Chapter 16: Perhaps it was time for me to let her go.

What if, in truth, I was the cause of her suffering? What if my actions were the source of her pain?

Perhaps it was time for me to let her go.

There was nothing to be done. I must bear this burden alone.

— Ragnar Clementine

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In the hushed chamber of the royal palace, Ragnar's composed demeanor faltered, unveiling the depths of sorrow and solitude he bore within. Behind his regal facade lay a heart heavy with the weight of unspoken grief and longing.

As his gaze wandered into the distance, his once-piercing eyes now clouded with the shadows of memories lost. The echoes of bygone moments lingered in the air, a poignant reminder of the void left by Sophia's absence.

"I am incomplete without you, Sophia," Ragnar murmured, his voice a mere whisper amidst the solemn stillness of the palace walls. "And perhaps I will remain so forever."