A White Raven (3)

Her face turn surprised as she just realize something.

'He is in right mind?!'

She thought his mind would be a mess and she will be able to make him take a mana oath for herself as she needs him to be in complete servitude for her goals.

'What a creep.'

He was tortured for like an hour but he is more worried about her body then himself. Her expression turned serious as she looked at him again. His expression turned serious as well and it seems like he finally realized his situation.

"What are you talking about?"

Ethan asked her in calm voice. First, He needs to figure out his situation. The lady had asked him to take a mana oath. Mana oath is taking an oath on mana. If it breaks, the violator will lose the blessing of mana and die. She is asking him to take the mana oath for herself and become her slave. It is clear she didn't help him out of goodwill.

"I think I can tell you since you won't be leaving this place alive other way. I want to steal something from your academy treasury but it is really hard to do it other ways so I choose you to assist me in my heist."

"Why should I do that?!"

Ethan looked at her with pissed expression. He had no intention to betray academy in any case. Academy had protected him during last incident. He holds no sense of responsibility but that doesn't mean he will repay their grace with betrayal?

Chains around his limbs tighten and his limbs were pulled apart strongly. Ethan face clenched as he feel his limbs being pull apart. He looked at her with hateful expression.

She smiled but her smile contains no emotion at all yet it was still so perfect.

"You don't have a choice here. You either do it or die."

A sense of déjà vu strikes his mind for some reason but he ignores it as it is not time for it.

"I refuse! You can kill me for all I care!!"

She looked at him with amusement. What a brat. She didn't anything but just stare at him when chain starts pulling harder.

"I know you cherish your life. I will give you a last chance. Swear. Swear that you will do whatever I ask you to do."

Ethan looked at her with gritting his teeth. He can feel his bones on verge of dislocating but he can't do what she asked him. If he did that he will lose all his freedom! His freedom that he fights for until now…

Ethan suddenly stopped thinking for a moment. Freedom? What freedom? What was he talking about just now?

'Was there something-?'

A sharp pain hit his mind. His eyes closed in pain.

Brown hair lady notice that and think that he is accepted his death. She released her chains and freed his limbs.

Ethan looked at her. Is she letting him go? That's unlikely since she already told him his plan.

She pulls out a gun from her storage. She checks the magazine and loaded a bullet and throw at him. She deliberately did that in front of him because she wants him to see that bullet is real.

She throws the gun in front of him. Ethan didn't do anything and looked at her, wondering what she was planning. She has a smile on her face. It is really hard for Ethan to tell her emotion.

"You said you will rather die than betray academy, right? I am giving you a chance then. During last battle, I used my skill and now it's on cooldown. When it returns, I can force you to do my bidding just like him. I will give you a choice. You can kill yourself before my ability returns or swore the man oath by yourself."

She found him quiet cute. Everyone if asked, always say these things like 'I will rather die than do your bidding.' But the moment cold barrel of the gun touches their head, their feet turn cold and their back starts sweating. They start to think for a way out of their situation without needing to die. It will be same for him.

It still commendable for a boy of his age to think likes that but that's all. He won't have in him to pull the trigger.

'I will just use this chance to convince-'

Banggg.

A gun shot resounded in the small room. Her eyes widen as she hold his wrist in her hand. Ethan had put the gun besides his head and pulled the trigger without hesitation. She reflexively pushed his hand above his head, missing his head by a second. If she was a second late, bullet would have shot through his head but what surprising her more is his hand, she felt no tremble from his hands!

'It is not out of desperation but out of resolve!'

She can't help but taken aback by his behavior! She had done her research on him. He is an orphan with no records of him in past. It's normal for orphans, since in this world, people had hard time taking care of themselves. There is no way for them to care about another person, especially if there are no benefits.

It is still a mystery how he ended up in academy but she thought he was the best bet for her to infiltrate the academy without any strings attached that's why she choose him but…

"You…Are you really going to kill yourself?"

She asked him in calm voice. She already knows his answer but she still choose to ask because she wants to see through his mind. See what he is really think in that naïve mind of his?

"If I have to choose between my death and becoming a cause of someone's suffering. I will gladly choose death any day."

She looked at his face. There is nothing outstanding about him in anyway. His eyes are filled with strange resolve she can't explain. She knows that he is not stupid. He had a working brain above his head but that's only makes this situation more weird.

She doesn't know what to say here. She had lived a life with quiet struggle and met lots of people with weird personality but she never met someone as weird as him. She can't tell if he is kind or suicidal; Smart or dumb; Clever or stupid.

Both of them stay in this position for some time. She keeps looking in his eyes. She can tell what he is thinking. There are two thoughts going through his mind. First, To escape. If not, then he will just pull the trigger on his head.

She fell into dilemma. She doesn't want to give up on her heist but…

"…How about you hear me out first?"

"…I have no intention to hear anything if you are going to make me hurt people."

His hand tightens and tries to bring the barrel back to his head. It was futile effort as her hand easily kept his hand on its place.

"…I have a better option for you that you may like."

Ethan guard relaxes as he heard her. He will be more than happy escape this place alive. He just doesn't want to hurt anyone without cause. She also release his hands wears her white gloves.

"How about you work for me?"

Ethan frowned at her question. Isn't it basically same thing?

"It's not. I want you to work for me as an employ. I won't ask you to betray the academy or anything. Also, I don't have any ability that can force you to take a mana oath."

"I know last one. No, Actually I did suspect. I had hard time believing that such an absurd ability exists."

She raised her eyebrows and tilted her slightly.

"Then why did you pull the trigger?"

"I don't want to take risks. In Books, It is mention that some mages and warrior awakens powerful superpowers that have absurd abilities."

"Well, you are right about that but not everyone awaken it even in same level. I happen to be former one but it's a different ability. If you would have notice, I use it to kill him."

She pointed toward Charon's corpse in the end. She has a smile on her face as she brags about her strength. Ethan just rolls his eyes at her bragging.

She actually think entirely different thing as she noticed another thing.

'He already knows but he still pulled the trigger?'

She really has hard figuring about this young boy in front of her. She can't help but mutter in the end.

"You're a mess…"

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"Let's escape this place first."

She changed her words and gesture him to come closer. Ethan was little wary but still walk closer to her. He knows she is going to use some Movement Art. He moves closer when she suddenly stops him.

"That's enough. I can use my spell fine by this distance."

Ethan frowned at her remark. He had read about Arts in library. It is stated that all Movement Arts work individually. It will only have effect on the user alone then how she is going to use then?

Shadow below her feet become darker and expand outward in circular manner. It covers the whole area below their feet and both of them sink inside it. Ethan panic at first but calm down when he noticed his body fine. Both of them were inside her shadow. It was all dark surrounding but Ethan can see her fine. He can't help but looked at her in shock.

"Is it really a Movement Art?!"

He was shocked beyond reason. It is more like a Magic Art but he clearly saw her using illusion before! Is she also practicing two Arts?!

"Hmm. It is. It is just a little special."

She answered in calm voice but Ethan has urge to grab her shoulder and shake her out. Little?! There are no Movement Arts that can carry people around to travel!

Ethan took the silence for some time. He still needed to think this through as he was still not safe. He need to find someone way to convince her spare him while also making sure not to betray academy or do anything like that.

It took them ten minutes to reach their destination. Ethan was thrown out of the shadow. He barely balanced himself to not fall miserably. He stable his feet and looked up.

Chorís Heaven.

It was written in front of building with a beautiful calligraphy with 3D block letters. A strong smell of alcohol penetrated his nose. He instantly covers his nose.

"It's rude to cover your nose in front of clubs."

Ethan turns around and looked at bewitching beauty besides him. He didn't notice but clothes do fit this place. She was wearing a blue jeans, black cloth underneath and black unzipped jacket. She can instantly melt with the atmosphere.

He, on the other hand, a blue shirt and pants that are a little lose for his size. He didn't need to try to know he will be kicked out the moment he set his foot its direction. But question is what the hell we are doing here?!

"I am not planning to drunk you and force you take an oath."

Ethan turns his head and looked at her. He is really pissed at her mind reading ability.

"Actually, it's not mind reading ability."

His breathing became unstable due to rage that is welling up inside him. He is starting to dislike being read the most!

"Okay ~ I will stop."

She was clearly enjoying, teasing him. Ethan just sighed in the end. He has many other problems currently instead of paying attention to her teasing and one of them is what the hell is he doing here?! No, there is one more problem he didn't mention.

"Who are you?!"

He still didn't ask anything about her yet! He is practically following a stranger and even ended up into a club! Not to mention, he is an underage too! And Lady is also outrageously alluring!

"It's Raven."

Cold wind blows and her brown bangs feel toward her face. She pin it behind her ears and recites her name.

"A White Raven."