"Don't be so judgmental. What you saw was only the surface. I did what a soldier had to do," Noa explained calmly, his eyes remaining focused on his task.
But Kornali couldn't be easily deceived. With a sinister smile, he retorted, "Ah, yes. Carrying out your duties while indulging in personal gains, right?"
"Are you talking about yourself now?" Noa shot back sharply, a menacing smirk forming on his lips.
"No point in speculating, young man," Korneli replied in a relaxed tone. "We must always remember that things in this world can be far more intricate than they appear."
Noa nodded, but disbelief was written all over his face. "You seem to have a lot of hidden secrets, Korneli."
"And so do you?" Noa countered.
"Do you really know much about me?" Korneli squinted his eyes.
"I don't know much about you, nor do I care," Noa shrugged. "What can one expect from someone who worships authority?"