She smiled.
It was... a weak, half-hearted smile that was... frustrating to see on the face of a child.
"Here... there's just me," she said.
Her voice shook.
It was as if... perhaps... she was bearing her heart for the first time.
"And... here, I hope that you can learn to understand me-- bit by bit..."
To... understand?
"All the things I love-- or used to love," she whispered... "and all the pain that I've--"
Tycondrius held up his palm.
"Stop. I don't care."
"...Wh-what?" the child gasped. She involuntarily took a half-step in retreat-- but she quickly gathered herself.
"W-why not?!"
She seemed upset. She sounded desperate.
But why? The reason was obvious.
"It has nothing to do with me," Tycon answered.
"But... but you're in my magical Domain! This doesn't make any sense! Why aren't you-- How can you--"
The young girl was sobbing, wiping the streams of tears with her palms.
