"...What, in the sense that reality itself hates it and will try to destroy people who have it?" 

"Yep."

"Ugh." 

"Materia is horrible!"

"It really is." He looks thoughtful. "I suppose hubris is in some ways punished in this world, but - not because that is a law of reality, only because - well, the world's current equilibrium is stable partly because various Powers prefer it that way, and so if you try to change things then you are inconveniencing Them, and since They are powerful, they can do things such as make bridges collapse on you in unlikely ways or set you on fire. But, I do not think that is fundamentally different from, for example, human politics. And it is sometimes possible, if you are clever and persistent, to carry through changes even if initially a powerful nobility opposes them. I believe the situation with our gods is like that, just...harder." 

"Yeah, I think in Materia it's that and some... extra."

"I am very glad you are not in Materia anymore." 

"Me too."

He's quiet for a while. 

"You are welcome to ask me questions, but if that is all you need for now, I will not keep you longer." 

"I do sort of wonder if you have noticed, uh, the self-consistency in the opinion 'mind control is bad'."

"In your stance? Your position seems quite sane to me. I am sympathetic to it. I think I am - not quite set up to share your feelings about it? I have not fully unpacked why, yet." 

"Okay."

"I recall I have sometimes had Nayoki put an agreed-upon compulsion on me, if I wished to keep some precommitment in a way that would less strain my self-control later on - I could theoretically do it on myself but doing compulsions on oneself is trickier. I am not sure if this is the sort of thing you would still be against?" 

"No, not especially. I wouldn't do things that way myself but I'm not against it, sort of like how I don't drink but I don't mind if other people like it."

"I would be intrigued to discuss this further at some later point, when I have more thoughts on it ready." 

"Sure, any time."

He stands. "Thank you." 

"You're welcome."

And she goes home.

And calls older Vanyel.

:Yes?: He seems slightly distracted. 

Is this a bad time? It's not urgent.

:Um. Try me in two candlemarks?: 

Sure.

She tries him in two candlemarks.

He is much less distracted now! :What's going on?: 

Your Leareth wanted me to update you. And Maitimo but Maitimo is conspicuously suspicious of me and that's not super fun - I assume you are also some amount suspicious of me but you don't, like, radiate it at me - so maybe you can just tell him how Leareth's doing for me.

Brief hesitation. :Right, that makes sense, I can pass things along: