"Hm… and why did you do it?"
Ragna blinked, a little thrown off—not by the question itself, but by the way the cardinal asked it. He had come here to confess, to have his sins heard and forgiven. Usually, the one listening sounded detached, cold, like they were just pushing through another dull routine.
But this time felt different. Cardinal Analisa's voice carried genuine attention, almost curiosity. It made Ragna talk more than he meant to, spilling things he hadn't planned to.
Still, something about it unsettled him. He couldn't quite tell why. Maybe it was just the strangeness of being truly listened to for once. He hesitated, then muttered, "I guess… I wanted to feel that same thrill I did when I was younger."
On the other side, Analisa asked again, "And did you feel those sensations again?" Her words came out steady, but her mind wasn't on the confession—every bit of focus was on Cassian's hands.
