Walking beside her, Xu Qi noticed that the bandage was still wrapped around her forehead. After thinking it over, he apologized anyway. "I'm sorry. I didn't keep my emotions under control yesterday."
Eleanor glanced at Xu Qi in surprise.
"I didn't expect you to be such a gentleman."
"It was indeed my mistake. There's nothing to argue about."
Eleanor smiled noncommittally.
"Yesterday, I was actually prepared to die, especially after I said those things... I know everything Bishop Otto did that trampled on humanity.
"I've walked in the darkness for far too long, so perhaps I've grown numb to things like that... You were the one who was right, Xu Qi.
"So many clones, so many artificial humans. Even setting those aside, Kiana's parents' deaths were also entirely orchestrated by the bishop.
"Things like that can't be forgiven, and there's no excuse for them."
Xu Qi was surprised. It seemed that, in the space of a single night, this former die-hard Otto loyalist had already figured out many things.
Unable to resist probing, he asked,
"Do you still intend to remain loyal to Otto?"
"Naturally."
Xu Qi fell silent.
Eleanor smiled bitterly. "It seems you still don't really understand what the words 'die-hard loyalist' mean... This was how I was educated from childhood.
"It's practically carved into my bones. How many days have you and I known each other? What have you done for me? Do you really think I could abandon my loyalty to Otto and pledge myself to you instead?
"Just as I told Karen, it was merely a temporary expedient."
Xu Qi sighed, somewhat regretfully.
Eleanor also looked rather regretful.
"After saying all that, are you still not going to kill me? Forgive me for speaking frankly, Mr. Xu Qi, but you... you're truly too kind.
"You