Ezekiel's gaze remained steady and unreadable.
It was the kind of gaze that revealed nothing, yet seemed to see through everything.
Across from him, Viola trembled.
"From your stats alone, I don't doubt that you're the one who saved me," he said calmly. His voice was neither accusing nor grateful. It was simply factual. "But what were you doing in that dungeon? And among the known S-rank hunters in this country, there are only six recorded. Did you perhaps hide it?"
"About that…"
The words stuck in her throat.
Viola felt as if the air around her had thickened. Her palms were damp. Her heart beat so loudly she was afraid he might hear it.
"If you're wondering how I knew," Ezekiel continued, as if giving her time to compose herself, "I have a special appraisal skill that allows me to see people's stats. It doesn't show other abilities except for my monsters. That's why I don't doubt that you're the one who saved me."
An appraisal skill?
Her mind froze for a second.
It was known that Ezekiel Solace was powerful, but an appraisal skill? That was an extraordinary asset. In combat, knowledge was survival. To see an opponent's stats in advance meant calculating risks before they even materialized.
It was completely understandable to hide such an ability.
So why did he reveal it to me?
That question weighed heavier than his suspicion.
More than that, I'm in big trouble.
How am I supposed to tell the truth?
"The thing I'm suspicious of," Ezekiel continued, resting his elbow lightly on the table, "is what you were doing in that dungeon. From what I know, we were the only ones assigned to subjugate it."
Viola forced out an awkward laugh.
"Hahaha… that…"
It sounded hollow, even to her own ears.
Her mind raced frantically. Think. Think of something believable. Something that fits. Something he can't immediately tear apart.
Should she just be honest?
No. She couldn't. Not yet.
"I… I awakened on the same day you entered that dungeon," she said, carefully choosing her words. "So out of curiosity, I tried to enter one secretly. You know… to gain some valuable treasures." She swallowed. "And I chose the dungeon you went to because you're the only hunter I know."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Her explanation came out stiff, rehearsed and felt to unnatural.
Ezekiel didn't blink.He simply looked at her.
And that was worse than anger.
He was too sharp.Too observant. So He didn't believe a single word.
"Alright," he finally said. "I won't ask you anymore."
That caught her off guard.
He didn't press further. He didn't corner her. He didn't expose the holes in her story.
Perhaps he understood that she had reasons to lie right now.
Still, one fact remained undeniable.
She had saved him.
If she wanted him dead, she could have left him inside that dungeon. She could have killed him while he was unconscious. There had been no witnesses. No risk.
There was no particular reason Ezekiel could think of for Viola to be hostile toward him.
Viola was not a bad liar.
But in front of Ezekiel, her emotions and intellect scattered everywhere. She felt like a child trying to hide broken glass behind her back while standing in front of someone who already saw the shards on the floor.
She knew she was completely busted.
So she simply sat there, face flushed red, unable to meet his eyes.
"I'm sorry…" she finally muttered.
Ezekiel said nothing.
He resumed eating as if the conversation had ended.
The normalcy of the action made her chest tighten.
After a few moments, he spoke again.
"I think you should register yourself as a hunter. Otherwise, you'll get a heavy fine."
She blinked.
"I already did. Three days ago."
Ezekiel paused mid-bite.
"…Three days ago?"
"Yes."
A faint crease appeared between his brows.
"So I was unconscious for more than three days."
"Yes…"
The realization settled heavily between them.
Three days.
That was more than enough time.
Enough time to declare him dead,e nough time to twist the narrative, and enough time to pin everything on a dead man.
Ezekiel placed his utensils down quietly.
His expression didn't change, but something darker flickered behind his eyes.
"What are you going to do now?" Viola asked carefully.
He leaned back slightly.
"I need to find something that can prove my innocence."
"And that is?"
"To find the real culprit."
The words were calm, but the determination beneath them was unmistakable.
"But you can't reveal that you're still alive," Viola pointed out.
"Indeed."
If the public discovered he was alive, whoever orchestrated this would go underground. Evidence would disappear. Witnesses would vanish.
They sat in silence, both thinking.
Viola had been turning an idea over in her mind ever since she registered as a hunter.
Now might be the time.
"I have a suggestion," she said slowly.
Ezekiel looked at her.
"Send someone to infiltrate them and collect evidence," she continued. "And I would like it to be me."
"You can't."
The refusal came immediately.
Stronger than before.
For the first time, a flash of anger surfaced on his face.
She was startled.
"Think about it," she insisted. "I'm a newly awakened S-rank. They'll definitely try to recruit or use me. I can take advantage of that. I can spy and gather information from the inside."
"No."
His voice was firm.
"It's too dangerous."
"Dangerous for who?" she challenged softly.
"For you."
The room fell quiet again.
Viola stared at him.
"Besides," she added, her voice lowering, "I have a big reason for doing this."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"And what is that?"
Her hands clenched tightly on her lap.
"They took someone important to me."
The words came out strained.
Not loud but it was heavy.
Ezekiel studied her face.
This wasn't an excuse. This wasn't a lie stitched together in panic.
This was real.
"They framed you," she continued, her voice trembling but steady in conviction. "And in the process… they took someone I care about. If I do nothing, I lose both."
Her chest tightened.
"I'm not doing this out of charity. I'm not doing this because I pity you."
She finally looked him straight in the eyes.
"I'm doing this because I need the truth too."
Ezekiel held her gaze.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
He understood something then.
Viola wasn't simply entangled in his problem.
She was already trapped in the same web.
And perhaps…
They were both being hunted by the same enemy.
Still, his jaw tightened.
"You don't know what you're stepping into," he said quietly.
"I do," she replied.
And for once, there was no awkwardness. No flustered laughter. No scattered thoughts.
Just resolve.
Ezekiel exhaled slowly.
He didn't agree.
But he didn't reject her outright this time either.
The silence between them shifted.
Not lighter.
But aligned.
Two people standing on the edge of something dangerous.
And choosing to step forward anyway.