A Manipulation Game
I feel as if my soul is detaching from my body; however, suddenly, an intense light dazzles my eyes. After adjusting to the brightness, I see it: a vast field stretching towards infinity.
The blue sky and the warmth of the surroundings make it perfect for a tea party.
Before me, a small hill stands, and atop it, a figure. They're seated on a metal chair, leisurely sipping a cup of tea.
Prompting me to move forward, and I respond to their desire, walking with determination.
I know what I must do; at this moment, I must obtain Echidna by any means necessary. She's the key piece to solve this puzzle, the key to unraveling Roswaal, and the hope of reclaiming Beatrice.
"I felt your deep desire to enter into this humble place," are the first words Echidna directs at me. Her smile reveals a profound interest in the situation.
I close my eyes for a few seconds as I walk towards her. I must control myself; if I want to handle someone like her, I must avoid showing my emotions.
She can read me; she can probably feel my emotions too.
'At this moment, you must be a robot,' I repeat to myself, gathering strength to move forward. I open my eyes, fixing her cold, smiling gaze with mine. She's beautiful, undoubtedly, her mere presence feels like a poison one could become addicted to.
"At this moment, no one desires to speak with you more than I do," I say as I position myself next to her, extending my hand without any fear. "I am Marco Luz."
She must know very well who I am; somehow, she must be interested in the power within me. If she already sees me as a sage candidate, then she might conclude that's why I already know her.
Now, the only way she has to preserve herself against the power of temporal change is here, in this illusory space, or as my contractor.
Echidna smiles, taking my hand and shaking it delicately.
"I am... The Witch of Greed, Echidna," she says. Her eyes seem to want to devour me, trying to swallow me into an abyss.
But I'm already inside, so I must be the one to obtain her.
'This is nothing but a battle to see who possesses whom,' I release her hand, looking at the tea on the table.
I take a seat, and she serves me a portion of tea. I gaze at it for a few seconds, detecting a slightly bitter aroma as if it were green tea leaves. I observe its thickness, noticing that it appears to be genuinely normal tea.
'This will be helpful to stabilize the authority of sloth; I must take advantage of it however I can.' I grip the cup firmly and bring it to my lips. I quickly feel the warmth invade my mouth. Its taste: slightly bitter with floral undertones, makes it a truly enjoyable experience.
Well, she's technically dead, so whatever is in this illusory space is nothing more than her mana, and perhaps, even her essence. If this tea aids in stabilizing the authorities, it's because it specifically comes from her essence.
'I've already consumed Beatrice's, if I also consume Echidna's at its peak, I should be able to wield the authorities better.' My conclusion is clear: I shouldn't squander the opportunities presented to me.
"You seem a bit excited," I smile, striving to maintain appearances.
If I wish to manipulate Echidna, I need to delve into the complexities of her personality. Is she a sociopath, a psychopath, or someone devoid of emotions?
The first step to manipulating someone is to use your own personality to activate facets of the other person. If you want to find out what kind of person she is, then you must act as different people.
If you're alone, it's the only way.
"I haven't had a guest in a long time, so I'm quite excited," she smiles while indicating the tea. "That tea, I didn't think you would drink it."
I must remain calm before acting out of the ordinary. Show her that I'm the one calling the shots.
"Well, we're certainly in a... Illusory world? No matter what kind of thing I consume, I doubt it will harm me," the same conclusion I thought, but let's add a little more. "Though it was an intriguing flavor, I really would like to try it a bit more."
She closes her eyes, her sharp smile still on her face, her hands fixed on the table and her body unchanged.
"Certainly, although everything here is part of my being," she opens her eyes, then gives me a penetrating look. "Even that tea you're drinking could be said to be part of me."
She serves me another portion, and I open my eyes in surprise. I look at the tea and pretend my hand is trembling. I arch my eyebrows and, while keeping my gaze on the tea, let a slight smile appear.
"Eh?" I touch my lips and make it disappear, coughing to gather my words. "This is..."
Echidna looks at me with a placid smile, clearly amused by my supposed embarrassment. So, I shoot her a piercing look and take a big sip of tea. After a deep sigh, I meet her gaze squarely and without a hint of shame, I say:
"No wonder it tastes so good, thanks for serving it." I smile, causing Echidna to blush and look at me in surprise.
She blinks rapidly, and her mouth opens slightly. I can see her eyebrows trembling faintly as she directs her gaze away from mine. It's an act, she's clearly pretending.
"Thanks..." She tucks her hair behind her ear, twirling a strand with her finger before looking back at me and averting her gaze.
Let's see how far she can take this act.
"No, thank you. Honestly, if this delicious tea is just a glimpse of what you have to offer..." I reach out and take her hands, forcing her to focus on me. "I can't help but wonder how good the rest of you must taste."
I stare at her, searching for a change in her demeanor.
Her hands grow warm, her fingers starting to redden. Could this be her true reaction? If what she's doing now isn't an act, then who is Echidna?
"My... My body?" Echidna blinks several times, glancing around as her breath quickens.
She doesn't know how to react to such bold words. So, rather than pretending, she just follows a script of how she thinks someone should react. She doesn't feel anything, so she has to fake her response.
She must have learned to react that way to flirting; no matter how disgusting it might be.
'I need to verify it.' I tighten my grip, and she flinches slightly, glancing at me out of the corner of her eye.
I smile softly at her.
"Yes, you are truly beautiful, Echidna." I feel my heart trying to say something as I utter those words, but I quickly drown out that feeling with the hatred that fills my being.
This is just an act, a repulsive and uncomfortable act.
"Bea... Beautiful!" Echidna reacts strongly, releasing my hands and covering her face.
'Too rehearsed!' I shout inwardly, but then I confirm my suspicions.
She doesn't feel emotions like a normal person, perhaps she can't even feel them at all.
'Like a sociopath, perhaps.' She covers herself with her hair as I reminisce about that novel. Her wisest reactions, her most innocent moments. She simply adapts to the person in front of her.
"Undoubtedly, you're a very beautiful lady," I emphasize, and before she can react, I prepare the final bomb. There's something I need to verify, a gap in her emotions she can't escape.
"Yes, your illustrious beauty is akin to that of Miss Emilia," I formally drop the bomb, closing my eyes and affirming proudly. I give a slight pause, and upon her silence, I open my eyes.
Her eyebrows try to maintain a smile; I can see her eyelashes straining to hold the expression. She smiles, but her blush has completely vanished. You could say it's a friendly smile or a normal reaction to being compared to a stranger. But the reality I see is that she already knows Emilia.
'Then it must have been over four hundred years ago, but how is that possible?' Echidna then quirks her lips and responds to my words.
"Well, she must be a very beautiful woman then," she responds, taking a sip of tea. I nod, seeking more answers.
"And she is," I finish my tea, noticing it refills itself. 'This time, she didn't serve it to me.'
Emilia is her weak point, for some reason, I can affirm that she already knew her. It's not because of her appearance, of that I'm sure. Someone like Echidna isn't so superficial. There's something, something that happened that I can't decipher.
"Now that you've come looking for me, you must be desperate," she asserts. Her gaze returns to normal, as if nothing had happened.
Echidna moves her arm slowly, pointing towards me, specifically to the necklace on my neck. A bluish glow begins to emit from her finger, only to fade away as quickly as it came.
"To think she'd become so attached to sacrifice her soul, giving her Odo to someone." Echidna stands up and walks towards me. "That girl must have loved you a lot."
Staring at me intently, it's now seeking a reaction from me.
Clearly, I'm not going to react; somehow, I feel like I have full control of my body. I feel the pain, the urge to kill, but I can handle it. I want to suffer, but there's no time for it right now. I still have a whole life of suffering ahead, missing it now doesn't really matter.
Echidna and I are quite alike, really, both of us are of the same kind.
'We're monsters, after all.'
This illusory world feels like the purest representation of my soul. As if my desires converge, but at the same time, there's that force that compels me to be under control. That in my soul that wants me to be a feelingless monster.
I always reject it since I would like to be a human being. However, now I have no choice but to accept it.
"She loves me, and I love her," I smile placidly, taking the necklace between my hands and trying to feel a connection with her. After several seconds of feeling nothing, Echidna perks up and stands up. The wind ripples gently, and the only audible sounds are her footsteps and the sound of the breeze passing through the grass.
I turn around and Echidna, in front of me, puts her hand on my chest. I feel a warm energy coursing through my body, similar to when Puck inspected me before.
"The Odo within you seems to be stable now, but the miasma you possess is quite dense. Your body must be struggling to contain both things," Echidna smiles, her gaze seeming to enjoy the situation. "My daughter's Odo seems to keep the miasma at bay, however, the authority of Sloth has been activated, and you don't know how to control it."
I nod, while thinking about the headaches every time I use it.
Echidna leaves my chest, and she turns slowly, turning her back to me as I watch her hands interlock. She turns her head a bit, looking at me out of the corner of her eye.
"To control it, you need to accept the power, make it yours," she takes a few steps towards the vast field, and I feel my gate reacting, feeling more stable than before. "The miasma is a force opposite to mana, but it's also possible to control it and make it a part of you."
That's an immutable truth, just as mana could be considered a pure energy, something impure like the miasma is also an energy. Both have the same category, although they are considerably repellent to each other.
"However, I don't want to use it too much. I lose a lot of mental stability when I use the authority," I respond, aware of the consequences of using it. Every time I use the miasma, my mind feels like it's in chaos, like I can't repress my hatred. That's why I couldn't control myself.
Although I must be thankful that thanks to that, I can be who I want to be.
"Unlike a witch like you, I'm just a human being," I continue, trying to see things clearly for now. "Being a monster like you is difficult, beautiful lady." It's a truth, a truth she knows very well. I can see that she recognizes it too, it's so clear with such a smile.
"But you're still a candidate for wisdom, undoubtedly, there will be a future where you will acquire the authorities and use their power," she says with a macabre smile, putting her finger to her lips. "Whether you can bear them or not will be up to you." A candidate for wisdom... I already suspected it.
If I came to this world, then I'm involved in the same causalities. Although I'm thankful for having the death return, I hate that just because of who I am, I'm so limited.
"Then I'll have to keep trying," I finish, taking another cup and gently tapping the ground with it. "How do I retrieve Beatrice?" She smiles, walking back and sitting down. Her gaze doesn't reflect any emotion regarding Beatrice's situation.
And I know that if Beatrice can see this, she must be suffering. A suffering that I myself have caused.
"Her purpose in this world was completed, so it would be somewhat complicated," Echidna sighs, biting one of her cookies. "By giving her odo, Beatrice gave the essence of her soul; her life, everything she is and constitutes. Although there are remnants of odo, there's no point in returning to someone who is no longer useful."
I interlace my hands, looking at her steadfastly with a determined smile. "But not impossible, right?" I shouldn't let myself be swayed by her sharp comments. I must be superior to her and maintain calm at all times.
"Yes, however, it's a bit complex to achieve," Echidna points to the necklace on my chest again. "That necklace didn't keep her alive, but rather kept her imprisoned. It's interesting; the miasma in the necklace is strong, but for a spirit to remain there will result in something unknown to me."
I look at my collar, thinking about Beatrice's words before she left.
"It could be that she dies today, that she dies tomorrow. Really, all you can do is imbue mana and pray that it doesn't happen soon," Echidna chuckles a bit, then touches her lips. "Whatever happens will be the fate imposed upon her."
I tighten my fists, feeling the desire to kill Roswaal. She managed to enter my body, but somehow ended up in the collar. There's a hidden secret, something neither Roswaal nor Beatrice disclosed to me.
"How do I remove her from the collar?" I ask, fully expecting her response to be negative.
Echidna shrugs, sighing calmly. "My research on the matter was cut short when I died; unfortunately, I can only provide a clue." Snow emerges from her hand. "Perhaps, in Gusteko, you might find an answer."
Gusteko... They never visited that place in the novel, but I know it's dangerous.
'Wasn't there someone from Gusteko interested in us? Hermod, yes, I'll have to ask him for information.'
"As for me, the most I could do is mitigate the effects of the collar on her, but my hands are tied," she says, glancing towards the collar. "My daughter is in danger, and I can't do anything about it. I suppose I'm a bad mother."
A despicable lie, one that ignites fury in my soul. My legs inch me towards her, but I quickly regain composure, pretending nothing happened. 'Hang in there, Marco Luz, you've managed all this time; you can't lose control now.'
"Well, it turns out she's my daughter too, but unlike you, I can actually attempt something," I say with a smile, trying to decipher her intentions.
She smiles back, with a mischievous gleam in her eyes that suggests she wants to play with my words. Before she can respond, I stride towards her, leveraging my height as I grasp her chin.
She blushes, but I maintain my expression.
"What could you do to rescue Beatrice?" I inquire, and she remains visibly flustered.
A foolish gesture, her desire to maintain control over the situation, to understand the reactions of others.
"Handling a lady in such a manner, aren't you afraid you'll capture my heart?" she blinks lightly, her heartbeat seemingly quickening.
I smile, drawing closer to her. I study her closely, her lashes as white as snow, her enigmatic aura, and almost flawless skin. Undoubtedly, it's merely an act to conform to what she thinks I desire. I sense her rapid breath as I continue to hold her gaze.
I reach out and caress her cheek, then place my thumb on her lips, teasing them.
"Will it work? Is it not right?" I ask, maintaining my demeanor as I lean towards her reddish ears. "Perhaps we should date and surprise Beatrice when we retrieve her."
If immersing myself in her game can achieve it, then I'll do it.
"That proposal..." She seems surprised, her lips trembling slightly. Her eyes dart around as I stare at her intently. There's no escape, just as both of us act to leave the other without options.
I feel disgusted. Completely disgusted. By her. By myself.
"Let's make a bet." I lightly press her lip, lowering it and feeling its almost magical softness. Suddenly, I release her, staring at her intently as I discreetly wipe my thumb.
The proposal that the protagonist rejected, the proposal of having a mind like Echidna working for you. I'll have to take a risk if I want to bring Beatrice back.
Echidna won't give me the information I want, especially because I know she also wants something from me. She wants to know about the power I possess, to have access to the powers of the sage; powers that will allow her to know everything.
"I've been wanting to see you for a long time, Echidna. How about we make a bet?"
She puts her hand on her lips, exactly where I touched her before. I can see the surprise in her gaze, but I also know that it's all feigned.
"A... bet?" she asks, while adjusting her hair with both hands.
I nod, acknowledging the next step.
"Yes, as I've told you, I want you." I point at her as I walk to the table and pick up the tea again. "I want everything from you: your mind, your body, your memories, I crave it all."
A slave, that would be the most appropriate word.
"But, in my current state, the only way out would be to become a spirit within your being." She smiles, as if she already knows something. "Breaking your contract with her would mean the end of her existence, I don't see another way."
Yes, at this moment she doesn't have access to my memories. So, the best way to do it is as I have planned. I approach her, almost close enough to feel her breath, I take her chin and lift her gaze.
I flash a smile, to show her that I'm the one in control. At this moment, whatever it takes doesn't matter.
I will obtain Echidna.
"Ryuzu Meyer." My words provoke a change in Echidna's expression. She adjusts herself and looks at me seriously. I take a seat, gracefully appreciating the strawberry cake that has just appeared in front of me.
"It seems I've caught your attention." I smile as I savor the cake Echidna prepared.
She intertwines her hands, looking at me with a smile.
"Interesting, could you tell me how you found out?" Her question fills me with pleasure, as it's probably something I had never planned to say.
I close my eyes as I smile, take a second to think, and then open them calmly.
"Maybe it's because I'm a candidate for sage, or because I'm pretty good at solving mysteries." I sigh, shrugging my shoulders just like she did. "Why don't you bet too? That way, you can find out."
"Are you trying to threaten me?" Echidna looks at me with a threatening aura, the world begins to tremble as I maintain my smile.
She seems to understand, seems to know what I have in mind.
I guess we're alike in some ways.
"Even if you kill me here, there's someone who would take your life in an instant." I smile, seeing that I'm about to get it. "And if you don't kill me, maybe, after the sanctuary trials are overcome, something will happen to Ryuzu's copies."
The body of a Ryuzu will be possessed by Echidna. If I'm not mistaken, it was the body of the one who speaks with Garfield about not releasing the sanctuary, the one in a white suit.
"Threatening a witch." Echidna smiles as she pours herself some tea. "I must admire your bravery."
Echidna takes a sip and places the cup on the table. She seems to have come to a decision.
"Alright, let's accept the bet." She closes her eyes, and I smile proudly. She raises her hand, pointing towards the sky to add: "however, I must also impose my conditions."
Echidna smiles as I keep calm.
"The bet will be simple. The person who will attempt to release the sanctuary is her, right?" Echidna stares at me, and I quickly understand who she's talking about.
I take a seat, seeing that she's fallen into my trap. Echidna smiles, as if she's going to enjoy the moment. She nods eagerly as she approaches me. I rise accordingly. Both of us are face to face.
At this moment, the bet is everything, so there's no need to prolong this.
"Then, I'll give her a maximum of five attempts," Echidna says with a smile. "I bet she won't be able to overcome all the trials in five attempts. I'll give you two fails, just two."
Emilia should be able to do it on the first try, but if she's given me five, I'm not going to reject them. In the end, she must know that I know the content of the trials. I guess she'll try to make them tougher.
'I must prepare Emilia to be ready for the trials.'
Echidna is smart, but she doesn't have information about that future hidden in the shadows, that future that's in my head right now. I mustn't have it; she's completely fallen into my trap.
This will be the first step towards victory.
"If I win, you'll be mine; if you win, I'll be yours." I smile, accepting her terms.
She nods but raises her index finger.
"Then, since you've bet, allow me to get something to make this bet fair."
Echidna places her hand on my chest, and an incandescent light surrounds us. I feel a strong heat in my chest as Echidna seals the pact. Her chest also glows, thus forming the soul contract.
"I've given you greater compatibility with the witch genes in exchange for a small thing," Echidna winks at me, but I'm not really interested in knowing.
More than a spiritual pact, it's just an agreement to get something.
"I hope you don't regret this," Echidna says with a big smile. "It's the first time an interesting man has proposed something like this to me."
'I wish Roswaal could hear those words; it would be a delight to see his face upon hearing such a statement.' Now that I've taken that step, all that remains is to guide Emilia through the trials.
"When I have a beautiful witch at my feet? I don't see why I should regret it," I affirm, but she doesn't react.
Echidna keeps her hand on my chest, and behind me, a portal form.
"I was planning on giving you the right to challenge the trials, but now you'll have to watch how she faces them, yes, how she will face them," Echidna continues, smiling, her gaze fixed on my eyes. "For me, it will also be a pleasure to have you."
With a push, I'm absorbed by the portal. Before everything disappears, her lips move.
"Enjoy watching her reaction."
Echidna winks, and everything fades around me.