Chapter 373: This is the Cardinal Sin Witch
Roy unhesitatingly took his seat at the square table beneath the enormous parasol.
Reid, who had been standing beside Roy, thought for a moment. Since the hostess hadn't invited him, he decided not to shamelessly take a seat as well. Instead, he walked over to Flugel's side, showing concern for the pitiable "Sage."
Ever since arriving at the Witches' Castle, while Roy had been warmly received, Reid hadn't received any special treatment. Only Flugel, whether due to bad luck or something else, had immediately suffered torment at the hands of two witches.
Reid warily eyed the Wrath Witch and the Pride Witch. Seeing that neither of them made any further moves, he temporarily relaxed.
Echidna watched as Roy sat down at the tea table without hesitation and joined the gathering. Raising her pale, delicate hand, she covered her crimson lips with the back of it, her eyes curving with irrepressible delight.
This woman, always clad in black mourning attire, was the fairest-skinned woman Roy had ever seen—or perhaps the stark contrast between her clothing and her complexion made her appear as smooth as jade, her entire body resembling snow-white jade.
"People often confuse bravery with reckless bravado, yet the two are fundamentally opposite things."
As she spoke, Echidna elegantly lifted the hem of her skirt and sat down across from Roy. Her movements carried a faint hint of allure, and as the black mourning dress shifted, her slender calves and delicate arches subtly came into Roy's view.
Roy studied the witch before him, a convergence of black and white, with keen interest. Smiling, he asked, "...So, Echidna, what kind of person do you think I am?"
Echidna's gaze was filled with greed and girlish affection as she met Roy's eyes directly. In a soft, graceful voice, she replied, "...Brave, of course. When a wise person with power does something foolish, it's called bravery. But when a powerless, enraged fool does something reckless, it's called bravado."
After a pause, the witch continued, "...Calling me by my full name like that is far too distant. Well, never mind. Since we're not yet familiar, we can address each other this way for now. I imagine one day, we'll affectionately call each other by nicknames."
Echidna giggled, her fair skin flushing pink, making Roy wonder whether she was truly the Witch of Greed or the Witch of Lust.
"Ah, let me introduce myself again. As you can see, I am Echidna, the Witch of Greed—the embodiment of the thirst for knowledge!"
Echidna gracefully rose to her feet, lifting the edge of her skirt in a refined curtsy.
At this moment, Satella, who was following Roy, couldn't help but say, "...Are you really the embodiment of knowledge lust, and not the embodiment of carnal desire?"
Even when mocked by Satella, Echidna didn't seem to mind. The Witch of Greed turned her gaze toward the Witch of Envy and said, "...I still don't know your name. Could you tell me, Witch of Envy?"
"Satella!"
The silver-haired half-elf puffed out her chest proudly and declared boldly. The girl who had always been soft and gentle in front of Roy suddenly became assertive when facing Echidna. It was as if these two women were naturally incompatible. Right now, Satella was pressing aggressively with words that even Roy found surprising, "...Aren't you supposed to know everything? Why bother asking for my name!"
"I don't like flipping through the 'Book of Wisdom.' The answers inside would rob me of life's joys. The pursuit of the unknown is what drives me."
"You're lying. You clearly read that book to foresee Lord Roy's arrival."
"That's because he is special. He is knowledge itself—the very object of my desire."
Echidna's tone grew impassioned, her voice even cracking with excitement.
"Shameless!"
Satella's face flushed red as she scolded, convinced that Echidna's words were nothing but a veiled confession of love.
"Hah, look who's talking, Satella! Your expression is dripping with naked envy. That's right—you're jealous of my beauty, and you're terrified I'm about to steal your precious Lord Roy away. This obsessive possessiveness of yours isn't exactly a noble emotion either, so don't make me laugh!"
The two women faced each other across the table, trading barbs as if determined to tear each other down.
Perhaps bickering was an innate talent of women—even a gentle girl like Satella had mastered it effortlessly without being taught.
Satella's delicate face darkened as if smeared with ink. A sinister aura radiated from her, and shadows nearly engulfed her body. With every word Echidna spoke, she felt fear, anxiety, and dread that Roy might truly be taken from her.
He's mine. He's my Lord Roy—the one who stayed by my side on that pitch-black rainy night, the light that gave hope to me in the darkness. I love him so much. I depend on him so much. And yet, this woman wants to steal him away from me.
I want to kill her. I want to kill her...
Deep-seated jealousy twisted Satella's beautiful features.
At this moment, even Reid, Flugel, and Shaula were convinced—Satella was undoubtedly the Witch of Envy.
"Luwa-luwa, Dona-dona and the new sister are fighting! Are they going to start hitting each other?"
The Witch of Pride, Typhon, hid fearfully behind the Wrath Witch Minerva, watching the heated confrontation between Satella and Echidna with trepidation.
Although Echidna's power was not the strongest among the many witches, each witch had their own eccentric temperament. In human eyes, Echidna was considered the most normal one. Thus, whenever anything happened, it was always Echidna who stepped forward. As the incarnation of Greed for knowledge, she was also the one who devised strategies. For the still-young Typhon, Echidna held an imposing presence before her.
"I forbid it! I absolutely forbid anyone to fight in front of me! I forbid anyone to get hurt in front of me!"
Minerva, brimming with anger, clenched her fists and growled. Her eyes were fixed on Echidna and Satella. Regardless of whether she could win or not, if those two dared to fight, she would rush in and deliver a flurry of punches.
"Alright, Satella, stop arguing with Echidna. No matter what, you're both witches—you should get along harmoniously."
Roy finally spoke up at this point, rubbing his temples as he looked at the two women. Though being the center of their dispute gave him a slight thrill, Roy wasn't so conceited as to believe their quarrel meant they were deeply in love with him.
Satella might have some feelings for him, but they couldn't possibly be that intense. As for Echidna, there was no need to even mention it—this was their first meeting.
To put it bluntly, the reason they harbored such strong emotions was simple: one was driven by 'envy,' the other by 'greed.'
He knew Satella envied Echidna for potentially taking him away, while Echidna coveted the unknown within him. That was why they were engaging in this catfight.
So-called witches were the ultimate embodiment of emotions!