UwU ~ Thanks for reading and thanks for the compliments, mój Ukochany!~ Indeed, this was the first story I picked up upon when I noticed the dialogue. Something with the word phrasing of Musashi tipped me off (and the fact it contrasted with Kal’s mannerisms, tied into the fact that Colonel had no explicit gender stated). So I wanted to imply a story that preludes even the beginning of this story and why Musashi said what she said here. Of which hopefully my ending provided as that absent prelude by being flashback memory. By which, everything else gets repainted by that mark of the tragedy. The spectral, Hate, mercy kill and the final reach all can sneak in without much structural change. And yet, while the mark is gone, the sting of the mark of tragedy shall remain as a constant reminder. Because it shall always root itself deep and remain as a phantom pain even when removed/superseded.