A tattoo like the terrorist's.
Could that really be just a coincidence?
'No. That's impossible.'
Tattoo culture wasn't common in the Empire. Sure, mercenaries sometimes got small markings or charms for luck, but even then, they were frowned upon—seen as something crude or rebellious.
So what were the odds that an academy student and a terrorist would have the exact same tattoo?
Close to zero.
'There has to be a connection between them.'
It wasn't a suspicion anymore—it was a conviction forming in my gut.
But then, another thought tangled my reasoning.
If Lina really had ties to them… why would she protect me during the explosion? She could've easily left me to die. Instead, she shielded me, risking her own life.
And she wasn't weak, either—she had taken down that ogre during the attack like it was nothing.
Could someone like that really be part of a terrorist group? Someone so… kind?
'None of this makes sense.'
