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Interlude – The Titan’s Question is the 62nd chapter of Volume 6 and the 9th chapter of Book 13, The Empress of Beasts.
Synopsis[edit | edit source]
The chapter takes place about a month after the Games of Daquin, where Wil Kallinad and Umina Caxical emerged victorious, thus earning the right to ask the Titan a question of their choosing.
It starts off with the students of the Titan's school being informed of the results of a test Niers had set up for educational purposes. Each student had to outfit and supply a small division of soldiers, for which Niers had set up a fake town with hired [Merchants], [Swindlers], [Courtesans] and other classes, unbeknownst to the students.
Much to Niers' amusement, Venaz volunteers to have the result of his test read aloud, which he regrets after learning that he, like many others, failed after having had to deal with unsavory classes and circumstances. Notably, Wil Kallinad managed to get the third best result.
Close to the end of the class, with Perorn having taken over to speed up the proclamation of results, Niers teases Umina by initially calling out to her and then asking her to remember to write down her name on reports the next time.
After class, the members of the Titan's advanced class find themselves arguing whether or not Wil and Umina should just ask Niers to have their questions answered instead of waiting for him to bring it up. Venaz argues that the whole situation is a test of courage and that the professor is waiting for them to take the first step. Marian's of the opinion that Wil and Umina should wait for Niers to approach them when the time is right.
Being invested in the discussion, with all other students being curious as to what Umina and Wil will ask, they find that they caught up to their teachers in the building. With Perorn, Foliana and Niers present, Jekilt gathers up the courage and humbly asks Niers when Umina and Wil will be able to ask their question, with Niers replying that his schedule is beyond full at the moment. Wil, noting that Niers' reply was unusually snappish and that the summer break was drawing close, decides to demand to ask the question today; Umina follows suit and does the same.
Niers agrees and Perorn tells him that she knew they'd do it within a month. As it turns out, this too was a test, as he wanted them to demand to ask the question, instead of request. Perorn and Niers had even made a bet for an amulet on when the students would ask. Relieved, the students leave to get a drink.
During their outing, the students discuss several things and the question of what Umina and Wil are going to ask comes up. Wil states that he'll ask a question that's to the benefit of his family, one of the reasons being that he relied on them to have the fleet present at Daquin. Another topic is the different kinds of nobility on Terandria, their family structures and how they manage their offspring. Having been explained some parts of it, most of the present group agrees that it's freaky and weird.
Jekilt tries to buy the right to ask the question off of Umina or Wil; Kissilt gets angry about this, as he wanted to do the same. Xelic, pitching in on the ensuing argument, tries to provide pointers on what to ask and states that a [Merchant] friend of his has a similar offer to Kissilt's and Jekilt's.
With everyone trying to convince the two victorious students that their question is very important, Wil and Umina manage to flee the scene with the help of Venaz and Marian. After their escape, Venaz conspiratorially confides in the two that he has a list of three unrecovered seafaring ships that sunk while bearing relic-class artifacts; Umina and Wil flee again, this time from Venaz.
The time has finally come; Wil and Umina meet Niers in his private quarters, both of them having dressed up for the occassion.
Having entered Niers' quarters, both of them notice how it has been adapted to fit Niers; tiny possessions and Fraerling technology next to huge furniture.
Their meeting continues in a convenial and leisurely way with food and drink. Niers informs the two students that he has cleared his schedule for the entire night, and that they are his guests. They shouldn't worry about their questions but rather relax and ask him anything they want to within reason. The Titan tells them that he doesn't make the victorious students of his tests march in one by one to ask their questions, but rather invites them to a conversation as people, not as student and teacher in a school setting. The evening is supposed to be a dialogue and discussion, with the question being the end.
During their dialogue, Niers tells them about Tulm, what he thinks the purpose of secrets is, what made him become a [Strategist] and many other things in a very relaxed and cozy atmosphere. Wil also asks Niers about his battle with the King of Destruction's [Strategist], Queravia.
We jump to later on in the night, the bowls of snacks mostly depleted and bottles emptied, Wil steps into the room once again, with only the Titan present to ask his question. Wil had won a contest with Umina to decide who got to ask their question first.
Wil's Question[edit | edit source]
Q1: What is the most valuable piece of information that will aid the Kallinad family at this moment?
Niers, enquiring whether this is his question or his father's, states that he will answer to the spirit of it, but would like to know what Wil really wanted to ask.
Q2 (unofficial): What is the greatest treasure or mystery of this world that you know of concretely that has yet to be uncovered, Professor? To clarify—how may it be found? What are the dangers? Where would one begin searching?
The professor says that it's a good question and asks Wil if he'd like to have that one answered instead, which Wil declines.
Answer to Q1 (shortened): Your cousin Girent, who is a member of house du Havrington, is marrying Lady Cassicel du Havrington; the marriage is a sham.
Umina's Question[edit | edit source]
Q1 (unofficial): Am I special? Do I stand out? As a student? A1 (shortened): No.
After explaining his reasoning for the answer, Umina asks another question.
Q2: What is the identity of your mysterious chess opponent? A2 (shortened): Declines to answer.
Niers explains to Umina that the question is too dangerous and that previous questions have gotten students killed, among other reasons. Umina agrees to ask a different question.
Q3: What was the answer to the question Tulm the Mithril was going to ask you if he won at Daquin?
After initially declining to answer again, he answers the question faithfully, but we only learn the actual answer later on in the chapter.
A3 (verbatim): No, you idiot. You got a young one. There are more. Perhaps on Baleros, but I know of two on Izril. They walk among us. Leave them alone.
Niers, after the having answered both questions and the students having left, states the answer to Umina's first question has changed. No other student had been as hard to predict.
Lying in bed, the pieces fell into place for Umina: Dragons.
Wil, preparing a message with the answer to his father, is visited by Foliana who erases his memory with a [Erase Memory] scroll and then takes the paper Wil had drafted his message on and swallows it. She then hands him a a short missive from Niers which explains their reasoning.
A question on someone else's behalf is no real question, in his mind. However, he is aware of a number of sea-based locations which the Forgotten Wing Company has not been able to explore so far. A list with those locations is attached to the letter. Furthermore, he urges them to try to back before the end of their summer break. Additionally, Wil's father should direct any of his inquiries to him directly.
Characters[edit | edit source]
- Niers Astoragon
- Niers's Advanced Students
- Feshi Weatherfur (Surname Revealed)
- Cameral
- Yerranola
- Venaz
- Umina Caxical
- Wil Kallinad
- Marian Felthof
- Xelic
- Kissilt
- Jekilt
- Niers' Officer Students
- Perorn Sadiluc
- ? - Drake Teacher (First Appearance)
- Isheil (First Appearance)
- Foliana
Mentioned Characters[edit | edit source]
- Delicha Kallinad (First Time Mentioned)
- Tulm
- Grimalkin
- Queravia
- Flos Reimarch
- Thivian Stormless
- Girent Kallinad (First Time Mentioned)
- Du Havrington family (First Time Mentioned)
- Cassicel Havrington
- Bedil Havrington
Locations[edit | edit source]
- Baleros
- Elvallian
Items[edit | edit source]
- Magical Chessboard
- Saverian Red - Wine
- Magically Purified Water
- Yellats
- Magical Go board
- Laleday’s Triumph - Ship (Mentioned)
- Mooncaller’s Quiver (Mentioned)
Notes[edit | edit source]
- This Chapter has multiple Hidden Texts that needs to be Highlighted to be seen. They are about Foliana spying on Nier's students, which are:
- and Foliana…
- Foliana drank out of Xelic’s mug with a straw.
- Foliana shook the liquid off her fur as she stood next to him.
- Foliana was stealing Kissilt’s shrimp.
- Foliana took another from Kissilt’s bowl.
- Foliana watched him with interest as she chewed on a still-wriggling shrimp.
- And he looked at Foliana and she nodded.
- Foliana stood behind him.
- And Foliana cleared her throat.
- And Foliana was there, staring at him.
- He looked at Foliana.