[Nathaniel pauses- he's a little surprised, a little startled that it came up. But he doesn't say anything, not at once. He takes time to think his response over, taking a few deep breaths and nodding.]

...when I first arrived into Adstringendum, [he starts, in a somewhat distant voice,] I came at the very peak of a revolution to my own government- the one I had served in. Our laws were strict and we considered ourselves to be utterly in control. The rebellion- the opposition- attempted to take that power away.

[A big breath.]

I always knew that our system was flawed, but it wasn't until- perhaps the hour of my departure from there and my arrival to here, that I realized the true extent of our cruelty. I arrived somewhat... at war with myself over what I really believed in.

[A pause. Nathaniel is actually- telling the whole truth here. It's important.]

As I recall, that conversation was between myself and Jean Louis. Please try to understand the position I had been put in at that time. I was very new. In order to seem suitable to him, I could not waver. In order to come across as sincere and meeting with his approval, I had to appeal to his sense of power.

[He shakes his head slowly.]

I'm not proud of what I said- it was both a clumsy attempt to gain Jean Louis' trust and a desperation to hold onto the beliefs that I had served under for my entire life. And I cannot promise you that I have fully changed- but I will say that I am trying. To listen to people more, to... take others into consideration. And I can say that, should the occasion arise that I begin attempting to enforce those laws, there are people here who have the means to destroy me.