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((The Mon/Wen/Fri Double -- page 1 of 2))
It was useful intel on Leo, to be sure, but that wasn't really why Hector had asked. "And you're still attached to this place after 223 years?" said Hector.

'...Yes,' was all Ericoros said.

Hmm. He had to be careful how he responded here. "Why is your affection for Miro so strong?"

'I told you, already. It is where Leo grew up.'

"That's not good enough," said Hector calmly. "Convince me that you're not trying to make me send my people into a trap."

'A trap? How would I...?' Ericoros drifted off, perhaps realizing on his own.

Hector waited in silence. It was true that the team in Vantalay could probably check on this village easily enough, but what if it was a key location for Sai-hee's forces? What if the Blackburn Triplets ended up being taken hostage and tortured for information? What if they revealed Ericoros' whereabouts?

Admittedly, it was an extreme hypothetical scenario, but Hector didn't want to underestimate Ericoros' capacity for cunning.

'Well,' the reaper finally said, 'you can ask Leo if I'm telling the truth or not. He won't lie to you.'

Hector had his doubts about that as well, but he kept them to himself. "I'm asking you," he said. "I do sympathize, but 223 years is quite a long time to hold on to feelings of affection for a place. I'm sure you've lived elsewhere over the years, no? Why not ask me to send people to any of those places? What makes Miro so special?"

Ericoros gave an inaudible sigh. 'I see you have the paranoia of an older servant, as well...'

Hmm? Oh.

Hector kept his poker face, though he could see Melchor cracking a smile.

'If you must know,' said Ericoros, 'Miro was a village that suffered numerous tragedies during our stay there. A flood, a plague, constant attacks from cannibals. Our trials there forged a bond with the villagers that we shall never be able to forget.'

Stone-faced, Hector still had to blink a couple times. "...Cannibals?"