’Ah, my head.’

Still reeling from tasting Diligence’s power, Vale began rubbing his forehead.

"Diligence...?"

"Yes?"

"Just... what is your goal?"

The reflection of the beautiful woman smiled warmly.

"Oh, why, I believe you already know that. You’ve figured out I’m an oracle, have you not? And the only thing an oracle wants is to see their desired future."

Vale took in a deep breath.

"Yeah... yeah, I get that. But what is that future? What is the end you seek?"

Diligence spoke in a honeyed tone.

"Now, there are two questions an oracle will never answer. Their goals, and what they’re going to do to achieve those goals."

Vale grumbled as he looked over at his sword frozen in time.

"Well... why did you want me to use that sword on you? From what I can see, my Trait worked just fine without it."

Diligence chuckled warmly — a familial laugh that eased Vale’s soul despite the grating pressure it was under.

"Would you not rather talk face to face?"

Vale’s eyes studied the blade, remembering the description of [Domain]; its first Enchantment.

[Domain] - [Erase the world of obstacles. Nowhere to hide. Nowhere to run. Leave only you and your enemy.]

"Oh?" Vale’s eyes narrowed. "You’re not contained in the water because you want to be there, are you?"

"Now, now, Lust. These waters are quite cozy and comfy."

Vale glanced over toward the dam of human bodies. The horrid dam he could only see bits and pieces of due to the glowing flowers surrounding him, some of which had fallen in the water and intertwined with the bones.

"Really? Cozy and comfy, huh?"

The reflection smiled, uncaring for the dead imprisoned alongside her.

"But you’re right. I was imprisoned here. Three hundred and fifty years ago."

Vale’s eyes went wide.

’Huh...? But...’

"The Scar wasn’t around then. Why lie?"

"Lie? Oh, dear Lust, I know I’m a Hero of Virtue, and it’s hard for you, a Vice, to trust me. But I spoke no lies. No, no. It is history which lies."

Vale looked up at the frozen waterfall.

"Huh?"

"In fact, I was imprisoned here the day the Scar was formed. The day the heavens crashed down and fought the soil. The day part of the world was lost. The day Despair was chained with Dawn’s silk."

Vale’s stare stayed listlessly fixed on the falls.

"Diligence... are you meaning to say you know what happened? How the Lost Expanse was formed? And... Despair? That man... he’s here? Is he alive?"

Diligence’s reflection’s lips split into a wide grin.

"I know a lot of things, Lust. Mainly in part because I’ve been here to witness it all. Yet, some secrets are not mine to tell. Don’t stress, you’ll learn in due time. Or maybe it’s better to say... you’ll witness it all."

Vale, too exasperated and lethargic to press her, asked languidly:

"Why can’t you tell me?"

"Because there’s a time and a place to learn the past."

’But... why?’

Why would knowing now hurt what Diligence wanted? Why was it something that had to wait?

Just what reaction was Diligence wishing to delay?

"You know... you’re almost as insufferable as Greed."

"I’ll take that as a compliment. That woman will do great things. And despite her terrible, twisted relationship with fate, she’s done well to escape its clutches. Not that she’ll be able to do so forever."

Vale brought his head back down and let his eyes narrow on the reflection. But it wasn’t Diligence on his mind now, but Greed...

What did Diligence mean by a ’twisted relationship’ with fate?

Just what had, and will, Greed go through?

What strenuous ruminations were being forced upon him...

Vale couldn’t help but conclude that at least some of it was a distraction.

After all, Diligence trying to control his mind to use [Dominion] had now been half glossed over.

Sure, Diligence possessed a wealth of information Vale needed. But he had to keep in mind not to dance to her tune.

Thankfully, if Vale’s conjecture was correct about [World Without Witness] existing in the mind, he wasn’t as disadvantaged as he should be.

Hanging his head, Vale looked down at a glowing flower between his feet.

"Hey, Diligence..." Vale picked his head up and stared at the reflection. "Why should I trust anything you say after you tried to get Kindness to kill me? And after you killed Salome..."

The oracle of the waterfall simply laughed.

"I believe we both know that to be false. If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead. As for the second thing you said..."

Diligence clapped, then added:

"Mias. What a man you’ve summoned! I’ve never seen anyone without a power of a seer direct fate to the degree he did. Truly, he is an impressive man."

"That boy who ran off? What about him?"

"Oh, Lust. I know only half of him ran off. I also know Salome still lives."

Vale clenched his fist, then stomped to his feet.

"You are an insolent bitch to speak of someone you killed. What do you get out of provoking me?!"

Diligence sighed.

"Oh, come on, Lust. Stop it with the crass language. I will admit, I wanted her to die. I believe Mias has already explained to you how fate works, yes? Well, in the many futures I witnessed, Salome and Ximena never ended up getting along. And, in the end, the succubus always killed the owl. The owl who will be much more useful to you in the future."

Vale growled upon hearing Diligence utter their names as if she intimately knew them.

Diligence continued:

"There was also one path where the two actually got along; however, the branches to that end were so ambiguous even I didn’t know how to reach that conclusion. So, I concluded it was better to get rid of her than to chance it. But Mias played me. He played me well. And I later realized he was the reason fate became so clouded and muddled."

Vale grit his teeth.

"Yeah... he is quite the bastard. But stop speaking ill of the dead."