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There's relationship risks regardless of what Ellen and Nanase do. Any choice that doesn't involve talking to Susan risks provoking anger or disappointment via "Why didn't you tell me?"

eg Race started to matter politically once it became clear that political authority was needed in order to force social stratification (i.e. keeping the less-favored groups out of the professional and ruling classes). White farmers don't campaign against black folks when 90% of blacks exist only in subservient roles--they do it when the black folks actually start to compete with them for jobs, housing, schools, and influence. Nobody bothers to spend effort on preventing earthworms from flying, after all.

I meant based on when "Western culture" (meaning: people in US) started solving it. But you're right, gender identity was issue long before people started taking it as one. Hmmmm ... civilization started near the point where "black" and "white" people meet. But yes, the idea that enslaving people of "correct" (white) color is not normal appeared only later, before that any other nation was fair game. Informal doesn't mean nonsense, although I see that the term "breed" is now preferred term - oh. You mean the concept of dividing humans to races based on skin color. Well, before the "improved travel technologies" (was it really technology? Didn't the travel expanded for political reasons, like fall of Constantinople?) it might had some relevancy, although not nearly as big as it was claimed to ... interesting how the race started to be issue only when it's relevancy started to decline ... ... and by "interesting" I mean "suspicious". Basically, the concept of race was used as an explanation that then existing cultural lines are fixed and there is no point trying to make those other people part of our culture. And the fact that you can't extend culture as fast as the conquest was happening was taken as confirmation. Now, after several centuries, it is apparent that "other races" can became part of our culture if we let them (and if they want to).

Ms. Pompoms is likely to face an angry Susan regardless if she waited this long to tell Susan something big and important. If Ed Verres comes up empty, the best Ellen and Nanase can say is "we *think*... "We think Diane is your sister because resemblance, birthday and magic affinity". "Diane *is* adopted so it's possible you are." I think we can agree that Ellen and Nanase shouldn't present their suspicions as fact unless they know it is fact. In some ways, talking to Ed Verres makes things harder because room for doubt lowers the emotional ante.