In his situation, he killed Irvin's friend and will kill Irvin because his dog died and he was nearly killed.
His reaction is completely normal, so it is just right to expect that Irvin wouldn't be lenient with him after he killed Irvin's friends and also came after Irvin himself.
Besides, Irvin has killed people for less transgressions. He has killed someone for looking at his woman in a lustful way.
So there was no way he would have let Arthur go if Arthur had proven to be weak. But he didn't call Irvin out on his lie.
He liked to see Irvin lie in order to survive. It made him chuckle.
Then he asked, "Who asked you to kill the Arthur boy?"
Irvin was stunned. He asked, "Didn't I already answer that…"
Arthur interrupted him with a kick to his stomach and said, "I ask, you answer. Not the other way around."
Irvin nodded. "Yes, sir."
Then he replied, "I was asked by the R brothers of the society of thieves to kill him."
Arthur asked again, "Who are the R brothers?"
He asked all the questions again to see if Irvin lied or was omitting crucial information. But no matter what he did, he couldn't catch Irvin in a lie.
It looked like Irvin was really sincere and honest about cooperating wholeheartedly. But that changed when Arthur asked him for the location of his stash.
The Scarred Raven was smart. He knew the difference between asking for information and asking for the location of his money.
From the information that Arthur asked, he was able to narrow down who he had offended. It also made him regret killing Arthur.
He was willing to answer any question so that he would be let go. After all, he is just an ignorant lackey in this equation.
The ones that are truly at fault are the R brothers who asked him to kill Arthur. So he stood a chance of getting out of the conundrum alive.
But when Arthur asked him for the location of his money, he knew that he was in big trouble because it is one thing for his leg to be cut off and for him to be dragged off for questioning, but it is another thing for his savings to be taken.
Because if his savings are taken, he would lose his usefulness, and he would be discarded. Even if he doesn't lose his usefulness, it is likely that he will be killed after he has been robbed.
After all, killing and robbing go together. It is the smart thing to kill so that the person you robbed won't create trouble for you in the future.
So he didn't want to talk about his stash. He didn't want his identity to change from that of a lackey whose leg was cut off for ambushing someone he shouldn't have to that of someone who has been robbed.
Arthur laughed and said, "You don't want to talk, right? I like that very much. In fact, I was hoping you would be stubborn."
Then he brought out his toolbox from his robes and placed it on the ground. He opened it for Irvin to see.
Irvin's eyes widened when he saw the sharpened blades of different sizes and shapes.
Arthur introduced them one by one with patience and humility.
He said, "Actually, I don't know what all of them are. I don't have a teacher after all. But I have been learning from experience."
"All I know about them was learned from experience. I think it is good enough because experience is the best teacher. Don't you think so?"
Irvin nodded in fright.
Arthur smiled contently. He said, "It seems we are kindred spirits. I like that. So I will take my time with you. I won't rush at all."
"Let's start from this tiny contraption. I think it is for gouging out eyes, but I have found use in it for rupturing the rectum too."
"It worked so well for rectum rupturing that I don't know if it was originally for gouging out eyes or for making a man lose his continence through a bloody anus."
He sighed and said, "I am honestly at a loss at what its true purpose is. Fortunately, I have you. I will be able to test my hypothesis again with your help."
"It is so good to have volunteers for things like this. It makes me so happy."
He hadn't even started yet, but Irvin couldn't take it anymore. He said, "I'll talk."
Arthur shook his head. "No rush. No rush. I told you that I am not in a hurry. I'll take my time with you."
Irvin insisted, "But you don't need to anymore. I'll talk right now. I'll say anything you…"
Arthur interrupted him with a question, "If I am not in a hurry, why should you be in a hurry?"
His voice was stern, and his face was cold. He looked very close to becoming angry.
Irvin couldn't say what he wanted to say. He was at a loss for words.
Arthur said, "Besides, this is not a matter of need. It is a matter of want. I want to learn with you. It is an opportunity I don't dare to miss."
Irvin couldn't speak. He could only swallow nervously and nod in agreement.
Arthur smiled again. It was as if his previous outburst was nothing.
He resumed introducing his tools to Irvin. When he was done introducing them, he began to explain his process.
He said, "I'll first start with your fingernails. I'll use this plier to remove them one by one. Then I'll put my special blend of salt and pepper on the exposed nail. That way it will feel as if your hand is on fire."
Irvin's eyes widened in fear. It made Arthur angry again.
He asked in anger, "What? You don't believe me? I'll have to show you what I am capable of today even if the world ends."
Irvin began to cry.