[ She listens to him, her thoughts thankfully kept to herself for once. ]

I see, so that's why you offered...

[ She closes her eyes, briefly. ]

I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt anyone, let alone kill them. But the risk of three of them losing themselves and their souls without having a say in it was... something I couldn't stand. So I also didn't know how to feel. On the one hand, I was acting to prevent that. On the other hand, I was willfully taking them away from the people who cared about them and I couldn't even let them have proper closure about it. I hated myself but I knew if I did nothing, I'd hate myself even more.

[ Otome releases a quiet sigh. ]

I didn't want to die, because I didn't think I'd be able to even start trying to make things right if I was dead. But when Tsuyukusa came to kill me, I just felt... at least a little relieved. That if someone was going to die tonight, at least it would be someone who'd harmed others. It was selfish of me, but still.

... I wish I could have supported you better, Malik. I wish I could be so much more for you, that I could have been everything that you might have thought I was.

But I never once stopped caring about you. I never would have wanted you to be framed for my death and I was less than thrilled when I learned about it.