Vale asked a few more questions, trying to understand what the hell was going on, but at some point even Diligence could not, or didn’t want to, answer them.

For example, Diligence didn’t even understand his prophecy wholly — or she didn’t want to explain it.

But if it were the former...

’It won’t come to fruition until over fifty years in the future.’

However, from what he knew about either Sloth, he had discerned which one had given it.

As for the Slothy situation as a whole...

He had a grasp of everything going on with Sloth, but also no way to truly comprehend that enigmatic being or the breadth of her machinations.

Sitting on the water, Vale bounced his leg while pushing his thumb under and around his pointer finger repeatedly.

Despite his initial confrontation with Diligence ending up with him writhing in emotional distress on the rocky floor, they’d somewhat moved into an amicable territory where Vale was much too immersed in what she had to say to care about enforcing a grudge.

Also, the sheer scale of what was being revealed to him had somewhat shocked his mind into tranquility.

Sure, he’d had his personal revelation and all, that he’d stick it to fate, but that didn’t change what Diligence had revealed to him.

Fleur was apparently here, on Pandora, and close.

Seeing that no further information could be garnered about Sloth, Vale decided to satiate his harrowing curiosity.

"Fleur... you said she’s close. What did you mean?"

The reflection of Diligence laughed.

"Technically it is a splinter of their soul which is nearby, but let me tell you this... Not as a measure of annoyance with you but as a warning, don’t go looking for the soul. Finding it will bring more harm than relief. I’d only revealed its existence to shake you, but I promise the pursuit of unveiling that truth will only rehash the wounds of old."

Vale took a deep breath in as he listened to the dancing flames around him. No longer having a breakdown, he tried his best to analyze everything that’s happened.

In the end, he came to one conclusion.

The one he’d come to about three times at this point, but he felt he’d reached it for real — that it wasn’t just a lie he said, but a truth he’d act on.

"I see. I guess it’s time I let her go."

Love what he had — to not tear apart his future to relive the past.

’Not say, but do...’

Vale drew his head high, then looked at the night sky above.

"Is it going to rain tomorrow?"

"Oh? That’s an odd question... but, yes, it is. It will be quite the downpour. But don’t worry, the flood won’t reach your dungeon."

Vale nodded, then brought his head down.

At first, he didn’t even know why he’d asked such a thing, but as he realized, a dim smile tugged at his lips.

’Tomorrow...’

"Diligence... where is Mias, the half with Kindness?"

The reflection mirrored Vale’s smile.

"I was waiting for this question..."

After a slight pause, she continued:

"It’s time for a little history lesson. This is the most I will tell you about the Lost Expanse, so don’t expect any more..."

Upon hearing the name of that dreadful, mysterious place, Vale’s eyes fell upon the dainty oracle’s reflection with reverent curiosity.

"300 years ago, Despair was making his preparations to take over Pandora with the Masters of Vice at his side. What he didn’t expect was that Sloth, who’d been aiding his plans, had a secondary motive of her own. She’d set the stage for Despair to succeed, then fail. And by fail, she meant be deposed as fate’s chosen hero. However..."

’Despair...?’

Vale’s eyes narrowed as he thought of that man.

The ’academic predecessor’ to Mias.

Diligence continued:

"Despair was a tricky man to deal with, even for an oracle. Not even Sloth possessed the means to eradicate the man, leading to her plan of confinement. To that end, she guided the Master of Vice Sloth into orchestrating a battle to seal Despair. The battle which left untold scars upon the land. And, when the dust settled, they’d succeeded."

’Untold scars...’

That would have to be The Terracotta Scar and the Lost Expanse, no?

An odd glint formed in the corner of Diligence’s eye.

"Despair had indeed crossed into this world without using a tether mechanism, but he did so in such a convoluted way of shattering the concept of his very being into innumerable fragments. It’s not important for you to understand. But, what is important is that to seal Despair, Sloth had used eight Dungeon Cores to trap the idea of him..."

’Trap the idea of him?’

That made... absolutely no sense!

Vale nodded along like he understood as she went on.

"Those eight Dungeon Cores exist in pocket dimensions and are spread across the Lost Expanse, making it, in a sense, one gigantic dungeon."

’Mias did say it felt alive...’

So such a thing lined up with what he knew, seeing as Dungeons were an organism of sorts.

He also detailed sensing a grid like flow of Aether from the pillar he saw.

Vale, staring at the churning waters, asked:

"What does this have to do with Mias and Kindness?"

"I’m getting there..." Diligence smiled. "Despair is bound by these Dungeon Cores, but that does not mean he will die if they are destroyed, else it would have been done long ago... Instead, he will be freed if all eight are destroyed."

"And...?"

"Those two have stumbled into one of the pocket dimensions. One with no way out but to break the Dungeon Core and undo one of the seals."

"Huh?! How are they supposed to survive?!"

They were much too weak to contend with a being able to split the ground apart!

Let alone, even if they did, they’d make progress toward unleashing Despair?!

Now, Vale didn’t know anything about that man, but he did know he was bad news. Bad news who even Sloth couldn’t control.

But, Vale did develop a twisted sense of reverence for the guy...

’I want to be like him.’

Someone so dangerous and powerful that not even fate could kill.

Diligence added:

"For each seal undone, the trials within the Seal Dungeons become harder. But, since none have been conquered yet, it is manageable for them. Oh, and each one has a theme, how neat!"