Ethan woke up, his newly awakened Eye of Perception tingling. As he groggily made his way to the bathroom, he accidentally activated his enhanced vision, causing him to see through the walls and catch a glimpse of a maid changing in the next room. He yelped and covered his eyes, stumbling into a vase and sending it crashing to the floor.
"Master Ethan! Are you alright?" Lydia's voice called from outside his door.
"I'm fine!" Ethan squeaked, his face burning red. "Just... just tripped! Don't come in!"
As he made his way to the training grounds, servants whispered and giggled, casting furtive glances his way. Ethan overheard snippets like "young master" and "peeping tom," making him want to sink into the ground.
The training grounds were packed, clan members gathered around a sparring match. Adrian, Ethan's elder brother, was locked in fierce combat with another warrior. With a final, brutal strike, Adrian disarmed his opponent.
"Well, well," Adrian's voice cut through the noise. "If it isn't our resident Peeping Tom. Come to ogle some more victims, little brother?"
Ethan felt a surge of anger and embarrassment. "It was an accident! I didn't mean to-"
"To what? Fall into a vase while spying on maids?" Adrian smirked.
Elise appeared at Ethan's side, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh? Is that why you've been 'training' so hard? To improve your... perception?"
Ethan groaned. "Not you too, Elise. It was a misunderstanding!"
Adrian's eyes narrowed. "If you think you're so skilled at... observing, why don't you put those eyes to use in a real fight?"
Ethan hesitated, then stepped forward. "Fine. I'll take that challenge."
As they took their positions, Ethan could hear the crowd placing bets.
"Five gold on Adrian!"
"Ten on the Peeping Tom! He's got the eye for it!"
Ethan gritted his teeth, determined to prove himself.
"Begin!" Cedric's voice rang out.
Adrian charged, his longsword gleaming. Ethan's Eye of Perception flared to life, the world sharpening. He dodged Adrian's attack with unexpected grace, causing him to stumble.
"Whoa!" Ethan exclaimed, surprised by his own agility. He spun around, his daggers flashing, and accidentally caught the edge of Adrian's tunic, tearing it open.
The crowd gasped, then erupted in laughter as Adrian's frilly, lace-trimmed undershirt was revealed.
"Is that... are those hearts?" someone in the crowd snickered.
Adrian's face turned beet red. "Mother gave it to me!" he snarled, lunging at Ethan with renewed fury.
The fight continued, with Ethan's enhanced perception allowing him to narrowly avoid Adrian's attacks. However, his newfound abilities weren't always helpful. At one point, he focused too hard and saw through Adrian's clothes again, causing him to yelp and stumble backward.
"Stop undressing me with your eyes!" Adrian shouted, his face a mix of anger and mortification.
"I'm not trying to!" Ethan protested, dodging another strike. "It just happens!"
The crowd was in stitches, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. Even Cedric was struggling to maintain his composure.
Finally, in a moment of clarity, Ethan saw his opening. He feinted left, spun right, and with a series of swift strikes, disarmed Adrian and pinned him to the ground.
The training grounds fell silent. Adrian's eyes were wide with shock, his chest heaving. For a long moment, neither of them moved.
"I... I yield," Adrian finally muttered.
The crowd erupted in cheers and laughter. Ethan helped Adrian up, both brothers red-faced for different reasons.
Cedric stepped forward, coughing to hide his amusement. "Well fought, both of you. Ethan, you've shown remarkable... perception. And Adrian, your, uh, fashion choices are as bold as your swordsmanship."
As the crowd dispersed, still chuckling, Elise approached Ethan. "That was quite a show. I didn't know you had it in you to be so... revealing in your fighting style."
Ethan groaned. "Please, not you too. I swear, I'm not a pervert!"
Elise laughed. "Relax, I'm just teasing. But you might want to work on controlling that Eye of yours before you see something you really shouldn't."
That evening, as Ethan prepared for bed, he activated the system interface.
[New task available: Learn to control your Eye of Perception to avoid further embarrassing incidents. Reward: 100 experience points and the ability to turn off your x-ray vision at will. Do you accept?]
"Yes, please!" Ethan said desperately. "I accept!"
As he drifted off to sleep, Ethan couldn't help but wonder what other misunderstandings his newfound powers might cause. One thing was certain – life in the Ravenwood clan was about to get a lot more interesting.