"The sort of slave of Asmodeus who learns everything that Irorians learn when they're planning to become gods, I guess."

"If Cayden Cailean has guided your steps to twenty who can bear my teaching, then I will teach them all that I can.  I warn you that, having so learned, they may no longer remain loyal to Cheliax, nor will it work you well to try to keep them as slaves."

"There are some people who can become strong and wise and know themselves, and yet still know themselves to belong to Asmodeus and Hell.  Twenty of them, in fact."

"You don't include yourself?"

"It remains to be seen."

"Irori, in guiding my steps here, did hint that there was one within this country who had somewhat to teach me upon matters of using suffering to produce growth.  Was it Carissa Sevar of whom He was hinting?"

"Sevar might have had something to teach you, though she was just learning to do it at all, in a lot of ways..."

"No, it wouldn't have been that, because Sevar was inside the Ostenso nonintervention zone and no gods would've steered you in a way intended to make you meet her?"

"- I don't know if Irori actually did mean it this way, but the obvious thought to me is Abrogail Thrune, the Queen.  She's the one who made Sevar as strong as she was."

"Abrogail Thrune did not seem that interesting when I met her."

WELP and that's now been reported to the Queen so WELP.

"Wasn't there supposed to be something happening in, a fight after a previous fight, at some point?"

"Oh, my daughter?  She did destroy a supposedly mighty warrior born of Cheliax some time ago; I'll get about to healing him, as I did promise him I'd do, once we've had our conversation."

"What you've done today for Project Lawful can only be called a miracle, Pilar.  I would feel better if it was our miracle, or if we'd bargained with a demon lord who'd demanded something as understandable as the livers of a thousand priests in exchange for it."

She is kneeling, still, not wishing to rise, feeling wretched.  "As you say, Most High."

"And this matter that you say Snack Service confirmed, that I ought to teach our would-be ilani in person of Asmodeus's way and of corrigibility - what would it say, did I tell it I had many other demands on my time?"

"Snack Service says that you already know what would be its answer, that you do not, in fact, have any better uses of your time than in helping to train these twenty to get as far as possible in becoming Keepers of Asmodeus, as quickly as possible."

"Better by Asmodeus's lights, and Cayden Cailean's, one supposes."

"It says yes."

"You seem distraught, Pilar, and I can no longer read your mind."

"I do fear that what I am secretly doing, in strengthening Project Lawful, in arranging for its management and its teachers, is making sure that it can survive when Pilar Pineda disappears, one day."

"I - if you were really reading my mind - you'd see that I was afraid it will be, it's being set up to happen, as soon as I put on an artifact headband for the first time."

"If you order me never to, I never will."

"It is not one of the easiest calls I have made, in my life, but if Snack Service does tell you that it will serve Cayden Cailean and Asmodeus and Otolmens for you to put on the headband, I think, in the end, that you should.  We stand here after a series of disasters and yet, tracing all that Snack Service has done, running through it, I am forced to admit, though I hate it, that if not for Snack Service our position would be far worse.  Carissa Sevar has taken with her the fifteen Wishes intended in part to pay Keltham and that is an incredibly severe blow to us, perhaps a crippling one, and yet it could have been worse.  She could have left Hell with thirty Wishes and two crowns."

"Permission to weep before you."

"Denied."

"Pilar, I tell you now something that I fear you are not ready to hear, but it should be said to you anyways."

"You can always just serve Asmodeus."

"Even if you can't be a good slave by it, you can just serve Asmodeus."

"Even if you don't want what will come of it, you can just serve Asmodeus."

"Even if there isn't any reason and it makes no sense for you given your own interests, you can just serve Asmodeus."

"I hear."

"Could you read my mind, you would see that I feared you were telling me this now, because you feared that I might vanish, one night."

"If you can, Pilar, at least leave a note."