It has been a long day; filled with gestures, with unexpected kindness, and at sunset he slips away. Stands on the back porch of Otowakan and thinks, seriously, about not asking the question. Pad-kun is blank, loosely clasped in his hand. The sky is streaked with the red sunset, and a cool wind heralds rain. He’d shaken his head at Wolf’s exuberant suggestion, at Franz’s little tilt of the head, at Kanae’s worry. He is alone by design. 

(That he needs to ask, that he does not know, should have answered the question. But he will not recognize that until much later.)

And yet he finds that now that the moment is here, he cannot speak. He clears his throat, and the blue face blinks at him. Carefully, Ludwig rests the pad on the railing, and slowly keys in his question.

“Herr Beethoven-” the soft, electronic voice says slowly.

“Tell me.”

“...he did not.”

Ludwig closes his eyes. He leaves the pad in place and steps off the back porch, softly. The sounds of amiable chatter are behind him, the warm glow of the mansion.