He had used her despicably and deliberately, but sadly, he truly had feelings for her.
Once he began operating under a new identity, perhaps he could try arranging for her recall. He could save her and take her with him.
Of course, there was a risk of exposing himself... perhaps too great a risk.
"I'm a coward!"
He shouted it to the empty air, tears sliding down his face.
"You are a coward."
That was how the void answered.
"Huh?"
Klein sprang to his feet, his heart pounding wildly.
He tried to grip his pistol with his injured hand and aimed it at the—
There was nothing there.
He looked around, searching for the source of the voice, his finger resting on the trigger.
"I'm right here, Klein."
He lowered his gaze to the murky pool, where some presence was clearly using the water as a medium to transmit an image and sound.
Then, a slender shadow emerged...
"Your Highness the Prince..."
Though the image filled him with dread, Klein forced himself to stand firm.
"What matter requires your personal attention?"
The flame-shaped helmet nodded. The figure was startlingly clear, like a hologram projected by the pool water.
The true master of the Benedict Empire stared at Klein from behind his gleaming helmet. Tall and slender, the black feathers on his enormous wings reflected the steadily brightening sunlight.
Yalide, the new leader of the Blades of Delirium, stood several meters before that towering figure.
"I want to know why you're giving up when you're so close to achieving your goal."
"My identity has been exposed. You have to understand, I can't get any closer to him. I can't do what you want me to do."
Diego did not answer. He continued staring at Grammaticus.
"You wish to end your mission?"