"The point is not to offload responsibilities. The point is to take the most effective steps towards achieving your goals, whatever they may be. In this case, your goals of being left alone, of not disrupting the party and offending the fae, and in seeing the offender punished for his transgressions could all three potentially been served through one action. You have been taught to practice self-reliance to the point where it actually hinders your performance and limits your tactical options by blinding you to many of them." Sephiroth shakes his head slightly. "They're lessons you should unlearn, if you seek the best outcome in any given situation. Being flexible and able to both recognize and make use of your best available options will serve you far better than a rigid adherence to self-sufficience regardless of circumstance."

He squeezes his younger self's shoulder briefly before letting his hand fall away. "...but I wished to help you while you were in distress, not lecture you. And if there is pride to be taken in pushing out of one's comfort zone, there is also pride to be taken in recognizing when it is best to disengage. Overwhelming yourself isn't going to help you. If anything, it would only make you want to avoid the source of that discomfort more, and undo any acclimatization you've achieved. If you feel you need to leave, that is the correct call to make, and there is no judgment."