---

¬ HILN

I could feel the daggers Iruo unleashed upon my back and I stopped, pulling my hand from Slin's soft grip, confusing him. 

I turned to face his mother. "I want to apologise for then… for intruding into your thoughts. That was rude of me—" Her frown only deepened, causing me to worry. She wasn't just annoyed about what I had done, wasn't she? What was wrong with this woman? 

Slin cast nervous glances between the both of us, ready to intercept whatever was about to happen. 

I then sighed, about to ask her what exactly her problem was with me when she beat me to it. 

"I felt filthy that day—" 

Slin frowned. "Mother—" 

My lips twisted down in a sour frown and I felt sad. "Her reaction is understandable. What I did was—"