Nayoki is reading Carissa’s mind, since she has to have Thoughtsensing open anyway to pick up a non-Mindspeaker’s answer. Why is Carissa LIKE this? Is everyone in Cheliax that way? 

She opens the door and slips in. 

:The short version is that Aroden, on Iomedae’s advice, has asked us to set up for you to be resurrected with Golarion magic if - anything happens to you. Which would be wise anyway, but having Aroden’s active support will help a great deal:

Oh. Yes. That -

She wouldn't even go to Hell if she died? At least she doesn't think so? Of course they wouldn't be sure either and the uncertainty would move them in the opposite direction - but it's not a small expense, either - they could be lying to deter her from suicide - Leareth can't, but she doesn't know much about Nayoki -

- thank you. 

:- Do you want to cast your mindreading spell and briefly read my thoughts to confirm we are telling the truth? It - is a smart idea anyway, because you know too much to risk letting Hell learn of it, and it is obviously a reasonable contingency plan to make arrangements for in advance. But…it seems that Iomedae was very adamant on it, and specifically that it ought include you as well as Leareth:

I - sure? Does it bother you when I assume people are lying to me, it's not intended as an - insult or anything - it's a compliment, really, that I think you're good at lying -

Hmm - it bothers Leareth, Nayoki is pretty sure, but - why, exactly, and how would he phrase it…?

:- It means that you are putting a great deal of your intelligence and efforts into accounting for scenarios where we are lying, and planning for those as well? And - given that we are not lying, from our perspective that is a waste of your time and energy, and we would prefer that you could instead feel comfortable not doing that?:

I can - probably stop planning for the possibility you're lying. It's - a little challenging and Leareth's not helping himself by being opposed to the concept of punishments but I'll work on it.

:- Hmm? I - sorry - I am still very confused about how Leareth - preferring not to torture you - makes it harder for you to believe he is not lying...? To be clear I think Leareth would say that he absolutely does employ punishments. Just - proportional, and related to the specific failure: 

But he wants me to not think he's lying and is employing - asking nicely - about it. And not thinking stuff is hard, you need motivation - could you do it with Mindhealing?

(Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.) 

:- I can do a very wide range of things with Mindhealing, but....Leareth has expressed a preference that - if I am using it on myself or on our allies - I only use it in ways that promote the ability to use truth-seeking processes: 

That makes sense but seems kind of obnoxious in combination with a preference people not think you're lying! I see. Well, I'll work on it. Thank you.

:- I think it makes sense that that would seem like an obnoxious preference to you! But...only because you feel that everything is adversarial and hostile and nobody shares any relevant goals with you?: 

A pause. Nayoki's shoulders tighten, a little, and then relax. 

:...I do think that is something that I only learned after I met Leareth and joined his organization. That - even if you are working with someone very different, who does not share all of your traits or care about the same things - it is, just, better - more functional - if you can run an organization in a way that....has less of a risk of losing information in the cracks: 

Carissa sees the merits, she just thinks it's going to take her a while if no one is willing to do it with magic or even hit her for it.

:- Wow. I - did not think that I would EVER hear of a place that was - worse for clever capable people trying to grow up and do things - than my own homeland. But... I think that Cheliax might be worse: 

Carissa can do lots of things. She can make magic items and she's nearly fourth circle at twenty-five and she's pretty sure she could've seduced Leareth if Iomedae hadn't beaten her to it.

Nayoki very quickly smoothes her expression over to something neutral and normal. 

:...So I think that an important piece of context for you to have about Leareth, is that he - finds social maneuvers to be significantly more costly to track and model than - empirical facts about the world, or logical explanations of math or other concepts? And so it is - not that he is frustrated or angry or will punish you, for doing those things, it just....costs him efficiency: 

She does not need persuading that she should do what Leareth wants here, or that Leareth is being reasonable! She is persuaded on both fronts! And 'it costs him efficiency' is a perfectly good reason to expect it and to incentivize it!

Aaaaauuuuughhhhh. 

Deep breaths. 

:Well, I have now given you the update: 

And Nayoki slips out of the room. 

...and then keeps reading Carissa's mind from the end of the hall, sitting down in one of the break rooms. 

Well Nayoki's mad at her which is terrifying but - is "they're mad at me" an allowed kind of observation - what's the Good equivalent that makes the same predictions but isn't offensive to think - maybe "having a bad day that I'm being insufficiently sensitive about"?

She sits down and tries to change that mental habit. 

Well! Literally nothing about any of that went the way Nayoki was hoping it would! 

She stays where she is for a while, taking some notes. Leareth is probably busy, right now, but she can let him know about this the next time she has a good opportunity for it. 

And, a world away, Malduoni reads through his notes one final time, and then prays to Iomedae again. 

"I missed you, you know," she says briskly. "I told Vkandis eleven days, can you do that? I am not entirely sure I successfully communicated it but I think I did."