"What do you mean trapped?" Hoyo asked, the panic evident in his voice.
"Think about it," Ludwig replied, his tone clipped as his gaze flicked toward Kassandra's pale, lifeless form. "Locked in a city. All exits are sealed. People are either dying—or worse, losing themselves completely. What does that sound like to you?"
"You think it's some kind of plague?" Hoyo frowned, his hands clenching into nervous fists.
Ludwig exhaled sharply, a mix of frustration and exhaustion bubbling beneath the surface. "I wish it was something that simple. No, I think it's more deliberate—a coordinated attack."
The words hung heavy in the air, the weight of their implication pressing down on those present.
"What makes you so confident about this theory?" Alva Urbaf interjected, her voice sharp and cutting. "That's a very serious accusation. Can you even take responsibility for saying something so reckless?"
