I agree that the slow pace of the story has its advantages: it's what allowed the author to build such a complex world, full of incredible characters. But sometimes it seems like things aren't progressing, or not as we'd like, and perhaps that frustration is one of its drawbacks. Even so, I wouldn't let go this manga for anything. It's currently one of the most endearing and best-told stories you can find.
Even though I've been theorizing for over a year that Desmond can read minds, and now I discover, shocked and heartbroken, that I was wrong all this time, damn it. But that's how good this story is. Anything is possible: the spy games, the theories, the intrigues, the suspense, the anxiety, and the unknown... It can all resonate with us readers as well
He might still read minds. Just because he can hear thoughts doesn't mean he understands them.
Impulse purchases are a great example of the variety you can have with your logical processes. For some, the process is automatic and they will only think about it later after the object is in their hands or home for a period of time. Others agonize over the what-ifs of the purchase.
We have the same range for emotions but since there are stronger chemical reactions going on inside (instead of just wanting a hit of dopamine,) we sometimes don't think through those emotions at all in the moment. Someone could have a whole backstory of child abuse and that's why they don't hit any living thing; they don't have to think about it or go through all those memories in a split second for their response to occur.
So Desmond could still read minds but the "gift" hasn't gotten him closer to what he really wants.
I feel more of Desmond being a telepath comes from some past trauma
I feel more of Desmond being a telepath comes from some past trauma like something from his parents. Like his son tries to understand his father. Maybe he has something like that too
Desmond doesn't understand what others are thinking, so he may have tried to become a telepath either by using the research that made Anya, or maybe funding the research that made Anya.
Mmmmm it's at times like these especially that I wished the pacing on this manga was a little tighter. I understand what kind of manga it is, and what it's going for (the manga publishing industry do be like that TM) but GOD I WANNA KNOW!!!
That said, if the manga had a really tight schedule with no gaps for breathing we wouldn't have the robust and nuanced world we get , or the slow burn of so many different characters getting to grow as the story goes on, and I really like that so I guess I can't complain too much