"Gosh! Then surely this will be my last time to roam the lands – I shall do my utmost to be careful."

Flames.

Slide to the left.

"And did you expect me to believe you? I can burn it on my way out regardless, but even then, that fails to answer anything."

Her face changes, growing more serious. "That'd be pretty mean, actually – my gardener takes a lot of pride in his art."

"Exactly. I have no reason to be spiteful, and you have no reason to be truthful."

"So we can both be neither? I mean, this just disincentivizes truth – what if you then turned out to be spiteful?"

Blink blink. "I had no plans to be spiteful, but I highly doubt that you are a plant."

"I'm not in fact a plant." Pause. "I mean, I guess it depends on your definition."

Arms folded, a gaze between 'annoyed' and 'fess up, child'.

"Start explaining."

"Perhaps I just wilt if I don't get enough sunlight."

Sigh. "Okay, fine, thinking it is. Plant. Explains the odd vines, could explain the dead area around as you using it all... A motive to try to attack us, to work towards the ocean across the world."

Her head leans back to stare at the ceiling idly. "Sunlight... Surely. Could just have vines next to the Brink of Sudden Death to have plenty, explaining the power..."

Halta sighs, and slouches forwards with letting her arms hang in defeat. "And you have enough intelligence to wait before returning to fight, let alone being just a removal of your head with the roots being intact." A very loud, extended groan.

Snort. "I mean I was mostly joking but sure, that interpretation works."

A shorter groan before she straightens up. "And that is why I have to be skeptical of what you say, most things can make sense with just actions instead of reasons, even before you add in an unreliable source of information."

Shrug. "It wouldn't be too much effort for me to create a living plant, I'm sure. I could do one for you, as a memorial."

"Not necessary." Sigh, and a quick rubbing of her temples. "I might have to ruin the greenhouse on my way out, my apologies to the gardener."

"Ugh. I mean, he'll live, but, ugh."

"Then, can you stop joking? You make me think the greenhouse is important enough to be ruined."

She rolls her eyes. "Sure. What do you want."

Sigh before sarcasm. "Oh, did I not say I arrived to ask you to marry me?"

Halta just keeps going, making fun of Avenira. "You see, we could get married in a big public event to fix you being misremembered, then on our honeymoon night you can show me are you really a plant. The next morning, given that nobody nearby will be sleeping that night, a good time to figure out how you keep coming back. We can have a lovely life together while we figure out how to stop this stupid war!"

"… Mmm, sounds like it could be fun, but I think I'll pass." She pauses, again, to inspect her nails. "I'm not sure it's long-term tenable, y'see."

"Nor do I think this conversation will last much longer, I suppose you will remain the Demon Lord after all." A statement meant to try to get Avenira to keep talking, Halta will still try to clear that point up.

"Think any gardener might be more willing to talk?"

"It's actually just the one!" she responds. "He's quite proud of it all – sometimes gets a few of the others to help with weeding and such, but he manages the major features."

"I would think weeds would fail to sprout here," gestures around, "given the vines about and the oddity of the surrounding. Either way, do I have to go find him?"

"I doubt you'll be able to find him, actually." Shrug. "They're all in hiding, preparing for the long road when I'm gone."

Shrug. "And you have no way to talk to them in between? Or does your own army come fight itself?"

Avenira looks around, quickly, and then hesitates a little.

"… They're not very smart. They kinda need me to direct things."