He gave Darius a tentative glance, then exhaled and shut his eyes. "I know I've already failed my mission. Go ahead if you want to end my life."

Darius had honestly wanted to help this boy, but he stopped when he heard this. "You're extremely calm about facing death, calmer than people much older than you. That's a surprise. Can you tell me why you feel that way?"

The black-robed person raised his head to meet Darius' eyes. Because of how close they were to each other and the disparity in their height, Darius could clearly see his eyes. They were filled with tears, and he was obviously one step away from agreeing to Darius' request. Then, he lowered his head and shook it.

"No, my emotions and thoughts don't matter. The important thing is that I failed my mission, and my life is the price to pay for that. I can't take my own life, but you can do it for me." He looked at Darius again, this time resolutely.

Darius was bemused and shook his head. The black-robed person obviously couldn't