"Does sir really believe that boy can help her?" asked the woman as she closed the door of the house.
The old man continued walking slowly towards the stairs while saying "...I really don't know..."
"What do you mean you don't know? Did you trust anyone with her life?!" exclaimed the woman, her voice altered.
He looked at her, and after that she quickly said "I'm sorry." while bowed her head.
"…Sigh…"
"…I know what you mean. …He entrusted her to me, but…I have no idea how to save her, I didn't know before, and after we got out of there it didn't change."
"…What was he thinking? …I had already searched everywhere, and still I couldn't find anything. And he knew it! …He thought I could find something by taking her out from under his wings and putting her in danger with just the two of us protecting her?"
"…During these years, while we hid everywhere, I continued to look for a way to cure her… but what did that help? As before, I found nothing. Not even a clue…"
"…And as we walked with her, around the world, and limited her actions as much as possible, we also had to hide from her the fact that her own father pushed her away. Because that's what he did."
"…He knew I wouldn't find a way to save her, and he just traded her for that bastard. And in doing that he finally found the perfect son, not least because that boy is exactly like his father… apparently, even in ideology."
After having heard all that, still with her head down and, while trembling, the woman said "Sir… I can't believe that he really left his daughter aside like this…"
The old man looked at her again for a brief moment, then turned and sat down on the stairs as he said, "I understand you. I would say that too, if I didn't know you." He slowly lifted her head, looked up at the blue sky above the trees, and continued, "He knew how to fake it well, at first. But after realizing that his beloved daughter couldn't be used to increase his influence through marriage, let alone his military power, he walked away."
"And while everyone around thought he was looking for a cure for her, in reality his biggest concern at that time was getting a new wife, to replace his dead wife. And consequently have a new son, to replace his useless daughter as well."
"And he really did it…" at this moment tears began to slowly trickle down the old man's face as he said "He found a new wife, and that's 5 years after the first one died… he also got a new child, a boy as talented as the father…"
"Now tell me one thing. Do you happen to remember seeing him with her after that boy was born? No need to lie, because I know you were the only one who was always by my niece's side."
"…No…" replied the woman.
The old man lowered his head, as he wiped the tears from his face, and said, "…Well, answering his question. Yes, I left her life in someone else's hands." startled, the woman quickly raised her head. However, before she could say anything, the old man continued, "For he knew it would be impossible to find a cure, and he just left the job of having to see her slowly die to someone else, and that one is obviously me."
"So sir is…"
"Yes, the boy is just something I can vent my anger, and frustration, at not being able to keep alive the only thing she left in this world."
"But sir, does that mean you're going to..."
"She doesn't have time anymore. If what that bastard said was really real, things would be very different now. But since that was obviously a lie, I brought this boy, so that at least I wouldn't have to see her being completely consumed by the flames."
An expression of sadness could be seen in the woman, as the old man, while looking again at the sky said, "Being quite sincere. Deep down I really hope that boy can help her… even though I know that's impossible."
"…But should that happen…I would owe him a huge debt. A debt that I probably wouldn't be able to pay in my entire life…"