"Listen up, Liam is completely different from the other Carters," James spoke loudly, asserting that his statement was entirely true.
"He's forced to hide who he really is... and you already understand the reason."
Lewis looked at Liam before deep into thought. To her, what James said seemed to make sense. In her assessment, Liam was quite humble, without any sign of the arrogance or nastiness typical of other Carters. However, she was still somewhat irritated, though there was no real reason for it.
After all, if she were in the same situation, she would probably do the same.
But Matthew didn't think so. He continued staring at Liam with an emotionless gaze.
"So, what are you to him?"
Liam furrowed his brow, looking confused.
"Who?"
He wasn't sure whom Matthew was referring to.
"Alex..." Matthew forced the name out as if haunted by it. To him, this name was the person responsible for making him who he was now. He utterly despised Alex, feeling a deep-seated hatred toward him.
Liam furrowed his brow, trying to recall if anyone named Alex had ever been part of his memory. And finally, the obvious answer was no. He shook his head and said.
"No... I don't know the name you're referring to"
Matthew sighed when he heard that. He dismissed his head in disdain and said.
"You're still lying to me. You're exactly like him. Clearly, you're all cut from the same cloth."
At this point, he had restrained himself as much as he could. Even though he understood that the two were different people, his body was unconsciously yearning for release from this torment. To liberate himself, he made one final decision
"I dare you to face me."
"Huh?" Liam's eyes widened at Matthew's words. Right now, there seems to be a huge misunderstanding. Perhaps the person Matthew was referring to was someone Liam had known in the past. But now, he couldn't claim he had lost his memory, as that would be the most time-wasting excuse. However, he wasn't about to accept Matthew's absurd challenge.
"I refuse! I have no reason to fight," Liam blinked, speaking with a firm tone.
"You!..." Matthew furrowed his brow, glaring at Liam with a murderous gaze.
At this moment, Lewis spoke up: "Don't act foolishly. If you do, I'll tell Dad.''
"Tch." Matthew discovered he was at an impasse. If his father were here, he definitely wouldn't be allowed to challenge Liam, unless the boy himself accepted the challenge. But the irritation burning inside him only grew stronger. In the end, he came up with an idea. He looked at Liam with calm eyes and said:
"I heard you're planning to go to Riverside Academy?"
James interjected: "That's right... Hmph. Do you intend to stop us from going?" He spoke with a challenging tone. Given that he and Liam had already struck a deal with Jackson, it was simply not feasible. That agreement was unbreakable. Besides, the village likely had plenty of people they could hire.
"Of course not." Matthew grinned, looking at James with a sly expression. He tapped his finger on the table once, then looked at Liam and said,
"If you can beat me... no, if you just challenge me, I'll give you new information about the selection rules for the upcoming Riverside Academy exam."
"What? How could you have that information? The academy always keeps those details confidential before the exam," Lewis nearby, looked at Matthew suspiciously.
Matthew immediately glared at Lewis, which sent a shiver down her spine. She lowered her head, remaining silent. Perhaps she was scared as this was the first time he had acted this way toward her.
"Nitwit! Do you even know which organizations founded that academy? The Carter and Smith families. So of course, they possess this information."
"Whether I have it or not, does that even matter?"
Then, he glanced at James and Liam and continued:
"That information is incredibly valuable. It'll help you avoid a miserable fate when you end up in... Class B." His voice carried a hint of bitterness as he said the last part.
James spoke up, puzzled:
"Why?"
Matthew tilted his head and looked at James, saying:
"Why, you ask? Well, what do you think you're joining Riverside Academy for?"
James furrowed his brow and replied, "Isn't it to study, grow stronger, and survive in this world?"
"Yes, but that's not all," Matthew answered. He then reminisced about a past at Riverside Academy he'd long wanted to forget.
"Everything comes with a price. To gain levels, you'll need to consume the cores of monsters, which means you have to kill them yourself."
James scowled, replying: "What exactly are you getting at?"
He couldn't fully grasp what Matthew was implying. What was the point?
"Are you talking about death?" Liam spoke up.
Matthew smiled and nodded, though his eyes still burned with hatred as he looked at Liam.
Exactly!" he added. "Will you choose to live in a world where death could strike at any moment, or will you gamble everything to break free from the chasm that separates the hellish night from the tranquil day?"
Liam pondered, stroking his chin. He fully understood Matthew's point. Without taking risks, nothing would be achieved. The academy was no different. What Matthew had could make the journey easier for him and James. But there was one thing he wasn't sure of.
"Can you be certain that what you have is accurate? Can you guarantee it?"
This was indeed an opportunity, but it could also be a diversion. It could mislead him and cloud his judgment in the upcoming entrance exam.
"It's up to you... But I assure you, I've sacrificed a great deal to obtain it." Matthew shrugged. He wasn't entirely sure if it was accurate, but he had given up his entire life for it. He hoped the information was correct.
"I think this information is a scam. He's clearly trying to lure us," James whispered into Liam's ear.
"Hmm... I accept." Liam nodded, agreeing to Matthew's demand. He had no reason left to reject it. Even if it turned out to be false, it would still provide useful data for him to analyze other things.
Matthew glanced at Lewis and sighed, closing his eyes. He had intended to give that information to her, but this unexpected situation had occurred. He had taken advantage of it to secure this battle. Either way, the information would be hers. Someone like him had no future left, but Lewis still had her whole life ahead of her.
"Deal! Now I'll tell you everything I know." Then he glanced at Lewis, who was about to leave to avoid taking away Liam and James' reward.
"You!... Stay here."
Lewis looked at Matthew, intending to say something, but before she could, Liam spoke up:
"Just sit down... I'll tell you later anyway."
James clicked his tongue and said, "Hurry up, I don't want to waste any more time."
With the persuasion of all three, Lewis finally sat down.