Light was very sensitive about it.

"Are you okay, Asia-chan?" Light walked over to her, helping her to her feet.

Asia, who accepted his kindness by taking his hand to stand up, showed a genuine and sweet smile: "Yes, Light-sama, I am perfectly fine."

"Mm, I mean, has something happened to you recently?" Light asked and added: "I noticed that it seems something has happened to you; I just can't quite put my finger on what."

Raynare, Kalawarner, and Mittelt, hearing this, looked at Light in surprise.

They had spent the entire day with Asia but had not been able to notice anything different about her.

"Indeed, it seems that nothing can be hidden from you, Light-sama." Asia chuckled sheepishly. She scratched her face, and an embarrassed smile appeared as she began to share: "Actually, something did happen, yes. Today, to be precise, very early, when I woke up to go to the bathroom..."

Gradually, she began to narrate everything that she went through in her bathroom and talked about how she could not understand why she had that reaction.

"I see," Light listened to what she said calmly without interrupting. Seeing that she had stopped talking, he said, "Well, I should know the reason."

"Really?" Asia's eyes twinkled. She wanted to know the reason, but, as much as she thought about it, she couldn't figure it out...

There's a strangeness in this – to ponder one's own feelings and yet be confused about the origin of such abundant tears that day...

Honestly, she felt a bit foolish and stupid too for not being able to understand something that should be simple, since it was about herself.

"Sometimes, Asia," Light said with his almost hypnotic voice, "events or situations that are subconsciously significant to someone can trigger intense emotions without the person involved realizing immediately why they are reacting this way."

"Really?" Asia asked. "So why did I act like this?"

"Well, if I had to guess." Light paused. Stroking her head affectionately, he smiled a little at her: "Your crying might be a healthy way of releasing repressed or uncomfortable emotions. You said that before this, you were thinking about how happy you are currently for having your own home and that it was somehow the best thing that has happened to you in years. About how you could eat when you were hungry, or sleep in a warm and cozy bed when you were sleepy, right?"

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"Yes." Asia nodded, feeling warmed in her heart by the affection and care from Light.

"So, my guess is that, when you found yourself in this situation," Light touched her face, "your emotions overflowed and needed to find an outlet. And the outlet was crying. Now, you didn't say that you feel lighter and freer?"

"Yes, yes!" Asia exclaimed, feeling enlightened, but blushing a little at having her face touched by Light. A bit shy, she murmured: "So that's it... It makes sense if it's like that... Am I selfish for having had such a reaction? A bad person for having so many repressed emotions this way?"

"Asia, what are you saying?" Light admonished. "Of course not! You are human too, it's natural you have desires that need to be fulfilled. From what I know about your past, I'm aware you've barely had a good life. Even though you say you weren't unhappy, that doesn't mean you were happy. Do you understand?"

"I think so," Asia replied.

She became thoughtful again.

After a while, she looked back into his eyes.

"May I hug you?" Asia felt that, for the first time, she was being extremely selfish. But she simply wanted a hug at that moment.

"Of course." Light responded, immediately enveloping her in his embrace.

With her face against Light's chest, Asia began to sniffle softly. Yes, she was crying, but she did not seem sad or unhappy. This time, she was crying and knew why.

Yes, she was happy, she just felt so happy that she cried now. In fact, she even felt a bit of fear deep in her soul. It was strange, wasn't it? I mean, she had just discovered these feelings of happiness, but she had already become so attached to them that she feared they might just end...

Perhaps she was too tired from training, or hadn't slept enough; in the end, Asia fell asleep in Light's arms.

Seeing that she had fallen asleep, Light signaled to Kalawarner and whispered, "Take her to her room to get some rest."

"Yes," Kalawarner responded, lifting Asia into her arms.

After Kalawarner left with Asia, Light could feel Raynare's intense gaze on the back of his neck.

Turning around, Light looked at her. "Yes?"

"Nothing, it's just..." Raynare said evasively. "I just think you're very kind to Asia-chan."

"Jealous?" Light smiled.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" She denied quickly. "Me, jealous of Asia-chan? Hahaha, what a funny joke..."

"You know you're not being convincing at all, right?" Light laughed.

Raynare quickly changed the subject. "How did you notice what Asia was going through?"

Of course, when she asked that question, it was because she herself could not understand it and wanted to comprehend.

"Changing the subject?" Light laughed again but satisfied her curiosity: "Well, I just know. When I saw her, I noticed a significant change in her. Be it her expression or even her aura, which seemed softer and freer."

"Now that you mention it..." Raynare recalled the day she had spent with Asia.

Indeed, if she thought about it a little or paid more attention, maybe she would have been able to see it too.

However, she did not understand that she was only able to comprehend this now because Light had informed her about where the X factor of the problem lay. If not for that, perhaps even if she paid more attention to Asia, she would still remain oblivious to her changes. Perhaps she might notice, but wouldn't be able to say what changed or why.

"By the way, Light-sama," Raynare became extremely serious.

Seeing her like this, Light also adopted a serious expression. "Yes?"

"I think Lord Azazel has started to suspect..."