It's like the creator of your universe hates its inhabitants. But then, why give them curiosity? Why create things at all if you don't want people to understand them and find their potential?

Trying to find that out: also not necessarily wise. I've speculated that the universe likes people as - as animate toys, and we wouldn't be animate enough if we weren't curious at all...

But you're not supposed to notice the edges of the board. He whistled. Once we're gods, we're going to fix your world.

Yay!

A while later some of the leaves have started to curl up in the Treelight and they can examine the properties of the wax. This is a very crafting-specific experiment, he says, I'm sorry. I don't know what other kinds of experiments one can do.

I've mostly avoided learning about them because then I think about them too much. I'm sure I'll think of more though.

Wax burns very well. It also stops moving things from rubbing. You can also use it to cast things and then it'll melt away when you're firing them in a kiln. It's useful to know how different kinds are distinct.

My mom once learned to make layered candles out of different colors of wax. Although I can't think why you'd ever want a candle around here.

He laughs. The Valar sure were very thorough on the 'brightly lit' thing, didn't they?

So thorough!

Do you mind if I sing while I work?

Not at all.

So he starts singing while scraping, melting, soaking, and otherwise toying with the balls of wax. The song comes with a visual image, like many of the others - this one of swimming by starlit Cuivienen, daring races across the lake to the unknown other shore.

Bella listens, and looks at the wax for him, and is quietly thrilled that they're doing an experiment and are still alive and wax isn't ceasing to exist as a concept and none of it is spontaneously combusting just to fuck with them.

None of it spontaneously combusts, though eventually he lights it all on fire and notes which burns fastest. The song turns into one about designing slingshots by Cuivienen, through careful refinement, testing them out over the lake.

Giggle.

The Enemy experimented, too.

Not that I'd have wanted the universe itself to stop him. Just - maybe that's why yours does.

I - I don't think that's why. People can do very evil things without experiments. And my universe really doesn't look like it's trying to stop things like that.

Then maybe your universe just sucks and the best thing to do is to evacuate everyone in it to a better one.

Some people might like it there.

Some people stayed behind in Cuivienen. We'd never have insisted but - I think they made a mistake, and I don't really hesitate to say so.

Yeah. But some people just get really attached to where they live. Or they might agree with the universe and think it, I don't know, preserves mystery in a way they like that no one's allowed to peek at how it ticks...

It's fine not to look, it's not all right to approve of people who do look getting hurt!