>>5736783"Vlad? Vlad, we've arrived back in Vritannis." Serpico gently shakes you up, trying to make his words get to you despite your catatonic state.
Frankly, you do not feel like responding, you do not even feel like staring back at him, yet you are painfully aware of how long you have been ignoring your surroundings for what feels like an eternity, the vortex of negativity in your mind has spiraled into an aversion to participate in this fight. Though Griffith has no qualms with convincing people to kill and be killed by his name, the burden of being a king instead of a pawn suits your side of the chessboard with the burden of responsibility.
"Vlad, please. We can't do this without you, now. I can't negotiate with Frederico by myself..."
"Let him be. He'll bounce back eventually. And if he doesn't, so be it." Guts speaks before leaving the boat along with Puck, "That's one less person to stand between me and Griffith."
You're not sure what just came over you: Perhaps as a product of Guts' declaration, Serpico's plead for help, or the active wish to just get this over with, you raise your head and stare back at Serpico, unamusingly exchanging glares in silence. His face is as neutral as ever, but his Od reeks of a mixture of uncertainty and determination.
"Vlad! Are you feeling alright?" Serpico seems positively surprised to seeing the slightest of reactions from you after several weeks of taking care of your inactive self, but it shouldn't take a genius for him to figure out that you are not in your best mental state, to put it lightly.
>The world is likely coming to an end, and if not, hundreds of thousands will be purged to prevent this catastrophe. Me? I feel just fine.>I don't feel. There is nothing to feel. And if there is, I do not wish to describe it.>Take a wild guess Serpico. How did you feel when your mother died?>[Stay silent. Let's just get this over with...] 