Steady Gaze said:
Remark that if Dirt truly wants to stay, for whatever reason, we don't intend to bring him back against his will. But we at least want to know he's safe.

If Vermillion Sear has time, ask about souls and memory recovery, if there's a place in Shui-Ti that Dirt was known to be staying, and if there's anywhere else we might search for clues. Finally, thank him for his time and keep searching.

Just in case, you decide to let Vermillion Sear know that you only mean to make sure Dirt Flaxen is safe.

Vermillion Sear: "Then the odds are in your favour; every town in the Empire is under the protection of a seal barrier. To venture out into the wilderness, one must either prove their strength of body, heart and soul, or possess the wealth to hire a proven guardian. To my knowledge, the bard has done neither."

You thank the monk for the reassurance, and while you still have his ear, you figure that you should try asking him about souls.

Vermillion Sear: "Of course. We monks dedicate our lives to studying the enigmas of the soul."

You nod, and ask Vermillion Sear if he knows of a spell to communicate with souls similar to how sprite magic works to translate languages. The Kirin nods.

Vermillion Sear: "All monks must learn to interpret the language of souls. Are you in need of a session?"

For a hopeful moment, you almost forget about the mysterious dream's impassable red door. Seeing as only you are allowed to cross it, you shake your head, and ask if it would be possible to learn such a spell yourself.

Vermillion Sear: "Not as you are. Before you can follow the teachings of the soul, you must first master the arts of both light and dark magic."

You confess that you have only just recently started to learn arcane spellcasting, and wonder how long it would take to catch up.

Vermillion Sear: "To unlock one's full magic potential, most Kirin spend eight years of their youth at the academy."

Moonflower: "Eight years?! That's like forever! Maybe we should try askin' a demon for help."

Vermillion Sear: "The choice is yours, but know that unlike the promise of hard work, a demon's bargain is a gamble. Only one who has nothing to lose stands to gain from such a deal."

So you've heard. And on the subject of creatures from the Underworld, you tell the monk that you've also heard of memory-eating monsters, and ask if he can tell you more about recovering lost memories.

Vermillion Sear: "Devourers are foul beasts indeed, feeding on the souls of the living. Alas, all they consume can only be recovered by slaying them."

Honourshine: "If... your memories are stolen, is there a way to track them down?"

Vermillion Sear: "If the memories are taken from the mind, then the body may become the needle of a divination's compass. But if the memories are taken from the body, then it is difficult.

A memory captures a moment in time from one's perspective. Because a perspective is unique, so too are memories. A moment in time is not, however; it is shared among all things alive and still.

While your body may have forgotten the moment in time, others — be they alive or still — may remember it, and yourself as part of it. Thus, in the others' memories is captured a moment in which you held the memories you seek."

Moonflower: "Whoa! So you gotta find someone or somethin' that was around before you lost your memories?"

Honourshine: "... You understood that?"

Moonflower: "Heehee... kinda!"

You admit that while it does sound complicated, you already do have a lead on a certain someone who might remember you. With enough luck, he won't be too much trouble to find.

Speaking of which, you thank Vermillion Sear for his help, and ask where foreigners like you can stay the night. You figure that it would be a good place to start looking for the elusive bard.

Vermillion Sear: "You will find the inn on the northern edge of town. All public houses are marked at the entrance; you may enter them freely."

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