The Imperial Palace - 2

Not all logic is black-and-white thinking, a simple matter of right or wrong. But in a battle where lives were at stake, it was crucial to have a clear standard for distinguishing Ally from foe.

That's why, before I carried out the Imperial Palace Terror, I had no choice but to ask Pria whether she could betray the Imperial Palace or not.

Of course, given the bond and affection we'd built, I wouldn't kill Pria. Still, I needed to decide how I would treat her going forward.

*And with time running out...*

I had no choice but to ask an overly aggressive, yet definitive, question. So I watched Pria, who was clearly flustered, and waited for her answer. Pria looked at me, a playful smile gracing her lips, and spoke.

"What, are you playing games the moment we meet? Fine, I like games too..., so I can play along, right?"

I had asked to distinguish ally from foe. But Pria seemed to think my question was a joke, and she smiled playfully as she spoke to me.

"I really missed you. Truly, *truly*."

"...?"

It felt too sincere to be a joke. The moment I heard it, I tried to answer, but Pria seemed uninterested in my reply, quickly cutting me off and continuing...