After another couple minutes of discussing things amongst ourselves, I decide that it would be best to throw in the towel before we tire ourselves out.
"Alright, I think we should all go back to our cells before someone comes in here and finds out that we've escaped our rooms." [Shin]
"I could go for sleep. I figure that I'll have to be in top shape to explain everything to those people." [Bode]
"Same, I'm going to get some rest as well." [Kati]
"Umm Shin? Could I talk to you for a little bit? I have something I want to ask you if you wouldn't mind." [Laura]
"Yeah sure, what seems to be the problem?" [Shin]
Laura hesitantly looks over that Bode and Kati. Seemingly reluctant to share what she has to say with them, she turns to Kati and says,
"Kati, could you…" [Laura]
"Yup, don't worry. I got you. Come on Bode, let's go." [Kati]
"Huh? What? Why can't we listen to… Ouch! Kati! Let go of me! I was just joking." [Bode]
Grabbing Bode by his ear, Kati leads him out of the room, closing the door behind the pair. With the two boisterous people out of the room, the ambiance of the room falls drastically to an almost uncomfortable level of awkwardness. Laura seems hesitant to ask her question as she squirms; seemingly tormented by something.
"S-Shin. I have something to confess…" [Laura]
{Huh? Isn't this the standard introduction to the cliché love confession? Am I going to get confessed to right now? Huh… this feels… good. Being my first time on the receiving end of one, especially by such a cute girl. I must be blessed. A real confidence booster if I do say so myself.}
"I think I am being controlled like those other people." [Laura]
"I'm sorry but as I don't know you too well, I think we should start off as friends." [Shin]
"Huh?" [Laura]
"Huh?" [Shin]
"I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear what you said, could you repeat yourself?" [Laura]
"No forget it… it was just a dumb joke." [Shin]
{So much for that. There goes all that built up confidence…}
"What did you mean when you said you're being controlled?" [Shin]
"I also had a moment where I lost all reason and was about to hurt someone." [Laura]
"Really? Hmm… so this was what made you freeze up when I brought it up earlier? Before Prince Eren showed up, I mean." [Shin]
"Y-Yes. I'm sorry that I lied to you. When you said that we weren't corrupted yet, I didn't say anything and led you to believe that I was fine. So, for lying to you and the others, I apologies." [Laura]
Performing a stiff bow in apologies, I can tell that Laura has been internally suffering from keeping this from us.
"No don't worry about it. I'm sure that you feel bad about keeping this from us, so you should have just told us. We wouldn't have treated you any different since you're our friend." [Shin]
"I-I'm your friend?!" [Laura]
"Well I mean, I feel like we get along fine so we can be. I know it's only really been a day or so since we've known each other but I feel that with all we've been through that shouldn't matter. Unless you don't want to be considered my friend which I get." [Shin]
"N-No. It's not that I mind. I'm just wondering if maybe it would be better for you to be friends with nobility rather than a commoner like me." [Laura]
"Huh? I'm also a commoner so that shouldn't matter right? Also, what's the point of being friends with nobility now that we've been summoned here? Its not like they have any political or financial power in this world, right? Even the Prince, Eren, downgraded from royal pain in the a** to just a pain in the a**.
"I-If you say so… but I think you should still treat them with respect." [Laura]
"You're right. Now that they don't have any political power, they might be sensitive about their lack of power so it would be best to mange them with caution. Oh well." [Shin]
"Getting back to the issue at hand, what exactly happened to make you think you were being controlled?" [Shin]
"Well you see, when Kati and I were alone in the guardhouse, I felt something inside my head tell me to kill Kati. I got furious at her for something she said, and I felt this anger wash up over and take control of me. Next thing I knew, I had both Aureole and Acheron drawn and was about to hurt her." [Laura]
"Yeah that's pretty bad. What were you talking about that got you so worked up?" [Shin]
Laura's face blushes fiercely and turns her head to the ground to avoid embarrassment.
"T-That doesn't matter, it was just girl talk. Nothing serious." [Laura]
"I see, well how are you now? Do you still feel like you are being controlled? Are you quick to anger or feel like there's a voice in your head right now?" [Shin]
"No. Aureole said that he would take care of it and limit it's influence." [Laura]
"Huh? Aureole said?" [Shin]
"Yes, Aureole and Acheron talked in my head and broke of the connection." [Laura]
"What do you mean they talked? Are you sure that you're okay? Maybe it's an aftereffect of the control that makes you delusional? Or maybe it's a different variant…." [Shin]
"I'm not crazy! They said it was because you named them that they came to life. Look here, it's written right here." [Laura]
Pulling out her Spirit Plate, Laura thrusts it into my face.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: :Laura Silva
Race: Human
Level: 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Titles:
First Title: Assassin
Skills:
-> Obscure Lv. 2
----<> Area Concealment
-> Alchemy Lv. 1
-> Covert Lv. 2
----<> Underhand
-> Scope Lv. 1
-> Exposure Lv. 2
----<> Backstabber
-> *Blocked*
Second Title: Mistress of the Night
Skills:
-> Entrancement Lv. 1
-> Empress Lv. 1
-> Authority Lv. 1
-> *Blocked*
Third Title: Skirmisher
Skills:
-> Litheness Lv. 1
-> Hardy Lv. 1
-> *Blocked*
Fourth Title: Politician
Skills:
-> Commander Lv. 2
----<> Order
-> Figurehead Lv. 1
-> Correspondence Lv. 1
Divine Protection: High Goddess Achlys
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equipment:
Weapons:
Sentient Dagger: Aureole Lv. 1
Sentient Dagger: Acheron Lv. 1
Equipped Skills:
è Thought Distribution
è Soul
Active Skills
è Sever
è Bypass
Armor:
N/A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{Okay at this point I no longer feel bad about her Titles because this is just ridiculous. I've gone from pity to complete envy within two seconds. Why can't I have cool stuff like this?}
"See. It's written right here. "Sentient Dagger: Aureole." [Laura]
"Yes, I see. You know, it seems like your Spirit Plate keeps on getting crazier every time I see it." [Shin]
Hearing my compliment, Laura looks disheartened to the point of looking sad.
"I had to use some skills when the people broke into the guardhouse. I didn't mean to use them a lot, but things got crazy and I got lost in the moment." [Laura]
"Well if you didn't use them, I'm sure Bode and Kati would have gotten hurt so you can't afford to not use your skills if they will help. Remember that there are all sorts if dangers here not including what's outside. You might not want people to know your Titles or like them yourself, but they are a part of you now. One way or another, you'll have to use them in the future, so I suggest you forget your prejudices and try to use them." [Shin]
Laura's hands curl up at her sides making her fists a pale white color. The hesitation that was visible before has vanished, replacing it is a low burning flame in her eyes, representing her steeled resolve.
"Yes, I know that now, I'll have to use them if I want to live." [Laura]
{She seems to have gotten past that for the moment, only time will tell if she will stick to that.}
"Now back to the sentient daggers. What exactly happened and what did they say?" [Shin]
"Wait a moment, I'll ask him." [Laura]
…
"He said that he used Soul Circuit to circumvent the Deity's emotional control regulator, or something to that effect." [Laura]
"Huh? Deity control? So, I was right!" [Shin]
"What do you mean by that, Shin?" [Laura]
"What I'm about to tell you has to stay between us okay. I haven't told anyone, and I don't know what their reaction will be after finding out." [Shin]
"Okay. I promise to keep the secret." [Laura]
Seeing that she was being honest, I begin to tell her everything I remember when waking up after we were summoned.
"Wait! You mean that this thing is inside everyone? Why would the Grand Goddess do something like this if she wanted our help?" [Laura]
"I have some theories on what she will say if we ask her, but I don't know for sure what her real intentions are. Maybe we'll find out later or maybe we'll never know. All we can do is use what little information we have." [Shin]
"So we are all infected by this thing? Even Bode and Kati? How can we stop everyone from hurting each other? Wait! Can't you say this at the trial to convince the people that those people attacked us first?" [Laura]
"Laura, the only reason you believe me is because you experienced this control and are protected by Aureole. The other people who don't know me will probably say that I'm making excuses and make the situation worse. Since you're being helped by your daggers, I don't have to worry about you that much but for everyone else, they are ticking time bombs. As for how we can help everyone, we can't right now. I have no idea how to cure them." [Shin]
"I want to help them! At least Bode, Kati, Sandra, Linda and even Rufina." [Laura]
"Yeah, I want to help people too." [Shin]
{Of course, I could help people if I wanted too. I'm pretty sure that my Transgress Active can interfere and possibly stop whatever control that's placed over the people but it's only a once a week power. There's no way I'm going to waste it for this. Maybe if I see what}
"Could I have a look at Aureole? Maybe I could find something out from looking at him." [Shin]
"Sorry, Shin, but he's not here. When we were brought here, they took all of our weapons, so I don't have him at the moment." [Laura]
"You were just talking to him, right?" [Shin]
"Yes, you're right, but he's upstairs in the fort somewhere right now. Even if he leaves my side, we can still talk to each other. I'm pretty sure he said, "no distance is great enough to be a hindrance to our communication" or something like that." [Laura]
{That shouldn't be possible. When I inspected the doors earlier, I'm sure that both anti-communication and reinforcement were the primary magical enchantments used. So is their communication not magic based then?}
"Oh well, can I look at him next time then?" [Shin]
"Yes of course." [Laura]
"Okay then, is that all you had to discuss with
"There's something else that's bothering me, but I don't think it's a big deal. Thank you very much for listening to my question and answering them. Please let me know if you need anything from me later." [Laura]
"What do you mean? You've been an incredible help this past day! Also, who wouldn't listen to their friend?" [Shin]
Laura, whose cheeks have turned a rosy hue, turns towards the door and says,
"I-I see. Well then, I'll let you get some sleep. Bye." [Laura]
Closing the door behind her, I'm left in the quiet room with my thoughts.
Grabbing a shirt from my backpack to use it as a pillow, I hop up on the stiff bed and try to get some sleep. As I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling, I go over what I've recently learned, think about how the trial, lamenting that I didn't name my war scythe. Most importantly, I go over the most important detail I learned today, the confirmation that what was placed in our heads was an emotions regulator and that the Grand Goddess is behind this.
"I'm glad I had this talk Laura; I finally feel like some of the pieces to this puzzle are coming together." [Shin]