"Looks like Batman has his eye on you too. In that case, we can work together. I know what you want, and I have the means to give you what you want."
March dropped heavily into the armchair on the first floor. The rough movement made the chair creak. Schiller, standing by the fireplace, frowned slightly, but March seemed completely unaware.
The armchair on the first floor had a low back and a long seat. March reclined in it in an extremely relaxed posture, giving off an unconscious sense of ease. Once people felt relaxed, they wanted to stretch out, just as they would while sitting on their bedroom bed.
So March propped his feet on the coffee table, laced his fingers over his stomach, and looked at Schiller. "Batman will watch your every move in the darkness. Even Gotham locals can't escape his pursuit. Making an enemy of him isn't wise, but since you've already done so, you'd best start considering a way out for yourself."
"He was emphasizing his control over the situation." When the image froze on March's face, Bruce said calmly, "But he used the stupidest possible method."
"Sometimes, deliberately breaking outdated rules of etiquette and appearing rude is a way to emphasize one's sense of control. It means that the current situation is under my control. No matter how unreasonable I am toward you, you cannot resist."
The morbid voice flowed out as though from a record player, as if a screen separated him from everyone else. That faint, almost nonexistent smile sounded soothing, yet it made everyone's nerves tighten.
"This is the first step in controlling another person's mind. When the situation favors you, you try to invade the other party's territory and force them to accept and grow accustomed to it. Then you