Robert, bound tightly and kneeling on the ground, looked utterly confused. "Lord Ethan, I don't understand what you're talking about. The attackers have nothing to do with me. If I hadn't escaped quickly, I'd be dead. Please, believe me!"
Ethan, seeing Robert's innocent expression, felt a headache coming on. "It seems you don't want to talk. I had hoped to spare your life, but now I see that's impossible."
"Lord Ethan, what did I do wrong? Tell me, and I'll change. Is it because I was lazy? I won't be lazy again. Please, spare me!" Robert cried out, tears streaming down his face.
Seeing Robert's desperate pleas, Tibbers and Andrelov felt pity and began to plead on his behalf, fearing that they might face the same fate if punished for laziness.
"Lord Ethan, please forgive him this once. I'm sure he won't be lazy again."
"Yes, my lord. We will watch him closely to ensure he doesn't slack off."
Ethan chuckled, seeing through Robert's ploy. "You're quite clever, diverting the topic and rallying sympathy. Impressive! But your little tricks won't work on me."
Turning to Tibbers, Ethan said, "Go search Robert's belongings. Look for strong alcohol or lamp oil."
Tibbers hesitated, not understanding Ethan's intent, but obeyed. As he was about to leave, Andrelov spoke up.
"My lord, do you mean lamp oil?"
"Yes, Andrelov. Do you have something to say?"
Andrelov smiled awkwardly. "Once, while cleaning the room, I found a wine bag under Robert's bed. I have a drinking habit, so I wanted to sneak a sip, but it turned out to be lamp oil. It nearly choked me."
"I see," Ethan muttered. "Andrelov, bring that oil bag here."
"Yes, my lord."
A moment later, Andrelov returned with a full wine bag. It weighed about three or four pounds.
"My lord, here it is. But I don't understand why a bag of lamp oil would warrant binding Robert."
Ethan took the bag, uncorked it, and sniffed. It was indeed lamp oil. He re-corked it and tossed it to the ground.
"If Robert here is in league with the bandits, and we have a lot of firewood on the ship, adding some lamp oil on a windy, snowy night could set the ship ablaze. What do you think would happen?"
Tibbers and Andrelov paled as they realized the implications.
"You bastard, Robert! You were going to burn us alive!"
"Damn you!"
Robert protested, "It's just a bag of lamp oil! I use it to keep warm in the wild. How does that make me a bandit? And if I wanted to burn the ship, why haven't I done it yet?"
Tibbers and Andrelov hesitated, seeing his point.
"Maybe he's right."
"My lord, could this be a misunderstanding?"
Ethan, seeing their wavering, was exasperated. "Enough! I don't need your explanations. I need you to tell me your connection with the knight pretending to be a bandit. Understand? The knight, not the bandits."
Robert, usually composed, showed a flicker of panic before masking it. "I don't know what you mean. It was a group of bandits that attacked. I saw them with my own eyes."
"It seems you're protecting that knight," Ethan concluded. "If you won't talk, I'll find out myself and kill him."
"You dare!" Robert shouted, then realized his mistake. Tibbers and Andrelov, understanding now, felt betrayed.
"So, you were with the bandits!"
"Traitor!"
Ethan, tired of the noise, ordered, "Enough! Both of you, be quiet."
Turning back to Robert, he said, "Last chance. Why did the knight spare you? And why are you still protecting him?"
"Go to hell!" Robert spat. "Your Lawson family deserves to burn."
Seeing Robert's defiance, Ethan decided not to waste more words. "Alright, you want to freeze in the wind? Let's make that happen. Tie him to the ship's bow. If he's alive by morning, ask him again. If not, let him freeze to death."
With that, Ethan left without looking back.
Returning to the captain's cabin, Ethan composed himself, replacing his anger with a warm smile before entering. "I apologize for the delay. I had to handle some urgent matters."
Aphrael immediately asked, "Are you a Grand Swordmaster?"
"No," Ethan shook his head. "Why do you ask?"
"You summoned your sword without magic. Only a Grand Swordmaster with an awakened sword spirit can do that," Aphrael said seriously.
Ethan chuckled. "I don't know what you mean. I've had this skill since birth. In fact, I've barely had a month of training in my abilities. How could I be a Grand Swordmaster?"
Aphrael covered her mouth in disbelief. "Incredible. I've never heard of someone like you."
"Let's not dwell on it," Ethan smiled. "More importantly, Miss Aphrael, you mentioned something about a knight."
"Yes," Aphrael nodded. "The knight's name is Brison Pierre. He's currently residing in a fortress fifty miles from here. With his Gold Rank 7 strength, he's likely a key figure there. You should be cautious."
Ethan found this expected, but Angelina's reaction was more intense. "Are you sure his name is Brison Pierre?"
Ethan, sensing something significant, also looked to Aphrael for confirmation.