Seeing that Echidna could read his mind, Ayanokouji narrowed his eyes slightly. It was the first time his thoughts had been penetrated.
Carefully, he recalled his words and actions earlier. The purpose of his sudden question should not have been too clear, so that the other party could not guess what he was thinking.
However, Ayanokouji was not surprised, because Echidna held the title of Witch of Greed, naturally she was not an ordinary person. The conversation between him and the other party had to be based on Echidna, who knew almost all the information, the situation had already ended.
Ayanokouji had already started thinking about how he should confront Echidna if he could meet her again in the future.
Use hypnosis to alter memories? Or use another method to alter memories? No, this is too risky.
Ayanokouji also did not know to what extent Echidna understood his memories. Judging from the current situation, she had a certain understanding of the ability Return by Death. Then the other party would know what happened before he regressed.
"I think you've figured it out, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka." Echidna said with a smile, her obsidian-like eyes giving a curious look, as if she wanted to see into his heart.
Ayanokouji felt like he was playing chess, and the opponent sitting at the end of the chessboard was much stronger than any opponent he had ever met.
However, he did not have any special change of mood in his heart. Because there was a problem in front of him, he just needed to solve it.
Even if Echidna was a witch, he had to fully utilize her if he could harness her value. If she was an obstacle to him, then Ayanokouji had to find a way to remove her.
"Let me guess what you're thinking? Use me? Try to get rid of me." Echidna extended her slender finger and pointed towards him, saying, "If I don't feel your memories, I don't see any problem at all. You use everyone as tools, and discard those who are useless like trash. I have never seen anyone like that before."
Echidna had seen his memories, so she knew everything he had done, and could also infer his character.
"Is there a problem with this?" Ayanokouji asked, his tone very calm.
"No, of course there is no problem! On the contrary, I completely agree with you, Ayanokouji!" Echidna said with a smile, "Forget it, tell me what questions you want to ask me! This is an opportunity to ask the Witch of Greed!"
"Is time travel here the same as in the outside world?" Ayanokouji asked.
He wanted to determine how long he could stay in this space. After he was teleported, Beatrice would surely come to find him.
He believed this.
"It's not the same, but how should I put it? Time here does flow a little slower than time in the outside world, but I'm not sure how much slower it is."
"Where is my body?"
"You are fine in the ruins. Don't worry, that place is completely safe!"
"Can you peek into my memories, right?"
"Absolutely."
"Then how well do you know me? Do you know in which city I was born in Lugnica?" Ayanokouji asked.
He deliberately gave her false information to verify the authenticity of Echidna's words.
If Echidna could truly control his memories, then she also knew well his situation before he traveled to another world. Ayanokouji wanted to know to what extent the other party understood his memories.
"Forgive me, Ayanokouji, such tests are meaningless. I know you as well as you know yourself." Echidna said, "Of course, I know that you are not from this world. Before you came here, you were just an ordinary high school student, right? At least in your world, students of your age are called high school students."
'Does she really understand it this well?' Ayanokouji thought to himself.
From the current situation, Echidna knew his memories very well, but she seemed unable to fully understand what he was thinking, so he continued, "Then may I ask what is special about Sanctuary? Why has there been no movement since Roswaal came to Sanctuary?"
"Because he was injured, the unfortunate Roswaal was rejected from the trial. He was severely injured and had no way to escape for the time being."
Echidna put on a sad expression, but Ayanokouji did not feel any sadness in her words and demeanor.
This actually made him feel strange. Through Beatrice's words, Echidna in her memories was a very humane person, but the current Echidna was completely different – it seemed that apart from herself, she was not interested in anything else. Even her former student did not matter at all.
"Furthermore, Sanctuary has a unique barrier in place. The Demi-Human race cannot leave here unless there is a Demi-Human who can break through the trial. The woman you brought here, so far she is the only one who qualifies to participate in the trial. If not, she will be imprisoned here for the rest of her life." Echidna continued, "But I don't believe she can pass the trial. She can't even pass the first trial."
Ayanokouji knew that among the people he brought here, only Emilia was of Half-Elf blood, so she should be the one mentioned by Echidna. He also noticed that when Echidna mentioned Emilia, there was a lot of unconditional disgust or no hiding at all.
Echidna died four hundred years ago, and Emilia had never been to Sanctuary. Why did this feeling of disgust arise?
"What is the trial?"
"Sorry, you will find out soon."
"So it turns out that the Witch of Greed is also hiding something?"
"Hey! I didn't tell you everything! I just asked you to ask, and I don't guarantee that all questions will be answered for you. It would be too boring to just tell you the answers to all the questions right away!" Echidna placed her hand on her chest and said, "The only thing I can guarantee is the authenticity of the information."
Ayanokouji calmly analyzed Echidna's words. The other party only guaranteed its authenticity before, but did not promise to answer all questions. This could be understood because she would selectively provide correct information.
This was most likely a means for the other party to play a word game.
Furthermore, Ayanokouji noticed that the other party mentioned the words "It would be too boring." Was Echidna's intention to act for pleasure?
Echidna might be interested in knowledge and unknown events, so why did she deliberately leak this information to him, but hide the meaning of the trial?
However, from the current information, the so-called trial mentioned was not a trial, because Echidna mentioned the words "first level trial." Ayanokouji also knew that the trial was to free Sanctuary and only the Demi-Human race qualified to participate in the trial.
"Is Roswaal planning something?" Ayanokouji hid his question and continued, "Is he arranging teleportation magic?"
"That's right." Echidna nodded, "That person may be trying to revive me, but I don't think his plan will come to fruition."
"What is his plan?"
"You have to ask him yourself." Echidna joked.
"Who is Garfiel? What is he doing in Sanctuary?"
"Similar to Frederica, they are siblings, but basically it can be said that Garfiel is currently leading in Sanctuary."
"Because they are siblings, then Frederica should also be a person in Sanctuary. Why was she able to leave Sanctuary?"
"Because the Sanctuary barrier depends on blood concentration. Frederica's Demi-Human blood is not sufficient."
"Then..." Before Ayanokouji could finish speaking, a loud vibration came from under his feet, as if something had hit the ground.
"Ah, someone is trying to pull you out." Echidna pouted slightly, looking a little disappointed.
Ayanokouji also assessed that this mental space should be similar to a dream. Only with strong external force could he be awakened by someone else.
"Since you are leaving, please pay for this tea party and sign an oath with me. You will not tell anyone about the existence of this tea party." Echidna said slowly, extending her hand and slowly moving towards Ayanokouji's body, "But for safety, it would be better to erase your memories."
"Wouldn't that be boring?" Ayanokouji looked at Echidna carefully.
There was no doubt that Echidna had the ability to erase other people's memories. This was a spiritual world created by her. If she truly wanted to erase his memories, Ayanokouji had no way to refuse.
Of course, he couldn't let her erase his memories. If that was the case, the meaning of the tea party itself would be lost.
The only thing he could use was his terrifying desire against Echidna.
"If my memories are erased, then the information I obtained would be worthless. Don't you want something interesting to happen? Maybe that's why you talked to me, Echidna." Ayanokouji felt the ground shaking more violently, and the space was also collapsing.
"You think you know me well?" A smile appeared on Echidna's face, and her mouth was filled with greed. "After breaking through my world and gaining so much information, you still make requests? You are truly greedy. But as you said, I want to have a little fun. In that case, this request is not impossible for you, so just keep your memories."
Echidna's hand that was initially reaching out to Ayanokouji also floated in the air.
"I have one last question." The environment around Ayanokouji had begun to crumble, but he stood, leaning forward, and his eyes focused on Echidna, "Why are you interested in me?"
But before he could finish speaking, the scenery around him completely collapsed, and he fell into a large crevice and disappeared.
In the dark and chaotic space, Echidna, sitting in a chair, said weakly:
"Because we are very similar."
"And I can see it, clearer than anyone else –"
"What about the subtle changes in yourself."
❀❀❀
At Advanced Nurturing High School, everyone watched the new Echidna that appeared on the screen and began to speak.
"This is very beautiful, and she has helped Ayanokouji."
"I would surrender directly to the enemy!"
"What do you think, what kind of body fluid is that Echidna tea? Could it be..."
In the midst of the discussion in the class, Ayanokouji covered his face, which had just been hit by someone, with one hand. Although he had exerted most of his strength, he still had to show that he was injured.
And his eyes were fixed on the screen.
"Echidna."
❰❱SKY SCREEN❰❱
The scene changed. Ayanokouji woke up in such an ancient tomb.
He stood, reaching out to touch the ground, feeling the temperature of the place where he should have been lying for a while. He immediately began to recall the contents of the tea party he had just had with Echidna.
"The memories are still there." Ayanokouji said to himself as he brushed off the dust on his body, curious about who would pull him out of the dream space.
He heard a loud noise coming from outside and the heart-wrenching scream of a strange man.
Accompanied by the voice of a woman as light as a bell yet filled with anger and anxiety:
"Tell the truth, where did you get Ayanokouji from!"