Chapter 13: An Answer
It took nearly an hour of idle chatter and awkward hovering before the princess and Lianna finally left. The princess had tried to feed him sweet buns, while Lianna had alternated between making barbed comments and studying him with suspicious eyes, as if she thought he was faking his condition.
When the door finally closed behind them, Grim slumped back against his pillows with relief.
"Finally," he muttered, then focused his thoughts inward. "Alright, voice. Just you and me now. Time for some answers."
Silence.
"Don't start this shit now. I know you're there," Grim insisted mentally. "What are you, really? And don't give me that 'I know what you know' bullshit again."
[I am... restricted in what I can reveal,] the voice finally responded.
"Restricted by what? Or whom?" Grim pressed. "The god who sent me here?"
[That is a reasonable assumption.]
Grim's frustration mounted. Always these vague, elusive answers that revealed nothing useful.
"Fine. Let's try something else. You know things about this world's cultivation that I couldn't possibly know. You understood what was happening when I reached 100% capacity. You know about this 'restarting' ability. So clearly, you have independent knowledge. Why pretend otherwise?"
[I am... permitted to provide certain information under specific circumstances,] the voice admitted reluctantly. [Your reaching 100% capacity triggered such a circumstance.]