Chapter 19 Agreement
Rose chuckled softly, clearly amused, as she repeated the name. "Shiroyasha? Why did you even bother talking to the police? I would have just made something up from the start."
Ethan was relieved to see that Rose was feeling better. "I wasn't sure if you'd be able to handle their questions and the pressure," he replied with a shrug.
"Don't worry, Shiroyasha, I'm on your side," Rose reassured him with a smile. "But seriously, where did that name even come from?"
Ethan replied, "I just made it up out of the blue." He of course would not mention that it was the nickname of one of his favorite characters from a masterpiece.
Rose nodded thoughtfully, then the two fell into silence as they walked towards her home. Ethan's head began to throb from the constant use of his divine sense, but he pushed through it.
He shifted his focus to the other matter at hand, cutting to the chase. "Is there any way to get rid of the remnant will?" he asked.
[No, not even I can do that,] came the reply. [You could say that the remnant will and I are on the same level.]
Feeling helpless, he pondered for a moment before asking, 'And why didn't the remnant will attack me when I helped Rose?'
[It was all my doing,] Nyx explained. [I communicated with it and convinced it that seeking revenge on Rose now was pointless. She had already suffered a lot. Our method of communication isn't quite the same as humans', though.]
Ethan's curiosity was piqued. 'I can't even imagine what that would be like,' he admitted. 'But if you hadn't intervened, what would have happened?'
Nyx replied, [If I hadn't intervened, you would have experienced another sharp headache and likely lost the fight, just like before. However, I also made it clear to the remnant will that its actions were not in alignment with Ethan Chase, which ultimately prevented it from doing something.] As Nyx finished speaking, Ethan's lips twitched as he processed the information.
Ethan stole a glance at Rose's side profile before looking away. He decided that he needed to find something else for her to wear, as his shirt was too oversized for her frame and made her look too alluring.
He asked, 'Can you act as a middleman between me and the will? I need to negotiate, otherwise we're not going to get anywhere.'
[It's not going to be easy,] Nyx replied, [but give me some time to work on it.]
Ethan knew that Nyx had released the Remnant Will before because its tasks aligned with Ethan Chase's mindset. Chase may have had some perverted and mischievous thoughts, but he never entertained criminal ideas. Nyx was well aware of this fact.
Using this to his advantage, Hunt was finally able to complete the difficult negotiation after much back and forth. The terms were clear: the Remnant Will wouldn't assign him any fucked up tasks, and regardless of how he completed them, it would only focus on the results.
While the Remnant Will agreed to this, it had its own conditions. It wanted Ethan to ensure that Mia, Derek, Damian, and the man who betrayed his father all suffered, regardless of how pitiful they may become.
Ethan could take care of Mia and Damian however he saw fit, but the other two were to suffer in the most hellish way possible. Of course, he also had to kill the king of underworld, but he was still too weak to even stand in front of that man.
Although this was only a verbal agreement, Ethan trusted that Nyx would be fair and ensure that the Remnant Will didn't break its promise.
Rose, who had been silent most of the time, finally spoke up with a soft "Umm." Ethan turned to her. "Mmh?" he replied.
"That's my home," she said, pointing towards a small apartment on the opposite side of the street.
Ethan stopped using his divine sense. He had already checked the area and found no cameras, nor any humans outside. However, the neighborhood gave him a sense of unease with its old, decrepit houses and a lack of obvious security.
Despite his apprehension, he put on a calm facade and replied, "Alright, let's go."
But Rose stopped him. "It's just across the street, so there's no need for you to come with me. I mean, someone might see you."
"Okay, do you want me to buy a shirt for you?" he asked.
"It's fine," she smiled.
They both stood there, gazing into each other's eyes. Rose's hands clutched tightly onto the t-shirt, and she had a hesitant expression on her face. Ethan smiled warmly and gently placed his hand on her cheek, bringing his face closer to hers.
Her eyes widened, and her face turned a deep shade of red. Rose bit her lips and tiptoed, their lips meeting in a short, sweet kiss that conveyed all her unspoken feelings.
When they separated, her face was even more flushed, and she opened and closed her mouth several times in a cute, flustered manner.
Rose finally said, "Thank you."
"Anyone would have done the same."
"I have wronged you in the past, but you only responded with kindness. I want to make things right and do whatever it takes to make up for my mistakes," she said with a determined look in her eyes.
Ethan observed that Rose and Damian expressed similar sentiments, but he sensed a genuine desire in Rose to make amends for her past mistakes, while Damian lacked that sincerity.
Despite the harm that Rose and Damian had caused, Ethan Chase took note of their behavior and personalities, carefully devising plans for revenge.
Hunt knew that his desire for revenge might cloud his judgment and distract him from his goals, but as long as his actions didn't cross his moral boundaries, he was willing to use them for his own benefit.
As Rose hurried towards her apartment, Ethan halted her and inquired, "Will you be safe?"
Assuredly, Rose replied, "This area is completely safe. There are many retired demon hunters here."
"That explains it," Ethan muttered.
Observing Rose as she cautiously checked her surroundings while ascending the stairs to her apartment, Ethan noticed her turn back and waved at him with a bright smile, a glowing "60" above her head.
Feeling uneasy, Ethan decided to utilize his divine sense one last time, which resulted in him raising his eyebrows in surprise.
After peeking through the window of the neighboring house, Ethan knocked it, but received no response. He knocked again and declared, "I know you are there."
With a click, the window opened. It was a fox woman with fair skin and delicate facial features. She had a voluptuous figure with blonde hair and matching eyes. Her dress was open to her shoulders, giving him a tantalizing view of her ample bosom. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she looked at him, her lips curling into a knowing smile.