Estinien has wondered the same, but with his own experiences, the idea that a summoning spell would favour those already connected is not without significant precedent. The Exarch's spell had worked the same, after all... and there seems to be a lot of pairs here, in particular. He's often wondered if it followed the same rules - that it pulled along those most closely bonded by fate.

He's like to imagine that he and Himeka were somehow joined by fate, and thinking of it prolongs the faint smile of fondness he's dawned while discussing her.

"She would insist it nothing less than critical," he agrees in a similar tone. It had been a curiosity to him at the time - visually speaking, ears are a focus for Elezen aesthetically, and to see a creature that seemingly had none has fascinated him.

"She may be no dragon herself, but she's made her mark among them. The champion of the dragon lord Midgardsormr, among other things." She has too many accolades to count, really. "For all that it means to an outsider, I cannot overstate her import to the fate of our realm."