Ethan laughed at the question.
The type of laugh that was meant to brush something aside.
"Don't worry about it, it's not a big deal," he said flicking his hand as if the bruise under his eye was nothing more than just an ink stain.
Nathan didn't laugh with him.
He stood there, unmoving, with his eyes fixed on the dark mark across Ethan's cheekbone.
Up close, it looked worse than it had at first glance, it was slightly swollen, the skin around it had a deeper shade.
"Where did you get it from?" Nathan asked.
His voice was calm, but there was no mistaking the seriousness beneath it.
Ethan's smile faltered.
He hesitated, just for a moment, then sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Some hunters had an argument," he said. "About profit share, you know how it goes."
Nathan didn't respond.
"They started fighting among themselves," Ethan continued, tone casual but tired "And I tried to step in to calm things down. Unfortunately it didn't quite work out as someone threw a punch."
"So you got hit," Nathan said quietly.
"Yeah," Ethan shrugged. 'It's kind of in my job description.'
Nathan stared at him.
He didn't say anything at all, he didn't argue but his silence weighed heavier than words.
He remembered Ethan telling him once that managers weren't supposed to get involved physically, that it was the hunters' job to handle themselves.
Yet here Ethan was.
Seeing that look on Nathan's face, Ethan cleared his throat and tried to shift the mood.
"Anyway," he said, forcing a grin, "I'm starving, I could down a whale."
Nathan exhaled slowly through his nose.
"I ordered fried chicken for you," he said.
Ethan blinked. "You did?"
Nathan nodded, already turning toward the refrigerator.
He opened it, took out the container the fried chicken came in and placed it into the microwave.
The familiar hum of the machine sounded in the kitchen, warm in contrast to the conversation they just had.
Ethan leaned back against the counter, watching him quietly.
After a moment, he glanced around the apartment. "Is Lena already asleep?"
"Probably," Nathan replied. "She was tired after munching down on a bucket of chicken."
"That kid really runs on pure chaos," Ethan chuckled.
He loosened his tie and set it aside, then bent down to take off his shoes.
He walked over to the kitchen sink and splashed water on his face.
Ethan started stretched his arms overhead with a low groan.
Nathan looked at Ethan, trying to change the tone of the conversation he asked another question.
"So... Aside from that, how was work today?"
Ethan looked over his shoulder. "Yeah."
He smiled, this time brighter making it look more genuine.
"I'm getting a bonus this month," he said. "So honestly? I feel amazing."
"That's good," Nathan replied.
The microwave beeped.
Nathan took the chicken out and set it on the dining table. The smell spread across the hall instantly. Looking at this, Ethan's eyes lit up as he sat down, grabbing a piece without hesitation.
They ate in silence for a minute.
And then Ethan looked up. "Earlier, you mentioned money. What was that about?"
Nathan paused.
"Oh," he said. "I made thirty dollars today by hunting goblins."
Ethan froze in between his bite.
"…Thirty?" he repeated.
"Yeah."
Ethan did the math instantly. "That's around fifteen goblins."
"Seventeen," Nathan corrected.
Ethan stared at him for a second, then let out a low whistle. "Seventeen scouts in one day?"
Nathan nodded.
"That's not bad at all," Ethan said, impressed. "Especially for your second day."
Nathan smiled faintly but inside, his mood had shifted.
'Thirty dollars, seventeen goblins... and still.'
He watched Ethan eat, watched how tired he looked beneath the smile, how the bruise darkened when he moved his face.
The weight Ethan carried hadn't changed because Nathan brought home some money.
'He's still doing everything,' Nathan thought.
The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth.
'I need to get strong faster.'
Not someday but soon.
As if sensing the shift, Ethan tilted his head. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Nathan replied. "Just thinking."
Ethan nodded and went back to eating.
Nathan hesitated, then spoke again. "Ethan… your stats are around the ten range, right?"
Ethan nodded, his mouth full. "Mm-hm."
"When my agility hit around six," Nathan said, "I noticed I stopped getting agility from goblin scouts. What does that mean?"
Ethan paused, chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed.
"That means goblin scouts average around six agility," he explained. "Once your stat matches or exceeds the monster's stat, you stop gaining from that category."
Nathan's eyes sharpened. "So to raise it further—"
"You need to hunt something faster," Ethan finished. "Something stronger."
"Goblin soldiers," Nathan murmured.
Ethan nodded. "Exactly."
He leaned back slightly. "That's what I did. Started with scouts, raised everything to six then moved on to goblin soldiers who had higher stats with an average around nine."
"And after that?" Nathan asked.
Ethan shrugged. "I stopped."
"Why?"
"Because elites and bosses are no joke," Ethan replied calmly. "Too dangerous if you're alone. One mistake and you're done."
Nathan leaned back, absorbing it all.
The route ahead of him was clearer now.
'Scouts to six, then soldiers till nine and then... a wall.'
If he wanted to reach Ethan's level but if he wanted to truly reduce the load his brother carried he would need to break through that wall.
'I need to take higher risks.'
They finished eating not long after.
Ethan stood up gathering the empty containers. "I'll clean up so don't worry about it."
Nathan nodded.
"And hey," Ethan added lightly, "don't stress about today. Getting hurt is part of the job."
Nathan didn't reply.
He walked back to his room in silence, closing the door behind him. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he stared at the ceiling as Ethan's words echoing in his head.
'Part of the job...'
Nathan clenched his fists.
If pain was unavoidable then he would make sure it led him somewhere.