Raizen's eyes widened.
"You… saw me?" he repeated, stunned. "From the window?"
The Ruler's gaze flicked toward the window, with amusement in his eyes.
"From my window, yes" he said. "You were on the street below. You even looked up once."
Raizen stared, speechless. This man's memory was flawless. Scary, even.
That was… One moment. One glance. One time, in an entire day, months ago.
And the Ruler had stored it like a human folder.
Raizen shook his head slowly.
"That's insane" he muttered. "You only saw me once."
The Ruler's expression shifted, now even more amused.
"In cities like this, while ruling it for years" he said, "you learn what is worth remembering."
The room felt suddenly smaller again, not because of pressure, but because of the intimacy of being recognized after such a long time.
The music played on, steady in the background.
Raizen's curiosity rose again, dangerous and insistent.
