Chapter 38 - "Thirst for Knowledge Incarnate"

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He just stood there, paralyzed.

Admiring the beauty which was in front of him, Jens is unable to lose sight of the woman. She's simply sitting in a white, seemingly expensive chair. She's supporting her body by putting her elbows on the white table, and has a white and gray cup in her hands.

Her beautiful dark eyes moved from looking at the cup of tea, to Jens.

Echidna : "I am pretty sure I am not that scary, correct? Perhaps a new theory is required… Did you damage your nerve system, perhaps your ears? You don't have to be that on-guard. Why don't you just sit down, so we can have a talk, maybe even share a cup of Tea?"

Saying this, she puts a smile on her face, and slowly narrows her. She brushes her own hair with her left hand until the one that stood in front of her finally makes his first movement after her own introduction.

Jens took one step back, which costed him most of his energy. He wasn't sure what was exactly going on, but he was embraced by something powerful. An emotion known as fear. Despite the beauty which he was looking at was simply a woman, her aura was that of a monster.

Jens : "You're telling me to put my guard down after you introduced yourself as the Witch of Greed…?"

Those words left his mouth not easily. Hearing this, Echidna laughs. She puts down the cup of tea, and puts her hands together on the table.

Echidna : "You're completely right. That was a flaw of mine, should've thought that one through. It's simply the fact that I haven't talked with any organism which is in the state of being alive."

Hearing this, he still does not move. He's way to scared to even communicate with her. The fact that he's in the Sanctuary, makes him think about something, which would be if all this, this place, is it real? If it isn't, it could simply be a Dream World after losing your consciousness. Dying here, wouldn't force Jens to Return by Death. Though, that does not make it easier for Jens. It's more than just a Dream World, it's an eternal nightmare, it seems.

Echidna : "Though, it really does hurt that I'm being treated so cruelly. You know I am just what I appear, a weak little girl? You can calm down, seriously. It would be a lot less fun if you would die in your sleep here."

So it really is a Dream World. After the conversation with Furuta, Jens passed down in the tunnel of the Sanctuary.

Though, after he heard he could relax, simply those words made him do so. The fear which was surrounding him started to fade away slowly more, and more, until he felt the paralyzing of his own body vanish.

He was finally able to move his fingers, and slowly turn his read, and look around. It was an endless grass field, with a clear, blue sky. There was nothing but this table, two chairs, this woman, and him.

Jens : "You know, I've faced quite a lot. In addition to that, the term 'Weak little girl' doesn't really suit a woman who's known as the Witch of Greed."

Echidna : "That's also completely true. You really aren't as stupid as I imagined you to be. Perhaps you're even more interesting than I could've imagined when I first saw you."

She then opens her arms, and smiles.

Echidna : "Now, please sit down. There's nothing here that can harm you."

How could he simply trust a Witch that easily? After all he heard, the Witches of Sin were the beings that caused great calamities and destruction all over the world. They're the creators of the Endbringers, continuing with destroying the world.

However, he didn't come here to just stand there. He came her to succeed the trials, perhaps even gaining knowledge and if he was lucky, ask questions regarding his past.

Echidna : "I see… Perhaps your reaction will be extraordinary after I'll show you this trick."

She clapped her hands, and he blinked his eyes.

Suddenly, it was night in the grass field, and he appeared to be sitting, in the chair, in front of Echidna.

Jens : "What was that? C-Can you use teleportation or time manipulation magic?"

After the attack on the Roswaal Mansion, which was lead by Furuta and Raven, people have explained him that there does exist a lot of crazy magic, but since Echidna is a witch, her being able to use it wouldn't be surprising to him.

Echidna : "Teleportation…. Ahh, Yin Magic. Nope, this is your misunderstanding. There are a lot of flaws in that magic. I don't really prefer to use it, even though I am capable of doing it. What this is is just a tiny bit of an extra kind of entertainment. Since here, I've got some workable freedoms. This place is simply my castle."

Jens : "Your, castle?"

Furrowing his brows at Echidna's words, Jens looked all around once again.

The wind-swept grasslands seemed to be endless, and in all directions there appeared nothing but nothingness beyond the horizons. In reality, whether this empty landscape actually existed was another matter, but it was truly a fantastical sight.

Upon sitting down, he looks at the table. There are a few more cups, a black covered book, some sweets that looked delicious and sweet, and the beautiful hands of the Witch of Greed.

Jens : "Where… is it? I can't find it. Or are you referring to this world in general?"

Echidna : "Hahahaha. You really are funny, in front of me, there are very few people who could throw such impudent retorts, except other Witches like myself. Surely, after my death, I never thought there would be an increment in that number."

He thought about what the woman said, and repeated it in his own mind. She surely said "after my death" and "very few people". Thinking about that, he questions it.

Jens : "Well… If you're the Witch of Greed, and you really are dead… I'm a bit confused regarding that. Anyway, I came to visit your grave."

Echidna : "Oh in that case I sincerely thank you. If you wish to bring me some flowers then please place them near the entrance. I am a person who is not fond of alcohol, so if you want to make an offering then something sweet would be really appreciated."

She said that in a weird way, despite it sounding natural.

Jens : "I am very sorry… I haven't brought any local produce and haven't picked any flowers myself."

Upon hearing that, Echidna purred pleasantly. She then brought the cup resting on the table to her lips, and, taking a sip, she went on again.

Echidna : "No problem. I've never had a chance to drink tea so happily even when I was alive. Just as I thought, there are things to look forward to even after death. New discoveries are inexhaustible."

Jens : "A-Ah… Well…"

This meeting with the Witch of Greed felt awkward the whole time. It made him nervous and more nervous every second.

Echidna : "What about a cup of Tea? I am sure you'll be more relaxed after you tasted the extraordinary taste of this tea."

Jens : "Ah… That would be very nice, but aren't those cups of someone else?"

Those cups had a color pattern, just like the cups in the Forbidden Library of Beatrice… No, in fact, it were the exact same cups he saw there. Echidna and Beatrice have some kind of connection for sure now, he thought. However, he did not bring his current knowledge up regarding this matter. Instead, he referred to 'someone else'.

Echidna : "Hm? Despite this might sounding a bit on the rude side, but why do you think so? Look around, there's nobody to be seen. Who's cup could it be, if I may ask?"

Right, she probably knew that he knew. A complicated situation.

Jens : "Answering a question with a question. You really are the Witch of Greed."

Echidna : "Oh my, now that is an interesting kind of response. In fact, I didn't expect such a reaction to my question, you're right though. Answering a question with a question is truly ruthless."

She took another sip of the cup she was holding, and then placed it back on the table. Then, she slightly narrowed her eyes, and put a smirk on her face.

Echidna : "You're completely right. Those cups are indeed of people, people you could say I had a bond with. Though those bonds froze and broke soon after I died. Perhaps you met someone who had one of these cups in the real world?"

Jens : "Yes… Her name is Beatrice."

Hearing this, her smirk disappears and her eyes widen. More awkwardness approached the scene after Jens responded to her question.

Echidna : "I see… So that's the case. Yes, one of these cups was Beatrice's."

She then, pointed towards a white cup with a blue outer-line.

Echidna : "This one was of my student, that poor kid never knew how to let things go."

He's unsure about who she might be referring to, it couldn't be Beatrice, and he doubts Emilia would be an apprentice of this thing, so who could it possibly be? His curiosity becomes the greater of him, and asks it.

Jens : "May I, if you're fine with it, ask their names?"

She smiled. Though her smile was more a smirk than an actual smile this time.

Echidna : "Roswaal Mathers, was his name. That fool was a little bit too earnest."

Hearing that name, Jens widens his name and puts his hands on the table.

However, this could wait, he had to tell her the reason why he's here. He wasn't sure if he could completely trust this woman, but did he had a choice? He, his friends, everyone outside lacked the knowledge they required.

The being which sat in front of him was the key to the information they required.

Jens : "Echidna, it would be rude to say that I don't like talking to you, but I'm actually here for another reason."

Echidna : "Oh?"

She put a finger on her lips and widens her eyes more. She slightly tilts her head in a questionable matter.

Echidna : "What may that reason be, my dear… Actually, what way do you want me to refer to you?"

Jens : "Jens. My name is Jens. I would like to discuss a few stuff first before I'll explain the reason why I'm hereーー."

Before finishing his sentence, he got disturbed by the woman who started to come more near to his face. There was still space between them, but her coming that close, being called the Witch of Greed, simply terrified him slightly.

Echidna : "You know, why don't you first take a sip of that Tea of yours? You'll be drinking out of a cup I can miss, as I'm not on proper terms with that one person anymore."

Jens : "Ah, yes, of course."

He placed the white cup, with a golden outline at his lips, and drank it.

Swinging his hand, he placed the emptied cup down on the table and said,

Jens : "Thank you for the treat, it was neither good or bad, but what kind of Tea was it?"

A disgusting, filthy, disturbing smirk appeared on her cute face. Her eyes narrowed, her smug face started at him.

Echidna : "Drinking up something a Witch offered you, you truly are ruthless!"

With the last part of the sentence being louder than the others, she places her hands on the cup and continues.

Echinda : "Considering it was something formed out of my Castle. If I put it into words, it'd be my body fluids."

Jens : "WHAT?! What the fuck did you make me drink!? Bluagh!"

Suddenly, Jens jumped up knocking his chair away, and struggled to vomit out the liquid he just drank. But, she only softly giggled at Jens' dramatic overreaction.

Echidna : "That certainly, was unexpected. Didn't I do my make up this morning? I didn't expect my appearance to be that bad."

Jens : "What the fuck is wrong with you?! What kind of fetish is that?!"

He put two fingers in his mouth, and pushed them down his throat, forcing himself to vomit out the 「Body Fluids］he just drank now. However, nothing came out, not even saliva nor any food he ate, and neither did the 'tea' he just drank.

Jens : "Fuck Fuck Fuck. I can't vomit this out…－－What is going to happen with my body? What the fuck did you do to me?!"

Echidna : "Why don't you stop worrying? Seriously, don't worry. It is easily absorbed by the body without obstructions. It's body fluid, after all."

He doesn't understand it, how can this woman smile like that while saying something like that.

He kept struggling with trying to vomit, and after a few attempts, he stood up, grabbed the chair, and smashed his fist on the table.

Jens : "Are you satisfied now?! I drank your fucking tea."

Echidna : "Oh, yes, for sure, definitely satisfied. You really are an intriguing character. The fact that you are standing in front of me normally is proof of that."

He calms down slightly, and sits down in the chair. Upon hearing that, he questions what she means with that.

Jens : "What do you mean with that? Is it because you're such a bait, looking like a beautiful princess but being actually a Witch?"

Echidna : "No, when normal people stand in front of me, they vomit. Haha, it's funny, isn't it?"

Hearing what she said just now, he starts to question her sanity.

Jens : "What's so funny about that?!"

Right from the beginning of their conversation, there had been nothing but unsettling words popping out. Jens took another look at the girl sitting in the chair,

Her hair and her entire body were white like snow. Her black clothes looked almost like she was in mourning dress, and a remaining hint of youthfulness gave her beauty a color of bewitching glamour. He mused in his thoughts about how a beautiful woman in funerary clothes could have a certain magical charm, but her never-disappearing aura of oppressiveness kept making him regard her existence as a menace.

Echidna : "Soーー"

Then, looking up at Jens whose vigilance had not dissipated, she placed her emptied cup on the table as well, and, tracing her finger on the edge, she continued again, back to the original topic.

Echidna : "Why don't we just start already? I'm sure you came her for your thirst for knowledge, either that or the poor, poor Sanctuary Barrier which is starting to collapse. Am I right? Why don't you take this opportiunity?"

Jens : "You…. Know the answers to… the things I want to know?"

Echidna : "I'm confident enough to confirm that, yes."

In response to Jens' wrenched out words, Echidna laughed. Laughing, this laughter which felt it was her happiest yet, inflicted the sense of oppression upon Jens more strongly than ever before.

Echidna : "I really am always right, you are such an amusing being."

Lifting her face, the light around Echidna start to get distorted, and a bizarre pattern started to cover over the world. A shadow was expanding, extending out arms and legs that stuck and clung onto Jens' entire body.

He tried to fight back, he used all his energy which he had to try to break lose, but to his own disappointment, nothing worked.

Just like that, the beautiful dream world disappeared and they were somewhere completely elsewhere.

Echidna : "If you want to exchange questions and answers, then this space is plenty enough. To know what you want to know. Your desire for such a thing――or rather your Greed, I do approve of it."

What remained between them, was just the space between the chairs in which they were seated. It was a distance close enough to touch if he only stretched out his arm, a world in which they shall sit upon their chairs and have their talk.

The world outside of this had already disappeared. The bottom of the darkness to which his footing had been lost seemed to have no end. Probably without a joke, it would not be possible to come back if he were to fall.

As a chill ran down Jens' spine, seated on her chair, Echidna seemed to be in a great state of mind, and a good mood.

She clapped her hands, and gazed into Subaru with her shining eyes,

Echidna : "Come now, what would you like to hear about? If it is anything I know, then I would answer to anything. Is it about the 『Witch of Gluttony』Daphne, who had created the so-called Demon Beasts or sometimes known as Witch Beasts differing from God, to save the world from hunger? Is it about the 『Witch of Lust』 Carmilla, who had granted emotion even to those who are not human, to fill the world with love? Is it about the 『Witch of Wrath』Minerva, who punched and healed every person, out of grief for the world filled with conflicts? Is it about the 『Witch of Sloth』 Sekhmet, who drove the Dragon away, beyond the Great Waterfall, just to bring peace? Is it about the 『Witch of Pride』 Typhon, who kept on judging the guilty with the innocence and ruthlessness of her youth?"

They sounded unfamiliar ―― or rather, they were the enumeration of a history which should no longer be existing in the current world.

There was nothing to be heard, except for the cute, yet extremely disturbing and terrifying chuckling laugh of Echidna.

Echidna : "Is it about the『Witch of Greed』Echidna, the Incarnation of the Thirst for Knowledge, who remain with her regrets in the world after death, to seek any and every wisdom in the world?"

Pointing to herself with a finger, she said as if with self-ridicule, and went on with "Or…",

Echidna : "The Witch of Envy, who destroyed all of these Witches and made them her food, and turned the rest of the world into her enemy ––– is it about her?"

――The only name he recognized, had to be the Witch of Envy, the one who caused the great calamities, and seemingly destroyed all of 'those' witches.

Echidna : "Or something even more interesting, like the one who's the cause of the current state of your world? The one who created possibly more calamities than the Witch of Envy… The Washuu King?"