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    “Well, are you going to get the HQ set up?”


    “Hmm, you weren’t this… Military-ish on our last couple of delves. What’s going on with the orders?”


    “Oh, I didn’t even realize, sorry. I guess this is just the first time I’ve felt like I was really in control of a squad. My old team had a similar composition and I just fell into routine. My apologies.”


    “I’m not mad or anything, I was just caught off guard. Knowing you were a soldier is one thing, seeing you act like one is another. Honestly, most of the time you act like an elite delver, so I guess I just associated you more with them in my mind. Still, having a party leader isn’t a bad thing, and I sure as fuck don’t want it to be me, so I’m find with you taking a more commanding role.”


    “Being a leader is a skill, not a personality. If you don’t want to, that is fine, but don’t speak as if you couldn’t. In fact, if I had to choose a second in command you would be my first choice.”


    “What! Ark would be a much better choice!”


    “I don’t disagree that she would be a fantastic leader. Besides some issues with her confidence, she is perfect for a leading role in a party dynamic. Her raw charisma and determination are admirable, and her intelligence can’t be scoffed at either, but you have something she doesn’t. A cautious and strategic mind. If something were to happen to me, I would be confident in you getting everyone out safely. Not to mention your raw versatility now that you know how to make spells.”


    “You can’t know that! I’m a nervous wreck in dangerous situations!”


    “No, I’m pretty certain. Not only because I have spent the last few weeks literally sharing a soul with you, which I feel is significant to mention, but also because despite the stress you''re feeling right now you haven’t made a single mistake in constructing a house with magic. Something I know takes immense concentration considering I was forced to sit through a twelve hour lesson.”


    “Ah- T- That has nothing to do with combat ability or leadership, though! That just means that I can concentrate on magic well, something that even I could have told you!”


    “Oh, so you’re telling me that concentrating on a complex task while under stress says nothing about your potential ability as a leader? Anyway, even if you were correct, I’m not saying you would make a great party leader, just a great second in command. Though, I am also saying you would make a great party leader if you were given time to grow into it. No matter, I won’t argue this with you for longer than necessary in a dungeon, I’ll just have to convince you over time.”


    Why are they alive? Is it because of the blood thing?


    “You wanna talk about it?”


    “Hmm? What’s there to talk about?”


    “Well, I didn’t get the vibe you were talking about animals…”


    “Oh, I wasn’t. I was given a couple missions to test new chemical weapons, and part of it was seeing the effects on conscious and aware people. If it worked as an irritant, how painful it was, if it made fighting substantially harder, etcetera. Basically just a checklist. It was one of our easier missions actually.”


    “And you were just… fine with that?”


    “Yeah? Why wouldn’t I be?”


    “Rowan, buddy, this is one of those ‘Your government was still stupid evil’ moments.”


    “Oh.”


    “Was anyone else doing this? I mean, ‘Everyone else was doing it, too’ isn’t a super valid excuse, but it would make it slightly less damning towards your country at the very least.”


    “Come to think of it, no, I can’t recall the RDF or HAF doing something similar. Though, I don’t know why… I mean, if we were doing it, why weren’t they?”


    “Perhaps because it’s evil? Granted, that does seem pretty flimsy, even here governments aren’t known for caring much about ethics. Can you think of a reason they wouldn’t?”


    “Maybe… The RDF was a democracy, so that could explain them. I heard bad PR could be a nightmare for them… but why not the HAF? They were a theocracy… Maybe their divine leader just didn’t care for it?”


    “Just try to keep in mind that the military you used to work for was apparently evil. I won’t say not to use any of their training or advice, but, you know, use the golden rule.”


    “Golden rule? What’s that?”


    “Treat others as you would like to be treated. Do you not have something similar where you come from?”


    “No, I don’t think so. I’ll admit, it just sounds like a framework to keep empathy in mind, but since apparently I need that sort of thing, I’ll try to keep it in the back of my mind. Especially since I still can’t bring myself to actually care.”


    “You can’t help how you feel, only how you act. Besides, you wanted me to be the force of reason in our partnership anyway, so it’s not like I’ll let you do anything evil.”


    “I have to admit, that sounds like something you would say only moments before I do something evil.”


    “Oh shit, uh, I totally won’t stop you from trying to do something evil?”


    “T-”