He gave Darius a tentative glance, then exhaled and shut his eyes. "I know I've already failed my mission. Go ahead if you want to end my life."

Darius had honestly wanted to help this boy, but he stopped when he heard this. "You're extremely calm about facing death, calmer than people much older than you. That's a surprise. Can you tell me why you feel that way?"

The black-robed person raised his head to meet Darius' eyes. Because of how close they were to each other and the disparity in their