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Hector tried to think of the right words. They didn't come.

Asad Najir and Zeff Elroy had a unique relationship, Hector knew. Something akin to best friends, perhaps. Zeff might not have let it show before, but the fact that Asad was missing must have been tearing him up inside.

Especially after everything else the man had already lost.

And now Hector had confirmation from Rasalased that Asad was not only missing but actually captured by Morgunov.

Hector considered telling Zeff. Would it help anything? Would it just cause Zeff even more misery?

He wasn't sure.

But there was one thing Hector knew for sure. He knew that if their roles were reversed, he wouldn't want Zeff to hide this from him.

So he had to say something. Dammit.

"...Rasalased told me that Asad was captured by Morgunov."

Zeff made no response.

Hector waited, though. For something. For anything. An explosion of water, maybe. Or at least some yelling.

But it didn't come.

Zeff just kept sitting there, not looking at him.

"...Zeff?"

Nothing.

That was weird. He didn't even seem surprised. Maybe on some level, Zeff had already known. Or suspected as much, perhaps.

But did that make sense? Wouldn't Zeff have been more worried that Asad was just dead? Not captured?

Hmm.

In any case, Hector didn't want to leave it there. "Rasalased believes that Asad will make it out of this alive. And be stronger for it, too."

Still, Zeff remained quiet.

"I don't know if that's true or not, but... Rasalased hasn't steered me wrong so far."

"Hector."

"Yeah?"

"Leave me alone."

"...Alright."

Without another word, Hector crossed the lake and returned to the castle. He wasn't too concerned about Zeff running and doing something stupid like trying to mount a one-man rescue. As long as Asad's actual whereabouts were unknown, that wasn't really an option.