'He is like this...'
'Because of me...'
The realization hit her with a devastating clarity.
She understood why Soren pushed himself past his limits every single day, why he entered hazardous Gates and returned with exhausted eyes, and why he was so desperate to gather wealth and resources. It wasn't just to improve their daily lives, buy better food, or make their home more comfortable.
He was doing it all to help her, to find a cure for her.
A wave of intense grief and self-loathing washed over her, far sharper than the initial shock. Her chest tightened, and her breath became shallow as the sheer weight of his sacrifice pressed down on her. She stared at his pale, unmoving face through a sudden blur of tears, her heart twisting with an agony she couldn't express.
'I'm sorry...'
The words repeated like a quiet refrain inside her mind, over and over, as she stared at his pale face.
'I'm so sorry, Soren.'
