Gawain froze for a moment, then slowly sat down behind his desk with a solemn expression. He looked into Veronica's eyes and saw that this Ancient Defiant's expression was more grave than ever before... so grave that it felt almost oppressive.
The gentle smile that resembled a "mask" had vanished from her face at some point. With no outsiders present, the true Ophelia Norton stood before Gawain.
"There are some things you did not wish to say, so I never asked," Gawain said slowly, watching Veronica. "As an Ancient Gondor soul who has survived to this day, you have never explained in detail how you survived the great explosion in the imperial capital, nor have you explained your current form of existence. As a Defiant wandering the human world, you have also never explained where your intelligence about the wasteland comes from."
Veronica stood quietly across the desk. After several seconds of silence, she finally spoke softly. "If you must know, then now I can..."
"No. If you do not wish to speak of it, I still will not force you," Gawain said, shaking his head. "I only want to say that I have given you enough trust and... tolerance. That requires a corresponding degree of honesty. You have the right to keep secrets involving your privacy or your bottom line, but if something may threaten the nations beyond the barrier, I hope you can tell me frankly."
Veronica closed her eyes briefly, then suddenly bent at the waist and gave Gawain an exceedingly solemn salute. Her voice remained as gentle and pleasant as ever, yet it seemed to carry a little more warmth than before. "Please forgive my previous unilateral decision in this matter. I did not intend to conceal anything. I had simply grown too accustomed to deductions