Our Continuing Days - Day 5, Part 3

Chiaisei

During her walk back home alongside Nalfimiria, the girl would occasionally turn her attention slightly towards the continuing matches between Fasnilthar and Senshinzako, yet she neither devoted a lot of attention to Finarkzir's view of the event nor did she discuss what happened with the sister alongside her. Partially because she decided it might be useful to begin her investigations within that park, something Nalfimiria offered to accompany her to. This on the condition they didn't spend too long on that initial section of Chiaisei's research, seeing as Nalfimiria wouldn't be spending the whole day with them. Hence she said she would have preferred to prepare the dinner and other meals for that day for the units while still early into the day, seeing as she wouldn't be there to cook them as needed. That, and she had to finish both training as well as some matters connected to the sisterhood before a given time of the day, meaning that the unit's sister would have a rigid schedule that day. 

Still, the girl had managed to proceed with 6 interviews on their way back. Seeing as at that point, her goal was mainly to obtain more information on the phenomena she and Fasnilthar had experienced. Thus both in regards to the Earth Towers as well as that short interaction of the previous days, merely a few questions were enough to cover the initial suppositions. Namely to check rather, similarly to their conversation regarding the Towers, there were indications of the logical reasoning and memories of the interviewed having been affected through magic. Not only that, but in verifying if the phenomena observed with Fasnilthar's inconsistent memories of the day her abilities were scouted was something restricted to her, or if others had similar experiences. After all, Chiaisei had heard from previous contacts who experienced the same before, the main reason she thought to check the reach of the situation. Not only that, however, also in gathering information towards the cases of people who didn't lack these memories. Seeing as the girl's initial hypothesis was that similarly to their discussions regarding teleportation and the Towers, the presence of sisters and brothers in the topic served as a means of reducing the effects of the spell potentially being analyzed. 

Naturally, were Nalfimiria to have been completely cooperative in that search, figuring out that latter supposition would have been rather simple, as the girl surmised. Yet, not only was the sister refusing to involve herself too directly into this search, she went out of the way to suggest she knew the answers Chiaisei sought at that point, though had no authorization to voice them personally. She did also say she wouldn't interfere with it either in the end, so at least that secured the girl that her efforts wouldn't be erased by the effects of a similar spell on herself. As for the result of those initial questionnaires, the phenomena the girl sought to collect data on became clearer to observe. Out of the six interviewed, one showed a similar position to the girl's and Fasnilthar's in regard to the technology of the sisterhood, and like those two, this woman had first heard of those operations from a brother, to whom she was friends with. This also confirmed that any emblem bearer could undo the effects of that spell, on the condition they explained the truth to the hearer. 

As for the second sort of inquiry, the results at that point were even more interesting. None of the interviewed had any concrete memories of that day, yet some said they had brief recallings of it in recent times, though none still had a solid enough grasp on those memories to retell any details about them. Two of them also confirmed those memories came back to them on a day in which they had contact with a path tracer they were acquainted with. And like with Fasnilthar's own case, it appeared these effects could be triggered even by coming in contact with those still in training under the sisterhoods. Nalfimiria had also offered Chiaisei a hint at this point. 

—Though in elven populations these memories aren't perfectly solid either, from what I heard these effects are far less apparent on my kind. — Once again proving through her words she already had the answers Chiaisei sought, a factor that might be common among the sisterhood, the girl decided. Yet, listening to this line of thought all the same, she took a moment to ponder on the implications of such information. 

"This might be an effect of the timing of elven affinity testings, seeing as they typically only get to that once a child is past their twentieth birthday among their kind. That said, it could also be implying that the magical resistance of magical beings affects the potency of this spell slightly. This line of inquiry will likely require research into the particular effects of this kind of spell in varying social kins, seeing as according to Finarkzir, magical beasts never measure up their affinity during childhood. Even if they did, it is possible that in this kind of evaluation for them, the same information being hidden in ours is not present." Chiaisei considered those matters as they got on their way back to their home. 

"In either case, returning to the topic of the differences this implies… Perhaps the very fact human children remember this kind of scene so well is an anomaly. And going by that logic, the fact that elven children have issues recalling this evaluation might actually imply that more of an effort is being placed in censuring them on their end. After all, by the time an elf gets to 20, their long term memories have already started being solidified, unlike humans at around their fourth or fifth year. That of course depends on the accuracy of the hint I've been offered. Yet seeing as the one giving it is connected to those holding these secrets, it is fair to assume this information might not have been pulled from Nalfimiria's own fields of research*, but instead from the sisterhood's own database on this subject. Assuming as much, it is fair to presume this hint might as well have been handed to me by the Ladies Telphilicallys and Kalfisnar themselves, seeing as a topic like this no doubt would have been notified of the results of a topic of this relevance." 

(*By that point in time, Chiaisei had made sure to find the time to check up what topics Nalfimiria's research concerned briefly through their contact, even if the girl had yet to find the time to search for one of said articles in the given section of a Temple of Reasons for this kind of text. She was confident their database for articles would contain most of what was written by path tracers who also carried out research, however.)

As the girl finished her conclusions in this topic, and sorting the replies she had registered so far, Chiaisei pondered on what her goal should be for the next step in her investigation, as well as potential alterations she could make to the questions to be asked. She soon realized they were nearing their home by that point, which prompted her to store the notebook and pen she had been working with, alongside parts of her training equipment that no longer would be of use. 

Upon reaching their home, Chiaisei and Nalfimiria prepared themselves to bathe, only for the girl to notice and issue with this soon before they entered the room. The first might have been that she just showed herself capable of ignoring the bathing divisions she suggested herself, something she suspected the elf might have already presumed. The other, that she realized bathing with Fasnilthar had been a lot of fun to her in recent days, meaning a part of her missed having her friend with her at this point. "Maybe that isn't entirely a bad thing, though. I'm growing used to handling these impulses, yet indulging in them at every chance might cause other weird perks to take shape. It's still hard to believe Fasnilthar's awareness fails before such obvious signs, though. I wonder how aggressive flirting would need to be in order to push past that particular wall." 

—How interesting. I already knew your anxieties concerning bathing didn't apply to me, yet I didn't expect this exact sort of hesitation from you. You look as if you're missing something, after all. So you enjoy sharing baths with that dear fool this much, then? — Nalfimiria said, in a teasing tone. It seemed even the briefest of moments taken to think wouldn't escape the sister's notice. 

"She guessed the cause immediately as well. Some prior information likely assisted with that, but hiding things from her would be a nightmare. Good thing I've already confirmed her cooperation." The amount of her own behavior Chiaisei would need to monitor in order to completely hide her mood in front of this sister was headache-inducing simply to ponder. And that was under the assumption Nalfimiria wasn't hiding her level as a Soul Reader, a skill that would make all of this effort next to pointless. 

—It seems so. That type of adrenaline is still a novel experience to me. I've been growing more used to it as of lately, though. It shouldn't be as much of an issue if… Well… — Chiaisei cut off her own explanation for not finding the perfect words to conclude it. 

—So getting amped up in front of an audience is also a problem for you. A curious case indeed. 

—That part of the "case" should be much easier to solve, miss detective. You should already have all the context you need for it. 

—I suppose I do. Her unawareness is quite a convenience for you, I imagine. I assume the incident is also tied to your anxieties concerning the boys? 

—Correct… A part of me fears simply being in proximity to them while undressed might bring about those memories. It would be irresponsible to place them under danger as a result. There is slightly more to it for them, though. You've read quite a lot about us through the temples, haven't you? I assume some of them mentioned my relationship with my own appearance? — It wasn't within her field of expertise, but Chiaisei knew enough about the functioning of therapy to guess what information concerning her past would have been of note to her former soul menders. 

—They have. I don't know if it is sad or impressive that even as a child you could easily spot potential issues coming from your future beauty, though. Are those worries also a source of anxiety to the present you? — These anxieties came from a combination of factors I became aware of as a child, which I felt might make the troubles of my duty all the harder.

Mother was known among other things for her beauty, a reputation that still follows her to this day and as a child, many would say I had so much in common with her. As a result, it was fair to assume if our similarities remained as I grew, the same beauty would take shape in me in my adulthood, a fact most would deem solidified by the time this story started. This may not be a prospect which most associate with fear, but to the child me, it carried two additional meanings. Firstly, my appearance would gain me attention in the few situations in which the status of "Graced Child" wasn't already earning me all the gazes in a room. Secondly, being noteworthy for my beauty would have made it easier for people to identify me, thus reducing the chances I would have of existing just as another girl within a crowd. Being pretty simply meant moments of escape or rest from my duty would become rarer. 

—To some extent, they have been so for a while. From my clothing* to the soft behavior, a lot of it were tactical choices meant to compensate for the additional attention being attractive might offer me. Some of my anxiety with nudity might have started then. Nudity doesn't offer any tools for disguising, after all. More recently though… Since the incident, it seems the thought of attracting others might have scared me somewhat. Fasnilthar might be an exception to this, but signs the others view me as alluring could also be a potential trigger to a violent reaction. In a sense, this adds another layer of danger to this matter. 

(*My logic for clothing was rather simple. Whether the prettiest person in the room is dressed simply or not, from the standpoint of appearance they likely will center more attention than the rest. Simple attire centers the attention on the subject, while complex and beautiful wears divide the attention between the user and clothes. Depending on their coloring, they might also help divert attention from traits like my hair color. Hence why my choice of fashion often is based on ceremonial attires from the Elemental Shrines of old. Elaborate, colorful and stunning, a perfect choice to try to drown out the wearer's presence.)

—And I'm not included in those worries? Oh, how flattering to hear the young ones trust me so. — The sentence was spoken in raw irony, as the two of us finished undressing and heading towards the bathing room. Indeed, neither of those worries made any sense when applied to the sister by the name of Nalfimiria. 

—An elf allured by a human girl? Aren't cases like those viewed as bordering on illness within your kind? What would be the point of trying to hide my identity from someone who might know more about my past than I do as well? Especially coming from one who claims to be a Soul Mender untrained in Soul Reading. It sounds like I am over a decade too late to accomplish that task, and I'm not even 20 yet. — It was fair to assume that both of those presumptions were implied knowledge between the two of us. 

—My deary, when you ask so many questions at once you make it awkward for me to answer all of them. So, focusing on the first one, I think your statement is a bit too cruel on the weirdos, even if on a technicality. Ignoring the longevity matter for the moment, our disinterest in humans is mostly due to the magical difference. Finding humans good looking or not has very little to do with that. The lever will always stay half pulled for magical creatures if the other side isn't magickin, even if we're biologically matched. If someone doesn't care about this section, they get a pass. It's the ones that don't mind the longevity that get the torturous side eye among us. 

—You even answered the question I mostly already knew of. How kind of you, sister. 

—Oh, I know. Sparing the young from needless information is such a difficult and unrecognized endeavor. — There is avoiding a question, then there is doing so in the most shameless method available. Nalfimiria seemed to prefer the latter. 

—How noble of you. Might I bother you with something less needless, then? About Fasnilthar… She seems greatly attached to ones of your kind she has previously been in contact with. Is this also perceived badly from your perspectives? — Chiaisei didn't bother waiting for any affirmation when asking for another question. The question should hardly have been an issue for the sister, and aiding with it might be seen as a means of repaying the avoided accusation. 

—And why would it? We understand far better than you all how helpful having mentors who massively surpass your own experience can be. My older sisters have almost 50 years on me, my parents nearly 300 and my grandparents have around 500 as well. Most of the teachers I had during school had at least a century or two on me, and most of us know a few folk past their thousands over our prolonged childhoods. This type of interaction is simply part of normality to us, and it resulting in occasional yearnings from the student isn't that rare either. If anything, I doubt many of us would take the role of often being the eldest in a group too seriously if we didn't know what sitting on the other end looks like. It's a position to be treated with respect and caution, as far as most of us are concerned. Enjoyable as it may be, it hardly should surprise many that we tend to be harsh towards those who enjoy it excessively. 

—I think I partially understand. Getting caught up in the act of "eldest" is usually viewed as disrespectful to the role between older kinds, isn't it? — The girl inferred this based on articles she had read in the past centered on elven culture. 

—And why wouldn't it be? To attach our value to such a role is a surefire method of losing ourselves within it. Tell me an easier method of growing hubris than constantly surrounding yourself with people beneath you in experience and knowledge, especially while fancying yourself as their "mentor". People actively seeking to feed their pride deserve no leniency when judged, and hubris is a type of foolishness completely incompatible with the act of teaching to begin with. The more it grows, the less you should expect from such a "sage". Pride and wisdom have always been old enemies, after all. Where one prevails, the other turns frail, until it withers entirely. — Nalfimiria's voice sounded sharper as she explained her position. Another show of her serious side, Chiaisei realized. 

—I can imagine so. Not that such concepts fall within my own expertise, of course. That humility is a core strength of a student and a scholar is something I have little doubt of, though. 

—Indeed. The wisdom the sisterhood believes in involves embracing the idea of never surpassing learning, so a flexible mind is an essential part of maintaining it. The act itself can be quite a struggle for the ageless, or so I've heard. — Her confidence did not seem to belong to one who had heard as much from others. There didn't seem to be any doubt to her words, after all. 

—I see… Then is it fair to assume you believe most who ignore the longevity factor, as you said, fall somewhere in the spectrum of that delusion? — The position of the sister in itself was something Chiaisei already found somewhat clear, but she determined it would be more interesting to let it reach its conclusion entirely. 

—Of course. Love is something that relies on compatible parts, Chiaisei. They don't need to be identical, yet if completely uneven a mutual connection becomes impossible. And for creatures with so much in common in regards to their appearance, elves and humans are incredibly uneven when paired. Ignoring those differences is far harder as the ones on higher ground as well, as the losses from the mismatch are often aimed at us. Denying these attachments isn't required of us, yet entertaining them would be irresponsible, past what we consider standard within friendships. Does that answer your questions? 

—Yes. Though I wonder if Fasnilthar is fully aware of this? 

—Probably so. She seems to be experienced in how we think. I doubt she would have been around two of my kind for years on end without clarifying these same points. — This sentence seemed to mark the return of a less serious Nalfimiria. 

—I suppose. She is exactly the type who would ask these questions directly as well, and I can't think of many reasons why those two would avoid this topic. You sound far more secretive than either of them and shared it without worry, after all. — From this point, the conversation quickly deviated from its original serious tone. 

From there, their bath proceeded as one might expect. At first the talk surrounded casual themes, yet at some point Nalfimiria began asking Chiaisei about matters concerning her areas of research as well, to better understand what sparked the girl's interest for that morning's inquiries. Chiaisei said this curiosity came about due to her studies in societal history, and how that information might be of significance to any field connected to studying the past. As she put it then, if the memories of people could be meddled with through magic easily, and the ones doing so had been using this form maliciously, there was no telling how accurate the history of their world truly was. Even in matters of recent history, there was no guarantee the historians involved remembered the events portrayed correctly, or if the reports from the media on them were accurate in the first place. The sister made sure to comfort her in two ways, though. 

The first one, was that seeing as the Greater Ones protected members of the sisterhood or those connected to it from these effects, she knew the history they taught was precise in its retellings of facts. That, and though from what she heard there were some issues with how ancient history had been written, the Great Sisters never collaborated to such an effort, a statement Chiaisei had no trouble with accepting. This kind of action didn't fit in with other efforts of the Greater Aspects, and had they the wish too, they likely would have far more effective ways of exerting dominance over the intelligent kinds of their world. Especially since the position of most of these societies was dependent on the cooperation and aid from the Great Six. This also did confirm to the girl some aspects of the phenomena she had observed the previous day, namely that the Greater Ones likely weren't the cause of it. Yet she still doubted Nalfimiria would be willing to give her a complete answer. 

Either way, by the time she was finished, preparing herself to leave their home again didn't take long. Through Finarkzir, she knew based on the timing of their return that Fasnilthar and Senshinzako would be arriving at their place shortly after she left. And though this tempted the girl briefly, ultimately she decided against waiting for their return, so that she could get done with her annotations as soon as possible, even if she liked the idea of having Fasnilthar accompany her through part of her walk that day. As someone who was also connected to the sisterhood, Chiaisei was interested in conducting that same interview with Senshinzako as well. Though she figured that he of all people likely would be around their house through the entire day, either way. Finding the timing for asking him those matters would have been as simple as waiting for him to be forced to take a break to recover, due to his almost constant daily usage of Iscathnerin. She did also decide that looking for a chance to interview Sowanarcistvir as well might be productive. Also to figure out whether this kind of information was available among government connected groups of mages, and whether it could be accessed by knights or practitioners of this sort still early into their careers. 

Despite pondering on these possibilities, Chiaisei carried on with her research regardless. The information she found was more or less compatible with her expectations and the previous responses of that day, being that the characteristics of the phenomena remained consistent on all interviews, or at least in all of those not directly connected to the sisterhood. And the fact that among those who weren't under the same effects the reappearance of those memories generally occurred as a result of some form of contact with the sisterhood, this also served to affirm the point Nalfimiria had hinted at. Namely that the sisterhood had been protecting Chiaisei from these symptoms over her life, most likely. The questions regarding the gifts of the Greater Ones also maintained their pattern, though the replies to those questions were far more vague than the memories connected to the evaluation of each of those mage's affinity. 

Having finished this part of her self appointed duties, the girl then proceeded to another task she chose for herself. Namely, to start a brief investigation into one of her coworkers, specifically Sowanarcistvir. Or rather, the goal behind it was entirely on his patron's identity. If looking for information about his was during this effort was possible, it was entirely preferable, as far as Chiaisei was concerned. Yet it remained as a fact that the girl deemed finding information on his employer to be of high priority. Other than Nalfimiria herself, Chiaisei was the only member of that unit with the skill to speak to ones in positions of power, automatically making this a duty she couldn't evade. And considering the disadvantage from having to potentially cover for Senshinzako and Fasnilthar in a conversation like that, Chiaisei felt it mandatory to seek information on her potential opponent. This might not have been her field of expertise, though the girl knew enough about the topic to understand how much harder the gap in knowledge would make this chat. 

As a result, Chiaisei made plans to get in contact with a knight she and Fasnilthar had known during the girl's instruction period. Like Sowanar, she was a titled knight, hence the girl figured it might be a good place to start her search, supposing she managed to get any answers out of her. As Chiaisei had the impression, Titled Champions were rare enough among the knights to where they likely could keep track of all the colleagues who shared this title in a similar age group within a certain country. There was no guarantee Hinlainys would offer her any information, as perhaps she would have a certain amount of duty to keep this secret, depending on this patreon's identity. 

Still, with the possibility of a lead in mind, the girl went to a nearby messaging room in order to order a delivery of hers to this knight, through the order in which she worked. She chose to write the message through the device instead of a letter, to make sure it was sent as soon as possible, considering she didn't know how easy it would have been for her schedule to match Hinlainys's, and she wanted to avoid asking the unit for a rest day simply so that she could take care of this matter. With that aspect of her preparation done, Chiaisei returned to their home, where she conducted the interviews with Senshinzako and Sowanarcistvir, and spent the rest of that day, for the most part. And this will mark the end for this section of mine. Until the next one, farewell.