Chapter Fifty-Three: The Gaze

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The dispute was shelved for the time being.

Ramon left with his people.

Naturally, Ethan’s participation in the university anniversary celebration had to be called off as well.

Loren expressed his regret, but Ethan could sense the scrutiny in his eyes.

Was he expecting something too?

It was not until they had left the principal’s office that El finally spoke. He seemed angry, troubled, and helpless all at once, until it finally condensed into a single sentence:

“Ethan, how could you…”

“Dean El, don’t worry. I’m very confident. Besides, didn’t you also think I was an artistic genius?”

“That may be true…” El still wanted to say something more.

But Ethan had already taken his leave.

Sophia, however, followed after him.

“Ethan…”

“What is it?” Ethan turned to look at her.

She really was a very innocent girl, one who had been carefully protected by her family.

“None of what Vice Dean Ramon said was true, was it?” Though she phrased it as a question, the eagerness in her eyes told Ethan exactly what answer she hoped to hear.

“Of course not. I’ve always been a law-abiding citizen. I truly have no idea why Vice Dean Ramon is targeting me.”

Ethan made his voice sound rather aggrieved.

“That’s a relief.” Sophia let out a breath. “I believe you too, Ethan. After all, your paintings are so full of spirit. Oh, right—I was invited to participate in the anniversary celebration as well. I just feel that my paintings have never been good enough. When will you be free? Perhaps we could arrange a meeting, and you could take a look at my work?”

“Of course. I’d be delighted. You can just call me Ethan.”

“All right, Ethan. You can call me Sophia too.”

Ethan exchanged phone numbers with her so they could arrange a time later.

“Oh, and Ethan, if you really do run into trouble, perhaps I could help. My father… he has some influence in the Court of Judgment.”

“Thank you, Sophia, but I hope that day never comes.”

Once Sophia had left as well, Ethan glanced at Anya.

“Look into that Ramon. He wouldn’t target me without a reason. I have a bad feeling about this.”

The two of them did not leave the University of Winchester immediately.

Since they were already there, they decided to visit Gustav’s laboratory.

It was obvious that Gustav had barely left the laboratory in the past two days. He looked even more disheveled than before, and a piece of half-eaten dry bread lay on the table beside him.

He did not seem to notice them until Ethan and Anya had walked right up to him.

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When he raised his head and saw Ethan, a sudden light burst into his otherwise numb eyes.

“You came! Wonderful, wonderful! Just wait a little longer. I’ll decipher the final word in a moment, and then you can give me the new ones.”

As he spoke, Gustav handed Ethan a sheet of paper.

It contained the meanings of the ancient-language words he had already deciphered.

Ethan studied it and used it to interpret the true names related to the sun in his memory. To his surprise, he was actually able to decipher fragments of the next two true names as well.

Judging by the sheet, Gustav had also classified the words. He was clearly trying to create something like an alphabet.

If he truly succeeded, the ancient language would become effortless for Ethan.

And he had done all this in only two days.

Ethan could not help marveling. This was what a true genius looked like.

Without waiting for Gustav to decipher the remaining words, Ethan left him a new true name and departed.

It was, after all, a massive undertaking. One could not expect it to be completed overnight.

———

Time passed quickly. Another two days went by.

During those two days, Ethan’s illicit liquor business continued without hindrance. It seemed the Prohibition agents had forgotten all about him.

All their attention was focused on other people.

The Evans family continued to suffer losses. Although their two hotels had resumed business, one of their underground distilleries had been seized.

The Murridge family’s business, meanwhile, was finally able to resume as well. John Holt had acted swiftly.

For that reason, Haskar was deeply grateful to Ethan.

Ethan also gave him a new idea: they could make the sale of liquor more discreet by placing it among their additional services. That way, they could prevent it from being discovered.

Haskar was so delighted by the suggestion that he even considered giving Ethan a share of the profits.

Ethan refused. He had no interest in such petty gains.

Meanwhile, Sophia had called and arranged to meet him four days later.

Anya had also spent considerable effort investigating Ramon, but had uncovered very little useful information.

Ramon had been teaching at the University of Winchester for many years. After Loren became principal, Ramon took over as dean of the Faculty of Law.

He rarely left the university, devoting himself to teaching. He had little social life outside campus, apart from occasionally attending church services.

He was a devout follower of the Sun God and was known for his rigid, stern conduct at the university. He often used scripture to regulate his students’ words and behavior, had no tolerance for indecency, and detested lawbreaking and crime above all else.

Perhaps he simply could not stand Ethan’s mafia background.

For the moment, that was the only conclusion Ethan could draw.

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Naturally, the matter of painting had to be placed on the agenda.

If he wanted to remain at the University of Winchester—and graduate without incident—he had to win this wager.

In the afternoon, Ethan was at home sketching Anya’s portrait. He had only finished the outline when the telephone rang.

It was Walter from the distillery.

He had results.

“Boss, boss, I did it! I succeeded! I made it! This is a genius invention! Come and see it at once. I swear, with this thing, we’ll dominate the market!”

Ethan had no choice but to set his brush aside for the moment.

Before leaving, however, he finished painting Anya’s eyes.

There was no doubt that he liked her eyes: pure, clear, and touched by a hidden magnificence.

That beauty reminded him of the night when the sound of waves had rolled on without end.

He had caught Anya when she leaped from the window. Her body had been as light as velvet, and so had her lips.

Perhaps she was thinking of that night as well. Anya walked over and glanced at the painting, and for an instant, her face seemed to flush.

Then, in a rare moment, she spoke.

“Master, may I have this painting?”

“Of course. I’ll give it to you when it’s finished.”

After Ethan completed the final stroke, the two of them left the house.

At the same time—

Far from the Poletta Estate, a pair of eyes gazed through a telescope at the building that had stood for three generations.

Those eyes soon spotted Ethan leaving in a car.

“Well? Did you see your younger brother?”

“I saw him.”

“How is he different from what you remember?”

“He’s grown up. There’s something different in his eyes.”

“Yes, his eyes…” Lewis, standing nearby, spoke with pointed meaning. “Ha. They’re like a lion’s—the eyes of a lion that chooses its prey before devouring it.”

But Vincent, the owner of those eyes, did not answer.

He merely continued to gaze at the Poletta Estate, as though gently caressing the family home with his eyes.

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