He held her tightly, burying his face in her thick fur. The tears he had hidden for so long finally came, streaming without shame.

He cried out, raw and broken, while the dog whimpered softly, pressing closer to him as if she too knew their time was running out.

— “You are my girl… my faithful one…” he whispered, his hands trembling as he stroked her back again and again. “What will you do without me?..”

She looked back at him with eyes full of loyalty, and he whispered once more:

— “Forgive me… for leaving you alone. I couldn’t prove the truth… but at least with you, I was never forgotten.”

Even the Guards Looked Away