[ Yuuri's not sure what she expects to hear. Everything about Ardyn's time is so different from hers that they don't need the separation of universes for it to feel alien to her. But as he talks, a creeping sense of realization -- of horror starts to fill her chest. What young man -- what young king -- would sit idly by while people suffered, while his subjects cried out for help when he knew he could save them?

And they'd just let him.

She opens her mouth to say something. Then she finds she can't, not for a long moment. She has to take in a hard breath and swallow before she can. ]

So you... are you telling me that all along, while you thought you were pushing back the dark-- they knew what was going to happen? They let you go out and destroy yourself. Just so he could have the monster he'd decided he needed?

[ She's so taken aback that she can't even muster anger. Not yet, anyway. That'll come soon enough. ]