I think I'm not reading the same things into the scene as you are, however, specifically in the passage I highlighted above. The part about feeling a sense of reverie towards his enslavement because he was not responsible for anything and that comforted him- that wasn't what I got from the conversation. I'm not even sure what he said to give that impression. I worry that perhaps some inference and headcanon are cushioning what the base text is on its own. As it currently stands I see some improvement but it still gives me pause.
That's fine- you don't have to agree. I was just saying my perspective here. I have found that sometimes survivors of multiple traumas will, in the midst of their current one, romanticize the past one in their heads. It's a form of control-taking through mental narrative. If you don't see that in him, there's no law saying you have to agree or anything. You just wanted to know what I thought, and that is indeed what I thought. *Shrugs*
The timing of the scene is still... pretty terrible if I'm honest. I hate that the conversation comes after the sexual encounter. The dialogue feels clumsy, too. The whole thing just feels narratively bizarre and off-putting. Honestly, I wish there were an option to tell Halsin to leave at the end of Act II. I apologize. Your username implies that you're pretty attached to the character so I don't want to speak too ill about this whole thing.
In terms of narrative? It sucks it came after sex. But I find that to be a realistic thing. Don't want to say too much in case it smacks too much of headcanon, but I find it to be true to life in some ways. The dialogue options are clumsy at times, though, I agree. And as for telling him to leave, well, you may get your wish
with that new "it's me or her" ultimatum that's going to be added with Minthara.
I am very attached to the character but I don't think my interpretations are the be-all-end-all. Again, I posted here because you asked me to, I'm not going to be offended if you don't happen to agree with me on an issue here, lol. I'm more thick skinned than that.
