Ethan looked at the whole video with wide eyes. It was whole video of attack with high quality pictures of attacker.
He raised his head but instantly duck down. He can't ask her anything. He needs to take his time and figure out everything himself. If he did that, it might help him to stop lowering his image in Raven's mind.
According to Raven, He has many chance and choices to collect additional information but he wasted them all. She said that process was fine then it means that there was no problem with how he handled things. It's just, he speed run through a dungeon and kill the dungeon boss when he was supposed to kill all monster.
Ethan had made Chris comfortable with him. If he had asked him, he would have figured out that where his worked. He wouldn't have trouble figuring out everything from there if he had done.
His father was possibly in charge of security of that dungeon. He was bribed to hide things by Nix Family or more precisely by their Elder. Ethan doesn't understand but Nix Family seems to be going too far for some reason. He can't help but feel many big things were going on behind the scene and if he had been more careful in past, he would have been able to found out more things during his conversation with Chris.
He could have found about his father schedule or more things in his room or his father connection to Nix Family.
'The more I think the more disappointed I felt with myself.'
He doesn't know why but he had a feeling Nix Family is not going to leave him alone anymore! He only increased the danger he will face from now on and the one who is to blame is none other he, himself and his stupidity.
Ethan raised his head and met his eyes with Raven.
"What is going on with Nix Family?"
Raven smiles at his question. She can tell he has think things thoroughly this time.
"…Why should I tell you?"
"You will since you were planning to in the first place."
"You're right but that was only if you manage to find out everything without my help. I see no reason now to help you."
Ethan turns silent and thinks about it. He has nothing to offer besides himself. If he does try…he can already see his corpse slowly, disturbing and horrifyingly get devoured by monster in some god forsaken dungeon!
He can try to talk this out but nothing without value can help him in this situation.
"What about information exchange with each other?"
She snickered at his proposal. She was really interested in what kind of deal he will present to her.
"…What kind of information you are talking about?"
"…It is not now but in future?"
"So, you're telling me to invest in your future?"
Ethan looked at her. He knows how stupid he may sound but his future is only thing he can sell.
'Well…being enslaved by her doesn't sound bad but it's unlikely she will use me like 'that'.'
"At the least appear confident, if you're going to bet your future. I will mention this again but current you hold no value to me at all but I am hoping that you will in near future. When I saved you or train you or everything I had done until now are already some big investments from my side. With that in mind, you have no right to negotiate me with that term."
"…so you're not going to tell me?"
"No, I will tell you but…I want you to understand that you already owe me too much to ask me anything more and I am someone who always makes people pays what they owe me…and It will be same for you."
Her voice was solemn and took darker tone as she talks. He can tell she was threatening him, in case he is planning to betray her in any way.
Ethan just nodded his head. He knows he needs to be completely submissive to her while maintain his certain reasoning and intelligence. He still hasn't forgotten his main objective to get close to her. He needs to appear harmless yet useful to her so that she will not abandon him in future.
Raven looked at him for some time and bends forward, toward the table and put the empty glass on the table. A silence breaking sound release as wood and glass hit each other, breaking the tense between them while filling the atmosphere with an unknown suspense.
"If I summarize everything, your beautiful teacher is a princess and your academy is a fortress."
Ethan was perplexed by her metaphor. It is true Miss Chloe is as beautiful as princess but, academy? Fortress?
A realization struck him as he think back to everything. It seems Miss Chloe is hated by her family or vice versa or…
"Is it because of marriage between her and Tempest heir?"
Raven smiled at his quick-wittedness. She knows he has an active brain on his head that just need some kick-start. She is also glad that instead of getting down by her sharp words, he rather focuses on improving himself.
"…Correct. Your beautiful teacher doesn't want to marry him yet her family is pressuring her. In the end, your beautiful teacher asked headmaster for help. You can already guess the remaining story."
Ethan grabs his chin as he fell into thinking. He can't help but feel that God do exist after all. There is no way his Goddess like teacher can fall for some second rated scum. There is no man in Human Domain worthy of her. He only lacks strength or else she, perhaps, might have someone worthy enough…
"Ahem."
Raven shot him a look of disgust as she read him. Ethan just coughed as to hide his embarrassment. He always forgot about her mind reading ability at important moment.
"You should focus on the reason why you are being target by them."
Ethan rubbed his chin as he tried to think of reason. It didn't took him long understand that they want to use him to damage Academy's power!
"But Raven, I can't understand how they will do, I mean, without my consent or any proof, they can't do anything after all."
"Why would they need it in first place?"
Ethan stares at her with perplexed expression for some time. His eyes widens as he realize something. If he was killed by Charon, then what would have happen? Had someone found his corpse? Would people have known he was tortured so nefariously before he died?
His corpse would have him in their hand till the end! They could have just manipulated the cause of death to anything of their advantage! They could have show a letter or something written from him that say 'it was conspiracy of academy against their Family' after his death and use it as proof to put the blame of kidnapping incident on LIFE!
"Does Nix Family really have such power?"
It is unimaginable how much influence will be needed for such things! It is like using a lie to hide tens of other lie without any pretext! Even Ataraxia won't be able pull something like that!
"If we are talking about Nix Family, then answer will be no."
"…Are you trying to tell me that there are more to it?"
Ethan's head is short-circuiting. There are just too many things to pay attention. His small action of saving a child, result in so much tragedy that he can't help but feel worried about his future action.
"Ethan, I will warn you beforehand but you should stay away from everything as much as possible while keeping your guard up all this time. You should be aware of this that you are nothing more than a cog in grand scheme of things."
Ethan just lowered his head. It is frustrating but she is right, she might even be overestimating him by calling him a cog.
"…Is there any way for me to become more than just a cog?"
"Yes, there is. You need to become strong, strong enough to take control of your own life. It is either you choose or other will choose for you."
Ethan just lowered his head and look at the floor carpet. He wants to sinks those words of her in his mind. She is right, absolutely right. It is always either you chose or other will choose for you.
"If you had resolved yourself then hear out the rest."
"…do you want to insult me more?"
"…I was actually planning to talk about the good part but…since you see it as an insult then there is nothing I can do. Let's end it here."
Raven act like she was standing up. Ethan went forward and half-kneel in front of her.
"…Miss Raven, I believe I didn't say this beforehand but your insult is greatest praise to humble servant like me. Please insult me to your heart's content. If it feels good, you can also hit me few times."
"…I am seriously considering throwing out of the floor."
"Please not."
Raven still raised herself as her eyes fell on the glass. Ethan made a note for himself that Raven dislike drama. Isn't normally other way around for women? He doesn't understand her at all. Her mind works on entirely different dimension from rest. A realization stuck him, what if she is not a human in first place?
"…If you're, then you're right."
Ethan looked at her behind the bar. It took him a while to realize her insult. He just ignored it, since saying anything will only make things worse and seat across her.
"…Can I try it, you know, a little wine?"
"No."
"…A little won't hurt. No one will found out or anything."
"I don't want to be a bad influence to you."
"…You killed someone in front of me."
"I did it to save you. It was a self-defense."
Ethan just looked at her without saying anything. Does she really forget the real reason? Of course not! He also noticed that it is impossible to win an argument against her. She always has responses prepared for everything. Is really a human?
"It seems you don't want to hear the good part."
Ethan just lowers his head. He refused to look above from now! She finished making her drink and circle around and sits three chairs across him. Ethan looked at three seats between them. Must she keep such distance? We are living together after all.
"…So, you were going to praise me, right?"
"I am not praising you. I am just stating fact. You did a good job during conversation. I was genuinely surprised when you control the conversation."
Ethan smiles widens after hearing her. He didn't even know what he was doing yet but just copying her.
"Actually, Raven, I copied you. I remember our conversation from yesterday. I don't know why but you seem to be always leading me on during conversation. My every question and answer were asked and said according to you. I realized it really late. I repeatedly replayed our conversation and tried to think of the reason. I noticed that and tried to copy it some ways though I can tell it lacks compare to you."
He remembers that he never once broke eye contact with her when he talked with her yesterday. Normally, It became unpleasant if you stare at another person's eyes for a while but her eyes seems to be drawing him, giving him the calmness that sooth his soul, mind and his existence!
The way she talks and asked makes other people force to keep the conversation even if they have to share some of your important desires and secrets that they never share it with anyone.
Her expression always reflects her emotion perfectly yet they are but façade of her to control the conversation.
Ethan knows that it is not her spell but something similar to her nature. If he can copy her then he would never have any trouble with his social skills anymore!
Maybe even that beautiful ice sculpture in his academy might also melts, just joking.