Viktor, I took on restoring this Hall so that I could avoid working through the myriad of feelings about things you've learned of my past.

[He gets it. He really does. Alucard's brain still hasn't decoupled from the conviction that if he keeps moving at a rapid pace, the worst of his depression can remain far away.

There's a long, slow sigh.]

The problem is that in a way, he isn't incorrect. Doing good in and of itself doesn't get traction if the changes you're trying to make are society based. Working outside the bounds of authority generally just gets you killed. But...inventing shouldn't require that level of connection either, I shouldn't think.

He needs real dedication to break out of the habit, it sounds like.