Ahead of the group, Alex lifted his sleeve, fiercely wiping away the tears that had started to form.
Alex knew deep down that any further hopes of Bartland being good or caring about him were just self-delusions. 'If he truly cares about me, why hasn't he visited me, choosing instead to capture me now? The earlier pirate attack at the beach must have been Bartland's doing too… I dragged Ayoi and Yuka into trouble.'
He thought about the embroidered message inside the doll's dress Yuka had given him, originally meant from his mother: "I wish you were a girl." Maybe his mother knew he'd be a political tool, not wanting him to compete for the throne with Fred, to avoid Bartland's exploitation.
'Does Mom's death have something to do with Bartland, too?'
The more Alex dwelled on it, the more heartbroken he became. He wiped away tear after tear, and when he realized it, he had already reached the white building.
