"Why is he so quiet? Isn't he going to say something?" Palma thought.

(twenty seconds later)...

"Ahhh! The silence is killing me! Say something, please!"

Then, finally, after a few painfully quiet seconds of silence.

"So you're Nepella's daughter..." Fritts mumbled while he sat down on the chair opposite to Palma.

Palma nervously looked up at Fritts, who had a sentimental expression on his face. Her eyes lit up. 

"Now that I look at him, he's not as scary as I thought." Palma thought. She could see that Fritts was a kind and gentle person.

Palma took a deep breathe.

"What is your relation with my mother?" Palma asked.

Fritts stared suspiciously at Palma and then grinnd mischievously.

"Hmm... Why should I tell you?" He replied. His face was smiling but his eyes were serious.

"What?" Palma said, startled by his unexpected question.

"Heh..." Fritts snickered. "Tell me. Why do you feel the need to ask such a question?"

Fritts glared at her with a curious expression.

Palma cautiously glared at him back.

"Is he... testing me?" Palma thought, clenching her fists.

Palma knew that depending on her answer to the question: If she said the wrong answer, he could lose interest in her and look down on her or If she said the right answer he could become impressed and show respect to her. Out of the the two the latter part was more convenient for her.

Sweat dripped across Palma's face. She felt pressured to make a decision, but she could see no way to change the subject.

"I guess It's too hard for a kid to answer." Fritts mumbled. Feeling disappointed, he stood up from his chair.

"I WANT TO KNOW...!" Palma shouted desperately.

Fritts flinched. He looked at Palma, surprised.

"...I want to know... more about my mother." She said with tears in her eyes. All the emotion she had kept locked away for three years had spilled out.

Fritts stared at her witha poker face.

"Why?" He asked, while he sat back down.

Palma's eyes didn't stop swelling with tears, and she began to cry. But that didn't stop her from giving him her answer.

"Because I want to understand her." She said. "I want to know how she came to be so strong. I want to know what kind of person she was. And what the world was like before I existed. So... please tell me..."

Fritts stayed quiet.

"Was that not the answer he wanted?" She thought. Her tears ran down her face.

Palma looked up at Fritts.

Fritts was looking at her with pity.

"Hah... Is he making fun of me?" Palma thought annoyed. She furiously  wiped the tears from her face.

"I'll tell you." Fritts said with a gentle smile.

She stared at him nervously while waiting for him to continue.

Fritts expression turned serious.

"She was my comrade..."