Chapter 19: Sophia Lawson (Part 3)

After listening to Sophia, Ethan was astonished by the power of the Lawson family's primal force and even more shocked by Sophia's cold-heartedness. Could these really be the words of a fifteen-year-old girl? At an age where she should be innocent and dreamy, she spoke with such detachment, treating her own sister as a mere tool without a second thought.

Ethan began to appreciate Angelina more and more. Compared to her sister, Angelina was like an angel—flawed but far more humane.

Sighing, Ethan decided to set aside his thoughts about the sisters and focus on his questions. "I have a few more questions."

"Please, go ahead," Sophia responded.

"First, you didn't explain how to use the primal force tablet," Ethan started with the most pressing matter.

"Oh, my apologies!" Sophia smiled. "It's so simple that I forgot to mention it. Just hold the primal force tablet or keep it close to you. When you sense a heartbeat-like frequency, it means you've achieved initial awakening. Remember this feeling and continuously recall it to gradually master the frequency. Once you synchronize your mental energy with it, you'll have truly awakened the primal force. From then on, maintaining this mental frequency will allow you to use the primal force."

"That doesn't sound simple at all. It's almost incomprehensible," Ethan said, frowning.

"It really is simple," Sophia reassured him. "Do you believe in intuition? Besides the five senses, people have a sixth sense. It's subtle but can perceive everything around you. Close-combat fighters call this sense perception or an intuitive talent. Some are born with it. If you have this talent, holding the primal force tablet will make everything clear."

Ethan wanted to laugh. Sophia's words implied that if he couldn't awaken the primal force, it wasn't the tablet's fault but his lack of perception. He even suspected the so-called primal force tablet was just an ordinary stone, a trick to deceive him. Deciding to set this aside for now, he continued, "I understand. Thank you for explaining. I'll try it out later. For now, my second question is: how do you plan to handle the assassin? My situation is already precarious. Adding the Midnight Circus to my troubles will make it impossible to sleep peacefully."

Sophia laughed softly. "You're quite interesting. Most people can't wait to try the primal force tablet, even before I explain it. Yet, you're more concerned about other matters. Can you tell me why? I'm very curious."

"Can you answer my question first?" Ethan didn't want to let her control the conversation with irrelevant details.

"Of course!" Sophia said, pushing her hair away from her eyes. "You don't need to worry. Since I understand why you kept the assassin alive, I know how to handle it. I admired your approach and assure you, I'll do even better than you could imagine."

Ethan felt no relief, only sorrow. He guessed the assassin would be secretly imprisoned and interrogated, which likely meant that Lily, who had helped him, would have to die to keep the secret. Nobles wouldn't waste resources on a commoner like Lily. Even if Ethan tried to protect her, she'd be at risk once he left.

Knowing this, he still tested the waters. "I'm not concerned about the assassin. What will happen to the woman? If you want to keep me safe, she must be dealt with, right?"

"You care about her?" Sophia asked, puzzled. "To ensure your safety, she must die. And even if not for you, we need her dead to investigate the assassin's organization. This isn't my decision alone."

"Have you taken action?" Ethan asked anxiously.

"Not yet."

"Good!" Ethan sighed in relief. "I'll take her to my territory. She's a good servant, and I need her."

Sophia frowned, knowing Ethan hadn't slept with Lily and was likely trying to save her life. "Fine," she agreed after a moment. "But I'm disappointed. I thought you were rational, not so sentimental. This will be your downfall."

Ethan smiled. "Think what you like. It doesn't matter to me. You are you, and I am me. Now, for my last question: If you knew I was walking into a death trap, why tell me everything so clearly? Why not just deceive me? You could always send someone else after I die."

Sophia narrowed her eyes, then smiled sweetly, displaying an innocence befitting her age. "You might think my praise is false, but I genuinely admire you and would marry you if I could. I believe you're a thousand, no, ten thousand times better than my fiancé, the duke's heir, who is nothing but a title. But you, you have extraordinary potential. Since I first saw you, I sensed greatness in you. During your duel with the legendary gladiator, your skill was exceptional. Your blocking technique was perfect, almost unbelievable. I can tell that with enough strength, your sword can block any attack, living up to its name, Champion's Blade."

Sophia continued, her eyes sparkling with genuine admiration. "My intuition tells me you can counterattack at any moment. Though I don't know why you held back during the duel, I'm certain my intuition is right. My respect for you is real. Also, your request to amend the contract showed your confidence, which inspired my belief in your survival. Helping you is mutually beneficial. Does my explanation satisfy you?"

Ethan was taken aback, pondering if intuition could truly sense everything. "Thank you for your explanation. I have no more questions. If you have no further instructions, I'll go rest now."

"Of course! Please go ahead," Sophia said, smiling as she saw Ethan out.

After he left, Sophia resumed her serene, elegant demeanor. Suddenly, she spoke to the rug, "Have you chosen the new candidate?"

The previously still red carpet stirred, forming a small tornado, and red threads emerged, gradually shaping into a humanoid figure. The whirlwind dissipated, revealing a person in a red robe, completely concealed from head to toe, even their gender indiscernible. The now visible black floor marked the absence of the rug.

"Yes, I've found a suitable candidate, another fallen noble," the red-robed figure said, their voice indistinguishable in gender, sounding like a deer's call.

Sophia twirled her hair nonchalantly. "Good. Keep an eye on him, ensure he stays safe. Also, bring the assassin and the prostitute here."

"Understood. But I must ask, should we only monitor that person? Do you truly have such faith in Ethan?"

Sophia smiled. "I only have one elder sister. Even if she doesn't care about her reputation, I must consider it. It's best to wait until Ethan is dead before she remarries."

...