[close as higekiri's watching, there's no way that he'd miss that flinch, the obvious way that hizamaru doesn't want to admit it.]

... it took me a bit to remember mine - it's a name that's very old, you know? But I thought it was an odd reminder, because I didn't think that it was a mistake... Wasn't cutting you down just answering a prayer to the gods?

[isn't that all he had to do, in order to free his own smith? but now there's something thoughtful in his gaze. he doesn't look angry, or bitter about hizamaru's words - though his gaze isn't as open and easily pleased as it normally is]

Do you feel guilty?

[over the way he was forged, born, created into the world]