A Chat with the Witch
She places a tab in her book and closes it, then smiles back at me. Her room is already filled with books; I can see that she's read several of them, while others remain untouched.
It's not messy, but the sheer number of books is overwhelming.
"Good morning, master." Echidna looks at me with her arrogant smile. Hearing her say those words only makes me uncomfortable. "Don't like being called that?"
I sigh, glancing at the couch in her room. I move a few books aside and sit down, stretching my arms to look at her from here.
"I know full well that you can escape the soul contract. After all, you set all the conditions while I was unconscious." I look at her with a grin, acknowledging that although there's a price to be paid, I doubt it would stop her from moving forward. "Though I should thank you for making sure it wouldn't affect the contract with my daughter."
Technically, it's not a contract we made between the two of us—it's more like we swore with our souls, just like with Roswaal. The problem is that for it to activate, we both had to be conscious, so she forced it on me while I was knocked out.
She has to do everything I tell her to; no question about it. But there are things that don't necessarily work in my favor.
"Can't you alter the terms of the contract again, can you?" I ask, but she only smiles. "That condition you added really works in your favor."
'If Echidna loses interest, she can leave the lands for an indefinite period.' That part of the contract was written by her, but the condition is pretty straightforward.
She can't fake her interest, so I just have to keep showing her things over and over again, without stopping.
"Fufu, that was a long time ago. Right now, I'm too weak to do something like that." She stands up, sits beside me, and looks me over. "The effect of my daughter's od on your body is really impressive, but your gate…"
Yeah, my gate is in bad shape. During the fight with Flynn, and the battles with Garfield and Roswaal, I overused my gate with spells I wasn't fully in control of. I pushed myself too hard, relying on my training. That's why I won't be able to use magic for a while.
"Explain a bit more. I want to know about the od in detail." I look at her firmly, eager to get answers.
"Od is the source of life for all living beings. You could say it's what you'd call a soul in your world." Echidna places her hand on my chest, making me look at her with concern. "Od and mana aren't the same thing. While you can use od to generate mana, they're not necessarily the same."
So, my understanding was wrong. If od is the soul, then my body must have more than one type of od. It must be the soul of the person that came through the glintstone.
"The size and strength of one's od indicates a person's potential to use magic." Echidna closes her eyes for a few seconds, concentrating. "Your gate is large and well-integrated. Although it's currently damaged from the power and number of spells you used, my daughters od repaired most of the damage, merging to create a stronger, more resilient gate."
I watch her for a few moments, waiting for her to mention that soul. Echidna opens her eyes, and when she sees me, she realizes my intentions.
"That soul has been merging with you since the moment you arrived. You were likely able to use magic beyond your capabilities because of it." Echidna looks at my chest, probably observing my gate closely. "The body of a sage is, without a doubt, impressive. Normally, when od enters someone and they mix…"
Her expression hardens.
"Their personalities mix, too." Then she smiles again. "But you seem fine. You don't even remember things from the past, as if your body is absorbing it and turning it into strength for you."
Maybe it did affect me. My personality could have changed when I accepted the od, when it merged with my soul. Now that od is a physical truth, I can assume that Od Laguna is also real.
It would be something like the soul of the world, utilizing its od to transform it into mana.
'Wouldn't that make it an unlimited energy source?'
"Your gate has an unusual shape. It's already adapted to the miasma, like the gate of any archbishop." She smiles, looking directly into my eyes. "The amount of miasma in your body is also being controlled, increased, and reduced by the effects of my daughter's od, which is still merging with your gate."
I click my tongue, realizing I can't hide anything from her. She's a prodigious genius with an endless amount of knowledge. Crusch has a bit of od from Betty, but she certainly hasn't managed to establish it inside her the same way.
"I'm absorbing the miasma from the glintstone and using it at the same time. That's how I'm able to suppress its effects, but it doesn't seem to have a limit." I take off the necklace and show it to Echidna. "We didn't get to talk much these last two days, but I need to make a plan."
Right now, Echidna is drawn to my world, and since I have the ability to show her everything she needs, I can keep her around for a while. Her power is immense, so it's in my best interest to keep her on my side for now.
If, at some point, she becomes an enemy, then…
"Beatrice is still alive. I can see traces of her od in your necklace." She uses mana—a deep, black mana that makes my eyes widen in surprise. I've never seen mana like this before. "At most, you have two, maybe three months. After that, her od will disappear, and she will die."
She hands me back the necklace, and with her warning given, I feel a bit of relief. I thought it would only be weeks or maybe a month. Now I can put this burden down for a moment and focus on the present.
The important thing right now is to know something.
'I need to see if they recognize it.'
"Subaru Natsuki." I look at her, and she opens her eyes for a moment. Her right-hand clenches tightly, but she quickly smiles and covers it with her other hand.
'Did one of the witches react?'
"Tell me, if you saw my memories, you must know… How is it possible that I was in my world?" Now that I know who my enemy is, I have to start figuring it out.
This Natsuki Subaru…
'What kind of life must he have lived?'
Echidna stays silent for a few seconds. She stands up and looks out the window, her gaze lost on the horizon. Seconds quickly turn into minutes. An overwhelming feeling invades me, as I can't comprehend it.
"That power you have, everything this world is. The mistake that shouldn't exist and yet is already made." Echidna keeps staring, placing her hand on the cold glass of the window.
Really, if both of us can use Return by Death, we'd never realize it unless we remember things after the other person's death. But I don't feel that's the case; Satella wouldn't give that power to two people.
She only loves one of us, and it seems like it's me.
Though Pandora seems to have control over my power, it's really Satella who makes the returns. "I can't do anything." I still remember those words from Pandora. That means she can't send me back in time.
"I…" Echidna interrupts my thoughts, turning around and staring at me intensely. Her dark eyes invade my entire field of vision.
I can see it, even though her expression is steady, even though there isn't a single wrinkle on her face.
"She's angry." I look at her, worried, but she grips her hands even tighter. Quickly, I can see the wrinkles of rage, and with that, I realize that the person in front of me isn't Echidna.
"Minerva?" After my question, she opens her eyes, looking at me surprised. She crosses her arms and looks away. For a moment, I can see her ears turn red.
She sighs, glaring at me with some annoyance.
"Subaru Natsuki, I hate him." Those are her first words, but I can quickly see her hold her head, as if just mentioning him causes her immense pain. "All the witches have a common enemy, but that's none of your business."
"Yes, it is, actually, I also…"
Then her expression suddenly changes, and Minerva falls to the ground. Her face looks weak, and her eyelids droop as if she's struggling to keep them open. Sekhmet seems to be taking control now.
"This reality… is… a… error." Sekhmet's gaze is cold, completely devoid of emotion. Even though she has Echidna's face, I can tell them apart easily. "You…"
"I already know…" I look out the window, pondering her words. "Can't you say more?"
My eyes widen, and my hands tremble frantically when I see her nod. I keep staring; I understand the gesture. The fact that they're talking like this, the "error" in this world, everything that's happening with this reality.
"The world was altered by someone." A malicious smile spreads across her face, so I know I'm talking to Echidna now. "The past was modified, but since we were in the Castle of Dreams, we can still remember certain things. The problem is we can't recall them in detail, leaving only our emotions about it."
Echidna shows me a glintstone crystal in her hand. When I touch it, I feel for a moment like I'm being transported to the Castle of Dreams. However, I quickly realize that I'm still sitting on the sofa.
"It's a place separate from this world. You could call it an artificial space, or a more fitting term…" Echidna smiles, sitting back down. "It's a limbo, created by yours truly. Something like the Lost Library, but seemingly safer."
"So, you know your memories were altered, which is why you understand that what you remember is just an error, something made up." Her nod gnaws at my soul, reminding me of what she did with my world.
'So, Natsuki Subaru is capable of this much.' A cold bead of sweat rolls down my forehead.
"As for your enemy, how can we find them?" I ask, but she shakes her head.
"I need to regain my strength, and for that, I need to obtain certain objects." Echidna smiles, pointing at me. "Will you help me? Now that reality has to be rebuilt, I, too, want to discover what was once forgotten."
I close my eyes for a few seconds, realizing her knowledge of the situation is vague.
'It's like the void left in the heart of someone erased by Gluttony.'
The hatred they feel for Subaru was etched into their soul, which means he did something so horrible that even altering the world couldn't erase it.
Something so terrible that even someone as emotionless as Echidna hates him.
"With all your powers restored, will we be able to defeat him?" I ask, but Echidna just smiles wider.
"My enemy might not be Natsuki Subaru." Echidna sighs, staring at the ceiling of the room. "There are many things to uncover and do. The world's concepts were altered; my interest is to continue on my path, and anyone who gets in my way will be just a small stone."
Echidna looks at me intently, placing her hand on her chest.
"In reality, I should thank you. It's thanks to you that we regained part of what was forgotten. Your memory as a sage might have been altered, but what resides within your body remained." Echidna points at me, and I swallow hard. "If I hadn't made the bet, I'd have never realized it, and I would've left without knowing the truth."
"Then…" I smile, and she closes her eyes in agreement. "As greedy beings, shall we uncover the truth together?"
She smiles, and I realize that, for her, it's like a marriage proposal. Her cheeks flush slightly, and I can only look at her with indifference. Her emotions are something I don't understand, so they don't move me.
"If that's what you wish, let's uncover everything until the end of time." Her gaze comes with a flirtatious smile, her eyes half-closed. "Who would have thought you'd propose something so beautiful to me?"
I put my hand on my face, dragging it down until I'm holding my nose. I sigh, at least knowing that she'll be my ally for a while.
'Wait, if Echidna can alter and transform the space of the Castle of Dreams, then…'
"Could the Forbidden Library be altered?" Both are creators of the Forbidden Library, so if Echidna can use Yin magic to maintain the Castle of Dreams, she could possibly gain access. "Can you obtain the Forbidden Library?"
Even if she can't use all her power, something as simple as controlling a spell should be a piece of cake for her. That way, I could access the library and move it to my new home.
"She's the administrator of the library. In fact, when she broke the contract, all the books were erased, right?" I nod immediately at her question. "By breaking the contract, I lost the privileges as the administrator, but it should be possible if I can see the spell that connects with the library."
'So, there's hope.' I sigh, feeling a bit calmer. I can't stop progressing, even if I don't have Beatrice. I can't let the city suffer because of it.
Echidna smiles, staring at me like a hawk that's found its prey.
"I can access the Forbidden Library, and I could even create a copy of Beatrice using our memories." Echidna smiles maliciously, getting closer to me. I look at her, expressionless, holding back that burning feeling in my stomach. "That way, you could have both things without any problem."
I stare at her without flinching, grabbing her by the hood and pulling her closer with determination. I look into her eyes, black eyes filled with indifference.
"She wouldn't be Beatrice, because she wouldn't remember the 400 years she lived in solitude thanks to your contract." My gaze doesn't waver, but I can see Echidna's eyes widen for a few seconds. "It's memories and experiences that shape a person. Even if we use our memories, we'd only recreate the Beatrice we see, not the one that exists now."
I don't want the perfection in my eyes; I want Betty, my daughter. If it were her memories, that'd be a different story, but it's undoubtedly impossible to build her with mine or yours.
"Unlike you, I have feelings, so don't propose such nonsense again." I sigh, smiling at her arrogantly. "That doesn't suit you, Witch of Greed."
In the end, she lost, and thanks to that, she obtained a bit of the hidden truth about this world. That means getting her support is also part of what that person has planned.
It's now clear.
'My greatest enemy is Natsuki Subaru.'
"Anyway, I don't have much time, but I'd like to get to know a little bit about all of you." I look at them intently, determined. "If we're going to work together, it's better that we know each other. You know everything about me, but..."
Echidna places a finger on my lips, smiling at me.
"Are you trying to charm us?" Echidna's gaze, though smiling, looks like that of someone who already considers themselves dead. "There's nothing pretty in the past of a witch."
I close my eyes, taking her hand.
"I didn't say I wanted to know what's pretty, I said I wanted to know you." I look at her with determination, and for the first time, she looks away. "But, to know that we need to uncover the truth."
She nods, which puts me more at ease. Thanks to the oath, she can't lie to me, so the only way she can hide what's inside her is by avoiding the truth.
Her knowledge is useful to me. Even if her memories have been altered, the workings of the world must still remain in them.
"Liquid miasma, the crystal in my chest, explain it," I order, and she quickly extends her hand toward the crystal.
"First, we have to think about the miasma. What caused it?" Echidna smiles, generating a dense fog of miasma. "While this answer might not be the truth, according to my studies, miasma comes from the mere existence of mana. When mana decays, like a corpse, miasma is generated. Additionally, it can also be produced by human emotions."
Like a symbiotic source, humans release negative emotions, or there's so much chaos that, after death, their od corrupts, and the same happens with mana.
"As you know, the effect of miasma depends on the quantity, ranging from causing madness to even physical mutations or instant death." Echidna looks at me intently, and with a repulsive aura that makes me feel a little nauseous. "An authority is the control someone has over this miasma. It doesn't necessarily depend on pure authorities but on unconscious or conscious control of it."
Echidna smiles.
"The miasma I emit could kill everyone just by being in its presence because the human body isn't made to contain it. It's like a person being born without a door; they'll just suffer mana poisoning and die if not treated properly." With that explanation, I understand more. Miasma, being residue, is foreign to living beings. You could even say it's like a parasitic entity.
"However, if it weren't for miasma, maybe the world wouldn't have come this far." She states, looking out the window with a smile. "Od Lagna created divine blessings to oppose the authorities, but those, in turn, are stronger than od itself."
'Balance.'
I could say there are two separate entities interfering in the same world. Like a computer and a virus. As long as one isn't stronger than the other, the world can exist.
"Liquid miasma is the result of the condensation of feelings and death, but not in the same way as mana." Echidna points toward my chest, where my necklace lies. "Mana doesn't exist in a liquid form, only mana diluted in a liquid. Miasma doesn't contain water, and I honestly don't know what it's made of on a molecular level. Now that I have part of your world's knowledge, I have much to investigate."
Then she looks at me with curious eyes, like a dog that's suddenly interested in something.
"If you let me look at it through a microscope to see what particles it's made of..." Her excited expression tells me she's just figured out how to continue her research. "Then I could draw conclusions."
She points with her fingers, and I immediately nod. Having Echidna doing research will really be useful to me if we both work together, each with knowledge from our own fields.
'We'd be unstoppable.'
My eyes light up suddenly, and I quickly think of a certain someone. There's someone who can eliminate miasma, but their powers are something I still don't fully understand.
"What's a way to eliminate miasma?"
"Yang can repel miasma." Echidna smiles, casting Yang magic, dissipating that ominous feeling that had filled the room. "But it can never eliminate or harm miasma itself."
'That's different from what I saw. Without a doubt, Luan could do something.'
I look at Echidna, debating whether I should tell her or wait a little longer. If I tell her about it, it'd be better once I have a microscope.
'We need to thoroughly investigate Luan's blood.'
But I won't do it now. I'll let Luan rest for a bit; she's definitely been under a lot of stress lately. Later, I'll be able to see her abilities better with Echidna's help.
Someone like Echidna will quickly understand things, so it's best if I provide her with information.
"After you finish reading everything, go to my office. There are more books there for you to learn about the concepts of my world and a little of what you've missed in this one." If I want to work with her, I need her to fully grasp the concepts of my world. "As for my current powers, what should I do?"
Echidna smiles, and then I feel like I can't breathe. A dense mana, like darkness itself, fills the room. It's almost like Shamack is being used, but something is different.
"Since you have greater sensitivity to mana, you can perceive more than others. That can backfire if you don't control it, like now. It will cloud your vision and distract you from what's really important." Echidna stops using her mana, and I swallow hard, realizing a new weakness. "My powers are recovering. I'd say I'm a small percentage of my true self, but I can still defend myself. You don't need to worry about me."
Now something more important.
"And the authorities, can you use them?" I look at Echidna, and she gives me a chilling smile, almost as if she's not human.
"No, they're not in my possession. Still, I can project my soul and use miasma like I'm doing now." Echidna reverts her transformation and becomes Omega. After doing so, she leans toward me, changing back into Echidna, placing her hand on my chest, and pushing me down.
I fall onto the couch, staring at Echidna in surprise as she climbs on top of me.
"The only one capable of bearing my soul is a sage, someone powerful enough to accept all sins within." Echidna caresses my cheek, and I can only stare, unsure of what she's doing. "We're destined, Marco Luz, but I need you to do me a favor."
Her hair falls beside me, her gaze fixed on mine, trying to do something. Her face, pale as snow, her white eyebrows, and her eyes attempting to mimic a human's. I'm surprised she's doing this, but her behavior is nothing more than that.
'Let's see something.' I wrap my arms around her back, applying pressure, pulling her onto my chest. She looks surprised, her hands tensing for a few seconds until she realizes I'm not letting go.
Echidna is difficult to understand, but at the same time, I want to figure her out.
Now that she no longer has the authority of sin, her mindset should be able to change. I'm not talking about her ambition or her desire to know everything, but her feelings.
'What does it mean to be a witch?' Now that her mind is no longer tied to the Sanctuary, it should be possible for her to change. Now that her brain belongs to someone with emotions, she should be able to experience them.
It's not that her soul is that of a psychopath; that trait comes from the brain, not her personality.
That means Echidna will experience emotions the way Ryuzu does, so it'll also be a weakness for her.
"Do you feel anything when I hold you?" I ask, but she doesn't respond. "You feel like you want to know more about my body, don't you? You want to investigate my behavior. You've seen my past, but you want to discover more."
Echidna sees love as an irrational interest in something. Since in her heart, that interest is something she can't put into words, there's no choice but to call it love.
"You think you love me, or rather, you love me in your own way." I keep holding her, the Witch of Greed, still wrapped in my arms.
'I feel kind of bad doing this; she wouldn't like it.'
"Do you want to help me?" Her question makes me smile, because even though I want to, I don't know how. "I love knowledge. This world is a mistake, and the fact that it is excites me. I want to know everything, and now I also have to learn about the past. Will you help me discover something I don't know about myself?"
I release her from my arms, bending down and sitting her down. I stand up, adjusting my suit as I prepare to leave. It's not something I can decide right now, and for starters, I can't think of a way to help her.
"I don't know how." There's no point in lying, time will tell. "What I can do is help you with your thirst for knowledge. After all, that's what you're interested in, right?"
Echidna smiles, and I walk towards the exit. We still have more to talk about, but I need to read Erick's report if I want to win that trial.
"Learn quickly, I need an assistant." I close the door, leaving her alone with her books.