Translator

Rumination-
(Xiao Wu's pov)

"What are you planning?"

She doubts he'd give a straight answer; he can feel the suspicion if it weren't so obvious from her firm gaze. But she has it completely wrong. He is not that deceitful of a person after all, just more willing to omit unnecessary words. To let the other's mind brew for ideas while he uses that time to make his move. All slow and steady, careful and beneath notice.

Still, he can tell her determination to get a straight answer out of him during their reunion is set in stone now.

"I'm pretty sure I told you that things are going to be more exciting and why that is…" he lets out a small sigh and rubs the back of his head, acting like allowing her that kindling of truth is such a hassle. Anything to play into the stereotype she has of him in her mind. "Y'know? ATEMS and all?"

"And how does that involve ending up here?" she pokes at one of his wounds, a small cut, with a sheet covered in medical alcohol a bit too hard for his liking. Not that he can do anything about it, seeing how he is bound in place by manacles, set inside a dark room fit for interrogation. The person who is going to do said interrogation has yet to come so in the meantime here they talk.

"Ah, you know...Mondays." he let out a little shrug. Not admitting that he got blind-sided by something he couldn't have predicted in the first place. He has plans but one can only expect so many things. "Either way, adversity rhymes with opportunity for a reason, so I'll be fine."

Her face turns slack, tension replaced with skepticism, then a sigh. "You're going to die then."

Strangely (if only to her), her blunt dismissal makes a smile grow on his face. "Not when I have you…" he lets silence linger for a second before bolstering it with belief. "You won't let him."

She needs him alive. And she knows it, it's clear in her silence. An acknowledgment of his value, if not an acceptance of it. She won't bother making him elaborate. Yet.
A further demonstration is in order.

"Don't bother saying something like, 'If I knew you might get this kind of delusion, I would've said something earlier'. Wouldn't a single time be possible for you? You seem to be receiving quite the amount of trust from the...hm, what should I call him anyway? Copen feels a bit too familiar."

"Like you care about such things."

"You're right. I don't. But more importantly, as he trusts you so does Gunvolt trust me. Consider this a reenactment of the deal we had during Eden's attack, we coordinate their movements and make sure neither side gets in each other's way. And once ATEMS and Shadow Yakumo have been defeated, we all live happily ever after until the next incident comes. Yay! Happy ending!"

"Assuming he would listen to me and not insist that you have to be disposed of." she replied.
"Assuming I accept your deal, and assuming he won't kill you for involving Mytyl."

"Hm. In my defense, she's going to get involved either way. Better that she is capable of defending herself than to be reduced to a damsel in distress yet again, no?"

"I don't think he'll see it that way."

"There you have it, 'see', so he doesn't know yet now does he? Let's leave that for later then."

Another moment of silence, and then she speaks again. "I'll do what I can."

"Why, thank you." he expressed his gratitude with utmost sincerity and certainty.

He watched as Nori rolled her eyes and continued doing her work. The moment she looked like she was close to done, he immediately started his next move.

A loud cough for attention.

"Anyway, my fellow schemer buddy. Is there something troubling you?"

A question mark appeared on the top of her silent head or so he liked to imagine.

"Your complexion doesn't look too good, so I thought something might be on your mind."

He said that because he did feel a sort of mood coming off from her, but he was also planning to ask that question even if he didn't feel anything. This little trick is called the Barnum effect. A vague but appropriate guess was a good method to make the other party give out more information freely.

Sure enough, the maid went into thought for a moment. Giving him a sense of satisfaction.

"If I had to say there is then there is this: What if he goes on a rampage?"

"How ominous, but who are we talking off?"

She knows he knows, but clarifies anyway. "Once he learns about her, I feel he might act rashly."

What makes you say that? He doesn't ask, staying silent so she feels the need to continue.

She does, "Despite his calm looks, Copen has always had a temper. If met with fuel, it will turn into a blaze that will seek and grasp anything that he can reach out to. With no exceptions."

"So in other words. Once he learns about Mytyl, he'll throw a fit and try to make her stop, which we know she won't. And/or kill every single person responsible for her involvement in a sort of rage-fueled tunnel vision. How dangerous...but then again, even if you tell him in a safe environment, he might feel betrayed by you taking so long to tell him in the first place, huh."

"You've recapped it well, as expected from your like…" another moment of thought. The fact she hasn't been confronted yet means Lola likely believes the same. Still, how long can he be kept in the dark?

"What can I say?" if he wasn't restrained, he'd knock one fist against his forehead. "Mom and pa raised a smart boy."

"A dead boy soon, if you talk to him with that attitude."

"Oh? Is that worry I hear in your voice? Who-"

"I'm simply stating a fact." uh oh, irritation is starting to drip in.

So he stops, for now. "Fine, so-"

"He'll be here soon, and no, I see no reason to talk to you more than necessary. That said…"

She moves away from him, and without even a goodbye, moves out of the room. Probably glad to be rid of his presence, no longer half an open book to someone not even half her age or so Xiao believes. He doesn't mind it though, the silence brings space to focus on his thoughts.

And what is Xiao if not a thinker? Given enough time he can figure out the ebb and flow of things, what needs to be said or done to make things go his way. He will not let today be any different. But he only knows so much about the adept slayer and if the latter turns out to be irrational…

That'd be cause for worry. Still, he can only await their eventual arrival. And he does not mind it.

Slow and steady wins the race is a saying for a reason. Something he can abide by as he is not drugged or exhausted. Simply held down by bonds though tight do not burn into his skin.

Will he be able to smooth-talk his way out of this? Prove he's more useful alive than dead?

Or will he have to find a way out of here?

The fake smile left his lips. This would be his greatest challenge yet.

Author note: Tried out one of those grammar apps (grammarly) hopefully this makes grammar more readable here.
That said this chappie a bit short so I get the Gunvolt grooves again. Until next time.