She looked forward, her gaze fixed on nothing visible.
"Are you sure forcing him is a good choice on your part?" she asked calmly.
She waited.
There was no audible response, but her expression shifted slightly as she listened.
After a few seconds, she gave a small nod.
"If you think so."
Her eyes drifted across the ruined relay, observing the cracked platform, the shattered remains of Hollow Star's defenses, and the silent emptiness left behind.
"Should I recall this avatar," she began, "or do you want it to remain in this—"
She stopped. Her gaze shifted suddenly, locking onto a distant point beyond the relay, beyond the dead planet itself.
She remained still for several seconds.
Then her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Why is the Crimson Zone active in this galaxy?"
She listened again, her posture unchanged, but the faintest trace of concern surfaced in her voice.
