Oh, it's nothing like that. Back in the village there was an elderly man I met who had a dog. I tried to help them but I couldn't do much in the end.

[ The elderly man was struggling without his dog and the Northern Plains were a dangerous place to be. The younger Nier couldn't help the dog or the man. He feels some guilt towards it even now. ]

Maybe I'm just trying to apologize for not being able to do more.