She smiled at him as her eyes locked onto his "It isn't a perfect design," Lorina admitted, her voice quiet, "but it should buy you some peace."
"This is more than enough," Ludwig said, lowering his gaze to the pond. "You didn't need to part with something so rare. I can tell this water isn't meant to be given to anyone or taken lightly."
"It isn't," she agreed, stepping beside him. "This pond is one of our last true relics. It's been guarded since before my grandmother's time. Once, we offered some to the Emperor of Men, before the betrayal. It lengthened his life, gave him a glimpse of what eternity might feel like. And when mortals taste eternity…" Her tone darkened. "They demand it." The last words were spoken with sourness behind them.
"He wanted more," Ludwig said.
