Asher's thoughts paused as he heard Azaron's question; he broke eye contact with Azaron, his eyes falling on the drink in his hand as he stayed silent for a moment. Azaron did not rush him, he simply continued to stare at Asher with a patient expression, his gaze steady and expectant of an answer.
After a short moment, Asher spoke, "To be honest and truthful, I was a bit scared and being a bit careful," he began to speak truthfully, choosing his words carefully. "After the Emperor tried to manipulate my mind, I couldn't help but overthink how far his mind manipulation must have gone, how many households are under his command without anyone knowing," he paused for a moment before he continued, "I couldn't help but imagine him also controlling you without anyone knowing."
