"I've been trying to study on my own, but there are so many things I don't know. Everyone expects me to succeed easily… but what if I can't?"
Her vulnerability was laid bare in those words. For the first time since she'd run away, someone knew the truth behind why she'd left—and it wasn't out of rebellion or selfishness but fear.
Genuine compassion softened Julian's expression as he spoke again, this time with a gentleness that contradicted his usual stoicism.
"You won't know until you try, but if you continue to run, you'll eventually find a wall that will bring you back to the same path. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the scenery, right?"
His honesty was amazing, but there was encouragement in it too—an unexpected kindness that gently pushed against the walls Aziel had built around herself.
Her heart skipped a beat as she absorbed his words.
He wasn't commanding her to return or dismissing her fears; instead, he offered something more precious: belief in herself.
