At the Iceberg Lounge, Cobblepot looked curiously at Schiller across from him and asked, "Do you think Bruce can successfully manipulate Talia?"
"There are many ways to manipulate someone." Schiller put a piece of lettuce into his mouth and, after swallowing it, said, "Oswald, you need to understand that most people in this world won't obediently sit in your office and give you the chance to peer into their inner world. Usually, the only people who let you do that are your friends, and friends don't need to be manipulated."
Cobblepot paused, but still asked with some confusion, "Then how do you influence someone on a psychological level?"
"Sometimes, more direct methods can be used." Schiller spoke as though recalling something. "For example, methods certain Batmen excel at."
In the restaurant of the Wayne Hotel, Bruce fell silent after finishing his speech. Talia did not receive the lengthy lecture she had expected.
So she turned her head, letting two strands of black hair cover half her face as she looked out through the hazy glass of the Gothic window. Gotham's weather had not fully cleared yet.
Suddenly, Talia smiled. She turned back to Bruce and said, "Actually, I never agreed with my father's foolish ideas—not his desire to reshape the world order, nor his wish to control humanity's future through some ridiculous assassin organization. It was all utterly idiotic."
"This world should belong to the strong." Talia sat up straighter and looked at Bruce. "You could have done it, but you were unwilling to, so I could only settle for second best."
"But why not think carefully about this?" Talia looked at Bruce and said, "You didn't have to throw the candles into the fireplace. You could have let them all stay lit. Your family would not be criticized, as