- Nino: I'm honored you'd go that far for us!
- Nino: Really, though, we wouldn't want to trouble you any more than we already have.
- Nino: To be honest... I'm a bit exhausted from the trip.
- Nino: I'd rather stay a bit longer and rest well before leaving.
- Nino: Might as well take the opportunity to relax, I figure!
- Nino: We'll go home later, so...
- Solis: Sure.
- Solis: So, I'll escort you after you've rested plenty.
- Solis: That's perfectly fine.
- Nino: Huh, really? But we might be staying here a good while...
- Nino: Plus, I thought you had patrol work to do!
- Nino: Did I hear you wrong earlier?
- Solis: No... but it's perfectly fine to postpone things to tend to guests.
- Nino: I see, I see. How kind of you.
- Nino: That reminds me of something, though.
- Nino: When you said you'd lead us to this town...
- Nino: You also said that we'd better hurry,
- Nino: "Before more spirits show up".
- Nino: Isn't that a little weird?
- Solis: ...What's strange about it?
- Solis: Protecting the lives of the desert's visitors is my job.
- Solis: Your wellbeing is my responsibility, Mino.
A dependable guide, an overseer, a caretaker for the people of this desert...
He never denies these parts.
He never denies these parts.
This is his domain, and you're discussing a field in which he is an expert.
That much is certain.
Nino: Just find some way to get away from him for now.
- Nino: But your exorcism should've cleared the entire area permanently.
- Nino: That's what you said, isn't it? So, knowing that...
- Nino: I just think it's a bit odd you claimed we needed to hurry.
- Nino: Maybe... you were just trying to rush us to follow you?
- Solis: ...Why? What would I gain from that?
- Solis: I've only lead you to safety here for your own good.
- Solis: I even offered to protect you on your return trip, Mino.
- Nino: Right. I wonder if you really do intend to protect us.
- Nino: Because, if that were the case...
- Nino: You'd also teach us how to permanently kill a spirit, wouldn't you?
- Nino: I imagine there's nothing safer than that.
- Solis: ...Have you considered that I just don't want to do that?
Bullshit.
This guy would love to teach others anything he can.
This guy would love to teach others anything he can.
After all, he's been very comfortable playing the role of a guide whenever you asked for his advice before. Yet, when the topic shifted to exorcisms...
He suddenly becomes this tight-lipped?
Yeah, horseshit.
- Nino: Well, if that's the case, then that's fair.
- Nino: I just think that it's what I'd do if I were in your shoes, at least!
- Nino: But I guess you have your reasons to refuse me,
- Nino: However nonsensical they may seem, anyway.
- Solis: Sigh... Listen.
- Solis: I meant it when I said you wouldn't be able to do it.
- Nino: ...So you really are special, after all?
- Solis: That's right.
- Solis: Only I can exorcise spirits.
- Solis: So don't bother trying to learn.
- Nino: ...Well jeez, okay!
- Nino: You should've just said that from the beginning, Helios.
- Nino: So, if that's the case...
- Nino: Then is it your job to go around purifying places for everyone else?
- Solis: ...Only if I'm permitted to.
- Solis: It's not something to be done without authorization.
- Nino: Huh? Why do you need permission for that?
- Nino: Wouldn't your exorcisms just benefit everyone...?
- Solis: Why are you so interested in knowing more?
- Nino: ...Ah, is this...
- Nino: Something I shouldn't be asking about?
Nino: Stop pushing him about this, dumbass!
No, not yet!
Can't you see how much you're getting out of this?
Can't you see how much you're getting out of this?
It might seem like you're just being risky, but this is actually exactly what you need right now: Something he does NOT want to talk about.
- Solis: Just between you and me,
- Solis: No, not really.
- Nino: What, is it a government secret or something?
- Solis: ...Who knows?
- Solis: That may or may not be the case.
- Solis: But there's no reason for you to know which it is.
- Nino: Huuuh, you're so blunt with your words now, Helios!
- Nino: Why are you so on edge?
- Nino: I didn't think me asking anything like that would be such a big deal!
- Solis: ...
Nino: You're being stupid.
No you're not!!!
Shut up, stupid intrusive thoughts!
Shut up, stupid intrusive thoughts!
Be quiet, and just watch and learn, okay?
Being passive won't do you any favors with this guy, you know.
- Solis: Please be completely honest, Mino.
- Solis: Are you scared of me?
- Nino: ...Whatever do you mean?
- Solis: A person who has nothing to fear doesn't need to hide behind a single lie.
- Solis: Yet, you were dishonest earlier.
- Solis: Perhaps you're hiding something from me.
- Nino: You think... I'm afraid of you?
- Nino: Haha, sure, I was intimidated when we first met,
- Nino: But all that fear kinda just disappeared now.
- Nino: I'm too mad at you to be scared anymore.
- Solis: ...
--/-->
- Nino: So your hospitality was all just an act, huh?
- Nino: You lead a guest into an interrogation.
- Nino: Then you questioned his cautiousness,
- Nino: And you didn't just stop there.
- Nino: You even used it to accuse him of lying.
- Nino: What do you think I could be hiding from you?
- Nino: Because I sure don't have a clue what you're on about!
- Solis: ...How about you begin by pointing out what claims of yours were true, and which weren't, Mino? If you do that, I'll gladly answer you.
- Nino: Hahahaha!
- Nino: What if I don't want to?
- Nino: That's fine, right?
--/-->
- Nino: If it's okay for you to keep some things to yourself,
- Nino: Then I can do the same, right?
- Solis: ...Why? You don't think I'd understand your circumstances?
- Solis: Even though you trusted me to bring you to safety?
- Solis: I'm not going to turn on you so suddenly.
- Nino: Yeah, no, that means nothing to me.
- Nino: Helios, you proved yourself a well-intentioned protector, sure,
- Nino: But I don't trust you for anything more than that!
- Solis: Why not? What about me makes you hesitate, and lie?
- Nino: ...You're basically asking me to tell you what I don't trust in you.
- Nino: That's stupid, Helios!
- Nino: Did you even think it through before suggesting it?
- Solis: ...
Nino: Tell him you've had some bad encounters in the past, and you have a hard time being honest with strangers.
- Nino: Well, not that I actually lied about anything besides the food...
- Nino: I just wanted to make the point that you're not always owed the truth, okay.
- Nino: But I really do have nothing to hide.
- Solis: ...Then why did you feel compelled to lie earlier?
He just keeps pressing you, doesn't he?
It makes you a little concerned that there might not be a "deny" option in his mind here. Maybe he wants you to be guilty.
Guilty, of being human.
That's exactly why you will never actually admit to it, no matter what.
- Nino: Well, I've had some tough experiences in the past.
- Nino: So I've just become someone who lives life very cautiously.
- Nino: As for what those experiences were...
- Nino: Don't bother asking.
- Nino: There are things that don't concern you.
- Solis: ...
--/-->
Nino: What are you thinking?
That it's payback time.
That's right, you can't stay on the defensive forever here.
This guy grilled you with hard questions long enough, now it's his turn to get a good taste of how that feels!
- Solis: ...Now you sound like the paranoid one.
- Solis: What would I have to do with that?
- Solis: It's the restaurant's job.
- Solis: Perhaps they're just understaffed today.
- Nino: Right, of course...
- Nino: It's not like you have everyone here at you beck and call,
- Nino: Ready to set up whatever scenario you need without question.
--/-->
...So quiet.
Well well, if that's how it is, then...
You'll just come out and face it.
- Nino: ...Be honest, Helios.
- Nino: What's with all these questions?
- Nino: I really do feel like a witness being interrogated.
- Solis: Why would you think that?
- Solis: Why would I be questioning you, Mino?
- Nino: ...
--/-->
That's not the real answer, of course.
"Because you suspect me of being a human" is what that would be.
"Because you suspect me of being a human" is what that would be.
But no ordinary monster would have any reason to make that kind of an assumption. Just having the thought alone is enough to condemn you guilty, most likely.
If such a statement must be made...
Then it'll come from him, admitting what's really on his mind.
As for you, a false front like this is necessary. In the end, all that matters is achieving the goal of pushing back on his questioning.
- Nino: After all, I've never heard of an exorcism before.
- Nino: Who could've imagined that there was a way to permanently remove so many spirits, and in such a short amount of time?
- Solis: ...
- Nino: Helios, I wasn't so sure before, but now...
- Nino: I'm almost certain that something's up.
- Nino: I even suspect that you, since the very start,
- Nino: Might have been leading us here specificially.
- Nino: And you might even intend to do something to silence us.
- Nino: Maybe you planned to draw us into a false sense of security in this inn,
- Nino: Then you'd suddenly strike, and cover it up, or something?
- Solis: What... is that really what's on your mind?
- Solis: What would make you think such a thing?
- Nino: Well, you started asking me questions.
- Nino: It was fine at first... but things started to feel off the more it went on. You were really scrutinizing with some of it...
- Nino: So yeah, I got worried fast!
- Nino: And maybe I ended up acting a little overly paranoid because of that.
- Nino: It's fine if I lied just once as a result, right? I hope you don't have a problem with someone lying to protect their life, Helios.
--/-->
- Solis: ...You have a wild imagination, Mino.
- Solis: I have no such ploy in place.
- Nino: ...
- Solis: And you really are way too paranoid...
- Solis: It would be unthinkable for anyone here to turn on a guest,
- Solis: Even if I were to hypothetically give such an order.
- Solis: After all, I am not the prince.
He must be pretty confused, huh?
By all measures, you should be the one feeling cornered here, but he doesn't feel like he has that advantage over you right now. And he never will.
By all measures, you should be the one feeling cornered here, but he doesn't feel like he has that advantage over you right now. And he never will.
You'll make sure of that.
- Solis: It is true that exorcisms aren't wildly known across the world,
- Solis: But their existence isn't exactly total secret, either.
- Solis: In fact, there are residents here who have witnessed one or two being performed, and I've left them to live their lives completely unbothered.
- Solis: It only seems unique to outsiders like you.
- Solis: Obviously, I wouldn't detain someone for simply having observed one happen.
- Solis: So please, relax.
- Nino: ...Helios, after all I've seen here,
- Nino: Words like these aren't going to placate me at all.
- Nino: I know you have some kind of problem with me...
- Nino: And maybe with my friend, too.
- Nino: Because even though you say it's fine to witness an exorcism,
- Nino: You still dodged a lot of my questions about them.
- Nino: Seems to me my curiousity is what you don't approve of.
- Solis: ...
- Nino: Really, aren't you... suspecting me of something?
--/-->
thye wont stop yapping send help
Nino's cooked isn't he?
beaten, battered and quite possibly deep fried.
Nino: You did it, he said it, congrats. Now don't fuck this up.
Solis: Be upfront about your suspicions, for real this time.
Mei: Immediately cut to you at this critical moment. How're you doing?
Nino: A human? What's that? You bet they don't even eat SAND like any self respecting monster would. Eat some sand to prove your monsterness.
Nino: Isn't you avoiding your "possible" humanity to get him to admit it exactly what a human avoiding detection would try to do? Your continued dishonesty has done nothing to cease his suspicion, and pushing him on what he refuses to tell you has only fed it. Still, now that the matter is out in the open, you're better off focusing on it directly instead of dancing around the matter, unless you'd prefer cremation over burial.
Mei: Hey, you doing alright up there? There's probably a lot on your mind, but Nino may be about to die via burning alive unless you save the stupid human.
Aria and Reed: Name the spirit.
Nino: Pause out of "surprise," then politely re-inform him that your friend is a Winged, not human.
Nino: Humans? Don't they eat babies? (Of momsters, which are monster moms.)
Nino: Why would a human knowing about exorcisms benefit them if no one but Helios is capable of them?
Nino: How would a human even get to the monster world?
Nino: Why would you be working with a human? It's rude of him to even suggest as much.
Nino: So he think you, Avery "Minos" Nolastname, a respectable semi-nomadic monster from hailing from Red Tulip Town of Akkarmara, would work with a human? Laugh at him.
Nino: Nino, you need to act like a normal monster trusting of this monster authority who saved you, because you want to fit in.
Nino: You should listen to your intrusive thoughts more
They have watched & learned that being active aren't doing you any favors with this guy either.
Nino: Ask him if he thinks a monster like you could get humans to trust you.
Nino: If he starts talking about the fact that you came from the broken barrier, explain that after someone you trusted from Red Tulip town turned out to be a human, you didn't trust anyone from there anymore and ran away, which ended up in this mess.
Finally, Nino: Then ask him why you would ever trust a human again after they betrayed your and monster kind's trust.
Nino must return to his gaslighting era.