After telling Beatrice a few bedtime stories to make her fall asleep, Ayanokouji gently walked out of the room to avoid noise.
Once he left the room, he walked to the sink in the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror.
Could he smile? How could he? It should just be a joke to Betty.
Ayanokouji shook his head and without much thought, lowered the pendant connected to the black crystal and slim chain.
He tightly held the shining black crystal in his hand and closed his eyes.
At first, it felt like a cold and hard crystal stone, but after being wrapped with his palm, its presence immediately increased as if it had a temperature, and started beating like a living creature.
Even though he closed his eyes tightly, he could see a dazzling burst of light, which seemed to envelop his consciousness. The next moment, he returned to that unique space.
It was still a vast expanse of green grassland, with the green grass swaying in the wind. Above, there was a bright sun without a single dark cloud, and sunlight.
"Welcome back, Kiyotaka." Echidna was sitting in a pavilion on top of a high hill, looking at him with a smile, as if she had been waiting for a long time.
Being called by his first name by Echidna didn't hold any special meaning for Ayanokouji. After all, 'Ayanokouji' was just a code name or title for him, and it meant nothing.
"Have the other witches already left?" Ayanokouji asked as he looked around.
"Yes, I have been gone for quite a while, and you laughed at me before leaving!" Echidna shook her head and said, "But why have you come to me this time? Are you feeling lonely?"
"I want to confirm the power of the crystal stone." Ayanokouji asked slowly, "Besides, I want to know information about Roswaal."
"Roswaal? Are you ready to attack him?" Echidna showed a sly smile.
"How obsessed is he with you?"
"Indeed, it's a bad idea to ask a girl who has close contact with you about his emotional issues from the past."
"Sorry, but in my opinion, you still don't fall into the category of women." Ayanokouji said calmly.
He knew that Echidna's ambiguity and cheerfulness were just a disguise.
"Even though I have no feelings for him, he seems to care a lot about me." Echidna said with a smile, "If he were you, I might sign a contract without hesitation."
"Is he willing to die for you?" Ayanokouji narrowed his eyes slightly.
"He should be able to."
"Tell me about his past." Ayanokouji estimated Roswaal's value in his mind.
His obsession with Echidna was his biggest clue.
However, to fully utilize Roswaal, the threat within him must be completely eliminated.
Like a snake charmer removing the fangs of his snake.
❀❀❀
In the mansion, Roswaal sat in a chair with a forced smile on his face, listening to Echidna not only saying that she had no special feelings for him, but also recounting embarrassing past events.
"Roswaal-sama, you don't look well."
Ram said next to him with concern.
"I, I'm fine..."
Roswaal shook his head, but his facial expression became even more embarrassed.
❀❀❀
In the capital city, Emilia opened her eyes wide:
"Does Roswaal have such a past? I didn't see it at all!"
"Maybe it's knowing the person but not knowing their heart."
Puck closed his eyes and said with a smile.
❀❀❀
In another world, a young man with very gentle eyes was staring at the scene in the picture with a smile on his face.
Initially, he was angry because this sudden video interrupted his GALGAME play, but unknowingly he became fascinated by it.
"If someone named Roswaal saw this scene, would it be considered NTR?"
"The person named Ayanokouji Kiyotaka seems to be a veteran, but he still triggers a Bad Ending in his last regression."
"I'm so envious of him. I also want to enter that world and experience the true feelings of GALGAME! And two-dimensional female characters who are alive and can move! Why is it Ayanokouji and not me! Oh God! Please give me a chance to travel through another world!"
❰❱SKY SCREEN❰❱
"I know."
After hearing Echidna recounting everything that happened in the past, Ayanokouji nodded, already having a plan in his mind.
"But Roswaal was my former student, so I think it's not right to say it directly." Echidna said with a smile. Due to the contract, she had to follow the words of the other party.
"But in reality, you don't have any feelings at all. In fact, you don't care about anyone at all." Ayanokouji stated the fact, "Besides, you are not the 'complete' Echidna."
"It doesn't matter, I am the original Echidna."
"One more thing, you said I absorbed the Sloth Factor, so can I also use Unsee Hand?"
"You should be able to gain the power of the Sloth Factor, but it doesn't matter whether it's Unsee Hand." Echidna explained, "Although you inherit the same factor, the specific power will vary depending on the individual. To manifest change, it's best to let someone else who also has the Sloth Factor guide you."
While Echidna spoke, she reached out her hand and released a beam of light. Then, a woman wearing black clothes, with long purple hair and pale white skin appeared in front of Ayanokouji – Witch of Sloth Sekhmet.
"Indeed, Echidna clearly signed the contract, but in the end, because our souls are bound together, are we included in it?" Sekhmet sighed and shook her head, "Well, let's get started quickly then."
The scene changed, Ayanokouji had returned to the real world.
He took out his phone and checked the time. It seemed that if he used the crystal stone to enter the Dream City, time would not pass.
He put away his phone and then went to Roswaal's residence.
"Ayanokouji-sama, it's already very late. Although Ram knows that Ram is very cute, Ayanokouji-sama, please don't try to do anything unethical at this moment."
After Ayanokouji opened the door, Ram said narcissistically.
"Sorry, I'm here to meet Roswaal." Ayanokouji said expressionlessly.
"Is that Ayanokouji-sama?" Roswaal's voice with a strange tone came from the room.
"Yeah, there's something I want to discuss with you, Roswaal." Ayanokouji said, "Just the two of us."
"Understood." Roswaal's face was filled with a smile, "Ram, you can leave for now."
"Alright, Roswaal-sama, then I will go to the forest to prepare medicine for tomorrow." Ram bowed deeply, then walked out of the room and closed the door.
"Ayanokouji-sama, what do you want to talk to me about this time..." Roswaal saw the black pendant on Ayanokouji's chest, and immediately knew it was Echidna's creation, "It seems you have met Echidna."
"Yes, I have made some kind of contract with her." Ayanokouji said, "But now I am here to find you, I have spoken to you in the last regression."
He already knew that Roswaal knew he had the 'Return by Death' ability, so he said it directly to the point.
"So, it seems you have truly returned." Roswaal said with a smile.
"I already know your plan, four hundred years of preparation, to release heavy snow to attract the attention of the Great Rabbit, right?" Ayanokouji said slowly, "It's all according to the Gospel's orders."
"Correct." Roswaal took out the Gospel from under the pillow and held it in his arms like a treasure. "This is the treasure left by my teacher for me."
"Your goal is for me to wholeheartedly support Emilia in ascending the throne, then lead the Holy Dragon when she ascends the throne, and finally kill the dragon to obtain dragon's blood to revive Echidna."
"Yes, it seems Ayanokouji-sama has mastered enough information." Roswaal said with a smile, "As long as we understand this, we will be close comrades in the struggle."
"Since we are comrades in arms, why don't we think of a way to stop the Great Rabbit that may come in the future?" Ayanokouji narrowed his eyes.
"I am only following the Gospel's orders and releasing heavy snow here. I will not do anything that is not commanded." Roswaal said with a smile, reaching out his hand, and gently touching the Gospel in his hand, as if it were invaluable.
"Gospel?" Ayanokouji's eyes focused on the Gospel, then turned to Roswaal's face, "Let's make a contract."
"A contract?"
"You discard the Gospel, obey me wholeheartedly, and be utilized by me." Ayanokouji slightly raised his chin, "I can help you support Emilia to the throne."
"Hahaha!" After hearing those words, Roswaal raised his head and laughed, "Ayanokouji, you are indeed becoming more skilled in joking—"
At that moment, his expression became very serious, and his eyes were filled with fierceness: "It's impossible to discard the Gospel given to me by my teacher. I have my own plans, and I have my own way of dealing with it. You're too naive to ask me to accept orders from you."
"Is that so? I hoped you would answer like this." Ayanokouji shook his head.
A large arm emerged from his chest. That was the power he could use after activating the Sloth Factor in his body, so now he could basically use Unsee Hand skillfully.
Compared to Petelgeuse, Ayanokouji could only control one hand, but that was enough.
Unsee Hand could already do many things.
Roswaal couldn't even see this arm approaching him.
This unseen arm reached for the Gospel in Roswaal's hand. With a significant power gap between them, he desperately tried to retrieve the book, but failed.
The Gospel shattered into pieces in the air.
In Roswaal's eyes, the book seemed to fly on its own and shatter in the air.
"No, no, no, no!!!"
Roswaal screamed hysterically and rushed down from the bed. This proved that he was pretending to be injured.
He picked up the pieces on the ground and tried desperately to put them back together, but to no avail.
"You!"
Although he didn't know what had happened, Roswaal knew for sure that it was Ayanokouji's doing.
After the Gospel, which he considered a treasure, was destroyed, Roswaal, who had been calm all this time, finally lost his sanity and immediately rushed towards Ayanokouji, pressing on his throat.
"Do you want to kill me? Kill me, the only one who can bring back your teacher? In that case, Echidna must be buried here forever." Facing the aggressive Roswaal, Ayanokouji always had a calm expression on his face, "Besides, I am now favored by Echidna. If you kill me, she might hate you."
Roswaal knew that the other party had the Return by Death ability, but he didn't know how to trigger it. Ayanokouji used this to ensure that Roswaal wouldn't dare to do anything to him.
Moreover, he had a trick up his sleeve.
He held a sharp dagger in his hand and pressed it against Roswaal's throat as he rushed closer. The Unsee Hand also floated in the air, like a venomous snake finding its prey.