EDELGARD;

[crashout]

Comments

[hegemonstrous]

Yes. That's enough - though this mystery someone does not have my thanks! You could be a demon, for all I know!

[Though now she doubts it.]

I only knew about Escha's role after her death. I knew there was someone out there with a role like that, but based on the fact Tamamo was chosen, and that Escha hadn't named anyone outloud, I assumed she was protecting you.

As for me - hmm. You've misunderstood something. [No further information.]

[crashout]

Oh my god, I'm not a demon! [He says, knowing very well that defense is useless. But...ah?]

You weren't the only one to make that assumption, which sort of makes sense. [...he frowns lightly.] ...is it that I've misunderstood and you can't explain, or that you don't want to? These rules are kind of a pain in the ass to follow.

[hegemonstrous]

Quite. I'm not entirely certain how it works, but I believe I can't clear it up for you. You'll just have to solve it.

[She sighs, clearly annoyed.]

Anyway, Dimitri acted like his ordinary self to me. I didn't see any sign something was off. Foolish and sentimental as ever.

[crashout]

[There's a funny little look tossed her way at those words, but he doesn't linger on it. He'll have to go back to the drawing board, then.]

Then the fact that someone else found a way to pinpoint him is even more disconcerting. It worked out fine, sure, but we're creating more demons this way.

[hegemonstrous]

Could it not be a role that allowed the person to identify the demon?

[crashout]

There's only one of those as far as I know, unless they have a different title and it involves different abilities. So sure, it could be a role, but...it's not as simple as that.

[hegemonstrous]

Hmm. [She smirks a little.] You know a lot.

And you know it wasn't that person...?

[crashout]

I like to make connections. [Is that all? Sure.] I'm fairly positive it wasn't, because there would have been no sure way of knowing unless Dimitri outright told them. Which...obviously wouldn't be the case.

[hegemonstrous]

I like to make connections, too. I'd like you to put me in conversation with this person.

[She considers his point, though.]

Very well. Perhaps Dimitri revealed himself to someone, but I could not say how.

[crashout]

Like a meeting. [...well, okay.] On the condition that I'm there as well. Okay?

[He nods about Dimitri because that seems like a moot point, but he's obviously trying to think.] Nobody from his room he was staying in seems to know either. That's the weirdest part of it. Just that he got up and left and they all thought nothing of it.

[hegemonstrous]

Yes. I agree to your terms.

[It still does bother her to think of Dimitri like that.]

I can't shake the feeling that someone was lying in wait for him. He isn't incapable as a fighter. And yet, there was barely a struggle.

[crashout]

Alright. I'll speak to them and we'll come find you. [i.e. let me flag the other player and I'll set up something tomorrow if everyone's chill.]

That's the other thing. There was only the water, and if the demons can make a person stronger shouldn't the victim be the one who died instead? It's too early in the week to do injury checks without it looking suspicious.

The only other thing we can really do right now is start checking where everyone slept last night and see if they recall people leaving.

[hegemonstrous]

Agreed, but I would be hesitant to reveal who did this to everyone before we have more information. We risk exposing someone who is potentially an ally.

[crashout]

Why do you think I was previously working alone? Once I started hearing the rumors and learned from Escha, I started trying to find others myself to scout then out and make sure they were an ally instead of...well, whatever. [But he frowns lightly.] I could use your help, if you're willing. It's the other reason I'm agreeing to connect you with our demon-detector.

[hegemonstrous]

Of course I’m willing.

[That goes without saying?]

I’m. Hmm. What did Escha tell you about how her role worked?

[crashout]

[He looks up for a moment.]

...everything. She told me her rules, how it worked, and the title itself. Every week she had to sleep with somebody and it would protect them from being killed if they were exorcised. But, of course, she couldn't tell them that's what she was doing. She sort of figured it didn't matter anymore if she spilled everything.

[Given she was, like, dying.]

[hegemonstrous]

[She’s still Frowning. These sort of indirect conversations are not her forte!]

Did she tell you anything about - [Pausing again. Ugh.] She never had any opportunity to observe her powers used successfully, did she? After all, the only exorcism was Monika.

[crashout]

She didn't. She picked the wrong people during her time. [It's fine, he can try to make this work...hopefully.] With that sort of lead in, I can only assume that you have. Which means...I've narrowed it down to one of two things. You can say yes or no.

Your job allows you to either protect someone from being possessed in the first place, bouncing it off to someone else, or it allows them protection from being killed by someone possessed.

Am I off?

[hegemonstrous]

Entirely, I’m afraid.

[crashout]

--shit, seriously? [WAIT. HOW? He actually looks 100% baffled he got this wrong, but if he's entirely off, then..] ...then what, you take on the demon yourself?

[hegemonstrous]

You’re used to feeling like the cleverest man in the room, aren’t you? [I mean that’s her impression of Junpei but she’s probably off base on that one.]

Maybe you should make fewer assumptions and deductions, and instead ask questions. When you’re so off track there’s little I can say to get you back on course.

[crashout]

Absolutely not. [And the fact that he seems very sincere about that seems to suggest...no. He's used to just kind of falling into things, working on his deductions, and this is kind of an outlier. But...he sighs.]

Hotter or Colder, or twenty questions. I'll even let you pick which game you want to play. [There's a pause.] ...in exchange, I'll explain why I'm trying to find out as much as I can, just in case you haven't heard.

[hegemonstrous]

Twenty questions. Yes or No questions only.

And I’d answer them for you either way. I’m not being difficult on purpose. But I would like to hear that answer.

[crashout]

[At least he offers her a smile.] I'm not either. It's just...there's a lot going on and trying to make sense of it all while we're missing context hasn't been the most helpful. I appreciate your help.

[Okay. Twenty questions. He's been doing this a lot, admittedly, so it takes a moment to decide on the basics.] Yours is a role where you can protect someone once a week.

[hegemonstrous]

Correct.

You also have a role, don’t you?