( He can, and were he anyone else he might find himself intimidated by the sharpness of his glare. But Aventurine finds it intoxicating, to have the attention of a man so renowned, so intelligent, focused on him. If he deigned to do some self reflection, he knows it's likely because there's a lack of authority figures in his life, and most of the terrible things that have happened to him have been at the hands of people who hardly spare him a passing thought. So to have Doctor Veritas Ratio's gaze, however unenthusiastic, is worth every second of trouble it took him to get here.

There's nothing he can lose. Oh, perhaps Ratio would throw him out of the class, fail him, report him to the university, but he bets the other man would see it as a waste of intelligence from a man he views as infuriating but intelligent. )

Maybe I'm just lucky. How about this: you ask me anything you want about the class, and if I answer all of them correctly, you admit that I'm not cheating. If I get any of them wrong, you can tank my grade, throw me out of your class, whatever you want. But if I get them all right, well. You'll do just one thing I ask you to, and nothing more.