With his head thrown back toward the heavens, Leo's fist trembled from the force of his grip. "Pathetic. That's me, isn't it?"
The question seemed to come from nowhere, though with Raiden, nothing was ever truly random. He'd learned to simply listen and let him work through whatever was on his mind.
"I didn't expect to win against you easily." He turned toward Raiden, his voice cracking as his fists tightened. "I was expecting to hold my own, at least."
His eyes dropped to the floor, flickering with unshed tears as he sniffled silently. "But I couldn't last a minute in our duel."
Raiden wore a soft smile, finally understanding Leo's struggles. But at that moment, he felt no urge to manipulate Leo. His dark thoughts and twisted desires all felt distant the more he grew accustomed to Solace Isle's atmosphere. It was as if he were becoming a new person.
Yet at that moment, lying was unnecessary. The truth alone was strong enough.
