Back at the edge of the woods, Starius and Tara resumed their chat after their awkward reunion hug.
"I've been meaning to ask... but why did you never write to me? You could've at least informed me that you're still alive," Tara asked. She tried her best to hide the grievances within her.
The amount of guilt she had felt over Starius' "sacrifice" was not small. When she thought about how less stressed she would be if she had known that Starius still lived, that aggrieved feeling only increased.
The moment he heard the question, Starius put on a troubled expression for a few seconds. During that time, he thought about how best to explain his circumstances to Tara. He eventually sighed.
"This... is mostly to do with my master. He is an excellent teacher and a very good person, but he can get a bit stubborn at times," Starius said. He scratched his cheek.
