[Marianne kicks her feet idly, considering how she wants to proceed. Juzo is being more than generous--clearly curious, but willing to let it lie if she needs him to. She's so used to the likes of Claude and Linhardt, who were unable to let the thread go once they found it, that this is a bit of refreshing change.

Ultimately, she decides to open up. Something he'd said back there, about understanding what it's like to see a monster in the mirror, makes her think it will be all right to. Sharing burdens, and blueberries, and all that.]

Where I'm from, people are sometimes blessed with power in their blood. We call that power Crests. It's said to be a gift from the Goddess, and it gives the families blessed enough to have Crests in their bloodlines a great deal of power and privilege.

Except for mine. It's considered cursed, and... and there are rumors that I'm doomed to become a monster because of it. My parents disappeared several years ago, and I was blamed for it. And I was blamed for so many other things, so I started to believe that everything was just... always my fault.

I don't know what happened to my parents, but... it isn't difficult to imagine my father transforming due to the same cursed blood he passed onto me and killing them both. Even after facing the actual monster that killed people I was accused of killing, I still worry that's what happened to him. What could happen to me.

[She's staring out somewhere into middle distance, careful not to face him lest she burst into tears again. As it is, it's precarious.]

What you saw was all of those fears, made manifest. I thought I'd made my peace with who I am, but I guess I have more work to do.