After a moment, Alto meets her gaze again and gives a thin smile.
"Oh, how impolite of me. Here you are being so friendly, trying to get to know us better, and I haven't even asked you about yourself. How do you like to spend your time around Wellick? I notice that you made a point to grab those swords before we departed. Perhaps you enjoy swordplay? Or maybe you delight in traveling with the freedom you mentioned before?" (Alto)
There is no room for uncertainty anymore – Alto is definitely evading her questions out of suspicion. In that case, pressing Alto more probably won't be productive. It's best to just let the conversation proceed organically for now. That aside, Alto must not know about her skill with a sword, which makes sense. She's been absent from major sword competitions for several decades, and Alto seems a century old at most.
"Your guess is correct, I'm quite fond of studying the sword. In fact, I'd say it's what I'm best at. I spend most of my time in Wellick, helping Cara with trivial tasks and refining my combat skills. Until a few centuries ago, I would travel to other cities and territories for official family duties, but such things are no longer asked of me. Truthfully, well…traveling for myself is somewhat of a recent ambition." (Alyse)
"What sparked that ambition?" (Alto)
She glances over at Alto, but only sees genuine curiosity on her face. She mulls over how to answer the question. She doesn't like talking about her family history, but Alto's question is not so invasive on its face. More importantly, answering would probably go a long way towards Alto being less defensive around her.
"My mother and I were very close, and she passed away a few centuries ago. The last promise I made to her was that, when I felt like I was no longer needed here, I'd seek my own happiness outside of Wellick. Recently, it's become clearer that I'm reaching that point. My little brother Reynard spends most of his time traveling, and it really seems to make him happy, so I thought about giving it a try myself. To keep my promise." (Alyse)
Alto's eyes soften, and she nods sadly.
"I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds like you've been separated from those you cherish. I lost people that were important to me as well recently, and I didn't know how I was going to move on after that. But this new adventure, with these new people, it's made me happier than I thought possible at the time. I hope you can find your own way forward as well. After all, that's what the ones you love would want, right?" (Alto)
Realization dawns on her at Alto's words. Of course…that's why Alto's eyes are so wary. Alyse heard she was ambushed by humans on a trip outside the country, so she probably watched no small number of her friends die before she was enslaved. Alyse got to see her mother leave this world peacefully, at least.
If she'd watched the few she loved get murdered as senselessly and gruesomely as Alto's friends likely were…she shudders at the thought. Perhaps she misjudged Alto as an idealist earlier. Alto obviously knows how full of savagery the world is, and Alyse can't blame her for wanting to extinguish it. She thinks the effort is futile, but at least she finds Alto's sentiments relatable.
She turns towards Alto with an apologetic smile.
"For what little it may be worth, Alto, I'm sorry for your loss. I also appreciate your goodwill. I hope you don't mind if I ask yet again, but…why do you seem so fond of that b-, err, of Mizuki? Elves are taught to fear and reject humans from a young age, and your personal experience with them was surely condemnable. By all accounts, the very sight of him should make you sick." (Alyse)
Alyse sees the familiar glint of suspicion return to Alto's eyes as they meet hers. After a moment studying her face, Alto looks away and a silence seems to linger between them. Eventually, Alto's shoulders sag and a deep sigh escapes her.
"That's exactly how I reacted…at first. Every smile he directed towards me, I met with disgust, and every action he took, I interpreted in the most malicious light. But it never seemed to matter to him how much I spurned his kindness, or that I wasn't human. He just kept treating me and every other slave like our happiness was the most important thing in the world to him. He never asked for compensation. He insisted on nothing in return, in fact. He told us to forget about him altogether at one point. I mean…" (Alto)
Alto looks up to meet her gaze with an exasperated expression.
"…I was too confused to even hold onto any resentment towards him. At that point, what else except fondness could I feel for someone so naïve, so selfless? If anyone's feelings toward Mizuki are inexplicable, it's yours. After all, you haven't expressed a concern about his intentions even once. That's a first in this country, from what I've seen. I wonder…why is that?" (Alto)
So, that's the story behind Alto's affinity for him…it makes their dynamic a little less confusing to Alyse. Still, she sincerely doubts that the boy, docile though he may be, is as selfless as Alto claims. In her experience, that's just how people are – elf, human, or otherwise.
Maybe he had a crush on Alto, maybe he was trying to atone for something, maybe he felt that Nedonera deserved the praise, maybe he knew that they'd feel indebted to him regardless…who knows. Honestly, she doesn't really care what flavor of selfishness motivated his actions, if everyone involved benefitted.
As for Alto's question, though…
"From what I've heard, Mizuki's actions have done nothing but benefit elves. To subject him to outward distrust and hostility despite that, purely over something as out of his control as the race he was born into, well…let's just say that I can empathize with how unfair that is. The elves act like we're so much better than the humans, so empathetic and accepting, but I think we're all just so similar that our prejudices aren't as obvious. If an elf falls short of expectations, even for reasons they can't control, our people shun them just like Mizuki." (Alyse)
Alyse starts her response with a neutral enough tone, but as she's reminded of the way her sweet little brother was treated, she bitterly spits out her final words. After a moment, Alyse realizes that she lost her composure, and quickly glances to Alto apologetically. To her surprise, however, Alto only seems thoughtful.
After several minutes in awkward silence, Alto looks over at her with a careful expression.
"I'm pretty sure now that you're not malicious, and you seem like the type that prefers directness, so I'll just ask you outright. What do you want from us? I'm not blind to your blatant information gathering, and I'm sure you know that. It's also clear that you investigated us before we arrived, and that you were eager to act as our tour guide. So, any chance you'll just tell me why?" (Alto)
Stunned speechless by Alto's sudden and confrontational change in topic, Alyse just stares at her blankly for several moments. Eventually, she lets out an abrupt bark of laughter, then interlocks her fingers on top of her head and smiles.
"Fufufu…and here I had you pegged as one of those indirect and calculating types that loves endlessly analyzing everyone's true intentions! I've never been very good at the kind of subtle questioning I was playing at, so sure, I'll just be frank. My life has been dreadful lately, and you all seem like an exciting change of pace – that's it. Your role in the demon crisis, your connection to Ilina and Alara Ophelle, this 'train' device, the wolf-kin girl with the sword, and why Cara was acting so strange around you…it's all so interesting." (Alyse)
Alto seems to mull over the information, as if deciding whether she believes it. After a moment, she nods to herself, then smirks at Alyse.
"I see…there's no need to be so shy about it, then. There's nothing wrong with asking us questions, so long as you don't expect answers. As an aside, since Lady Alara has been removed from the royal family and started her own noble house, she's taken the name Alara Zuki." (Alto)
Alyse raises her eyebrows in surprise.
"Really? Just like that? Well damn…I can't believe I wasted all that effort trying to be tactful. Also…Zuki, huh? What an odd name." (Alyse)
Alyse sighs in exaggerated disappointment, then her expression abruptly transitions to one of confusion.
"Wait…Zuki…don't tell me that's like Mi-Zuki!? Like your Mizuki!?" (Alyse)
She begins staring daggers into Alto, who seems uncharacteristically amused by the question. To her shock, Alto just nods her acknowledgement and stifles laughter. Alyse feels her jaw almost hit the ground.
"Seriously!? You're talking about former Princess Alara – uppity elite of the royal family, renowned entitled brat, and would-be supporter of human genocide? That Alara willingly named her entire family line after some human teenager? You've got to be shitting me…there's no way you're telling me the truth." (Alyse)
Alto gives her an incredulous look.
"My, my…your tune changed quickly. You have quite the coarse tongue for a noble lady. What happened to all that refined and elegant word choice from before?" (Alto)
"Tch…it was exhausting, and you told me to be myself. Now please don't change the subject like that…it's mean. If what you said is true, you have to tell me the story behind something that absurd." (Alyse)
"Those weren't actually the words I used, but so be it. If this is you being genuine, then I'm sure that's preferable to everyone here. Though, I suspect that Lady Cara would find it objectionable. As for any further questions or details…perhaps it would be best if you spoke with Mizuki instead. You should have plenty of opportunities to do so at the restaurant. Just wait until Lady Nedonera is full of wine…" (Alto)
Alyse has…so many questions about that statement. But she gets the feeling from Alto's tone that their private discussion on anything consequential is pretty much over. She turns her attention back to the street in front of them as they walk in silence, and she can just make out the restaurant in the distance. There isn't much time left for her to ponder her approach towards Nedonera's party.
Fortunately, she's already decided…it's finally time for her to talk to the strangest member of the group directly. Feeling her curiosity getting the better of her, she mutters nervously.
"Guess I'm going to see what's so special about this Mizuki boy myself…" (Alyse)