Sugus chuckled softly through his nose.

  It wasn't kind.

  It was curious… almost cruel.

  She rested her elbows on the table, bringing her face closer.

  "Seriously? You still believe it?"

  Her eyes narrowed slightly.

  "Even after everything that happened to you?"

  The question came lightly, but loaded with intention.

  She tilted her head, watching his reaction as if waiting for a wound to open.

  "Your God let quite a lot happen, don't you think?"

  Silence.

  The dim light flickered for a moment.

  Black smoke appeared behind his head, rippling slowly, as if breathing along with the irritation he was trying to hide.

  Yudoson didn't answer immediately.

  His fingers tapped once on the table.

  Tac.

  Sugus smiled slightly.

  He knew he was right.

  But then… her tone changed.

  The provocation vanished almost completely. She leaned back in her chair, her expression softer, almost genuinely curious.

  "I'm asking seriously now…"

  Her voice was lower.

  "Why keep believing… if everything only got worse afterward?"

  No sarcasm.

  Just interest.

  As if she really wanted to understand.

  Or at least appear to want to.

  Her eyes didn't leave his.

  Waiting.

  Yudoson’s fingers stopped tapping.

  His jaw tightened.

  The dark smoke behind his head twisted slightly, reacting before he spoke.

  “And why do you care now, you snake?”

  The words came out sharp, filled with restrained anger.

  His eyes hardened as he leaned forward just a little.

  “Why does any of this matter to you?”

  The air between them grew heavier.

  For a brief moment, the room felt smaller.

  Sugus didn’t flinch.

  Didn’t look offended.

  Instead, her lips curled into a faint, amused smile.

  Ah.

  There it was.

  She leaned back slowly in her chair, completely at ease despite his hostility.

  “I was wondering how long it would take,” she said softly.

  Her eyes studied him — not hurt, not angry.

  Interested.

  “Three minutes,” she added. “That’s longer than I expected.”

  She tilted her head slightly, resting her cheek against her hand.

  “You only raise your voice when something still hurts.”

  A small pause.

  Her gaze dropped briefly to the faint traces of dark smoke fading near his temple.

  “And it clearly still does.”

  She looked back into his eyes.

  This time, her smile softened — not kind, but closer to genuine curiosity.

  “Because I want to understand what you’ve become, Yudoson.”

  A beat of silence.

  “And whether you’re breaking… or finally becoming honest.”