Ah, so that was it. He didn't quite understand why, but the child was afraid of their own appearance. He'd assumed that the child was aware that deciding to call themselves a monster didn't magically alter their visage to match, but apparently not.

"What would you have me do, child?", he said. "I can't smash stone with my bare hands, and a spear would be equally ineffective. And in any case..." He crouched again, turning to face Chara, resting a hand on their shoulder. "There are some truths from which one cannot run or hide, and the truth one sees in the mirror- or in this case, a statue made in one's image- is one of those truths." His tone was gentle, but his hand steady and firm.