"Human souls?"

Vale didn’t need her to explain. He’d understood it perfectly. But understanding had its own problems.

If what she said was correct, then Larry, Aster, and Dickless were all human souls trapped in those tiny bodies... same for his Warriors.

’How horrible...’

But as much as he wanted to doubt it, he was vaguely certain what she’d said was true.

After all, that would explain how he ’created’ life. It would also explain why they possessed skills at the moment of their summoning — those skills were reflections of the souls which had been drawn into the ’puppets’.

Diable? Sapphire? It was likely there were once two real individuals who held those abilities.

Diligence’s reflection nodded.

"Correct. But, as for Champions and beasts from the Levels... they are indeed their real selves. Mostly."

"Mostly?"

"As I’m sure you’re aware, the Champions you summon are quite complete and not shattered. Such a feat was only possible by separating the soul from the vessel, sending each over, then having the Dungeon Core reconfigure the two. However, in the reconfiguration process, the suture used was your soul."

"What? My soul... is a suture for theirs? How...?"

That would explain their lives being tied to him and the Dungeon Core. Still... it made little sense.

"As knowledgeable as I am, one field of study I lack expertise in is souls. I know the relativity involved, but not the intricacies."

Vale took a deep breath and began tapping his foot on the water.

He didn’t technically learn anything too important — or at least it wasn’t important yet — but it contextualized how the dungeon existed and operated.

Diligence added:

"About the Levels... their vessels are sent over, but unlike the Champions, only a fragment of their soul is, that fragment only containing within it basic instinct and the will to live."

So then for Awilix to become a Champion, the rest of her soul transmigrated, then was stitched together using his soul... apparently. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

’I really want to say I understand... but it’s all so conceptual and far-fetched.’

Vale tapped his knee.

"Toy doesn’t seem like that."

’Sivian, maybe...’ But not the goblin.

Diligence smiled, then added,

"Oh, but she is. [Charm] is instilling the false sense of emotions into her — while what she feels can be considered real, it can all be stripped away in a single moment. If Salome were to release her hold or die, then the goblin would return to the mindless beast she was before."

Vale took a long pause, then asked:

"Salome once told me she didn’t want to turn Toy into her Champion, calling it a curse. What did she mean?"

Diligence answered slowly.

"Champions born from your [Charm] are much different than the typical ’Champion’ the description of the ability talks about. Those Champions, born without the Dungeon Core, not only have their lives tied to their master, but also their entire essence. They are left without their own desires, holding only the desire of their master."

Vale’s eyes widened.

’Then...!’

Toy was currently being gifted the ability to feel emotions by [Charm], but if she were to become Salome’s Champion, then those emotions would become merely a reflection of Salome’s, erasing all autonomy.

’How... insidious.’

Vale breathed a sigh of relief that his ability hadn’t done that.

Or at least he didn’t think it had.

Vale muttered to himself:

"No wonder she called it a curse..."

If Vale had even thought there had been a chance of that happening to Awilix, he would have never attempted such a thing. Though it was good in a sense that he hadn’t known of the possibility, else he’d stunt his own power for no reason.

That did beg the question of Salome’s own motive in withholding that information. Then again, all Salome knew was that Vale had a similar Charm ability; how was she supposed to know the descriptions were verbatim?

The only description Vale had ever read to her was [Intermediate Shapeshifter].

As Vale’s confused looks died down, the information simmering and settling, Diligence answered his last question of that cluster.

"The other Dungeon Masters do have a system... albeit, they are much different than the intricate Vice systems; they work on Aether and Aether alone and are quite limited in function."

Vale nodded along.

’I see...’

"Do they hear the voice as well?"

The reflection placed a hand on its mouth, hiding its smile.

"The voice? No, they don’t. And before you ask... no, I will not tell you what that is."

That was an interesting way to describe it: ’what that is.’

Vale looked over toward the waterfall.

He had a few guesses.

The voice sounded to be a woman’s. Therefore, it could be the real Lust or Sloth. Or more like, it was between those two alone.

’My guess would be Sloth...’

But knowing that truth wasn’t the most important thing at the moment, so Vale shoved that rumination aside for later.

There were a few other raging questions he had for this damnable oracle.

With most of the internal mysteries solved or Diligence having refused to answer, his inquiries had now drifted to the world outside the dungeon.

Mainly...

"Envy... What can you tell me about her? And what is she plotting?"

Diligence grew a sinister smile.

"I will tell you nothing."

"Seriously?"

’Still sulking from being called fate’s bitch, huh?’

The oracle flashed her teeth, then said:

"Well, I’ll tell you a little something... but nothing that will help in what’s to come."

Vale brought his head back to the reflection, staring intently at it.

Diligence continued:

"After you deal with the Dungeon Crisis and Akkuron leaves, the two of you will fight as you’ve already surmised. But I’ll tell you a little prophecy."

’Dungeon Crisis?’

Vale quickly worked out what she meant.

But...

"Prophecy?"

"Not a real one. Those are oneirically formed. But this prophecy is more like... a request. Or perhaps you’d see it as a threat."

’I thought we’d moved past this open hate...’

Vale’s grey eyes reflected the glowing petals around him.

"A... threat?"