Master Bright's chilling smile lingers on her face for several seconds before she responds.
"Well, our world isn't a place of charity anymore, Champion Rain, and the government is no exception. After all, we have to maintain order amidst the power of the major clans. Of course, we value our Marked soldiers immensely, and want to give them every opportunity to succeed. So, what do you say? Would you like to come work for me...once you become a Paragon?"
Rain purses his lips thoughtfully, mulling over his entire discussion with her today. Glancing at Master Bright, he doesn't feel any of the anger from earlier. Now that he understands what her goals were, now that he sees it all clearly, he only feels...respect. Begrudging gratitude, even – this interaction with her has taught him a lot. So, he's got no reason to be cross.
Rain looks her evenly in the eye and returns a genuine smile.
"No."
Master Bright's smile falters, then twists into a confused frown.
"No?"
She stares at him incredulously, her eyebrows raised expectantly. He just nods back at her, maintaining his polite smile.
"That's right. My answer is...no."
Her face seems to twitch slightly, and return to its cold, neutral state. However, he can see her jaw clenching.
"May I ask why you'd refuse such a – to use your words – generous offer to place you in the Academy? Surely you don't think you're equipped to handle the Crucible on your own...as you are now."
Rain chuckles and shakes his head, then directs an amused smile at Master Bright, who seems to only grow more irritated by the display.
"Quite the opposite, actually. I knew as soon as you mentioned me attending the Academy that it's my only serious chance at survival. Honestly, anyone in my position, with a functioning brain at least, wouldn't need to be convinced of that fact. That's why I'm not refusing your offer to place me in the Academy – I gratefully accept. I'm just refusing your request for me to enlist."
Master Bright's face morphs into a practical scowl, and her tone becomes low and cold.
"And what makes you think I'm going to go arrange a place for you at the Academy after you refused to work for me?"
Rain purses his lips, as if carefully thinking over her question.
"Well, now that I see this conversation for what it is, I think you were always going to – for the same reason the government sponsored the Academies in the first place. Champions are too scarce, and Paragons too valuable. Us even having this conversation is proof of that. There's, what, a couple hundred Demigods in the world, and less than ten Titans? The government probably couldn't manage to recruit more than a tenth of them away from the clans, which means there's at most one other person of your status or higher in this city.
"So, I find it very hard to believe the government would send their most valuable available asset to recruit me, then actively try and undermine my success in the Crucible just because I didn't enlist. After all, I might still do so after I'm a Paragon, and even if I don't, having another Paragon living around the city is an indirect benefit. The government has every reason to put me into the Academy, regardless of if I'm a citizen, soldier, or orphan."
Master Bright's stormy grey eyes seem to glint coldly as she stares at Rain, her gaze ever-calculating. She's silent for several long moments, not moving or giving away anything in her expression. Eventually, she smirks, and her eyes turn menacing.
"Well, let's say you're right about everything else...it's still true that I have to make arrangements for you to attend the Academy. A non-citizen can't just walk in without authorization, Champion or not. So, what's to stop me from not bothering with your paperwork? I might feel a certain way about this tactless little stunt of yours, and as you said, I'm the government's most valuable asset. They're not going to cross me over some Champion that might not be a corpse in a few months and might enlist as a mere Paragon."
Rain keeps a calm expression directed at her, despite the fact that he's screaming in fear on the inside.
'This woman is...insanely terrifying.'
Rain forces a carefree smile out.
"Well, nothing is stopping you, I guess. But honestly, I'd be flattered if you took the comments of some nobody orphan like me personally enough to go out of your way like that. After all, I'm realizing that I'm kind of petty myself, but I'm not holding a grudge over how you manipulated me. I've never been played for such a sucker in my whole life. In fact, when I realized what was happening, I was so in awe that I'd have proposed to you on the spot if I thought I had a chance."
Master Bright's face promptly slackens into a dumbfounded expression. Then, he sees the corner of her mouth twitch briefly before her expression returns into its stoic default. She shrugs at Rain nonchalantly.
"Your right, I'm not really cross enough to expend effort spiting you. But then again, I'm really saving myself paperwork, and you getting screwed is just a side effect. A better question is, why should I expend effort filing paperwork to help someone so inconsequential to me?"
Rain feels himself relax considerably, though he tries not to show it. He felt actual anger from her earlier, but now it seems like she's over it, possibly even amused.
'She's just toying with me for the fun of it now...which is good, and also kind of...well, nevermind.'
Rain presses a finger to his chin, and screws his expression into an exaggeratedly thoughtful one.
"Hmm...maybe, just to do me a solid? You know, since we're both former Rim dwellers...gotta look out for one another and all that."
Rain watches her reaction closely, trying to gauge if he's correct. He is far from sure that Master Bright grew up in the Rim, maybe fifty-fifty, but he has good reason to be suspicious. She's been entirely too insightful about how he thinks, how disadvantaged he is, and what things he does and doesn't know. By contrast, Aron looks about the same age as her and probably interacts with any non-citizen Marked at least as frequently, yet he was repeatedly ignorant of, if not surprised by, Rain's situation.
Master Bright's expression doesn't change, but she hesitates for several seconds. More importantly, Rain feels that she should have either been surprised or confused by the accusation, so her lack of reaction is actually very telling. She seems to realize this as well.
She lets out a long, exasperated sigh, then gives him an amused smirk.
"Alright, I guess I don't mind filling out your paperwork for the Academy. But we're going to say that you owe me a personal favor...you know, since you went and played the camaraderie card. Deal?"
Rain smiles back at her, glad that this unexpectedly stressful conversation is coming to a close.
"That sounds reasonable, but I have two conditions."
Master Bright raises an eyebrow at Rain.
"And those would be...?"
Rain makes a dismissive gesture and smiles earnestly.
"Nothing unreasonable, I promise! First, your favor can't be for me to enlist...obviously."
She rolls her eyes and nods.
"Sure, and the second thing?"
Rain grins sheepishly, then scratches the back of his head.
"Uhm...yeah...could you drive me to the Academy?"
All pretenses abandoned, Master Bright stares at him in open confusion.
"Y-...you want me to personally drive you to the Academy? What would possess you to ask for something like that? To be clear, your joke about proposing to me was cute, and I'm not going to hold that wandering gaze of yours against you, but I don't want to spend part of my day driving you around just so you can ogle me. I'm very busy, you know?"
Rain gives her an incredulous stare.
'What does she mean, my wandering gaze!? My eyes have been surprisingly respectful!'
Rain shakes his head, his expression turning serious.
"Err, no, that's definitely not what this is about...no offense. I want you to drive me for two reasons. First, because I have no money for transport, no citizenship to avoid getting harassed on the way there, and no idea where to go. Second, I'd actually like a chance to talk to you more...I have questions about the histories of Asphodel and its gods, and I've been told that you're somewhat of an expert."
Rain pauses for a moment, thinking something over, then he smiles.
"Oh, and for the record...my comment about proposing to you was definitely not a joke. Let me know if you ever decide to consider it."