Makio isn’t bad with words, she simply dislikes giving direct answers and prefers that the person figure things out for themselves.
my comment is old but i think i was talking mostly from Asa’s perspective - aka what words she might need to hear as a fragile kid. Kan conveys comforting words more directly and unambiguously to Asa, which is what Asa wants from Makio but can’t get usually.
i agree that Makio is generally intentional with what she says to others but idk if her words always have the desired effect and she’s at times surprised by Asa’s reactions. i think she tries to comfort as much as she can while still being true to herself, but it’s not always effective and sometimes leads to fractured understanding from others. this is the crux of her character development as Asa’s guardian, because even if she prefers people to figure stuff out themselves, kids need more guidance than that.
it’s been awhile since i read this tho 🫠