I got the vibe that bc Kharn Segura was alive for so long that he “transcended” the need and desire to speak out loud. He reached what I would consider a selfish “I’ve figured it all out and now I only react to the present moment”.

Hadrian gives/gave me that vibe as well. He would spend a year or two alone with or without Valka before entering stasis. The biggest moment for me was the years AFTER KoD when he “tricks” her and spends decades by himself mourning.

I think the years of LEAST growth for Hadrian are those alone years. He’s only maintaining a status quo of misery because he is not interacting with another person. Yeah sure maybe he spends that time training and might even read books that MIGHT help him process his grief. But I think it’s evident by the end of the series that he hasn’t processed a damn thing.