"But why is arrogance a wizardly virtue?"

She looks at him blankly, pinches her wrist again, and shrugs.

"...Really? It's just inexplicable?"

She sighs and shakes her head, points at her mouth, and shrugs helplessly.

"Oh, come on, work with me here. We have one-way translation, that's better than nothing by a long shot. So it can't possibly be the same reason why thaumatology is for the humble, unless you live in some kind of insane fantasy universe that rewards you for trying to become more powerful..."

She gives him a look best described as "duh."

"...Wait, what?"

"Wizards," she says emphatically.

"...Are wizards rewarded for trying to become more powerful?"

She nods, then makes a so-so gesture with her hand, and pinches her wrist more strongly than before.

Milan looks disturbed.

She waves a hand over the pinchmark, as thought to indicate it's not a big deal.

"No, not the pain thing. The pain thing is one of the least disquieting aspects of this situation."

She gives him a confused look.

"What?"

She pinches her wrist and mock-winces.

"Try words, I bet I can get nonzero information from tone of voice and cadence," he suggests.

"Most people don't like pain," she says. "What else is there to be disturbing?"

"Okay... you're confused at why the pain thing isn't what's freaking me out?"

Nod. Pause. Shrug, so-so hand gesture. "It doesn't freak anyone else out, but what else is there to be upset about?"

"Is that by any chance 'what else is there'?"

Nod.

He snorts.

"The way you describe this universe sounds like some kind of elaborate lie specifically crafted to trap me in particular into spectacularly lethal hubris. It's a little unsettling."

"Why would hubris be lethal?"

"Well, why wouldn't it?"