The old woman chuckled softly as she looked into Valentin’s eyes, which were filled with expectation.

“I just kept living. Back then, there wasn’t even time to properly grieve. It wasn’t just me going through that, you know.”

The old woman’s hand gently patted Valentin’s.

“It’s not about who’s more unfortunate, or how my neighbor, Shahlro, lost more children than I did. It’s just something I came to understand naturally with time. That’s life.”

“…”

“Do you really think anyone goes through life with nothing but happiness? Even the sultans, who supposedly lived in golden palaces, didn’t have it all.”