Chapter 380: The Witch of Greed's Declaration of Love
A gentle breeze swept across the grasslands. Though the wind was warm, Flugel shivered.
He looked around in bewilderment. The weather was still clear—the sky a pristine blue, dotted with drifting white clouds, the grass lush and vibrant, and tiny insects flitting about the fields.
It was an utterly ordinary natural scene, yet at this moment, Flugel felt an overwhelming urge to cry.
Finally, he had left. Left that castle of Witches. Left the Witch's Tea Party.
Witches truly were Witches. Looking back, it was laughable that he had ever held any expectations for them.
No—Satella was the exception. That silver-haired half-elf girl was genuinely kind, different from the other Witches.
Flugel thought to himself.
The subtle spatial fluctuations around them had vanished without a trace. Though spatial magic also fell under the 'Yin' attribute, Flugel's mastery of magic was no match for the Witch of Greed's. He couldn't detect even the slightest trace of the hidden castle.
"Master, let's go! Let's never come back to this place again."
Shaula's eyes were still red. Though the time spent inside the Witch's castle had been brief, for her, it had been a horrifying ordeal she never wanted to relive.
Watching the Witch of Pride crush her master's arm, only for the Witch of Wrath to beat him back to health, and then being forced by the Witch of Gluttony to devour his own hand—even Shaula, who had merely witnessed it, felt her heart tremble in fear, let alone Flugel himself.
This place—the Witch's Tea Party—was simply too terrifying.
"Yes, let's go. We're never coming back."
Flugel nodded solemnly.
Since his transmigration, although he had encountered many crises, the cruel treatment he faced this time was a first for Flugel in his lifetime. To be honest, he had already developed wariness and fear toward the Witches.
"That Roy, seriously! He actually stayed behind for the Witches!" Shaula grumbled indignantly.
"Don't blame him too much. I never expected Satella to be the Witch of Envy either. He stayed because he was worried about her. With Satella's gentle nature, she'd definitely be bullied by those cruel Witches if left alone."
Surprisingly, Flugel found himself comforting Shaula.
Then, he turned to Reid and asked, "...What are your plans, Reid?"
"Hmm, after seeing the Witches, I'm now very interested in the Divine Dragon. I've decided to visit the Great Waterfall and try to meet the Divine Dragon 'Volcanica.' After that, I plan to return to my wife—our child should be born soon."
Reid answered without hesitation, clearly having planned his journey long ago.
"Perfect timing. I'm also interested in the Divine Dragon 'Volcanica.' Why don't we travel together? Hopefully, 'Volcanica' won't be as cruel as the Witches."
Flugel spoke with lingering fear.
"Haha, let's go together then. But be prepared—'Volcanica' might be even crueler than the Witches. After all, the Witches are still human at their core, but the Divine Dragon isn't!"
As they talked, the three boarded the luxurious dragon-drawn carriage Roy had left behind. Before leaving the Witches' castle, Roy had gifted it to them.
The trio gradually disappeared into the distance.
...
Inside the Witches' castle, the Witch of Greed, Echidna, was unusually excited. She chattered incessantly, no longer merely answering questions but eagerly divulging everything she knew even before Roy could ask.
"Why are you so fixated on me? I understand your obsession stems from your 'Greed,' your 'Desire'—but what's the reason for fixating on me? To be honest, Echidna, your behavior borders on devotion."
From Echidna, Roy learned many things—such as the authorities each of the Seven Deadly Sins Witches possessed, the significance of the six elemental magics in this world, and the origins of spirits and lesser spirits.
To Roy's great surprise, the Book of Wisdom in Echidna's possession was not a magical artifact but her authority—this book was the 'Akashic Records' of this world. Merely opening it would grant all the answers about this world. However, due to her personality and way of life, Echidna rarely ever consulted it.
Indeed, the Witch of Greed was not particularly strong in combat. But if she were willing to push her authority to its limits, possessing the Book of Wisdom would make her one of the most terrifying beings in this world. Beyond that, Echidna even had the ability to briefly stop time, allowing her to seize opportunities to escape.
She was a Witch who had maxed out all her support abilities.
"The reason is quite simple, isn't it... Because you are the unknown itself! I refuse to open this 'Book of Wisdom,' but that doesn't mean I won't. Everything and everyone in this world is recorded within its pages. No matter what others do, this book faithfully documents it all, even foreseeing the future..."
"...But you are different. No matter what you do, no trace is left in the 'Book of Wisdom.' No matter what actions you take, they leave no mark upon this world. Your every move is unpredictable, unknowable—you embody 'the unknown'!"
"And I, Echidna, the Witch of Greed, am a monster who seeks all that is unknown, all knowledge. You... you are what I seek!! So I beg of you, please grant me this—let us become one, let us share our lives henceforth. I want to know everything about you, I want to possess everything of yours, I want... I want to witness the unknown new world with you!!"
Echidna trembled all over, even her snow-white hands shaking uncontrollably. Her voice was high-pitched and fervent, as if she were baring her very soul to earn Roy's trust.
This witch truly lived up to her title as the incarnation of insatiable curiosity—she had already deduced his ability to traverse worlds. Her hunger for knowledge beyond this realm was boundless.
So Roy mused.
"Your words are quite suggestive, Echidna... Is this a confession of love?"
"If that's how you interpret it, then yes—this is the greedy love of the Witch of Greed!!"
Echidna lifted her chin, her impassioned tone bordering on ecstatic, as if caught in rapture.
Yet Roy remained unmoved, asking calmly, "...You're speaking in circles. What exactly do you want?"
"It's simple. From now on, everything you perceive, everything you think, everything stored in your heart—your knowledge, your actions, the 'unknown' fruits borne from what you'll create, from the entity called 'you'—let me savor them all thoroughly."
"...And thereafter, I shall stand by your side through everything. Whatever insurmountable obstacles you face, I'll share your burdens. When others demand answers from you, I'll strive to help you respond as they wish. When you're crushed by your own sins or external torment, I'll excise those burdens. I'm willing to shoulder everything for you, to face all things together with you. I'm willing... I'm willing for it all!!"
Echidna, the Witch of Greed, proclaimed her fervent, obsessive love like a sacred hymn.
This was the Witch of Greed—this was 'avarice' incarnate!