Vale chuckled lightly, then said:
"Don't hold back."
The gurgling of the surrounding flames was the only sound filling the cavern for half a minute.
Eventually, Quill broke free from her internal thought.
"Mister. What are you?"
"'What are you'? What exactly do you mean?"
Quill's shoulders shifted for a moment, but she didn't lose composure for too long.
"The Vice, even in the tales, don't seem like beasts, but villainous humans. So, I guess what I'm asking is… How did you become a Vice? How are you so… intelligent and informed of human culture?"
Vale smiled as he leaned back.
"I'm afraid how I got here is as much a mystery to me as it is to you. But what I can tell you is that I used to be a typical human once, just like you. That's why we're quite alike."
Her hazel eyes widened.
Vale continued:
