That sounds --- [ too familiar, too real. too close to what happened years ago when it was uncovered who the emperor really was. a lot of people paid the price for it; many continue to pay.

cal swallows. ] Like a twisted game someone was playing with a lot of lives. And like a lot of people haven't lived through war.

[ the second one, well, that's more hopefully and almost silly in comparison. but cal doesn't say anything there, manages a soft chuckle. ]