that Nathan had apparently also revealed more than she’d expected.