[ Petra thinks and he watches, wondering just how loaded of a question he asked. Or is it loaded at all? He can't pretend to understand her relationship with Edelgard, won't even begin to try. Maybe in another life - or maybe there's another time as they've all learned - where rather than facing off against Edelgard in the Imperial palace or Derdriu's streets, there's somewhere they work together and avoid all of this or some of it.

That's a hope which feels pointless since it's not the reality for either of them. Not from what he's lived, and not from what Petra's said she has. When she looks his way he doesn't bother pretending like he wasn't looking. ]

That's good. [ Claude nods slowly after speaking as though to confirm that or give it an additional underline. For all his tangled feelings on Edelgard - if he had to guess, he might be closer to understanding her motivations from an unfair amount of information in comparison. But if Edelgard's not told Petra about that, that isn't his to share. ] And as it should be, really.

[ He's quiet while he thinks about this and while sifting through different things to say next. What he decides on is an explanation of sorts, and one Petra deserves. ]

I never did hate Edelgard, for the record. Change was - is so desperately needed in Fodlan. She chose a different path towards it than I would have, and I would've rather all of us walked that path together. But we all made our choices in the end, and neither of us was willing to yield. Not even if all those ways she wanted Fodlan to improve weren't so far off from ones I wanted myself.

[ And with a wan smile, devoid of any cheer he might normally force into it, ] I told her I would finish the job for her and I meant it.