Page 1479

‘Where do I think the Hun’Sho came from?’ said Garovel. ‘What do you even mean by that? Be more specific, dammit.’

Hector stopped to rethink his question. ‘I mean, like... well, okay, uh... Are they even considered human?’

‘Ah. That’s a question of some historical significance, actually. While I personally consider them to be human, I’ve known quite a number of people who would say otherwise.’

‘But... like... biologically, I mean. They’re so different from us. And, just... I mean, how did they become like that? They used to be normal, didn’t they? Or were WE the ones that changed?’

‘No, no, the Hun’Sho were definitely the ones who changed. It was just a very, VERY early instance of a successful mutation user. So early, in fact, that when it happened, most of us had no idea what it was. So you see, it’s not all that surprising that it came to be interpreted as the work of a god. Because at the time... it kinda was. In a sense.’

‘...How do you know all that, though? I mean, did you know the original Hun’Sho mutant yourself? And like, how were they able to use mutation in order to fuse ardor into their body like that?’

‘Alright, ease up with the interrogation, Detective Goffe. I can’t claim to have all the answers when it comes to this stuff. No, I did not personally know the mutation user who gave rise to the Hun’Sho, but it is widely known about in the reaper community.’

‘But doesn’t that mean it really could’ve been Avar or whoever?’

‘Oh, don’t start with that. The reaper community used to be very close with the Hun’Sho, because they could see and even talk to us, unlike basically every other race in the world.’

‘Wait. “Basically” every other race? Does that mean there ARE others?’

‘Well, there are the forest people of Jaskadan. They’re pretty friggin’ weird, too.’

‘Forest people?’ said Hector. ‘Like with plants growing out of their bodies or something?’

‘More or less, yeah.’

‘...And you think those people were the result of some ancient mutation user, too?’

‘Sure do.’

‘...Even though our understanding of mutation back then was really shitty?’

‘You’re not wrong about that, but the thing is, historically speaking, wildly exceptional servants have always existed. People who were so far ahead of their time that it almost defies belief. The builder of Warrenhold was one such example, you may recall.’

Hector did recall. ‘Stasya.’

‘That’s right. Is it so unthinkable that someone managed to wield mutation as skillfully as she wielded integration? Someone who figured it out long before the rest of us did?’

‘Why wouldn’t they have shared that knowledge, then?’

‘Any number of reasons. Maybe they thought it would be dangerous. Maybe they were just greedy. Hell, maybe no one wanted to listen. You have to remember that mutation users were often treated like they were either diseased or just monsters.’

‘Hmm.’