Avenger

The night was still. Dim candlelight flickered through the room, illuminating Katarina's pale face. Her expression remained vacant, devoid of any emotion, as though she had sunk into an unfathomable sea of despair—too powerless to struggle, and unwilling to struggle.

Skylar watched her quietly, his gaze profound and tinged with pity.

He let out a soft sigh. His tone, rarely, softened slightly, like a night breeze brushing across a lake—gentle and low. "Katarina, what you've been through... I think I can understand."

Katarina did not react. Not even her eyelashes trembled.

Skylar did not mind and simply continued, "Betrayed by your family, hunted by the organization, the deaths of those closest to you... Everything you once thought you had suddenly came crashing down. Even fleeing became an impossible hope."

He paused, his eyes fixed on her face. "You must be in a great deal of pain, aren't you?"

Katarina's fingertips curled slightly, but she still said nothing.

Yet Skylar revealed a faint smile, carrying both a hint of sighing and a meaningful gentleness. "But this isn't your fault, Katarina."

Katarina's pupils contracted slightly for an instant, and her lips trembled faintly.

"You gave everything for your family, yet when you needed them most, they cast you aside." Skylar spoke in a low voice, with just the right amount of sympathy in his tone. "This isn't your fault. It's theirs. They were heartless. They were selfish. They betrayed you."

Katarina's breathing faltered for a moment. Her nails dug deeply into her palms, and though her gaze remained lowered, that slight ripple had already betrayed her.

"And Walpurgis... did they ever truly trust you? That attack at the bottom of the lake—hmph." Skylar gave a soft, disdainful laugh, continuing to steer her emotions. "It wasn't just you. Anyone put in your place