"If you're perfect," Ludwig said, "why am I still here?"
The question was simple. Almost stupidly simple.
That was what made it effective. Complex arguments gave Pride space to stand above them. Simple questions left less room to hide. Ludwig watched Pride carefully. Not his hands. Not his stance. His face.
And there it was. A frown. Small. Barely visible. A tightening around the eyes so minor that another person might have dismissed it as imagined. Ludwig nearly laughed out loud, but he held it in, savoring the discovery instead.
That should not exist.
A frown implied dissatisfaction.
Dissatisfaction implied something had failed to align with expectation.
Expectation implied model.
Model implied thought.
And thought meant Pride was no longer simply existing as some untouchable absolute.
